Work Text
“Throw down your weapons. Now.” The silver knight’s clear blue eyes held Stelle in place as much as the sword he pointed at her throat. She furtively glanced at her friends, but March’s colorful appearance decorated only the snowy ground in silence. Dan fell to one knee, trying to catch his ragged breath. His spear rested under a guard’s foot a few feet away. After a brief hesitation, Stelle finally let her baseball bat slip from her hands and fall onto the snow with a faint thump. “Restrain them,” Gepard ordered, the tip of his blade daring Stelle to resist. Two soldiers walked up to her and pulled her wrists together behind her back. She could only defy the captain with a glare as the ropes began to wind around her arms. Even now she fought the urge to bolt, but she knew that beautiful blade wouldn’t hesitate. She hadn’t given up until the cinch was pulled tight and—* * * “Alright, that’s not what happened at all!” March interrupted, sitting cross-legged on top of the prison bunk bed with a frown. Dan took up the rest of the bed in a resigned nap, or at least he pretended to. Stelle laid on the cold stone floor as the only one restrained with a simple wrist tie. She had been regaling her exploits to a roach on the other side of the bars before March rudely interrupted her. “We were going to cooperate and follow Gepard back to town before you reach out for his sword! And what did you say after doing that?” “…that his sword was as beautiful as the finest trash can?” Stelle muttered with no hint of remorse or awareness of the problem. “He didn’t have to tie me up.” “You can’t just compare a knight’s pride and joy to a trash can! Why’d you reach for it anyway!?” “I wanted to hold it, maybe stroke the fine steel a little bit. Remember when that letter fell to the ground earlier and I put it back into the mailbox? I did good earlier, so I should be able to do one bad, right?” “That’s not how that works,” Dan chimed in. “That’s not how any of this works!” “Next time we see him, you better apologize, okay?” March chided, probably shocked to be the one scolding someone instead of being scolded. “Okay…” Stelle gave in, silently moping as she watched the roach scurry away. My audience gave up on me…* * * After silently escorting the prisoners to their cell, Gepard hurried back to his office and unceremoniously slammed the door. Now in the silence of his pristine office, only one single word that women spoke flowed through his mind. “Trash.” Back in that cold wilderness, she looked up into his eyes, hers a disinterested, tired gray as she looked at him and muttered that word. His face quickly warmed far more than the space heater in his office would normally. He briefly caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror; his usually prim and proper appearance flushed red and uncertain, far from his usual unyielding confidence. Shaking his head to free himself of her image, he briskly walked to the windows and threw them open. The cool air of the city below helped calm his heart. He idly watched the citizens of Belobog walk to and fro as he wondered why that woman reached for his sword. He could not imagine she hoped to disarm him, or even use it. And why does her disdainful utterance affect me so…? He wondered if those words from his lips would carry the same weight as hers. “…t-tra—” “Sir!” a voice bellowed from beyond his door, causing him to jump and slam the windows closed. With a cough to reset himself, he briefly tidied his blond hair blown about by the wind and called the soldier in. “We found these photos in their belongings, among other strange devices. Their claim of being from another planet may hold up. I don’t know how else they’d get outdoor photos without ice otherwise.” “Interesting,” Gepard remarked, fingering through the images. He hesitated on one with the girl, her tired eyes complementing a warm smile as she played with a ragdoll cat that drooped in her arms. “I’ll report this to the Supreme Guardian shortly.” “Yes, sir!” the guard responded with a crisp salute before leaving the office once again. Gepard held onto the photo for a few seconds longer before returning it to the stack, resisting the urge to pocket it himself.* * * “Upon further inspection of your belongings, we have decided to believe in your story,” Gepard began as another soldier unlocked the travelers’ cell. “The Supreme Guardian would like to discuss matters further. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your cooperation. Please untie the girl as well.” Stelle hobbled up onto her feet, turning her back towards the approaching guard. She rocked back and forth impatiently to the frustration of the man trying to undo the knot behind her. Eventually her hands broke free, and she gave herself a long-deserved stretch. “You’ll find your equipment in the next room over. Please check over everything, then meet me upstairs.” With that, Gepard climbed the stairs out of the basement cell area of the station and waited for them in the lobby.