Black Sunrise

[Solien-sama]

It was a hot summer noon at San Filemon in Jaraņa as the sun shines high above the cloudless sky.

The people did not seem to mind, however. All over the streets of the city, there seems to be a lot of street parties as locals and some foreigners alike were dancing to either mariachi bands or music played on giant speakers. A majority of them were holding paper cups filled with chilled sangria.

Today is the third day of the Festival de Sangria Internacional or the International Sangria Festival. For five days, the streets are closed for the people to use them as the celebration grounds. One can see lots of giant pots everywhere, each containing a variety of sangria recipes and mixes. Fortunately, there are also non-alcoholic mixes specially made for children, minors and non-alcoholic drinkers alike.

A young woman sat on a stool by an improvised bar made for people who want to relax and have a drink of sangria. Her long blonde hair is slightly messed up and she was sweating all over, but she was smiling nonetheless.

"Yes, seņorita, what can I do for you?" asked the man posing as the bartender.

"Hit me with the normal one, please," said the woman.

The man picks up a ladle and scoops up some sangria with assorted fruits. Then, he pours it into a glass and shakes the ladle, making sure that all the fruits would fall in. A few more scoops filled the glass and it was handed over to the woman. "Enjoy!" said the man enthusiastically.

The woman picks up the glass and takes a slow sip. Then, she withdrew it from her mouth and lets out a sigh, sounding like she is refreshed. "Aah... that hits the spot..." she said.

A girl walks up behind her.

"You danced great back there, Arllia!" she said.

The woman turned around with the stool to face the girl while still holding her glass.

"Why, thank you, Kaya-chan," she said.

Kaya walked towards the stool beside Arllia and sits on it. Then, she motions the bartender.

"Can I have the fruits only, please?" she said.

"Coming right up," said the bartender. He picks up the ladle and scoops up some sangria. He tilts the ladle to pour the wine out and back into the pot. Then, he shakes off the fruits into a glass and gives it to Kaya.

Taking the glass, Kaya tilts her glass with the bottom almost facing all the way upward. The fruits drop into her open mouth, which she chews on and enjoying it. Withdrawing her glass, she blurts out, "Delicious!". And that was despite the fact that the fruits were still soaked in wine.

"Careful, Kaya-chan," said Arllia. "You're still too young to drink."

"It's okay," said Kaya. "This isn't my first time anyway."

[SOS Mage]

Coming from the outskirt of the city arrived a little girl with a pair of antannae on her head as well as a pair of brown shells with wings under her back, which appeared to be hard yet flexible. Along with brown frilly attire consisting of a long sleeve blouse, shawl and dress that gave her an astonishingly appropriate appearance of a cockroach. That was because she really is a cockroach in spite of the fact she looked mostly human. She continued onward toward the city holding a large palm tree leaf over her head like a parasol.

"Golly, it's real sunny today!" the little cockroach girl commented on the weather. "I don't mind the heat, but that brightness is awfully mighty today."

She continued onward to the city as it came closer into view, trying to pick up activity with her now twitching antannae with sensitivity. Noticing a party up ahead, the little cockroach girl gasped and abruptly dashed off toward the city frantically as she dropped her palmtree leaf, clearly excited. She kicked up dust along the way as she charged head first.

"Oh wow, a party up ahead!" the cockroach girl exclaimed. "I wouldn't miss it for the world!!!"

The little cockroach girl became more apparant as she closed in on the city from the distance. To her chagrin, she accidentally tripped over a glass bottle on the floor and fell forward, face first. She simply jumped back up on her face as she gazed at the celebration with pure awe.

"Wow!!!"

She then entered the party zone and walked around as she continued to gaze all around.

[Solien-sama]

As some people went on dancing, one of them noticed the arrival of a stranger. However, he did not seem to mind on what she looked like.

"Hey there, seņorita!" he said in a loud but friendly manner. "Come and dance with us! We gonna go loco!"

