"No! You got to move deh arm up here! No, not there! Higher you dumbass!"
"I'm not a dumbass!"
"All quibles are nats, not all nats are swaggles, are all quibles swaggles?"
"What?"
"Exactly!"
"I'm sorry, what does this have to do with trying to do with this kick- Ow! What was that for?!"
"If you had your arm where I told you to put it, then you wouldn't have been hit by that!" I answered happily. I almost feel bad for kicking her so hard, almost, but pain is the great teacher.
"But how is this going to help me at al-"
"Flying Spaghetti Monster, you sound like me when I was 12 and wondering how I would use solving algebraic expressions later in life! Turns out I didn't actually use them for anything but looking smart, but ey! I can assure you that learning basic coordination will help you!"
"Ugh. Alex, are they here yet?" Clara asked the guy behind me who had just arrived.
"Yes, we'll go with a surprise attack. Are you okay with?" Alex asked me. Uh... I really don't have any power to say no...
"Do whatever you want, I'm just going to be watching to make sure you don't kill yourself," I said calmly as I started to walk away, Violet trying her best to follow without me noticing. You get a participation award Violet, you tried.
"I swear... This is just sad...," I mumbled under my breath.
"I know... I thought he would do better... Are you positive he's going to be the one that kills Barbos?" Violet asked me ask we looked at the scene unfolding before us.
"Right, I forgot I let you read through my binders. How many did you read through?" I asked as we watch Yuri get beat up from a rooftop. I never payed attention to him when we were fighting, but I'm desperately wishing I had. It's not that he can't fight, it's just that... Everything is wrong...
"Only the first one, and I barely remember anything from it. I have no idea how you can remember the whole story with a refresh only every five months," Violet said as Yuri gets thrown into a wall by Alex.
"I did use the Cornell note taking system for part of it, and the rest I remember since I read over it every day out of boredom. I don't remember small details like Schwann's eye color, which I believe is green, or what the warehouse puzzle in Torim looked like, but I can find out all of this if I want since for some damn reason there's internet connection everywhere. Seriously, did you figure out why? It's really weird," I started to rant to Violet.
"No, I didn't, but also... Eh, never mind, here's your phone by the way," Violet said as she hands me a phone that I recognize as my google nexus that barely works anymore. It's really slow and you need to use earbuds or you can't hear anything, not to mention that it can't call anyone that theoretically had a phone too.
"Thanks. I'm sure I have some entertainment properties on here somewhere. Anyway, shouldn't you, you know, go help, since the upstanding knight is here?" I asked Violet. It's true, Flynn is here. In other words, someone that knows how to fight is here! Yes, I'm sure that Yuri might now have a chance to not get killed by a cocky and psychotic manic, her submissive boyfriend, and a group leader that doesn't know jack squat!
"Uh...," I very intelligently said as Violet slammed Flynn into a wall with close to no effort.
Or not...
I just sat and watched blankly as my guild members got up and joined Violet in pummeling Yuri and Flynn. This is so depressing that it doesn't even deserve a slow clap. I mean, I expected Yuri and Flynn to loose as Alex has had fighting be his occupation for several years, I believe five now, while Flynn, at best, has maybe two years of serious training, but I didn't think it would-.
Yuri flew into a crate, knocking even more on top of him.
Be this bad...
"Try to just kill the blondie, thank you very much!" I heard Violet yell. Thank you. Thank you, Violet, for being the one that snooped through my stuff enough to know that we should just kill the blondie.
"Flynn! Yuri!" Oh, come on!
I looked for the source of the yell to find Ashley. Why can't you just let us pound them!? What a complete turn around for me since I just said we should just kill Flynn! Now that I think about it, though, Flynn is kinda needed...
"We might need to run. She most likely called along her lackeys," Alex jumped back to say to Violet, avoiding a stab from Ashley.
"Yeah... Clara!" Violet nodded while alerting Clara of a stab from Yuri. Violet took a quick glance at me before she threw a smoke thing and ran away with the other guild members. Yes, a smoke thing! I love my word choice!
