I mentioned before that the next few chapters would be set in the OVA-ishperiod of the original series, but I'm tweaking that; as of now, this chapter will be the last until I go on to the events in season 2 of the anime, or around chapter 109 or so for the manga readers (although most of you should be manga readers, because...um, I definitely said this already, but there will be spoilers for it later on...WARNING). I'll more than likely start the next chapter with the medal ceremony thing, and then the tremor that marks the Revival of the Commandments (totally not a horrible pun or anything) and so on. I won't give away too much, but I have some serious plans for that bit of the series! Also, I'm fairly sure this will all stay in one book, but I might do a sequel of sorts in the future (far future, I assure you). Wattpad only allows 200 chapters per book, and seeing as I simultaneously update on both Wattpad and FF, the limit stays the same for me. My doing a sequel or not will depend entirely upon the outcome of the manga, which as I'm writing this, the most recently published chapter was Chapter 310, Farewell, Seven Deadly Sins. You'd think that would've been the end of the series, huh? Oh, well. Can't say I'm complaining, in all honesty. Anyways, enough of my ranting, here's Chapter 25!

"A festival? After everything that's happened?"

"Yes!" Elizabeth repeated, clapping her hands together excitedly. "It's to celebrate the birth of the kingdom, and I think it'll be nice to have some celebrations after all that's happened recently."

"Well..." Rize looked back down at the tabletop. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not exactly feeling very festive. I think I'll have to pass."

"But you can't!" Diane protested. "You have to go, Rize! You'll miss out on all the fireworks!"

Rize shrugged. "Sorry, I just don't feel up to it."

"That's too bad." Elizabeth said disappointedly. "Oh! I know!" She smiled. "Why don't you ask Sir Gowther to go with you? Surely he could-"

Rize scowled, resisting the urge to get out her dagger and gouge it into the table. Elizabeth cut herself off with a frown after noticing her look. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong." She sighed, getting up and stretching. "You know what? It's been a very long day for me, I think I'm just gonna go lay down now."

"Alright then." Elizabeth definitely sounded disappointed. "If you change your mind, remember, the festival will be tomorrow night."

"Yeah, yeah." She called after them as she traipsed upstairs. Upon reaching the attic, she collapsed backwards into the hammock she'd set up days ago, after Elizabeth had given it to her.

She laid there for a long time, relishing in the tranquility and solace. Ever since they'd been staying in Liones after the battle had ended, Gowther hadn't returned to the tavern much at all, and he certainly hadn't made the trip upstairs to the basement. He greeted Rize whenever they happened to cross paths, but showed absolutely no understanding that she was angry with him. Maybe because he was secretly laughing at her about how childish she was acting.

"Argh!" She groaned, forcefully running a hand over her face , as if to wipe away the infuriating thought. She resorted to staring at the ceiling instead, accepting that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep at this rate.

The gentle sway of tge hammock worked to calm her down, if only just a bit. Out the window, Rize could see the first hint of stars peeking out from behind the clouds. With a sigh, she got up and headed to stand on the balcony, breathing in the cool night air.

"Oh. Hi, Rize." She glanced up to see King hanging upside down from the rooftop just above the attic balcony. "Diane said you'd gone to bed."

She huffed, crossing her arms. "I couldn't sleep. What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing," He said nonchalantly, flipping around midair and hovering atop Chastiefol in front of her.

"So, the usual, then." She chuckled. "Here's an idea; why don't you ask Diane to go to that festival with you? I'm sure she'd love to."

Immediately, his face turned red, and he turned away, looking anywhere but at her. "Wh-What? Why would I ask Diane to go to the festival with me? I-I mean, she's probably gonna ask the Captain, and I-I'd just be a third wheel!"

Rize snorted, rolling her eyes. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"H-Hey! What was that for?"

She shook her head, turning her back on him to head back into the attic. "Perhaps one day you'll learn." She called teasingly over her shoulder.

King made a very non-threatening growling noise. "Hey, nobody likes a smart ass, you know!"

"Don't care!" She smirked as she closed the balcony door. King, still looking flustered and annoyed, drifted back to the rooftop, grumbling to himself. Rize fell back into the hammock, forcing her eyes to close and all thoughts to leave her mind for the time being. After some time, she somehow managed to drift off into a fitful sleep.