* * * “Captain Gepard, I’d like to apologize…” Stelle began as they walked through the vibrant, oddly warm streets to what looked like a grand cathedral ahead of them. Well, my friends want me to. “Just Gepard is fine,” he responded without looking back. “I shouldn’t have reached for your sword back then, that was out of line. But its shine was more brilliant than any (…trash can…) I had ever seen; I couldn’t resist the urge to run my hand along it.” A shiver flashed up Gepard’s spine as she quietly muttered the harsh word from before. The way she pretended to be polite only to slide the sharp word into him surprised him all the more. She hates me, I know it. “W-would you care to see it, if it interests you so?” he asked, averting his gaze as he lifted the sword out of its sheath and presented it to her. Golden lines danced across the silver blade polished to a mirror’s finish. The girl’s dull gray eyes lit up as much as the cloudy color would allow as she accepted the blade and immediately sat on the floor. She laid it across her lap, slowly tracing her hands along the embossed patterns and the cold, hardened steel. Maybe she doesn’t hate me…? She suddenly popped up and trotted over to a trash can, lifting its lid. Oh, she hates me!! “Wait!” Gepard called awkwardly, bewildered by what was going on. Surprisingly, she just held the sword next to the open rim, comparing the thickness of the blade to the thin metal of the trash can. Okay you know what, I don’t understand her at all. “It really is finer than even the best trash can,” she said with a smile as she handed the sword back. “Y-yeah…” was the best he could mutter in response. He glanced at her friends, who just shook their heads in shame. “It’s a complement from her, trust us,” Dan tried to explain briefly. Silently, he nodded and motioned them to continue on their way, but all matters of politics and decorum were blocked out by that smile. I’ve always put my duty first, why am I so distracted today by that… that… trash panda! He surprised himself with the rudeness of that nickname, but the gray colors of a racoon fit the trash-obsessed girl perfectly.
I better not say that out loud.
* * * After the audience with the Supreme Guardian, the travelers from beyond the stars were given free rein in the city. They would be helping to rid the planet of the Stellaron, the source of the monsters besieging their city. Gepard gave them a few tips on places to see; partially since he had to get back to work, but also to keep them occupied. There’s no telling what they’d do if they get bored… By the time the next dawn rolled around, they hadn’t appeared in his jail cell, which was the most he could have hoped for. He had agreed to find them at the hotel in the morning and get to work right away. As he climbed up the carpeted stairs into the immaculate hotel lobby, the scent of fine tea floated by. The plush couches looked enticing, filled with morning patrons enjoying a warm beverage with breakfast, but he was on duty. After letting the man at the reception counter know he was here on peaceful terms, he began to walk up the stairs to the private rooms when a voice called out to him. “Captain Gepard, over here!!” He turned to see a rather lively girl waving with enthusiasm, her bright pink hair bouncing from side to side. “Good morning to you, Lady March,” he said with a smile. “And you, Sir Dan,” he added with a nod to the man sipping tea with an air of sophistication. “We seem to be missing the tr— traveler, your other traveling companion.” “Don’t say trash panda out loud!!” he yelled at himself internally. “Oh, Stelle. She groaned ‘5 more minutes~’ through the door, then stopped answering. She’s gonna miss out on breakfast at this rate.” March sighed before biting into an especially fluffy muffin. “We best bring along a treat or two for her, lest she go through trash cans again,” Dan added matter-of-factly. “I’ll go wake her up by force—” “No please, Lady March, enjoy the rest of your breakfast. I have nothing to do, so I’ll go rouse her.” “If that’s okay, Captain, I’ll leave it to you. Thanks! Just go up the stairs, turn left, then last door on the right.” “Last door on the right, got it.” With that, he gave a slight nod before turning crisply on his heel and heading up the stairs. His boots were rather quiet on the plush rugs lining the long hallway; he worried he might even be making a mess with his armored boots. Once at the door, he gave it three solid knocks. “Lady Stelle, are you awake? Your friends are eating breakfast without you.” Not a sound could be heard in response. He pressed his ear up to the door, but still nothing. “Lady Stelle? Is everything alright?” Still not a word. He began to worry that something had happened. “Lady Stelle, I’m coming in, okay?” He reached for the doorknob but held it nervously in his hand. One did not enter a lady’s room unexpected. He reminded himself he announced his presence, three times in fact. With a quick