(Normal Point of View)
Late at night, outside Tristain, a figure emerged from a pond, slowly crawling himself out to the dry land. Whatever he did down below certainly drained his energy. The figure was drenched wet, and his clothes were heavy, making it difficult for him to move, but he didn't care. He had brown short hair with brown eyes, wearing black patched shirt and pants, black boots, fingerless gloves and a long red scarf that wrapped around his neck, covering the lower part of his face. He rested on his back before pushing himself up, looking at an item he held in his hands. He smirked in satisfaction from the result.
"With this, despair will spread around town, making my mission easier than before. Whatever that mortal is planning, it better work or else it would be they who will suffer despair in the end." Clenching on the possession, he pushed himself up and headed off towards another direction, which was a village nearby.
Following the path in the woods that led to the village while encountering few obstacles and numerous shortcuts, he eventually reached his destination. From there, he continued to walk along the main road with many lampposts that brightened the area, walking the street on his own.
"Look at these mortals, having the time of their lives while they don't notice the despair just within…" the thief said as he walked along the path. The seduction of a woman to tempt a man at the corner, the sound of laughter within a bar, a few couples enjoying their dates… this is what the thief experienced down the whole path.
And he hated it.
The night is still young, and after walking for a while, the thief came to a stop, looking around before turning a corner. Looking sternly, another cloaked figure walked out from the darkness of the alley, approaching him.
"Did you get it?" the cloaked man asked.
"Of course." The thief scoffed as he reached into his pocket. "And it's something that you've wanted to get in your hands for so long…"
"Yes, but that nuisance of a spirit keeps any poachers at bay, making it difficult to grab the treasure." The cloaked man added as the thief presented the possession he held to the former. His eyes widened upon seeing the treasure. "There it is… Andvari's Ring!"
"The Ring of Resurrection." The thief said, handing the ring to him, as he turned around, wanting to walk away.
"For a thief, you are quite odd. Especially when it comes to the reward…" the cloaked man said to him.
"What I'm after is not money…" the thief said as he turned around, looking at the cloaked man with an evil smirk. "…but rather, the joy of the hunt. Remember that…"
"Hmph, I thought so." The cloaked man then turned around and walked away, leaving the thief of his own.
"And of course…" He added, his smirk being still on his face, as an aura of darkness emitted from his body and a few scale-like features were seen on his face. "…the joy of turning mere Gates into despair, en masse."
Back at the pond, while it may look tranquil and calm, the tide within was slowly increasing, enough to reach the edge of the ground. From there, an echo can be heard…
'I must find it… the stolen ring. I shall flood this world for it, should I must…'
(The voice is narrated by Montmoterancy)
The magical rings, the Wizard Rings
(The magic circle appears as the four rings floats out from it.)
The power of magic that runs within his veins in a swift command
(An image of a hand appears as the Flame ring slides into his left middle finger, and the Driver On is on his right middle finger)
Wielding the power for greatness, will he change the humanity's fate… into hope?
(The figure, Nozomi Saigo who was hovering right between the magic circle and makes a glance towards the viewers as a quick flash of Wizard can be seen.)
(Cue in Life is SHOW TIME!)
(Maji ka?! Maji de?! Maji da! Show Time~!) The montage starts with Kamen Rider Wizard twirls around a few times with a magic circle on a background and he opens up a magic circle to the sky, letting the Wyvern Phantom soar the sky, above the academy and it spews out flames to make the title appears and the Wyvern flew away from the screen to shift to the next screen.
(Maru de tsuki to taiyou) At the backstage of the magic theatre, Saigo was resting his head on the table as his arms covers his face while his hand grips hard onto his sleeves as a quick montage shows the solar eclipse and the purple cracks on his arms that resembles scales.
(kasanaru toki no shougeki!) Louise was walking all alone at the corridor of the academy as Siesta is serving another student their food as both of them stopped and looks up at the sky to see the solar eclipse is happening.
(Dare datte kiseki wo shinjitemitai) During this time, Saigo was trying to take Louise's hand, but they kept passing though each other and froze in place as the background shatters away into pieces.
(Kitto hitsuyou~ fukaketsu no) Kirche was doing her usual dating with other boys and they passed by Tabitha, who was walking while reading her book on her hands.
(ENAJII~ kokoro tame) Guiche was trying to seduce another girl from the academy, only to realize the furious Montmorency behind him, leaving him sweatdrop.
(Yume to yosou ii ima de uragitte kureru mono~) A quick montage on other characters in order such as Forquet the Crumbling Earth with a huge golem at the background, Old Osmond with the "Staff of Destruction", Jessica and her father, Scarron in a pub, Princess Henrietta with Prince Wales on the background of the lake, Wardes wielding his sword-wand and his air dragon by his side, Cromwell with an evil smile with the Ring of Andavari and it switches to Saigo preparing his henshin stance and placing the Flame Ring onto his belt and his body glows radiantly.
(3! 2! 1! Show Time!) Guiche and Montmorency counts 3 with their fingers, Kirche and Tabitha does the 2 with their finger while Tabitha still reading her book and at 1, Louise casts a spell, which only ends up in explosion.
(Magic time~! trick janai!) Saigo changes into Kamen Rider Wizard and he spins around while showing his Flame Ring on his left hand.
