Author's Note: Hello everyone! It's me Xanderush305, I'm just here to thank you for the small support you gave me on the first chapter of my story. I greatly appreciate it, so please keep on doing so. I really don't have much to say anymore just thank you. Hope you enjoy the story!
Chapter 2: An Explosive Encounter
Along the common route numerous people traverse by, through the paths that tie. Passing over the same road as they head towards their next destination, thinking of only what's within their range of expectation. Since the simple path is common to most, least would expect things may happen up close. When the time comes that surprises awaits, one should be calm and learn to compensate.
Upon seeing Lake Latsyrc, I kicked the side of my horse which signaled it to gallop faster. After a while, I finally arrived by the lakeside where I decided to get off my horse and tie it to a nearby tree. I began walking around the vegetation-filled lakeside in order to reach my destination. So I trudged through the tall grass hoping no monsters would pop up suddenly and attack me. I may be strong but I would prefer not to encounter some since it's such a hassle to fight inside this thick foliage.
A few moments later, I managed to walk through the tall grass without encountering anything. I decided to stop and take a break for a while as I admired the lakes' beauty. After resting, I began walking further into the lakeside forest where the person I'm looking for resides. As I walked deeper into the forest, it was clear to me that the verdure around me was getting thicker by the moment. This was a sign that I was getting closer to my destination.
Sadly, this thick vegetation inhibits my movement a lot which makes things harder for me. But I then managed to step out of the brush and onto what seems to be a frequently used pathway. I sighed, "Looks like I found it..." I muttered, following the trail. It didn't take too long before I reached the end of the path where a nice, comfy cabin stood. This little home is situated in a forest clearing located beyond the lake, only a few know about it.
Anyways, I walked towards the cabin and knocked on the door. There was no reply so I tried again the same results. I scratched the back of my head, "I guess he's not home yet, better just wait for him then." I told myself. I then sat on the rocking chair by the porch and waited for his arrival. The entire area was peaceful and relaxing, only the sound of nature can be heard. I then remembered a quote spoken by a wise man, "It's a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming. On days like this, blessings like you. Should be enjoying life." I said aloud.
Looking around, I only see a few things scattered across the yard. There was a lumber station, an extremely beat up training dummy, a barbeque grill and apparently a mini garden. Though why bother making a garden when you technically live in one? Honestly, I have no idea what he's thinking. But regardless of what he does, I am still indebted to him for raising me. If it weren't for him, I'd be already dead. All of it felt so nostalgic, after all, I haven't seen him in several months due to my job.
Several minutes had passed and he still hasn't arrived. So I decided to entertain myself by practicing my hand techniques in a wielding a sword. It was just regular old training so it wasn't that difficult but it still got my blood pumping. Suddenly, I hear a voice from where I came and immediately recognized it was him. I knew he won't suspect me to be here so I decided to prank him a bit. The plan is that I wait by the side of the natural archway and scare him when he gets close.
I tiptoed towards my ideal spot and waited. "That was a good hunt! Can't believe I'd find myself some wild boars, lucky me." I heard him announce. "I better set-up the grill cause' it's gonna be a feast tonight!" he declared. That definitely sounds good, I wonder if he will be generous enough to share some. Setting that aside, he was already near the archway when I jumped scared him.
You wouldn't believe his reaction, it was so priceless! It was extremely hilarious because the moment I scared him he turned to me in shock, punched me in the face, and tackled me to the ground. Yeah...it wasn't funny at all, in fact, it hurt a lot. He then noticed it was me and began laughing his ass off. After laughing so hard, he reached out to me so I took his hand and he pulled me up.
I rubbed my cheeks, "Could you have done something less painful, Uncle Alazar?" I asked, causing him to laugh a bit more. He wiped a tear out of his eye and sighed, "Nope! That was the proper way to greet someone trying to scare you." he said. He patted my back, "Good try though. I'm quite impressed I didn't notice your presence." he complimented, making me feel a little better.
"So why are you here? Is something the matter?" he asked, putting down the boar he caught on the porch. I opened my inventory, "Well, Mr. Espring wanted you to have this." I said, pulling out the sealed document and giving it to him. "I see, I guess I'll read it later." he said. He then opened his inventory and put the document inside for safekeeping. "Now that's over, let's do something fun." he suggested. "Like?" I asked. He cupped his chin, "Since you're here and judging from the even more beat up dummy over there which suggest you used it before I arrived. I think we should do a sparring match. Just to see how far you've grown." he said. I nodded, "Sound fine to me! It's been a long time since you sparred with me anyways." I said. "Yeah, back then you couldn't even lift a wooden sword." he joked. "Haha..." I reacted.
Uncle Alazar walked towards a barrel full of wooden swords, grabbed two swords and threw one at me. I caught it and tried swinging it around, it felt lighter than the other one I used earlier. I also noticed that its design is rather different from the others, as well as the one my uncle is holding. I'm guessing her carves different kinds of wooden swords in his spare time, which must be a lot with the amount he has in the barrel.
"You ready?" he asked, placing his sword on his shoulders. I took my stance, "Whenever you are!" I declared. He smirked, "Guess I'll go first!" he announces before disappearing from sight. "So we're playing that game?!" I asked. Immediately, I activated "Keen Sense" to increase my awareness and reaction time. The moment it activated, I noticed a presence coming from behind and quickly swung my sword to guard. He reappeared as our weapons clashed, looking quite amused. "I see you've really taken a liking to that ability. I mean it's understandable since you have a really low reaction time..." he said, trying to provoke me. I shrugged, "At least I put it too good use. It really helped compensate for my sluggishness." I told him. "Glad I can help." he said, disappearing once more.
