Me: Now here's a story I haven't updated in nearly 3 months. Man I really need to look back at my older fanfics more.
Mario: Well what took you so long this time?
Me: ...Got my VP a B Slot now :D! Plus I've been training my CN like crazy these past few days so uh...yeah. I sneaked in a little reference to something here, I'll give you a virtual cookie if you can find it (so freaking obvious too). Sorry for the wait, here's Chapter 3 of this rather old fanfic.
Chapter 3: The Gumiho God's Secret
"So let's see if I heard this correctly." Rena collected her thoughts and repeated Ara's words, the Haan seated rather nervously in the living room. "The demons massacred your entire village save for yourself and the one who led them is Ran, the same creature Elsword chased after back at Hamel Castle not to mention he's your brother, Aren, who was possessed by him. And your hairpin contains the Gumiho God, who you made a deal with to save Aren in exchange for finding the El and you're the only one who can communicate with her?"
"Yes that's correct." Ara politely nodded, glancing around her surroundings as Rena took her seat next to Raven on the couch across her. The hotel the black-haired gentleman described is nothing more than your ordinary inn, the room they're staying in similar to a standard 3LDK (a regular three room house with one each serving as a living room, dining room, and kitchen) along with a bathroom and two queen-sized beds. Right beside her is the unconscious red head known as Elsword sprawled on the couch as the purplenette applied an ice pack to his head with a concerned look on her face (not to mention irritation, implying that he really is as reckless as he seems). The Haan couldn't help but scoot to the other side because of how uncomfortable she seems being next to the same boy she (actually Silver) knocked out. Finally the last implied couple, at least in her eyes, were seated in the bed as the silver-haired Nasod, Eve, (as she self-proclaims) punished the blonde boy, Chung, by pinching his "Pikachu like" ears with electricity.
"Ara Haan was it?" Raven started on her, the rest of his friends completely ignoring Chung's innocent pleas of help. "You do realize that by accompanying with us in our journey you will oppose Ran in battle? Are you prepared act when the time comes even if he doesn't have the power to revert back to his original self?" He leaned over and rested his chin on his joined hands, his golden eyes staring intently at the Haan's amber ones.
"Yes I am fine." She decided. "We as the Haan have been taught never to have our emotions overtake us in battle, even when you're fighting one of your own."
"That's very admirable Ara." The golden eyed gentleman extended his right arm to her, asking for a handshake. "My name is Raven, I guess you can say I'm the second in command of our team here."
"Second in command?" Ara repeated, in shock that this mature and understanding man isn't the leader of a group where half of them are around her age. "Then who's the leader?" Immediately the couple across her and the purplenette pointed to the unconscious red head beside her.
"This idiot is our leader believe it or not." The purple girl sighed, gently caressing his face without a second thought.
"I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't know he was your leader!" The Haan stood abruptly and bowed with an apology. Immediately showered by everyone's forgiveness (with a snickering remark from the poor boy being zapped) she sat down once again asking for the names of everyone else in the room.
"My name is Rena, pleased to meet you." The kind green elf smiled.
"I am the Nasod Queen Eve." The stoic robotic girl answered without so much as a glance.
"C-Chung!" Her poor victim quickly replied, getting right back to receiving punishment via sparks.
"And I'm Aisha." The purplenette in the devilish attire finally introduced herself then pointed a finger at their sound asleep leader. "This idiot here is Elsword. I swear he really needs to think about his decisions." She brought him up at the last minute, giving very snarky emphasis on the word idiot.
"I'm pleased to meet you all." Ara graciously provided her thanks.
Suddenly the red-headed Elsword started to stir. Everyone paused what they were doing and brought their attention to the awakening beauty (even Eve, who seemed to thrive on Chung's cute reactions). The Rune Slayer groaned and rubbed his aching head, stretching his other arm outwards.
Unfortunately his arm held onto something soft...and something belonging to Ara.
"Ugh..." He muttered half-asleep. "Must be...Rena again."
"N-N-N-No not R-Rena's!" The Haan quickly shot down Elsword's thoughts, unsure whether she should be more worried about being groped by the same person she knocked out or the indescribable rage his purplenette caretaker is feeling. Meanwhile the others (besides the motherly elf who quickly spouted at the red head to wake up) merely looked on with gleaming smirks, much to the dismay of the poor black-haired Ara.
Aisha couldn't stomach this any longer and aggressively yanked the Rune Slayer straight to the floor as soon as he let go of Ara. With him onto the floor she got on top of him and started choking him, waking the red head up instantly.
