TADAHHHH! THE NEXT CHAPPIEEEE! Well, this is my attempt at putting adventure HAHA XD Please, do enjoy! It's so late right now, but i had to get it out :P
WARNING: There will be a bit of RanTaku and RanMasa and ShindouxAkane in this chapter (it's kind of a squinty thing though), so please bear with it. AND if there are more stuff aside from KyoTen (like the TaiTen thing in the previous chapter), that is for flavor purposes HAHA (it's a thing with me where i usually ship one of the peeps from my OTP with someone else so that I can appreciate my OTP more by saying "it looks so much better with *insert other guy from otp here*)
anyway, enough of my blabber, and go on :)))
KYOTEN CRAP 8
Smothered voices mixed with village noises are what greets Arion this time. His back doesn't feel so good, and just as he gets up, a rocky bump jolts him upright and off the seat, and what he presumed to be wheels are awfully out of sync with the clamor of horse hooves on the rocky ground. He realizes with a start that he's in a modestly-sized carriage, enough for four people. He also notices that he's wearing clothes now, strange-fitting ones that were irksomely perfect to his measurements, styled into something that somehow reminded him of those young english boys going to school. It's complete with the coat, a vest, a polo, a ruffled neckerchief thing that he still didn't understand how to put on, pants, and annoying closed shoes. Not his taste, apparently, but not bad.
Now that he's perfectly blending in with his surroundings, he struggles to lift himself on the seat despite the turbulent trip, and he peeks out of the corner of the curtain to see a completely different setting unfold in front of his culture-shocked eyes.
Rows after rows of short brick houses are on the right side as they rush through what Arion presumed to be the city. The boy cranes his neck to look at the road in front, and as the carriage speeds ahead, nearly bumping into businessmen in their odd suits and top hats or into busy housewives carrying buckets of milk or vegetables to the market somewhere on the left probably, he could see more of his companions riding on other horses in front. For instance, he could see a flash of blue waving in the distance; probably it's Victor. The midfielder switches to the other window, and he sees a peculiar and noisy bazaar full of cows, sheep, fishes, people haggling and shouting prices about, children running back and forth, customers trying to tow their baskets through the crowded passageways, and other shadows looming under the old yellow canopy of the stalls attached on wooden posts using rope. It's so different from the modern supermarkets and shops in his town, and he is amazed by the women in long skirts and mysterious people in robes and hoods.
Suddenly, the door he is leaning on flies open, and he yelps in shock as he feels himself falling forward, but he is pushed backwards instead. Landing on his bottom on the other side, he rubs his head sorely as he looks up at the intruder. The moment the door is closed, the man turns around to face him with a silly smile, and Arion relaxes upon seeing the familiar face of Vladimir.
"Forgive me for the intrusion," he says with a small bow as he helps Arion on one of the seats without losing balance. "We are almost at the First Sacred Rune."
Arion's eyes widen with shock.
"Is it...for real? But we're in the city!"
"It is in the city itself, and the city is on one of the mountains. All we need is a disguise. As of now, call yourself Aaron Sheldin, okay?"
"O-okay," Arion replies, still a bit shocked at the rush of everything.
"I'm sure you're not accustomed to our speed. It's just that we were attacked by some bandits earlier and we're not entirely sure if we lost them already," Vladimir apologizes.
The vehicle makes another turn to the left, and the brunette checks the window only to see a monstrous gate in front of them. The carriage slows down as some guards with black uniforms and golden buttons approach them.
Arion and Vladimir listen intently to the conversation which is near the door.
"Good morning to you, gentlemen," a man with an odd brown mustache speaks in a diplomatic manner, "what can I do for you?"
They hear Rick's voice reply.
"We are the San de Salvatorre. I believe you have been informed that we will be performing tonight?"
The guard looks at his companions, doubting Rick despite his seriousness. Arion is worried that the guards would have them arrested for fear that they were bandits. Then, the guards come to a conclusion.
"Do you have any proof?"
"Yes, we do."
Arion is amazed at his leader's preparedness as Riccardo pulls out a rolled piece of parchment from the satchel of his horse.
It has a wax seal with a monogram of a "W" on it, unbroken.
"That's the seal of Lord Wunderbar," one of the guards with an odd bowl cut that covered his eyes and had gravity-defying tresses for his silver hair, whispers to the man rubbing on his mustache.