(Mahou wo hero hanpa nee zo [Mahaluto Hallelujah!]) Three PlaMonsters, a golden Kitsune (fox), indigo Roc/Rukh and green Hydra, floats away from Wizard as he cast a spell to make some fireworks behind him.
(Kioku no roots moguri-konde) In a fast forward montage, Kirche tried to hug Wizard in Flame Style but he immediately entered the magic circle and he accidentally splashes the water that he skids onto Montmorency in Water Styles. Another magic circle appears above his head and he immediately jumps high to change into Hurricane Styles as Tabitha was riding her dragon.
(Kibou wo tsukui dasou~) When he passed through the magic circle on the ground, he transformed again into Land Styles, creating a crater that makes Guiche ended up sits on his butt. Louise extends her hand as Saigo manages to grab her hand.
(Show Time!) Professor Colbert, Siesta, Jessica, Scarron and Princess Henrietta shouted "Show Time!" with smile on their faces.
(Life is Show Time! tobikkiri no) Saigo rides on his Wyvern, with Louise at his side as both of them soar to the sky.
(Unmei DORAIVU mucha shitemo [Mahaluto Hallelujah!]) He wears the Cross Ring on Louise's finger, where he just smiles at her while she blushes a little bit.
(Kinou, kyou, ashita, mirai) He got pulled back by Kirche as she wanted to hug him, followed by Siesta.
(Subete no namida wo~) Both of them tried to pull him to their side, only to have Louise getting angry with her horse whip on her hands, making him gulp.
(Show Time!) Derflinger appears out of nowhere while shouting "Show Time!"
(Houseki ni kaette yaru ze) All of the shattered pieces are formed back as one and three other Styles are entering his Flame Style.
(Maji ka?! Maji de?! Maji da! Show Time~!) The montage ends with Guiche and Montmorency showing the Land and Water Ring respectively on their finger, Tabitha looks at the screen while showing the Hurricane Ring that she wears, Kirche shows the Flame Ring on her and Louise readied with her wand in her hand and Saito showing the Driver On Ring with a confident smile on their faces.
Disclaimer: I do not own both Kamen Rider Wizard and Familiar of Zero. All credits goes to respective owners.
Trick no. 8: Seek the Hunt
(Saigo's Point of View)
Ah~, home sweet home. After a week of performing Henrietta's mission and wiping out the Phantom that tried to make Jessica fall into despair, it was finished. We gave a warning to that fatso and of course prevented Jessica from being reborn as a Phantom. As a reward for our efforts, we received a basket of freshly baked doughnuts and uh…
…a kiss from Jessica. Right on the lips…
Man, I should try to forget about it. I mean, when I first got here, Louise was the first one to kiss me there and I felt annoyed at the time. I should have been accustomed with this place already and get on with it…
"We've reached the Academy." Louise spoke up, breaking my train of thought.
"H-Huh?" I blinked. "Uh, yeah… home sweet home, I guess."
"Hm? Saigo, what's wrong with you?" she asked. "Don't tell me that girl kissing you so suddenly caught you off-guard!"
Well, from the looks of it, that last kiss DID catch me off-guard. But hey, I ain't complainin', that's for sure. A reward's a reward, and I'm taking it!
"Yeah… but I guess I could get over it and just continue on with our own mission for the time being, like hunting down more Phantoms along the way…" I told her.
"I thought so…" she added as I felt her head lying on my back, muttering something quietly. "Why didn't you feel that way when I wore that dress?"
"Hm? Did you say something?" I asked.
"It's none of your business! Keep your eyes on the road already!"
"We're already here." I told her as I put on the brakes and reached the main front of the academy. "And it's really quiet around here. Is there something we missed?"
"If you must know, it's summer vacation right now." She said while mounting off the Crimson Claw, with the basket in tow. "A lot of people have gone home or are traveling."
"Summer vacation, huh? Never thought of this world shared some similarities with mine…" I said as the magic circle went through my Crimson Claw, disappearing instantly.
As we walked together towards the main entrance, both of us noticed a carriage at the front. Tabitha and Kirche were there as well. Seems like there's a luggage or two to be carried by the driver as he puts it in said carriage. "You guys going anywhere?" I asked, which caught both of their attention.
"Ah, Louise! Darling!" Kirche perked up. "I haven't seen both of you around recently, so I thought that you've already gone home."
"I don't have a home to return to, remember?" I pointed out. "And besides, I followed Louise for business."
"What kind of business?" she asked.
"Like I said, Louise and I had to do business, that's all." I summed up.
"And what about you guys? Are you heading home as well?" Louise asked.
"I'll be staying at Tabitha's place." Kirche pointed out.
"Tabitha's place? What for?" Louise asked before she rushed toward me and… hugged my head close to her assets?!
"Please forgive me, darling! It looks like both of us would not be able to see each other for a while!" Kirche cooed.
For once, that's actually a good thing, even though I wouldn't be able to enjoy this kind of bliss too…. and Louise looks pretty annoyed right now, seeing this.
As Tabitha entered the carriage, Kirche let go of my head and immediately ran towards it… but not before she twirled around and looked at me with her usual flirty smile. "I'll see you later, Darling! Have a nice vacation~!" and with a wink and a blow of her kiss towards me, she entered the carriage and soon enough, the carriage headed off towards their designated place: Tabitha's home… wherever that is…
"And here I thought I would never feel THAT again…" I got out, daydreaming about what Kirche just did. With a wave, I said, "Be careful on your way home!"
