Some of you have been asking for Balan and Lance to meet the Lauhinians after I posted the story "The Uncle With Eyes In His Hat" and I'm pleased to say, here it is. :)
Redbat132 helped me figure out what direction to take the story as I wasn't sure on how to begin it, so a big shout out to her for helping me with this. :) If you haven't yet, you should check out her stories. She's an awesome writer. :)
Balan Wonderworld belongs to Square Enix. Mythology belongs to its respective owners. Optimo, the Black Tickle Knights, Lauhin, Bliss, Vibracio, Jocu, and Damus and the Nitians belong to guestsurprise. I only own Rachel and Sasha.
The Trust We Share
Balan smiled as he and Lance teleported to Staybrook, California, sticking to the rooftops as they looked around. "I can see why Holly brought the girls here," the maestro said. "It is peaceful."
"Yes," the tendriled being said with a nod before he spotted something and turned his head before his eyes widened. "Balan, look."
The tall being looked and his eyes widened in shock at seeing Rachel running and she had a look of fear on her face as she kept running from a group of men that were chasing her, but something was off about the men, something both magical beings could feel. "Come on," Balan said urgently. "She needs our help."
Both quickly teleported to where Rachel was and she looked relieved at seeing them when all of a sudden, one of the men grabbed her and she was yanked back. "Let go!" She demanded, trying to get free.
"Let her go!" Balan said, jumping in to get the man off his niece.
The man smiled cruelly. "Stay out of this," he said to Balan. "The girl is mine."
"Not if we have anything to say about it," Lance said, his tendrils out and he battled a few of the others.
Just then, the mens' appearances changed and both tall beings were shocked to see the men now had black fur and eyes that spelled trouble. Rachel struggled harder and managed to kick at the Nitian holding her, making him grunt and he howled in pain when she punched him right between the eyes. "Let go, monster!" She snarled, getting free and starting to run again, but he grabbed her again as the other Nitians tried to keep Balan and Lance from interfering.
Balan grunted as he kicked the monsters away, making them retreat as they couldn't keep him back. Lance had no trouble either, but both turned at hearing Rachel cry out as the Nitian holding her dug his fingers into her arm. "Ow! Let go!" She demanded.
"Get your filthy hands off her!" Lance snarled out, flying right at the Nitian, who grinned and slashed at Rachel's trapped arm, making her scream in pain before he snapped his fingers, a portal opening up and he threw her into it.
"Off to the Nightmare side of the realm with you," he said.
"NO!" Balan cried out in horror as he and Lance immediately jumped into the portal after their niece, who looked like she was about to lose consciousness. The green-haired being flew towards Rachel and managed to grab her, holding her protectively in his arms as Lance quickly grabbed onto him, looking ahead to see the portal opened to a realm that was dark and looked dreary before the portal suddenly shifted.
"No!" The monster that had hurt Rachel cried out, looking angry as he saw this from where he was watching at the end, having been ready to grab the girl from the two.
Balan looked up and they saw the end of the portal open up to a place filled with color and they soon landed with a loud 'THUMP' on a soft carpet which cushioned their fall. Taking a moment to get their senses back from the rough trip, Lance got up to take stock of their surroundings while Balan held Rachel close, worried that she was still unconscious.
"Halt!" A voice called out and Lance whirled around, seeing knights in black armor advancing with swords drawn. He quickly stood in front of his brother and friend while Balan looked up and he tightened his hold a little on Rachel, leaning over her protectively. The head Knight, seeing this, paused and gasped as he recognized who was in the tall being's arms.
"Men, he has Rachel with him," he said.
The other knights lowered their weapons, but held them in case they were needed. The head knight slowly walked up to Lance, who narrowed his eyes at him, to which the knight held up his hands placatingly.
A groan alerted them that Rachel was waking up and she opened her eyes, seeing Balan's gold eyes looking at her worriedly. "Uncle Balan?" She asked. "What...What happened?"
"That monster hurt you and threw you into a portal," he said. "We jumped in after you and the portal shifted to where we landed here instead of where that monster was originally sending us."
She blinked before seeing a familiar knight standing before Lance and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Optimo," she said, a smile gracing her face.