Our little training lasted for a while longer than I expected, looks like he really missed me. It was simply about me trying to block every single strike he threw at me, it sounds simple and easy but with him, things simply become difficult. I mean what else would you expect from a top tier adventurer. His skill level is way beyond my capabilities. Maybe with a few more years of training and experience, I might become like him.
Anyways, after the training, I was completely tired that I had to lie down on the grass to recover. I was breathing heavily, trying to catch my breath while my uncle didn't even look exhausted one bit. "You okay there, chubster?" he asked, looking at me with a smirk. I sat up and sighed, "Training is never okay with you around." I told him, making him laugh. "What do you mean? I'm a great training partner." he said. I scratched the back of my head, "You're training is always difficult." I told him. "Don't be like that, I mean look at you now! Remember the struggles in life only make stronger." he reminded me.
I sighed, "I guess you're right..." I agreed. I did become who I am today thanks to him. Everything that I've learned up till now was from him. He taught me all that I needed to know and even trained me to become a strong person, in mind, body, and spirit. "I guess that's enough for today. It's a good thing to see that you still haven't lost your touch." he complimented me. "Thanks, you too." I said. He just smiled at me before walking to the boar he killed. "Tell you what, why don't you come back here in the afternoon and we'll have a little barbeque, sounds good?" he asked. I nodded, "Sure thing, I'll be sure to bring some beverages." I told him. He grinned, "Now that's what I like to hear!" he exclaimed.
"With that planned out. I suggest you rest for a while before heading back. I'll accompany you on the way out to see you off. Tell me when you're ready, okay?" he told me as he entered his house. I stood up and walked towards the rocking chair and slumped myself onto it. After five minutes, I felt better so I decided that I should leave. I called Uncle Alazar so he came out of his cabin and accompanied me through the trail.
"At the end of this trail is a little portal I had an acquaintance create for me. It simply teleports me to a designated location and back. Kinda like a door but more teleporty." he explained. As we walked through the trail, he told me some events that occurred to him while I was gone. He told me about seeing weird lights that appear out of nowhere, accepting quests to kill unknown yet dangerous creatures, investigating abandoned ruins in the mountains and his two-week diarrhea which was gross.
Soon enough we reached the end of the trail where a stone-like platform containing an ender pearl was placed. "Just stand there and it will teleport you to the other side of the lake." he said. I was about to walk on it when he pulled me back. "Hold on, take this." he said, giving me some sort of purple orb amulet. "Think of it as a key. You'll need it when you come back here later." he explained. So, I stashed the amulet in my inventory and stood on the platform. "Take care and see you later." he said, waving at me. I waved back and in the blink of an eye, I was already on the other side of the lake where my horse was.
I looked beneath me and saw a similar stone platform, so I decided to check if it works. I took the amulet and held it in my hands, suddenly, I was teleported back to the trail. Uncle Alazar was still standing in front of the platform and wore a smirk on his face. "I knew you'd try it immediately." he said. "I was just-" I got cut off, "Making sure. I know, I know." he added. "I'll be off then." I said before teleporting back to the lakeside.
(People of the Land: Alazar Nightfall is a well-known individual in the land of Minecraftia. He has been entitled as an S-Class Adventurer due to his numerous and amazing feats he has done for the kingdoms of the land. Despite his status and social ranking, he is a carefree and laidback person who is very approachable, kind and helpful. He also loves drinking, so you might end up seeing him drunk in a bar, on the streets, on rooftops and sometimes even in trees. He was also the same person that raised and cared for me when I was young, even if we weren't blood-related. He has short, messy, black hair paired with a nicely trimmed beard and a fair, muscular body. He usually wears a long-sleeved, checkered polo on the outside paired with a plain white shirt on the inside, he also prefers to wear leather pants.)
After being teleported, I covered the little platform with leaves just so it won't stand out. I then untied my horse and rode back to town. On my way there, I suddenly hear a loud 'bang' that of an explosion up ahead. Worried by the sound, I hurried towards the source of it. I then heard another 'bang' on my there but this time it was much louder and clearer, therefore I was getting closer.
Shortly after the 'bang', I caught a glimpse of several caravans that were blocking the route to town. Upon seeing this I knew something was wrong, so I quickly hid in the nearby thicket and tied my horse to a tree, again. Afterward, I approached the caravans cautiously through the brush as I readied my sword. When I was close enough, I saw several merchants tied together on the side of the road near the foliage I was in. There were three rugged men guarding them as well, fully armed. "Bandits!" I thought.
I activated 'Keen Sense' and was about to ambush these men when another explosion occurred on the other side of the caravan. The three men looked towards the direction of the sound, I took this chance to incapacitate them without them knowing what hit them. With a swift smack on their necks with my sword's hilt, they passed out. I immediately untied the merchants and used the rope they were in to tie their captors, kinda hilarious actually.
Suddenly, one of the merchant's approached me, "Please, help out the girl over there!" he begged as another explosion set off. I was shocked, "A girl?! What do you mean help her out?" I asked, rather confused. "I'll explain later, just please help her out. She's standing her ground for quite a while now." he said. I nodded, "Okay! Just stay here." I told him. Before I ran to the other side, I cast 'Guardian's Bubble' on them just to make sure then left.
As I ran towards the other side, another explosion set off which sent a bandit flying towards a nearby tree, completely breaking it in half. I then peered to the side of the caravan and saw this one girl fighting toe to toe with a dozen bandits. "C'mon! Just give up already! Pack your bags and go home, will ya?" she declared. "Like hell, will we listen to the words of a kid! YEAH! Why don't you go home to your mommy? Kids shouldn't be playing by themselves you know!" the bandits mocked.