"Now- uh..." Ashley was about to say something before Flynn slammed Yuri into a wall, yelling at him about the wanted poster. Ashley sighed and took a glance around, her short black hair in a mild mess. I started furiously waving at her, hoping she would notice me, unfortunately she didn't, so I gave up after a while and watched the three walk out of the alley as Estelle jumped on Flynn.
I stood up and, about to jump off the building, witnessed a giant ice crystal fly by my face. I looked to the source to see Ashley.
Oh dear Flying Spaghetti Monster.
"HELP ME! SHE'S CHOKING ME! EHHHHH!"
"Uh... There's not much I can do Milieu, I'm sorry," Violet said while Ashley was holding me in a choke hug.
"Shh, calm down, just let the darkness take you in," Ashley said, obviously joking.
"WHAT THE HELL? NO- MPFF!" I started yelling, only for Asley to cover my mouth too.
"MPMF PMFGH, SMFG MGAHP!" What I actually meant to say was, "I have no intention of letting you kill me, that pleasure goes to my-", and then I stopped.
"So, this is the totally normal, definitely her, her?" Clara asked Violet, most likely meaning my personality.
"Yeah, this is-"
"AHDP! IGM SCHOKHNG! SCHOPCT!" I yelled, my vision starting to blur.
"Okay, Ashley, please stop, I think you're actually choking her," Violet said, coming to my rescue.
"Meh."
"Never... Do... That again...," I coughed out. I stayed there for a few seconds, barely registering what Violet said to Ashley. It always amazed me that Ashley could be so... well...
" Well... I probably need to go now because Flynn is calling me, so! Have fun you three!" Ashley said excitedly before she dashed out of the room, Clara following as well. Is he? I didn't hear him.
"Milieu..."
I stood up and went to sit down on one of the inn room's chair before I looked up at her. The tone of voice was enough of a clue, so I didn't need to see her face before I knew what she would say. She was bound to ask it eventually, as she deserved to, it has been almost four years I believe, but as for now, I really don't want to talk about it. I'm pretty sure I'll have to, though...
"Did you pick out Clara's outfit? It seems like something you might wear," I asked. She obviously couldn't wear the black hood jacket thing that made up the guild uniform, as we would have to deal with many other problems.
"It's some old clothes of mine that she liked. I didn't like them anymore, so I gave them to her," she continued after a pause, "Can you please tell me really whether or not you leaving had to do with-"
"Yes, I thought that was obvious," I cut off before she could finish, leaning against the chair arm and closing my eyes. I'm afraid I might snap at her if she does finish that sentence.
"Can you tell me the details at lea-."
"No. Monika knows, and that's one more person than I wish did."
"She won't tell me-"
"And that's for a reason," I took a breath to calm myself before I continued, "Violet, you're one of the few people I fully trust. I don't even trust my own... family, if you even want to call it that at this point. If I'm holding back something from you and letting you know I am, it's for a reason."
We stayed there in silence for a few more moments before Violet finally asked, "In that small time that there was nothing wrong, were you happy? I mean, honest to whatever you believe there is, were you happy?"
I bit my lip, holding back tears I knew were close before saying, "Yes. Yes, I definitely was."
God, me and my angst.
"I'm surprised that you still have those. Won't anyone notice- sorry, recognize you?" I asked Violet, who was currently wearing her old guild clothes. It's nothing really special. It's just a style of a kimono. Rather like the one in the Miku song Senbonzakura, except she doesn't have a hat and the cloth is blue and violet instead of just dead purple.
"No, I only wore these for missions. Anyone that might recognize these clothes is either dead, or not a problem to us," Violet answered without a hint of sadness. You think she would at least care about the fact she's talking about her old friends that she... I... brutally murdered.
"Alright, although, you might kinda want to speak differently so they don't start to think, 'oh hey, she sounds a lot like that person that tried to kill us! I wonder why!' Hmm?" I mentioned.
She nodded and said in an extremely overdone Asian accent, "You mean like dis!"
I sighed and said, "No, that's just ridiculous. Maybe a British accent or some New England one."
"So, maybe like this?" she said in a Boston aceent.
"Yeah, that'll work," I said as I slip into a Russian accent.
"Just wondering, why did you choose a white coat? You complained enough about your shoes," she said, still in the Boston accent. I guess she'll be speaking in that for now on.