twist and a light push, he let himself into the room. Nothing. “Lady Stelle…?” The room was small and comfortable. A plush, warm bed draped in fine winter furs took up most of the space, with bookcases of local literature and decorations occupying the walls. Only the hum of the room’s heater broke the silence. “Did she already—” “BACK, FOUL DEMON!” rang through the room as the closet doors flashed open. In a blink, Gepard pushed himself away with his lead foot and landed in his battle stance, his back knee bent and ready to spring into action. His hand grasped his sword hilt, ready to draw, when he noticed Stelle’s surprised expression. “You’re not a demon,” she responded with a simple head tilt. “I am certainly not a demon, on most days at least,” Gepard responded with a slightly irritated smirk, relaxing his stance and lifting his hand from his sword. The familiar gray-haired girl stood in front of him, looking fully ready for the day apart from some untamed bed hair. “Your friends are enjoying breakfast as we speak. Do you not wish to join them?” “Ah sorry, I just got distracted by this closet,” she said, motioning to a simple wooden closet behind her that stood nearly as tall as the wall. “Pardon me?” “Do you not understand how grand this closet it?” Stelle began, looking a little annoyed herself. “It’s a beauty of engineering! The way the grain is gentle, yet pronounced. The valleys clear, and the ridges soaring…” “I suppose it’s lovely, yes—” “And the stain, accentuating the beautiful patterns of the natural wood without stealing the stage.” “Yes, it’s quite—” “And the smell of that polish, it’s far from a natural smell. Only a modern marvel of mankind could create such an intoxicating aroma.” “Okay, that’s—” “I saw all of these wonderful things and just knew I had to be one with the closet!” “…” Stelle looked expectedly at Gepard who in turn failed to show the enthusiasm she wished for. “Just come inside the closet with me, you’ll understand!” She reached for his armored hand and began lightly tugging on him. “N-now hold on a second!” he protested, resisting her pull. “I cannot share a tiny closet space with a lady such as yourself!” “I’m not going to breakfast until you experience the closet,” she countered with a glare before pulling once again and stepping inside. Resigned to his fate, the captain of the guard let the lady pull him into the closet and close the doors behind them. “A-ah, yes, this is quite… a closet, yes,” Gepard muttered, pushing himself against the opposite wall to avoid brushing up against Stelle. “You’re fidgeting too much!” she complained, grabbing onto his hand. “Just relax and take in that artificial scent.” His heart did the opposite of that, threatening to tear out of his chest and escape the closet itself. “Really, this is quite eno—” “Just focus on the texture of the wood, okay?” she interrupted, pushing his hand against the back wall. Even through his heavy gloves, he could feel the ridges and valleys of the wood as he slid his fingers down. “It really is high-quality wood,” he replied meekly, realizing the only way he’d get out of this was by playing along. “See? You just gotta take it slow sometimes and enjoy the simple things.” He couldn’t see her in the dark, but he imagined her soft smile and cloudy eyes once again. Certainly he was not in a state to be seen either. “I appreciate you giving me this lesson, Lady Stelle, but we must—” “STELLE, RUN!” A man’s voice suddenly caught their attention from down the hallway. “IT’S AN AMBUSH! THE SILVERMANE GUARDS BETRAYED US! GET OUT OF THERE!!!” The situation rapidly changed course as the clattering of boots trampled the rug outside. Stelle suddenly let go of Gepard’s hand. He could hear her pushing back away from him. “Y-you’re here to capture me, aren’t you?” she asked coldly, unable to hide the nervousness in her voice. “N-no!” Gepard quickly answered. “I was not informed of this! There must be a mistake…” Could the Supreme Guardian have changed her mind suddenly? Was Bronya wary of the visitors? Or something else? Soon the hotel room door was forced open. They could hear a man stepping into the room. “…get behind me,” Gepard ordered quietly. Before Stelle could respond, he grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him just as the closet doors flew open. “C-Captain Gepard…?” the low-ranking soldier muttered in confusion. Gepard just looked back at him with his arms crossed and an icy stare. “May I help you, private?” “A-ah no, we’re just looking for the fugitives… Why are you in the closet, sir?” “What I do in my spare time is none of your business.” “Y-yes, of course, sir… Please excuse me.” With a hurried bow, the soldier turned and quickly ran away. “You protected me…” Stelle muttered quietly, carefully stepping outside the closet. “I don’t like what’s going on here,” Gepard answered, turning to look at Stelle. “And you and your friends haven’t done anything to warrant such foul treatment.” “Thank you,” Stelle replied