Hello everyone out there!
So Magi belongs to Shinobu Ohtaka, my OC to me, there might be references to this world, music etc, spoilers for those who haven't read the manga this far and some spelling mistakes because I do the correcting stuff on my own and English is not my native language.
Even so, have a fun time reading!
Day 25: Meeting the Kou dungeon capturers
The sky was blue over the imperial capital, not a single cloud stained the azure when Ren Kouen, first prince of the Empire and commander of the western subjugation army wandered through the royal palace gardens, or rather, walked on the veranda surrounding the gardens, his household followed a few steps behind him, discussing the choice of Ren Koutoku to make Gyokuen empress. For three days now. The only times he was spared from the seemingly endless ranter was when he was alone in his private chambers to sleep or study the Toran scrolls he had collected over the years. Ren Koumei, second prince of the Kou empire yawned sleepily behind his fan, his robes were tied so sloppily they were almost slipping from his shoulders.
"So what are we going to do, my brother and king?"
Kouen slightly narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to answer when a white flash distracted him. The men hurried over to the railing of the veranda and stared at the sky where a huge eight-pointed star appeared high over the gardens.
"A dungeon portal!" Koumei exclaimed in shock and Kouen scowled even more and unsheathed his sword to give the newcomer a warm welcome. Literally.
"Oh, look, Lord Kouen," Seishuu cackled and his snake hair hissed.
"We get to re-model the garden."
"Not again," Koumei groaned.
The floor disappeared in white light and Lenka prepared for the ground that would replace the magic tissue. Looking down she saw a city, tiny and toy-like under her feet. Her last thought was uh-oh, then the re-appearance of gravity caused her to plunge down fast and the city grew rapidly bigger and blurred as the howling wind made her eyes tear up almost instantly. She heard Miran scream in terror and her reason kicked her consciousness out of it's interpretation of Edvard Munch's The Scream. The dungeon capturer pressed her arms against her chest, fingers yanking at the scarf while her speed increased, then turned around and let go of the cloth that enlarged like a giant white sail or jumping sheet to catch Miran and the bags of treasure that had been sent with them.
Lenka grinned at his terrified face that appeared over the edge of the item that continued to veer away from her before she realized that she was still falling and tried to turn around again to face that ground which was coming very close very fast now. Or rather, the gardens of a site that looked eerily like a royal residence, completely with lotus koi pond, bonsai alley and gravel ways. Pretty, but not much longer. Impact in 8! 7! 6!
Noo, I don't want to get back into a dungeon! Foras wailed while Eligos cheered:
We are going to smack the palace! How exciting!
Djinn equip! bellowed Orias.
"Gusion!" Lenka screamed and the water from the pond rushed upwards, wrapped itself around her like giant tentacles and stopped her fall roughly twenty meters over the magnificent lawn. Her stomach rebelled so the water turned her upside again then slowly lowered her until she stood on the path between two trees then flowed back into the pond, picking up a rather large yellow carp on the way.
"Thanks, Gee," she murmured and brushed her bangs out of her face, fingers and legs shaky like never before. Now that had been a close call... where was she right now? Okay, palace gardens, but whose palace was this?
She turned right when someone yelled her name and almost drowned in a flood of pink robes when a red-haired princess hug-tackled her with the force of an incoming train so that she had to take a few staggering steps before she could stabilize herself.
"K-Kougyoku!"
"Lenka! I saw the circle appear and hoped that it would be you!"
The blonde hugged back and whirled her around, causing Kougyoku to shriek with laughter before they separated to look at each other.
"It feels like ages have passed, and it must have because you have grown in every possible direction!" the princess grinned and took her friend's hands while enviously staring at her assets. Lenka beamed at her and squeezed her fingers.
"You haven't really changed either, dear."
"Hey, I got a lot stronger since the last time we sparred. The next fight is going to be my win for sure!"
The blonde started to laugh and kissed the other on the cheek who blushed slightly.
"Sure thing you would, if I hadn't made a few more friends."
Kougyoku's eyes widened.
"You mean...?"
Lenka pointed upwards to the cloth that had followed her down and catched Miran who jumped down into her arms to hug her tightly.
"Lenka, you stupid, stupid, stupid! Idiot! I told you not to go dying and what do you do!"
She smiled and kissed his head.
"I know I'm reckless, but you're being rude to one of our hosts."
Miran turned to Kougyoku and slightly tilted his head while his protector grinned at the princess.
"Miran, meet Ren Kougyoku, eight princess and dungeon capturer of Kou. Kougyoku, this is Miran, my household member."
He bowed and smiled adorably at the Ren.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, princess. Lenka told me stories about you."
"Aw," Kougyoku cooed and hid her blush behind her sleeves.
"Thank you."
"I like your hair. It's almost as red as mine," he said and tugged on a longer, sunset red strand to prove his point. Lenka grinned and tickled his sides wheres he squealed and tried to tickle back for revenge.
"Miran, if you continue like this you will become an enemy to womankind, an enemy I say. Worse than Sinbad."
The boy blinked innocently at his guardian who sighed and tapped his nose.
"If you say that Orobas told you..."
"He said Foras said that girls like compliments."
"Who else?" murmured the blonde and looked at Kougyoku who had watched the scene with a smile.
"Foras is the djinn who sent me here. I have five now."
