So, now that I had found the only other person I knew was trapped in this new place like I was. The really awkward part had to be done. I needed to start talking to him. Now I know that doesn't seem like a hard job. I can talk bark off a tree after all. But the thing was, I really was at this guy's mercy, with no weapons, no items, and heck two pieces of non magical clothing covering my non magical skin covered skeleton. He meanwhile sat across from me on the most intimidating throne ever created, ordained in royal garments that would make a king jealous, a doubtlessly powerful golden staff safely by his side floating in the air, his sockets where eyes should've been seemingly staring right through me. After a moment or so thinking he would be the first to speak, I realized he wouldn't.
"So, no clue how this happened to us?" I asked.
"None worth sharing." Ains replied in what sounded like a sigh.
"Well of course you wouldn't share them." I thought annoyed at myself for asking that obvious of a question. I needed to try and earn this guy's trust. "Look, we're not gonna get anywhere if you don't trust me." I said being very straightforward.
"Aren't we?" He asked tilting his head slightly in a slightly intimidating fashion. "I could get pretty far without trusting you."
"Well you could. Sure. I can't." I replied pointing towards myself.
"What makes you think I care about you?" He asked simply and quickly.
"You're reaction to me." I replied just as swiftly. His silence beckoned me to continue. "If you really didn't care about me or anything I did, you'd have just killed me by now or had your guardians do it."
"A good observation." He nodded. "But perhaps you know more than you're letting on. Perhaps you know why we're here and are simply playing me for a fool?"
"To what fucking end?" I asked letting my temper get the best of me. He betrayed no such emotion however and continued.
"There are many possibilities. Perhaps you wish to steal something from Nazarick, perhaps kill me and rule Nazarick yourself."
"Is this a game of hypo-fucking-theticals?" I replied my temper still steaming. Why the hell was he so damn suspicious of me? He's the one who looked like a skeleton demon. "I could give two thirds of a fuck about Nazarick or ruling it. I WANT TO GO HOME!" My last sentence echoed throughout the chamber for what seemed like minutes. I never broke my stare with him though. I stood there looking for pretty much anything on that skinless face of his that might betray some sort of emotion. "Don't you?" I asked.
He didn't speak at first as his gaze turned away from me and down to himself. He looked over his robes, then his bony fingers that lied on the throne's armrests. After a moment or so of that, he looked back over to me. "Nazarick is my home." He replied. It was short and brutally honest displaying no a hint of doubt or second guessing. And it pissed me off.
"The fuck you mean Nazarick is your home?!" I replied. "You must've had a life outside Yggdrasil. Friends, job, mom, dad, something. How do you think they feel about you just disappearing from their lives?"
"And you think the guardians of Nazarick are any different?" He asked keeping his calm demeanor. I paused, reigning my temper back in as I thought back to what Albedo said.
"It's far too lonely when no one else is here."
I bit my lower lip, angry that I had forgotten about it. Ains meanwhile continued, his voice taking on the aura of a booming thunderstorm.
"Whether or not I had a life back on earth is none of your concern. All that matters is I'm needed here now. To defend the guardians, the Pleiades , and all who pledge their loyalty. To rule and safeguard Nazarick from anyone or anything that would wish it harm. That is my goal and that is what I intend to do until I die."
I stood there for the longest time not really certain of what to say. The idea of Ains not knowing how we got here was something I had prepped for but to hear he actually considered this place his home, that he preferred it over what used to be our reality. Well that was certainly unexpected. At least to me. Then again I wasn't the leader of the most powerful guild in the game's history so I guess that would've skewed my perspective.
I stood there quietly, not even looking at him at that point and just staring up to the various flags that hanged above us when I spoke again. "You know what? Fine." I growled. "You can just drop me back off outside the temple then." He tilted his head at my statement as I turned my gaze away from him. "Or don't." I added on. "Either way, this was a complete waste of time for me." I said sitting down on the stairs as depression seeped into my voice. "I thought if I met others, no matter how different we'd be, we'd all at least want to go home."
