*
"... Say, what's your name? No, do you have one?" (Lastia)
It's in the little things that the girl realised Lastia might have been sheltered before all this. She believed it made the experience of losing everything even more sour, Lastia went from a sheltered lady to a homeless person, and she pitied her. One time she held onto some food she saved up for one night, when she woke up it was all gone. Someone pried it from her in her sleep. To possess something then to lose it made her feel the absolute worse, she didn't know if she was going to die that week since she was too depressed to do anything after that.
"My name... Erla. I like Erla, so use that. I hardly paid attention until you asked, remember not everyone is as friendly as I am, so don't go getting chummy with someone else and having your stuff stolen." (Erla)
" I see. I'll be careful. Don't worry, once I'm strong enough I'll give you as much food as you want. So stay safe. " (Lastia)
"... I'll do whatever I want. "(Erla)
" That's good. Your wilful strength is beautiful, I don't want to lose it. " (Lastia)
"... What does that mean? " (Erla)
Flashing a knowing grin, Lastia got up and sauntered away. Her heart was beating fast, she didn't know complimenting someone other than Arin would be this embarrassing. To be fair, praising Arin and Sariel was embarrassing too, but telling a stranger that had a strange kick to it. She couldn't describe this feeling. Was it from the guilt that the person wasn't Arin? Or was it from the excitement even if she was just paying a bit of gratitude in a cheeky way?
She didn't understand it either, so she dismissed the thought. By the time she was a few streets away, she had all but forgotten about it. On the other hand Erla dwelled on those words, mulling over their meaning. It was utterly foreign to her, she hadn't even heard some of the words before. All this time, she had been speaking slowly with Lastia and their conversation felt disjointed. It wasn't because she was an aloof hardened thief, she was simply glossing over the weaknesses in her linguistics.
When she didn't understand Lastia, or she didn't know how to respond, she changed the subject. A good portion of the time, she was filling in the blanks and trying her best to answer. Thankfully she knew how to say 'sleep' and Lastia ceased all tension as if Erla pushed a 'stop violence' button. Naturally a part of that was because Erla was cute, and she took advantage of that to appease Lastia. She didn't know what wilful strength meant. Beautiful... She didn't think it suited her. Was Lastia complimenting her clothes? But it was just rags she picked up from somewhere...
Maybe she was calling Erla's 'home' beautiful. She could accept that, she worked hard to keep the place clean, maybe meeting Lastia would change her life for the better. She was smiling when she left Erla, that must mean she had a good impression right? Ever since Erla's bread was stolen, she didn't believe in excess. She took what she needed to live for another day, then perhaps she spent her time cleaning her place or scavenging others for items other than food.
She can feel presences from a few streets away, and she was desperately hiding from that violent thug. For the homeless, that thug was no different from a death sentence. Maybe even a fate worse than death. He was inhumane as he plundered and violated, he even had lackeys that tried to mooch off of his strength to intimidate others. Intimidating for sport, or for robbing others... His influence simply made living that much harder for everyone else. The remaining vagrant were those that were good at hiding, or those that were strong enough to deter the lackeys.
Then she felt it. The fearsome kinetic impact of those strings rippled into the air like a trembling lake. A spinning stake much like a drill shot into that big thug's neck, drilling apart the thick fabric and digging into flesh. She could hear his screams and how he was gurgling on his own blood to speak, then finally with one impact it all went to silence. She couldn't help but come out of her hiding spot, whoever harmed the thug, she might help to finish off the thug who was surely close to death. Then she heard it.
Those dull thuds, might have even woken up those who were sleeping in their home. It sounded like flesh beating against something hard. It beat again and again, imitating an echo that kept bouncing back. The air was trembling around Lastia as she slammed her fist into the half dead thug's head. He went unconscious fast, then eventually his skull cracked and he died from internal bleeding in his brain.
The girl, Lastia was dead exhausted. She followed her, hoping Lastia would step into her place. Then at least she would have an excuse to come out and speak to her. Rather than pity, maybe she wanted to use Lastia as a bodyguard. Just like those lackeys invoking the name of that big violent thug. But Erla didn't believe in possessing too much either, living like a monk. Perhaps, it came down to her own kindness, and since it was budding for the first time she didn't know how to make sense of it.
Will I see you again? She was afraid if she said so aloud, Lastia would stay with her. She would stop whatever grand endeavour she had, and come to play house with Erla. She didn't want such a thing, she didn't want to be a burden on her first friend.
"Friend... Am I her friend?" (Erla)
There must be a reason why her parents abandoned her. That's how she reasoned her circumstances. That's how she picked up a dreaded fear of being someone's burden. Thankfully, things were going on the right track. She saved Lastia by giving her a safe place to sleep at. Maybe, Lastia would go on to do something more amazing for the world, she'll save more people, make more people happier than Erla ever could.
Then she'll make the world a better place. A place that's happier, surely it wouldn't produce more Erlas, sending them into the streets to be vagrants.