Chapter 10: "A Treacherous Decision!"

Alaylle quietly sweeps the road leading to Prontera Church. Lost in thought, she ends up slowly circling the Church while sweeping. '...Is being an acolyte really right for me?... Once I decide... I can't go back on my word... it just isn't done! But... helping those people... it just felt so natural to me!' Her broom hitting someone's shoe quickly interrupts her thoughts. Alaylle quickly turns towards the person and bows. "Oh! Please excuse me!"

Father Renauld chuckles and smiles at Alaylle. "No need to worry, Alaylle! I hate to interrupt your sweeping of the grounds, but something urgent has come up." He gives a package to Alaylle. "Sorry about using you as a courier service all the time, but... you're so reliable and fast when it comes to these things! This package is to Father Ruba..." Father Renauld shakes his head and clears his throat. "Pardon me... his name always twists my tongue up... Father Rubalkabara. He's currently overseeing the renovation of a Monastary north-east of Prontera."

"Umm... alright... I guess I'll go prepare then! Umm... north-east right?" Alaylle carefully holds the package in two hands as she holds the broom in the crook of her arm.

"Hmm... well, east by north-east really... Be very careful, alright?" Father Renauld smiles at Alaylle and rushes inside the church rather quickly.

After putting away the broom inside the church, Alaylle rushes home.

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"Hold it right there, missy! I know that basket when I see it! You're going somewhere, aren't you?" Corin holds Alaylle back by grabbing her ponytail. "Father Renauld is making you go deliver something again, isn't he?"

Alaylle nods as best as she can, since her ponytail is being held. "Father Renauld wants me to take this east by north-east to a person waiting for it at the monastery."

"Aahh, I see... that's ni-Hold it!" Corin does a double take. "East by north-east! You need to go through Mandragora Forest and Yoyo Forest! That's incredibly dangerous! That settles it, I'm coming with you! You aren't going on this trip alone!" He drags Alaylle by the ponytail as he gathers things for the trip. A swordmace with a reddish tinge is sheathed and several bottles of red potion are secured at his belt and in his satchel. "Alright... let's go then!" Alaylle's father finally lets go of Alaylle's ponytail.

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'Walking with Daddy somewhere... I haven't ever went with him on a trip like this!' Alaylle thinks quietly to herself as she picks her way north from Prontera's east gate. 'But... I never knew Daddy adventured too...'

"Over here, Alaylle! The entrance to Mandragora Forest... I'll lead... stay very close!" Corin keeps a close watch as the air noticeably changes.

"Gosh... what a sweet smell!" Alaylle sniffs the air as she follows her father closely.

"Hmm... that's the smell of Mandragoras... they lure animals and such to them with that smell and... well, why don't you look at your book? I think it would do a better job while I focus on leading us..." Alaylle's father continues to keep a close watch.

Alaylle pulls her book out of her basket and flips through the pages. "Umm... Mandragora... a giant pitcher plant that has developed carnivorous tastes. Using a sweet scent coming from its mouth, it lures prey into range of it's concealed roots. Once the prey is in range, it suddenly attacks using said roots like daggers and spears from the ground underneath the prey. It often then tries to wrap it's roots around the victim and then swallow it whole. Very dangerous for the ill-prepared." Alaylle looks up at her father, only to see that he isn't there. "Uhm... Daddy?... Daddy!"
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Corin quietly curses to himself. 'I really shouldn't have told her to look it up in her book... And I should have been paying more attention!' He rushes a Mandragora, cutting the roots that go for his legs with his swordmace before they can get close. He then quickly cuts the Mandragora in half with a grunt. "Alaylle! Where are you!"

Corin backtracks slowly, looking for any signs of his daughter. "Alaylle! Where are you, Alaylle!" He keeps a watchful eye and ear as he carefully looks in the directions of a few routes that Alaylle could have taken.

"Daaddy... help" Alaylle's voice is barely heard, but it is all her father needs. He runs in the direction of the voice and sees six Mandragoras in a circle around Alaylle, with their vines wrapped around Alaylle.

Corin relaxes slightly as he takes a closer look... the Mandragoras seem to be fighting each other... probably fighting over his daughter. He frowns for a moment, 'Killing them one by one would make the last one attack Alaylle... there has to be a way to keep her safe!' Alaylle's father thinks for a moment and then looks at his fire swordmace and the red potions on his belt... and gets an idea.

Corin carefully uncorks a red potion bottle and whips the bottle in an arc towards the vines around his daughter. He then charges at the area, swatting at the vines with the flat edge of his swordmace.

The Mandragoras turn towards him, but then realize the their red potion soaked roots are on fire from the swordmace igniting the potion. They flail their roots about helplessly, trying to put out the fire.

Corin quickly rushes in, picks up Alaylle with one hand and quickly runs out of the Mandragora's range before they recover from the fire.

Alaylle hugs her father warmly. "Daddy!... It was so scary! Those Mandragoras... they sprouted out of the ground all of a sudden and then..."

Corin sheathes his swordmace and hugs his daughter back. "I know... I know... it's alright now..." He releases Alaylle from the hug and sets her down on her feet. He looks somewhat awkward, as if he doesn't quite know how to deal with the situation. Alaylle's father glances back towards the five Mandragoras and looks furious. "...I'll teach them a lesson they won't soon forget!" He grabs several more red potions from his belt and unsheathes his swordmace.
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Alaylle walks carefully behind her father, making sure that she doesn't get separated again. "Daddy... thank you so much... without you... I'd... I don't know what would have happened..."

Alaylle's father smiles at his daughter. "Alaylle, don't forget that me and your mother love you dearly. We'd do anything that we can to help our baby. Oh, we're leaving Mandragora Forest now... and entering Yoyo Forest." He glances over at Alaylle. "By the way... we're gonna need to feed you more, Alaylle! You're so light... I think I can throw you across Prontera Castle's moat with one hand!" Corin laughs heartily.

"Daddy! You know I eat as much as you do!" Alaylle smiles up at her father.

"Gwahahah! Are you sure you aren't sneaking vegetables into your food then?" Father and daughter both laugh and giggle as they walk into Yoyo Forest proper...
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Meanwhile, back at the five Mandragoras...

The Mandragoras look a little more burnt and a little less than green now. Most of their roots are little more than charred stubs now, useless for fighting. They glare at each other... well, as much as a plant can glare, anyway. Suddenly, all five snake what remains of their roots out at each other violently... uhh... tickling each other, not realizing that their roots have lost their edges and points.

Soon, a soft pitter-pattering is heard...
The Mandragoras turn toward the sound to see a large blue bunny with a hoard of smaller white bunnies. If the Mandragoras could, they would have run away. Of course, being rooted in the ground does have it's disadvantages at times. The blue bunny and its hoard of small white bunnies suddenly rush at the Mandragoras, seemingly intent on having a slightly burnt vegetable snack.

End of Chapter 10
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Chapter 11 Preview!

Alaylle: "Hmm... Yoy-What in the world!"

Corin: "Aahh... it's that time again!"

"Union rules and all..."

Alaylle: "Huh? What do you mean?"

In Omake 1: Chapter 11: "A Very Suitable Title Here!"

Corin: "Yahoo! OOC crazyness time!"

Alaylle: "...!"
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