""Be careful on your way home!" my butt!" Louise said angrily, pinching my ear as she started dragging me along with her. "Come with me! You got a LOT of work to do!"
"Owowowowowowow! Let me go! My ear's in pain!" I cringed while trying to make her let go, but it was all in vain as her annoyance reached to its max. Oh, why does this happen to me?
(Normal Point of View)
Along the trip, Kirche and Tabitha were heading towards Tabitha's place. Kirche looked outside of the window, admiring the view she was seeing. "This place is very peaceful. That's all I can say right now."
She looked at the blunette, reading at her book silently without even replying back. Kirche lets out a small smile and asked, "Hey, Tabitha. Since we're on your way home, why don't you try to look a little more cheerful? Like my Darling. Whenever I see him, I couldn't help but feel excited!"
Tabitha's only reply was turning another page while still reading her book emotionlessly, much to Kirche's expectations.
Just as the conversation seemed to get a little awkward for Kirche, she looked back outside the carriage, looking at the peaceful view again. "Oh, Darling. I just hope you are well on your own."
After a few moments of silence from Kirche's monologue, she asked her, "I'll be honest with you Tabitha, I didn't know you were an exchange student, like me. Why are you studying abroad?"
Silence was the only reply that Tabitha gave, making Kirche look down, saying innocently. "I was basically kicked out of my school." Those words caught Tabitha's attention, as Kirche gazed outside. "I caused a lot of trouble there and as a result, I was expelled. Not to mention my parents said I would ruin our family's reputation if I hung around my place, doing absolutely nothing. That decision almost forced me into a marriage… to a very old geezer! And I was like, "You've got to be kidding me, right?!" to my parents."
As she continued telling her story towards the interested Tabitha, their carriage came to a stop, much to her confusion. "Oh? Why the carriage stop all of a sudden?" she asked herself.
"Excuse me." A man's voice said which she leaned outside and noticed a farmer. "Up ahead, the Lagdorian Lake is flooded."
"Flooded?" Kirche blinked.
"Yes." The farmer nodded. "If possible, please take a road higher up to get across."
"We will." Kirche nodded. With a polite bow from the farmer, he went off elsewhere while she sat back at her seat, still surprised from the news she just heard. "That's funny... I wonder if there was heavy rain last night? And we're so close to Gallia, too."
(Saigo's POV)
You know, I really do miss home at the academy, once we've finished our mission. I thought that once we've done that, I could get my time out from doing most of the hard work, after putting a stop on that Phantom. And what do I get in return?
"Once you've finished the laundry, clean up this room!"
My mistress barking orders at me as usual. No kidding. I already miss that tavern…
"If you're slow doing it, then there'll be no food for you tonight!" she exclaimed while shoving her dirty clothes on me, making me stumbling back a few steps.
"I get it, I get it…" I deadpanned before turning away from her and headed straight towards the door.
"Don't give me that tone and look!" she argued. "Is that how you treat your master, after all the things that I've done for you?!"
"I get it, I get it…" I repeated with the same tone before I closed the door behind me.
You know, I can just conjure a magic circle so that I can get myself a doughnut, right? Besides, it's my everyday staple food that keeps me going. I can live with just a few doughnuts a day.
With a sigh, I leaned my back on the door and I seemed to hear what she was saying in her room. "He always wags his tail to anyone who talks to him, especially girls. Hold on… why do I have to get annoyed by everything he does? GAAAAAAAAAAH! IT'S SO FRUSFRATING AND ANNOYING!"
Good luck with that, Einstein.
On the bright side, the academy seemed to be empty. No one to make a fuss out of, and no Phantom on the loose either… just me, Louise (Yea~h, might need to reconsider that…) and the tranquility of the countryside this place had to offer. I'm starting to get accustomed to this place already, but none of this were able to compete with the modern world of Japan. All in all, it's good to have a change of pace around here… all but one.
"Man, if Louise keep this up, there's no way she'll get herself a good man in her life…" I muttered to myself with a sigh. "I mean, her loud voice, this forced labor, and even her petty threats… I mean, even Tetzu-san's usual stuff is bearable."
"What are you saying? You got it all wrong!" a voice got out.
"A-re?" I blinked, looking around to find the source of the voice. "There's someone here other than me and Louise?"
"I've heard that excuse too many times!"
Oh look, Romeo and Juliet are having a fight… how original.
"Listen, Guiche. I could care less about you." Momo-chan pointed out. "The only reason why I'm still dating you is because you've begged me to."
"M-Montmorency, p-please calm down and listen to me." He begged her, which she replied back with a huff while walking away from him. From what I'm seeing here, she's giving him a second chance to make up for his mistake… or is it because of she's the only girl available for him to ask her out on a date?
I don't have a clue about it, so flip a coin.
"Just wait, if you're like that…" she muttered to herself.
"He won't change that easily, that's for sure." I said, making Momo-chan pause in her tracks and notice me.
"Oh? Saigo?" she said. "Why are you here? Didn't Louise go home already?"
"She's here and I'm proof." I told her while showing the laundry basket to Momo-chan.
"Please, wait a sec—!" our little talk got cut off as Guiche showed up, trying to talk to her…
"Just leave me alone!" she exclaimed before entering the dorm again.
"W-Wait! Montmorency!" he cried out while chasing after her. "Just listen to what I have to say first! Montmorency! Please wait, Montmorency!"
