~*Taking A Break*~
Hey, don't look at her like that. Hero'ing is hard work!
~***~
Rosalyn's favorite place in the entire world was probably either Madril or Tenel. If one thought about it, the difference was rather large.
Madril was a bustling metropolis of dark metal and deep, contemporary colors. The two levels of the city boasted thousands of inhabitants, shops, factories, and other such obvious necessities to support a large population. It was, most likely, the biggest city in the entire kingdom. Even with Beiloune gone, and all of those new expeditions that had departed the known land to travel to the uncharted beyond, there was nothing even close to its size.
Then, of course, there was Tenel. Whereas Madril was nearer the Plain of Lumille than the Forest of Willkur, the little town was right inside the woods, tucked neatly away and almost completely ignored by society. It had a microscopic—if that—crime rate, and thus guaranteed that Rosalyn wouldn't end up snatching her sword from her belt and racing off after some scum that had stolen an old lady's purse.
Thus, taking said benefits in mind, the Great Hero decided to spend a day or so at Ari's slightly run down manor. Ari's kin, and the boy himself, always welcomed her with open arms, their home being rather large for his average sized family. They were good company, and Rosalyn found herself taking pointers from Annie, Ari's little sister, on how to get over her phobia of her pink shadow.
A shadow caused by a certain Evil King that unfortunately lived at the manor. So, it also gave Rosalyn a good excuse to keep an eye on the dastardly fiend that constantly sought to escape her clutches—and his promise to her.
You see, dear reader, Rosalyn had had a deal with King Stanley HiHat Trinidad the XIV. In exchange for her services as a Hero, he would fix her shadow. Needless to say, the King had proceeded to quickly vanish with his "Evil" butler, James, and had been avoiding her for some reason or another for quite some time.
Rosalyn had her mind set on making sure it didn't happen again.
Willkur Forest was in full bloom, since it was early summer. Flowers of a dozen different shades poked out of the deep green embrace of the trees and their accompanying dark shadows—a fact Rosalyn was envious of, those shadows—and a persistent rustling resulted as a product of the warm wind stirring the branches. The sky overhead was an impressive pale blue, speckled with fluffy white clouds, the sun shedding honey-colored rays down onto the woods.
It was very peaceful, in short. And this was the kind of thing that Rosalyn enjoyed, remembered from her childhood. She smiled slightly, pausing to let the wind blow her blonde hair and white, sleeveless jacket back. Really, Ari's tiny town felt more like her home than any other city she had ever run through.
The tranquil silence unexpectedly exploded into a raucous discord as black birds burst into flight. A vaguely hoarse, loud, growl of a voice reached Rosalyn's ears, aided by the soft gale.
"Stop laughing you spineless sheep! Do I have to blow something up to get across to you people that I am not some pathetic trick by my worthless slave?!"
The Heroine clenched her teeth until the canines scraped sharply together, looking very much like a wolf wanting to rip out someone's throat. She recognized that voice. The same voice that had ruined her shadow and her life. The very same person that had caused all of her misfortune.
Stan.
And, of all the things, she couldn't even be humiliated by a decent villain with an intimidating name! No, it had to be done by some moron named Stanley. Gohma was more frightening a name than Stanley. Rosalyn whipped out her rapier and pelted down the brown dirt path, tightening her grip on her parasol, ready to tear apart the irritating voice's master.
As she ran, the Great Hero heard a meeker, softer voice reply with a slight ring of annoyance, "Stan, can't we just go home now?"
Rosalyn turned a corner and swiftly took in the scene in front of her. Stan, in his "human" form, had his back to her. He still had unkempt spiky blonde hair and his stupid, open-button, blue suit on. He was stamping one foot childishly and swearing at the top of his lungs with all of the hot air he had in his body—(which is quite a lot, they say, dear reader.)
The three kids snickered. "Is that your way of saying you've got to go, Ari?" One glasses wearing, lanky boy inquired.
Ari had his hands up as if to ward off an impending attack. His deep red hedgehog hair barely quivered in the breeze, and his pale face was only more noticeable thanks to the bright light of his expressive green eyes. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." His tone carried hints of relief.
"You'll do this again later, right, A-man?" A little blonde boy bounced up and down with excitement, his blue eyes only widening in shocked wonder as Stan growled wordlessly at him.
"Er—yes," Ari sighed, closing his eyes. "Not like I have a choice," he added in a low murmur.