We sat in mutual silence for a while. I stared up at the ceiling wondering how screwed I actually was and he kept his gaze focused on that floating staff of his that I honestly didn't even care about at this point. My one plan was fucked and now god only knew what was going to happen now.
Oddly enough, he was the next to speak. "I understand your disappointment. And I'm sorry for it." He said in a strange voice of sympathy.
I waved my hand through the air. "Look, just forget it. Sorry for wasting your time too."
"On the contrary." He said putting a finger under his chin. "You proved that I wasn't the only player who got stranded here. So there must be more out there."
"You mean your friends?" I asked. He nodded.
"I do. Hardly a waste of time I'd say." He said once again seemingly pulling something out of thin air and tossing it to me. I caught the folded fabric and saw it as a pair of soft purple pants.
"Well, thanks for these at least." I replied slipping them on. "Any chance I could get my stuff back?"
"Not at the moment. You did sneak in here after all." He said standing up as the staff glided back into his hand.
"You just said you knew I was here the entire time. Sneaking my ass." I grumbled as he walked next to me.
"You enjoy swearing don't you?" He said with a small chuckle.
"I'm American. It's a lost art where I come from." I replied.
"Lost for good reason." He came back. "It's not exactly respectful.
"Oh please. It's just today's generations are complete pussies." I rubbed my head. "Much more associated with cross dressing then foul language.
"Crossdressing?" He asked confused at my meaning.
"The dark elf twins. Why the fuck are the crossdressers?" I asked back. He froze and looked back to me.
"If you're insulting…" He started, raising his voice.
"I'm not." I quickly defended. "They both seem likable enough it's just a question."
He calmed back down almost immediately and seemingly growing slightly embarrassed. "It was a…..quirk that Bukubukuchagama added when she created them."
"Quirk?" I asked back holding down a laugh.. He shrugged his shoulders signaling he didn't know the exact reason why. I gave up and followed.
"So, to the dungeons then?" I asked not really knowing where we were heading off to.
"Not unless you decide to do something foolish." He replied giving a side glance as he strode forward to a door. "Judging by your hair you looked like you could use a bath."
I gave him annoyed look before I ran my hand through my long hair still not quite used to it where I realized just how greasy it was. "Point taken." I sighed as he opened the door revealing a very familiar maid who if I had to guess had been standing out there ever since he had cleared the room.
"Narberal, escort Haon to an empty Nazarick bedroom. Don't let him out of your sight." Ains ordered to the woman I had previously known as Nabe.
"As you wish my lord." She replied bowing her head before looking at me. I looked back to Ains to temporarily avoid her cold gaze.
"Any reason for the sudden generosity?" I asked as he walked away to doubtless take care of some unfinished business with Shalltear.
"I want you out of my throne room. Be grateful." Was the only answer he gave as he vanished after activating his teleporting ring. I sighed just in time for Narberal to start moving herself in the opposite direction of her master.
"Come." She ordered. Not wanting to fall behind, I kept up walking maybe three feet behind her at all times as we moved through frankly gargantuan hallways.
"Well I can't imagine you're happy about this." I guessed.
"My feelings don't enter into duties. I accomplish them regardless." She spoke back detached.
"I didn't say they did. Just trying to make conversation, Nabe." I said slightly annoyed with her tone.
She stooped and turned back to me with an edge to her eyes and voice. "You will address me as Narberal until such time as lord Ains deems otherwise. Understood?"
"Okay. Okay." I replied raising my hands. "Sheesh. A little thin skinned aren't you?"
"What does my skin level have to do with what I just said?"
"Nevermind. Lead on Narberal." I replied. She immediately went back to it and we finally came to a large empty space at the end of the hallway with a single door there.
"This will be your confinement until stated otherwise. Be grateful lord Ains has seen fit to grant you these accomidations." She said pulling out a key.
"Don't worry I am. Also glad he let you guard me." I said as she twisted the key into the lock. "At least you and I talked a bit and we didn't try to kill each other."