"Rachel, are you alright?" He asked. "What did he mean that a monster hurt you?"
She was about to answer when she felt a pain in her left arm and winced before her eyes widened as she realized something. "I...I can't feel my left arm," she said.
Alarmed, Lance turned and one of his tendrils gently moved up the left sleeve of the girl's long-sleeved shirt to reveal four slash marks that were turning black and what looked like a bruise was slowly forming on her arm. One of the knights gasped.
"Nitian poison," he said in alarm.
Optimo stood up straighter. "We must get Rachel to the king and queen," he said. "And summon Master Vibracio at once."
Balan stood up, still holding Rachel. "Who are the king and queen? And this Master Vibracio you speak of?" He asked.
"The king and queen of the Tickle Realm, who adopted Rachel and her sister as their daughters," the Head Tickle Knight explained. "Master Vibracio is a healer who knows every kind of medicine to heal ailments. He will no doubt have something to help stop that poison before it's too late."
Lance looked at Balan, who looked at him and both nodded. "Alright, but we're going with you," the former said firmly.
One knight looked at him. "There's something odd about you," he said. "You are a being of darkness, yet I can't sense any ill intent from you."
"He's not evil," Rachel said as her breathing became labored.
"Shh, save your strength, my dear," Balan said, resting his head against hers gently to bring her some comfort.
Optimo nodded. "Follow me," he said.
It wasn't long before they were in the throne room and King Lauhin and Queen Bliss were alarmed to see their daughter was injured. Jocu was also alarmed as he saw this and recognized his sister's ailment at once. "Nitian poison," he said with a growl.
Lauhin went up to Balan. "Please, let me see her," he said.
Sensing the being was concerned for the girl, Balan gently handed Rachel over to him and she looked up at the king. "Father," she said weakly, her condition getting worse.
"Shh, I'm here, my daughter," he said before turning to Jocu. "My son, please go find Vibracio and have him come here."
"I am already here, Lauhin," came a voice and Vibracio came out. He gasped at seeing Rachel's condition and immediately got to work on an herbal remedy. "What happened?"
"There were men chasing her," Balan said. "Men that transformed into beings with dark fur."
"Nitians," Bliss said with a frown.
Jocu looked at them. "Who are you two?" He asked. "And how do you know Rachel?"
"My name is Balan," the maestro said, bowing to them.
"And I am Lance," the tendriled being said, also bowing. "We've known Rachel and her sister for years as we knew their mother, Holly."
Sensing the two were telling the truth, the royals watched as Rachel began sweating as her body temperature rose and her breathing became more labored. "Hold on, young one," Vibracio said. "I almost have the cure ready."
"It will do you no good," came a voice as a being similar to the one that had hurt Rachel came into view.
"Damus!" Lauhin growled, standing up. "You have some nerve coming here!"
The Nitian King smiled. "Just wanted to witness the girl's last moments," he said.
"Last moments?!" Optimo asked in shock.
"Why yes," Damus said, still smiling cruelly. "She's not going to last much longer."
Vibracio glared at him. "We've countered your poison before, Nitian," he said.
"Ah, but this poison is a special one," the Nitian King said. "You see, it can only be removed by a being that represents darkness and on top of that, Rachel has to trust that person too."
"You monster!" Jocu growled.
Damus laughed. "Do you get it, my nephew?" He asked. "That means to save her life, she must surrender to me."
Rachel weakly opened her eyes and gritted her teeth. "N-Never," she breathed out, groaning as another wave of pain hit.
"Then you will not last much longer," he said, smiling still. "And anyone who can help her is currently busy fighting my men."
"No," Lauhin said softly, hugging his daughter close. "I won't let this happen."
Damus grinned. "You have no choice if you want her to live, Lauhin," he said.
Balan glared at him. "How do we know you'll save her?" He asked, not believing a word the evil king was saying.
"As king, my word is true," the Nitian king said.
"Your word is lies, Damus," Bliss said.
"I'm not lying about the poison or about how she can be cured," he countered. "Besides, we know there is no person that represents the dark and negativity that Rachel trusts, so I am the only choice."
Lance frowned at this, but he knew what Damus had just said was true. Rachel didn't let negativity in her life or her house. He actually began to feel helpless like he had all those years ago when he had tried to save Holly, but it had been too late.