The group seemed like they already drank too much sangria...

[SOS Mage]

Clasping her hands together up at chest level, the cockroach girl nodded rapidly as she had become eager to join...

"Well, I'd be damned, these people are pretty friendly!"

She then responded to the man who called out at her to join.

"Sure, I would love to join y'all in yer celebration!"

She then ran up to find where the dance activity seemed to be the most dense so she can join them.

[Solien-sama]

"Wow, the crowd over there seems livlier than usual," said Kaya as she looks at one side.

Arllia stood on top of her seat, balancing herself to make sure the stool does not suddenly spin and knock her off. From there, she could see a girl whose appearance resembles that of a cockroach.

"I see why," said Arllia. "We have ourselves a foreigner and she's all dressed up in an interesting-looking costume."

"I wanna see!" said Kaya.

"Shall we take a look?" asked Arllia.

With Kaya's nod, Arllia hopped off her seat and took Kaya's hand. Afterwards, they made their way through the crowd towards the newcomer.

[SOS Mage]

Meanwhile, the little cockroach girl was dancing with the party crowd before she soon felt thirsty...

"I'm feelin' parched now after that long journal to get here," she said. "I should talk to one of them fellers at the counter that has those cups. Maybe he'll be of service to me?"

The little cockroach girl stopped dancing and began walking over to one of the drink counters, passing by Kaya and Arllia.

[Solien-sama]

By the time Arllia and Kaya got there, the cockroach girl was nowhere to be seen.

"She's gone..." said Arllia. Then she turned towards Kaya, still holding her hand. "Sorry, Kaya-chan."

"Aww... nuts..." said Kaya. "Oh, well. I'm sure we'll see her again."

Meanwhile, a man posing as a bartender sees the cockroach girl walking towards him.

"Buenos tardes, seņorita," he greeted her politely. "What can I get you? Would you like some fresh chilled sangria after an energetic dance?"

[SOS Mage]

The little cockroach girl placed her index finger against her chin as she pondered before taking a seat at the stool where the bartender was at...

"I'm mighty thirsty myself after that long trip gettin' to this party," she answered as she smiled. "Fix me up a drink!"

[Solien-sama]

"Comin' right up!" said the bartender. He picks up a ladle and dips it into a pot. He scoops up some sangria with fruits and pours every content into a cup. A few more scoops and he was done. He hands the cup over to the cockroach girl.

"You don't seem to be from around here, seņorita," said the bartender. "May I ask where are you from?"

[SOS Mage]

The little girl started taking a large gulp from the cup she was handed and let out a relieved sigh.

"This sure is some good stuff!" she exclaimed and took another sip, hearing the bartender ask her a question. She then answered by saying "Well, whatcha gonna say if I were to tell ya I'mma Cockroach from deep down?"

[Solien-sama]

"Whoa! Seriously?!" the bartender exclaimed. He then examined the girl to make sure she was not kidding. The antennae, the shells behind her and her brown dress were enough to convince him. But then...

"I must be drinking too much..." he said as he held his head and starts walking off.

"Hey, Arllia..." said Kaya as she points out her finger at one side of the street. As Arllia turned to look, among the crowd, they could see a middle-aged man running away from other men who seems to be chasing him down.

Arllia and Kaya looked at each other and with one nod, they followed the group.

[SOS Mage]

The little cockroach girl's antannae drooped in disappointment as the bartender suddenly ran off.

"Dang, I musta scared him off..." the little cockroach girl commented while shrugging. "I shoulda expected that, though. Oh well."

The little girl then continued slurping up her drink.

[Solien-sama]

Arllia and Kaya made their way through the crowd and passed by the bar where the cockroach girl was, but failed to notice her. They were near enough, however, to conjure a slight breeze which could perhaps be picked up by her antennae. There would be some sort of different wavelength to be felt...