"No matter how you look at it, there are some things that remain the same as always…" I shrugged. Just as I was about to continue my way to the fountain nearby, a shiny object captured my attention. "Hello there, what's that? I better check it out…"
I approached the shiny object and saw that it was an old, large pot was leaning against the wall. And it's big enough to fit two people in it. As I put down the basket on the ground, my curiosity kicked in, looking at the pot all over the place. After a few knocks, it looked fine… and there's no holes around it either. And I knew just what to do with it!
"Our Sword!" Marteau-san's voice called out, making me look at him. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at home with your mistress?"
"Apparently, there were some change of plans, Marteau-san…" I deadpanned. I shook it off and went back to the topic at hand. "By the way, why is this pot leaning out here?"
"Oh, this? You see, I was thinking of throwing it away. So, I left it outside." Marteau-san explained.
"Such a pity to let it go like that…" I said before looking at him. "Then, if that's the case, mind if I have it for myself?"
"For you, Our Sword, of course you may!" he said proudly while wrapping his arm around my shoulder.
"You know… you could just call me by my name without that title and over-the-top reaction, right?" I said nicely with a sweatdrop.
"It can't be helped, Our Sword!" Marteau-san boasted. "You are the plebeian's pride and joy, as you have single-handedly defeated an aristocrat in their own game, no less!"
"Alright, alright! I get it already!" I said before backing off from him, while he laughed happily. "But still, Saigo is fine by me."
"Whatever you say, Our Sword!"
You're not listening to what I said just now, did you?
After a quick farewell and Marteau-san taking his leave, I started rolling the old pot on its side, closer to the nearby fountain. I pushed it with my own strength, just to show my effort of getting the things that I want. After quite a push, I eventually came to a stop, satisfied with the placing. "This should do the trick."
"You know, partner…" Derf popped out from his sheath, speaking to me. "…you could've asked for an aristocrat's help. You would have got it here sooner without much effort."
"Nah, I don't need someone's help for this one." I replied while inspecting the inside. "Besides, this is my junk and I can do anything with it."
"Honestly, what are you up to with this huge pot?" Derf asked.
"Oh, I got a plan of my own with this pot, alright… just wait until tonight." I smirked. Now then… where can I find some woods, nails and hammer?
Cause it's HAMMER TIME!
(Normal Point Of View)
The carriage that brought Kirche and Tabitha continued moving on the high roads, as Kirche noticed the flood on one of the villages below her. It wasn't a small one, as it nearly swallowed the whole place down, leaving the roofs staying afloat.
"I guess we really couldn't have gotten through here. All those houses are submerged." Kirche got out, looking at the scenery. Turning to her friend, she continued, "Tabitha, just how far is your home?"
"…nearly there." She calmly replied, turning another page of her book as she read it.
As the carriage continued on throughout their travel, Kirche continued to wander her eyes of the outside scenery… that is, until she noticed the signboard in her view, getting her attention. 'That sign… it couldn't be…' she pondered, as she carefully examined the said emblem. It resembled large golden shield, followed by a smaller aqua shield. Two golden staves crossed each other, completing the said emblem. Kirche sat back at her seat, looking at Tabitha with a slightly surprised look on her face. 'That seal… is that of Gallia's royal family.'
"…" Tabitha remained silent, as Kirche decided to ask her about something.
"Tabitha, that emblem. Could it be that… you're a part of Gallia's royal family?" Kirche asked the blunette. The said blunette remained silent, as their carriage led the to the rather large mansion from afar.
(Saigo's Point Of View)
"I got one shot at this." I said, as I placed the rather thin circular wooden floor that I made just now, carefully balancing it on the lid of the large pot. So far, so good, it's a bit smaller than the size of the lid. All that is left is to let it go and…!
*THONG~!*
Hey, it fits perfectly on the bottom!
"Oh yeah, looks like it fits!" I cheered triumphantly. "This way, I don't have to get my bum or knees bruised up as the bottom heats up. I can use some of these leftovers as firewood later on…"
"You and your quirky ideas, partner!" Derf said, got out a bit from its sheath. "Is it really that necessary?"
"You don't know how important this sort of thing is to me, Derf. I guess you can say this world's culture and mine are two different worlds. And I mean literally."
"Whatever you say…" Derf shrugged off… if I can tell from its faceless expression or its tone. "Whatcha' gonna do with her clothing?"
There was a moment of silence, before I facepalmed. Doing the flooring took much time and I failed to realize the sun was already halfway there to sunset. "Oh gee, thanks for reminding me, Derf."
"Sure, no problem!"
And I didn't mean it the good way.
Whelp, better call in the SWAT team or else, a land mine would-
*SCREEEECH!*
"A-re?" I blinked, noticing Rukh-chan fluttered before me. "Rukh-chan, what's up?"
*SCREEEECH!*
"A Phantom? Where?" I said, as it started to fly elsewhere. "Duty calls, Derf."
"Oh boy! A fight!"
I hope Louise doesn't mind if I leave her on her own while I'm doing my stuff.
"Get back here with those stolen items, you thief!" A voice shouted. I noticed a few guards were chasing after a thief, as I rode along and reached a nearby town, one where Jessica's pub ain't here.
"Uh… is this supposed to be it, Rukh-chan?" I asked, which let out a screech.
