Disclaimer: GUST/NIS
Chapter 5: Welcome to My Cabin, Puniyo.
Ulrika rushes to the door once she hears the loud and pressing knocking, at the same feel uncertain. She never hears such knocking like someone bumps against the door using his/ her body. When she opens the door, she stuns by the visitors.
"W-What happened?"
The visitors are Puniyo and Puni brothers. Puni brothers are injured and Puniyo seems cried hard before as her eye redden and swollen.
"Hey, tell me what happened?"
Ulrika asks them worried. Roze rushes to them as he hears Ulrika sound.
"Puniyo…please take care of her…" Taro says with exhaustion. Puniyo just keeps shaking her head.
"Wait…wait. I need to know what's going on first." Ulrika gazes them with all confusion. She needs to know what happened before she can understand their talk.
Before Taro answers her, Roze takes out his dagger, breaking their conversation.
"Be careful, Ulrika."
Ulrika lifts her head, surprisingly find out a group of Punis surrounded her cabin.
"Taro…what is this?"
"The red Puni that day…he called for reinforcement. There are too many of them…we can't protect Puniyo, that's why…" Taro desperately explains to her.
"We know you will take good care of Puniyo…"
Ulrika bites her lips. She definitely wouldn't leave Puniyo alone but she doesn't sure if she able to take care of her for now.
Puniyo cry again, yelling some Puni language that Ulrika and Roze cannot understand without Jiro's translation. At least Ulrika knows one thing: Puniyo doesn't want to separate with Puni brothers.
Ulrika stands at front. "I'll help you guys. We can't leave either." She pulls out her whip, ready to fight.
"Punini!" Puniyo try to stop her but Ulrika just gently pats her head and comfort her.
"I said I'll protect you, no matter what. I've promise you."
Puniyo keeps crying. She lets go of Ulrika, knowing well that she can't stop her.
"We won't lose this time, human!" Red Puni says arrogantly and gives them an evil smile.
Of course Ulrika knows they may not able to fight against these many enemies, but there is no way she will give up here.
Roze holds tight his Sword of Light. He had promised with Ulrika and Puniyo that he will do anything he can. So he won't give up, too.
Red Puni gives order to all the Punis to strike them. Roze, Ulrika and Taro take down enemies while Jiro and Kichi protect Puniyo. Well, they able to hold Roze and Ulrika, but everyone have their limit. Soon, the battle turns bad.
"I can't finish with them!" Ulrika wields her whip as she glares at red Puni. Red Puni hides himself at the back of his allies, continue to laugh.
Ulrika wants to use magic, just if she can. She can't concentrate with too many enemies keep strike her. If she can use magic, the battle might not get this bad.
She turns around to dodge an enemy attack. Suddenly she feels a sharp pain from her left arm. Blood flow down the wound but she ignores it. She doesn't have time for this.
"Puni Puni!"
Jiro and Kichi injured as well. Taro's even serious than before. Among five of them, Roze is the only one doesn't injure but his weary is clearly visible.
He feels glad that his master taught him sword skills so he can face this large group of enemies. He dislikes his master but he does admit his master is a strong and skillful swordsman.
Just if he can changes his nature.
"Hahahaha…serve you right, human!" Red Puni laughs while seeing them suffer from battling.
Ulrika grits her teeth. His smile is so irritated and…way too annoying!
"You bastard!" She quickly takes a Tera Bomb from her outer clothe and throw it to red Puni. Red Puni unable to dodge it and once again turn to coke.
He stands up, look funny by that coke look. "Damn you! Kill them all, guys!"
Those Punis hesitate for a while. They all glance at red Puni unbelievable.
They promised to help him because they oppose the idea of adopting human child. Like red Puni. But talking about killing human, wouldn't a little too far from their original goal?
Before those Punis take further action, a voice crushes them.
"No!"
The screaming stops everyone. They all look at the source of the voice.
"P-Puniyo?"
Puniyo wipes away her tears.
"I'll leave…because…" Puniyo chokes with sobs. "I wish to stay with my brothers and family but these important people of mine get injured because of me! I can't bear to see that anymore! I'll leave…please stop this!"
She uses human language instead of Puni language. Ulrika and Roze glance at each other while observe the other Punis movement.
"Puniyo…"Taro, Jiro and Kichi return to Puniyo, try to comfort the heartbroken little girl.
"…What is this? You think that should settle all the matter?" Red Puni gives her a cold grin.
"What do you want? Don't you feel shame to force a little girl to male such decision?" Ulrika shouts out.
"She uses human language, that's mean she considers herself as human. She will returns to human now. Do you guys still have any reason for this?" Roze says, convince those Punis to retreat.
"Ugh…" Red Puni lost words. The guy maybe right but…
"You look like you still have question." Ulrika glare sat him.
"Huh?" Then only he realizes all of his allies have retreat when he lost in thought, leaving him alone.
"Hey, I'm your leader! How can you guys leave without my order…ouch!" Ulrika hits him with her club, making him scream for help. "You better remember this!" He runs with all the holes on his body.
