Chapter 9: Meeting

Well, this was a sight: two chairmen of famous organizations, a diligent secretary, a loyal dog, two Helios students, and finally a famous magician. All in one room. One occupant found this quite an amusement and even let out a small chuckle.

"Why the heck are you laughing?! I was totally freaked out when I saw that weird old dog man kidnap Rood out of nowhere!" Dio points to Van who wasn't pleased to be labelled as the 'weird old dog man who kidnaps young boys' although he couldn't exactly blame the boy for thinking that but he couldn't explain the situation to him either with Shicmuon there out for the boy.

"My apologies for the inconvenience." Lanoste lightheartedly apologized. "But with the situation as it was, our main priority, at the moment, was distancing the two to avoid any unwarranted collateral damage. Although today was only your first meeting, I'm sure you are aware of how he gets when it comes to that child."

Not a moment sooner did a bloodcurdling scream resonate in the air. One of pure terror.

"Gyyyyaaaaaaaa!"

"Ah, he bit me!"

"Hold him down!"

"Don't let go!"

"What's with this kid?! Are you sure he can't use magic right now?!"

"Eek!"

A brief pause filled the air after the screams died out.

"I understand..." Dio had nothing else to say after that. All he knew was that Rood wasn't the only who had a hard time dealing with Shicmuon.

As for the blond, he had his own problems at the moment with his Master not letting go of him since he first stepped into the room. The constant wailing and unnecessary cries weren't exactly helping either. Just how much longer was he going to stick to him like this? And how could he not be ashamed to show his guests this unsightly side of him? It was embarrassing for Rood to be seen like this. As much as he wanted to get out of his Master's hold, he couldn't. Since when did his Master have this much strength in him 'cause he clearly never showed much power whenever Rood would beat him up every time he got his nerves which was most of the time.

"Let go already. How much longer are you going to act like this?" Rood tries to put some distance between him and his Master but to no avail. "You're embarrassing me again!"

"Waaaahhhh!" Kielnode cried with Rood in his arms and pressing his cheek again Rood's. "But Rood, I was so worried! What if something had happened!"

"Nothing too bad happened so quit it already."

"So something did happen! Did he hurt you? Did that unruly brat try to force himself on you again? I knew I shouldn't have set up that pla—"

Before Kielnode could continue anymore, Rood smacked him right in the face having been fed up with his nonstop blathering and body contact. Although it did shut him up, it didn't release him from Kielnode's hold.

"Hahaha..." Lanoste lightly chuckled at the scene. He never got tired seeing the two like that. It was more entertaining than seeing Van's reaction every time he called him his [dog].

"Is now really the time to be laughing?" Van sometimes questions Lanoste's sanity. Then again, he is Shicmuon's relative. Maybe he got his warped personality from his superior.

With a few bruises here and there, Kielnode finally decided to release Rood much to his dismay. Why couldn't he understand how much he loved him? His love for him was as deep as the ocean. He even stated this to him yet instead a warm moving scene between a child and their guardian he received a cold shudder followed by goosebumps. Rood can be so cruel to him sometimes.

Why couldn't he see how concerned he was for his well being?

He even set up a fun play date for when he noticed how lonely his child was. Although Rood had stated several times that he wasn't lonely, that's what all lonely kids say. They put up a strong front so that they don't look weak (except that Rood wasn't one of those kids not that Kielnode knew since he was too caught up in his own delusions). Fortunately (unfortunately in Rood's case), he saw through Rood's cold facade (although it wasn't a facade) and arranged a nice, fun filled day with another kid his age. Well, at least, it was supposed to have been anyway. He didn't think he'd accidentally set Rood up with a deranged psychopath that later turned into his stalker.

He really should have done some research first before proposing a play date for Rood at the mention of another child magician who too had no friends.

Next time, he should just keep his mouth shut before opening it.

"I do apologize for the trouble my little Shic has caused."

"That's an understatement." Rood retorted. Trouble didn't even begin to describe all the mayhem he caused today not just for him but his friends and other civilians too.

"Well even I have a hard time keeping him under control. It's not easy raising an energetic boy his age."

Is he serious? Of all the things to label Shicmuon of all people, he used 'energetic?' More like down right crazy. Rood knew this better than anyone else being the target of his obsession.

"It truly saddens me to see him chasing after a boy instead of a girl."

Is that really what you should be prioritizing right now?! Rood internally retorted in disbelief.

"Also, it's not exactly my fault since he found out about our meeting and wouldn't stop pestering me to bring him here. And when I told him to stay back, he just came on his own accord."

