Sorry, this one will be a bit shorter.
Also, I'm gonna post every couple days of so from now on.
"Rin, piggy back ride? Please?" Joan tugged at his shirt gently as she asked. He looked at her to say no, but her pleading face made him pause.
"Yeah sure."
He bent down just enough for her to climb onto his back. She held on tight, but was gentle and careful not choke him. When a small gust of wind caught her hair, Rin couldn't help but sniff. It was like flowers and sugar. she smelled like her personality, sweet. Somehow, he felt calmer now than when they'd first entered the forest.
"Now I want pie," Rin grumbled under his breath. Joan laughed next to his ear, struggling not to be to loud.
"What? That was so random."
A sudden squeal interrupted them and they both turned towards Elizabeth in the back.
"Something's t-touching my butt," Elizabeth stiffened.
"Nah, just me," Meliodas replied.
Rin looked at him with surprise and then began glaring.
"Oh thank goodness, it's only you."
"You should not be relieved by that!" Rin and Hawk, the pig, said in unison. The both glared at Meliodas.
"Wow, what's going on." Hawk said. Everybody turned to look at him, only to see there were far to many. There were maybe five of them.
"What's going on?!" "Hey, stop copying me!" "I'm the real one, not these phonies!" "Meliodas, it's me!"
All at once the pigs ran to Meliodas. He looked unfazed. As the crowd of pigs ran to him for comfort, he knocked them all back with his fists. He stood there, patting his hands together as the hogs all laid on the ground dazed.
"Hawk!" Elizabeth cried. All at once the pigs shot up and ran to hide behind her.
"Whaaaa! Elizabeth! He's merciless, even my mom never hits me!"
"Hawk, I-" she trailed off as they watched the pigs begin turning into copies of Elizabeth. They swarmed her for a moment, more and more joining the crowd of Elizabeths. They all looked exactly the same, all the way down to her strangely shy look. They all looked worried and startled, but still quite.
"Wow," was all Rin could manage saying. His eyes darted from girl to girl, looking for any hint to which was real.
"That won't work, these are probably Hide-and-Seeks. Or, some people know them as prankster goblins." Joan whispered into Rin's ear.
The Elizabeths all began looking around at each other and then to Meliodas.
"You know I'm the real one right?" "Meliodas…" "No! I'm the real one!" "No, me!" "I'm the real Elizabeth!" "What are you talking about?!"
They all seemed to speak at the same time, but Rin could hear small differences.
"Ooh! Boobies galore!" Meliodas said, showing his pervy nature once again.
"NOW'S NOT THE TIME DAMNIT!" Rin shook a fist at Meliodas as the Elizabeths came forward asking for his help. For a moment, Rin worried he was just gonna punch them all like he'd done with Hawk. As they came closer, though, Rin noticed something different in Meliodas's eyes. As the girls started reaching for him, he jumped out of the way and onto a boulder nearby with Hawk under his arm, closely followed by Rin with Joan still on his back.
"Hmmm. I can't tell them apart." Meliodas scanned the women with his eyes.
"I'm the real one!" "Please believe me!" "I'll do anything to convince you!"
The last one made Meliodas grin. Rin knew immediately what he was thinking, but decided that he must have a plan.
"Shhh," Joan whispered in Rin's early, "he's got a plan."
"Then how about you all do exactly as I say, got it?"
Rin sighed, but kept quiet.
"Raise your right hand and put your left hand on your cheek!"
They all did as he said, their faces showing the same expression just in different degrees. For some reason, all of them looked somewhat happy though, except one, who looked like she was faking.
"Simon says? Are you freaking-" Rin was interrupted but Joan putting a hand over his mouth.
"Say my name really shyly."
All at once they did as told. Most of them stood real stiff or flirty, but the one in the center seemed much more shy. She wasn't acting it seemed, just doing as told the best she could.
Joan smiled, knowing this was the real one.
"Grab your boobs."
Rin tried to grow and chew Meliodas out, but Joan's hand over his mouth made sure not a word got out.
"Wow, that's some eye candy!"
Ron's eye twitched as he fought the impulse to hit Meliodas of the head with something hard. Like a brick.
Repeatedly.
"Quit screwing around and pick her out!" Hawk demanded, biting at Meliodas's shirt. The Elizabeths began asking for more orders.
"Okay this is the last one. Jump as high as you can!"
Seven feet left the ground, but one fell to her knees. "I'm sorry I just can't!"
All the Elizabeths in the air looked down at her, realizing their mistake. Before Rin could even blink, Meliodas had drawn his sword and cut through each of them. As the fake Elizabeths hit the ground they turned into ugly hooded creatures that ran off deeper into the trees.
"Come on, after them!" Meliodas said as everybody hurried to catch up. "There's probably somebody waiting where they're headed."
He stopped suddenly and turned to Elizabeth. "Oh, and, here." He held a crumpled piece of clothing out.
"you really are a panty thief!" She said, her face turning a deep scarlet.
"What are you doing? Run after him Rin!" Joan ordered, pointing in the direction Meliodas had run.
"Right! Hey, you know, you don't weigh as much as you look."
She blushed, then hid her face in his shoulder as he ran. He stayed right behind Elizabeth, set on protecting her better this time.
"Look at that! The goblins are running towards that girl!" Elizabeth said, pointing ahead to a young woman asleep on the ground. Rin noticed as they ran that something was off about her.
"Wait a minute they aren't going to attack her are the?!" Hawk said. But as they all ran, Rin realized he'd been right. Something was strange about this girl.
She was a giant.
