Author's Note: Thank you for reading, the story! If people liked this fanfic, then I'll also try and make a fanfic for Darkness and Megumin. Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 6: Determination
Kazuma POV
*Pant* *Pant*
"Where the hell is she?" And how can she run that fast!?
...As I'm running in the city, I saw the professional party. They are having a meeting somehow. I casually walk so I can hear they're conversation.
"I wonder why she declined our invitation." The priest said to his allies.
She….declined it?
"She said that someone needs her here.." Said the crusader..
I stop at my tracks…..
"Hahhhh, our journey was just a waste of energy. Let's go home, we can kill the Demon Lord ourselves." They start walking away.
"But, what a waste. That girl must have been stronger than you, leader."
"No way….. If that's the case then let's meet her again, when her party reaches the last city." Then they start walking off.
"Is that the reason why?"
…That self proclaimed goddess wouldn't decline a really good offer. That offer was her best ticket home, her best ticket to a better life and her best ticket to…..be happy..
"WHY DID SHE DECLINE!?"
Frustrated, I start to run. I'm really gonna have a serious talk with that goddess. *clenching my teeth*
First place that comes to mind, is of course the guild.
"Hey guys, have you seen Aqua!?" I shouted, I'm just making this quick.
"No, we just saw her walk away after she declined the party." The big boobed girl said.
"I wonder why she declined that golden offer." They sadly said.
"…..Yeah, I wanna know why too." I agreed with them.
"I'm off, guys."
Not waiting for an answer, I run to the next place.
It's almost noon….I still haven't found her…. I've already searched through Wiz's shop, the construction site, the lake and every rental rooms.
"….Maybe she changed her mind and joined the expert party.." ….
If that's the case….Then I should just go home….
I start walking slowly to the stable… It was already night time when I got home..
And as I open the door…I finally found the goddess…..She was just there sitting in the haystacks, while hugging the Snow Sprite she caught.
"Aq-"
*Grumble* *Grumble*
...Eh?
"I'm so hungry~~~~~" She said in a sad voice.
*sign~~~~~* Well that's just like her. I stay composed.
"Come on Aqua, let's eat." I smiled.
Silence….. Come on~ Don't leave me hangin..
"Why should I come?" She said irritated.
Finally a serious talk.
"Then why shouldn't you come?" I said back.
She twitched.
"You want to know why?" Aqua said standing up.
"Of cour-!" I was interrupted.
"God Blow!" Aqua screamingly chanted. She punched me in the face, sending my body flying to a wall.
"Hey! Be quiet over there!" I heard the landlord scream…
"I'm sorry!" I shout in the wall.
Aqua starts walking closer.
"That blow was powerful. You must be really angry at me." I said to her.
God blow represents a goddess's rage and sorrow. Everything it strikes perishes…..She wasn't lying huh?
I try to look at her face…. But I can't see it…. It's dark…
She then puts her hand up….
Is she gonna slap me?
...I ready my face…
...I deserve this…
As she goes in…. I can finally see her face…
..She's crying…
*Slap!*
"Why are you inviting me to eat?!... You… hate me right!?"
*Slap!*
"You hate me so much, that you …want me to leave this place!"
*Slap*
"Do you hate me that much?! That you even want to help me packup!?"
Her slaps get weaker..
"I thought you …..said that…you don't mind my mistakes."
I feel her tears, flowing down my face…
"Do you hate all the memories we've made?"
She's just touching my cheeks again and again.
"Were you just lying to me? You…don't even…need me right?"
Her hands are just resting in my cheeks.
"Why?...Kazuma… Onegai..Tell me..Did you re-really lie?" She just keeps crying…
…. I grab her hands…
"I'm really a hikiNEET huh?...I'm always making you cry." I calmly said to her.
"Yeah, you really hate me so you always make me cry." She sadly said.
"If I do hate you ever since we've met….then I've already gave you away to another party, I would not bear the troublesome things you do, I would always avoid you, I wouldn't sleep in the same stable as you, I wouldn't have saved you from the Giant Toad, I wouldn't help you in your great debts, I wouldn't have cared about your crying, I wouldn't even think about you, and I wouldn't need you…. Even if all our memories are a little unpleasant…..They were still the best times in my life.. So pls don't say that I hate you.."
Even if I embarrass myself, it's ok.
Aqua just keeps crying….. I wipe her tears away…Even if the tears form again and again….
"Then….why were you so eager to see me off, even after I declined the invitation." Aqua looks at me.
Do I really have to say it.. This is embarrassing..
I look away.
"When I heard the party inviting you. I just…..don't want to hear your eager "Yes!" to them. So I just ran away before I heard your answer."
Aqua gasped. Then... looks away.
"Then why didn't you want to hear it?" Aqua asked shyly.
"Y-you….already know the answer to that.."
I really don't want to embarrass myself anymore.
