No Place To Be, Or Is It?

You probably didn't see many pregnant women at the arena. It wasn't really the kind of place where you expected to see a woman in such a state. But at least Fehr was still in a state of the pregnancy where people could just think her slightly round stomach was just her being overweight. Well, naturally she did gather few glances as she made her way through the crowd, looking around her and occasionally catching a thought or two from the life energy, that was flowing like a river around her. They were violent thoughts, but that wasn't surprising. This was a place for violence.

This style of architechture was familiar to Fehr, in her old dimension they'd had buildings like this and they had been used for similar purposes. Although many had also been used as training grounds for troops, troops Fehr herself had mentored.
Fehr was shoved bit roughly to the side, and she automatically moved her arm to block any further shoves. Maybe this wasn't such a wise idea, to come such a risky place when Fehr wanted to avoid any harm to the fetus. Fehr had done some studying and had learned quite small things could lead to miscarriage and stillbirth.

Fehr's thoughts were interrupted when suddenly the crowd thinned and Fehr was able to break out and see the center area of the arena, where the fights took place. There was a fight taking place right now, and people were yelling and cheering at the two contestants, wanting blood. Fehr walked closer and remained standing, standing on a ledge that overlooked the arena. She leaned on a railing and observed the fight with analytical eye. Fehr knew which one of the fighters would win this fight, though for now it seemed they were almost at odds. Next Fehr looked at the crowd, at the gleam in their eye. Fehr knew that gleam too well. She had never had it herself, but many of her soldiers had enjoyed the violence of combat, the brutality of war, and had had those same eyes.
Then it had been almost frightening. Now Fehr found it almost sad.

Fehr looked away from the audience and instead looked at everywhere else, at the edges of the arena, the sky, the food stalls that sold food for the hungry spectators. Fehr dismissed those fast, it wasn't like she could even eat anything from those stalls. Fehr turned back to look at the fight, and ignored all the glances she was gathering, perhaps because of her beauty, perhaps bevause of her stomach. But nevertheless she stood apart from the crowd, leaning on the railing and following the fight with a hard expression on her face.

There were many pointers Fehralyn could've given to the two young men fighting, the other had an unbalanced stance and the other left his left side open every time he threw a right hook. But overall the two were decent, Fehralyn would've given them the all clear and put them on the battlefield back home.
She was very grateful she didn't have to do that anymore, or ever again.
Fehralyn didn't get any enjoyment from watching the fight, it was purely analytical. Although analyzing the fight was useless to her now, Fehralyn wouldn't need to use her combat abilities of she just lay low and stayed out of trouble. And that she intended to do.

Fehralyn saw Masami approach, and she didn't turn her head to look at him when he leaned on the railing next to her. Fehralyn could see him. She waited for him to speak up first, as the two watched tjhe fight in mutual silence for a few seconds.
"Really, what am I doing here?"
Fehralyn answered with a mutter to Masami's question, she had simply been curious to see this place and the customs of this dimension, but this place was just another circus of violence. Those were plentiful in Fehr's own dimension as well.
"I could return those words back to you. Why are you here? I was under the impression you were not a fighter at the arena."
Now Fehralyn turned her head to look at Masami, the way he was bundled up looked warm and Fehr was almost jealous. Her dark grey trench coat was just enough to keep away the worst chill. Maybe she should go shop for a new, warmer jacket.

"I see. Is that your only reason for working here? The possibility of using the gym."
Fehr asked as she turned around so she was leaning on the railing with her lower back. Fehr had gotten the impression Masami didn't enjoy this either, watching the fights, so Fehr was slightly concerned as well. Working in an unpleasant environment wasn't good for your mental health. There must've been other jobs, where there was the perk of getting to use such facilities.