It is Shicmuon after all. Rood isn't exactly surprised to see him disobeying orders just to do as he pleased.

"I even had at least ten or twenty of my magicians restrain him before I left..."

?!

Now this caught Dio and Lidusis's attention. Even Kielnode and Ren were surprised by the news. Kielnode knew that that type of restraint would be needed for someone like Shicmuon, but he didn't think he'd actually do something on his own child. Ren was surprised, because she never knew any kind of parent or guardian that would do such a thing.

"And yet he managed to take them all out and come here."

Now they didn't know what was scarier the fact that Shicmuon took down ten or twenty magicians just to get to Opion to chase after Rood or the fact that his own guardian would actually use that many magicians just to keep him back at their organization's headquarters.

"I don't care about that. I called you here to do something about that wild animal you call your boy!" Kielnode interjected.

"I've done what I can to keep Shic under control, but no matter what I do, it never seems to work on him." Lanoste defended. "I even tried giving him a time out by locking him in a cage, but apparently, he broke out. If only I hadn't forgotten to put some magic seals on him before giving him his time out..."

What was that?! He'd lock up his own kid in a cage and call that a time out! Dio and Lidusis didn't know much about this old man. But one thing, they knew was that this man had as many screws loose as his kid. They could practically see the family resemblance in not just appearance but mind as well.

"The only thing I can think of is if your adorable little child moves to another location..." Lanoste suggested much to Dio and Lidusis's dismay.

They didn't want their friend moving away because of stalker issues.

"But knowing Shic, he'll follow him even if he moves to another continent."

Van couldn't argue with that. He's been with Shicmuon for as long as the kid could remember and he knew him better than anyone else aside from his family. So he can say without uncertainty that Shicmuon would without a doubt chase after Rood even to the ends of the earth.

"Another suggest would be..."

Didn't he just say that he only had one idea?!

"... to get Shic to lose interest in him."

That does sound more reasonable than the first option. But it's not like that is actually possible. This is Shicmuon after all. Unless, he finds someone more interesting than Rood that kind of thing ain't happening 'cause there ain't no one more interesting than the Black Magician (not that Dio or Lidusis knew Rood's identity as the Black Magician).

Kielnode wasn't one to just casually agree with Lanoste's decisions especially since it was his kid that was the very root of his problems. However seeing as there were no other better options available, he had no choice but to go along with the idea of making Shicmuon lose interest in Rood. Although it sounded nearly impossible, it was only the most efficient solution to ridding Rood of his crazy stalker.

"Having raised him myself, I know Shic better than anyone else. And as all of you or at least most of you know, Shic isn't the type to listen. So no matter what we say to him will work unless it pertains to the child of Opion's master."

They couldn't argue with him on that. Shicmuon was never much of a listener to begin with. It's always violence and nothing more. No words or anything. Just either a fist to the face or a large blast of magic.

"However I doubt he'd simply take our word as it is. So I propose we have your dear little boy do something in front of Shic to make him lose interest after all seeing is believing."

"No way!" Kielnode immediately shot down. He was in way going to let that lunatic anywhere near his precious Rood. "If you think I'm letting that happen, you've got another thing coming!"

"Now. Now. It's not like he'll be doing anything dangerous."

"Allowing that crazy maniac of a mutt within eyesight of Rood is already dangerous as it is!"

"As long as your boy is fine with it, it shouldn't be much of an issue." Lanoste turns to Rood for his answer.

"I don't really mind." If it means finally getting Shicmuon off his back, he's okay with it as long as it isn't anything ridiculous or stupid.

"Then how about dressing up as a girl in front of Shic. That'll probably make him lose interest." Van lightly joked unaware of the deadly trigger he just pulled.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea. Alright, let's give it a try." Unfortunately for Van and especially Rood, Lanoste took the suggestion seriously.

"Hey, wait! I was only joking. You're not seriously going to do?"

"Joke or not. It is a good idea. Most people wouldn't want to associate themselves with abnormal people like how this little boy is always avoiding my Shic."

Did he just label his own son as abnormal?! Dio couldn't help but question the relationship between Lanoste and Shicmuon. What kind of parent just casually referred to his own kid as some kind of monster? Though, he remained unaware the deeper relationship between the two as it was more than just what meets the eye.

"So if he have him do something quite shocking like dressing him up as a girl, Shic would probably lose interest in him and would no longer bother him anymore. Doesn't sound like a bad idea. And there's nothing to lose."

Actually, something might be lost if they go along with that ridiculous plan. For instance, Rood's pride as a man or boy in his case. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did something that stupid.