Rosalyn decided to wait for the civilians to get home. She didn't want them in the way of her showdown with Stan. He was not escaping this time. The break could wait until after her shadow was done being as pink as a baby piglet.
Ari noticed her before Stan, naturally, since the Evil King was still too busy fuming at everyone's easy dismissal of his very serious evil intentions. The young man—he was not quite a boy anymore, after their adventure—turned to face her with a sheepish grin.
"Hey, Rosalyn." He sighed and rolled his eyes, clasping his hands behind his back. "How's it going?"
"Pretty good, actually. Stan still not up to anything major?" She had asked him to keep an eye on Stan for her whilst she helped out the Hero's Club.
"Not really. He's failing pretty badly at scaring the townsfolk." Ari dropped his voice a little and rolled his eyes once more.
Rosalyn laughed. "Hee hee, I can see that."
"What?" Stan whirled around unexpectedly and clapped eyes on the Heroine. "What are you doing here, hippopotamus woman? Going to beg for shelter at the Slave's house?"
"I'm going to ask to stay a day or two, Stanley." Rosalyn's previous good humor evaporated as quickly as it had come. She tightened her hold on her parasol. "Besides, you're basically a bum! You're staying at Ari's place without doing anything! At least I help out with the chores."
Her self-righteous tone immediately aggravated the Evil King more than he had been already. He crossed his arms and glowered thunderously at her. Rosalyn stuck her tongue out.
Ari took a step back, obviously feeling the tension. "So, I'm just going to take a little walk…"
"Stay right there!" Stan barked at him.
"No, go if you want, Ari." Rosalyn contradicted politely.
"He's my slave! He listens to me! Isn't that right, Slave?" The yellow eyed demon glared at the Deviant, daring him to disagree.
He took the dare, and then added a truth while he was at it. "My name is Ari, Stan. We've gone over this."
Rosalyn broke into laughter. "If you can't even get Ari to listen—I mean…not that I think you're weak Ari, it's just…you're sort of submissive." She offered him a tentative, apologetic smile.
He gave her a long, scrutinizing stare before shrugging. "No, you're right. Stan, I've got to go home. Would you two mind killing one another outside? My place isn't exactly built to withstand a storm."
Stan looked like he wanted to murder Ari, but he just snapped, "Go home then! I order it! I'm going to see what Hero Woman wants."
The red-haired boy performed an elaborate, if mocking, bow. "Certainly, Your Highness."
After Ari's footsteps had faded, Rosalyn gave Stanley a frosty glare. "You know what I'm here for, right?"
Stan stepped right up to her, until only a foot separated the pair of dangerous fighters. "I have a hunch," he replied with an imperious smirk.
An uncomfortable trickle of heat went down Rosalyn's spine as she stared into his golden eyes—like her own, she realized at once, except burning—but she ignored it. "Then why don't you keep your promise? I thought even Evil Kings had some degree of honor."
He cocked his head to the side in response, the motion too sharp to be human. One eye scrunched up as he switched abruptly from a haughty expression to something like interested bewilderment. But she knew Stan was a sudden, impulsive kind of guy, and therefore was not surprised.
"I did say that," he acknowledged reluctantly.
"So, is it apparently so hard to change shadows that even at your 'full power'," and here Rosalyn formed quotations with her free hand. "That you may just die from the exertion?"
Stan growled from between his fanged teeth, tipping his head up and instantly he was wearing a pleased look.
Dear reader, as a small note, whenever the Shadow Evil King started looking happy, Rosalyn knew she was going to be very infuriated soon.
"Right, I'll fix your shadow. On one condition." He informed her.
"Condition? Screw you! We had a deal! I've done enough! I've traveled with Evil Kings, present and former mind you, went against what I basically am, fought hordes of monsters…" Rosalyn continued to rant, her short temper igniting and setting off the nuclear bomb that was her emotional rage. After she had finished, she took a deep breath and stared Stan down, waiting for his reaction.
He yawned, fluttering one hand briefly over his predator jaws. "Are you done? Whining never did get anyone anywhere. Except the Slave's sister, she gets everything by complaining."
Rosalyn snarled and slapped Stan so hard that he actually took a step back. Her hand left a fiery red imprint on his tanned skin, and she felt a furious satisfaction surge through her. She had wanted to do that for ages, something that she didn't hesitate to inform her rival about.