Rize awoke to the sound of loud knocking on the attic door. She blinked wearily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She hadn't even sat up yet when, suddenly, the door was pushed open and Meliodas walked in, looking just as upbeat as ever.

"Up and at em!" He exclaimed. "Come on, you've gotta pitch in tonight, it's a big one!"

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Rize shouted. "What if I'd been getting dressed or something?"

Meliodas seemed unfazed by the idea. In fact, he seemed almost intrigued. "I suppose that wouldn't be so bad."

"Fucking pervert!"

A loud shriek sounded from somewhere else in the tavern, and then Hawk was there, attempting to attack the short blond man with a fury. "Don't worry, Rize, I'll keep him off of you! Meliodas, you pervert, I'll-"

"Relax." Meliodas grinned. "You weren't changing, so everything's cool. Anyway, come on downstairs, I've got your job assignment for you!"

"Job assignment?" She asked.

He laughed with a huge grin. "Yep! I have your new uniform downstairs, too!"

"Wh-What?" She moved to stop him, but they were already gone. In her haste, she managed to flip the hammock, landing herself in a very painful heap on the floor.

She stayed there for a while, allowing herself to sulk for a while. She had absolutely no desire to wear one of those skimpy outfits Meliodas called the tavern uniform. Sure, Elizabeth and Diane looked amazing in them, but Rize had never been very comfortable showing so much, and to be honest, she didn't understand how other girls could be.

However, it wasn't like she could outright refuse the man, not after all he and his team had done for her. Maybe she could convince him to let her help in a different way. Either way, she picked herself up and, after making herself look presentable, headed to the main tavern area.

Once downstairs, she found that nearly everyone had gathered there. Ban was cooking, Hawk was eating, Meliodas was drinking, and Elizabeth, Diane, and King were sitting together at one of the tables, eating. Rize sat down next to Meliodas, keeping the scoel on her face in the hopes that it might convey the message she didn't like this one bit.

"Oh good, you're here!" He exclaimed, either totally missing or totally ignoring her message. "Here!" He pushed a pile of clothes across the bar to her, grinning still.

Rize grit her teeth, pushing it back to him. "Not happening. Let me do something else."

"Sorry, there's nothing else that needs to be done. Waitressing is all I've got for ya."

"Then let me help Ban cook." She said. There was absolutely no way she was going to wear it.

"Yeah, no." Ban interrupted. "Sorry. But I don't really want anybody else up in my business while I'm trying to do my thing, here, alright?"

Rize balled her fist. "Jerk!"

He grinned devilishly. "Hey, what can ya do?"

"Guess that settles it, then." Meliodas took another drink from his stein, pushing the outfit back towards her. "The celebration will be starting in an hour, so I suggest you get changed now."

Rize crossed her arms. "I told you, it's not happening. I...I refuse to wear something so...revealing."

"Oh, come on, Rize!" Diane piped up, walking over to stand beside her. "You'll look great in it! And besides..." She leaned in to whisper the next part in her ear so the others couldn't hear her. "I'm sure Gowther will like it."

Rize rolled her eyes, her cheeks heating up. "As if." She grumbled, still unconvinced.

"What if I were to offer you something else, too?" Meliodas said.

Rize frowned. "Like what, exactly?"

He shrugged. "Anything, I suppose."

Rize tapped her fingers on the countertop, wracking her brain for anything she could get from the legendary Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins. Finally, it hit her. She slammed her hand on the counter, giving him her most forceful glare. Not that it worked much on him.

"Fine, then! If I wear your stupid uniform and help wait tables today, you have to help me train!"

There was a moment of stunned silence as Meliodas finished off his drink. Then, "Alright then." He grinned. "I'll help you train if you wear it and help out."

Rize closed her eyes, releasing a breath before snatching up the pile of clothes. She stomped back upstairs with it, regretting every step she took along the way.

She took her time getting changed, not wanting to wear the dreaded clothes, if they could even be called that. Once she'd put it on, she stared at herself in the mirror, glaring at her reflection.

"I look stupid." She grumbled. "I look like-"

"Wow, Rize!" Diane was suddenly in the room, smiling brightly. "You look awesome!"