To whom it may concern,
Good day to you and the members of the well-applauded San de Salvatorre! I, for one, am truly amazed at your skills and talents, especially that of your performer Aaron Sheldin. I hear that he is from a line of family dancers and that he has joined your crew, which is also comprised of talented members.
You band of travelers have a remarkable repertoire, I must say, and I invite you to join the Grand Gala de Masquerade which will be held at my residence in Fontana Luna Futuristica, which is located at the City of Galaxia. It will be held on Saturday, at seven in the evening.
It would bring me and the other guests great joy if you could attend this event, not as performers, but as special guests, as a part of a friendly social event where you may mingle with equally bright and extraordinary people such as yourselves. Worry not, for you shall be provided lodging during the time of your arrival until the day after the ball, food, water, all the basic necessities.
We truly hope that you can be a part of this significant event.
Yours truly,
Lord Clark von Wunderbar
The letter looked real enough, and the watchmen, after huddling together and deciding what to do, agree to let the company in.
The gates swing open, and the band travels on, with the guards still watching them carefully. As the carriage passes through, Arion can't help but feel that they're paying too much attention to the vehicle, even if they didn't check who is inside.
Arion could now take a better look at the mansion-no, it was more like a castle! Probably bigger than Blade residence, he might add. The architecture looked more English to him, made of a combination of stone and wood. It had a more warm and homey glow, and it also had a well-kept lawn, with gray stone walkways that allowed them to have a wonderful view of the statues and bushes which were all shaped into the same weird-looking creature. The best thing to call it would be something like that of a teddy bear, but really? A teddy bear? A statue of it? To make things even stranger, a fountain made of marble at the middle of the property, spewing out beautiful clear water on the shiny, colorful gems at the bottom of the bowl, was shaped also into the bear. The water came out of the thing's mouth as it did some kind of ballerina pose, the type where both hands were raised in the air in a circle while one foot was in the air, and the supporting leg was standing on its-uhm, should he call it the bear's [really] stubby toes?
Vladimir laughs a little at Arion's half-appalled and half-amused face.
As they are led to the back of the mansion by a steward, they see another huge expanse of green, which sloped down into hills far beyond. There were areas which flattened out into a field, and there were stairs on some parts to make the descend and ascend easier. At the direct bottom, there was a clearing, where a pedestal with a bowl, presumably for the light at night, was placed at the center. Around it were more benches and a few trees, and the floor there was made of cobblestone like the walkways and stairs in the lawn area.
There were even gazebos scattered around the expanse of the clearing and even in some farther areas, and there were hedges of assorted flowers and shrubs lining the walkways, stairs, and gazebos. All in all, it gave the impression that it was quite hard to maintain, so Arion could only imagine how extravagant the inside would be.
At last, they park at a covered shelter nearby. The horses are unhitched and led at once to the stables by another man, and Arion gets out to help his companions load their things on the carts provided by the servicemen. They are promptly received by an accommodating woman, with navy blue wavy hair and red glasses on her head. She, unlike most of the women Arion saw prior at the market, is wearing a long, cream-colored dress with a not-so-thick petticoat. The sleeves only reached up to her elbows, and the simple round-neck cut and simple designs of white and a little bit of gold trimmings coupled with her confident stance made her look professional and well-educated.
"Good morning to you. I am Celia Hills. You must've come a long way. Thank you for attending the Grand Gala de Masquerade."
"Good morning. We are honored to accept your invitation. Thank you for accommodating us," Riccardo speaks on everyone's behalf.
The lady smiles and nods, and she motions for them to follow her inside. When they enter, Arion can't bite back a gasp of wonder at seeing the lucullan interior. More portraits are on the walls, and the huge windows with their floor-length velvet drapes let in the late morning sun while providing a view of the surroundings. The carpeted floors make their footsteps soundless as they travel up the grand staircase, watching the chandeliers twinkle as they pass the earth, emerald, and ruby colored halls that are lined with heavy set doors on one side until they reach a certain hall.
The woman turns to face them.
