Sniff... Sniff... Sniff...
"Zelas. If you don't stop sniffing this moment..." Luna threatened in her soft voice although she kept walking through the busy streets of Atlas city.
"Yes ma'am." Zelas squeaked from behind her.
Sign... Sign... Sign...
"That's it! I've had it with you!!!!" Luna screamed and suddenly turned around to face the shocked Demon Lord. Before Zelas could even blink, a fit flew toward her to send her flying into the sky. "It's not my faultttttttttttt!" Zelas screamed as she left.
"Hump!" Luna dusted her hands and nodded with satisfaction. She turned her head slightly to glance menacing at the crowd gathered around her.
Quickly taking the cue - or is it just good survival instincts? - the crowd immediately found something more entertaining to do that was away from this stranger - very far away.
Nodding to herself in satisfaction, Luna continued walking. Glancing at the scrape of paper, she murmured to herself, "Now to see Mr. umm..." Carefully re-reading the note, she looked up in confusing and repeated, "Mr. Hero??"
Luna stopped in front of a store with a sign of what looked like 7 globs randomly pasted together. Looking at the paper in her hands, she entered the shop.
The shop was a crowded place. Someone had apparently tried to create some resemblance of order by shelving all of the stuff but gave up after a few of the shelves collapsed. Piles of items littered the floor randomly effectively creating a maze within the small store. Fortunately, the large windows let ample sunlight in for Luna to see where she is going. After a few minutes of searching for a desk, Luna found it under a pile of dusty scrolls entitled, "Mazokus love cookies! Mystery of the Cookie Monster Solved." Politely ringing the bell, Luna leaned onto the table and waited.
A few seconds later, a young girl about 19 burst into the room slightly panting.
Giving the young girl in a look of concern, Luna asked her, "Hello, is there a Mr. Hero here?"
The girl took a deep breath, give a huge smile and replied, "Hello to Shop 'o All customer! We have everything you need to Mazoku exterminate your home or just while you're traveling…"
"Err, excuse me?"
"...for your safety. May I suggest buying our Deluxe Kit for Mazoku extermination? Guaranteed to get rid of all of your, " The girl suddenly paused in her speech and looked up at Luna. "Did you say 'Mr. Hero'!?"
Luna sweat dropped. "Ah.... yes. I'm looking for a Mr. Hero who recently lived in Zephilia."
With starry eyes and a river of tears flowing down her cheeks, the girl clapped her hands together and looking up at the heavens, "Thank you Lord! My brother is finally getting the recognition he deserves!" Clenching her teeth, she went on, "All the training he had to perform on the treacherous mountains of Elmekia. The sacrifices he made to reach his dream, including selling his favorite blankey for money toward his training."
Throughout the reminiscence, pictures of a big shouldered man on a snow covered mountaintop practicing crazy poses flashed by. Followed by the heart breaking pictures of the day he was forced to sell his blanket. Several security guards dragged him out of the building as he continued to scream at the merchant to take good care of his blankey and make sure it will get a good home.
Luna sweatdropped even more. "Ano.." Someone like that was actually born in Zephilia!?
Dabbing her tears with a already sodden handkerchief, the strange girl loudly blew her nose. Turing her head to a set of stairs off the side, she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Brother! You have a fan waiting for you!!"
Luna was starting to regret coming here in the first place.
"Who wishes to speak with the great and mighty Mighty Hero of the Hero family?"
"Brother! A girl is here to see you!"
Girl? Luna thought indignantly.
"I'll be right down!" A second later, Luna heard a loud crash and someone cursing in pain. "Yo! Justy! Where are my hero customs?"
"There're in the basket next to the nature-lovers' clothes set dad left you!"
Luna turned toward the young girl and politely asked, "Ahh.... so Mighty is your brother's first name."
"Oh yes, little girl. Mighty is my great and heroic brother. I'm Justy! Short for Justice." Justy beamed. "How are you doing child?"
"I'm fine." Confused, Luna decided to go along with Justy, "So...um...Hero is your last name? Did your family perform a great deed?"
"Well, our family has been dealing with witches, demons, ghosts and the like for generations so we have always been heroes to those innocent people plagued by evil!"
Luna opened her mouth to ask another question when Justy continued. "Actually, one night Granddad had a vision that we are the defenders of all humans on this world so changed our last name to hero."
"Oh." Luna replied with a forced smile.