"You're trapped, thief!" the head guard exclaimed, pointing his spear at the trapped thief, as they were able to corner him to a dark alley. "There's nowhere to run now!"
"Ah, yes, indeed. There's no way to run." He said, chuckling to himself. "For you peons."
"Your actions shall be judged by our lord for stealing a family heritage!" the head guard continued.
"Is it really that important for this bracelet?" he got out, looking at the jewel-embedded golden bracelet. "If so, I wonder what kind of transformation would he morph into?"
"Morph?" the guards said in unison, as black aura seeped out from his body.
"You were saying I have nowhere to run? A pity. You mere mortals have no idea what you're dealing with." He chuckled.
"Partner, Phantom dead ahead!" Derf exclaimed.
"That thief is the Phantom?!" I got out, immediately getting off from my Crimson Claw, as the said thief morphed into another legendary Phantom of my lore. It had dark skin, completed with tentacles as a beard. Wearing a bandanna over its head, its whole humanoid body is in a black bodysuit, complete with green pads on his arms, chest and shoulders that oozed out slime. It had a long tentacle arm for each of them instead of normal hands, and its feet are tentacle-like shaped boots, as it also oozes out some slime as well.
"What is the meaning of this?!" they got out, seeing the Phantom before them.
"Make way!" it exclaimed, as it thrust both of its arms right down the middle. Though none of the guards are hit by the extended tentacles, it had other plans. Spreading its tentacles apart, the guards were slammed against the walls, injuring them in the process for good measure.
*BANG! BANG! BANG!*
"Gaah!" it roared in pain, retracting its arms as I walked into the alley, armed with Derf in Gun Mode.
"You know, I always wondered why I never liked takoyaki in the first place… maybe it's all because of you, Phantom!" I exclaimed.
"What? Who or what are you?" the Octopus Phantom got out.
= Doraibā On! …Pureezu! =
"Just a passing through wizard kicking some butt." I shrugged off, shifting the Hand Author to another side, thus, activating the ringtone.
= Shabadoobi Touch to Henshin~, Shabadoobi Touch to Henshin~ =
I wore my Hurricane Ring and flipped the goggles down. "Kamen Rider Wizard. Henshin."
= Harikēn~ …Pureezu! =
I thrust my right hand up high, pointing my finger to the sky, as a green magic circle descended down to the ground, armed my body with Hurricane Style.
= Fū! Fū! Fū, Fū, Fū, Fū! =
"Remember this, Phantom!" I exclaimed, pointing at it. "Life… is SHOW TIME!"
"Indeed, and I shall start by dealing with you first!" it declared before thrusting its tentacle arms at me.
"Whoa!" I exclaimed, dodging from it with the assistance of my wind element surrounding my armor. With a quick pull of my trigger, several shots hit its body, forcing it to go into the defense. I flew towards it and delivered a strong kick on its chest, only to be blocked by its tentacle arms before whipping me hard onto the wall.
"I have heard about you." The Octopus Phantom got out. "There has been a mysterious warrior that walked around, killing us Phantoms to spare humans from despair."
"Yeah, what about it?" I asked, getting myself off from the wall.
"Should I kill you, for our master's sake, everything shall go according to plan."
"Master? Who's your master?"
"It's the one that you shall not be bothered to know. Now, die!" it exclaimed, thrusting its tentacles again.
Quickly shifting Derf to Sword Mode, I parried the attack upwards, giving the opening that I needed. A quick burst of air pushed me forward, closing in on it. It quickly retracted both of its tentacles and both of us started clashing our weapons head on. Doubled as a whip, it quickly whipped onto me with both of them, as my helmet felt its slime splatter onto my lens, disrupting my view.
"Geez, what is up with you with slime anyway?" I asked.
"Oh, it brings many benefits. For example!" it got out, reeling me towards it; courtesy of its tentacles wrapped around Derf. As much as I put the brakes on the ground, for some reason, I was being effortlessly pulled towards it, and I continued to skid all the way to another wall.
"Ooft!" I grunted in pain. The Phantom wasn't satisfied with me just yet. It repeated a few times, as the slime that was spreading around us made it easier for me to slam against the wall. Losing my balance, I ended up landing on my butt, while still holding onto Derf. That still didn't stop me from getting injured; colliding head first onto the abandoned crates nearby.
"Is this the threat I should be scared of? I'm ashamed." The Octopus Phantom said, as if I hurt his feelings of not being able to fulfill his needs.
"You ain't seen nothing yet!" I said, taking out a ring, which was a carving of a dragon's head and mini thunderbolts next to it. Switching the Hand Author to the left, a familiar ringtone rang out, leaving it in Standby Mode.
= Lupachi Magic, Touch to Go! Lupachi Magic, Touch to Go! =
"Partner, I hope you know what you're doing!" Derf said.
"Oh, don't worry, I got something in mind." I smirked behind my helmet before placing my hand on my belt.
= SUPARAKU! (Spark) …Pureezu! =
"Wizard uses Spark!" I exclaimed, as sparks of electricity ran through the sword and the tentacles. Thanks to the slime it made, the Octopus Phantom got electrocuted, contracting its bearded tentacles to a curl. I held onto one of its tentacles that tried to get away, contributing the free energy to it. "It's SUPER EFFECTIVE!"
"RaAaAaAaAaRrRrGgHhHhHhHh!" it cried out in pain, as smoke emitted from its body. With a big jolt of lightning transmitted from me, it eventually flung towards the wall, leaving a rather big crater on it.