"YOU...AFTER ALL THE STUPID THINGS YOU'VE DONE SO FAR..." Her rage bursted out much to Ara's fear.
"A-Ai...not my...ult..." The poor crimson teen can't even breathe, the devilishly appropriate purple eyes glaring down at him. Satisfied enough the Void Princess loosened her grip prompting Elsword to immediately sit up and gasp for dear life. "God...dammit...Aisha. Not...again..." He spoke between rapid breaths.
"Here let me help you up." Elsword felt all his blood coming back to him and allowed the hand outstretched for him prop the Rune Slayer back to his feet.
"Thanks Rena." The crimson teen thanked the sweet and gentle elf...until he glanced to the other couch where the aforementioned Wind Sneaker (giggling no less) sat beside Raven.
"You might want to ask the name of the person who helped you up Elsword!" Rena advised. Confused, Elsword turned around to his helper, Ara.
"H-Hi." The Haan couldn't think of much to say, only awkwardly smile and introduce herself. "My name is Ara Haan, and you are?"
"Elsword, sorry for assuming you were someone else." He apologized. "Oh and you can let go of my hand now, I don't want to piss off a certain someone again." The Rune Slayer advised Ara as he smirked at his purplenette girlfriend, who turned away and pouted in response.
"O-Oh right." She retracted her hand in embarrassment.
"So who are you and why are you here?" Elsword and Ara recovered from their little scenario moments prior, the former asking for information about the latter. With a collective sigh from everyone else the Elgang (as the Rune Slayer dubbed their team name) informed the red head about the new girl and their current scenario. "Aha I see!" He cupped one of his hands and propped a fist on top of it. "So the same girl who hit me is the one standing right here, not to mention also coming along with us to chase her brother, that damn Ran, throughout Sander."
"Ah I almost forgot! My deepest apologies Elsword!" The Haan bowed down once again, this time with a dry comment from Eve to "not be so damn polite all the time".
"Yeah yeah." Elsword (reluctantly) accepted Ara's apology. "Oh right I have one more question. Before you knocked me out you had white hair with 9 tails instead of black hair, red eyes instead of amber, and now you have this white hairpin. Was that really you that knocked me out?"
The rest of them stared down at Ara (as if the already nervous Haan wasn't uneasy enough) after Elsword's question.
"So how's the great Haan going to get outta this one huh huh?" Silver finally intervened at the last second with a sly remark. Unfortunately for the owner of the Silver Hairpin, however, none of the other six reacted in any way. The Gumiho God was correct that only Ara can hear her.
"Well what am I supposed to do? We have no idea how they would react when you take over!" Ara whispered looking skyward as if having an argument with some imaginary being above her.
"So...is she gone cuckoo now?" Elsword whispered to Aisha, receiving a bonk to the head as a prize while being reminded that only the Haan can communicate with the aforementioned godly figure.
"Then we just need to find out now don't we? You can't possibly only rely on me for more power if you're all alone right Ms. Haan?"
"Well how do I get you to take control then? All the other times it's either blinding light or me fainting!" Ara whispered back, hopeful yet worried that Silver may find a way.
"Try removing this hairpin. My power is probably containing your free will as long as you keep it on." She suggested.
"O-Okay then." The Haan trusted her faith onto her alter ego, doing exactly as she said. Immediately upon doing so Ara's vision immediately blackened and her body fell limp onto the couch. The now unconscious corpse stood up after a few seconds as her hair recolored from black to white while nine tails grew out from behind. The being possessing Ara opened her now ruby colored eyes and smirked looking at her new friends.
"Hallo kiddies!" Silver mischievously introduced herself. "My name is Silver, the Almighty Gumiho God, at your service." She so grandly posed during her introduction.
"Well okay then." Elsword continued the two-sided introduction. "I'm-"
"Yeah I already know who all you kids are. Elsword the dimwit, Aisha the slut, Rena the overprotective mother, Raven the fairy tale gentleman, Eve the semi Rei Ayanami Expy, and Chung the Pokemon." In stark contrast to Ara's polite behavior, Silver is more blunt and disrespectful. As expected all six of them (especially the former two) are furious at this immature God.
"YOU!" The Void Princess levitated her axe-like staff towards her hand, gripping it firmly and pointing it towards Silver. The flame enveloping the tip of the staff resembling her anger.
"Tsk tsk tsk." The Gumiho God waved her finger at Aisha. "If you hit me you might lose Ara's trust. You wouldn't want that won't you all?" She warned all of them, using her container as the hostage.