"Of course, the family still have doubts about him ." Glancing around for anyone that might overhear them, Justy whispered conspiratorially, "Personally, I think his crazy even if he is our older brother. I heard rumors that he is causing all sorts of trouble in Gambler's Haven. The whole family is so disgraced by him. I mean he is just plain nuts!"
"..." Luna sweatdropped. "Really?" No wonder people were looking at me strangely when I asked where Mr. Hero lived. Wonder if the brother is really worse than her...? She was too stunned by the situation to be mad. I should have let Zelas do this. Luna thought. Only half-listening to the younger woman's endless chatter about their family's sacred duty to protect all of the "children" from evil, Luna frowned a little. Speaking of Zelas, where is she?
Zelas floated upside down in sky as she puffed away on her pipe negligently letting the ashes fall down to the people walking through the streets underneath her. I cannot not Luna get to that house! It could be a big problem in my plans if she finds out who it was. She gave another puff. But I need the Knight of Cephied on my side - for now. Fighting her wouldn't be very good either. She's probably at the same level as me. Zelas grimaced. She hated fights she knew she couldn't win, like that time Old Shabby made her stay in her castle while he stirred up all sorts of delightful wars outside. Or that time when Xellos was four and dressed up as a puppy to beg for her homemade cookies.
"Hi, brother!" Justy chirped happily.
"Hello, Justice." Said a broad-shouldered, dark-haired, blue-eyed man who rather looked a lot like the bandits who always have to clean up the streets of Zephilia for pillaring and general havoc in the forest as dictated by the Housewives of Disobedient Husbands Foundation. He promptly struck a pose once he reached the bottom of the stairs.
A little unsure about the validity of this person considering what he calls himself, Luna hesitantly asked, "Um... I need to ask you something about ..."
"Lunaaaaaaaaaaa!" Zelas came crashing down through the roof of the building and surprisingly straight onto Luna herself. The force of the impact almost squashed the Knight into a pancake by the force of the impact. Seeing the Luna unconscious under her, "I found you!!!!" Zelas cried out delightfully as she stared to shake the Knight vigorously in her excitement. "How could you have wandered off like that!? It took me so long to find you and...."
Trying to pull the two worlds she's seeing into one, Luna pushed the over enthusiastic Zelas off. "GET OFF!"
"Ahhhhh!" Zelas sniff in hurt from her position on the ground where Luna had thrown her. "You're so mean...."
Luna went very stiff. Pulling back her sleeves, she stomped toward Zelas with the intent of sending Zelas to outer space this time.
"DEMON!!" A loud voice suddenly cried out in horror followed by a started high-pitched gasp in surprise and the sound of a shattered plate.
"Demon?" Zelas and Luna repeated with a mixture of disbelief and anger. Zelas gazed with surprise at the loud-voiced bandit-like person. Justy looked upon Luna with tear-filled eyes. She turned toward Luna and said, "To think that...," before she fainted from shock. Luna sweatdropped some more while Zelas smirked.
"Don't you hurt that lovely flower of life, Demon! I, Mighty Hero, will protect her from you evil!"
"Lovely flower?" Luna and Zelas looked at each in puzzlement.
"Well, " Zelas smirked. "At least, the bandit has good judgment." Unlike a certain human, I had just met in Haven, She added silently.
Luna glared at Zelas.
Zelas only smirked more broadly.
Luna's glare slowly changed into a smile. Zelas begin to feel a bit nervous.
Chuckling softly to herself, Luna turned to Mighty, "I'm not going to hurt her, Mr. Hero." Zelas looked at Luna as if she had suddenly grown three heads.
"Just Mighty please." Saint said humbly.
"Ah sure, whatever," Luna sweatdropped. Mighty? She hurried went on before Mighty could protest, "Do you like my sister that much?"
"This vision of life is your sister!?" Saint looked shocked.
Zelas burst our laughing as Luna frowned at the implication of that statement.
Then Mighty suddenly went down on one leg and humbly asked Luna, "May I have your sister's hand in marriage?"
"Eh!?" Zelas paused in mid-laugh, speechless with shock.
"That's good," the now awakened Justy said as she dabbed her eyes with the aforementioned handkerchief. Everyone turned to look at her. "You ain't a demon, miss, because the girl my brother is going to marry definitely ain't."
