A/N: Here's the next update! I worked really hard on it and I hope you all enjoy it. Also fun fact, this story wasn't meant to have a 'real' plot. It actually started off as a bunch of kid scenes I imagined between the characters. Yet it has morphed into this! An actual freaking story! Crazy right? Or maybe I just can't write short things :I

Anyway this is the last chapter before they reach Liones and I'm looking forward to writing those chapters! I can see a lot of fun and perhaps even comedic scenes happening, (thanks to all of the lovely suggestions left by reviewers) not to mention I have a little surprise organised.

Anywho thanks for favouriting, reviewing, following and just plain reading! The story's already got 18 Faves, 24 Follows and 25 Reviews, let's keep it going! For me knowing that people actually enjoy my writing and such really motivates me to write, so thanks a bunch for doing that! And don't be scared of popping in a review or two. It helps to get some input sometimes. Like really :)

Ashley - Yeah I thought it'd be nice for Elizabeth to have a little 'show' (if you can even call it that. I guess you could. I would make sense wouldn't it? Lol I'm confusing myself XD). Anyway...yeah I thought it'd be nice that she could see/watch about her past self. But like you said the whole curse thing isn't too nice. Bummer :/. I don't think you've missed anything in the anime or manga though, I just wanted to orchestrate some drama really *attempts evil laughter* but maybe something did and I forgot. It's been a while since I've actually watched or read anything. The cookie thing came on a whim, but I did think that Merlin should have some fun too. Hence the drugging of the cookies. Who knows she could've left more surprises? Anywho, thank you for the review! :)

Till next time,

D.L.D

P.S - Any ideas you have, feel free to leave them in reviews. Like I've said before I'll probably add them in as this'll probably become a long-term story. Kinda is already though XD

"Thanks for the talk Elizabeth," Diane smiled at the princess.

Tears had long dried up as well as her sorrows when the pair had continued to talk about other things. Things that Elizabeth had chosen strictly to distract the giantess, while also giving her little hints as to what was right. As a result Diane was feeling a lot better, her emotions back in check and mind cleared.

"Oh don't mention it," Elizabeth gave a smile back as they went inside, a hand waving absentmindedly. As usual she hid behind her curtain of hair, blush apparent as she cast her gaze downwards. "I'm just glad that I could help with something for once."

The giantess nodded, although feeling for the princess as she knew that Elizabeth did much more than she gave credit for. Something everyone had recognised despite the princess's constant protests. However Diane would try to make her feel better about that, highlighting that Elizabeth is important to them all and that she helps everyone in her own way. In ways that none of the Sins could. Ways like being a sisterly figure when Diane felt in need of one.

"Don't talk like that! You help us a lot more than you give credit for," Diane smiled softly as they entered the building. It fell short as she spotted King, the fairy looking unusually pale as he glanced at the plate of cookies in disdain. Meliodas seemed to share the same expression as he repeatedly hit his head on a table. The sound wasn't loud, but it was still audible with little thuds every so often.

"I doubt that," Elizabeth felt deflated but smiled nonetheless. Shyly, she tucked a strand of platinum hair behind her ear. It was reassuring to hear something like that, but Elizabeth knew that even now she wasn't of much use. Not like all the others anyway. A small blush had brewed on her face, a mixture of gratitude and bashfulness. "But I'm trying to help out more - What happened?"

The princess had just noticed both Sins; King pressing his face against a window to feel the cool glass and Meliodas still hitting his head against the table.

"Yeah, you both look terrible," Diane agreed, frowning as the blonde stopped hitting his head. There was a small red mark on his forehead, but nothing else, suggesting that he had been hitting it lightly. Like when you're bored out of your mind and decide to do stupid stuff to pass the time. Stuff like biting painted fingernails or doing things you know you shouldn't.

"Cookies," Both King and Meliodas pointed towards the plate, one seeming tired and the other sickly.