"Five!" the princess yelled and lowered her sleeves to flap agitated with them as she hurried over to Lenka to examine every piece of jewelry she had.
"Five, that is two more than brother Kouen has and two less than Sinbad! Incredible!"
"Eligos and Foras. The latter one sent me here from Reim. I knew such a thing was possible, but not that it could cover a distance this huge, from the borders of Sasan to Kou."
"Oh, by the way, Sinbad!" Kougyoku growled and shook her fist and Lenka felt her djinn stir, especially Orobas as he had witnessed what an angry Kougyoku could do back in Balbadd. A loud tapping interfered with the upcoming ranter as a pink-haired individual in interesting clothes and a huge sword strapped to the back raced towards them then stopped as the foreigner made no move except raising her empty hands in a peaceful greeting gesture.
"Kougyoku! I heard you screaming. Is that an enemy?" Ren Kouha asked with a dangerous glint in his pink eyes, fingers closed around the hilt of his metal vessel. The princess shook her head and stepped between them.
"No, this is my friend Lenka who came to visit me."
"You have friends!?" Kouha gasped in surprise and giggled as his half-sister scowled at him.
"Yes, I do have friends. Lenka, this rude person is my brother, the third imperial prince Ren Kouha."
Lenka smiled at him and bowed with her hands folded in the traditional Kou-style.
"I'm honoured to meet you, prince Kouha. I'm Lenka, the traveler, neutral ambassador for countries who need my help and advice, currently employed by Scheherazade, the Magi of Reim."
A wide grin split his boyish face.
"The way you speak is funny."
"It's an accent," Lenka scowled.
"London accent, to be particular."
Kougyoku chuckled behind her sleeves.
"How many have asked you that question by now, Lenka?"
"Too many. Almost everyone I've met up until now. It's not even that funny."
Kouha snickered at her deepening frown then spotted Miran who watched him with curious eyes from behind his guardian and frowned, hand wandering back to his sword.
"And who is that?"
The boy opened his mouth to answer when a loud yell interrupted them again and Judar landed on the ground, his long braid trailing behind him. The Magi grinned wide and mischievously at the blonde woman and placed his hands on his hips.
"Now look what the cat dragged in, it's boobies! I knew there was only one of my dungeon capturers to arrive in such a flashy way besides Kouen. And look at the breasts, they have grown even more."
"Hey, peaches," Lenka smiled brightly at him.
"Half a year has passed, right? Since you dragged me into that godforsaken dungeon the left without a single word. And what is the first thing I get to hear when we met again? Sexual harassment! I'm so not proud of you it's incredible."
He started to laugh happily, but to her it sounded a bit closer to madness than when she heard him laughing back in Sindria before he stopped, his eyes widened and he briskly walked up to her to take her hand and examined the ring.
"No way. Not only you have two of the creep's dungeons but two of the old hag's as well!"
Judar pouted at her then pulled at her arm.
"I take you into one of mine now. There is no way in hell that you are a candidate of them!"
"I just conquered one, let me eat and sleep and bathe first," Lenka groaned and refused to follow so that he was pulling with his whole power at her arm for a few seconds before almost wrapping himself around her, placing his head on her shoulder to blink and pout at her face.
"But you will go with me, right?"
"Hands off Lenka!" Miran growled and glared hard at the Magi who eyed the boy in confusion.
"And who are you, midget?"
"Miran, Lenka's household member and first executioner of the 'Chase the suitors away from Lenka'-committee," he explained with a proud grin, causing Kougyoku to giggle in her sleeves, Lenka to facepalm with her free right hand, Judar to gape at him in disbelief and Kouha to cackle at the Magi's face.
"You-"
"Judar!"
The five of them flinched as the deep voice of Ren Kouen cut through their conversation like a knife through butter. None had perceived him, Koumei and the four household member of the first prince getting closer as they had been busy with themselves. Lenka's sense for trouble tingled while her inner fangirl aka Eligos looked up from her newest invention, a catapult for cakes and cookies and wriggled her brows.
Well, hello there, Mr Goatee. Aren't we sexy today? Yes, of course we are, why wouldn't we be?
… My preciousss, Gusion added for her friend. Apparently they had found Lord of the Rings now.
"Hey, Kouen," Judar greeted nonchalantly without moving his head from her shoulder.
"And Koumei. Why out of bed this early?"
"We saw a transfer circle and decided to check if it was something dangerous," he answered with a yawn while Kouen stared so intense at Lenka that she had the strong urge to cross her arms over her bosom or chide him for trying to burn a hole in her forehead. Kougyoku instantly grabbed her other free arm and glanced at her brother with a nervous smile.
"Brother Kouen, this is my friend Lenka, she trained with me back in Sindria and helped me in Balbadd-"
"She bought me peaches and conquered a dungeon with me and her-"
"Don't you dare to do or say something indecent in royal company again," growled Lenka and knocked her head against his while Miran scowled at him, much to Kouha's amusement. The Magi let go of her and rubbed his temple with a pout.
"Why getting so violent when mentioning the-"
"Talk about them and I'll ask my newest djinn to mess with your body and turn you into a girl."
Kougyoku loosened her grip as well to hide her grin behind her sleeves again and stepped next to Miran who was taking Judar's gaping surprise as excuse to massage his brows. Staring was rather tiring. The men stared at Lenka in disbelief, irritation and in Kouen's case, with growing interest. She continued to grin at the smaller Magi in front of her who had unconsciously taken one step back before shrugging and grinning as well.
