Puddles from a frigid rain form on the streets of the town Phoba, a human town that borders the Kraeka of the neutral continent Ibon. The air is sullen and heavy with fear, such as the nature of the people in this town. There’s always blame for the hardships of the citizens here with fingers pointed at those demons residing in the continent. Outsiders are usually shunned or refused, but there are the few exceptions. However, today the townsfolk are ever more watchful than normal. A previous resident has returned to her family from across the world and had brought a very unusual person with her. Everywhere the two went over the course of a week or two the town kept a silent watch over them. Eventually, they picked a day of discussion. A day with an important decision in fear over the abnormality of the newcomer in town.

“Oi Maya! Be more careful while you eat!”

A gentle hand wipes the cheek of a girl named Maya. She brings the bangs of her violet hair back over the ear and laughs coyly, her eyes sparkling to the same color as her hair.

“Sorry Megumi, it’s just the food your mother makes is way too good,” Maya exclaims taking another bite of a specialty melt of this town. “Besides you have food all over your face too you know!”

Maya’s hand reaches out to the other face that belongs to Megumi and swipes a bit of cheese off her face. At this Megumi’s eyes quickly hide behind the bangs of her light-brown hair in immediate shyness.

“Gah! Geez, Maya!”

Maya Nephim and Megumi Nen, two girls currently in the house of Megumi’s parents just in the outskirts of the town Phoba, have been spending their leave from their unit in the Hunters back on the continent of Erocia. The long trip they had between the continents was thankfully shortened in part to the Nen family being renowned engineers and leaders on Aura-Technology Manipulation, a new science that is still being developed which uses the Aura inside of everything as a source of power for large mechanical technology. With that being the case transport flight vehicles give special favor to the Nen family and their guests. Their family may be well renowned and well off in terms of monetary surplus, but they live humbly with just a simple 2 story house. They’ve spent several weeks of their vacation here, hanging around town and helping Megumi’s family with things on the property and workshop.

“My my, with how close you two are it’s already like you’re married into the family Maya!” A soothing voice comes from the doorway of the dining room.

It was Megumi’s mother standing there, holding her hand over her mouth with a mischievous grin.

“You two are going to be the end of my heart,” Megumi mumbles, her face pressing into her hands as the other two laughs.

The mother turns to go about her business outside of the dining room and leaves the two girls alone. Megumi is trying desperately to hide behind her hair, though at only the length of her chin she can only hide her face with her bangs. Maya, toy-fully playing with her long hair, is enjoying the cooking of Mrs. Nen thoroughly. Finishing off the meal she rests her head on her hands, grinning over to the other.

“I’m really glad we came out here for our leave Megumi,” She beams. “I don’t really have any family to return to or anything else to do with weeks of free time, so this has been very enjoyable for me.”

Megumi comes out of her shell of embarrassment to look at her friend. “I’m just as happy about bringing you, Maya! It feels great to get away from the medic bays at work. Though...I’m worried about something.” She looks out of the window to her left.

“Worried?” Maya was puzzled. “Why would you be worried?”

Maya hands her plate to Mrs. Nen, who had come back to collect the dirty dishes. She carried them back to the kitchen humming a tune to herself. Megumi had a complicated look that quickly changed to a smile when she looked over at Maya.

“Oh, nothing really. Maybe just a little paranoid in this town is all.” She tries to laugh off the worry.

A knock at the doorway to the dining room is heard with a man in grease-covered overalls standing there.

“Paranoid? You’re starting to sound like the rest of the town Megumi.” Sullenly he said with a tired expression.

Taking off his shoes he sets them by the doorway with a sigh.

“Oh welcome home pops.”

“Yeah welcome home.” The girls chimed.

“Has it been rough so far today at the workshop?” Megumi inquired while leaning on a hand.

“Eh? Ah yeah,” He waves it away with his hand and a yawn. “Just the townsfolk being the citizens of Phoba is all. They’re really high strung recently over something.”