"I. AM. NOT. A. KID!" she declared, her eyes burning with fury. "And I am not going back home!" she shouted before charging toward one of her foes. "Take this! BANG PUNCH!" she yelled as an explosive punch sent her for flying. "Bang...punch?" I repeated. A bandit tried to stab her from behind which she immediately noticed, "Oh no you don't! BOMB KICK!" she yelled again but this time an explosive kick was used. "Bomb...kick?" I repeated. "Get her!" four bandits declared as they rushed towards her. "I don't think so! BOOM BLAST!" she yelled again as a concentrated blast took out four of her attackers. "Boom...blast?" I repeated.
I stood there, still trying to process the fight the occurred before me. In this fight, there were several factors that surprised me the most. First, I was surprised for. the fact that this girl has so much firepower within her. Second, I just realized that she is a Humob. And third, I still cannot believe I heard the skill names she said aloud. I mean, those sound like moves that were named by a child. But it was still an impressive display of skill and power. Anyways, enough with admiration, I still had to help her out.
So after witnessing her fight, it was time for me to help out. Especially now, since she looked quite exhausted after her last attack. Suddenly, I felt a weird sensation coursing through me as if telling me to do something. Without a second to spare, I activated "Guardian's Bubble" around the girl as arrows came flying towards her. The bandits looked shocked by its sudden appearance, even the girl seemed surprised by it. Though I have to admit, I was pretty surprised myself on how my hand just moved on its own, let alone activate an ability of mine. Anyways, the barrier then popped, sending shards of compressed water in every direction. These shards cut the bandits in a lot of areas, causing them to bleed severely.
I then used 'Rapid Flow' to knock out as much of them as possible before arriving next to the girl. "Are you okay?" I asked which surprised her. She jumped, " Y-yeah, I'm fine." she replied, still surprised. "Sorry for the late arrival, I wish I arrived here sooner." I apologized. She smiled, "Nah, it's okay. I could have probably taken them out by myself anyways." she boasted. I laughed, "I guess you could." I said, looking at all the bandits she beat up. "But nevertheless, I AM HERE!" I announced with a big smile.
My smile faded when I noticed that there were still some enemies in the vicinity, "We'll talk later. We still have some unfinished business to attend to." I told her. She nodded, "Sure thing, buddy!" she said, readying her stance. We both looked at each other and nodded before engaging the few remaining bandits. A minute later and we were already done. The merchants we're safe, the bandits we're bound by their own ropes and no one was severely injured. I sighed with the thought that the problem was now compromised.
Then I saw the merchant that talked to me earlier walking towards me. He shook my hand, "Thank you very much! Without your help, my workers and I would have been in big trouble." he thanked me, heartily. "I appreciate the gratitude but I think she deserves more of it than I do." I told him as I pointed towards the girl, "She was the one who did most of the work, I just helped clean up." I added. The merchant nodded, "I know that. Nevertheless, you still helped and with that I thank you." he said, handing me a small pouch containing several silver coins. "What is this?" I asked. He chuckled, "A thank you gift." he replied. I tried giving him back the money but he refused to accept it. "If you really don't want it. Give it to the girl over there, I'm pretty sure she might need it." he told me. I nodded, "I guess so..." I muttered.
With that, the head merchant went back to his men and began barking orders. His men nodded and efficiently proceeded to gather and organize everything the bandits had taken from them. I, on the other hand, decided to give the girl the money I was given since she most likely deserved it. So, with that in mind, I walked towards where she was.
Currently, she was with the bandits since she volunteered to watch over them. I don't know why, but it was what she wanted. So when I got to where she was, I was surprised to see some of the bandits crying. "Ummm...what's going on here?" I asked her. She quickly turned around with a surprised expression, "Oh nothing~ I was just scolding these grown men about what they have done." she replied, smiling. "I see..." Is all I could say. Though, I could pretty much tell what she did.
"Anyways, the head merchant gave me this pouch full of silver coins, if you want-" I said before getting cut off, "I'd love to have it!" she declared, joyfully. I looked at her with a surprised expression, "Okay then...here you go." I said as I gave her the pouch. She hummed happily with the pouch in her palms. "You seem pretty happy." I said with an awkward smile. "Of course! Money is very much essential in life." she told me, still holding the pouch. "I suggest you keep that somewhere safe." I suggested, worrying that she might lose the coins somehow. "Good idea! I almost forgot." she said as she gave me a thumbs-up before putting the pouch in her backpack.
I sighed, "So what got you into this situation?" I asked. "Well, I just happen to walk by them a while ago when I heard a man scream from their direction. I ran towards them and saw that they were being attacked so I decided to fight off the bandits." she explained. "I see. So the explosions I heard from afar was you fighting them." I said. She smiled, "Yup! That was me! I'm pretty strong, aren't I?." she boasted while flexing her arm. "You definitely are..." I said, looking at the pretty beat-up bandits.
She giggled, seemingly delighted by my reply. Suddenly, she paused, looked at me, and then gasped, "Hold on! Were you the one that cast the magic bubble thingy on me?!" She asked, suddenly closing in on my face. "Y-yeah, that was me." I said, inching away slowly. "Really? Cause' that was SO cool!" she exclaimed, closing in again. "I-I didn't think it was that special." I replied, backing away further. "What do you mean?! THAT. LOOKED. AMAZING!" she exclaimed excitedly, flailing her arms in delight. "She's a weird one..." I thought.