"Even with five djinn I doubt that you can break my shields."
"Five!" Koumei, Kouha and the household members spluttered. A small smirk tugged at Kouen's lips. What an interesting person had dropped from the sky. Though it was a bit annoying that there was someone else who had more metal vessels than him now.
The blonde placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head with a playful smile.
"You know, peaches, this would be the perfect opportunity to take revenge for that time in Balbadd, wouldn't it?"
At this words Kougyoku started to giggle and Miran smirked. His Lenka would never go back on her word. The perverted girly Magi brat would meet his maker today, but was at the moment not really aware of that as he was in the middle of a contest of grinning dirty at each other while striking a seductive pose with Lenka. So much for being adults...
Judar balanced on his toes and leaned forward at the same time.
"I bet you can't change me."
"What do you offer?" Lenka batted her lashes and brushed her hair back.
"The dungeon."
"Didn't you want to take me into one either way?"
He grinned smugly at her.
"Remember the time when we had captured the last?"
She shifted her weight and snapped her fingers.
"I see, so you want a kiss again, do you? Are you sure you can handle it this time, peaches? If I recall correctly you fainted halfway through."
Kougyoku let out a high squeal and blushed bright pink while the men started to smirk. Miran shook his head and murmured:
"I don't know if I have to be amazed or shocked that someone can be dumb enough to dare to anger Lenka."
Judar smiled lazily then looked over his shoulder to Kouen and raised his hands to wriggle suggestively with his fingers.
"Did I tell you that my hands cover more than her djinn equip?"
The Magi disappeared in a flash of light when Lenka activated Foras' power, not entirely sure if the djinn was already this mentally close to her that she could use the unique abilities. But when her magoi wrapped around Judar and seeped into him the thought disappeared instantly.
Don't bet against the house, brat, Gusion said smugly and collected her debts from Eligos.
"W-What the hell?" Judar asked with now high-pitched voice and stared down at his transformed body in disbelief before grabbing his boobs.
"No way! God that feels strange!"
Kouha had to stab his sword in the ground and lean against it in order to not fall to the floor in his hysterical laughing fit, Kougyoku blushed at the Magi's indecent display of public self-groping, Koumei got a hiccup and Kouen smirked even more when Judar searched his pants for his manly bits.
"What the fucking hell! It's gone! Gone I say!"
"That was the thought behind the whole endeavor," Lenka answered with a smug grin that put Sinbad's to shame. Judar scowled at her then tried to race over to do something to get her to change him into a male again but stopped after two steps to cross his arms before his cleavage.
"This body is weird, all jiggly and heavy and stuff. Gross."
"Try jumping a bit, Judar," Kougyoku suggested behind her sleeves and blinked innocently at the glaring ex-male.
"Funny, really funny, old hag. Wait a sec, are you taller than me?!"
"She is," Kouen confirmed with a nod and shifted his attention from his now female Magi to Lenka who had watched Judar with equal curiosity.
"So what is this revenge for Balbadd you mentioned?"
"Actually I wanted him to experience having a period, but I'll settle with this as he PMS-ing would get us all killed for sure."
She started to smile devilishly while a very un-manly squeak escaped Judar that turned into a yell when the blonde wrapped her arms around the smaller woman.
"Damn, Kouen, I'll kill you for tha-a-hu wait, stop, this is-"
Hot damn, now that I call skills, Foras whistled, Orias shielded his eyes, Miran did the same, so did Kougyoku while Kouha's and Koumei's threatened to jump from their sockets when the tall foreigner groped their Magi into oblivion. Lenka's smirk grew even wider when Judar slumped against her as a weak boneless heap, eyes rolling back in his skull.
"Fuu-"
"Now that is why you shouldn't challenge me, especially when I have another djinn who can control your nerves and over-stimulate them. Really handy, that Eligos. Thank you, Foras, it's time to get him normal again."
"Hrrllgl," Judar agreed then sighed and patted his flat torso.
"They were annoying. How can you cope with that?"
"Several layers of bandages and getting adjusted over a longer time helps. And you really get to appreciate shoulder massages."
She raised her head to look at the audience with a, she had to admit it, rather frightening grin.
"Anyone else who always wanted to change sex? No?"
"No," Kouen deadpanned without interrupting his staring at pudding-legged Judar in her arms.
"What else can you do?"
"Lenka can melt entire dungeon cities," Miran chimed in with sparkling eyes.
"And sink pirate ships with a snap of her fingers. Her cooking is equally disastrous, too!"
"Miran, the curse of porridge is coming up to you."
"And her threats are in fact promises. Oath once given shall never be broken."
"She's a really gifted darling," Foras purred and wrapped her arms around her queen, causing Judar to jump away with a surprised yelp and the others to step back or draw their weapons. Lenka sighed and patted the hand, three times larger than hers and smiled apologetic at Kouen.
"That's Foras."
"I am me, and there is Leraje! How have you been, my precious puppy?"
Foras left Lenka to touch Kouha's sword with a long nail then gave the emerging djinn a squeeze.
"Rather well, because my king is not a player like your queen and that insufferable man over there. He is way better, way way better I say."
"Well, we convinced her to capture the troupe back together," Orobas said when he emerged from his vessel and scowled down at Judar.