"Since we understand that you are a huge band of travellers, this whole hall is allotted for you. It is up to you for the room assignments. The men will be here shortly for your belongings. If you need help..." She pauses before opening one of the rooms and picking up a silver bell from the bedside table, "...just pick up the silver bell in your room and ring it a certain number of times according to the staff you would like to address for your needs. There is a small paper there for the number of rings and the respective department. Feel free to explore the place, but I regret to inform you that the fourth floor is off-limits because that part of the house is Lord Wunderbar's residence area. Thank you for understanding."
With that she returns the bell, handing the keys to Vladimir, and she does a little curtsy before excusing herself.
The moment she disappears, Victor clears his throat to address the whole team.
"We must meet so that we can discuss our plans further. First, we must get our room assignments out of the way."
After a quick discussion, they all pick their room mates. Not like anyone minded the combinations though; they were all fine with anyone from the start, but Arion knows he has no say in this whatsoever, because he is immediately entrusted to Victor and Vladimir...
...Well at least there's a "chaperone", right?
So what could possibly go wrong?
"We must all meet up at The Unicorn in thirty minutes. I assume you've all seen it on our way here. It is much better if we all don't go at the same time so that we don't attract too much attention. Understood?"
After a nod of affirmation from everyone, they all pick up their respective luggage, but Arion realizes that he didn't get the chance to pack any.
"Don't worry," Rosie speaks all of a sudden when she notices Arion's confusion, "Rick told me to pack some stuff for you. I gave them to Victor already."
Arion turns to see Victor already carrying two bags, waiting for him. Sheepishly, he follows the older male all the way to the far end of the hall. Once they move their things to the respective places, they immediately depart for the pub.
The walk there is as silent as the one going to Vladimir's place.
"I wonder how Lord Wunderbar can afford to keep up this place while inviting guests and holding parties all at the same time," Arion muses to himself as he walks alongside Victor.
"This place is actually part hotel," Victor answers, much to Arion's surprise. "The Wunderbars are a line of rich businessmen, warlocks, and priestesses. Lord Clark von Wunderbar is one of the last descendants, and he inherited all of the fortune of the Wunderbars. Aside from all that stockpile money, he invests it in studying magic and maintaining the heritage site. He also turned part of the mansion into a bed and breakfast, something like a hotel, probably to earn more money and because it must've been lonely living by himself."
Arion can't help but stare in awe at Victor. Not only is he strong, fast, caring for his brother, hospitable, well-mannered, loyal, diligent, handsome, and well-toned-he is also quite the intelligent and knowledgeable one. Is this an all-in-one package, or?...
At last, they reach a rather small pub with a creaky wooden sign on a post and a wind vane on top. The sign has the words "The Unicorn", which Victor checks before entering. He holds the door open for Arion, who says thank you, but the brunette feels rather disconcerted by the fact that he's being treated like a lady, more so when all eyes in the pub look at the newcomers. Many of them are men, half of them are drunk, others are in their little rambunctious groups while chattering amongst one another. The duo make their way to the second floor of the pub, opening a door and taking a seat at the huge booth where Rick, Gabriel, Aitor, Rosie, Jade, Skie, Sam Gook, and J.P. are already waiting. They wait for five more minutes as everyone else arrives, and then they begin their meeting.
"Alright, so we have three days before the ball. According to another letter from Lord Wunderbar that one of his servants gave me, we are to start the dance with a short number, and only then will we invite the others to follow. Now, we need to practice a dance first of all. Then, we still need to get our costumes," Vladimir reports while thinking of the group's plan.
"Also," Gabriel adds, "I read a little bit about the Deus Relics, and I found out that the Sacred Moon Mirror, one of the items we're looking for, got split into two, and the handle was entrusted to a messenger of the future. Both the family tree and the talk of the town contain information that the current Celestial Sentinel is from a line of people that have green hair.
Odd, don't you think? But the best part is," Gabriel takes a sip of his water before continuing, "I heard from some gossiping women that he or she is a guest at the party as well."
Riccardo smiles proudly, but he asks a very crucial question.
"So all we have to do is get it while the person is watching or dancing. The question is...does anyone know a dance?"
...
No one answers, and they all scratch their heads in silence, dumbfounded. It was a great plan going down the drain. Until someone in the room coughs.
"I think...I remember a dance. I used to take lessons when I was six," Skie admits shyly.
"Really?" Riccardo lights up with hope. "How did it go?"
