Himika was preparing to start something new when Laurent suddenly burst into the room. Jumping nearly out of her skin at the sound, her head flew to the door and she stared with wide eyes at the girl as she walked into the room. The two didn't say anything for a long moment as Laurent looked around the place as if she were just seeing it clean for the first time. Her eyes went to the commission wall and her eyebrows raised, surprised at the number of them. Eventually she walked over to Himika and placed a hand on her shoulder, though still she said nothing.
Looking up at the other girl for a long moment, her eyes started to fill with tears. "I... I just..."
"I already know what you're doing. It's not like you to hide away when everyone else is happy and having a good time. Don't blame yourself for this. It's not your fault and you know it." she said, her hand squeezing Himika's shoulder briefly.
"But-"
"Ah ah, no buts. I'm not asking you to forget or not be sad about it. I'm telling] you to accept it. We can't afford to stop and lose our wits now, got it?" she was told. Blinking and wiping away her tears, Himika nodded and smiled after a moment. It was classic Laurent to comfort her without getting to mushy about things or making her feel awkward. Placing her hand atop Laurent's, Himika found her voice. "Well, did you need anything?"
"Yes actually. I... we, need you. There's a meeting going on. Get your things ready and get there as soon as possible." she said, removing her hand and walking towards the door. After a few quick swipes, she sent the location via PM. Lowering her head, Himika looked around the room. "I think I would be of a lot more use here rather than up there." she said honestly, at the moment she was doubting herself. Doubting if she was even needed on the front lines. Laurent just shrugged. "Maybe." she said, turning back to the door and leaving.
Sighing and lowering her hammer, Himika hugged herself and started to walk around the room. The essence of her friend was still here and she was comforted and saddened by it. Opening her menu, she would change out of her smithing equipment and into her fighting equipment. Adjusting the armor slightly, she walked to the door and left, heading up and out of the guild hall, slipping past anyone who may have wanted to speak to her. When she was outside and away from others, she opened her menu, looked at the meeting location and used a teleport crystal to get there.
When she appeared in the meeting room, she saw the Guild Leader and nodded to him, along with some other people she knew as she walked forward towards the others. Her left hand rested on the hilt of her sword, and her shoes made the lightest tapping sound on the floor. She noticed everyone was suddenly looking at her, growing silent at her entrance and turned as red as her hair. "S-s-sorry I'm late! I hope I didn't interrupt." she said, half running to stand by Mez and trying to resist the urge to slink behind him out of sight.
"Please... tell me we're there already..." came from the blue eyed woman as she sighed, the sound more like a whimper of pain. The response to her plead was an equally sad sounding roar that came from her pet Polar Leopard, Kavi. He had been so nice to her all this time as he carried her on his back while walking through the forest towards the nearest town. With her fingertips and shoes brushing the ground as she dangled over him, she looked like a towel draped across his back. Which was ironic since she was dripping with sweat and probably only causing Kavi more discomfort. This was why she hated hot weather. With each step Kavi took, her body swayed and Azome was starting to get dizzier and dizzier. She hardly had any drinking water left and sighing, she decided it would be best to give it to her more than deserving pet.
"Kavi. Rest." she said, starting to shift her body and turn to sit up. Before she had a chance though, the exausted cat flopped down onto the ground in a tired heap, causing her to slip off and onto her bottom next to him. "Really?" she said, standing and dusting herself off. She reached into the pouch that was strapped to Kavi's saddle, bringing out the large container of water that rested inside. Carrying it over to the front of him, she ordered him to open his mouth before pouring the rest of the warm water over his tongue. With the last little bit, she poured it on his head, hoping to cool him down. He gave a happy grunt, pushing his head into her belly and she hugged him in response before putting back the water jug. "Come on, let's rest in the shade over there." she said, scratching his ear and leading him towards the shade of a large tree. Immediately he followed and eventually walked past her, moving in a circle a few times and pawing at the ground under the tree. After a snort of satisfaction, he lay down, resting his head on his paws. Azome watched his routine with a smile, catching up to him eventually and sitting next to him, leaning against his side. She yawned, though not having done much to be sleepy, and blamed it on Kavi's soft fur. Closing her eyes, the two fell into a pattern of slow breathing as they always did. When she breathed in, he breathed out and visa versa.
She didn't know how long the two rested there, but the unforgiving heat never let up. With her mouth getting drier by the second, she debated whether to just drink her bending water or not, despite how gross that would be. "Damn..." she mumbled. With Kavi cat napping behind her, Azome allowed herself to relax while he took as much time as he needed to recuperate.
At some point, Kavi began rumbling and causing her body to tremble slightly. It roused her and she turned her head to look at his face. His head was raised, emerald eyes trained on the road they had been walking on before and teeth barred. Realizing the rumbling had been him growling, she pushed his bushy tail off of her and stood up. "What is it, Kavi?" she asked, placing her hand on his head to reassure him. He gave a grunt and stood too, raising up and moving to put himself between her and the road as if there was some threat waiting out there that she couldn't see. Placing her left hand on her water pouch, she readied herself for a fight and peered around Kavi's body, seeing a figure dressed in black coming towards them. "Woah, he must be hot..." she said curiously, though Kavi just gave another warning growl. "Hey do you need some water?" she called out to him, stepping around Kavi despite him trying to keep her behind him by stepping forward. Though she had none to give him, she was wondering what he needed, and as he stopped a few steps away from her, she patted Kavi's head and walked forward.
The figure held out a piece of paper towards her and she cautiously took it. Looking down and reading the paper, she realized it was from the White Lotus, and apparently they wanted her to meet them. Her eyebrows pushed together as she frowned. "Well where-" she looked up and the figure was gone. "Shit. Are you serious?" she said, turning and waiting for Kavi to reach her. He pressed his head into her and she hugged him before climbing up onto his back. "Alright Kavi, change of plans. Going towards the ocean. Remember the way to the camp?" she asked him, petting his neck. He gave a roar in response and started to run, turning to the east in the direction of the sea.
With Kavi running at full speed, the world flew by them in a blur, and soon they reached the edge of the water where some people were tending to canoes and fishing things. She smirked as they just flew by them, Kavi leaping up and running into the water without hesitation. As his head began to submerge, Azome bended a bubble around them so he could breathe, leaving his legs out so he could swim freely. As they were set off towards the camp, Azome kept one hand swirling to keep the bubble in tact and her other hand petted Kavi's neck again.
"Best cat a girl could ever want." she teased him.