"So we meet again, pervert."
"What the heck is wrong with your djinn?"
"I sadly don't know, Judar. That's Orobas," Lenka introduced with a wave of her hand. Kouen nodded, or so it seemed because Foras almost pressed her breasts in his face to reach for the pendant attached to his sword.
"Sorry, hottie, but I see Phenex, dear!"
"... what a pain. Hello, Vinea," Gusion sighed and touched the metal vessel Kougyoku helpfully held up for her.
"That's Gusion over there."
"Amazing," the first prince murmured and stared almost hungry at the blonde.
"Miss Lenka!"
She grinned wide and jumped at the surprised Hakuryuu who entered the gardens, his sister and her blue-haired friend following him with wide eyes. The fourth prince froze then slowly hugged Lenka back who was ruffling his hair affectionately.
"Congrats for getting yourself a djinn, Hakuryuu. But why did you have to adapt my habit of disappearing in the middle of the night?"
He shrugged and smiled weakly at her.
"I don't know I did."
"Stupid," she chided and tugged at a strand of his black hair then turned to Hakuei.
"Is this Hakuei? She looks really like you. Nice to meet you, I'm Lenka. Maybe you've heard of me. Maybe not."
"The honor is mine," answered Hakuei with a slight chuckle then blinked as Foras leaned down to touch her fan.
"Paimon! How's it going, you sexy beast?"
"Djinn-reunion," Lenka explained with a snicker and pointed on Orobas who was talking to Kouen's Astaroth and Agares now. Koumei on the other hand had paused in mid-yawn when Orias appeared in front of him.
"May I?"
The prince nodded and held out the fan, Orias touched the metal-
"Argh! Dantalion! It's not what it look like!"
"Screw you Orias, I'm still angry!"
"But it wasn't me!"
"Eligos is very happy right now," the djinn sighed and petted Miran's hair before tackling a very startled Agares to groom his fur, something the lion-like manticore highly appreciated by the way the three eyes fell shut. Lenka smiled at the scene, her head was ridiculously light now. Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around her neck from behind and warm breath tickled her when Judar almost glued himself to her.
"Hey, blondie."
"So you have changed to blondie, peaches?" she asked, grabbed his wrists to keep him in place and glanced at the dark-haired male. Somehow he seemed amused, a fact that worried her a lot. The fallen Magi was unpredictable, being careful around him would be the best. Even if it meant carrying him around like a crazy cape. Magi cape. Can really kick ass if you ask politely and offer peaches. She would be a trend-setter for sure.
"GET AWAY FROM LENKA! I DON'T APPROVE OF YOU!"
Way to go, Orobas.
The djinn glowered at Judar, Miran standing next to him with a wide, dangerous grin and cracking his knuckles in anticipation. Orobas wrinkled his nose and showed his pearly white fangs.
"First executioner, this is an urgent order of the president."
"The fudge it is! Miran, do you want to face the eternal damnation of burned porridge for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack, spiced with too much pepper and pickled gherkins?"
"I'm sorry, Orobas, but I have to decline the order, gherkins are a threat I can't ignore," answered Miran smoothly, taking the smaller evil which was enduring the sight of the Magi hanging from Lenka's neck. Judar grinned wide and stuck his tongue out then seemed to remember something.
"Hey, blondie, did you summon the djinn? I'm sure I didn't."
"Eh?" the dungeon capturers except Kouen asked surprised. He simply raised a brow. Lenka sniffed and brought her fingers up to her nose to stop the sudden trickle of blood.
"Fudge. Apparently I did. Or they did. Guys, play time is over! Say good bye to each other!"
At her call the blue spirits stopped their heated discussion of who had chosen the best king or queen to look down on them. Dantalion was still clutching some of the chains on Orias' choker as she had stopped in mid-shake, Foras had been feeling Paimon up, Eligos was lazing on Agares and played with the braids she had plaited into his fur while arguing that Lenka was clearly the best. Leraje, despite being in the federation of the relatively flat-chested, objected enthusiastically, her Kouha was way better. And then they disappeared, like smoke in the wind and left the surprised Kou dungeon capturers, the households and Lenka back in the gardens.
Kouen blinked twice then walked to the blonde and stared, well, not exactly down at her since she was only one and a half inches or so smaller and had Judar hanging on her back, but through his majestic demeanor he seemed a foot taller at least.
"We have to talk."
She groaned and used her free hand to rub her temples to fight the killer headache that came with over-using her powers.
"Yeah, sure, all you want to know but can I please sleep first? And eat? And bathe? Not necessarily in this order. I just conquered a dungeon, fell nearly to my death and summoned a dozen djinn. I'm spent."
Judar chuckled and nuzzled his face in the side of her neck, causing a shiver to run down her spine when his Rukh touched hers.
"That's it, blondie, show him who's the boss here."
Impertinent bastard, get away! Orobas howled and Foras raised her cup in agree. Koumei frowned and yawned at the same time, really impressive, she thought.
"Judar, are you perhaps putting her over us? Favoring her?"
"Maybe I do," he grinned then moved a bit away from Lenka to poke a spot on her neck and she flinched at the contact.
"Why is there a bruise?"
It's a hickey from a very hot guy, Foras corrected with wriggling brows. The traveler frowned and rubbed over the bruise.