Knowing that he couldn't do anything to change his superior's mind, all Van could do was silently give the small child his condolences feeling the piercing glare from the latter.

Sorry kid...

Hearing the idea, Kielnode immensely feared the consequences should they do it and expressed great disapproval.

"No! No! No! Absolutely not! As if I'm going to allow this!"

For once, Rood agreed with his Master. He absolutely refused to dress up as a girl. It amazed him out sensible his Master was. Normally, he'd come up with some convoluted idea that would earn the older man a punch or two from the younger.

"Why not? It sounds like fun."

For you! Rood retorted inside his mind. The only reason Lanoste was acting so nonchalant about the whole thing was because he wasn't the one being forced to crossdress.

"Do you not realize the consequences if we put my already adorable and charming Rood in a cute, frilly dress! Swarms of perverts will come in from all directions. Weirdos will try to kidnap Rood! And more importantly, if that mangy dog of a beast you call your child sees Rood like that, Rood's chastity will be—"

Before his Master could further embarrass him any more, a wooden chair was thrown at Kielnode hitting him square in the face.

She knew her Master meant well and was only looking out for Rood's well being, but still... Couldn't he have done it in a less embarrassing way? Ren sweat drops at her Master's usual silly antics.

Well one way or another, somehow, by some horrible turn of fate on Rood's part, he ended up wearing a white frilly dress along with a wig courtesy of Lanoste who wanted to add it in for the heck of it.

One thing for sure was that he isn't going to live this down.

The others could only stare at the young blond who oddly enough looked perfect it in. Nothing out of the ordinary. If they hadn't known that that was Rood, they could have easily mistaken him for a girl.

"I think I can see why Opion's master was so worried..." Lanoste didn't think it would actually suit him this well. Looking at Rood now, he could understand that Kielnode's worries weren't so superficial after all. He looked so much like a girl that it was scary. He looked way cuter than any other girl. In terms of appearance, he wins by a long shot. If only he was an actual girl.

Sigh~

Lanoste let out a deep sigh. "Why wasn't he born a girl? If he were an actual girl, then I wouldn't be so worried about Shic chasing after him. He certainly would make one cute little girl. Plus, he knows how to perfectly handle Shic. If only he were an actual girl, then I would have found Shic's perfect bridal candidate after all Shic is quite obsessed with him. No doubt I would have set the two up if he were a girl."

Cute beyond words. A good head on his shoulders. Target of Shicmuon's obsession. A strong will. Power to rival Shicmuon. An extremely kind and good natured person with a sense of right. Knows how to deal with Shicmuon's capricious and destructive nature. He practically matched all the qualifications needed. The only problem was the [gender].

Van couldn't help but feel a bit scared seeing Lanoste's actions.

Looking at his friend, Dio knew that it was Rood, but he still couldn't do anything about the uncontrollable blush on his face. Rood looked way too good in it for him to be a boy like Dio. If Dio wore a dress, no doubt he'd be the laughing stock of the entire school. But Rood on the other hand was a whole another story.

As for Lidusis, he remained awfully silent head down. He was too shocked for words, but not for the same reason as the others. Because Rood had looked so much like [her].

Sigh~

Lanoste lets out another sigh. "If only he were a girl..."

Van internally prays to whatever deity that is out there that his superior doesn't actually think of setting Shicmuon up with Rood.

Seeing Rood in his current attire and how adorable he looked, Lanoste doubts Shicmuon would lose any interest in Rood considering how good he looked in that dress. On the other hand, he's more worried that it'll intensify.

But before Lanoste could say another word, the door to the office breaks.

Oh no.

They didn't have to turn around to see who the perpetrator was as they all had a very good guess as to who it was.

Only one person could be so destructive...

Shicmuon.

In hopes of evading said person, Rood quickly hides behind the couch Kielnode and Ren were sitting at. He internally prays that Shicmuon won't find him. However his prayers went unanswered as he heard a familiar voice. Another thing he noticed as the absence of the weight of the couch behind his back.

"Found you..."

What the heck?! Rood screamed inside his mind at the sight of Shicmuon holding the couch over his head with Kielnode and Ren still sitting on it. That explained the missing presence of the coach from his back. But still, that was just plain cheating!

Kielnode and Ren weren't looking so good either as they felt uneasy being lifted up in the air by a kid who clearly had power that no kid his age should possess.

Maybe if he's lucky, Shicmuon wouldn't recognize him the dress. Plus, he's also wearing a wig too.

"Blackie..."

So much for that idea.