"Well, that's something." I said, twirling my WizarSwordGun – Sword Mode before resting it on my shoulder. "Let's deal with this thing before we call it a day. What do you say?"
"Couldn't agree with ya', partner!" Derf perked up, as I switched him to Gun Mode and opened the palm. Derf was more than happy to sing the song for me.
= Let's start shooting, shake my hand! Let's start shooting, shake my hand! =
By placing my Hurricane Ring on it-
= Harikēn~! Shooting Suteraiku! Fū, Fū, Fū! … Fū, Fū, Fū! =
"Time to pull down the curtain on you, Phantom!" I exclaimed, aiming Derf at the Phantom. Debris of the crates started moving around, as pressurized wind started collecting at the end of WizarSwordGun – Gun Mode. As the sphere of pressurized wind gathered to the size of a soccer ball, I took my aim, making sure the shot does not miss.
"FIREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Derf exclaimed.
"Bang, bang, shooting!" I exclaimed, as I squeezed the trigger, letting the shot loose. As it flew at the weakened enemy, all of the sudden, thunder struck down onto the shot, rendering it useless. "What?! What was that just now?!"
"T'was me." A rather strong thunder strike struck down between the Phantom and I, standing before us. It turned out to be a man standing before us, calm and collected. "You are the rumored Wizard. Am I correct?"
"What are you supposed to be? Gilgamesh?" I said.
"My name is Quetzalcoatl. Lightning is my forte."
Of course it is. Why else do you think Final Fantasy makes you wield electricity in the first place?
"Allow me to warn you, Wizard." It continued. "Do not cross our path again."
"And what, leave you to do things like killing those Gates for the sake of your Master's utopia?"
"That is correct. It would be wise for you to step aside or there will be consequences upon thee." Quetzalcoatl warned.
I felt my fist clench tightly, not wanting to recall the horror that befell on us during the Sabbath. "Sorry, but as long as I'm around, there's no way you'll change this place into a kingdom of Phantoms. Human emotions are not to be trifled with, in the first place!"
"And yet, their emotions are just fragile and their hope is grasped in an instant."
"That's why… staying true to my name, I shall be their last hope. And there's nothing you can do about it."
"We'll see. For now, I shall leave you with a warning. Cast aside your heroic acts or more Gates shall suffer because of your blunder." And with that, another struck of lightning was cast, leaving only the charred mark on the ground. At the same time, the Octopus Phantom had already made its escape.
Which got me thinking… is there a legend related to octopus in the first place?
"Hey, partner. Whatcha' thinkin' about?" Derf asked.
"Nothing. Just feeling annoyed due to the fact that we let that darn Phantom escape while Quetzalcoatl distracted me." I got out, reverting back to normal and sheathed Derflinger.
"Oh, ok. Be sure to not forget about one thing." Derf said, which got my attention. "Her clothes."
…great, just what I need.
"Thanks for the heads up, Captain Obvious." I deadpanned.
As the sun set, I immediately had to do her clothes and managed to do it all in time. Thankfully, when delivering them to her room, she was asleep. She might have probably rested up after blowing up her fuse. With this, I'm able to set up my own personal bath just before nighttime.
And it's a suitable time for taking a bath, too.
"Ahhh… the view's kinda nice tonight." I said, looking at the stars while leaning onto the pot, with the rim being padded as well, to avoid scalding the back of my neck. That wall smashing thing surely put some strain on my back and head, but taking a dip in this hot pot sure makes it all worth it.
And yes, I'm naked and even my sleeves that covered my arms are put to one side. It's uncomfortable if you wear 'em during bath time.
"Taking a bath, Japanese style really proves a point that makes me who I am, especially after stressing out from Tetzu-san's magic… training…"
There was a moment of silence as I thought about it, especially a few fore mentions.
Japan.
Technology.
Most importantly, as much as I don't want to admit it, I… do miss my uncle. Sure, I argue with him when it comes to his inheriting the magic show, but, he's my only family left that took care of me after the incident.
Because of that, I initially wanted to find my way back home, so that I can assure him I'm alright. But seeing that Connect Ring wouldn't let me connect to my world and just ended up being in this new foreign world I'm in right now, so that's out of the question. My usual getaway ring would always be the solution to most stuff.
But, at the same time, I was kinda surprised to learn that Phantoms also loomed in this magic-based country, leaving this world without a protector. Now that it clashed with my principles of going back home, I have to stay behind to protect other Gates from the despair brought on them. And I still need to figure it out who the heck is the Master of this bunch, according to Quetzalcoatl earlier.
"I really need to clear my head right now…" I mumbled to myself as I sank into the water, completely submerged. Without my phone to entertain me, the sound of boiling water is my only companion for now. Should I use Spark to charge up the phone, there's a big chance that I might ending up fried my phone instead. I don't have any cable that I can use to charge up my phone, so for the time being, I have to bear with it.
What is up with me with the sudden change of topics?
I think the heat is getting the best of me, so the best thing I can do right now is stand tall from my bath and calling it a night.
"Waah!"
"Whoa!" I startled, ended up sitting back in the water.
Did I hear a girl scream just now? Please tell me that's not Louise…
"Um…" slowly, I took a peek from the rim and hope for the best the demon's not coming out to play. "A-re? Siesta-chan?"