He turns his direction toward the kitchen.

“HONEEY~ Is there anything I can eat? I need to be back down at the workshop soon.” The energy seeming to have returned to him he bounces into the kitchen.

“Ah~ Darling there are guests~”

The two girls laugh over the adults' obvious flirtation. This was the way they always were, a happy and carefree family. Mr. Nen takes a quick step back out of the kitchen.

“I hear you laughing. Don’t you worry you’ll be just like this someday.” He says with an intense expression.

“Roger that pops! I’ll do my best for Megumi’s sake!” Maya salutes the man seriously.

“MAYA!” She was trying desperately to contain her embarrassment.

“Then I entrust my daughter to you dearest Maya!” Bowing gracefully as he said that and receiving blows from objects thrown by Megumi.

He stands up and has a more serious expression.

“Before I forget I need some help later back at the workshop. I was going to ask both of you to come along but I’m afraid I have to ask Megumi to go to the town meeting in my stead.”

Megumi tries to straighten herself up with a light laugh.

“I understand dad. It is a season where the business is swamped after all.” She calmly speaks, showing this situation happens a lot.

“But,” Maya speaks up, “what am I going to do without my darling Megumi?”

“Fueh?!”

Megumi flinches from her hands being suddenly clasped, her father laughing to the side.

“I-I’m sure you’ll be fine Maya,” she tries to regain some composure while speaking. “I just have to go to this meeting and meet up with you guys at the workshop is all. D-don’t worry.”

The stare between the two shared an intimate silence before Maya broke it with a warm smile.

“If darling says so, then it can’t be helped.”

“Geez, Maya~” Megumi pouts, still red.

That smile could melt a glacier.

“I appreciate the help, Maya.” He bows. “I’ll go ahead and head down there, so you two can leave a bit later alright?”

“Dear~ I have your food nice and prepared!” Mrs. Nen calls from the kitchen, causing the Mr. to look over gleefully.

“That’s my cue girls, time for me to head on out,” exclaiming when walking through the door to the kitchen. “I’m off then!”

From the hallway came the sound of whistling is cut off by the door closing with a slam. Maya stretches in her chair, clearly satisfied from the earlier food. Standing up she walks to the window to see Mr. Nen on his way back to work. She turns suddenly over to Megumi beaming warmly.

“So my darling little Lop, what’s the story about that meeting?” She leans forward closer to Megumi’s face.

“L-Lop??!”

Megumi, who was still red from before, is now hard to recognize how deep the red is. Maya pats her head, receiving a pout from Megumi behind her bangs.

“W-Well...” She clears her throat. “Our town likes to have somewhat mandatory meetings on matters concerning what actions they want to take in certain matters. They’re invite based, kinda like Erocia’s Judge system. Except that’s where the similarities fall short as our meetings can be over any little thing and not necessarily about something as important as like a law per se.”

“What happens if you don’t go then?”

“Then you have to find a replacement. Generally, it’s just highly frowned upon though, as they don’t keep track. However, going can make a difference of what was decided.”

“Ooh,” a monotone voice escapes Maya’s lips, “alright then. Then we should head down soon right my Lop?”

Maya skips by Megumi while laughing and is shoved lightly, followed by a “Geeez~“. Megumi turned to yell out to Maya as she was leaving the room.

“Oi! Be sure to wear something you don’t want to be ruined by oil!” She stands up to also go get ready, still pouting. “Idiot. So embarrassing.”

The two prepare to get ready to make the trek further into town, umbrellas in hand and raincoats over their clothes. They leave a little later than intended thanks to the unpredictable storm overhead. Once at Maya’s destination of the workshop halfway into town the two parted ways with a hug and wave so that Megumi could head on further to the meeting. The taps of the rain on Megumi’s umbrella did nothing to help the growing anxiety inside of her. The clouds overcasting her happiness made her dread the upcoming meeting within the town.