"I'm guessing you like seeing spells and abilities?" I asked, picking her interest. "Of course! Seeing all the wonderful and unique things in the world is what I love the most! Especially magic and manatech! Both are amazing in their own rights. Magic can give you awesome powers, while manatech makes doing labor and transportation a lot easier! Seeing as much of these as possible is my dream!" she explained passionately. I smiled awkwardly, "That's one heck of a dream you got there." I said. "It is! It's the whole reason why I'm out here today. I'd rather go on an adventure than to sit around and do nothing in that dumb, old building anyways!" she declared with a hint of annoyance in her tone.
"Dumb, old building?" I thought, "I wonder what she meant by that?" I added while looking at her. She noticed me staring at her, "Is there something on my face?" she asked, tilting it slightly. "Nothing. I'm just curious about this 'dumb, old building' you speak off." I said. Her expression suddenly turned surprised as she covered her mouth, "Dumb, old building? Whatever could you mean? I-I don't remember saying anything like that. Hahaha..." she said while averting her gaze and scratching the back of her head. I stared at her suspiciously for a while but with no effect, so I decided to let it go, for now.
I sighed, "Anyways, where are you headed now?" I asked. She perked up again, "That way!" she said, pointing towards north. "Oh! So you're heading to town as well. That makes it easier then." I said, confusing her a bit. She tilted her head, "What do you mean by 'that makes it easier'?" she asked, folding her arms. "Well, I was planning to ask you to accompany me to town along with these merchants and bandits." I said. "Why? You're not making any sense." she said, still confused. I sighed, "I need to file a report about this. So I need witnesses such as yourself to come along and prove it." I explained. She smacked her hand onto her palm, "Oh! So you're going to put these idiots behind bars." she said while pointing at the bandits. "Simply put, yes." I said while nodding.
She gave me a thumbs-up, "Okay then! I'll go with you." she announced. "That was originally the plan." I muttered. "So, how are we going to get these idiots to town?" she asked. I smiled, "Don't worry. I'm pretty sure the head merchant will be willing to lend a hand or should I say caravan." I reassured her with a little joke. She chuckled, "Good one!" she said, patting my back. So I called out to the head merchant and asked if we can use one of their caravans to transport the bandits to town, he gave me thumbs-up and showed which one to put them in. "You can use this one. It's mostly just tools and spare parts." he said. "Thank you." I said before he walked off the main caravan.
I signaled the girl to bring the bandits over, "We can put them in this one." I called out. She nodded and began dragging the bandit's asses towards the caravan, literally. I just watched and laughed at the bandit's expressions as they were being dragged over by a tiny girl. I also realized that this girl was really strong since she managed to pull several fully grown men easily, "She is definitely strong." I thought. I then had them stand and waddle themselves to the corner of the caravan where they sat quietly.
I called out to the boss, "They're all set. You can go now. We'll catch up, don't worry." I announced as the line of caravans began moving. The girl then looked at me, "Wait, how are we gonna catch up to them?" she asked, looking back between me and the merchants. "Wait here, okay?" I told her as I ran back to get my horse. I saw that my horse was still there, so untied it and got on. It galloped towards where she was still standing. She noticed me approaching and waved.
"Get on." I told her, extending my out my hand. "Sure thing, partner!" she said, copying a western accent making me chuckle. I pulled her up and told her to hang on, "Hang on to what?" she asked. "Perhaps the side of the saddle. Would you prefer something else?" I asked her back. She smiled and hugged me from behind, "Then I'll hold onto you then." she said while giggling. I blushed a little bit, "Suite yourself, just don't let go." I told her. "Okay!" she replied energetically. We then caught up and followed the merchants ahead of us.
The trip to town was pretty quiet until she broke the ice, "Hey, what's your name?" she suddenly asked, "I'm Cupa Mishal by the way." she told me. "Oh! I'm Xander Arthur Crux, sorry for the late introduction." I said. "Nice to meet you, Xander!" she exclaimed happily. "Nice to meet you too." I told her.
After the small greetings, everything was quiet again. Then out of nowhere, I jumped as I felt Cupa's hands caressing my belly fat. My face turned red, "H-hey! What are you doing?!" I asked, feeling embarrassed about this kind of treatment. She giggled, "You're belly is so squishy, Xander!" she stated as she continues to play with it. "Will you stop! My belly is not a toy!" I told her, blushing even more. "But it feels great!" she exclaimed, shaking it like a water balloon. "Just stop, it's making me feel weird." I begged her. She laughed, "Make me~" she teased. "For the love of all that is good! Make her stop!" I begged in my thoughts as she continues to do as she pleases for the rest of the trip back.
(People of the Land: Cupa Mishal is what you call a humob or a human with traits that of a mob. She is a creeper humob, therefore giving her the explosive magic of a Creeper. She uses this magic to do some serious damage or gain mobility. She is a kind, energetic, happy-go-lucky, cheerful and curious individual. She loves eating snacks and anything sweet. She also gets annoyed when people call her a kid. She has short, sunset-orange hair, amber-colored eyes, small breasts, and a short, nicely built body. Her typical attire consists of a green creeper hoodie, green shorts/skirt, green stockings, rubber shoes, and a pair of brown leather gloves.)
Several minutes later, we finally arrived at our destination with all my dignity gone. I got off my horse and walked towards the guards on duty to report to them the incident. Cupa on the other hand, hummed happily as she sat patiently on my horse. After explaining to them the circumstances, they agreed and allowed us in. I was about to head back when one of the guards stopped me, "Dude, I know you were in a fight and all but why is your face beet red?" he asked, "Yeah, did you get a sunburn or something?" the other guard added. I sighed, "Let's just say a series of unfortunate events occurred to me, okay?" I told them which made them even more confused.
