AC: Chapter 9 is around the boys in Perim.

Chapter 10: Having fun

Overworld: Kiru city

Viqtarr sat on the ground and he watched Jacob playing with the other children at the soccer game. It was the day where the child didn't go at the academy. Leo game to his house and asked if they could play with Jacob. Viqtarr couldn't say no. It will make sure the mind of Jacob is busy and he will not think about his home for a while. Viqtarr made sure to keep the ball in his sight this time so it will not smash him again. Leo and Jacob were in the same team. They run in the field and kick the ball and tried to make sure they win the friendly match.

There was an older overworlder child who makes sure that nothing bad happens and played the referee. He can make a very high pinch sound when anyone committed a fault or broke the rules of the game.

Viqtarr saw that Jacob was in the winning team for now. The score was 2 for Jacob team and 1 for the other team. When he thought about it, the team leader is Leo but in his mind, it's Jacob team. Viqtarr heard a sound and he turned around and he saw Leo father.

Tangath Toborn is an Overworlder who has the appearance of a lion. He has brown skin and brown long mane around his head. He has a long lion tail at his back. He wears a metal plate on his left hand, a blue shorts and metal plates for his legs. He is muscular and he has on his back his sword he always have with him.

"Hello Toborn." Said Viqtarr.

"Hello Viqtarr...I was wondering what my son was doing. I am lucky to be here today and out of duty." Said Tangath with a smile. "I'm glad he is having fun...So...What are they doing?"

"They are playing a game called soccer." Answered Viqtarr. "It's a game that came from our special guess."

"The human?" Asked Tangath.

"So you heard of him. Exactly. He didn't say a lot about his world and I don't think he fully understand it anyway." Said Viqtarr.

"...That is understandable. He is a child." Said Tangath. "Anyway...I've heard about him. Najarin had found a book that contained information about the bracelet. He is busy translating it for now with the help of the Mugic academy."

"I see." Said Viqtarr.

"What do you think of him in general?" Asked Tangath. "I was surprise that you accept to take care of him. I didn't really believe it at first."

"You can be surprise about everyone when you don't fully know them outside the battlefield. I didn't want him to think he was picking last because no one wanted to take care of him. Also...I really have the most experience on it and I needed a little vacation from war and fighting." Said Viqtarr.

"That's the main reason?" Asked Tangath.

"Nah. I like him a lot. Feeling like he is my own child." Said Viqtarr. "He is very curious and asked a lot of question about here for a while. I also had to make sure he doesn't become too homesick."

"He showed sigh of it?" Asked Tangath.

"Mostly during the night." Said Viqtarr. "He looked at the sky during the night...Like as his home was somewhere in the stars. He is often melancholy when he does that. After a while, he then rests in his bed."

"Maybe he needs more attention." Said Tangath. "Well...I should follow that tip myself." He added with a smile. "I am often out of town...Sadly. So I cannot pass that much time with my son."

"Yeah." Said Viqtarr.

They said nothing and watched the children playing soccer for the rest of the day. Eventually, they are too tired to continue and they all naturally return to their home after laughing together. The result was the cause of it...It was a draw. No one win and no one lose.

Leo and Jacob walked at the direction of Tangath Toborn and Viqtarr. Leo saw his father and he ran at his direction.

"Father!" He jumped in the air and his father caught him. He hugged him and they said nothing.

Jacob watched this and he looked on the ground when he thought of his family.

"Sorry to be late. I didn't want to disturb your match." Said Tangath.

Viqtarr saw Jacob looked at the ground and he walked at his direction.

"Dad...Are you home just today?" Asked Leo. He let go his father. Tangath putted him on the ground.

"No...I'll be here for a while. Maxxor doesn't need me...You also need me a lot." Said Tangath.

"So cool!" Said Leo with a smile.

"Cool? It's not cold." Said Tangath.

"That's an expression from Jacob. It means awesome." Said Leo.

"Well...Stick to the awesome word." Said Tangath.

Viqtarr stopped near Jacob.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm...fine." Said Jacob. His lie was obvious.

"You are not." Said Viqtarr.

"I'll assure-" He was cut.

"You miss them...Don't you?" Said Viqtarr.

"...*Sniff*...Yes." Said Jacob. A tear started to appear near his eyes.

Viqtarr putted his arm behind Jacob and made him move against his belly.