"Hpmh!"
Ulrika turns back to Puni brothers and Puniyo. She plans to treat Taro's wound but a hand grabs her and pull her back to the cabin.
"R-Roze?"
"Treat yours first."
Ulrika feels a warm feeling run through her heart, making her sight blur.
She lowers her head, try to hide her almost crying face while let Roze treats her wound. She slightly turns her head to Puni brothers and Puniyo. They seem having some discussion, along with Puniyo sobbing sound.
"This should be fine."
"Thank you…" Ulrika smiles a bit. "Then next I should…"
"Just leave them to me. You better get some rest." Ulrika looks at his back. He should be the one who really some rest though…
Puniyo walks to her and hug her once she is there. Ulrika pats her head softly.
"Stay here, Puniyo. I'll take care of you."
Puniyo nods. She buries her head into Ulrika chest.
"Thank you…"
"You really shocked me, Puniyo. I have no idea you know human language." Ulrika tries to lighten up the situation.
"Brothers taught me when I started to learn. Now I know the reason they taught me this…"
To return to human one day…Puniyo is not Puni. She will return to human, no matter how.
"I don't care much about that. No matter you are human or Puni, you are Puniyo."
Puniyo lifts her head, find Ulrika smiling at her. She once again hugs her tightly.
"You are such a nice person. I wonder why those peoples treat you that way." Puniyo looks into Ulrika eye. "I will not leave you, like you will not leave me. You are my big sister, after all."
Ulrika grins. "You really are cute!"
They happily hug each other. At the same time, Roze has finished his treating.
"Puniyo, we are going to Puni Council to explain everything." Taro says.
"Puni? But…"
"Don't worry about us. We should do this more early, actually. Council will not allow this happened. We should find out the truth and report the whole thing." Jiro adds.
"Puni…" Puniyo lowers her head, seems very desperate.
"We will be back soon, along with good news. Wait for us!"
"Puni! Please be careful! I'll waiting for you!"
Puni brothers glance at her, and then leave without reply a word.
"Did she sleep?"
Ulrika slowly closes the door, carefully not to awake the little girl.
"Yeah…finally." Ulrika rubs her eye, look tired.
"Why don't you go to sleep?"
She shakes her head. "No…let's stay for a while." She sighs. "Can you take Puniyo to the city tomorrow? Perhaps the bustling festival can helps her lighten up her mood."
Roze agrees. "What about you?"
"You know I can't, even I wish to go." She says bitterly. "The Praying Day will start at tomorrow night. I can't go there, not before the festival end…oh yeah, Fancypant is the chosen maiden this year. Tch!" She pouts.
Roze laughs at her reaction.
"Why are you laughing?"
"…It is funny to see both of you. I wonder why you both cannot become friend."
Ulrika flushes. "I don't like the way she acts…arrogant and noble all the times…"
Of course she knows she is not a bad person. Back at the school, she was the one that come into contact with her the most expect Chloe. Fancypant didn't despise her like the other but still, she couldn't find a reason to like her.
How can she likes someone that called you Country Pumpkin at the first met?
"…Stop talking about her. It gets disgusting. By the way, how is your wound?" Ulrika turns her head to him.
"Completely recovered. I would like to stay here for a little longer, do you mind?"
"No, of course I don't mind!" In fact, she hopes he can stays longer. "What do you plan to do after the festival?"
"I need to find someone. I told you before about the man wearing a blue coat…he wants to do something crazy. I have to stop him."
"Something crazy?" Ulrika frowns.
"He is my partner on job…not that I want to pair with him, I been forced to. A week before, he told me he had something else to take care to while we were on the way back from our job. I'm quite doubted his words since he acting weird, and because I don't trust him at all. At last, I found out he wants to eliminate all the citizens in Civitate Dei. I followed him all the way here. We started a battle and got slashed by him."
"E-Eliminate all the citizens?" Ulrika stuns. At the same time, she finds herself a little weird. Why…is she feeling…?
"Sound crazy, huh?" Roze narrows his eye. "I won't let him do what he wants. No way will I let my family get into this kind of danger." Roze's voice becomes dangerous. He always gets irritated whenever he thinks about that disgusting bastard.
"I-Is that so? Yeah…y-you are right…" Ulrika stammers. She doesn't seem she hears Roze.
"If you happen to see someone with long gray hair and wearing a blue coat, tell me immediately." Roze says. His tone is somewhat dangerous and deep.
That bastard…where did he go? He should be here earlier than him but he can't find him anywhere. He needs to hurry before it is too late.
Roze lost in his own thought, doesn't notice Ulrika weirdness.
Chapter 5 end.
Finally chapter 5! Again, I will like to apologize for any typo or bad grammars. Currently I'm writing another story, so next chapter might take some times to update. But don't worry, I will finish this story.
As for ralf07:
Yeah, you are right. Roze master is Flay Gunnar and his old enemy is Tony. There is no one else is good and evil at the same time like Flay, huh? That guy is really crazy, at my opinion.