With that being done, I walked back to my horse as they opened the gates for us the pass through. Once inside, I guide them through town and lead them to our Headquarters where the Chief would be. A little later, we arrived at HQ and entered the building. Only the head merchant, Cupa and I went in the building, the other merchants waited outside along with the other guards to make sure the bandits don't escape.
I told the receptionist the situation, she nodded then accompanied us to the meeting room where the Chief will meet us. So, we all sat and helped ourselves to some complimentary snacks and drinks as we waited for his arrival, though not as much as Cupa did. She was devouring all of the snacks on the table, stuffing her mouth as much as she could before she swallows. I understand that the snack tastes good, but devouring so much in one go is a little too much. The merchant looked at me, I just gave him an awkward smile and shrugged.
A few minutes and a couple of empty snack trays later, Chief Richard Weldin finally arrived. He looked at the three of us and gave us a warm smile before sitting on the couch. "Good morning to you all!" he greeted. "Good morning to you too, good sir." the merchant greeted. I stood up and saluted, "Good morning, sir!" I greeted. He then gestured me to sit down. Cupa then stood up and copied me, "Good morning, sir!" she greeted. I quickly pulled her down to her seat, "What do you think you're doing?" I asked her. She looked at me with a smile, "I copied what you did, it looked fun so I tried it. Kinda felt good actually." she explained.
I sighed, "I apologize for her actions, sir." I told him, bowing sincerely. I also grabbed Cupa by the back of her head and forced her to bow, she struggled as I did so. "H-hey! Let go of me!" she demanded. "Not until you apologize." I said as she squirmed. The Chief laughed, "Don't worry about it. Just settle down and relax." he told us. So I let go of her and sat down. She then looked at me with a pouty face, "You didn't have to be so rough on me." she said, crossing her arms. "It was for your behavior towards the Chief." I told her. She sat down, "You could have at least told me." she said. "If I did, would you have done it?" I asked, "Nope!" she replied. This girl is slightly getting on my nerves.
I sighed, "My point exactly. Which is why I had to do it." I explained, "It was also payback for the horse ride." I added. She pouted, "Still! You could have done it a bit more gently." Cupa stated as she looked away. I sighed, "Okay then, I'm sorry for not doing it gently." I apologized. "You also need to compensate for it too." she said, smiling. "Fine. I'll take you around town after this. Sound good?" I asked. She looked at me with a brightened expression, "Deal!" she stated happily. I sighed and scratched the back of my head, "Why am I going through this?" I thought.
I then heard both the Chief and the merchant chuckle, "Hmmm...Going around the town with a girl sounds like a date to me. Don't tell me this what you came here to report, Xander?" the Chief teased. "Oh yeah! It does sound like a date." Cupa agreed, not making my situation any easier. The Chief's eyebrow went up, "Oh? So it is a date then. Who would have thought you'd land yourself a cute girlfriend." he joked. I blushed, "She's not my girlfriend and we're not going on a date, I swear." I explained, feeling extremely embarrassed. Cupa, on the other hand, wasn't bothered at all by the teasing. In fact, she seems to be enjoying it.
I coughed, "A-anyway, jokes aside. I came to report to you about the incident involving the attack on these merchants on their way to town. Along with the involvement of this young girl and me for coming to their aide." I told the chief. "I see. Okay then, let's begin." he said. We then began to tell him the whole story from all perspectives. The merchant told him that they were just peacefully passing through when they were ambushed. Cupa told him that she saw them being ambushed coincidentally and decided to help. While I told him that I heard Cupa's attacks from afar and decided to investigate, upon seeing the situation I took action.
All throughout the Chief listened to our stories intently. He sighed, "Seems like one hell of an incident to me." he said, scratching his beard. "I hope we managed to give you enough information to brings those bandits to justice." the merchant said. The chief smiled, "Of course! That's plenty of information. I'll have my boys take those bandits in for questioning before finally exacting judgment on them. So don't worry about it, sir." he reassured him. He then turned towards the tow of us, "As for you two, mighty fine fighting back there! Especially you young lady, for a person such as your size to beat down several rugged men is pretty amazing." he complimented as Cupa cupped her cheeks in embarrassment(?), "I'm also proud to see that you're training has pulled you through again, Xander. First, assassins. Now, bandits. What else? A world-destroying entity?" he joked. Cupa looked at me in shock, "You fought assassins? That's sound legit! Tell me the story later, okay?" she asked. I sighed, "Okay, I'll tell you later. Also, I don't think I'll be fighting any world-threatening entities in the first place." I told him, giving him an awkward smile.
The chief smiled back, "Well, that's it. I'll see you off at the entrance." he said, opening the door for us. We then walked towards the entrance where he shall see us off. "Thank you for your time, sir. I'll leave this mess to you now." the merchant said, smiling. "Of course! We shall take care of it." the chief said, signaling the guards to take the bandits in. "Well, I'll be going now. Take care you two and thanks for helping." the merchant said as he entered his caravan and left with his colleagues. "Bye!" Cupa yelled as she waved her hand. "You know he can't hear you anymore, right?" I told her. "You never know~." she said, smiling.
I then felt a hand on my shoulder, "So, what are we planning to do now?" Chief Richard asked. Cupa smiled, "Xander's going to take me around town!" she declared happily. "I see, we'll then I wish you to enjoy this town. It's quite the popular tourist spot." he told her, making Cupa feel more excited. He then slipped something in my pocket, "A little spending money for you and the little lady." he whispered. "W-what?! Sir, I could never take money from you." I whispered back. "Just take it. It's not often you spend time with girls." he joked. "Hey, what are you whispering about?" Cupa entered the conversation. Chief Richard pulled back, "Well, I guess it's time I head back to work. See you later." he said before entering the building.
