In a tavern tucked away in a secluded corner of town, Kiyoshi and Lucas shared a drink. Tables murmured with stories of travels accompanied by the aroma of ale and baked bread. Lighting artifacts hovered overhead, casting their warm glow over the patrons. The bartender, a portly woman with short brown hair, washed Lucas' mugs while anticipating him to order a fourth.

  "That hits the spot!" Lucas slurred, slamming his empty mug on the counter.

  "At this rate, alcohol poisoning will claim you before old age does," Kiyoshi said between sips, his first mug barely half emptied. "Have you already made arrangements for your casket?"

  Lucas lazily lifted a finger, signaling the bartender for another round. "I got two caskets. One for me and one for my boos." He grinned, the white foam clinging to his facial hair making it more goofy.

  Amused, Kiyoshi shook his head while smiling. "You're ridiculous." He took another careful swig.

  Lucas tilted his head as confusion crossed his face. "Your body won't relax if you keep drinking droplets like that."

  "Unlike you, I actually have a sense of responsibility," Kiyoshi replied half jokingly.

  "Bahahaha!" Lucas burst into a fit of obnoxious laughter, pausing conversations from different tables as other customers turned their attention to them. "You've always had a strange responsibility and justice complex, ever since we were little brats. The old heads always assumed you were the eldest."

  "And that surprises you?" Kiyoshi chuckled.

  "Not at all," Lucas turned to the other customers who'd already gone back to conversing with one another. "The world needs people like you. Perhaps you knew that and left to pursue law enforcement."

  "I chose to pursue it because I grew tired of those adopting a criminal lifestyle without good reason." There was a trace of resentment in Kiyoshi's usually level voice.

  The bartender returned with another mug of ale, Lucas giving a drunk nod in appreciation. "And that's where I'll have to disagree."

  Kiyoshi looked at him with confusion. "Mind elaborating?"

  Lucas looked down at his mug thoughtfully, foam sliding down the glass. "Don't get me wrong, criminals suck, but you don't resort to crime without a reason. And you don't see those 'good reasons' because you're on the outside looking in. Perhaps they'd sell illegal products because of the lack of job opportunities. Or they commit robbery to pay the hospital bills for their sick child."

  "The world takes your actions into account, not your reasoning. Desperation doesn't warrant chaos." Kiyoshi countered coldly before taking another sip.

  "Desperation is a very good motivator though," Lucas continued. "Especially when the greater good is involved."

  Kiyoshi looked at his friend somewhat suspiciously. "Greater good? What good could someone possibly achieve when turning to a life of crime?"

  Lucas opened his mouth to speak only for a hiccup to interrupt him. Taking another gulp of his ale, he turned to Kiyoshi, his flushed cheeks stretching in a grin. "Oh, lighten up! I swear you've always been so—????????—serious."

  Kiyoshi blinked then shook his head. "You're just drunk. Of course."

  Lucas smacked his back, letting out another booming laugh. Moving past the subject, they continued reminiscing about their time together. Kiyoshi prodded him for answers as to what area rangers in town frequent the most but the burly fool became too intoxicated to form proper responses to his questions.

  By the time Kiyoshi had finally finished his drink, Lucas had just gulped down his fifth. The drunk tried ordering another from the worried bartender but Kiyoshi had already called it a day for the both of them. Paying their tab, he begrudgingly wiped the froth built up on Lucas' mouth before slinging his arm over his shoulder and dragging him out of the tavern.

  The town was less lively during dusk hours. The beasts were already either returning to their natural habitat or were too exhausted to do so, settling for the artificial habitats spread throughout town which were just as comfortable.

  Lucas occasionally blurted incomprehensible speech throughout their walk, too slurred to decipher, though his intense pouting suggested he wasn't too thrilled to be going home. Kiyoshi tried recalling his friend's address but his memory had fogged during his time away.

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  Trying his luck, he asked, "Where's your address so I can drop you off?"

  "...not same...has anyone ever told you—????????—that you look a lot like someone I used to know?" Lucas prodded at his cheap armor, but his drunken mind didn’t register that his finger was phasing through an illusion.

  Kiyoshi shook his head at his futile attempt. "You're going to have a nasty hangover in the morning."

  Having no other choice, he decided to head back to the inn. After explaining their awkward situation to the staff, they gave him his room key and the Sentinel proceeded to drag Lucas' body upstairs to the room.