"Hold up Aisha." Elsword threw an arm between the two, preventing his girlfriend to strike Silver. With a reluctant nod he turned around and faced the latter. "Alright then what the hell do you want?" He asked, his crimson bangs covering one of his eyes, as he took responsibility.
"How kind of you to ask!" She teased the Rune Slayer, walking over and picking up Ara's spear where the Haan left it by the front door. "You see this little girl in there, Ara, just wants to Ran to return back to her brother Aren," Silver reminded them of her goal once again while pointing at her head, "and I oh so desperately want to get out of this hairpin using the El." She juggled the hairpin in her palm.
"But you already took over that human's body didn't you?" Eve's stoic voice brought her, Chung, and the others back into the conversation. The Nasod Queen addressed the one with the title God in name only. "Why not just stick to that?"
"You can say we share this body, however since Ara is the original owner she has more influence. I on the other hand can only control it for brief moment of time before she regains control. What I want is to have my own body which I can control all the time!" She explained her goal to the Elgang, her container unaware of the events.
"That still doesn't answer my question." The crimson teen butted in Silver's explanation. "If we allow Ara and you with us, is searching for Ran and any extra pieces of the El all you two desire?"
"Yes...ugh..." The Gumiho collapsed on the couch, holding her face. "Guess my time's almost up. I only have one request, don't tell any of this to the girl. As much as it feels like I'm merely using her as a pawn I truly do not wish to trouble her more as it is." She admitted.
"But all you'll be doing is stressing her even more-"
"Rena." Raven interrupted the Wind Sneaker and placed a hand on her shoulder while looking at Elsword. The latter nodded and turned back to Silver.
"Alright then Silver we agree. As long as your power is contributory to the group I have no problems. Even if some of us do walk the path of darkness our will is enough to suppress it, right Aisha?" The crimson teen glanced at the purplenette.
"Y-Yeah I guess I'll have to accept you too then." The Void Princess reluctantly agreed with Elsword.
"Okay then...I'll bid you all...farewell for now." Silver lost her power over the body, her vision turning to black as her soul returns to the hairpin. As quickly as the Gumiho God took over Ara's body did the latter regain it back. The white nine tails vanishing, her hair recoloring back to black, and sleepy amber eyes awakening. With her body back Ara yawned and stretched.
"H-Huh?" It took the Haan a few seconds to comprehend what happened, especially with the Rune Slayer and Void Princess looming over her on the couch. "A-Ah! Did she manage to talk to you guys!?" She remembered why she fell suddenly asleep.
"Y-Yeah." This time Chung answered her.
"What did she say?"
"Nothing much, she only introduced herself to us and we made a mutual agreement for you to join us. Isn't that right guys?" The Tactical Trooper lied and helped the rest of the team (reluctantly) agree with him.
"Oh that's great!" Ara beamed, her hands touching the spear on her lap. "Huh? Why's my weapon with me? Did Silver try to harm you guys?" She questioned.
"Actually she wanted me to inspect your weapon since I am a skilled swordsman." Raven kept up the act. "I have to say Ara, whoever crafted your spear did an excellent job."
"T-Thanks! I actually made this one myself!" The Haan thanked him and smiled, the smile of an innocent young girl.
"Well you might as well place your spear where the rest of our weapons are." Elsword suggested, pointing to the pile of weaponry resting beside the window. "We're resting tonight and checking out tomorrow morning. Hope you can get up by 9 so we can leave for Sander early."
"Of course! I always wake up around 6 for morning practice anyway!" Ara couldn't contain her excitement and skipped over to place her spear away (while the others couldn't fathom how someone can even get out of bed that early).
"This is great Silver! Now we'll have a much easier time finding my brother with our new-found strength!" The Haan whispered to the Silver Hairpin.
"Yeah...a much easier time."
As Ara (unnecessarily) decided where to place her spear, Elsword and Raven decided to have a chat. "So Raven you really think she won't get corrupted by that God's influence inside her? I don't think even Ara knows what Silver would really be like." He whispered to the Blade Master.
"Even so we'll just have to trust them right Elsword?"
"Right." The two concluded their split second exchange bluntly as Ara rejoined them, spending the night going over strategies on how to pursue Ran in Sander (not to mention play lots and lots of video games during their past times).
Ara: OAO
Me: So uh Silver's behavior...yeah I wanted her to contrast with the polite and idealistic Ara. Plus Gumihos in other fiction are usually portrayed as ambiguously good or bad so this should fit pretty well. Anyway leave a review on what you guys think on this chapter. As for now time to go train my VP and get excited for a new game called Closers!