Hey guys, I don't really know what to really give you for an intro, so I'll just let you read this next chapter right away.
Letting out my frustrations really helped me out in the long run, and I have you all to thank for that.
Enjoy.
"I-I...Was wondering if you could be my escort for a ball in the South Kingdom…" The princess nervously explained.
The words "South Kingdom" made Joe's heart drop.
"The...South Kingdom?" He asked.
"Y-Yes...They are hosting it to negotiate a peace treaty. We would never have to worry about their attempts to oppress us again." Blazette replied.
Joe then pulled his hands away from the princess. This left her confused, as she looked at the torn young man.
"J-Joe?" She asked.
"No." He simply said.
The princess's eyes widened at this.
"W...What?" She stuttered.
"I said no!" Joe yelled, letting out his frustration. "They kidnap my friends, send men after me, and now they want to talk about peace!?"
Nothing but shock came across the princess.
"T-They...They did?" She asked.
"Yes!" Joe yelled in return. "If I hadn't come sooner, lord knows what could have happened!"
"I-I understand, but this is-"
"No! I won't! They endangered me and my friends! I won't forgive them!" He screamed. "And have you forgotten the incident in which their prince tried to overthrow the kingdom!?"
"O-Of course not! But that was in the past! And you still beat him! They just want to extend their hands in peace so that incidents such as that don't occur again!" Blazette argued back.
"I may have beaten him, but I still had to fight him! I literally died when I fought him! If I hadn't had Susano, you would have been his concubine by now!" Joe yelled in return, making the princess at a loss for words. "I won't have anything to do with those bastards, not unless I'm tearing the King's spine from his body!"
"J-Joe, this isn't like you…" The princess replied, as she grabbed onto Joe's arm.
He pulled it away from Blazette, much to her dismay.
"I'm sorry. But I won't." He said, as he turned towards the door.
As soon as he started to walk towards the door, Blazette jumped at him, securing her arms around his torso.
"P-Please, I need you with this!" She begged.
"Flare, please try to understand. I'm not going to negotiate anything with anyone who hurts my friends." Joe said, putting a hand to hers.
"But we won't have another chance like this! Please, just listen to me! This isn't like you at all!" The princess screamed.
Joe's heart dropped at this.
"Not like me…?" He asked, in a dropped tone.
The princess heard this, and slowly let go of the young man, seemingly out of fear.
"And just what do you know about me?" Joe asked, as he turned around and stared at the princess with an angry look.
"W-Well...I-I…" The princess stammered. She could think of nothing to say.
"That's right. Nothing." Joe coldly replied.
"B-But you're my fiance!" She said in return.
Joe made an annoyed chuckle at this.
"Is that it?" He asked. "You didn't choose for me to be engaged to you. All you know about me is that I can fight, and fight honorably at that." He explained, giving an annoyed look.
"B-But that only means that you are a good person! A-And you're willing to help those in need!"
"What, and that means that I'm willing to give up my pride to negotiate with the same person who wanted me dead!? I may try to be a good person, but anyone who tries to hurt my friends or anyone I care about, I will have nothing to do with." Joe screamed in the princess's face.
Blazette was at a complete loss for words. She couldn't think of the words that would convince the young man.
"So if we are done here, I'm going back home. I told them I wouldn't get caught up in anything." Joe stated, as he turned and walked out the door, slamming it on his way out.
The princess was alone, with only her thoughts.
"But...I need you…" She said, as she stared at the ground in her thoughts.
Joe stomped through the corridors of the castle, heading towards the guest room.
"Thinks she knows all about me just because we're engaged. We're not even getting married!" He complained to himself.
As he stormed through the halls, he eventually reached the guest room, ignoring at he servants and maids as he passed though.
Two of the servants attempted to say hello to the young man, but he was too steamed to even give them a reply.
ONce he reached the guest room, he could see Krieg exiting out through the door.
He noticed Joe, and beamed a bit in excitement.
"Oh, Master Joe! I assume you talked to the princess?" He asked.
"Yep." Joe replied, as he easily stepped over the short pig-man, entering the room.
This flabbergasted Krieg, as he followed suit.
"I-Is there anything wrong, Young Master?" He asked.