"Because, lab coats, are cool," I said, knowingly aware that I was making a fool of myself in front of the party.
I knew Yuri was about to say something before I turned around and cut him off by saying, "That was nice of you to give that family that horn. I assume they're another family with their kids stolen?"
"You saw that?" Yuri asked incredulously.
"I see everything and everyone," I said seriously. Yuri and Rita seemed to get it was a joke and let out a small laugh while Estelle and Karol stared at me weirdly. Alright, I know who I'll be friends with.
"Anyway, I assume that you're going to see magistrate?" I asked.
"How did you know that?" Rita ask, almost accusingly. The words I let out of my mouth next were complete truth, even though I doubt they believed it.
"You guys talk really loudly, and I mean really loudly. I wouldn't be surprised if they heard you from palace."
"It's kinda true-ah, I mean, she's right...umm..." Holy shit, Violet, are you really playing that card?
"Are you the friend she was talking about?" Estelle asked as she runs up to Violet.
"Um, yes, ah, I think so... Nice t-to meet y-you...," Violet stuttered out, still with the Boston accent.
"Nice to meet you! My name is Estellise, but please, call me Estelle!" Estelle said as she bows and held out her hand. After a few seconds, Violet tentatively took her hand and shook it. Okay, that's cute, I mean, what? The hell is wrong with you, Milieu!?
"She doesn't seem like she obsessed with you," Yuri said quietly next to me. She heard that.
"Ahah... Yeah... Just wait...," I nervously laughed out. I don't want to think about it.
"Are we going to the magistrate or what?" Rita snapped.
"Well, aren't you pleasant? I'm going to assume from your conversation that you meant to give that horn as sort of way to get you in, but since you gave it away, you don't have way to get in. So, you're pretty much sitting duck, unless... You wanted to break in? In which case, how much did you have to brainwash Estelle to make her think she should do thas?"
"How will we get in? I feel this place just gets bigger every time I look at it," Karol said, ignoring my comment.
"I assume we break in," Rita replied.
"Yeah, please ignore me," I muttered. Violet gives me a small smile of sympathy. She knows me well enough to know that the one thing I absolutely despise is being ignored. That and people who lack common sense, but the latter is so common I learned not to care.
Wait, is that... Schwann? Yeah that's definitely Schwann, not Raven. What is he doing like tha-.
I walked away from the party towards a certain two people. Violet, preoccupied with Estelle, luckily didn't notice me walking away. Alright, it's time to make a power play- I mean what? This ain't no politics even though I make jokes about me being a rare breed of demon that isn't affected by crosses. The politician.
"Dominic, Jaune, Raven, may I ask what the special occasion is that you're all together?" The three men's heads flipped towards me as I walked closer.
"Well, I'm here for you know what for you know why~, and I ran into these gentlemen having an argument together! It seemed appropriate to- wait, is your hair tied back? I never see that~!" Jaune said first.
"Milieu?" Dominic asked. Welp, figure he would guess since I have done my Russian accent in front of him before.
"Nyet, but resemblance is sadly striking. It makes business pain," I reply, his face showing a flicker understanding before he nodded.
"So, what were you two arguing about?" I asked.
"Well, an argument is bound to happen if an official from the empire starts accusing me of being a member of The Party~!" Jaune said rather... flamboyant.
"That's because you are a member of the party," Dominic said jokingly.
"I thought you said you were here because Raven and Dominic were arguing?" I said to Jaune.
"Wow, nothing can get past you can it Aesa?" Jaune said.
"My name's Mitte, not Aesa, don't compare me to her. Do I look like an umbrella twirling psychopathic dwarf sadist to you?"
"Just the last three," Jaune said.
"Oh, that's great, you're doing politician thing I taught you where you direct question to something else. Honestly, I couldn't really care less about why you're here-"
"Aw, thanks! I feel so loved-"
"My real question is why would the Don's son be talking to Raven when he looks like.. ya know, that?"
"Well, I was just passing through the area-"
"Bullshit." I cut off Dominic.
"Alright, alright, just hold your tongue. I mean I'm used to your swearing, but still-"
"Answer the question."