All was quiet before Rachel, with great effort, began speaking.
"You're...wrong...Damus," she said, each word taking at least one breath to say. "There is...someone...I...trust."
"Who, my dear?" Balan asked her, his face worried.
She turned her head and reached her right hand out to Lance, who blinked in surprise at that.
"Him?" Damus laughed. "My dear, it's a well-known fact you don't like negativity."
"From you...no," she said, glaring at the Nitian before looking back at Lance, her gaze softening. "Uncle Lance...please."
A surprised look came over his face and he moved closer, taking her hand in his own. "You...You trust me?" He asked.
She nodded, though the motion was hindered by the pain she felt. "Can...Can you do it?" She asked him.
Balan realized what she meant. "Lance," he said, gaining the other's attention. "She knows."
The tendriled being grimaced, but looked at Rachel, seeing those blue eyes looking up at him so trustingly. "My dear...you are aware of what you're asking me to do, correct?" He asked.
"Yes," she said, squeezing his hand as much as she could with how weak she was feeling. "I...trust you...like...I...trust...my family." She took a deep breath now. "With...my life."
Damus' eyes widened in shock at that admission and Lance nodded, clasping the young woman's right hand in both of his. "I'm not going to lie, my dear. This is going to hurt," he said.
She gave a single nod and he took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, give her to Balan, please," he said.
Though looking like he would rather not, the king gave his daughter to the maestro, who cradled her in his arms, tears beginning to fill his eyes. Lance closed his eyes and his free hand glowed. A pink crystal heart rose from Rachel's chest and floated over to Lauhin and Bliss. "Your Majesties, protect this for your daughter. It represents the balance in her heart and it's imperitive that it is not damaged," he continued.
Both the king and queen held the crystal heart gently in their hands while the tendriled being looked at Balan. "Hold her close and don't let go unless I tell you to," he said to him.
"I will," Balan said, tightening his hold a bit on his niece.
Lance looked at Rachel, who gently squeezed his hand again and he nodded. "Hang on, little one," he said before a tendril reached out and touched her shoulder. "Transform."
A whirlwind surrounded the girl and a scream left her throat, a scream that became a ghostly wail that caught Damus full blast and he fell down in shock and surprise before a light surrounded Rachel, a light that was equal parts dark and light. Seeing this, the tendriled being was surprised. "Balan, let her go," he said softly.
The tall being did so and to their shock, the light died down and hovering upright before them in the air was Rachel, but her appearance was odd. Her whole left side was dark like Lance's suit with her left eye being blue surrounded by yellow while her right side was white as Balan's suit and her right eye was gold surrounded by white. The left half of her hair was black with neon designs while the right half of her hair was neon green. A oily substance slid down her left arm and landed on the floor, a foul smell coming from it before it vanished into thin air.
Damus' eyes were huge now. "What?" He asked in horror.
Balan, recovering fast, smiled. "That's what Holly meant," he said. "She told the girls were special in ways we didn't realized at the time."
Lance nodded and Jocu blinked. "It's like she's a fusion of you two," he said.
"That's exactly what she is," the tendriled being said.
The transformed girl closed her eyes as a smile graced her face. "Damus," she said, her voice echoing. "You seem to keep forgetting the trust my family and I share."
She now opened her eyes to reveal they were glowing. "I can easily get rid of you as you tried to get rid of me," she continued, lifting her hands to reveal two balls of light glowing in them, one pink and one gold.
The Nitian king cowered at this, but then the balls of light died down and Rachel looked him dead in the eye. "But if I do that, then I'm no better than you," she said. "And I will never stoop to your level." Her eyes glowed brighter. "Now, you have the choice to leave while I am still feeling merciful, or you can stay and face all of us." She stood taller. "The choice is yours."
Just then, one of the evil King's men teleported next to him, looking like the battle had not gone in their favor. Damus hissed angrily and glared at them. "One day," he said. "Nitians will rule the world."
"Not if we have anything to stay about it," Bliss said firmly.