Both girls raised a brow at this, confused as to why cookies would be the reason behind what they'd walked into. The ones on the plate looked normal after all, maybe a bit overdone, but still normal. Normal cookies wouldn't usually be the cause of an ill-looking King and tired Meliodas. After all how could cookies be the cause of something like that? How could cookies be evil?

Unless they weren't normal cookies...

Curious, Elizabeth went to grab one only for Meliodas to snatch the plate away. His expression said it all as he seemed to stow the things away from her.

"You don't want one of those," He shook his head.

"Why not?" Elizabeth raised a brow, confused as to how burnt cookies could cause harm. They'd all eaten them not too long ago after all. In fact it was the first day that they woke to find themselves as kids that they feasted on the things.

"Someone messed with them," King groaned, he then flushed before looking as if he'd throw up. The look soon passed and he returned to glaring at the plate as if his gaze alone could turn the putrid cookies to dust. Cookie dust.

Elizabeth took this as the moment to encourage Diane to bring up that conversation. The one where she could find out that King had a great and valid reason for not telling her who he was. Then everything would be a little more normal and perhaps happier within the group. After all Merlin did say that once they reached Liones things would get better. Much better if what the mage had let slip to them all was true.

Deciding to play matchmaker, Elizabeth glanced towards Diane. She then tilted her head towards King, smiling as the brunette seemed to get the message.

"Do it," Elizabeth mouthed before deciding to see if she could help Meliodas with whatever the cookies had done to him. Something told her that these weird healing powers she unlocked would come in handy. Plus she was certain that other Elizabeth had them too.

Odd right?

Diane released a long sigh, rolling her eyes slightly as she shuffled her way towards King. Her feet seemed like cement, unwilling to be lifted as she grew closer and closer. This subject would be tough to bring up, let alone get through, but Diane knew she had to do it. She had to get some clarity and close this long open chapter of her life. A chapter that should have ended ages ago.

"King...if you're done hating on cookies, can we talk?" Diane nudged the Fairy King, a hopeful yet nervous look on her face. Something she tried to play off with a smile.

King caught this immediately, face reddening as he was caught off guard. Entirely off guard. Usually the fairy would've expected Diane to ask to go on some random adventure, or help to track down Hawk and get a piggyback ride from the poor creature. But now she was asking to talk. Not like kiddie talk either it seemed. It certainly appeared like she wanted to talk one on one about something that kids wouldn't usually use for conversational topics.

"Sure," King nodded, nervous albeit slightly (just slightly, like really slightly) happy. After all she could've remembered everything. Everything that had happened and that he'd stupidly erased. For the sake of making sure she was safe and happy. Ironic since Diane ended up in a band of knights anyway. Slightly pointless too as she still bumped right back into King. However it was an act that the fairy would take back if he knew the trouble and pain it would cause. The regret and heartache.

Elizabeth and Meliodas were gone, both seemingly vanished to deal with the blonde's headache. Or maybe it was to find Hawk and deal with Gowther. The doll had been gone for a while now and the pig was most likely with him. That wouldn't be odd as the two seemed to be fine in each others' company. However that meant that it was only the giant and fairy within the Boar Hat. Both left to come clean and resolve this long left open wound. A wound that had been covered with a band-aid and ignored until it became infected and purulent, needing to be dealt with immediately or cut entirely off.

Immediately meaning now.

"Well you see..." Diane glanced downwards, fingers curling into her hair.

It was hard saying this, especially when she cared so much. So damn much! It wasn't like with the Captain, when she had formed a kind of attachment because he was one of the first people who didn't make her feel so large. So huge and heavy and monstrous. No, it was like confessing to something you held so dear that you'd rather lie than face reality. You'd rather never know than try to find out for the fear of losing it. Something you never wanted to let go of because of how much it meant.

"Those memories I was telling you about - the ones that I thought were weird?" A small blush had spread now, the giantess appearing bashful.

