[Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used in this story; Konosuba is property of Natsume Akatsuki and animated by studio Deen. Be warned: the following story is rated M for mature audience. Enjoy Chapter 2 of Konosuba: What the Heart Wants!]
Megumin laid in bed, wide awake. She would have been fast asleep by now, but the constant moaning and knocking sounds kept her from sleeping. Since they didn't have to keep it hidden now, they made sure to display their love--even when most of them are trying to sleep!
A couple of days had passed since that tragic night. Aqua and Kazuma were much more happier, and their constant arguing subsided. Though now there was something that was much annoying than the arguing--the lovey-dovey moments. Megumin and Darkness were exposed to their love while out in public: A kiss there, a giggle and compliment here--it was making her nauseated. Sure, seeing the person she had feelings for being all hugged up with another woman was torture, but could they wait until they got a room? A hotel wasn't that far.
"Jeez, you two just can't keep your hands off each other, can you?" Megumin's attitude was evident in her tone, the two turning to glance at her. Even Darkness was giving her a perplexed look. With their eyes on her, she kept her gaze on the field that they were passing.
"The quest for today will be against the..." Kazuma brings the rolled up paper before him, the picture of the Giant Toad being plastered on the front, "...It says here that it's just a Giant Toad that has been eating livestock nearby."
"I hope we can finish this guy off soon. I really want to go get home and sleep," Aqua says, stretching her arms.
"I did manage to keep you up all night, huh?" Kazuma teased her, receiving a blush from the Goddess.
"Kazuma!" She inches closer to him. "Not so loud; the others might know what we're doing..."
"Oh, we know--that's no secret," Megumin comments in a hushed tone; however, the others were still able to hear her. Kazuma turned to glance at her, their gaze meeting for an instant before Megumin averts her own away from him. There was obviously something bothering her; he wanted to know what it was.
"Isn't that the Giant Toad right there?" Darkness informs them, her finger used to emphasis on her findings. Looking ahead, the group noticed a giant toad hopping about in an open field. Judging by its random leaping, it was chasing something.
"Alright guys, let's get this done! Charge!" Kazuma commands the group, a hissing heard as he unsheathes his sword; then he leads the rush towards the enemy, the others having their weapons in hand and ready for combat. Megumin was the only one to stay back due to her Explosion Magic being something that she could pull off once.
Upon noticing them approaching, the toad fixed its attention on them. It had yet to move, remaining in place. It's resolve to not move proved that it didn't see them as threat, for in its eyes, they were not worth being afraid of.
"Darkness, Aqua, do your best to keep him distracted. They hate metal, so I'll attack when it get the chance to. Just make sure he doesn't move."
The two nodded in agreement, splitting from Kazuma and making their way to the toad. Their strategy was a good one against Giant Toads: have two people distract it, while Kazuma uses his sword to strike it. Their imposing size did make them a threat--however, with careful planning and strategy, they were quite easy to defeat.
Aqua was the first to kick things off. Engulfing her right hand with an myriad of colors, she strikes the toad square in the stomach. Upon impact, the strike was absorbed by the rubber-like skin, causing it to ripple in response. She was aware that the technique didn't work; she just needed it to focus on her so Kazuma could land surprise attack. And though their plan was looking to be successful, yet another Giant Toad appeared, leaping onto the scene. It was heading towards Darkness, the crusader being able to notice it just in time.
"Another one appeared!?" Kazuma thinks to himself as he was already behind the toad. "But the quest stated that it was only one. Unless..."
Being distracted by the appearance of the other toad, Aqua failed to realize that the toad she had struck now had its tongue protruding from his mouth, the stretchy muscle soon wrapping about her. Aqua began to panic, flailing her limbs and shouting about as she was being brought to the mouth. Kazuma heard her cries, causing him to look at her.
"No! Aqua!" He calls out. Summoning his bow and arrow, he aims at the tongue, hitting it directly. Aqua is released from its clutches, Kazuma able to catching her before she hits the ground.
"We have to regroup and form another strategy."
Megumin watched as they ran towards her. There was no way they could outrun them, but maybe her Explosion spell could allow them to get away? Aiming her staff before her, the energy is channeled into the core of the staff; the gathering of energy conjures a magical circle before her, as well as a similar one being fashioned beneath her feet; and Megumin's eye gains an illuminate, red glow in them.
"Behold my power! By my efflux deep crimson, topple this white world! Darkness blacker than black and darker than dark, I besee the, combine with my deep crimson! Explosion!"
Unleashing the concentrated accumulation of energy before her, the flames race towards the three, Kazuma forcing them to duck. With the flames passing over them, they collided with the Giant Toads; then, as contact was established, the result was a massive explosion, fire and smoke erupting from the area. Kazuma and others remained on the ground, covered in dirt, but they were fine nonetheless.
They were able to regroup with Megumin, who was now lying face down in a dirt. It appeared that they were successful in their efforts of stopping the toads, but with her using her explosion magic, she devastated the area, obliterating the agricultural scenery. She may have gotten rid of the toads, but judging by the aftermath, she did more harm than good. With Darkness swooping her, the four flee the area as people began to flock to the area.
Making it back into town, the four had just left form getting their reward. The amount posted was severely reduced by the damage that was caused, so their reward was significantly reduced as a result. Kazuma had argued that there was more than one toad that was destroyed, however, the result was still the same. And they were really looking forward to getting that 60,000 Eris.