In response, Stan hissed crossly, "That's not fair."
"Whining gets you nowhere. What's your 'condition', you fake Evil being?" Rosalyn challenged, expecting something impossibly dangerous. She could handle dangerous. It was her pride that he had better not be aiming for.
Stanley continued to rub his cheek. "Who do you hate the most?"
"You," she replied instantaneously.
Something strange flickered through his eyes—that had to be her imagination, but it looked like hurt—but then his hard-to-read burning veil was back. "Right, hmm…" He growled again, one pointed ear quivering in agitation.
"You can almost hear the gears turning; almost see the smoke coming from your ears. I've never seen anything like it," Rosalyn observed.
Stan scoffed and pursed his thin lips before grinning hugely. "Right, well…I'll turn your pink shadow back to normal, and leave it that way for the rest of eternity. If…"
"If what?" Rosalyn demanded.
"If you kiss me," he gave her a smug smile. "You'd never do that, so I never have to mess with your frilly—"
Rosalyn grabbed Stan's shirt collar and suddenly pressed her mouth to his, part of her disturbed by the coldness of his skin. She was willing to do almost anything to get her shadow back to normal…(never mind that a part of her liked what she was doing)…but if he went back on his word now, not even Ari would be able to save the Evil King from the Great Hero's justified wrath.
She was just glad there was no one else on the road.
The impromptu kiss lasted longer than it needed to—probably a good five seconds longer—but Rosalyn eventually shoved him back. She dropped her parasol unceremoniously and, struggling to ignore her blush that she felt scorching her cheeks, stammered out with all of the authority she could muster, "My shadow. Fix it. Now."
Stan looked stupefied, but he lifted one hand, the nails long and sharp, and snapped his fingers. The claws created a small shower of dull sparks that landed on her rosy shadow, turning it to a normal shade of slightly transparent ebony.
Rosalyn felt happier than she could ever care to recall. "Finally!" Without thinking, too busy celebrating her victory after so many years, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Stan. "Thanks!"
His entire body tensed in reaction, arms at his side, no doubt still surprised. Rosalyn skipped back, smiling from ear to ear, her one visible eye as bright as the sunshine around them.
"I'm off to see Ari!" She waved to the still unresponsive King of Evil, racing off down the dirt path.
A bluebird flew past Stan's face. He didn't even twitch.
Dear reader, to better understand King Stanley's thoughts at this moment; let us delve into the mind of the demon in question.
She kissed me without a second thought! And here I was underestimating her. That Hero Woman has guts, that's for sure. But she kissed for longer than I'd imagined…and did I kiss her back? Blast it all! I don't remember.
"I kissed her back," Stan groaned, slouching slightly. He could still feel the warm tingle of her body near his. "God damn it," he complained. Because I think I liked it.
Apologies again for interrupting the story, but we're going to move our viewpoint from Stanley now to the two observers peering through the trees, having had conveniently and quietly witnessed the spectacle whilst on break. The magician Epros and the singer Linda were both amused—one thrilled—at the sight.
"Did you see that, Eppy?" Linda gushed, hopping from one leg to the other. Her green eye shadow glittered in the sun. "I knew they'd end up together. Now we just need someone for Kisling and Big Bull!"
Epros toyed with a card. "It had never occurred to me, that you would end up on a pairing spree."
The girl gave him a scowl, clenching her hands at her side, one tightly wrapped around a gold and white microphone. "I'm, like, all for love, you know?"
"You said Kisling and Big Bull, what about I? It's not my desire to be the only single guy," he teased lightly.
Linda wrapped her free hand around his own. "You're with me, silly!"
He smiled a little, though he appeared flustered, not speaking to save himself from composing a rhyme.
Meanwhile, dear reader, Rosalyn was busy celebrating with Ari that her shadow had returned to its normal black hue. Stan skulked behind his "slave", saying nothing, just like the Heroine, about the kiss that had been intended to be "forced".
But of course, it wasn't something a Shadow Evil King and a Great Hero would ever discuss in public.
~***~
Right, this is a request, and therefore a gift, for Tsuki no waltz. I hope very much that you enjoyed it; I'm really rusty when it comes to Okage stuff. Rest assured this fandom is not forgotten, I've just been busy lately.
Linda and Epros are some of my favorite characters, like Ari, and I just had to add them in.
Reviews are always appreciated!