"Listen...We will find a way to bring you home Jacob. I promise...For now...You have to hold on." Said Viqtarr.

Jacob moved his arms around Viqtarr and hugged him for a while. He pressed his head against the belly of Viqtarr and after a minute. He felt better. He let go of Viqtarr and gave him a smile. Viqtarr knew he calmed a crisis, but it will get worse. He knew it will.

Tangath and his son watched them for a while and said nothing.

"You can go home." Said Viqtarr. He took Jacob and putted him on his shoulder. "It's going to be alright."

The 2 lions looked at each other's and they walked away.

Underworld: Kiru city

Zalvar was getting bored. He was playing in a game similar to chess against Gustave. He had to watch him so he had to play some game he wanted to play. The other reason was that he cannot win against Gustave.

"You're turn." Said Gustave.

Zalvar looked at his chess. He saw that he was clearly losing the match. Gustave was younger than him, less experienced than him. Yet, he managed to overcome him without too much trouble. He said nothing but he knew his average. Gustave was giving him a poker face. He showed no emotion and it was impossible to guess what's in his mind. Zalvar was used to read the mind by body expression and also the odor of the creature but Gustave let nothing like that. He is not readable.

"I'll try this." Said Zalvar.

Gustave moved his piece and Zalvar grunted.

"You lost again." Said Gustave.

"Dammit! How can you be so good?" Asked Zalvar.

"Strategy...I can see your plan from the piece you move." Said Gustave.

Zalvar looked at the plate where they were playing and he realised he was right. Zalvar saw that Gustave strategy was to attack the left while attracting his attention to the right. He grunted but he had learnt his lesson. He now had another way to read the mind of Gustave: Observation of the game.

"It also works that way in a battlefield." Remarks Zalvar.

"True...So...You want your revenge again?" Asked Gustave with a small smile.

"Nah...I'll think about what I learn today...Next time will be different." Said Zalvar. "Also...I am sure he will come soon."

"You mean Bel?" Asked Gustave.

"Yep. He seems so glad to have found a brainy like you in the Underworld of his age." Said Zalvar. "Good for him thought. That's not what we have here."

Bel entered in the house.

"Greetings you two." Said Bel.

"Welcome here prince." Said Zalvar.

"Just Bel is alright." Said Bel.

"Hi." Said Gustave. "Why are you here this time?"

"Time to continue your reading lesson." Said Bel.

"Well...I got to go Zalvar." Said Gustave.

"It's not a prison. He can watch you too." Said Zalvar. "It's also my time to train and take some strong drink anyway."

"Alright. Later." Said Gustave walking away.

Bel took him and they flew away.

"Are we really going to study readings?" Asked Gustave.

"Yes. Zalvar will know if I tried anything else." Said Bel.

"Alright...So...Is your dad calmer?" Asked Gustave.

"No way! He's the fury of the fire. He is never calm. I'm sure I'll hear him scream at me from the afterlife." Said Bel.

They continued flying until they reached Bel chamber. Bel then dropped Gustave on the ground and Gustave followed him. They walked in the library where Bel started to give Gustave lessons about the Underworlder writing. It wasn't that much complicated when the human started to get it. They didn't really bother with complexity of the writing. Bel explained that writing always had been simple in the Underworld. The leaders didn't want to put their mind in trying to understand more complex writing. Gustave still couldn't read fast, but he is a fast learner when it comes to the mind and he gets it fast.

Bel gave him the lesson of the day and after a while; Bel thought it was time to give him a book to read.

"Alright. I think you are ready to try and read something." Said Bel.

"After a week?" Asked Gustave.

"Well...I don't know what week means but I'll guess it means seven days." Said Bel a little unsure. "I am not worried about you. You just have to try and we will see how much your progress from WTF is means...to the actual reading. Anyway...What WTF means?"

"It's a human swearing...I heard my father saying that a lot." Said Gustave.

"My dad too. I mean about the swearing part." Said Bel. "Okay...You can try now."

"Okay." Said Gustave who picked the book. He opened it and he started reading it out loud when he noticed the beginning was written «Dear journal». "This morning...was shameful...I...peed in my bed..."

"GIVE ME THAT!" Screamed Bel. His voice was much closer to the fury of his father. He picked the book fast and he checked in it. "THAT MY JOURNAL! WHY DIDN'T I NOTICE IT?!"