[SOS Mage]

Feeling the sudden differentation of the wavelengths in the air with her antannae, which twitched to the sensation, the little cockroach girl turned around just to notice Kaya and Arllia running off as it appeared they already had dashed passed her. Putting her drink down, she had become curious as she stared at the two running off farther...

"Huh, what's goin' on now?"

She dropped off the stool she was sitting on and walked off to check it out for herself.

[Solien-sama]

Arllia, Kaya and the cockroach girl followed the other group in their own ways until they run into an alley. By the time they got there, the group was huddled in a circle. The middle-aged man was already held in a full nelson by one of the men. The man was coughing and panting hard as he looked like he had already been punched at the belly.

A bald man with a scar across his left eye grabbed his head with his right hand big enough to cover his scalp. "Stubborn little fellow, aren't you?" he said. "Just hand over the diary already and you won't have to suffer this much."

"I'm telling you..." said the middle-aged man as he panted. "...it's not with me right now..."

"YOU'RE LYING!" the bald man barked as he raised his left fist.

Just as he does, he felt a sting on his fist. The bald man screamed as he lets go of the middle-aged man's head to touch the stung part.

"Just what do you think you're doing to him?!" said Arllia as she pulls her whip back to herself. Kaya readied her sword.

"Who the hell are you?" said the bald man as he still rubbed the stung part. Then, he looked at the others and motioned his head. "Take them down!" he barked.

The others ran towards Arllia and Kaya while the man who held the victim in a full nelson simply tossed him down on the ground to join.

[SOS Mage]

... By the time the little cockroach girl had arrived, she already saw Arllia and Kaya becoming victims to a gang attack, an eyebrow raising at the sight. She was a good few meters away from the action, making her noticable of course.

"What in tarnation is going on here!?" she exclaimed.

[Solien-sama]

Arllia and Kaya actually turned to look at where the shout came from. It was the cockroach girl they have been looking for earlier.

"Hey, you're..." said Kaya.

"No time for that, Kaya-chan," said Arllia as she moved aside to avoid getting rammed by one of the thugs.

"Ehh! You're right!" said Kaya as she turned just in time to see another thug about to tackle her. She quickly ducks down and crawls between the thug's feet before he could catch her. Then, she stood up and knocks the thug out with her scabbard.

Arllia danced around the thugs, hitting them with confusing kicks. She avoids attacks by simply spinning around them and counter with an attack of her own. And it seems as if she was not paying any attention to the danger. She was simply... dancing.

[SOS Mage]

The little cockraoch girl began to let out sweat from her forehead as she became nervous and confused, unsure about which side is who at the moment. She rubbed the back of her head as she watched Arllia and Kaya practically destroying the thug group effortlessly.

"Hey, can someone tell me what's goin' on!? I know none of us ain't shook yet, but it'd be real nice if one of you fellers tell somethin' to me."

[Solien-sama]

Finally, Arllia and Kaya were finished with the group as most of the thugs were lying on the ground, already lifeless.

"It's a long story," said Kaya as she turned to the cockroach girl. "But we'll tell you..."

Then, she turned towards the bald man.

"...after we're finished with this one here!" she added.

"All of this is none of your business!" said the bald man. He walked towards the downed middle-aged man, picked him up and traps him in a headlock. A blade suddenly popped out of his right sleeve.

"One more wrong move and this man is a goner!" he said.

[SOS Mage]

"Huh, I see..."

The little cockroach girl then spotted the bald thug suddenly obtaining a hostage, knife blade suddenly appearing in his hand. She simply frowned, placed her hands on her hips and nodded...

"Ya know, you'd get your keister kicked either way, 'cuz a hostage ain't goin' to keep ya behind the fence for long, " said the little cockroach girl. "Ya ain't drivin' a good act nor deal there from what I be seeing either, feller."

Apparently, her rather opinionated insults of her own words of wisdom worked to be a possible subtle distraction to give Arllia and Kaya an opportunity to act in that time frame.