"Have they stopped?" King's brows furrowed, concern evident as he spotted her expression. That was the last thing he wanted nor needed her to feel bad about. After all it was his fault that Diane couldn't remember back then. That she had that blank gap in her mind and will most likely never truly know what happened back then. It was all him. Him. Him. Him. So Diane shouldn't have to suffer for it. Not at all.

He should.

"No, they - they came back," The brunette responded, her tone slightly happier.

It was a relief. A great one and King couldn't help but sigh at that, all of the weight and pressure seeming to roll off him in a huge wave. But that relief was short-lived as he realised what it meant. What it incriminated about him exactly and how he linked into Diane's faded memories. How he could've reminded her but didn't because of a fear. A fear that it was all in vain.

"Oh...so you know about - " King glanced away, expression guilty as he wanted to shrink away.

"Yeah I know," Diane sighed seating herself beside the fairy, but not looking in his direction. Instead she took to twirling the flower she'd placed in her hair.

A silence washed between them, the volume louder than any words. Both sat side by side, glancing away when catching the other's eyes and sinking into their own thoughts. One was of despair and loath, wishing that she could've known about this. That she could've known who King was and close this sooner. Resolved it before it had gotten so bad and been anything other than hurt. Anything leaning more towards love.

The other was beating himself up over it, thoughts and memories playing in a blurry movie reel as he thought of the countless times he had to tell her. To explain what he knew and how much she meant to him. But each time he had left it, letting fear take over and bar him from telling her. It all seemed to blend and mould together in a sickening display of regret and some part insanity. Insanity of knowing but being too much of a coward to do anything. To act.

If only he had acted. If only she had acted. Maybe things would've been different. Better. But neither had acted to know if it would and now they feared it was too late. Too hopeless for them to continue what they had. Something that had seemed so great in its beginnings but was now lost to the sands of time and aged fog of memory.

"Why'd you do it?" Diane breaks the silence, voice quiet as she stops twirling the flower.

"I thought it'd be better if you didn't remember me..." King mumbled, eyes not quite meeting hers. He was looking at his hands, tears blurring his vision as he continually clenched and unclenched them. Seeming to slip back into his old habit of thinking he was such a useless king. Such a pointless coward. However he seemed to be doing better as he held it all in. "I wasn't thinking back then. I didn't think that I could protect anyone after what happened. That I couldn't protect you. So I made you forget about me."

"And why you didn't tell me about any of this?" Diane frowned, her response slow but showing that she wasn't quite satisfied. "You had plenty of chances to."

"I tried to but - " King was panicking now, his mind scrambling for some sort of explanation. Something that was tough to do when he was being pressured by someone that affected him a great deal. It was like the giantess had backed him into a corner, closing him into an inescapable trap. A trap that he had unknowingly set for himself within the corners of his mind. A sign that he had to tell the truth about this for once.

"But what?" Diane huffed, a grimace on her features as she felt she had answers enough.

"I was scared!" The words slip out easily, the cookies, and perhaps even his own mind tired of trying to scramble for a smooth response, breaking down the barrier. Instead of looking for an excuse, everything tumbled out. King's gaze continued to lower, face reddening as the tears had stopped forming. Stopped spilling. "I saw how happy you were not knowing who I was and I felt that maybe telling you wouldn't be the best. So I left it. I put it all aside to make sure that you could be happy, regardless of my past actions or feelings."

Silence met King's confession, the flower stopping its endless twirling as Diane studied the the fairy. Amethyst eyes narrowed as she took in the explanation, the flower slipping back into her hair. It was only then that King had noticed it was a daisy - the same flower he'd used when erasing the memories. A sign that she really did remember. That it wasn't a hoax.

However before he could do anything Diane had wrapped King into a hug, smiling but not entirely happy.

