Back in Argon City, fluorescent blue particles lit up the concrete streets, lamps of light up the sides. The grand city sparkled with the addition of window lights. "Harold, where are we going?" Mina nervously asked, observing the night streets. Buggies were passing by the road, and the skies were clear of airships.
"First, we're going to get cleaned, and then we're going to eat." Harold led her into a suspicious back alley, dark and eerie. The ambiance of the city turned quieter the deeper they went, causing Mina to shudder in fear. "D-Don't tell me... y-you're going to ravish me now?!" He flicked her on the forehead. Mina continued to shudder as she covered her forehead with her palms, trying to avoid another flick. "Why do you keep bringing that up?" Harold asked as he shuffled in his pockets. Moments later, he took out a key and opened a door in the back alley that led into a building. "Come inside." he says, walking into the building.
Reluctantly going inside, she stepped in carefully. The floor made creaking sounds with every step, and the building didn't appear stable. "This is a bar that my comrade runs. She's out on vacation right now, so we can just use this." Harold went to the back and handed her a towel. As she took it, he poured himself a drink. "Okay, you bathe. I'll go after you're done."
"O-Okay..." Mina then went into the shower, letting Harold have a moment for himself. He observed his glass of wine and then looked at the bottle. "Wow, this is the very expensive wine that Nora had been preserving... I hope she doesn't mind." Harold says, drinking out of his glass. As the wine touched his tongue, he closed his eyes to embrace the flavors. "This is what those fancy rich people feel like... it feels great."
Konge fluttering into the enclosed bar landed on his shoulder, observing what Harold was doing. "Drinking at 16 years old is illegal, you know!" Konge stated, swooping onto the edge of his glass. Harold gave a sly smirk. "Eh, they won't know, anyway. I've been doing this for a while!" Konge began pecking at Harold's forehead. "You idiot, think about your health before you die a dog's death!"
"Geez, I'm sorry, quit pecking me already!" As Harold leans back in an attempt to avoid Konge's pecking.
Mina, who later came out with only a towel that covered her body, asked for assistance. "Harold, are there any clothes that you can give me?" She hid her body behind the doorway, making sure he could barely see any skin. "Hmm... I don't have any, but I think I know where to get some." Harold got up and walked past the doorframe, startling Mina. "Eeek!" She squealed, tightening her grip on her towel. As he went past her, he went into a room for moments, only to come out with clothes right after. Smiling, he handed her the clothes. "There ya' go! Got some clothes for you!" It was a simple gown, but it was clean. She grasped the soft fabric, only to arise with a suspicion. "Wait a minute, whose clothing is this?" All Harold did was smile and give a thumbs-up. "Don't worry, you'll be borrowing this from someone I know! Their granddaughter has many other things to wear, so it shouldn't be a big issue!" Mina's jaw dropped. "H-Harold, you can't be stealing things!"
Ignoring her, he walked back to the front. "Anyway, just get changed and come to me, okay?"
"Wait, don't just ignore me!"
Minutes later, she was in her room looking at herself in the mirror with the attire. She crossed her arms, pouting. "How could he make me steal? Well, I decided to wear the clothes anyway." Harold suddenly barged into the room, making her scream. "Kyaaaaaa!" Then, a plate of pie was lifted in front of her face. "What are you screaming about? I came to give you some food." He handed her the plate and took up his fork. "Now, I want you to do your absolute greatest tomorrow, okay?" He gently pats her head before shoving a forkful of the pie into her mouth. She ate the forkful, not having any more words to say. The pie was yummy, but she was more hyperfocused on the kindness given to her. Not saying anything else for the duration of Harold's visit, she simply took in the words and food that were given to her.
Harold stood up and began walking to the doorway of the bar. "Anyway, I'll lead you to your bed and have you sleep there. Think about what I said, okay?" Mina had nodded quietly, following him up into the attic. In the attic of the bar, there was a nice, comfy bed that was enormous. Yet, even if it was a mystery about how it got there, the temptation of just lying there after a stressful day washed over Mina. She quickly darted onto the bed and lay there, melting in place. "This feels so good..." Mina said, her eyelids turning heavy on her.
Harold smiled, reminding her of the test tomorrow. "Make sure you get enough rest for tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure, I will, but where are you going to sleep, Harold?" She questioned, curious where his resting spot will be. Harold aimed his thumb at the dirty couch. "Here." The couch was appalling and made Harold look like a homeless bum for sleeping there. Not to mention, she could see spiders and even a rat lying there. "H-Harold... I-I could make some space for you on this giant bed." Mina offered, which Harold unexpectedly denied right off the bat.