"N-no I don't. I have a low intelligence stat right? T-then you should explain it properly to me." Aqua said shyly.
...No way am I going to say it!
I stand up. With a determined look on my face, I look at Aqua.
"I'm…..going out to eat!" I run out of the stable.
"Oyyy! Come back here!" Aqua then chases after me..
"NOOOOOO!"
I will tell her someday…SOMEDAY! Okay?!
KO-NO-SU-BA
Next Day
"Hahhhhhhh. Where are those 3?"
I'm currently waiting at them guild bridge. It's already night time, and today is the long awaited festival. The festival is just like Japan's. They wear kimonos, and yukatas. And also, the booths are also like Japan. Oh, I'm also wearing a normal green kimono.
"I wonder how they got the idea?"
"Kazuma! Thanks for waiting for us!" I heard the crazy one.
"Man…. What took you so lo-" I instantly stared at my party.
…
What the hell is this!?
….This ….is not my party… I can tell you that! Megumin is wearing a dark colored yukata designed with the red magic circles (The circles that appear before the explosion) and her hair is tied into a ponytail. Is she really the girl that's addicted to explosions?…Darkness's yukata is a bright orange designed with flowers and her hair is tied into a bun. They're beautiful...
"Um who are you guys?" I said dumbfounded.
"Now that's rude!" They said in unison.
"You two are too stunning to be the Darkness and Megumin I know."
The two gasped and just put their head down in embarrassment.
Oh yeah!
"Where's Aqua?"
"Aqua's hiding back there. She's embarrassed because it's her first time wearing a yukata. We tried to get her out but she's resisting very badly." In unison, again.
Hehehe! She's embarrassed huh? I finally have a chance to tease her..
"It is a waste since Aq-" Before they finish I interrupted them.
"You guys go on ahead! Oh yeah, Darkness the thief girl was just there looking for you two. See you later guys!"
….. I run off.. Not waiting for an answer.
"Now where is she?"
I can't see her immediately. Since there are a lot of people... Of course, since it's a festival.. I look around.
I reveal my devil grin…
I see a girl with blue hair..
There she is!...
Hiding behind a tree….
"Hehehe! Lurk!" I silently walk up to her….
….Eh?... As I'm in front of her I finally see her kimono….
"Aqua i-is that you?"
"K-K-Kazuma! How did you find me!?" This beautiful girl stood up..
My eyes really widened… This girl is wearing a light blue yukata tied with a pink ribbon. Her yukata is designed with bubbles..With her hair, tied into a pony tail…. …I can't describe her with words…..I can't….take my eyes off her...
"Hah! Tease me all you want Kazuma! I know, I know… I look stupid…" She said sadly.
Unfortunately, my mouth starts talking immediately...
"Your beautiful, stunning, pretty, cute, gorgeous, breath taking, lovely-"
"You don't have to tease me that much!"
I smile at her words.
"No seriously, you ...really look beautiful. I can't describe you in words only..." I calmly said to her, not a bit of doubt and joke in my voice.
Aqua gasped, a slight blush is starting to appear at her face..
"I-is that s-so? I-I k-knew that, y-you don't h-have to tell me." She said stuttering. She looks away
"Is that so~~?" I look at her face. Grinning.
"Of c-course!" She looks away again..
"Hmmmm~~~" I look at her face again
Aqua then starts pouting.
"Okay! Okay! Thanks for complimenting me."
She finally said it….
"You're welcome."
"I was just so nervous since it's my first time wearing a yukata."
" And now you and I know, that you look great in one, so let's go!"
I start walking away, expecting her to catch up.
"I'm not going! I don't want to! It's embarrassing!" Aqua stays there blushing.
"Oh come on~ A lot of people will compliment you, so let's go…"
"N-O!" She stands her ground…
Hmmmmmm…Ahhh!
"Don't you want to taste the delicious food and sake? I'll treat you to anything~"
"Guhhhh~" Aqua mourns
You can't reject this offer~ Just accept~~ This goddess will accept any offer if there's sake and food in it~
"You thought of something rude noh?" Aqua said with an -_- face..
"Of course not~!"
"I'm not that weak to food! I'm not going!"
*sign* I look at my surroundings
…. Ahhhh!
I walk to Aqua.
"Stay there for a while."
"….Eh?"
I then go to the booth that sells masks..
"Here you go. Now they won't even recognize you."
I hand her the mask, I bought..
"Ehhhh!? Why does it have to be the Winter Shogun?" Aqua complains.
"Your yukata is a light blue so, the right mask would be the winter shogun. Since his armor is also colored a light blue." I blantly said.
Aqua continues to pout.
"Then what's your mask?"
"Don't need one…"
"No! You chose me an embarrassing mask. Then I'm gonna choose one for you too! REVENGE~~~"
Aqua puts her Winter Shogun mask…. She looks at me...
*snork* She looks stupid Bwahahaha!
"Don't kill me again! You Shogun!" I scream at her.