Rachel called up both balls of light again, which made the evil king and the one that had teleported in retreat and Lance snapped his fingers, a bright light surrounding the girl before she was transformed back to her human form. She swayed a little on her feet, to which Jocu caught her and brought her over to his father, who held her as Vibracio gave the girl some medicine to help counter any lasting effects of the poison. "Your Majesty, your recovery venom might help too," he said.
Nodding, Lauhin gently bit his daughter's shoulder and she took a deep breath, her breathing no longer labored and color came back to her face before she sat up, feeling stronger again. "My daughter, are you alright?" The king asked.
She nodded. "Yes, Father," she said, her voice sounding stronger now.
Balan and Lance both nearly collapsed with relief before both watched as Lauhin and Bliss let go of the crystal heart and it went back to Rachel's chest, fading away gently and she smiled before looking at Lance, who looked away before jumping in surprise when he felt her hug him. He immediately returned the hug. "My dear, you took a huge risk trusting me like that," he said softly.
"Why wouldn't I trust you?" She asked, still smiling as she gently cupped his face in her hands. "You and Uncle Balan proved my sister and I could trust you both after you helped Mom and saved me and my sister from our birth father."
The tendriled being blinked in shock. "You...You remember that?" He asked.
She nodded. "I may have only been three years old at the time, but I remember how safe I felt when you held me after that monster tried to kidnap me and Sasha after hitting Mom while we were at the playground," she said. "I could only see the color purple when I was grabbed, but I immediately knew it was you."
Balan chuckled. "Didn't I tell you she wouldn't forget, Lance?" He asked in amusement.
Lance winced. "I...I really didn't want you and Sasha to see the darker side of my power," he said.
She smiled. "Uncle Lance, we were never scared of you," she said. "That hasn't changed in over twenty years and it will never change."
Lauhin smiled. "She speaks the truth," he said. "And as you both are members of her family, I welcome you both as allies and trusted friends."
"Thank you, Your Majesties," Balan said, bowing with respect.
Lance bowed as well before looking at Rachel, who was still smiling before Jocu hugged her from behind. "Oh, dear," she said without heat, knowing what her brother had in mind.
"I think Jocu has the right idea," Bliss said with a giggle. "Loyal Knights, give our guests a warm welcome."
"As you command, Your Majesty," Optimo said.
Rachel suddenly reached up and tickled Jocu's ears, making him laugh and let her go in surprise before she grabbed Balan's hand and quickly ran off. Lance followed quickly as the two followed her through the castle with the Knights after them. "I'm rather curious as to why we are running from a welcome," Balan said as he noted that his niece had a huge grin on her face despite running.
"This is the Tickle Castle, Uncle Balan," she said. "Mother and Father are the Tickle King and Queen. The knights are Tickle Knights."
Lance's eyes widened. "In other words...we'll get tickled if we get caught," he said.
"When we get caught," Rachel corrected gently. "I've never been able to outrun the Knights or the royals."
A sharp squeak left her as Optimo caught her in his arms. "And you never will," he said as he began tickling her stomach, making her laughter burst out of her as she squirmed to get away, squealing as he tickled her stomach with both hands.
Balan chuckled at this before feeling something catch him and he realized he was tangled in a tapestry, one that was made of feathers and he was soon in stitches as both the tapestry and a few Knights tickled him.
Lance would have gotten away, but Jocu pounced on him and tickled his tendrils, making the dark being laugh in surprise as he fell to the floor, both the prince and carpet cushioning his fall before he laughed harder as fingers wiggled all over his tendrils and his hips. He wondered how on Earth they knew those two spots were sensitive as he squirmed to escape, but found he was trapped.
After a bit, the Knights let them up and Rachel grinned as she hugged Optimo, who returned the hug warmly. "There's one thing the Nitians will never break," he said.
"What's that, Optimo?" She asked.
"The trust we all share," he said.
"I couldn't agree more," Balan said with a smile.
Lance smiled too before Rachel pulled both him and the green-haired maestro into a hug, both of them hugging her back warmly.
Lauhin and Bliss insisted on their guests staying for dinner, which they agreed to as peace filled the air with another victory over the Nitians, who were licking their wounds back in their realm, defeated once again.
This story really took off on me. :)
Please leave a review, but no flames!
GoldGuardian2418