Small chuckle and a smile escaped Fehr when Masami asked his question. Something about asking whether or not she and the baby got along was funny to her. But Fehr could hear Masami's concern and thus stifled her amusement, he had genuinely asked and Fehr would genuinely answer.
"We are both doing well, thank you. There have been no quarrels yet, but I suppose it'll only be a matter of time."
Fehr smiled a bit at Masami at the end of that sentence, she couldn't help but say a small joke. It wasn't even a joke, in some sense, since it was true. Fehr tapped her fingers against each other in thought, considering something.
"Also, his name is Leo. This child's."
Fehr said with a slightly quieter voice. She hadn't told the child's name to almost anyone, just Noel, but she also considered Masami close enough to her to know. And in the end it was just a name, after all.

"And how are you?"
Fehr asked with a slight head tilt, and concern could also be heard in her tone even if her face was stoic. Fehr hadn't seen Masami since that small scene at the community center, when she had gotten nauseous and had to run out. Fehr had been rude to Masami then, refusing his offer to walk together, but she had had a good reason.

Fehr noticed Masami not so subtly avoided answering her first question. He had no obligation to answer her, naturally, and Fehr didn't want to push. There could've been a painful underlying reason. But she did narrow her eyes a bit, though not straight at Masami. Fehr could see him clearly thanks to her wide field of vision, but she was narrowing her eyes towards the crowd somewhere right of her. She tapped her finger against the railing in a steady rhythm,
"Well, I'm glad to hear that. And hopefully it'll continue to be so."
Fehr answered after a moment with a small nod.

"Thank you."
She deserved it. Fehr turned her head and stared at the crowd with an unreadable expression.
Did she deserve it? Leo deserved it, he was an unborn child and carried no blame of his mother's actions. But Fehr was a different story. She had done many things that were unforgivable, she was a mass murderer. Fehr was realistic and rational, she knew that there wasn't really anything else she could do to atone than do as much good as she could. And even then it wouldn't be enough.
"In this place I feel like it's possible. To have long days and happy years."
Fehr answered with a slightly melancholy tone, happiness felt like something she would never be able to attain again. But Fehr would make sure Leo would be happy. That she could guarantee.

"That reminds me."
Fehr turned to look at Masami.
"If I remember correctly, and I know I do, you mentioned you could share some of your tea plants. I found instructions on how to build a small greenhouse, can I still count on your words? After I finish making it, that is."

As the fight ended Fehr also turned to look at the winner, like she had predicted the seemingly less experienced but stronger fighter won. Fehr huffed slightly when the boy flaunted around, really rubbing in his victory. Fehr imagined he would get shot faster than she could blink if this was a battlefield.
"At the moment I have no other place to go, I will merely do my utmost best to build a life here."
And Fehr would never return to her home dimension. Never.

"I'm afraid you did."
Fehr answered, smiling a bit herself. Being able to make Masami express emotions he probably usually didn't show was rewarding. Masami seemed socially a bit clumsy, similar to Fehr, so she felt comfortable expressing slightly more of her own feelings as well in Masami's company.
"Thank you for this, it will really help me to have ready grown tea plants."

"Am I what?"
Fehr asked, as Masami interrupted himself mid-sentence, and she turned to look at him at the same time as he did her. And the man yet again offered help, this time in building the greenhouse.
"That is, hmm..."
Fehr answered, also cutting herself off, and had a thoughtful expression. Should she draw the line here? Masami had already bought her food, was going to give her tea plants and now he was offering to help her build something. No matter how you put it wasn't that too much?

Fehr tapped her finger against the railing again as she thought. She was confident she'd be able to build the greenhouse by herself, the instructions weren't complicated and the materials were light. But if Fehr was honest with herself she enjoyed spending time with Masami, it had been a while since she had had friends. Was that a reason enough to invite him to her home? Fehr was probably taking too much time to answer, but she wanted to think it through. Finally, maybe after 10 or so seconds, Fehr looked at Masami.

"I don't think I need help building the greenhouse. You have done much for me already and I do not enjoy being in debt to people. So, I'd like to invite you to my house, perhaps for a meal or just tea if you prefer that. Perhaps bring the tea plants with you, to kill two birds with one stone, so to say."
Was Fehr making a too big of a deal out of this? She wasn't sure. But she had said what she wanted to say.