"Just you wait Kazuma~~ Bweheheeheh~!" She starts to walk at the mask booth.
Creeeepy~~ Heh~ She's just gonna choose a corny mask anyway. She's not bright enough to pick a good one to tease me with.
1 minute later
"Hehehe here you go." Aqua then gives me my mask.
Heh! You can't choose a good one because of your stats….. I look at the mask….. Oh come on!
The mask represents a green Giant Toad.
"*Twitching* Oy Aqua….. Why does it have to be a toad….." I desperately try to stay calm.
"Ehhh~ You said that your mask should be as the same color as your clothes right~? She said teasingly.
"Hahhh! OK! Fine!"
I grabbed the mask then put it on. I look at Aqua.
….
"Bwahahahahahahah! K-K-Kazuma! You look like a toad with a malnourished body! Bwahahahaha!"
Grrrrrrrrrrrr!
"Come on! We're going!" I start walking away.
"W-W-Wait for me, Toad! Bwahaha! Pls don't eat me! Ohhh you stink!"
Aqua laughingly follows me..
Time passes…
"Oyyyy~ Kazuma~ Are you angry~?"
I'll try giving her the silent treatment. That's her punishment…
*Sobs* Who wouldn't be angry if some kids throw rocks at you, because they thought that you were really a malnourished toad? Everyone would feel like a freak…
"Oyyy~ talk to me~" Aqua keeps bugging me.
"Hmmmmm~"
I think she's thinking about something. I can't tell since she's also wearing a mask.
"Ahh! Ok, Kazuma let me tell you a reason why our masks are special."
Hmm? I look at her..
"How then?"
"They're….the monsters that made us, give our first time to each other….." She said innocently..
Huh?
"See?" She touches my mask..
"When we were in our first kill quest, you saved me from a Giant Toad. That was the first time you saved me." She shyly said to me
! Oh yeah…
I touch her mask too.
"And this is the kill quest, when you saved me, when I was beheaded. The very first time you saved me from such a scary death."
Aqua giggles a little.
Aqua then takes off her mask a little, so I can see her face.
She smiles
"Arigatou, for saving me… Toad."
I also take off my mask a little. And also smiled….
"Arigatou too, Shogun."
And at that time…~Grumble~ ~Grumble~
We laugh at each other's hunger. We both put our masks on.
"Then let's go eat."
We both walk away, to find the food booths.
"Being eaten by a Toad is a much more scarier death you know?"
"I don't think so, being eaten is pretty common actually. Especially in cartoons."
"What's a cartoon?"
... I want to take her to Japan
Time passes
This really isn't peaceful as I've expected.
"Aqua! Where are you!?" I shout while I wave my arms up.
We've lost each other, 5 times already! There are really a lot of people here.
"Kazuma! Here!" A hand appeared!
What should Kazuma do?
Fight!
Run!
Catch!
Gonna Ketchumall!
I run to the owner of the hand. And saw the Shogun again. Aqua then starts complaining again...
"*sign* I just want to eat….."
"Me too….. I'm really hungry now!"
We then again walk to the crowd…..
We again try to squish ourselves….
I look at Aqua..
"Sorry~~ Excuse me~~"
She's saying that to everyone she bumps into!
She's falling behind again!
At this rate, we'll get lost again! And I don't think my stomach can hold back any longer.. Cliché as it maybe, there are 3 options.
1. Leave the goddess. (That's pretty mean)
2. Don't eat anymore. (Equals death)
3. Hold her hand, to not get separated. (CLICHÉ~~~~~)
No choice here. I want to make it up to her. So I'm not going to leave her…. I wait for Aqua to get closer to me. And as she did.
"Why are you stopping Kazuma?"
*Inhales* I hold out my hand.
" Come on, let's hold hands. I'm really super hungry right now.. I really don't want you to get lost anymore." Saying that ,I look away.
"Is that so~? Well I AM hungry , so I'll hold your hand." She said teasingly.
Aghhh! Why am I always the one embarrassed here… Payback time….. Remember kids, reverse psychology.
Before Aqua can hold my hand, I quickly pull it back.
"No it's okay Aqua. I don't want to force you in doing something you don't want. Let's continue the quest!"
I start walking away,….. when I feel a tug on my sleeve. I grin.
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry! Can I hold your hand now?" Aqua said demanding.
I look at her.
" Do you really want to~~?" I said teasingly.
Aqua pouts.
"If you really don't want to, it's f-" Before she pulls back, I tightly hold her hand.
"Just a little payback for teasing me." I smiled at her.
"You really are a hikiNEET." Aqua tightly grabs back.
"Pretty cliche right?"
"Your an idiot~" Aqua smiles at me.
We then search for a food booth. Determined to make it up for Aqua.
Chapter 6 END
Author's note: Sorry guys for the out of characterism! Of course because when you fall in love with someone, you change of course. How was the chapter? Pls tell me!