"I told her I'm not helping." He said, as he walked towards his clothes pile.
Krieg almost went into shock after hearing this.
"Y-You said what!?" He asked.
"I said I'm not going to help. And you're not going to convince me." Joe replied, as he slipped into his sweater.
"B-B-But Sir, this is of a most grave importance!"
Joe then turned to the pig-man, staring him down.
"Tell me Krieg. Do you know the concept of Human pride?" He asked, crossing his arms.
"I-I may not know of your pride, but this is for the whole kingdom! If we don't go through with this, Her Majesty will remain in danger!" Krieg replied.
"Then why do I have to be the one? Can't she just take one of the guards? You know, ones with actual combat training?" Joe asked back.
"Sir, It's more complicated than that…" Krieg replied. "The invitation called for you."
"Well, then I'm declining." Joe stated, as he slipped on his cuirass.
Krieg then sighed.
"Sir, if only you could understand…"
"Oh, not this bull again!" Joe yelled in annoyance. "The only thing I 'understand', is that I'm not going to negotiate anything with the same people who tried to have me killed." He replied.
"S-Sir, I…"
"You know what, fine! Just give me a reason to go through with his! If you don't besides what you've just said, then leave me alone!"
Krieg was silent.
"You're mind is really made up, isn't it, Young Master?"
"If there is no reason that benefits me, then I'll have nothing to do with it." Joe coldly replied.
Krieg sighed at this.
He had nothing to say.
"Suit yourself, Sir." He blankly stated, as he started for the door.
He had opened it halfway, on his way out, when he looked back at Joe.
"But this really is for the safety of the kingdom, Sir." He said, looking down. "Running the kingdom since you were gone has been hard on Her Majesty. Ever since the King and Queen were killed, it's just been her."
Joe raised his head at this, staring at the pig-man.
"Just the thought of you returning filled her with more hope than I had ever seen her…"
Joe looked down to the ground at this.
"She trusts you more than anyone." Krieg stated, before exiting the room, closing the door behind him.
Joe was alone in the room, with only his thoughts to keep him company.
After hearing Krieg's words, he was lost in his own mind.
Only one she trusts…
He braced his mind, set on his decision, as he fitted the rest of his armor on himself.
He grabbed his gear, and started towards the door.
Once he grabbed the doorknob, Krieg's words echoed into his mind.
The thought of you returning gave her hope…
Joe shook his head, as he opened the door and exited suit.
As he marched through the halls, he met the same servants and maids from earlier before.
They seemed to completely ignore him, due to his earlier behavior.
He tried to wave them down, but to no avail. Some only looked at him in dread, then shortly returned to their work.
This wrenched Joe's heart, as he clenched his fist.
He stepped through the halls past the workers with heavy feet, leaving them coldly.
This dug into his mind, as his mood and anger dropped.
Fine…
His steps escalated into running, as he sped past everyone in the halls.
He ran, and ran, and ran. But no matter how much he ran, he couldn't stop his heart from breaking with the thought of everyone shunning him.
He eventually reached the outskirts of the Kingdom, and he could see the glowing purple portal in the distance.
Krieg's words kept echoing through his mind as he took each step.
The Kingdom will remain in danger.
This is a most grave importance.
She trusts you the most.
Joe then stopped walking, remaining completely still.
Trusts you the most…
He then stared at the portal, lost in his thoughts.
Did he dare throw away his own pride for the safety of the Kingdom, or remain in the Overworld? He was well aware that the duties given to him were out of trust. He may of won the Tourney, but it was not his strength that helped him.
It was the ones he cares for that kept him fighting.
He looked at his hand. The only reason he is alive is because of the friends he believed in.
His mind then flashed to his friends back at home.
Their smiling faces…
The way that they always inflame his heart…
Cupa's warm and encouraging grasp…
He blinked at this. Why did his mind point towards Cupa?
He felt his cheeks flare and heart shake whenever he thought about her.
He then remembered the trouble he went through when he last returned.
The girls would have been long gone if he had not acted.
Cupa would have been taken away, and only god knows what could have happened.
He clenched his fist.
"Trust…" He said to himself, looking at his hand.