"Saigo…-san?" she got out, as I let out a BIG sigh of relief. "Ahh, I've done it again."
"Done what- oh." I said, noticing the broken pieces of a tea set.
"I'm going to get yelled again." She said before looking at her apron. "Oh no, even my clothes are soaked."
"Yikes… sorry." I apologized.
"Oh, no. There's no need for you to apologize like that, Saigo-san!" she waved off. "It's clearly my fault for not noticing you in that pot."
She's really a kind girl that easily apologizes for any mistakes I made. I guess saving her from Count Mott was worth the risk.
"By the way, what are you doing in there?" she asked.
"I'm taking a bath."
"Taking a bath? In this pot?"
"Yeah, it's my country's traditional style of bathing. And no, I'm not cooking myself. I'd tasted awful." I joked, making her giggle.
"I can tell, Saigo-san." She smiled. Looking around, she pondered, "But still, using this as a bath?"
"The head chef's about to throw it away, so I took it from him and reused it as my bathtub. An open bath, where I can see the glittering stars in the sky."
"That sounds wonderful. I'd like to give it a try." She got out, making me flinch for some reason.
Is this going to be a mixed bath? A boy and a girl, all alone in this steamy hot bath… is my brain functioning correctly right now?
"Um… if you wish." I said nervously, while looking away. I just hope that she'd-
"Then, I'll take that offer."
-say no.
Apparently, this is kinda like a dream come true, though I'm not really ready for such a thing.
As she started taking off her clothes, I needed to make sure about something. "Is it really okay for you? What happens if someone comes by and spotted us like this?"
"Don't worry. The night's pitch black and there's no one around us."
"Even though you're taking a bath with a guy like me?"
"I don't mind. I can already tell you're not the type of guy who would do strange things to me. I've seen your valiant side, after all."
Yep, it's official. I'm experiencing youth right now.
Giving up on stopping Siesta-chan from joining me, I really sat on the edge, turning my back on her. I can hear the sound of water splashing, as she entered the bath. This is really a nerve-wracking moment, as I am officially with a girl in a bath… together! Can someone please tell me what I should do next?!
"Waaah, it feels nice." She sighed in relief. "Because of the heat source nearby, I can dry my clothes too. This is the perfect time for it."
"Sweet, that's good to know." I said, still turning my back. This made an awkward moment of silence, as there hasn't much conversation between the two of us.
"Um…Saigo-san?"
"Yeah?"
"You don't have to be nervous around me. It'll make me nervous too." She added. "Please… do face me. It's pitch black, and I'm certain you can't see anything."
"Well… alright, I'll take your word for it." I said, before slowly turning my attention to her.
Another moment of silence before the two of us just laughed. "It's funny."
"What?"
"Even you can be nervous, Saigo-san."
"It's because there's a first time for everything. Taking a bath together with a girl is proof." I said, mustering my courage.
"I do prefer seeing your valiant side, Saigo-san. You're more than willing to protect others, especially someone like me. I'm truly glad that you'd go great lengths for me."
"All for the sake of protecting one's hope." I smiled sheepishly. "Left alone, and having your hope stolen away from him, you'd suffer eternal despair in the long run."
"…" I can't tell why she's looking away, though I can only think that she's happy for it. "Saigo-san, what is your country like?"
"My country?" I said, as she nodded. "Well… for starters, we only got one moon, and magic is completely non-existent in my world. We got tall towers here and there, and because of the advance technologies in my world, it's a sight to behold. You should've seen the view in nighttime in my world-"
"Saigo-san!" she scolded, getting my attention. "One moon and no mages? You're saying that just to make fun of me, aren't you?"
"No, no, no, no! I wouldn't do that! I'm telling the truth, Siesta-chan!" I panicked, waving my hands in defense.
"Mmmmm…" she grunted, puffing her cheeks. "Then, how do you explain yourself, then?"
"Me?" I blinked.
"Yes. You are a mage yourself, right?"
"Yeah… by a forced ritual." I muttered.
"Forced… ritual?" she trailed off.
"Yeah. I guess a bit of explaining is needed, right?" I said, looking at her. "Be prepared, though. The story ain't gonna be beds of roses."
And from that on, I began to tell everything about the Sabbath. Everything.
(Normal Point of View)
At the same time, there was a couple who is having a date outside the dorm and at the open field, a bit far away from where Saigo was at. As Montmorency looked at him, Guiche admired the moon in the sky, talking to her with his poetic words. "Even the two moons would be ashamed and run away upon the sight of you. That is to show how much of a beauty you are, my Perfume Montmorency."
'I'm sure you say the same thing to any girl you see.' She deadpanned, glaring at him.
While she's thinking about that, Guiche made a bold move by placing his right arm around her and pulled her towards him for a kiss. This broke her trance, much to his confusion. "My dove, what seems to be the problem?"
"We should celebrate with a toast first." She told him.
"Ah, that's right. How foolish of me to forget such an important thing?" he said, as she poured down the drinks. Unknown to him, she hid a concoction of mysterious content under her sleeve.
"Oh?"
Startled, she hid back her potion, looking nervously at him. "W-What is it?"
"That's Louise." Guiche noticed, as Montmorency looked at where Guiche was looking. Louise was walking out of her dorm, looking for Saigo. Her reason? Who knows? "Why is she walking out at this hour?"
"Who knows…" she trailed off.