with a quick bow before grabbing her trusty baseball bat and bag. “It sounded like the guards cut off your friends from you. Do you have any ideas where they ran off to?” Stelle began to rack her brain as she paced around the room. “Dan would have suggested some place quiet, where the soldiers did not want to go.” “The quarantined section of town?” “I was going to say the sewers, but that sounds better.” “…you would have picked the sewers, Sir Dan probably would not have.” He couldn’t resist giving a slight smile as he felt more and more like he knew this trash panda well. Gepard walked to the door and slowly opened it. He quietly peeked his head out, but there was no sign of the guards. “Seems they’ve given up on the hotel, let’s hurry out of here.” Stelle hesitated, giving Gepard a wary look. “You can trust me, alright?” Gepard said with confidence, extending his hand towards her. “…right,” Stelle replied, eventually taking Gepard’s hand and letting him pull her out the door and bounding down the stairs. “Nothing to worry about sir, duty calls!” Gepard called as he ran past the receptionist. As he passed a vacant table, he snagged a spare pasty and tossed it to Stelle, who lightly caught it in surprise as they kept running. “Got to make sure you have something to eat!” Stelle quickly nibbled on the muffin, looking both in a hurry and like she could stop to enjoy it at any minute. Thankfully for the both of them, she finished it rather quickly and washed it down with a swig of water just as they reached the front door. Gepard paused to check outside again, this time clicking his tongue in annoyance at the guard presence outside. “The sealed off sector is just ahead, but there’s guards all over the street. We’ll never get by unseen.” “I’ll make a run for it then. Pretend you’re chasing me and hinder them.” Gepard raised his eyebrows in surprise at her quick thinking. It wasn’t the best plan, sure, but it was leagues better than just waiting around. He nodded, then opened the door for her. She carefully slipped out and ran down the chilly streets. Gepard waited for the inevitable “THERE SHE IS!” before loudly pushing the door open and sprinting after her. “Get back here, you scoundrel!!” he shouted, attempting to blend into the other guards. “You’ll never catch me, you third-rate trash!” Gepard nearly stumbled in surprise. N-now’s not the time to be flustered, focus! Another guard rounded the corner just ahead of him, closing in on Stelle. Gepard picked up the pace, then just as he passed the guard, accidentally caught the man’s foot and sent the soldier sprawling. “Sorry, private! I’ll apologize better after we catch this criminal!” I just knocked over one of my own men!! I’m losing my job or getting demoted for sure!!! He may have thought these things, but he strangely didn’t feel as concerned as he expected. Right now, he was having more fun than he had in a long time following this silly yet serious girl as they barreled down the street towards her friends. In just a few hundred yards, they sailed past the checkpoint into the quieter blocked-off streets. The streets should be quieter, he thought, though the sound of clashing steel echoed further ahead. “I hear Dan and March!” Stelle exclaimed, quickening her sprint down the road. Gepard swiftly followed, weaving through a few city blocks until they could see March and Dan staring down Bronya and her soldiers. “This was her doing,” Gepard muttered under her breath. “And there’s your third friend,” Bronya called out, seeing her fellow Silvermane Knight next to the other traveler. Her fluttering silver hair flowing against a shimmering dress of pure white and blue did little to dull the edge of her commanding presence over her men. “Stelle, are you okay!?” a panicked March asked, quickly glancing over at them before looking back at Bronya. “We’re fine over here!” Stelle called back. A splash of joy flowed over Gepard, knowing she counted him amongst her allies. Bronya on the other hand, redirected her sharp glare towards him instead. “Bring her over here, Captain Gepard. Now.” “She thinks I’ve captured you, let’s—” Gepard began, but a haze of smoke washed over them before he could continue. His muscles began to tighten, his body feeling weighed down by an increasingly heavy blanket. “Stelle, are you okay!?” he called, but she staggered and fell before she could respond. He didn’t have time to think about whose attack this was; he needed to get her to safety right away. His muscles screamed as he pushed himself to her and scooped her into his arms. Blackness crept over his vision and threatened to take him, but he was not ready to go yet. He blindly stumbled away from the smoke but smacked into a low railing. Unable to catch himself, he felt his body slipping over the side and falling a long way, with his trash panda still in his arms. He had just enough sense to rotate his body to protect her from the fall before he lost his consciousness to the rushing air around him.