The Laughing Swordsman

Apollo gasped and raised his finger in the air.

"Ah, I remember now!"

Layla, who was still on Willow's back, exclaimed with excitement.

"You did? What did you remember? Tell me too!"

She shook back and forth, causing Willow to stumble.

However, Willow paid little attention to this fact. Instead, all of her attention was on Apollo.

Willow's lips trembled.

"You... remembered?"

Apollo nodded.

"Yeah!"

Willow blinked a few times.

"So... why were you angry with me?"

Apollo tilted his head to the side.

"What? When was I angry?"

Willow cleared her throat.

"Um... when we fought and all."

Apollo laughed.

"Ah! That was just practice, of course I'm not angry!"

The corner of Willow's lip twitched.

The only thought in her mind was...

What?

Willow shook her head.

"No, not that. The other time we fought, you chased after me, remember?"

Apollo furrowed his brows.

"Hmm... not really..."

Willow opened her mouth.

Then closed it.

She heaved a sigh.

"Well... alright."

Layla put her hands on Willow's head, pressing down to lift herself up. Her head drooped, right in front of Willow's face.

"So does that mean we are friends?"

There was a bright smile on Layla's face.

Willow turned to Apollo, only to see his expectant eyes. She smiled.

"...I suppose."

Layla cheered with her hands high in the sky.

"Yay!"

Apollo held Willow's hand and raised it into the air. There was a smile on his face.

"Friend!"

The corner of Willow's lip twitched.

"Haha... Anyways, what were you guys doing?"

Layla tilted her head to the side with a finger on her chin.

"Eh? Were we doing something?"

Apollo gasped.

"Oh right! We had to find someone."

Layla gasped.

"Ah, we both know you!"

Apollo rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger while nodding.

"Yes, yes. I think that was it!"

Willow furrowed her brows.

"Sorry, who are you searching for?"

Layla chuckled.

"Silly, we just told you! It's we both know you!"

Willow blinked a few times.

We both know you? Was this supposed to be some play on words she wasn't understanding?

Willow sighed.

"Do you know the place where this person stays?"

Layla hummed.

"I forgot!"

Apollo scratched the side of his head.

"Ah... there was a place. I think it was... Obrad Empire?"

Willow nodded.

"Oh, I know of the Obrad Empire. However, I don't recall any famous people being named..."

While Willow was at a loss for words, Layla jumped in.

"We both know you!"

Willow held her fist in front of her mouth and coughed.

"Ah, yes. That..."

She shook her head.

"Regardless, I know of the way to the Obrad Empire. If you wish, I can take you there. Coincidentally, I actually have some business to take care of there."

Willow brushed her hair back.

"My plan was to go elsewhere, but the inconvenience to shift around my schedule is small."

Layla gasped with her hands on her cheeks.

"So you'll take us there?"

Willow smiled.

"Yes, don't worry about it."

Layla giggled.

"Yay! Off to 'whole bran and pie' we go!"

Willow's eyelid twitched.

"But not with you on my back."

Layla pouted.

"Ehhh? Why not?"

Willow sighed.

"It's uncomfortable."

Layla's furry ears drooped.

"Pleaseeee?"

Willow shook her head.

"No."

Layla grabbed onto Willow's shoulders, rocking back and forth. She threw a temper tantrum.

"Please, please, please!"

Willow stumbled around in the snow, just barely keeping her balance.

"Ah! Why are you so stubborn? Is it really that important to you?"

Apollo tilted his head to the side. He didn't really understand what was happening, but decided to join in.

Apollo wrapped his arms around Willow's, holding himself up off the ground.

"Hehe..."

Willow looked at Apollo.

"Oh dear... not you as well."

She took a deep breath.

"Alright, alright! I'll do it! Stop playing around!"

A smile blossomed on Layla's face.

The corner of Willow's lip twitched. Would caving into Layla's desires whenever she freaked out cause her to develop some... bad habits?

...Nah. Even if Layla really did end up throwing a tantrum every time something didn't go her way, at least it wouldn't involve her. After all, she would leave.

That was Willow's belief. However, she didn't know that once someone became Layla's friend, they never exactly 'got away'.

Willow heaved, leaping up in the air with Layla and Apollo. She attempted to land on a tree branch, but overshot it. She landed in the snow.

After a sigh, she leaped up once more, thankfully landing on the tree branch.

"...This is quite a different experience."

Although Layla and Apollo looked like children, they were both far heavier than grown adults. As such, Willow lost quite a bit of her finesse. This wasn't an insignificant weight for her.

As Willow navigated the tree branches, she slowly got used to carrying Apollo and Layla. They were almost like training weights.

Willow closed her eyes, feeling the shift in weight.

"Waaaaaaah!~"

Willow suddenly jerked towards the left, smacking her forehead into a tree. This was because Layla abruptly rocked towards the side, throwing Willow off balance.

Layla looked at Willow with innocent eyes.

"Ah, why did you stop?"

The corner of Willow's lip twitched.

"...No reason."

Apollo was giving Willow a blank stare. He seemed to be lost in thought.

Willow cleared her throat.

"Apollo? Is there an issue?"

Apollo snapped out of his stupor.

"Ah, no! I don't know why, but I feel like I'm missing something."

Willow smiled nervously.

"Ah... I see."

With that, Willow continued onwards, dashing through the trees.

Layla continued to sway around, and Apollo ended up joining in. This increased the difficulty of navigating the tree branches tremendously.

However, Willow was no longer against it. Instead, she closed her eyes to immerse herself in this 'feeling'. Her lack of vision did little to hamper her as she had dashed through the forest at the dead of night on many occasions.

She did not truly understand what this 'feeling' was, but she could tell it was getting clearer.