"That can be amended if you threaten Nazarick in anyway." She quickly replied as the sound of moving locks came to my ears.
"Look, I don't fucking care about Nazarick all right. You can tell all your maid friends about that too." I replied now throughly tired off the insinuations.
She gave me a confused look, like I somehow was an enigma for saying that, as she finally opened the door. It was a modest sized living room with darkened ivory walls, light hazel colored hardwood floors, with a small black couch sitting in the center of the room next to a table, what looked like a kitchen with several pantries and maybe a stove. A second table with a pair of wooden chairs sitting next to a lively fire place that crackled and gave the room a nice warm air to it. The only other objects were doors standing at opposite ends of the room that probably led to a bed room and bathroom.
"So how's this gonna work? You waiting outside my door or something?" I asked stepping inside.
"Lord Ains' instructions were clear, I am to keep my eyes on you until other wise so I will be staying in here as well."
"Figures." I sighed before smirking. "Well I'm gonna take a shower so unless you want to join in….."
She scoffed at my attempt at humor. "You're lewd machinations are pathetic."
"Yeah, my ex thought so too." I replied agreeing with a light chuckle that masked a sad sigh as I thought back to her.
You know what's funny? For all the advanced technology back in the real world, I never once took a bath that felt as good as the one I took when I got to my room. After the initial disappointment of a lack of a shower, I found myself in a decent size hot spring pool feeling as if I had just reached Nirvana. As my body soaked in the warm water and the steam flew right by my face and to the ceiling, I thought about just what the hell was I going to do now. I figured staying with Ains was probably the best strategy long term. After all, even if our goals weren't aligned now, it didn't mean he couldn't change his mind later on. And since his home was more than likely the most secure building on the planet, I now had a safe house as long as I didn't do anything stupid.
Then came thoughts of fighting. I looked down toward my hands that sat comfortably in the water. If my luck held out and I wasn't killed in the next few days, odds were that they were going to have a use for me. And since I definitely didn't want to become some sort of male maid to them, I needed to become a better fighter. Or at least better with my non favorite weapon.
After pulling myself out of the bath, drying off, and slipping on a robe that hung nearby I walked back into the living room where Naberal stood.
"Kickass baths." I replied scratching my ears and ruffling up my hair.
" Nazarick has only the best." She replied int the tone of a salesman. "Be honored you are the first human to test it."
"You don't need to keep telling me things I already know." I replied. " Lighten up for god's sake." I took a look over to the kitchen and pantry. It'd really pushing my luck if it was actually full. So of course the pantry was stocked completely with what looked and smelled like freshly baked bread. No doubt due to some sort of magic. What's funny is that Narberal seemed surprised by it too.
"You want a sandwich? I asked over to her. Her surprise vanished in a flash.
" I don't require food to survive." She replied swiftly looking away.
"I didn't ask if you were hungry. I asked if you want a sandwich." I replied grabbing a loaf of unsliced bread.
" No. I do not." She replied once again confused by my words.
" Ok, suit yourself." I replied moving to grab an incredibly dull knife that still somehow cut through the bread rather effortlessly. Once I had four slices, I moved over to another pantry. This one filled with what looked like salted meats.
" Right, no refrigerator." I sighed grabbing a mound of salted ham from the shelf and also cutting through it. Little did I know, Naberal had been silently fuming at me while I made my snack.
"Haon….." She said rather loudly.
I looked over to her a little shocked by the utterance of my name.
" I will be frank with you. I don't enjoy you taking advantage of Ains generosity." She admitted with an obvious anger to her voice.
"Why not?" I replied sitting down on the couch with a pair of ham sandwiches in my hand. "You still not over the spar from a few days back?"
" You're an unknown to both the guardians and the Pleiades. And yet you were permitted inside Nazarick and even to address Lord Ains himself in the throne room. An honor no human should have."
" Okay, look I'm trying to eat here but if you keep up with the humans are garbage sentiments in front of me, we're gonna have a problem." I said with an annoyed edge to my voice. " I thought the Brides told you already."