"Well I'm glad you care that much," The brunette smiled, affectionately rubbing her cheek against his. This soothed King slightly, although he could sense the apprehension. So it came as now, unsurprisingly, as she squeezed in a tiny threat. But maybe that was just her childish urges taking over now, as she seemed to act a lot younger than usual. "Part of me feels like you're lying, but I know you could never do that, King! I know you wouldn't. It wouldn't end well if you were, right?"

"Y-yes of course not!"

The fairy laughed nervously at that, knowing that he wasn't lying but the evidence defending him wasn't so strong either. Neither was the chance of whether she was serious or not.

"Well, I was certainly expecting worse," Merlin frowned as she looked at the ambient scene of the Boar Hat.

She had expected chaos and mess, not a happy bar filled with glowing patrons and obedient children. Something had to have happened while she was absent. The Sins couldn't have improved in the short time span she had left for. Well not short, but still not overly long either. It was just long enough for them to go crazy, but not out of control. However it seemed that the mini team of Sins had it all managed.

"Yes, it seemed unlikely that they'd work this well," Escanor couldn't help but agree, smiling as he watched in amazement.

Surprisingly not much chaos had ensued, most likely due to Ban being petrified outside. That crafty Fox Sin was the troublemaker of the group after all. In fact the Sins and princess were getting along much better than usual, tips being given out like crazy for the 'adorable little waitresses and their friends'. All sorts of people gave random tips to any child passing by, telling them to buy something nice for themselves. It was crazy to see how many patrons were happily drinking their fill, watching the tiny people work in a small unit to get all tasks done. No questions asked at all.

The tasks were split quite equally between them. Elizabeth and Diane mainly managed tables, however Meliodas and King helped out where they could whilst also working behind the counter. Gowther had disappeared to change and even Hawk had minimal complaints, the pig happy with the leftover cookies. The effects of which didn't seem to affect him. A shameful waste as Merlin and Ban had worked hard to pull that small trick on the others. 'For a laugh' the mage had agreed, however she knew that it meant much more. That it meant she was reverting too.

"Well, you can always speak too soon Escanor," Merlin laughed, a knowing smile on her face. A mask of her worries as she knew that something was bound to happen.

Then it did. In the short span of five short seconds.

Elizabeth was making her way to a table, her younger self less clumsy albeit still accident prone. This meant that when she took a step, she ended up tripping herself up. That led to her tray going flying with her.

"Watch out!" Elizabeth yelped as she anticipated the fall.

The princess was caught but the same couldn't be said for the tray. The contents went up into the air, spilling everywhere and causing Diane to get startled as she thought a fly had landed on her. The giantess now squealing and stomping, the earth began to rumble slightly. That left King to calm her down and no-one for the patrons. They were quite light-hearted about it, but of course some were a little angry. To them the little kids suddenly didn't seem so cute. In fact they appeared pretty mad about the small blunder.

"Tada!" Gowther emerged from changing, dressed in a mini-version of the Boar Hat uniform. He struck a pose as he greeted a confused, drunk and angry group of patrons.

The perfect timing.

"What the hell is that?"

"Is this some kind of joke!"

"We're leaving Gary!"

Soon people were exiting, some staying behind to get back at the little punks who were running some kind of joke tavern. This then led to a shouting match between the group of kids and a few drunk adults who needed to be shown out.

Just what Merlin needed after her unsuccessful detour.

The mage groaned as she ran a tired hand over her face, expression saying it all.

"I guess I did speak too soon..." Escanor sighed as he took in the chaos before him.

One of the men had King by the collar of his shirt and Diane had stepped in, threatening to punch the man so hard he'd see stars. Meliodas and Elizabeth weren't much better, the blonde standing between the sniffling Elizabeth and a few leftover stragglers. Something that could end nastily if not defused by the mage. Gowther and Hawk had taken refuge outside, waving goodbye to any of the leaving patrons and apologising for the night's events. The smartest of the group by far.

"Yes Escanor, you did indeed," Merlin nodded, brows furrowed and lips pursed. She then whistled gaining everyone's attention. "Hey! The bar's closed, so stop bothering my employees and get out!"