"Dungeon trial."
Miran coughed something that eerily sounded like "Alexius!" and responded with an innocent smile to her irritated glare before attaching himself to her other side where he hadn't had to look at Judar directly. And another person stepped forward: Kougyoku shyly glanced at her brother over her sleeves then almost immediately lowered her eyes.
"Brother, it was me who had invited Lenka to come to the palace, albeit I didn't know when and how she would arrive. Therefor she is my guest and I will be taking care of her."
Kouen blinked down at her then nodded.
"Fine. Give her a room and have her meet me tomorrow morning in my study. Judar. Come with me."
"See you soon, blondie," the Magi whispered in her ear then his weight disappeared from Lenka's back when he used his levitation magic to follow the princes. Kouha strolled to the small group left when the blonde turned to Hakuryuu.
"We will find an opportunity to speak as well, I really want to know what happened to you after you left Alibaba, Mor and Aladdin."
He nodded slowly but the blank expression he had worn the whole time cracked a bit at her bright smile. Lenka sighed inwardly. There was still hope for him at this point of the story.
"Hey, Lenka, was it, right? How about a spar tomorrow? I'm bored out of my mind. I don't accept a no," Kouha piped in, a wide grin on his face.
"As long as not today every other day is fine."
"Good, meet me on the training grounds then!"
Somehow she had the feeling that it was perhaps not Kouen who was the biggest threat to her health but his younger half-brother.
Kougyoku was a great host. The princess had organized a room near to her own for Lenka and Miran, a bath for the two, night kimono and warming vests and invited them over for dinner in her private chambers. The boy frowned at the chopsticks they used in Kou and struggled despite the advice and help the two women gave him until a servant brought a spoon for him so he could scope the small pieces of meat in spicy sauce, the rice and various vegetables though the last were eaten with a frown. The fruit served as dessert were more to his taste and Kougyoku's as well as she had a rather sweet tooth when it came to fruit.
As soon as they were full and Miran had difficulties keeping his eyes open the talk turned towards more urgent and serious topics than her brother's latest conquests.
"My father is dead," she said and blew on her tea. Lenka reached out to give her arm a gentle squeeze.
"My condolence."
"He wasn't a really good father, but somehow... I think I'm relieved that he is gone now. Maybe I can become someone now. Someone who is more important than an easy way to gain more allies through match-making. A general. I always wanted to fight for my country."
"Don't worry, your time to shine will come for sure."
"Thanks, Lenka," Kougyoku smiled and placed her cup on the saucer. The blonde returned the smile back and sighed.
"My father isn't that great either."
Understatement of the century, Orias sighed and polished the kitchen knives to a sparkling brightness while his twin sharpened his sword until it could cut a falling leaf.
Get in line, I get to kill him first.
Unfair, Eligos wants a piece as well! And her baseball bat and the potato bazooka and the voodoo doll family and the special sticky gooey glue-y cookies want punishment as well.
… I received a summon of some people who want to make me the god of their religion and to bestow my divine wrath upon Lenka's father. I received a list with the name of my followers and their torture-instruments of choice. I like those people. Good ideas.
"My mother was great, though. Nice and caring and everything. She fell ill after my sister's birth and died when I was seven. I miss her."
"I can't remember my mother," said the princess with a sad expression.
"She was a prostitute from the lower class and I was taken in soon after Koutoku became emperor. I never heard of her again."
"I loved my mom."
Miran's voice was slightly slurred and when he leaned against Lenka his eyes fell shut for a moment.
"I loved my mom an' my dad. They are gone now, but I've got Lenka. I don't need a second mom or a second dad because I have my Lenka. I love her so much."
Cuteness overload! Eligos and Foras squealed in unison and Lenka pulled him on her lap to hug him tightly then gently scratched his hair.
"And your Lenka loves you too, Miran."
"Aw," Kougyoku cooed and reached out to pat the boy as well. He smiled drowsily at the two women fawning over him.
"'m happy I got to meet you. Love you lots and lots and lots."
The blonde pressed a kiss on his head then lifted him up.
"Time for sleep. It was an exhausting day for us. Yosh, you are getting big and heavy, Miran. Guess we are feeding you too well."
"M-hm," he answered, yawned and wrapped his arms around her neck, the princess opened the door for them and hushed wished them a good rest then Lenka carried her sleepy charge into their room and tucked him in. Miran sighed and snuggled into the pillow then opened his eyes a bit.
"Are you sad we had to leave, Lenka?"
She shrugged and petted his soft hair.
"A bit, but happy the same time. Traveling is funny because you'll meet many new friends and get into exciting adventures. There were too many problems for me in Remano to enjoy living there longer."
"You know," Miran murmured after a few seconds, "I would have been okay with you and Muu becoming my family. He's nice."
Lenka started chewing on her lower lip and sighed. That was exactly her problem at the moment. Was, or rather would she be mature enough to get through this topic when she met him again after the Magnostadt war? He would be there and she had to be there as well. And putting her personal issues aside, there was still the deal with Hakuryuu and Judar. Luckily she was in Kou now. Speaking of Kou...
"Probably. Now sleep, Miran. Tomorrow is another busy day."
She leaned down to press a kiss on his cheek then watched him fall asleep. A few minutes later his breathing was deep and slow, his Rukh drawing lazy circles around him. Lenka smiled, crossed her legs and exhaled before closing her eyes to concentrate on the glowing birds that looked so much like fireflies in the dark.