"Wait...That was the last page written. Which meant today or yesterday" Said Gustave. He then smiled and he laughed.

"NOT FUNNY!" Screamed Bel. If his face wasn't already red, he would have turned that way.

Gustave calm down face and putted his poker face. He was just too surprise that a big demon like Bel had accident during night.

"Sorry." Said Gustave.

"...Just...Don't tell anyone..." He then moved very close to Gustave. "N-E-V-E-R." He said slowly like a crazy person.

"Okay...I didn't intent to read...I thought it was your father journal or something related to him since you want to embarrass him." Said Gustave.

"Well...It's not...How did I confuse them?" Wondered Bel.

"I don't know." Said Gustave. "Maybe because most of the book looked the same."

Gustave had a point. Bel decided to say nothing about it.

"Anyway...Please...I really don't one anyone to know that...It's very embarrassing." Said Bel.

"I won't." Said Gustave.

"Promise me. Promise that you won't tell anything...Because if you do...I'll let it grow in your mind." Said Bel, letting his threat unknown.

Gustave knew his friend was serious about this secret. He decided to not screw up and said nothing about it. He wasn't going to do that anyway to one of the few who he is talking too and is connecting with.

"Okay...Well...With the few sentences...You still need some practice and in a month, I guess you will be able to read this without any trouble." Said Bel with a smile.

He then caught Gustave with his arm and moved him closer to him.

"Never say it." He repeated again. "Anyway...I think we should have fun now...Want to play a board game?" asked Bel with a smile.

"Yup. I wonder if you will be a bigger challenge than Zalvar." Said Gustave.

"Let's see that." Said Bel.

They played for a while of that game. Gustave never knew the name of the board game that looked like chess. So he considered naming it, in his mind, Chess: Underworld version. Bel was a real challenge for Gustave and they were mostly even.

Mipedian: Al Mipedim castle

It was a strange day in the castle of Al mipedim. Mudeenu searched around and he wondered what were the strange thing happening today. He walked in the castle a while ago and he saw one of the elite guards glued against a wall and he couldn't free himself. Mudeenu looked at it and he wondered what happen to him. The elite soldier tried to free himself and he told him that he saw nothing. He was caught by surprise and glued to the wall.

"The only thing I remember is the sound of people laughing at my misery. I'm sure they are playing prank here...It cannot be you anymore...You are over it and tuned into...A more...mature one." Said the guard.

He was more talking about becoming a mipedian who is obsessed with the Cothica. Mudeenu was less obsessed right now since the human Itachi attracted his attention and angered at his direction. His current priority was to contain the human kid and he wondered why Bastet liked him.

Mudeenu thought about it and he wondered if he was a little jealous but he quickly disregarded this because he was annoying him by his action and attitude. He grunted a little when he believed it wasn't the only prank. He wondered if it will be eventually his turn.

He freed the poor royal guard and he continued to walk after this at the direction of the training room. He needed to best himself. He started to believe that battle will eventually occur. He walked in the training room and his instinct kicked in.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Asked Mudeenu. He looked around and he saw nothing. "What...What if there is a prank around? If it got the royal guard...Maybe he trapped something..."

He walked more slowly and then he stopped.

"Stop it...You cannot show them you ar- BE paranoid." Said Mudeenu.

He walked at the direction of the weight he had to lift and he stopped near it. He thought about whom the prankster can be and the answer is Itachi. He is the only kid in the palace right now. Mudeenu wasn't even married and didn't have kids, just like his cousin and Bastet didn't have child after Iflar for now. He looked at the weight and he tried to make sure it wasn't trap for a prank and he saw everything was fine. He then took it and he started lifting them.

He wasn't aware but Itachi and Shimmark were on the roof of what Itachi thought as a gym and they watched Mudeenu lifting.

"Alright...You know what the prank is." Whispered Itachi.

"Are you...Sure...It's prince Mudeenu...Not anyone else or me." Said Shimmark unsure.

"What...You're blue...Not something very grave...I had it in the pocket of my old cloths and it change color with water for a day." Said Itachi quietly. "Can't believe I forgot that."

"Yeah...Colorant." Said Shimmark. "It is easy to believe you forgot about it...You are in our world after all."