  Reaching the top floor, he unlocked the room and went inside, greeted with a broad living space. Vibrant coral reefs teeming with life adorned the walls—schools of fish riding the river's current, giant salamanders weaving gracefully through the fields of swaying plant life, and aqua bears utilizing their heavy builds to dive deep within the lake's depths to snag the hidden delicacies growing beneath the surface.

  The iridescent tiled floor shimmered under the hovering lighting artifact, giving the room an ethereal glow. Connecting the floor to the ceiling was a grand circular aquarium that sat at the center of the room, marine life flitting throughout the clear water. Beyond the aquarium was a wide balcony, the soft moonlight beginning to peer through the clouds.

  Walking further inside, he found a large bedroom with Haruka sitting on the edge of the king-sized bed. She idly wiped down small metal parts which he assumed belonged to the strange contraption she always carried with her.

  She looked up and opened her mouth to greet her partner but stopped once her eyes landed on what he was dragging in the room. Her nose wrinkled in disgust involuntarily when the foul stench of alcohol assaulted her nostrils.

  "Care to explain why you're lugging around a corpse?" She covered her nose with her hand.

  "My apologies. He had one too many drinks."

  "Clearly."

  By now, Lucas had passed out, making it more difficult to pull his body inside. Kiyoshi practically tossed him near the balcony and opened the sliding glass door to air the room out. "I'm not sure where his new residence is so he'll stay here until he's sober to stand on his own."

  "Lucky us." She said sarcastically, the stench, although not as strong anymore, still polluting the air.

  "He was generous enough to give us luxury so this is the least we can do." He reasoned, watching as she went back to cleaning the parts that made up her conduit. "May I ask what you're doing?"

  "Just some maintenance." She answered simply.

  This was the first time he'd seen just how many parts made up her intricate weapon. With practiced hands, she began to reassemble her conduit as it gradually took its original shape. He found it fascinating how her fingers moved with effortless precision as she slid and clicked the pieces together, something only possible through years of experience.

  Walking out on the balcony, he rested his arms on the railing, taking in the nightly atmosphere that settled over the town. The gentle murmurs of winding waters and distant chatter provided a calming backdrop that gave the town a peaceful air. Vessels had already cleared the waters, making the vast lake seem more barren than before.

  "This town seems so tranquil. I wouldn't mind living here. It's hard to believe there are dealings taking place here." Haruka joined him on the balcony, the moonlight touching her golden hair as it fluttered in the cool air.

  "Which makes it the ideal place to carry out illegal activity. You wouldn't suspect anything under this lighthearted atmosphere. It's the perfect camouflage." Kiyoshi replied as he watched an aqua bear mat down the grass of an artificial habitat before plopping down.

  Haruka looked at her companion. "If I may, how is it that you ended up as a Sentinel if you left for law enforcement?"

  Kiyoshi's eyes traced the barely visible treeline beyond the lake thoughtfully. "When the council approached me, I saw it as an opportunity to make more of a contribution. After the Ripper's capture, it was apparent that the world needed an equalizer of sorts. Wild beasts are one thing but monsters that take the form of a human, that's another problem."

  Haruka’s expression remained unreadable as she sighed through her nose. "You're going on a tangent now," she stole a glance to see his hardened expression. "That serious glint in your eye can be a bit suffocating."

  "Are you really in a position to talk when stoicism is practically etched onto your face?" He shot his companion a teasing smile.

  Haruka tilted her head, frowning. "Is my face really that strange?"

  Kiyoshi's expression softened regretfully. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to offend you."

  She turned with a huff, her braided hair arcing around her other shoulder as she strode back into the suite. "If you find it that repulsive, perhaps you should sleep on the couch so you wouldn't have to subject your eyes to such a sight." She said sharply, feigning offense.

  He stood there watching as she walked back into the bedroom, unsure how to respond. Turning back to him with a soft smile to relieve the tension, she said, "I'm joking...partially. I intend to enjoy the luxury of this suite with the limited time I have but I can't do that if I share."

  He scratched his head. "If I'm not mistaken, the bedroom can be divided into two so..."

  She put on a soft, innocent smile. "Goodnight, Kiyoshi."

  With that, she slid the bedroom door closed, locking it with a click.