The drunken patrons seemed to look at Merlin for a double take, but soon began to gather themselves as they spotted an odd resemblance within the ravenette. A resemblance that was striking with the poster of the eight kids who had gone missing. Kids that the Ten Commandments were looking for in exchange for immunity within a town. Immunity they needed and would easily be bought if they could get those kids. Or kids that looked like them.

"What are you looking at?" Hawk spat at the patrons, trotting in from outside. The pig looking indignant, snout scrunched. A small money pouch was on him, coins filling the sack. "She said get out."

No words said, the patrons left. However they all seemed to linger on the features of the children, knowing that they did look a lot like the kids in those posters. Something that could come in handy if they wanted to stop the town from becoming a complete ghost town.

The door was locked behind them, Merlin sighed as she ran a hand through her raven hair.

"We're leaving, clear this mess up."

They were the only words that left her as she headed for the backdoor, ready to unpetrify Ban and get the Sins moving before she had to tell them about their latest issue.

"Ok Ban, let's strike a deal ~" Merlin looked at the boy across her, hazel eyes meeting blood red.

Ban had just gotten inside, saying that he was 'freezing his ass off' as a stone statue and was glad to be back inside. He even went on to moan about the bird crap he'd found on his shoulder and began a whole new song and dance about that. It actually ended with a death threat towards King as he had been the one to petrify him. However Merlin had diffused the situation immediately by suggesting a deal.

As a consolation for the 'unfairly executed' petrification, the mage had made sure to give Ban something warm to eat as well as that all the other kids remained quiet as she spoke to Ban one on one. A talk about an exchange between the two of them that would result in him reaping the rewards. Rewards only he would get.

"What type of deal?" Ban frowned as he took a bite of his food.

He was no fool when it came to deals, especially with people as sketchy as Merlin. For all he knew she could be lying right through her teeth as of now. All the words she'd said being as worthless as the air itself and with no witnesses to prove what she had promised it'd never be considered as a true deal. However Ban couldn't help but feel intrigued by the prospect of a deal. It made him feel important, maybe even perhaps closer to getting something that would make him feel better for once.

Plus who couldn't refuse a perk when offered right up front?

"A good type of deal," Merlin gave her signature smirk, eyes seeming to glow as she focused on the Fox Sin. "One that includes you getting a daily allowance."

"Go on..." Ban was hooked, now listening to her every word. This had caught his attention. If he had to do something simple, which was most likely what Merlin wanted, in return for a daily allowance then he would take it. Well that depended on what he got in return.

"Well as any good deal maker, I have to have some requirement for you," Merlin sighed, seeming to speak to herself as she redirected the subject. The ravenette then made a show of thinking about it, finger tapping her chin, before smiling. "And that is to behave until we get to Liones."

Ban laughed at that, rolling his eyes as he saw the deal as totally within his favor. This was mainly due to Liones being around a day away, and not to mention that after having whatever this allowance was he'd be in a much better mood. Hell, he'd even give up his newly found love of calling everyone 'shithead' if it meant having some kind of reward.

"So, do we have a deal?" Merlin raised a brow, an expectant look hidden with a smile.

She had spent ages concocting this plan so that Ban would manage to behave for at least once. It was no secret that Merlin was tired of his antics. She was tired of all the stupid names, pranks and fights he'd been behind within the group. Plus they were running on a limited amount of time now. It was obvious that the spell was now affecting all of them, slowly poisoning their minds to believe false things. If she even wanted a remote chance of combating that, then she had to make sure Ban kept out of her way for the next few days.

"Deal," Ban nodded, a grin fox-like spreading across his lips. "But...I want to know what this allowance exactly is."

A laugh came from the mage at that, a genuine smile creeping onto her face as she looked at the Fox Sin. He was never one you could swindle unless you were always three steps ahead.

"Well that's simple. It's ale."

It was then Ban cheered.