Shimmark scales are temporarily ocean blue on all of his body to his tail. Itachi pranked him with a little quantity of liquid, not water since he knew he can't waste it, and colorant to turn him blue. He found himself weird and a little like he was some overworlder.

"Remember...If he caught us...It's over Itachi...He's destroy us...Mostly me and you barely. Not destroy." Said Shimmark.

"Don't worry...He'll be less threatening in this color." Said Itachi.

"You mean looked." Whispered Shimmark.

"Alright...You'll just have to make sure the servant take this oil for his oil bath. We will make sure he changed color and we will run away." Said Itachi.

"But the servant will not accept to do it...They do it while invisible but...Oh...I see...I have to pass as the servant...Urgh...I'll have to touch most of his body and...There." Said Shimmark.

"I would have done it if I could." Said Itachi.

"Well...I think I'll put my foot down...This is too dangerous." Said Shimmark.

"Chicken out?" Asked Itachi.

Shimmark looked at Itachi.

"I don't know what it means...But every time I heard that...I feel like I have to do it." Said Shimmark.

He took the oil and he walked at the bathhouse and made sure to switch place with the servants. They asked why Shimmark wanted to take their place but he said he wanted to prank Mudeenu and they walked away.

"Waouh...Never thought they would be cooperative...I wanted them to stop me." He whined.

Shimmark waited for a while and he turned himself invisible. He waited for Mudeenu to come and he wondered what to do when he'll be busted. He saw the mipedian prince arrived and he waited for him to sit in the bath room. The bathhouse was like a sauna and Mudeenu waited for the servant to clean his scales. He had strip and waited for the servant to clean him. Shimmark gulped and he started to put the oil on the prince and his scales changed color. Shimmark felt a little sick when he reached the region of the mipedian prince butt and he hesitated. He wondered why Mudeenu said nothing. He looked at him and he saw him taking a nap. Shimmark felt lucky and he finished the job and he walked away silently.

Mudeenu waked up shortly after that and he walked outside the bathhouse after clothing himself. He realised that he had fall asleep and it was time for diner with the family. He walked fast at the direction of the royal dining room when he saw Shimmark and Itachi. He watched them and he noticed Shimmark blue. Shimmark had his hands behind his back and tried acting not suspiciously while Itachi just glared at the prince like always.

"Shimmark...What happen to you?" Asked Mudeenu.

"Just feeling blue today." Said Shimmark.

Mudeenu stayed silence for a few seconds and didn't believe him. He then understood what he silently said.

"Itachi pranks right?" Asked Mudeenu looking at the kid.

"Yup...He got me." Admitted Shimmark.

"Anyway...I have to go...And compare to you, he will not get me." Said Mudeenu confident.

Mudeenu walked away without noticing his new scales color. He noticed that the guards looked at him in a strange way but he decided to ignore some of them and shouted at a few others if they had a problem.

When he was away, Itachi laughed with all his strength. He eventually calmed down.

"You did it perfectly well." Said Itachi with a big smile.

"Yeah...Now...Let's hide...Because I have proof all over my hand." Said Shimmark.

Shimmark picked Itachi and they disappeared in the castle, not to be seen for the rest of the day.

In the dining room, Iflar and his mother Bastet were eating like usual when Mudeenu entered.

"Sorry...I am late." Said Mudeenu.

Itachi and Bastet looked at him. Their jaw was opened and Iflar let the food felt on the ground. He said nothing while Bastet smiled at him, stopping herself to laugh.

"...Euh...Is something wrong?" Asked Mudeenu.

Nothing is said to him. Mudeenu is confused about all this and he decided to check in the mirror since they were watching him with intensity. He stopped in front of a mirror and he saw himself.

His jaw also felt. His scales were now completely pink and gave the impression of being girly and a lot less threatening. He said nothing but he knew that he had been prank and he can only guess when he was sleeping.

"...ITACHI! I SWEAR TO THE COTHICA I'LL GET YOU!" Screamed Mudeenu and started searching for him.

The good news was that he never found him. Another good news was that Bastet managed to calm him down and stopped the hunt for Itachi head. The bad news is that everyone in the castle saw him pink and his reputation is ruined for the next 3 days before his scales turned back to his normal orange.

AC: Chapter 10 end.

Chapter 11: Fear.

Chapter 12: Some answers.