"Ains made it clear you and he fought back in Yggdrasil but I'm confused as to how that doesn't make you an enemy."
"Because it was for fun." I replied. She only looked more confused by the sentence so I elaborated.
" Look the rest of Yggdrasil was a free for all where pretty much anything went, but the tournaments that were sponsored every now and again were a place where everyone, human and non human alike could meet, talk, laugh, and fight. It's where I first came across Ains and his guild back when I first started. And we all just sort of liked fighting." I said with growing nostalgia. "There's a difference between fighting for fun and fighting to the death after all."
Her confused face seemed to soften slightly as she began to grasp what I told her. I then decided I should a question in.
"Why are you such a bitch for?" I asked suddenly throwing her off.
"You're taunt means nothing." She replied.
" It was meant to mean nothing." I clarified.
"It was a swear word." She continued. "They are made to get some sort of ire out of another. Ladies Shalltear and Albedo use them all the time when they talk to each other."
After filing that little little detail for later, I raised an eyebrow to her. "Says who?" I asked back. "Right now off the top of your head, throw the best insult you have at me. See if I get pissed."
She raised an eyebrow of her own seemingly amused. " Why would I do that?"
"Because it's fun." I repeated. " Just of the top of my head I've got a several for you. Know it all Narberal, the blue haired bitch, the human hating whore, maid motherfuck, c'mon let's here what you got for me." I said placing my food on the table and rubbing my hands together excited.
Probably not the best reaction however as I soon noticed several sparks emitting form her hand as her face was engulfed in shadow save for a pair of now red angry eyes.
" Ah….too soon?I asked hesitantly just before the room was engulfed in lightning bolts.
By the time Ains came back, which may have been minutes or hours it was hard to tell, the once presentable living room, had been decimated and blackened by several lightning bolt shots and what few things had been in the room had now been broken or bruised severely. The couch and the table next to it had been completely flipped over. The fire snuffed out. Several black blotches littered the walls and floor and the once perfectly clean kitchen now seemed in ruins. I think he might've expected that part but what obviously shocked him was what he found next. His gaze spotted us sitting at the only other table in the room
"So you pale-faced, lightning lactating, bitch. What the fuck you got?" I asked glaring at her from across the table passed my now black food sitting atop it.
She glared as a string of thrown together words left her mouth. "Well, Haon the whoreson. You are a worthless, shit-gear wearing, overly confident, foul mouthed fucker." She finished with her voice taking on a strange relaxed tone to it that I hadn't heard before.
"You sure, you boner killing bimbo?" I asked raising an eyebrow.
"Quite, you self righteous son of shit eating….."
"Narberal!" Ains yelled shocked at the language she spewed. Her face immediately flushed and she backed up ashamed of herself.
"My l-lord….."
"What's the meaning of this?" He asked almost too shocked for his skeleton face.
"She's letting off some steam. " I said taking another bite of a very burnt sandwich. "You want to give it a try?"
"NO!" He yelled indignant as I got in a laugh at his expense. He sighed looking slightly sheepish as he looked around the room before returning his gaze to Naberal. "Was this a bad idea?"
"No milord." She said almost too quickly. "It was my fault. I let my guard down and shall atone with my life."
"That's not necessary!" He said just as fast as I got another good laugh from their exchange. "It's perfectly acceptable to wait outside his room. To avoid…situations like this."
"Understood my lord." She said with a low bow as she regained her composure. Ains nodded as he and she moved to the exit. He then gave a look back to me.
"You're cleaning this up."
"Worth it." I replied laughing and winking Naberal's way to say we can continue practice later.
The door closed in a loud bang and I could practically feel the sigh Ains must've let loose on the other side. I looked around taking in how bad the damage was before having another good laugh. Maybe I could actually have a little fun here.
A/N: Tada! I think that will do it for now. As always I appreciate your support and your criticisms. So lay it on me. Was it good? Bad? Leave a review and let me know
Special thanks to PervySageChuck for being a badass Beta.
See ya around.