"So, wait," Cerra had to almost run to keep up with Sky's brisk walk, "you're from the 1700s?" Sky sighed loudly.

"We've been through this." He said, his tone so bored it made Cerra bristle for the umpteenth time that day. "Yes, I'm from the 1700s. I went to sleep in 1745." Cerra's eyebrows shot up.

"Wow. Then you're really not up to date with technology, are you old man?" Sky glared at him over his shoulder, sharp gold eyes finding his red ones.

"I am, actually. I know what TVs, phones, and cars are. At least, I know their purposes." Cerra blinked. "Do I know how to use them? No."

"How do you know them?" Cerra asked in wonder, finally catching up to Sky. They had left the underground tomb and had snuck to Laverdure territory without any trouble. Now they were walking back to New Byrne with Cerra pointing the way despite being behind Sky.

"The spell. Your ancestor was a powerful mage, it's no surprise that she was able to do that. She wanted me to be prepared for when I wake up." Sky simply. Cerra huffed.

"You keep mentioning my ancestor. How do you know that I'm her descendant, or whatever you wanna call it? My last name isn't even Byrne!" Sky rolled his eyes.

"Because you broke the spell." He said. "Simple as that. Only people of her blood would be able to wake me." Cerra huffed.

"Gee, how lucky I am." Sky glanced at him sharply.

"You are lucky." He growled. "Had it not been for me, you'd be dead by now. Even if you somehow escaped those blasted Quidills, you'd be walking to your death right now, for this blasted dagger of yours."

"It's an important dagger!" Cerra hissed. "If this is annoying you so much, then maybe you shouldn't come!"

"You really don't pay attention, do you? I have to come with you. You need to help me raise my army."
"What if I don't want to help you?!"

Sky stopped and looked at Cerra, his eyes narrowed. Cerra crossed his arms as he turned to face him, glaring up at the man. He was pretty tall, but then again, everyone was pretty tall to Cerra who was five feet, three inches tall. That hardly stopped him half the time though, he could climb someone like a vine to get in their face and he had certainly done it before. "What do you mean you don't want to help?" Sky growled. Cerra huffed.

"I'm only seventeen, hombre! I can't be raising an army! I'm almost positive that that's not even legal!"
"I was sixteen when I started the army."
"That was in the 1700s! Times have changed, old man! And, not just the technology! I can only work a certain number of hours before it's considered slave labor!"

Sky rolled his eyes. "You'll be paid." Cerra blinked.

"... Really?"
"Yeah. Once we get settled, it'll be pretty good."
"..."

Cerra kicked at the dirt then huffed. "Alright, fine. I'll think about it." He said, crossing his arms. Sky snorted and kept walking.

"You really are like Jocelyn. Her services could be bought, but her loyalty and respect had to be earned. I hope you're the same way." Cerra grunted.

"Just cause I'm a street rat doesn't mean I'm a cheat." He said.

"Street rat?" Sky asked, puzzled. "What's that?"

"I thought you were up to date on the modern world, old man."
"On the things important. What's a street rat?"

Cerra sighed. "Well... It's kind of an insult, but we've taken it and rolled with it. It basically means we're on the streets a lot, causing trouble. We steal, cheat, do whatever we gotta do to get our next meal." Sky stared at him.

"But you said you lived in New Byrne. No one goes hungry there." Cerra raised an eyebrow. "Don't look at me like that. Jocelyn built it up herself, that's why it's named after her!"

"Well, times have changed. It's a smog filled city now, with all of the factories and the crooked politicians!" SKy narrowed his eyes at him.

"What? Why are the BladeDancers just letting this happen?!" He demanded, stopping once more. Cerra sighed and stopped in front of him.

"Sorry to break it to you man, but if anyone corrupted the city it was them."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"We take just about any job for money! Theft, finding someone or something, killing someone; a few of us are bodyguards for quite a few corrupt leaders."

Sky grabbed his arm and Cerra immediately yanked it back. "Don't touch me," he growled dangerously. Sky ignored his demand as he glared at him with burning gold eyes.

"And you're just okay with that?! Where's your honor?! Your sense of justice?!" He snarled. "How can you be a descendant of her when you're nothing but a murderer and a thief?!"

Cerra's eyes flared. "I'VE GOT TO EAT, DON'T I?!" He screamed at Sky, who fell silent. "Where's my justice gone?! It went away after I saw my best friend get shot on the street when I was thirteen! Where's my honor?! It died when my Abuela was so hungry she fainted! That was the first time I killed for food, and I WAS ELEVEN!" HIs scream sent the nearest birds flying up to the sky. "And the first time I put my life on the line for the knife fights was when I was twelve! You know what those are, comandante?! Two people are pitted against each other, one of their hands tied together and nothing but a dagger in the other! Some just go until the other can't stand anyone! Others go until one of them is DEAD! GUESS WHICH ONE I DID! GUESS WHICH ONE PAID THE SURVIVOR MORE! PEOPLE BET ON IT! IT'S GREAT ENTERTAINMENT! AND THAT'S HOW I GOT MONEY FOR FOOD, FOR RENT, FOR EVERYTHING MY CREW AND ABUELA NEEDED UNTIL I WAS RECRUITED INTO THE BLADEDANCERS WHEN I WAS FIFTEEN! I HAVE MORE SCARS THAN YOU COULD COUNT FROM THE SLASHES AND THE STABS I GOT!"

He punched Sky's chest and only got even more pissed off when he didn't move, screaming something in Spanish before he reverted back to English mid-sentence. "SO DON'T TALK ABOUT MY LACK OF JUSTICE AND HONOR WHEN I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO ABANDON IT TO FEED MY FAMILY!" He shoved Sky angrily. "WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO BACK TO THAT DUMB COFFIN OF YOURS?! I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP! I'LL GET MY DAGGER BY MYSELF!"

He tried to shove past her, only for Sky to grab his wrist. He snarled and whipped around. "Dejame ir-!"

"I'm sorry."

The two simple words made Cerra pause. He stared at Sky, who wouldn't look at him. He was staring at Cerra's arm instead, at a bit of skin pulled down from the angle. He could see a glimpse of one of the scars that Cerra had mentioned.

"I didn't think about that." He sighed. "I don't often think about what could've made a person the way that they are. And it's my own foolishness that made me believe that the BladeDancers would always be good and protect New Byrne, since... Since Jocelyn had created both." He sighed and looked at Cerra. "I'm sorry all of that happened to you. But you won't have to do that anymore if you help me make my army. You'll have a steady paycheck and you'll be fighting for a good cause... If you would allow me to make it up to you and come with you to get your dagger, then I would be forever grateful. But... If you feel as though I don't deserve it, then so be it. It's my own fault, after all."

Cerra stared at him for a long time, eyebrows furrowed, before he pulled his arm away from Sky with a huff. "I don't except your long-winded apology, and you really need to stop talking all fancy." He turned away. "But you can come with me, I guess. Since you're sorry." Sky smiled a bit.

"How far away are we?" He asked, coming up to Cerra's side as they began to walk. He didn't try to walk ahead of him like he had been doing before.

"Probably coming up to the outskirts," Cerra answered. "But I think we should rest." He squinted towards the sun, which was beginning to peek over the horizon. "I'm tired, and it'll be better to attack at night." Sky hesitated, then decided that Cerra would certainly know the city better than he did.

"Sure. Sounds good."