"Geez, you would make a great interrogator. I'm here because the Don needed some stuff done in Zaphias and I needed to find Kaufman. When passing through the harbor, and this is true, I happened to bump into an emo middle-aged man."
"Ah!" The cry unmistakably came from the guards who were guarding the palace. I suppose the group took the rough route. That might be an issue if they take the wrong elevator.
"Don't you need to deal with that?" Jaune asked Schwann.
"Anything I didn't see isn't under my jurisdiction to act on without approval." Schwann said as he looked away from the party, who were currently breaking into the palace.
"Alright then," I paused before I continued, "Who wants to go break the law with me!?"
Ten years ago
"Are you sure you'll be fine?" Yeager asked again as I rubbed the spot of me head that I fell on.
"I've had worse, I mean really, it hurts to fall on you head while ice skating, so compared to that, falling on grass is nothing," I said awkwardly as I stood up a stretched a bit. Those were the times, trying not to fall down while doing a loop jump from backwards crossovers. I bet I'd fail even more at it now.
"Alright...," he responded as he also stood up.
"YOU CALL THAT A PUNCH!? THAT AIN'T NO PUNCH! YOU GONNA LEARN HOW TO PUNCH KID, AND I'M GOING TO TEACH YOU!" Monika yelled at the two eight year olds as they just watched her antics with a small smile. Anyone else would probably be offended by that, most likely. They've probably been around me too much.
"Do you mind if I-"
"No," I cut off. He nodded and walked towards the screaming blonde manic that was his sister. Ah, such family resemblance. Not.
I blankly stared before sitting back down on the damp grass. I sat and watched as Yeager lightly hit Monika on the back of her head, only for her to start over reacting, the two of them getting weird looks from other guild members. I bet this isn't a daily occurrence.
It's at times like this where I just have to think, "Oh god, is this what I'm like?" Most people would probably say yes, but I've figured out one thing in particular that definitely separates us in the month that I've known her, not that Gauche and Droite, or even Yeager would notice. The main thing is that Monika actually is an extrovert.
Why I'm reflecting on this, I really don't know. Maybe I envy her in that. She really just seems to have endless amounts of energy, while me? After I have my weirdo conversations, I need to just sit down alone and not do anything. Before all this, I would go to school and be my energetic self, while once I got home I would lie down in bed, do my homework, and just not talk to anyone. Not that I really had anyone to talk to, though. My mom would be at work, my dad would work from home, and I didn't have any siblings.
Not that I minded but... It's weird to have people constantly surrounding me. I can barely go an hour without interacting with anybody here. It's a little tiring, that I'll admit, but at the same time it's nice. Even if they don't especially like you. Geez, how did I get to this topic? I'm acting like an angsty teenager! Ew!
"I've told you multipe times that you-"
"You meanie! How could you do thaaaaaaatttttttttt!-"
The two of them started to try to talk, or in Monika's case, shout, over the other, as if that would grant them victory in the argument they were having, if you want to call it an argument. If this is what growing up with siblings is like, I'm glad I was an only child. I'm sure they might enjoy it, but if I had to live with someone for years on end that-
"Ah ha, that's funny," I mumbled as I hugged my knees to my chest. I'm complaining about someone, who in essence, is me. Well, aren't I a godamn stupid hypocrite.
"Is something wrong?" Gauche asked me. When did she get this close? Wait, I was angsting again wasn't I? CRAP!
"Um... No? It's just really warm," I tried to say happily as I put my knees down and looked up at her. Yeah, great job, you're wearing a jacket and hugging yourself, so you must be hot.
"You're wearing a jacket, though," she commented as she sat down next to me. I KNOW.
"Yeah... That's sort of for my own reasons... Eheh," I said nervously. Please don't prod, please don't prod, please, don't, prod.
"Alright...," she said as we both observed the screaming mess that Droite was still standing next to.
"So," she paused before asking, "Do you see me as a sister? Be honest."
I froze for a few seconds and sighed. The truth is that I don't, but that might offend her. I looked at Gauche's face for a few seconds before knowing what the answer really was.