Zelas smirked again at Luna who ignores Zelas. Instead, Luna turned to look at Mighty directly in the eye. In a very serious tone of voice, she said, "I approve whole-heartily. But I don't know if um... Lale here want to be married though.... She wants an able husband who will provide the support for her and her future children. I don't know you well enough to promise her that you can provide those...."
Taking the hint, Hero immediately responded, "I shall show my true love my worth!" Turning toward Zelas with hearts for eyes, he added, "I shall show you, my one true love, that I will be the prefect husband!"
"WHAT!?" Zelas screeched. She looked from Mighty to Luna to the still crying Justy in confusion. "Wait... wait just a minutes." Events were progressing too fast for her tastes.
"Please accept this bracelet as a token of my love for you!" Saint cried out as he produced a delicate bracelet made up of seven gold dolphins with sapphire eyes surrounded by a diamond, ruby, and sapphire sea.
Zelas looked adoringly at the truly beautiful piece of art. She automatically reached over to take it for a closer view of the golden dolphins playing within their jeweled sea. But as soon as she touched the it, however, a suddenly storm of lightening flew toward her. "Ah!!"
Mighty quickly took the bracelet away before his one true love would be badly hurt. "My love!" Holding the toasted Zelas with swirls for eyes in his arms, he sobbed, "Please speak to me, my love!!" Seeing there was no reaction from his one true love, the bandit quickly ran up the stairs for a first aid kit.
Luna struggled not to laugh. She settled for giggles instead.
"Strange that only zaps demons." Justy's sister commented.
Luna froze in mid-giggle.
"It must be broken." Justy continued.
Luna breathed a sign of relief before she sweatdropped yet again. Don't they realize it yet?
"Here try this." The sister handed over an even more gorgeous diamond and gold necklace with emerald highlights to Zelas.
Zelas, still sluggish from being zapped by the sudden lightening and enchanted by the beauty of the necklace, put it on around her neck. She quickly stood up and went to a mirror to admire how wonderful it looked upon her fair skin and golden hair.
"Say, is there any special power this necklace has?" Luna asked Justy curiously.
"It renders a Mazoku's power temporary useless." Justy replied off handily.
"WHAT!?" Zelas turned around and screamed. The mirror behind her shattered into a million pieces by the force of her scream.
"You don't have to worry sister-in-law, " Saint's sister replied cheerfully, "since you're not a demon!"
Zelas slumped to the floor and buried her face in her hands.
Luna could only stare in shock at Justy. "Hum...," Luna finally managed to said out, "Why did you give Ze...I mean Lale something with such a power then?"
"Oh, it's because of the family business." Justy replied cheerfully. "The family was founded by our great-great-great-great-grandfather who's business was to eliminate monsters, ghosts and the like from the towns and villages he stayed in. To celebrate and remember those days, our family has always exchanged powerful monster-sealing jewelry as a contract of marriage."
Blushing a little in embarrassment, Justy went on softly, "But it seems the jewelry isn't working properly. They were only supposed to zap or curse Mazokus, not ordinary people like you, Lale."
Luna and Zelas sweatdropped some more. Luna suddenly remembered something. "Wait, you said 'a contract of marriage'?"
Mighty charged down the stairs with a medical kit in his hand. In his rush, he tripped over a broken shelve leg to land in front of Zelas. Zelas looked up to see what happened. The necklace sparkled under the golden sunlight streaming from the open windows.
Mighty's eyes turned into hearts again and cried out joyfully. "My love. This means you do love me!" Opening his arms for a big hug, he cried out, "Let's get married!"
"Nooooooo!" Zelas screamed she ran out of the store, tearing the front door from their hinge in her haste to get away. A love-struck Hero raced after her with cries of how he will love her to the end of their lives and beyond. "Lale, my love! We will be so happy! We will be together... forever and ... !"
Zelas unable to escape through the Astral Plane because of the necklace, hurriedly climbed a tree. With one hand grabbing onto the tree branch for support, she whacked a fallen branch in the other hand at her suitor all the while screaming for someone to save her at top of her lungs....
Luna watched the scene unemotionally while Justy cried again with joy. Turning to saner of the two siblings, Luna asked her, "About my original question...."
"Why do I have to do this?" Tiny complained.
Lina turned to look at her companion in the eye. "We need information, don't we?"
"Well...yea but..."
"We also need money, don't we?" Lina continued.
"...I suppose." Tiny said hesitantly.
"Then this is the best way to get both!" Lina declared.