"What were you talking about?" Cupa asked. I sighed, "Nothing. Let's just bring back my horse to the stables before I take you around town." I told her, walking to my horse. "Okay! Can't wait to set this date in action!" she exclaimed excitedly. I coughed upon hearing her statement, "It's not a date, okay?" I told her. She tilted her head, "Why not? It fits the situation pretty well. A boy and a girl go out together to have fun, kinda like what we're about to do." she explained as she skipped down the steps.
I sighed, "Look, dates are meant for couples who 'like' each other. Not for some people who just met a while back." I explained while fixing the saddle. "So does that mean it's not a date because you don't like me?" she suddenly asked, catching me off-guard. I turned around saw her intently staring at me, "It's not like that. I just meant dates were for people with romantic relations." I explained, scratching the back of my head. "Okay but you still didn't answer my question though. Do you like me or not? Yes or no?" she asked, still staring at me. "I do l-like you, okay? But not in a romantic way." I replied, looking away as I scratched my bright red cheeks.
She smiled, "I like you too." she told me, making blush even more. "N-not in a romantic way, r-right?" I clarified. She giggled, "Who knows?" she said, shrugging. She then walked closer and stared at my face, "W-what is it?" I asked. She smiled, "Your reactions are cute." she said as she poked my nose. "S-shut up! I don't handle this kind of situations well." I explained, inching away. She giggled, "This is why I find you interesting." she said.
I have had enough of her teasing. My face is bright red, I'm extremely embarrassed, I feel hungry and I'm pretty much drained of energy. I can not continue this anymore, who knew dealing with humobs was this difficult? So, instead of just standing around, I decided to head to the stables and get this over with. Cupa followed me the moment I began walking away. At least she stopped talking and began admiring the town instead of me.
(People of the Land: Richard Weldin is the Chief of the town guards and a former adventurer. He used to work alongside Uncle Alazar during his youth but retired when he was around his 50's. He is a calm, collected, and caring individual who always looks or for his men. He even convinced me once to accompany him to a match-making party along with the other guards, it was a total disaster for me. He looks decent on my part with short, spiky, blonde hair, blue eyes, a wonderful mustache, and bulky body. He normally wears a blue cloak with gold accents, paired with a white shirt on the inside, jeans, and combat boots.)
After a few minutes, we arrived at the stables without delay. Cupa decided to wait for me outside since only those that had business inside were allowed to enter. Stables have strict rules and regulations, better follow unless you want to get 'kicked' out. Anyway, after talking to the caretaker I exited the building. I then saw her leaning on one of the wooden fences while looking around. It may be my imagination but from the way I saw her, it seemed like she is burdened by something. She then noticed me staring and decided to wave at me, "Xander! Over here!" she called out. I smiled, "I know!" I replied, walking back to her. It seems she's back to normal, I guess it was just my imagination.
She approached me, "So? How did it go?" she asked. I gave her a confused look, "Uhh...it was fine, I guess? There really isn't much to say." I told her. "So does that mean?" she asked. I nodded, "Yes, I'll accompany you around town as promised." I said, causing her to jump for joy. "By the way, which way are we going?" she asked. I pointed to road-going south, "We'll just head straight that way. It'll lead us straight to the shopping district of town." I told her. She suddenly grabbed my hand, "Alright! Let's go then!" she declared, running in the direction I told her while dragging me from behind. "H-hey! Wait a minute!" I screamed as clouds of dust formed behind us.
Moments later, we arrived at our destination, safely. Though, we did make some sort of commotion which caused some passersby's to look at us. I mean why wouldn't they? Imagine a girl running at high speeds with a boy being dragged from behind, leaving a trail of dust as they run when they suddenly stopped with ease. That's basically the scenario I was in. I honestly felt like I was flying when she ran, my feet literally left the ground. Nevertheless, we arrived at the shopping district as quicker than I anticipated. She must have been that excited.
I dusted myself with my available hand since my other hand was still being held by Cupa. I tried freeing myself but her grip was quite strong that her hand didn't even budge. I then heard a kid pass by along with her mom, "Mommy look, it's a couple!" the kid said, pointing at us. The mom just pulled her kid away and I assumed told her it was rude. An old couple happens to pass by as well, "Ahh~ Young love, don't you just remember our good old days." the old lady told her husband who just nodded with a smile. I felt rather embarrassed by the situation so I tried talking to Cupa, but it seems she couldn't hear me. She was preoccupied with staring at all the nearby shops, her eyes to me were glimmering as if she had seen something she hasn't seen before.
I decided to poke her sides to get her attention, "Ahh!" she yelped. Note to self: Remember to poke her sides to get her attention. She looked at me with a beet-red face, "W-what do you think you're doing?!" she asked, rubbing the side I poked. I scratched the back of my head, "Sorry about that, I just couldn't think of another way to get your attention." I said. She pouted, "Xander! You shouldn't just poke a girl as you please. We are very sensitive beings." she told me. "So, are you saying that your sides are...sensitive?" I asked, feeling rather curious. She blushed, "T-that's none of your business! A-anyway, why did you need my attention?" she asked. I raised our still intertwined hands, "I was gonna ask you to let go, it's quite embarrassing." I said.
