Rulue and Raffina, tired of their admirers' banter, send them off to get them some water. Along the way, Minotauros and Tarutaru come to an understanding. Requested by a tumblr anon!
No Differences
"Lady Ruluuuue! Crush her!"
"Don't let up, Raffina!"
Disgruntled expressions donned Rulue and Raffina's faces. They thought they would have been spared from their admirers, but they had somehow found out about their private training spot among the windmill field in Primp Town. Rulue deflected a punch with her fan, gnawing on her lower lip as Minotauros roared out her name. Stumbling, Raffina pivoted on her heels and kicked at Rulue's jaw, missing by an inch when she ducked backwards only to grimace when Tarutaru smacked his large hands together in thunderous applause.
"You! Stop making such incessant noise! You're upsetting Lady Rulue!" Minotauros bellowed, jabbing his thumb at him.
"You're the one making that racket! Raffina's getting distracted!" he snapped, clenching his fists.
Rulue rolled her eyes, ramming her elbow towards Raffina's nose. Catching her elbow, she thrust her palm towards her chin, which was swiftly caught by Rulue. They tried shoving each other backwards, digging their heels in and glowering at one another. A faint sheen of sweat crossed their foreheads, trickling down their red-faced cheeks, and they gritted down hard on their molars.
"Maim her! Wipe the floor with her, Lady Rulue!"
"Knock her out! Just keep pushing!"
"Are they as irritating to you as they are to me?" Rulue hissed, narrowing her eyes.
Nodding, Raffina murmured, "Oh, very much so. Shall we?"
Breaking from her opponent, she snapped, "Minotauros! Promptly fetch me some water! My throat is sore!"
"You too, Tarutaru! I'm parched under this hot sun, if you please. Thank you for your assistance." Raffina gripped the edges of her skirt and curtseyed, causing Rulue to hide her giggling behind her fan.
Without a second thought, Minotauros and Tarutaru broke off into a dash. They failed to notice the smiles stretching into the cheeks of their beloveds, amusement burning in their eyes. They didn't even realize they had begun to laugh, the fighters almost shocked at how well that had worked.
Minotauros was still new to Primp Town. Compared to native Tarutaru, he simply followed the barreling boy down a cobblestone path back to the town square. He furrowed his brow, hoping to pass him when the time was right as they dashed past the Magic School. He watched Tarutaru slow down, quickly darting past him with a victorious grin etched onto his snout only to recall that he didn't know where any convenience stores were in town and skidded to a stop.
"So, hey, where are the food stores around here? I know Lady Rulue visits that skeleton's clothing store, but that's it." He quickly glanced around, catching sight of the nearby museum and town hall behind him. A stretch of shops lined around them, bustling townies walking past as well, but with the strange lettering and designs on every store, he wasn't sure where to go.
"I just realized something. We're kind of alike," he said, and Minotauros' eyes widened, the sudden claim dumbfounding him.
"And what do I have in common with some roly poly kid?"
"Rulue and Raffina have a lot in common, and we both like them, right?" Tarutaru huffed, his lip curling into his cheek when a streak of hot red burned the entirety of Minotauros' face.
"Wha-? I don't! What Lady Rulue and I share is strictly professional."
Anyone could see through his obvious lie. His adoration for Rulue went behind that of a simple bodyguard and his charge. Rulue was someone he loved from the minute he laid eyes on her. Even if she devoured beef like a madwoman, he loved her strength, cunning, and beauty.
Though, when he mulled over Rulue, he realized Raffina had similar attributes. They were both prim and proper martial artists, experts in their fighting crafts who followed a strict regiment. He assumed it was that boldness they exuded that attracted them both to the poignant ladies and hummed when he came to the same conclusion.
"I...guess you have a point. Rulue is much more dignified, but Raffina seems to be following the same path as her." Minotauros smirked as Tarutaru stomped forward, the backwards compliment causing him to roll up his sleeves to his elbows.
"Don't talk about Raffina like that!" he barked, causing some townsfolk to hurry away. "If she's not around, then I'm gotta defend her honor!"
"'Defend her honor,' you say?" Without batting an eye, he caught Tarutaru's punch. "I do the same for Lady Rulue."
"You do?" Withdrawing his arm, he waved his sore hand. "Then, huh, I guess I was right."
Minotauros noticed a wooden bench nearby and gestured at it. They decided to end their petty feud and sat down, calm quickly returning to the storefronts. Twiddling his thumbs, Tarutaru peered over at the large beast, taking in the ax that was clipped to his back and the scar cutting through his face.
"I normally do not wish to fight, but I must if Lady Rulue commands me." He leaned back, spreading his arms behind the smooth wooden backing. "It's caused me quite a few clashes with Arle."
"Yeah, I'm normally not so..." Tarutaru searched for the proper word, flicking his attention to the clear blue sky. "...fight-y, I guess."
"Heh. I haven't even had a decent fight since Lady Rulue was transported here. I was lucky that I was sent here, too, so I could see her again. I just hope no one has ransacked her house like that foul Devil or Demon Servant in my absence."
His words were lost on Tarutaru, who asked, "Are you left behind often?"
Minotauros assumed he hadn't meant to be offensive when he asked such a blatantly cruel question. Sighing, he kicked his iron-toed boots against the bench. "Yes but if it's to look after Lady Rulue's belongings, I'll stay without question." He sighed and scratched behind his ear. "I just wish she would invite me on her adventures sometimes. It gets lonely in her mansion."
A sour chuckle escaped past Tarutaru's lips. He hunched forward and fiddled with his fingers. "Oh, I know. My friends are always going off to cool places. I guess they went into a storybook world last time...I think." He shrugged. "Amitie was talking so fast that I couldn't really keep up."
"She sounds much like Arle, so quick to speak," he mumbled, recalling how she had insulted Rulue some time ago.
Chuckling, Tarutaru sensed the faintest hint of animosity emanating off his companion. He wasn't as protective of Raffina and would readily challenge her if she truly aggravated him, but he enjoyed their familiarity. He knew all too well what it was like to be left behind, and it seemed so did Minotauros. Their similar protection for the girls they devoted themselves to and their longing to be included left an odd sense of warmth in the pit of his belly, a strange kind of sensation he shared with Minotauros, someone he had initially thought of as another rival.
"You're not a bad kid compared to the other ones." Minotauros clapped his hand on the younger boy's shoulder, smirking. "Let's get them some water. They probably need it by now."
"Oh, sure! Good idea. They're probably dehydrated," he replied, smiling and following his new friend's lead.
Minotauros glanced at his stalwart companion, pleased to have someone so similar at his side. Letting Tarutaru guide him to the nearest market, he thought that staying in a new, unfamiliar place wasn't so bad if it let him meet someone like him.