Tiny signed. It's useless to talk to her when she is hungry and has no money to buy food. "Hai. Hai."
Sipping some tea and nibbling on some pastry, Luna politely waited for Justy to finish. They were sited around a table that Justy brought out. When Justy finally finished the tale, Luna placed her teacup down. "I see. Red hair and ruby eyes hum?" A few minutes passed with no words exchanged between the two. "Thank you for the tea, Ms. Hero." Luna said quietly as she got. "Also, thank you for making my order on such a short notice."
"Your most welcome customer!" Justy beamed. "If you ever need more of that curse, please ring us!"
"Of course." Luna nodded curtly. Turning she left the store.
Outside, Zelas and Mighty are still playing the ancient game of marriage.
Chibi-Zelas: Who's playing!? Get rid of this creep!
Chibi-Mighty: Lale, my love!
Chibi-Zelas: Help! Anyone, help me!!!!
The unmarried girls living near the Hero's store soon became annoyed by the shouting and general fuss over the courtship of two lovebirds - Lale and Mighty. They were getting all the spotlight! And not to mention, it was so romantic the way, Mighty Hero is singing songs of praise to Lale.
Suddenly, from every tree in Atlas city, a maiden can be found screaming that she is terrified of heights and pleading that some noble hero will save her.... The resulting acting drowned out Zelas and Hero even as the would-be-heroes of Atlas City responded enthusiastically by throwing lifesaver jackets to the girls within the trees. Apparently, they are afraid of heights too... but as heroes-in-training, they couldn't show the slightly hint of weakness....
"Mommyyyyyyyyy!" The cry echoed throughout the street that night. In the end, thousands of mothers had to get up from bed and rescue their would-be-hero-sons and the would-damsels-in-distress-daughters. Of course, both would-be groups are promptly grounded for the rest of their lives the next day.... The fathers were blamed for "poor guidance" since most of them were found hanging in the tree screaming for help even louder than their sons' cries for help.... A sad end to a promising career.
"FIREBALL!"
"FLARE ARROW!"
The bandits ran about in confusion. The boss searched desperately for the attacker. "Y...you!" He stuttered when he finally saw Lina outlined by the flames.
"That's me!" Lina smiled cheerfully as she held her hands to cast another spell. "FLARE ARROW!"
"Run for your lives! It's that little brat!" The boss screamed in terror.
The rest of the bandits looked at their boss in confusion. "That little thing?" Turning to look at Lina again, they rushed toward her, "We take care of her in one shot!"
"FIREBALL!"
A large fireball hit the bandits from behind toasting some, throwing others several feet away. "What?"
"Hello! Did you guys forget about me?" Tiny replied cheerfully. His Expression turned serious. "Too bad for you! FIREBALL!"
Lina smiled. This is going very well. They'll just "borrow" from of the loot and be on their way. Jumping to a higher ground, she cast more Flare Arrows taking her height into advantage. She could also see Tiny, being his usual trickster self, chasing a large bandits with small, carefully placed fireballs.
Leaping over some debris, Tiny cast some more fireballs. This was what he lived for! To hear the .... He tripped over something and landed painfully on his face.
The group of bandits Tiny was chasing noticed his fall and stopped running. They turned and walked menacingly toward Tiny who to his dismay found that he had a deep cut in his leg. Unable to flee, he was seized with a sudden panic so strong that all he could was stare at bandits with raised clubs as they came closer and closer and ....
"MEGA BRANDO!"
The group beneath the bandits suddenly rose up and burst into flames. Tiny stared in shock as the bandits was blown into the sky. Something wet trailed down his cheeks. With a trembling finger, he touched it. Am I dying? Tiny wondered. There was something he should have done. Something he had done a million times before but for the life of him, Tiny couldn't remember what.
"Tiny!" A girl's voice cried out in concern. Tiny turned to watch a girl with hair the color of flames and ruby eyes run toward him with a large, heavy bag over her shoulder. A sudden image flashed in his mind followed by a word. Tiny grasped it and whispered, "Lina" before he fainted from blood loss and shock.
Some hours later, the sun hid behind the mountains - it does that a lot you know - allowing the moon to shine. In a rowdy tavern, a pair of travelers sat quietly.
"Zelas," Luna asked as she looking into her cup of tea.