She then looked at me and then our hands, "No!" she stated. "Huh?!" I exclaimed. "As punishment for what you did, you have to hold my hand for the rest the day." she declared. "But why?" I asked. "No buts! Just do it! If you're a man then I'm sure you can hold a lady's hand with ease." she told me. I sighed, "Why do I have to go through this?" I muttered. She smiled, "This is what you call payback." she said, causing me to sigh once more. "You said it was embarrassing? Then feel embarrassed even more!" she stated. "Says the girl who's still bright red." I told her. "Do you want things to get worse?" she asked. I sighed as I steeled myself, "Nope. Let's just get going already. It's almost lunchtime so I'll bring you to a nice cafe I know of." I said as I walked away, pulling her along with me.
On our way there, Cupa kept humming happily next to me as we walked through the busy streets of the business district. There were a lot of people today since it was a weekend, most of them were here to have fun like us, I guess? While others are here to do some groceries. A lot of traveling merchants also gather around here, like those we met earlier. You can see their caravans lined up on the side streets as they display what goods they have in stock.
Since it was already lunchtime, the crowd of people was getting larger so I decided to hold onto Cupa's hand tighter so she won't get separated from me. I guess it was a good idea to hold hands, I mean she could get lost with the number of people here. And I don't want her causing a ruckus in town, whatsoever. She noticed me squeezing her hand, "Don't let go, okay?" I told her. She just smiled and nodded in agreement as we traversed the growing crowd.
A few minutes later, we finally arrived at the cafe that I was talking about. I stopped for a moment outside to rest and catch my breath. Cupa, on the other hand, looked at the sign, "Cafe Graffiti?" she said aloud. She looked at me, "Hey what does 'Graffiti' mean?" she asked. "Oh, you don't know? Well, it's a form of art that is expressed on walls instead of paper." I described which picked her interest. "Ohhh, that sounds fun!" she announced. I chuckled, "It is. If you're interested, you can even do some graffiti yourself." I told her. I noticed her eyes glimmering with excitement as she made a huge smile, "Really?! Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" she declared. She then entered the cafe, pulling me in along with her.
Upon entering, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and handcrafted pastries filled our nostrils. It was such a pleasant smell that I couldn't help but take a deep breath and let out a sigh of delight. Cupa was on the same page as me, though instead of sighing I noticed she was drooling instead. I chuckled and grabbed my handkerchief, "I suggest you don't drool." I told her while wiping her mouth. She blushed, "H-hey! Don't treat me like a child." she stated. I just gave her a look in the eye before calling the attention of one of the waiters. The waiter approached us, "Table for two, please." I told him as he nodded and showed us to our seats. "Table for two...never have I thought of the day I'd say that." I thought as I walked to my seat.
The waiter then left us with the menu to choose from. I was going to ask Cupa what would she like to order when I noticed her gazing upon the countless graffiti on the walls. They were everywhere, all of them were made by different people with their own unique ways, some of these were either words, pictures but they mostly abstract art. "Amazing, isn't it?" I asked. She nodded, "If you want, you could do some of your graffiti on this wall next to us." I told her, tapping the wall next to us. "You sure?" she asked. I nodded, "Of course! You can grab some art materials over there." I said, pointing at the cabinet full of art materials near the counter. She immediately stood up, "I'll go get some then!" she declared excitedly. I chuckled, "She honestly looks like a child at this rate." I thought, watching her grab as many materials as she could.
She then waltzes over back to our table carrying several paint tubes and two paintbrushes. "That's quite a lot..." I said. She smiled and handed me one of the brushes, "Here you go!" she said. I looked at the brush in my hand, "Do have to do this as well?" I asked. "Of course! I need a rival to do my best." she declared. I smiled worriedly, "I have to warn you, I'm terrible at art despite loving it." I told her. She huffed, "Then my victory is assured." she said confidently. I sighed, "Well, I guess it won't hurt to do so." I muttered, lifting up the brush.
Cupa was about to start painting when she paused and looked at me, "By the way, doesn't paint smell bad? So how come it smells nice in here?" she asked. "Oh, that! They use odorless and non-toxic paint to ensure the safety of the customers, as well as the shops overall scent. So don't worry about it." I told her while dipping my brush in paint. She sighed, "Okay then! Let's get started." she announced, feeling relieved.
So for a while, we painted or should I say decorated the wall next to us. I tried my very best to make a decent looking graffiti of my name. I painted a nice, green, four-leafed clover representing my letter 'X' then just added an artistically(?) written 'ander' next to it and voila! A nice and decent looking graffiti of my name. I smiled, feeling rather contented with my work despite looking not as great as the others.
I then turned to see what Cupa was painting since I didn't notice at all what she was doing. To my surprise, I saw her painting herself in a cartoonish art-style and a really good one too. She looked at smiled, "So? What do you think?" she asked. "It looks adorable. I didn't expect you to be actually good at this." I said, still dumbfounded. "Well, you could say I'm a talented girl." she said. I sighed, "I wish I was too..." I muttered, feeling a bit down. She then walked near me and patted my back, "Aww, don't be sad. I mean, you did manage to make your name looks nice." she comforted me. "Thanks..." I said, forcing smile.
"Plus, I also drew you next to me. Take a look." she told me, pointing over to her painting. I then noticed a round-looking figure next to Cupa's and saw that it was actually me. She drew me in a rather silly way but I still appreciated it, in fact, I've always appreciated art with me in it. I genuinely smiled, "Thanks, I actually feel much better now." I said as a tear rolled down cheeks. "Tears? You're that happy to see a painting of yourself?!" she asked. I wiped that one singular tear off, "I always wanted to be in someone's art since I can't even draw properly. So every time someone does include me, I can't help but feel extremely happy." I told her. She smiled awkwardly, "Okay then..." she muttered.