Rukh, please sent my message to Scheherazade, Magi of Reim. Tell her I'm fine, even though the dungeon transferred me to Kou. Tell her I'll be doing my best to keep everything low.
She sighed then added a last thought.
Tell her I'm sorry for not coming back soon.
They chirped, fluttered around her head then disappeared through the walls. Now she could only hope they would convey her words safely and soon. Surely there had been a rather large time lag between the day she entered the dungeon and today and there was a time difference between Kou and Reim.
Lenka opened her eyes, stretched with a yawn then prepared for the night but just when she was about to pull the covers over her a black Rukh fluttered past her, followed by a second and a third. She looked through the window and found a familiar figure sitting in the tree close to the building. Suppressing the urge to mutter a curse she slipped into the coat matching her kimono and her sandals and left the room with checking one last time if Miran was sleeping soundly.
"Judar!" she hissed and rubbed her arms. Nights in Kou were chilly and even though the building in which Kougyoku lived was further away from the main house one could never fully be sure if someone was listening to their conversation or not. Orobas instantly heated the air touching her skin and the upcoming shiver stopped. The Magi grinned from his branch high up in the peach tree down at her and plucked some leafs from a twig to rip them to shreds.
"Hey blondie."
"What's the matter? I'm rather tired so it'd better be not a discussion about the financial status of Kou, or the dropping quality of peaches, which is actually really alarming."
With a low snicker he threw the shreds at her.
"Right, that would be alarming. So you've come to visit me after all."
Lenka rolled her eyes and stepped a bit closer to the tree. Vain Magi and their quirks.
"Sinbad's a git. He sent a letter to Scheherazade in which he wrote a lot of nasty lies about me. Apparently he's got the opinion that I'm a spy from Kou or something like that because you dragged me into the dungeon, even though I'm sure I explained the circumstances to him afterwards."
Judar's Rukh stirred and he leaned down so that he was half hanging, half floating, his red eyes seemed a bit brighter than usually.
"He did? Seems like I had better destroyed a bit more than simply his flimsy shields. And what did the old hag say?"
"She knew me already, and when she told me I had a screaming and cussing fit. I think she found that amusing. Everyone get's strange when they get old. And when you get very old..."
She crossed her fingers behind her back, but everything was better than getting on Judar's bad side when he had this murderous glint in his eyes. But her tactic seemed to work as it always did, the fire died down when he completely started floating in the air around the height of her head with a wide grin.
"Right! I knew you would understand that."
"Hm-hm," Lenka yawned behind her hand and blinked sleepily at him.
"Of course I do."
"It was boring without you. Kouen and Koumei are no fun anymore, it's just all about war meetings and tactics discussions and dusty old scrolls. Kouha is better, you can hold decent conversations with him now and then."
Lenka simply nodded, better not ask what he thought of as 'decent' conversations. Probably maiming, killing and destruction.
"Hakuei is almost as stuck-up as Entei these days, and the old hag is being an old hag. I don't know how you can stand her."
"You have to be a girl, Judar, for longer than five minutes I believe. And even then you have to be Lenka to be so amazing like me."
Judar chuckled and snatched at one of her flying strands in the upcoming wind.
"The only one promising is Hakuryuu, but only if he would fall into depravity. Being the only one is more than boring. Would you fall for me?"
"You know that you can interpret this in more than one way, in at least three if you are a girl," Lenka deadpanned, hoping to somehow evade this question. His sincerity made her remember another man with red eyes, and thinking of Muu Alexius in a situation where all of her thoughts had to be focused on this accumulation of insanity in front of her was fatal.
He cocked his head and winked at her. Orobas instantly jumped from his keen position on the couch to practice his stabs with the help of a pumpkin that had eerie similarity with a grinning face.
"I know. I just couldn't help myself."
"You should spent a bit more time on pick-up lines. Even Alibaba can do better, and his most glorious was something along the lines of being his queen for the night."
"Ew," Judar shuddered and started to laugh then pulled at the strand he had wrapped around his finger.
"Exactly," she agreed and scowled at him.
"Please pull at your own hair, you have more than enough of it."
"Don't want to. Yours is yellow."
"Do you know what I want to do? Sleep. A good, long sleep under a warm blanket. It's cold out here. And my hair is not yellow."
He pouted and Lenka sighed, took his hand which still held her hair and tickled the palm to get the strand free.
"I'll be here tomorrow, too. No need to worry."
"Then go," he sighed and shooed her away. She chuckled then shook her head but turned back to him with a cheeky smile.
"I'll convince Kouha to plait your hair if you try sneaking into my bed, you know?"
"You are no fun any more, too," he complained but stopped his attempt to follow her unnoticed. Lenka rolled her eyes.
"Unlike you I'm trying to grow up, you know?"
She had to run the last meters to the house to dodge the ice spears he shot after her, which showed just how mature they both were.
Nemeria asked for an omake. I had a flash of genius *or not*. And now I'm writing a smaller series next to my main story.
Three-way wager (Part I)
Humming a happy tune Foras wandered through the bustling streets, the silvery staff Solomon had given her in exchange for her service, still wondering just how much things had changed. So many different races living together in harmony, eating and laughing together, helping each other...