"Eh! I don't know? It's kinda hard, just saying. I mean, you look absolutely nothing like me so that might have something to do with it! Eheheh!" I started letting words fly out of my mouth in no particular order. I would be afraid of offending her if it weren't for the fact that she was asking this question for a particular reason.
"Alright..."
She got up and walked towards her sister with an annoyed look on her face. That's the look of a person who lost a bet. But they're eight... Then again, I was a weird kid too. Not that I made bets as much as I do now. Being honest, though, I make bets with Monika, who I swear has had all intelligence taken from her brain and probably given to Yeager. She definitely has street smarts, though, and I'm exaggerating a bit. She had 99.9 repeating percent taken from her, because she definitely has some degree of intelligence. I think.
"No, that was your fault, you're the one that tripped me when I was six. I had to get stitches too, let's not even mention-"
"BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, IT'S ALL LIES! LIES! BESIDES, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO-"
What the hell am I listening to?
"Aren't you a bit young to be here?"
I jumped as a guy sat down next to me. He was yet another blonde, with green eyes who's taller than me. By a lot. As in 25 centimeters taller than my lousy height of 140, or 4'10". Sure, he's not tall compared to Monika and Yeager who are over 35 centimeters taller than me, but still.
I stared at him with an impassive look. I have no idea who the hell this guy is, and I hate people to begin with.
"Don't talk much, do you? Oh well," he sighed he before picked at the grass. He's probably older than me by a lot. Not that he looks like it, he just sounds like it. He sounds like he might be in his early thirties, but he looks like he's in his early twenties.
"Again, don't you dare bring that up, because I swear if you do, I will bring up ever single embarrassing thing that you'"
"HAHA, YOU REALLY WANT TO GO?! BECAUSE I CAN AND WILL REVEAL EVERY SINGLE STUPID INTROVERTED THING YOU'VE EVER SAID!"
"Aren't they... Energetic," the guy next to me said.
I nodded.
"So you can hear!" he exclaimed. Yeah, of course I can.
"Yeah, no shit," I said blankly.
"You really don't like talking much, do you?" he said with a sigh. I shrugged. I think the people that are currently screaming at each other will beg to differ. I suppose I'll humor him.
"Ah, well, you're not the first introvert I've ever met. My little brother was too. Well, he wasn't really my brother, but it sure felt like it. And I can call him little because he was ten years younger than me," he said, Well, isn't he rather open to share his life story with someone he just met.
"Was?" I asked.
"Oh, ya caught that, huh? Well, he died in the Great War. I'm a little sad that we never got to apologize for that misunderstanding we had. Maybe if that had never happened, he would still be alive," he sighed. He really likes sharing his life story.
"We?" I asked. I wonder how much he'll tell me, then again, he very well could be lying to me.
"Yeah, I meant my dad and I. We kinda thought he was lying about something important and got mad at him. Oh, how much we fucked up...," he trailed off before he realized what he said.
"Uh, sorry about my language." I stared at him for a few seconds before he got what I meant.
"But I guess you don't care since you just sweared a minute ago," he said with a smile.
"Swore. What was your brother's name?" I asked after a few moments of silence.
"So are you interested in the rambling of some random stranger? And here I thought all of the younger generation didn't care about things like this. I'm amazed," he said with mock surprise.
"It's because you fed the pigeon," I said.
"What?"
"Give a pigeon one crumb and it'll come back for more and more, bringing its swarm of a family with it, and they'll shit over all the buildings," I said blankly. I remember that line from a TV show. I don't remember what show it was, though.
"You do, have a, sense of humor," he said between laughs. Not really, but...
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't."
"It's a secret."
"What?"
"Nothing. Anyway, lunch! It's lunch time! It's the only thing white people care about! Bye!" He said as he ran off, pausing for a moment before turning to me and said, "By the way, my name is Dominic!"
"Well, he runs quickly..."
"BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAHBLAH! LIKE YOU KNOW-"
"Oh really? Do you want to bet? Because I can-"
"I know that Monika probably doesn't care, but you two might want to look around at all the attention you're gathering," I said, magically appearing behind them.
The two siblings looked at me before looking at each other again, and then looked around them.
"Eheheh. Heh..."
Oh my Flying Spagehetti Monster, they have the same nervous laugh.