"How much time is he going to take, that stupid dog!" she said angrily, looking around at the fountain area, where he'd be at. "I've been waiting for him for hours, and even after my nap, he's still not at his bed! Who does he think he is?!"
"Careful, though. Though the scales are still there, it still hurts from time to time."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll be gentle."
She heard the owners of the voice loud and clear. From her sight, she noticed Siesta and Saigo inside a rather large boiling pot, as he let her examine the scales on his left arm. Louise quite surprised to see how close the two really were, up to the point of him letting her touch his arm to prove its authenticity. In a strike of fear, she quickly headed back to where Montmorency and Guiche were at.
"How could he?! Talking to another girl while both of them are naked?! How can one familiar really be such a lustful dog?!" she growled in annoyance, clearly annoyed that he's much closer to any girl he's met other than herself. "Come to think of it, why am I sneaking away from him in the dark? ARRRRGGGHHH, this is so annoying!"
At the same time, as Guiche was distracted from Louise's appearance, she took the chance of putting the concoction in his glass before passing it to him, though Guiche didn't take the hint and continued on with his advances. "Ah, Montmorency."
"Now, now… don't be so hasty." She stopped, placing her palm on his lips. "We still have to toast."
"Ah, that's right!" he gasped, being the gentleman that he is. "How I tend to forget myself as a gentleman, when I am bestowed by a beautiful maiden before me."
Her smirk was clearly on her face, as the two had their glasses clinked one another. Just before Guiche was able to take a single sip, Louise suddenly showed up. "Oh, Louise. What have you been doing?" Montmorency asked.
"Leave me alone. And I'm drinking this!" She said aloud, before snatching his glass off from him.
Montmorency's paled, seeing Louise drink down the whole glass with her concoction in it. Within moments, Louise placed the glass back on the table before walking away. 'Oh no…sh-she drank it. I'm going to be in big trouble if Saigo found out there's something's wrong with her!'
(Saigo's Point of View)
"It sounds like my Great-Grandfather's story." She got out, after I finished my tale, as she recalled the last part of how I got to this world in the first place.
"Your Great-Grandfather? What about it?"
"He passed away before I was born, but I was told that he always said he was from another world, and he fell from the sky, just like you did."
Strange… I thought I was the only one who faced such circumstances. Wait, if her great-grandpa got here as well, that means there has to be a way to get back home, after all!
"Well, it is getting late, so I should really get back." She said, as she got out of the hot bath. "Thank you very much for this opportunity, Saigo-san. It was very enjoyable for me. The bath really feels nice."
"Well… I'm glad you liked it." I said, as she put on her uniform and the maid's headdress before facing me. "Though, taking a bath together still feels awkward for me, but it's still fun, nonetheless."
"Even so…" she muttered, as I noticed she had a slight blush on her face. "Despite all of the horror you went through, I still believe that you are truly a great man, Saigo-san. More than I hoped for."
"H-Huh?"
"H-Have a good night!" she squeaked before quickly taking her leave, leaving me on my own.
…what was that all about? And why do I feel my face being hot all a the sudden?
It's probably because of the bath.
Yeaaaaaah, let's leave it that.
After all was said and done, now comes the hardest part. Even standing before her room, I can already feel the malice.
"Well… if you're screwed, you're screwed, Saigo." I said to myself. With a deep sigh and praying for the best, I entered the room and there she was, sitting on bed while crossing her arms angrily.
"You sure took your time." She said.
"Hey, at least I've done your clothes and beat up a Phantom. Though, things didn't go my way and because of that, I needed my bath." I said while now standing next to her. "That hot bath is all I needed to lessen my pain, so I ended up soaking for a while. And look, the pain's gone now!"
"I'm sure IT felt good, didn't it?" she glared angrily, clearly feeling annoyed.
"What? Beating a Phantom?" I blinked.
"You think you can fool your mistress' eyes…" she trailed off, as I noticed she's not feeling so well.
Also, she should be surprised whenever I mentioned a Phantom.
"Louise, are you okay in there? You're kinda red, all of a sudden." I asked.
And why is she suddenly making a puppy face?
"I don't care about the face… or the Phantom."
…eh?
She then wobbled around weirdly, she suddenly slumped her head down, much to my confusion.
"Hey, Louise, talk to me! You okay in there?" I asked, holding her shoulders. And she flinched.
She flinched when I touched her shoulders. What gives?
"Saigo… Saigo… Saigo!" she called my name before suddenly hugging me. As she looked at me with that said puppy look on her face, she lightly punched my chest with both of her hands… crying? "Idiot, idiot, idiot! Saigo, you big idiot! Why did you leave me to spend time with her? Do you even care about me?"
"Wha-ooft!" I tried to make sense of the situation, but Louise pounced on me, keeping me in her arms.
"Is fighting a Phantom worth even more than me? Or that girl you bathed together? You don't care about me at all, don't you?!" She cried out, leaving me in total confusion.
"Louise, if this is some sort of punishment you're doing right now, it's working well. You're freaking me out!"
"It's a punishment, alright!" she exclaimed. "It's a punishment to show how much I love you so much! So much, that it hurts me more than it hurts you!" And all of the sudden, she cried on me.
What the fishcake is going on with her?
"Ooooh, I knew it…"
Huh? That voice?
"Momo-chan?" I got out.
"The effect's already taken its toll on her…" she looked worried.
Why do I feel like there's never gonna be a normal day for me?