She was glad that her tribe had been freed and more than grateful to the humans who saved them. At the same time she hoped that the rest of the world would be rescued from the hell that was living near to one of the towers. Being unable to control the own body, trapped inside the own mind...
Foras shuddered. Never again. She would do everything Solomon would ask her to do, and even more. To save everyone-
She had been so immersed in her thoughts that she completely ignored her surroundings. So it really shouldn't surprise her when she bumped face-first against something firm and warm and almost landed on her backside when she waved her arms in attempt to outbalance again. A nasty curse flashed through her mind as gravity began to pull her in the wrong direction but then a fingered hand grabbed her upper arm and stabilized her.
"Careful, you could hurt yourself."
Foras was glad that her blood had no red cells and she could blush as much as she wanted to because the voice of the person was definitely male. He was taller than her, a bit more than eight feet, bronze skin a bit lighter than her own, curved horns protruding from his short spiky white hair and had the most impressive golden eyes she had seen on before, exactly the same color of the chains wrapped around his upper body and arms. They shone with mirth when he grinned down at her and she felt her heartbeat speed up a notch. Freckles.
Looking down was a bad idea, too, because she almost started drooling over his abs. Hot damn, what a fine male specimen – wait, what was that? Face, face, look back at his face, he shouldn't think you were checking him out or something like that. Geez, Foras!
One day she would have some serious problems with her talking to herself.
"Are you all right? Are you hurt somewhere?"
Back into action! What does a nice girl say?
"No, I'm fine, thank you."
Oh, please, hopefully her voice hadn't been that squeaky as it sounded to her.
"It seems like it has become a habit of mine to run into people while thinking."
He chuckled and let go of her arm; she missed his warmth instantly. Careful, Foras, you are not beginner. Shut up.
"Is that so? Well, then good luck with it."
"I'll try my very best. Tell me your name and I'll make sure to run into you again."
His grin widened and showed perfectly white fangs. So he was a carnivore.
"Orobas, leader of the Chareezhi. I arrived here a few days ago."
"I'm Foras, leader of the ones who live with the wood. Well, if it's like that we'll see each other very soon again for your official introduction."
"Don't forget how I look like until then. Because I won't forget yours forever."
Orobas brushed his fingertips over her cheek, smiled with half-lidded eyes at her then disappeared without anther word. Foras stood there, a bit confused and slowly regaining composure then turned towards a gate to another district. She had to meet a certain person.
Eligos reached for her seventh cookie when the door flew open and Foras stormed inside, a familiar sparkle in the bright green eyes. The Fae tribe leader giggled and exchanged glances with Leraje and Paimon who were sitting on pillows on the floor of her room. She knew exactly what had caused her friend to look like that.
"You won't believe just what I saw on the street a few minutes ago."
"Baal taking Valefor for a walk?" guessed Leraje and the other two added "kinky" in unison. Foras sighed, shook her head and settled on another cushion.
"No, not them, but I agree with Ells and Pai. Kinky. Try again."
"Harem king Focalor broadening his horizon and taking a male out?"
Leraje blushed bright red while the other started to cackle like mad.
"I fear you will never find out unless I tell you."
"Eligos says you spotted some serious eye-candy."
"Thank you!" Foras exclaimed and pointed on her friend.
"She knows me best! I met the epitome of eye-candy, a shocking nine pint five on the patented Foras-ian hotness scale!"
"Holy god, has this ever happened before?" Paimon gasped in fake astonishment while Eligos almost jumped from her pillow.
"Eligos needs to see that guy!"
"You know, it could have been a girl. We don't really know how Foras defines her scale," Leraje mused but inwardly she was as excited as the others. The other female snorted and brushed her liana hair back.
"No, definitely male. Definitely. I haven't had a peak like that since Solomon, and he was an insane nine point seventy-five on the hotness scale. Pai was a nine, too."
"I am not disappointed in you, friend."
"Soo, you have a name or something?"
Foras had to spent the next hour describing what had happened her, every single detail, no matter how small it seemed to her. And then she came to the conclusion that the other clan leaders were perhaps worse than the humans who had built the tower to control her tribe, or that they would make the best intelligence-gathering squad Solomon could get.
And that was even before Eligos dragged them all outside and to the council hall, as if she knew exactly whom to find there.
"That one?"
"No."
"And that? Her legs are nice."
"Nope."
"What about the one at the fruit vendor over there?"
"Not my type."
"High standards much?" Barbatos asked and grinned at his newest sparring partner. Orobas shrugged and let his gaze wander over the streets he could see well from their place on the balcony of the council hall. Both tribe leaders used the language of the humans as they had learned it from Solomon when he introduced his plan to them. And it was better having one common language than learning more than a dozen to speak with the other entities here.
"Might have. The more complex and time-intensive the hunt is the more worth the prey."
Barbatos laughed and smacked the other male's shoulder.
"I knew that I like you, kid."
"I'm not that young."
"Still a kid in the measure of my folk and most of the others, too."
Orobas gave a slight growl and crinkled his nose.
"Well, better a kid than an old man."
"I'm not that old either," Barbatos complained with a half grin.
"Prove it then," drawled Orobas, inwardly giving himself a high five when the others eyes squinted. Falling prey to his own passion for hunting, how ironic.
"A dare? How interesting. What's the challenge and what's in for the win?"