Walking amongst the streets with the rest of the citizens, there was an illusionary gray cloud that was hovering over that created an atmosphere of gloom. At this point, Kazuma and the others just wanted to go home. Maybe Aqua could make things more better for him--if she's even in the mood for it.
"We only received 1000 Eris for that job..." Aqua states disappointingly.
"The rest of the reward was compensation for the damages done to the agriculture. We're lucky we got anything at all." Kazuma tells Aqua.
"Hey, we shouldn't be so down about all this," Darkness interjects. "If Megumin hadn't used her Explosion, we would've definitely been in some trouble. She saved us back there with her quick thinking."
"Yeah? Well, her 'quick thinking' also costed us a full reward of 60,000 Eris. If we had just regrouped and formed a plan, the outcome would've been different."
"That's funny," Megumin comments. "You talk about how much I screwed up by saving you, but who was it that you had to save because she wasn't paying attention? Some girlfriend she is..."
Everyone paused after hearing her statement. Aqua was already in a bad mood from the day that they were having, so she has had enough of the bullshit for one day. Kazuma was feeling just the same.
Stomping towards the Arch Wizard, the Goddess obscured her path. That remark about being a damsel in distress was the last thing she needed from someone like Megumin, who could only use one spell. As the Goddess stood before her, her eyes expressed both exhaustion and anger in them. Megumin didn't avert her gaze; instead, she met Aqua's with one that was just as fierce.
"I don't know what your problem is, but I've had it with your snarky remarks and rudeness towards me, Megumin!" Aqua shouts.
"All I'm saying is that if I hadn't used my magic to save your sorry ass, you would've been in the digestive tract of those frogs by now. You know, for a so-called "Goddess", the only thing you're just about good is being a damsel in distress and having Kazuma saving your sorry as--"
Smack!
The action was abrupt, yet it was done nevertheless. A stinging sensation was felt upon Megumin's right cheek, a red imprint of Aqua's hand also apparent. The fact that Megumin didn't retaliate was due to the sheer surprise of what just occured. But once it slowly settled in, Megumin bore her teeth, as if she were an enraged dog about to bite.
The situation had escalated faster than anyone could even stop it. As well, after witnessing her being slapped, everyone in the area had stopped to witness it. Kazuma and Darkness knew now it was time to intervene, but it was already too late. There was no going back.
"YOU BITCH!" Megumin screeches, pouncing on Aqua. As the two were busy screaming and scuffling with each other, Darkness and Kazuma were doing their best to pull them apart. Kazuma was pulling on Megumin, and despite her small frame, he couldn't pull her away from Aqua. Now everyone was in a state of shock after witnessing this, some even going as far as to keep their distance to prevent themselves from getting hurt.
Finally getting them to separate, Kazuma had taken Megumin away from the scene, relocating her to the back of a building, with her still in a state of rage, kicking and screaming. Their privacy was certain now, meaning he could talk to her more about what was going on, because what happened just transpired at the moment wasn't from the ordeal of just the reward.
Megumin was pacing back and forth as Kazuma stood there. She was burning off the anger, which was still overflowing and showed no signs of subsiding. She couldn't believe that Aqua would just hit her like that.
"Megumin, what's going on with you?" Kazuma asks.
"Lately you've been acting strange towards us, as if you're mad about something. You're an important part of the team, and If this is about the reward, then I apologize for making you feel bad. Just calm down so we can talk, alright."
Megumin could feel herself becoming calmer. She didn't know whether it was because her anger was finally burning out, or that her affection towards Kazuma was making her feel calm, but she could feel her heart rate and breathing going back to normal. She could think more clearly.
Taking a seat on a deserted bench, Kazuma soon joined her.
"I don't know what happened back there..." Megumin began.
"I never thought she would actually hit me..."
"Megumin, I have to be honest...Are you upset that I'm with Aqua?"
Megumin looked at Kazuma. She wanted to confess right then and there that she always had a thing for him, but the fear of rejection was something that scared her more than anything. She just wanted him to herself, only for Aqua to swoop in and steal him from her.
"I know that, ever since we have been open about it, you've changed around us. Darkness has continued to be the same, yet you seem to be more distant. I just want this to stop..."
Megumin could tell this was hurting Kazuma, too. He was caught in the crossfire, a casualty she didn't want to be involved. The heart is a crazy and complex thing that she couldn't decipher. But even if she did tell him, would it even matter?
Maybe in this moment, right now, if she were to convey her feelings through a kiss, would he even reciprocate it?
"I just need some space to think," she states.
"I'll stop by later to grab some clothes, then I'll be heading over to Yun-Yun to stay for a bit."
"Wait, what--"
"It's for the best. Believe me, if I stay there, I'll only make things worse..."
And that was the end of their conversation. Megumin leaves Kazuma and heads back to the house. And even though the two still had bitterness towards each other, Megumin was able to grab some clothing without them having another fight. Kazuma offered to walk her over to Yun-Yun's, yet she declines it.
Later that night, Kazuma and Aqua are lying in his bed. He couldn't sleep, despite wearing himself down with Aqua prior. There was just so much going through his mind about the situation with Megumin. He even found himself recalling how attractive she was when she was mad...and when she laughed...and when she would happy. There were so many moments that she really shined to him, only for him to just now realize it. Was he just this dense all the time?
Chapter finished.