Zelas wearily looked up from her chair completely exhausted from running away from Mighty Hero. Someone who Zelas is seriously thinking of killing if weren't for the fact, Xellos might just turn on her like Luna did and gives her home address to him instead. Good help are so hard to find these days.
Hitting the delicate teacup onto the wooden table, Luna stated in a low even tone of voice. "You knew."
Zelas immediately looked up. All signs of fatigue and weary gone from her face. Her blue eyes sparkling dangerously and to the onlookers, it seems as if she was growing claws. "You found out?"
"You didn't think I would?"
"I knew you would." Zelas drank wine from a goblet that suddenly appeared in her hand. Her pipe soon followed.
"Then why were you leading me around then?"
Wagging a forefinger and wearing her best smile, Zelas chirped, "That's a secret!"
"Meaning you weren't sure what to do with this information and wanted to see my reactions."
Falling off her chair, Zelas grimaced. It's no fun being mysterious to someone who saw through you like an open book. Climbing up again, she looked at Luna closely. "What of it?"
"You've gone too far this time Zelas!" Luna suddenly looked up at Zelas. "Even if she is a loud-mouth little brat, she's still my sister!"
"Sis..sister!? You know my apprentice!!?" Zelas blurted out in shock.
A silence had fallen within the tavern as everyone watched the two newcomers.
"Apprentice?"
"That's right." Zelas smirked. "She belongs to me now."
"Hum.... Red hair, ruby eyes, short...."
"... beats up bandits for extra cash, lungs to make a banshee proud, temper worse than a dragon...?"
"Lina." The both concluded. "How?"
Glaring at one another, they both screamed at same time. "Stop copying me!"
A small silence at the two looked at one other.
"Well, so it's finally came to this."
"So it is. Are you going to make her back out?"
"A promise is a promise. "
"Good."
"But you didn't say when the apprenticeship starts."
"Luna...you should have be a merchant."
"Well...mom and dad are merchants."
"And making people run for their money according to the rumors."
"Even the Mazokus have heard of them?"
"Of course. Where do you think I get most my supply of Zephilia wine from?"
"Alternate years."
"Until infinity?"
"Until she marries."
"At least seven years of service?"
"Deal."
"Deal." Zelas paused for a moment. "Are you really her oiineechan, Luna-chan?"
"Of course. That's why I'm doing this. She's a natural disaster waiting to happen. Someone has to beat some sense into her."
"..." I'm just glad you don't consider me your sister or I might suffer poor Lina-chan's fate....
When Tiny opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the sound of crackling fire. He quickly jumped up. Something was burning, he had to...
"Tiny?"
Tiny turned to look at a girl about his age. Red hair, ruby eyes.... "Lina?"
The girl, Lina, blinked.
"Is something wrong?"
"Nothing." Lina replied as she looked more carefully at Tiny. "Just that you always called me Lina-chan before."
Tiny paused to digest this before offering, "I'll call you Lina-chan from now on if you want."
"Um...OK"
Tiny shifted uncomfortably. There was something he had to do; something someone very important to him ordered... ordered? yes ordered ... him to do. Something... but what?
"Tiny?"
Tiny looked up at Lina... no Lina-chan.
"You got a nasty bruise on your head and a deep cut on your right leg. I've healed as best as I can but get some rest OK? We'll leave for the nearest healer at first light tomorrow, all right?"
"OK." Tiny whispered timidly. His voice sounded so odd. What did it sound like before? Tiny wondered. Like a trickster, a inner voice informed him firmly. Tiny burrowed deep within his blankets uncertain and... afraid. On the other side of the fire, he heard Lina-chan doing the same thing.
A moment later. "Lina-chan?"
"Yes?"
"Um... could you... could you please...." Tiny's voice tailed off.
"Of course, Setiny. I'll be there for you."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Forever?"
"Yes."
"Really? Forever forever?"
"YES! I promise to be with you forever and forever! Now go to sleep!"
"Thank you." Tiny yawned sleepily. "Good-night, Lina oiineesan."
"Eh?" Lina winced. "Good-night to you too. And Setiny?"
"Hai?"
"Please don't call me oiineechan."
"Hai... oiineechan." Tiny replied sleepily.
"Eh." Lina twitched in embarrassment. Great, now I'm stuck with a sitter who has lost his memory and insists on calling me oiineechan.... What else can go wrong!? Signing, Lina fell asleep. Whatever happens, happens.
Luna drank more of her tea to hide her smile. I didn't say which she, Zelas-chan.