Rize crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hide it as much as possible. "I hate this so much."

"Take my word for it." Diane tried for an encouraging smile. "Now, come on! People are already getting here for the celebration!"

Rize, dreadfully, let Diane drag her back downstairs, trying to convince herself that she was snuggled up safely in her parka again instead of these horrible clothes. The main tavern area was already filled with people, mainly men, talking and laughing amongst each other.

Diane pulled Rize over to stand next to Elizabeth beside the bar. She gripped Rize's forearms reassuredly, smiling brightly. "You'll be fine! Just take orders, and deliver them!"

"I-I can do that." Rize forced herself to regain her composure, even if it didn't work entirely. She was still blatantly aware of her exposed skin, and hated every bit of it, but she had a job to do. She owed a lot to Meliodas, and if this was a way she could pay him back, then she would just have to get over herself.

So, that was just what she did. The celebration was scheduled to last long after nightfall, which meant she got hardly any breaks between rushing to take and deliver the orders of the tavern patrons. But she did her best, anyhow, trying to ignore the stares of the men as she passed.

It must have been about two hours after the festival began that Gowther returned. The door of the tavern opened and he walked in by himself and headed for the bar. Rize made a point of ignoring him, even if she could hear him talking with Meliodas from across the room.

Diane grabbed her arm in passing, nodding towards the magenta haired man with a small smile. "Just say something to him, alright?"

Rize sighed, too stubborn to admit she was being childish. "Not happening," she said before dropping off another order.

The rest of the celebration was more or less uneventful from then on. Rize took orders and gave them to the patrons, all the while trying to ignore the knowledge of what she was wearing, and also ignoring Gowther's presence in the tavern. After another hour or two, the patrons finally began to clear out, and Meliodas declared that they were done for the night.

Rize breathed a sigh of relief, leaning against the countertop. "Thank goodness, it's over." She groaned. Diane patted her on the back with a smile.

"You were great, Rize!" She said in a supportive tone. "Just like I knew you would be!"

"You were pretty awesome out there." Meliodas agreed, wiping down the center of the counter with a grin. "And you looked awesome too!"

Rize grit her teeth, tugging on the bottom of the skirt like that would somehow make it less revealing. "Whatever. I'm going to go change now."

She moved to go back upstairs, but bumped into Gowther, who had been standing up at the same time as she had. She took a step back, glaring at the floor with her arms crossed, stubbornly refusing to look up at him.

Gowther, as frustratingly oblivious as ever, didn't seem fazed. "We haven't spoken in a while, Rize." He said. "Guila asked me to say hello to you for her."

Rize bit back a nasty comment, instead opting for a mere scoff. "I need to go change." She said quietly. "Excuse me."

She stepped around him, refusing to look back to his reaction to her coldness, if he had one at all. She could hear the others talking to him, but she didn't hear whatever they said. By the time she'd made it back to the attic, she was out of breath.

She changed back into her normal outfit as quickly as possible, standing in the center of the room for a minute to relish the feeling of being back in her parka, the only piece of clothing she really felt comfortable in. Just as she was moving to go back downstairs, however, the door opened, and Gowther appeared. He looked the same as ever, except for his clothes, which had been switched from the ones Rize had given him to the ones Guila had. She fought back another wave of jealousy.

"The others said I upset you." He said. "I'm not sure how I did so, but I apologize for it. I didn't mean to upset you."

Rize made a point of not looking at him, picking at an imaginary loose thread on the inside of her jacket. "Don't worry about it." She grumbled. "I'll be fine, I'm just being stupid, alright? Why don't you head back to town, I'm sure Guila is waiting for you."

Gowther didn't respond, and after a while Rize released the breath, letting go of the thought that he might say something to refute her statement. She pushed past him and head back downstairs to help clean up, determined not to look back at him.

I made this chapter very long, because a) I couldn't stop once I started, and I told you guys this would be the last part until the next arc and b) because I felt like y'all deserved it. I really tried to make it obvious just how much insecurity Rize has with her body, and it may have been just a bit much if you ask me, but it's a big part of her character. I hope y'all enjoyed nonetheless, and I'll see you next one! Final word count, including both ANs...2,592 words.