Petting the rat on the couch, he lifted the rat up and placed it on top of him as he lay on the couch. "Don't worry, I'm fine sleeping here. Joe is a chill dude anyway, so I prefer sleeping with him instead."
"O-Oh, is that so? W-Who's Joe?" Mina's voice trembled in utter confusion as she saw Harold comfortably relax on the menacing couch. Harold pointed at the rest nesting on top of him. "This lil' dude right here." A second after, Harold tucked himself in with Joe, falling asleep with him on the couch.
Mina's jaw dropped. Normally, memories of her capture as a slave involved a rickety airship with rats running amok. Every day, she had to fend off rats who pursued her food and even her flesh itself. It was hell for her and the other captured slaves that were on that airship. Mina shivered, still remembering those years.
Out of nowhere, Sorrow formed right next to her on the bed. "How pitiful; a man decides to sleep with a literal rat rather than you. As a woman, this should be a considerable insult to your pride."
Grumbling, she turned to face away from Sorrow. "What do you know about being a woman? You're just an Artifact, anyway."
"Looking into your soul, I clearly know much more than you."
"Stop looking into my soul without consent!"
"Lets see here... when you were 7, you were chosen to hold your friend's birthday cake for her birthday party, only for you to drop it on her face at the very last second in front of everybody." Mina gasped, hearing that forbidden memory she tried to forget so desperately years ago. Sorrow continued after the gasp, saying, "Wow, when you were 9, you tried to confess your feelings to your first crush in front of everybody, only to bite your tongue too hard and begin crying, having to be sent to the nurse's office. Another girl proceeded to ask him out that day, and he accepted her confession." Mina screamed, hearing the second memory. "STAAAAHHHPPPPP ITTTTTT!!!" Mina tried to punch Sorrow, forgetting that she still took the form of a metal dagger at the end of the day. On impact, she could feel her soul leave her body, yet she let out a tiny moan of pain with tears streaming down her eyes. Writhing in a ball, she held her hand tightly, thinking she might've fractured a bone. Putting the final nail in the coffin, Sorrow read one she didn't ever want coming to light. "When you were 12, your parents walked in on you making out with your stuffed teddy bear because at the time you were craving some type of love-" Sorrow began breaking down in laughter. "I'm sorry, it's just too ridiculous! Especially seeing how your parents looked at you for months after that incident!"
Mina began to wail out loud, tears pouring everywhere. The memories of her embarrassing moments overwhelmed her to the point of cracking. "UUUUUWWAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Then a voice scolded Sorrow from behind. "Jeez, stop bullying her and go to sleep!" Turning her head, it was Harold, groggy and rubbing his eyes out. As Mina sniffed, she tried to tell Harold something, but her emotional distress turned her sentence into incoherent wails. Harold, listening to her, walked over and proceeded to tuck her in. As he enveloped her with the blanket, he took a deep sigh. "Listen, just get some rest; you have a big day tomorrow. I trust that you can do this, alright?" As he walked off, she had calmed down just a little, hearing his reassuring voice talk to her. Seeing Harold fall asleep once again, Sorrow spoke to Mina.
"Mina, you're a loser."
Mina turned her head to Sorrow, confused. "E-Eh? Where did that come from?"
"You know, I've always had a dislike towards you from the moment you soulbound with me. I hate fake people."
"B-But how does that make me a loser?"
"Because I had always felt deep inside your heart that you were hiding some truth to your words. Especially around that unattractive male."
"Well..." she let out before Sorrow cut her off mid-sentence.
"I know you just want to cling onto him because he's the only one who cares about you in this world. You're just scared about being abandoned like how everyone else had disappeared in your life."
Mina couldn't look at Mina. Her guilt washed over her as an urge to vomit nearly got to her. "Even if he is unattractive, you shouldn't simply take a man's kindness for granted. That is the most unladylike feature you could ever have."
"S-Sorry, i-it's just, I have nowhere else to go... I don't remember how I got separated from my family. I don't even remember a certain special someone in my memories, yet I still always think of him." Tears built up in her eyes as she covered her mouth.
"I've already seen deep within your heart. You wouldn't want to remember how you got here or remember that special someone. All I say in the current moment is to stop being a leech and view him as an actual friend rather than a tool!"
Mina's breath hitched as she glanced over at Harold sleeping soundily on the couch. Tucking herself in the bed, she closed her eyes. "Yeah... you're right, Sorrow."