"It was a simple ballroom dance, but it involved having the girls switch partners-"
"That's it! One of the girls could get near the person and nick the part of the Sacred Moon Mirror! And-"
"Let me finish!" Skie hits Jean Pierre lightly on the shoulder before huffing and waiting for silence to continue. "And to make things more challenging, we need at least four girls. We're only three right now..."
Everyone heaves a heavy sigh, returning to a dead silence.
Then all of a sudden, Jade snaps her fingers.
"AHA!" She exclaims, leaping up from her seat and scaring Eugene at the same time.
"We can let someone cross-dress!"
Every boy in the room suddenly seems stiff and sweaty. Who'd want to parade around in an itchy, heavy dress while dancing like a lady? Not on their man's pride.
"It has to be someone pretty slim though," Adé points out as he scratches his raven hair.
"Hmm...how about Eugene?" Jade replies.
"But I-I'm not good at moving around quietly-a-and I'm pretty sure I'd trip or sneeze and give everything away-" Eugene starts coming up with all kinds of excuses, and everyone in the group could see why.
"Oh yeah..."
"Unless..." Skie mumbles, getting an idea while staring at Jade and Rosie. As if at the same time, all girls slowly turn their head to Arion. Everyone else follows, and soon, pretty much everyone is thinking of the same thing. Only Arion takes a while to get the picture.
"No. No no no no no," he mumbles and stutters as he waves his hands in front of his face and pushes his chair backwards in a really weak attempt to run away.
But the pink-haired girl is already sizing him up, and after a little talk, they face the group again.
"It's decided. Arion can be the fourth girl."
"WHAT!? I've been having absolutely no say at all this whole trip; first, I get abducted from Tokyo, next, I get whisked into this house with all you lot while being told that I'm some kind of heavenly sacrifice for the position of the Holy Emperor and now I'm off to some scary adventure where we have to steal and run away from bandits and forge and cross-dress?!"
Not to mention the part that I get molested by some hot, nasty, pedophile vampire, he adds in his head.
Everyone is silent, even Victor. They've forgotten that he is still a human boy like most of them. With rights.
"I deeply apologize for our rudeness. For mine, especially."
All heads snap towards Victor, who isn't even looking in Arion's direction but somewhere on the floor to his left.
"But we cannot turn back time," he continues as he lifts his head and faces Arion with a cold glare. "You have no choice. If you want to prevent your precious home from falling into evil, you must do your part. Even if it means sacrificing your own desires. Do you want your friends and family to suffer at the hands of Zabelle just because you're acting like a mollycoddle?"
Victor reviles him without shame and without compassion. It is the quickest way to get to Arion; after all, when a dog is not tamed, it will strike back. Arion is stubborn, and he will continue to persist if the henchman talks sweetly, so it's better to cut to the chase.
"I...no...I don't want that to happen..." Arion's defiance slowly dies down as he thinks about the people he loves. He was so...selfish. How could he think of himself only? What about his parents, Aunt Sylvia, and his school mates?
Arion hangs his head in shame, and he sniffles a little before wiping his tears away. He has to be strong for them.
And he has to face his destiny.
"Alright. I will do it."
The tension in the atmosphere suddenly dissipates, and everyone is hopeful that their efforts will not be wasted.
"Now," Vladimir calls everyone's attention as he claps his hands, "the dance."
"I'm pretty sure we're allowed to use the field outside the mansion," Kaiser suggests, and everyone agrees, standing up to leave in pairs or groups to avoid attention.
Only Arion and the Blade brothers are left. The little boy stands, but Victor doesn't move, so the brunette looks at Victor.
"Are you coming?" The question isn't demanding, but is asked with caution.
"No, you go ahead," Victor waves his hand, and Arion just nods and catches up with Rick who immediately engages in conversation with him about cross-dressing.
Only the two brothers are left.
"Hmm...you don't seem alright with this plan, aren't you, Victor?" Vladimir asks his brother with a little laugh. After all, he's the only one who knows his little buddy well enough to know Victor's opinion of dancing.
"I don't want to dance..." He seethes as he narrows his eyes at the floor, to which Vladimir responds by chuckling and ruffling his brother's hair.
"Oh well, I tried signing you up for lessons but you almost murdered the instructor," he says jokingly as he gets to his feet. Victor follows suit, sulking behind a laughing Vladimir, but in his mind he can't help but wonder what Arion would look like in a dress. Well, no pain, no gain.