I then heard something growl like that of a beast. I turned to the source and saw Cupa covering her tummy with her two hands. "Was that...you?" I asked. She looked away and began whistling, "I'm assuming it was you." I said. She scratches the back of her head, "I guess I really need something to eat, huh?" she said, letting out a weak laugh. I gave her the menu, "Well don't just stand there! Find something you'd like to eat already." I told her. She nodded and went back to her seat to choose her meal.
After deciding on what we want to eat, I called the waiter and told him our orders as he wrote it down in his handy-dandy notebook before leaving. Several minutes later, our food finally arrived. Cupa's order was the shops signature burger containing two, large 100% pure beef patties, several slices of lettuce, tomato and onions, four different kinds of cheese, some bacon slices, their signature sauce, and of course two, whole wheat burger buns, paired with some fries and a nice, cold glass of iced tea.
I, on the other hand, just ordered a simple, well-done steak, accompanied by barbeque sauce and some mashed potato. Though instead of having just one glass of iced tea, I ordered two liters of it since I much liquid to rehydrate, I also just like the sensation of fluid going down my throat. Cupa gave me a questionable look when I told the waiter to give me two liters wort of iced tea. Setting that aside, we also ordered one, small pork roast (like that from the first episode of Food Wars) just because it sounded quite appetizing to the both of us.
With all our orders complete, we were finally able to have a well-deserved and delicious lunch together. Using the money the chief handed me, of course! I normally don't spend this much on food, but since he gave me some allowance for the little lady then why not use it for its purpose, right?
As we ate, I noticed that Cupa's face looked messy from all the sauce inside the burger. She noticed me looking at her, "What is it?" she asked, her mouth still stuffed with food. I grabbed a napkin and wiped her face clean, "Try not to make a mess out of yourself." I told her. She glared at me and puffed her cheeks, "Stop treating like I'm a child." she said. I took a sip of my drink, "I'm not. I'm just being a good person." I told her. She glared at me for a while before returning to her meal, causing a bit of a mess, again. I sighed, "Aww sh*t, here we go again." I thought, grabbing a napkin.
Anyway, after having lunch together, Cupa told me she wanted to go window shopping. So I accompanied her to the different shops the district has to offer and watched her admire the different kinds of things being sold all around. Seeing her all excited just from looking at clothes and accessories from the windows, as well as, her dragging me around the place really reminds me of a child. I chuckled at the thought of it which Cupa noticed, she gave me a confused look but I just gave her a genuine smile. She smiled back and continued her exploration. We were still holding hands, by the way, so yeah...
Soon enough, we were both exhausted from going around half of the town like that. So I decided to bring her to the nearest park where we can possibly rest. It just took a few minutes to get there from the business district, so once we got there we immediately sat on one of the benches located under the shade of a tree. The park was quiet since it was probably around three in the afternoon, only the sound of rustling leaves can be heard. As we relaxed on the bench, the warm afternoon breeze greeted us which made me feel rather sleepy. And without realizing it, I dozed off.
Upon opening my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of a well-maintained garden, flourishing with numerous plants. A nice little pond was also present which contained several multi-colored fishes that swam happily in the water. A single wind chime hung above me which played its tune when the wind passed by. The floor I was sitting on was made of nice and smooth oak wood. I looked around and noticed that I was in someone's home.
I stood up and decided to walk around, the room I was in seemed to be the living area since it had several chairs and a table in the center. On the wall were several paintings of the landscape I just saw. But what caught my attention was the portrait of a family hanging from the center wall. I drew closer to inspect it until I heard a mature woman's voice, "Xander! It's snack time." the voice called. The voice drew closer but as it did, the voice began to waver until it was gone.
I opened my eyes and gasped for air, "Just another dream..." I muttered, wiping away the sweat on my forehead. "Where was I in that dream? And why does that voice sound familiar?" I asked myself. I sighed, "Whatever, it's just a dream." I muttered. I then felt something move on my lap. So, I looked to see what it was, only to find out it was just Cupa.
I then panicked upon realizing it was her. It seems she has fallen asleep as well but on me instead, I know that I'm rather soft but this something I have not experienced once. I tried to get up slowly but every time I'd do so, she would groan then grab my pants. With that, I wasn't able to do anything about it. So I sighed and resigned to my faith as a lap pillow. Though I could just wake her up but doing so would be rude of me.
Anyway, I decided to keep things the way it is and not have her waken up. At first, it was embarrassing but over time it didn't feel like that anymore. In fact, I even decided to stroke her head a bit to make her feel more comfortable. She smiled and cuddled closer as I did so, "She really is like a child..." I said, chuckling from the thought of it. Suddenly she began talking in her sleep, "I don't wanna..." she groaned. I looked at her still-sleeping face, "Pardon? Don't wanna what?" I asked. "Not...like." she replied. "Ummm, what do you not like?" I asked, getting curious. "Go, him. Leave..." she replied. "I see..." I muttered, thinking that she might be talking about the reason why she went on a journey.
"Stupid, Dad!" she mumbled in her sleep. I looked at her again, "I guess, it's family issues. Better not get too involved. Actually, I'll forget this ever happened. Some things are just not meant to be discussed or asked about." I told myself. After that, everything was quiet again as I continue to stroke Cupa's head. She smiled in her sleep as I continued, "Xander~" she muttered. I sighed, "Like a child indeed." I muttered, smiling.
Author's Note: That's it for now! I hope you enjoyed the story. If you have anything to say about it, don't be afraid to leave a comment. I accept all forms of criticism, opinions, and compliments. I hope you all have a wonderful day. Thank you and God bless! :)