"Eternal gratification for the winner. For the tasks... how about who can make the most women fall for him in a month's time?"
Barbatos grinned wide.
"I'm in. Sorry, but this is going to be another of my countless victories."
"Don't get cocky, old man."
"Neither should you, brat."
The tingling feeling he got whenever his twin was approaching made him look away from the other clan leader and at Orias who was walking towards him. The small frown he wore so often was missing at the moment and he seemed to be quite relaxed.
"Hey brother. Finished your bookwork?"
"For today. Ugo's theories are amazing. There are so many variables I haven't thought of yet... by the way, hello Barbatos."
"Hello Orias. Good that you've come out of the study, your brother is annoying as hell."
"I'm not," Orobas hurried to defend himself but his twin was already glaring at him.
"Is that so?"
"Really not!"
"He offered a bet."
Orias face-palmed with a groan. Just how idiotic could someone become?
"Tell me you did not do what Barbatos just said."
"..."
"Oh god, why did you punish me with such a foolish brother?"
"Eligos can't see a hottie besides the ones we already know," the Fae sighed and glanced at Foras who was still scanning the room for her newest object of interest. She shrugged, then looked in the direction of the balcony and blinked surprised. Even after rubbing her eyes the picture she got was still the same.
"And I'm seeing two instead of one. Excuse me, Ells, Pai, I have to check if I'm going crazy."
Foras ambled over to the three males and casually nudged Barbatos with her shoulder.
"Hey big guy, haven't seen you in a while."
He grinned down at her and tapped her nose.
"Fory, little sapling. I was busy doing some hunts and training. Orobas, Orias, this is my friend Foras," he introduced her to the others and she instantly drew conclusions. First, her vision was completely fine. Second, the others must be twins so similar were their faces and their exterior in general, even though one wore golden chains and the other silver. Third, on the patented Foras-ian hotness scale both were above nine for sure.
She pointed at Orobas.
"So we meet again, and I didn't even have to run into you."
"I noticed, but it's nice that you haven't forgotten my face."
"As if I could."
"Careful, Foras is one terrifyingly capable person," Barbatos warned with a chuckle.
"Never play tag or hide and seek with her as she will outsmart and outlast you for hours."
"What a nice compliment. Have you been training that next to your abs? They look great by the way."
"And she is quite open-minded, too."
Orobas started to grin. He had a feeling that he would like her, in every meaning of his words.
"Is that so?"
"We perverts have to stick together after all," Foras nodded and patted her friend's rear who scowled at her.
"Don't lump us together, Fory."
"But aren't you almost as perverted as me?"
"Exactly, almost."
"Do you want to join our bet?"
"Sure, I like gambles. Whatever it is, count me in."
"I think god has just flipped me off and told me to sort things out on my own," Orias murmured and slowly sneaked away from the three who had started to discuss their nefarious undertaking.
Gusion raised her head, jackal ears turning like radar sensors. She then nodded slowly and concentrated on the game of cards she was playing with Vinea.
"... I just noticed Orobas, Barbatos and Foras making a bet on who can seduce the most women in a month. My money is on Foras."
"I'm glad that I never thought about betting against you."
"... how clever."
"Indeed, even though your chain of victories has one dent..."
"... I never bet against Solomon saying that Ugo would have a girlfriend before he died. I never lost against him. I have Eligos on this. I will succeed. The odds are on my side."
"That grin is scary."
Eligos cracked her knuckles in anticipation when she scanned the newcomers Orobas and Orias. The first seemed just perfect for Foras, she could already see the sparks between the two of them. As far as she knew Barbatos was fairly interested in her as well, so there would be a lot of interesting situations in the near future. And they had unconsciously made the right conditions for her to set them up, too.
Orias was more of a mystery at the moment, but then the Fae caught a glimpse of Dantalion and a wide smirk spread on her childish features.
She could really work with this. They would never know what had hit them until it was too late, way too late and the wedding bells were ringing.
This was going to be great.
[to be continued...]
Ta-da! Another chapter! Sorry, but I'll have to stick to the bi-monthly updates. My workload just increased...
So, chapter 26 will be updated on December 6!
110 followers! I'm absolutely stunned and extremely happy. Thank you so much for your support *hands out cookies* first snow of the winter calls for baking sessions.
To the guest reviewers!
Guest: he he, thank you!
Gadget boy: Maa, maybe a little annoyed but much more interested in her background story. The other person at the moment who has more than one djinn is Sinbad and I highly doubt they could do some male bonding and sharing their dungeon stories when their countries are a step away from war. ;D
haru: When I read your review I wanted to cuddle you. So. Much. Exactly what I wanted to achieve. A good story should be like a movie for the reader. Thank you so much!
Nemeria: No biggie. The next year is probably the one I will be broke because of so many new movies, new manga etc. to view and buy and whatever.
I found a lot more mistakes :| in my document are none but after I uploaded to ff... shock!
Don't worry, there will be more Kouha in the next chapters. I like him quite a lot.
Thank you for inspiring me to the new omake series! Eligos will wreck havoc. The matchmaker's ascendance has begun!
Good luck with your endeavor! I don't have Batman's phone number and then I doubt he would have the time to jump through dimensions to beat some minor criminals to a pulp.
You will read from me! I can't describe just how happy I am with you reading my story. Really can't do.
Lots of love,
TheMultipleMeExperience