As Ainha returned to the living room of the house, both Marielle and Lilliena stood up to join him. The younger of the two immediately spoke up. "Ainha, I'm staying behind. I want to help people who do the same. It's just not right to simply run away from the problem like this."
"Marielle, no. You're too inexperienced, you don't have enough control over your ability," Ainha immediately answered. "It's safer for you to come with us. Jansine will be happy to have us for a while..." He trailed off as a second voice began to project itself through the open windows. This one was different. Female. She spoke of a defence of the city, of standing up for that which was rightfully theirs. The speech sent a chill through Marielle, though she was by no means cold. It was the strength of the words that had caused it... though she could hear what sounded like a strain to the woman's voice.
"You see? Other people want to stand and fight. I'll join them, I won't be alone in that regard," Marielle said. "I'll help you both with the packing, of course, but I'm going to stay behind."
"I don't know..." Ainha mused. "It could be a trap, designed to bring in those willing to fight the newcomers and remove them before they have a chance. This is very dangerous, Marielle, you'll be safer with us," he repeated.
"No, Ainha. I don't like ignoring a problem or walking away from it. I want to stay and fight... a dangerous life is pretty much the only one I've known," Marielle countered. That was true enough: Lasklee, the city in which she had more or less grown up, had always been violent. This was just another step up from the usual. "Lilliena has already agreed to let me stay. I might not have full control over my power, like you said, but I'm good enough to stand up to a fight."
She hoped that was the case. Marielle had never actually tested her ability on another human, but based on the trials she had experimented with, it was pretty destructive against wood, glass and other easily breakable materials.
There was an almost tangible silence in the room as Ainha considered Marielle's statements. Eventually he broke it. "Alright... alright, you can stay behind. We'll leave you some supplies and such, and you can stay here if you want to. For now, we need to get packed up as soon as possible." With that the three of them got to packing up as much as they could carry.
[hr]
A short while later the Villeneuves were packed up and sorted out. Lilliena and Ainha had both hefted packs onto their backs, carrying a fair bit in terms of money, valuables, clothing and supplies. Marielle, however, had packed up her own things as well, plus that which her parents had given her. She didn't know if she was going to come back and sleep at their house, so everything had been packed up.
"Alright... are you sure about this, Marielle? You wouldn't rather come with us?" Ainha asked once more. Staying behind was what Marielle wanted. She wanted to help in some way, to use her power for a good cause. And she couldn't do that by running away from her problems.
"No. I'll stay behind," she said resolutely as she slung her own pack onto her shoulders, adjusting the jacket underneath it to fit comfortably. She led the way to the door, opening it for the others before leaving the house herself. It was a strange feeling, to have to leave the place one considered home. She briefly wondered if the three of them would return under better circumstances.
Then Marielle stepped through the door and closed it behind her, her decision made. Lilliena stepped forward and pulled her into another tight hug; this one was meant to say goodbye. Ainha joined the two of them, kissing the top of Marielle's forehead. The three held their embrace for a few moments before they drew apart. "So... you're off then," was all Marielle could bring herself to say. It seemed a little awkward to her.
"Yes. Good luck to you here... and come back alive," Ainha said, his tone mimicking an order. Marielle gave the two a small wave as they turned and made their way to the docks, where they would look for a ship to get them off Lasklee. The young woman, however, turned and headed in a different direction: the centre of the city, where she would meet this stranger and see what she had to say.