If we would just swallow his pride, and go through with this…
She would be safe…
He quickly turned, and faced the Kingdom, which he could see a vast amount from his standpoint.
He sighed deeply.
"Flare got me out of being executed back then." He said, to himself.
"I guess it would only be right for me to repay the favor." He said, smiling as he quickly dashed into the other direction, heading towards the Kingdom.
The princess had remained in her room when Joe stormed out, as she sat on her bed, brooding with her thoughts.
What made me think he would really say yes…
She hugged her legs, as her fear got the best of her.
What is to become of the Kingdom if I can't even go through with this...If he would say yes…
At that moment, a noise of steps shot through the room.
She could hear voices from outside of her room. One was of a nearby maid, but the other sounded familiar.
"H-Hey, Is the princess still in here?"
"W-Why does it matter to you?"
"Because I realized my mistake."
The princess's eyes widened at this. She recognized this voice.
"J-Joe?" She asked.
"M-Mistake, sir?"
"Well, I was kinda a dick back there...I'm sorry, by the way."
"O-Oh, it's fine, Master...But..What made you change your mind?"
"Heheh...Well...let's just say she scratched my back, so I guess it's only reasonable that I scratch hers."
The princess felt her heart leap after hearing this.
"E-Er…'Scratched her back', sir?"
"I-Its just a saying."
The princess then rose from her bed, and stepped towards the door. She then leaned against the door, listening to the voice's words.
"She could have had me executed like anyone else back during the Tournament. She believed in me. Thought I could make a difference...Well, now it's about time I repay the favor."
"Well, that sounds very noble of you, Sir."
A chuckle came from the voice.
"Well, I am the General after all. I have a responsibility to this place."
"Its good to see that you still have those beliefs, Sir. The princess was right in choosing you."
"Oh, don't say that, you'll make me blush."
The princess could only smile at this, as she listened to the voice's words.
"Now, at the risk of appearing rude, Is the princess in here?"
"Ah, yes. She hasn't left since."
"Good. Thank you very much."
A slight knocking sound then came from the door.
"H-Hello? Flare?" the voice asked.
Blazette replied by unlocking the door, causing whoever was on the other side to open the door.
Better yet, Joe stood in the door frame, looking into the room.
He saw the princess in front of him, and nearly jumped.
"O-Oh, uh...Hey…" He said, scratching his head.
"Hey." The princess replied, smiling.
Joe looked around, avoiding eye contact in fear of making the situation awkward.
"L-Listen, I uh…" He started. "I was kind of an ass there, and...You were kinda right...I wasn't really myself there...So, I just want to say I'm-Gah!" Joe said, only to be interrupted by the princess tackling him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Don't worry about it. I heard everything from here." She replied, nuzzling her head into his chest.
Joe gave out a soft chuckle, as he rubbed the princess's head.
"Everything, huh?" He asked.
The princess then released Joe, and looked at him.
"I realize that you don't trust the South Kingdom...But you really are the only one I can turn to with this…" She said. "I'm very worried about what may happen, but I know I can count on you."
Joe went a tad red at this.
"W-Well, it's only fair that I return the favor, and go through with this. If it means that you, the kingdom, and my friends will all be safe, then I'll be willing to throw away my anger and distrust." He replied.
Blazette giggled at this.
"And that's why I trust you the most." She said, before grabbing Joe's arm, embracing it closely.
Joe felt his heart jump, as he scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
"O-Oh, don't go saying stuff like that, I get embarrassed easily…" He said, smiling in return.
The princess then released Joe's arm, and let him stand, with her standing in return.
"I think I know a way you can feel a little more at ease with this whole dilemma." She said as she walked towards her desk, rummaging through papers.
Joe titled his head in slight confusion at Blazette's words.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
The princess then went to a drawer of her desk and pulled out a small, metal cylinder.
She turned, and walked back towards Joe, with a bright smile on her face.
"How about we invite your friends as well?"
Yay! Another chapter finished during the daytime!
You have no idea how good it feels to be back in doing frequent updates again.
I'm still hanging on, but hopefully this will be as fun for you to read as it was for me to create.
Thank you for your time, I'll see you in the next chapter.