Zatch Bell: Kolulu Story
By:CleruSonofShintetsu
[Chapter 14: Farewell, Sweet England]
During her unconscious state, Kolulu had a dream, a flashback-type dream.
She was back at her house, shivering in place as the events at the palace had traumatized her. Her tears flowed, but her parents did their best to soothe her.
"There there...how could he do this to you...? My sweet child...oh goodness..." Said Kolulu's father, caressing Kolulu close to him.
Her mother, in turn, would kneel beside her with the newly made backpack to hold her spell book in hand. "Kolulu...it is okay to cry, even the strongest would weep a little if put through such an awful spell like that...but please..." she said, turning Kolulu gently to face her. "...Please stay strong...you will find a good book owner. One who will love and protect you with their life as you will theirs."
She wished she didn't have to be so dead set on the subject of the battle, but she felt that she had no other choice. Kolulu's father, meanwhile, would nod in solemn agreement. "No matter what...even if we can't keep you from the battle, we can at least cheer you on and inspire you. Here..." he said, helping her put on the backpack, "there we go, you look wonderful."
Kolulu would continue to shake, calming down slightly but still dreading the situation at hand. "I...I don't wanna go..."
Her parents looked at each other, nearly ready to sob themselves. They then looked at Kolulu and her father carried her in his arms, taking her over to the play pen where her little brother was crawling around.
"I think your little brother would like to say goodbye, isn't that right, Gozu?" said her mother.
Gozu looked up and reached up at Kolulu, wanting her to play with him.
"...Can I give him a forehead kiss before we go?" Kolulu asked, staring at her little brother, right in his sparkling eyes.
"Of course, honey." her father said, kneeling down and letting Kolulu reach out and kiss him on the forehead. Then...the sound of a great and booming bell rung out, signaling for all of the participants in the battle to gather at the great portal.
It was that bell that would cut her dream short, as she slowly woke up in a hospital room with Lori resting beside her, having already woken up beforehand.
[Back in reality...]
Lori stroked Kolulu's cheek two more times, then smiled as she woke up. "Kolulu...how are you feeling?" she asked.
Kolulu slowly sat up, noticing that both she and Lori were wearing fresh casual clothes, and with only minor bandages here and there on their bodies.
"I...I think I'm alright...but...what about...?" Kolulu started to ask, before seeing Tia climb onto the bed and crawl up to her.
Tia would cling to Kolulu with a stubborn expression on her face, causing Kolulu to wince a bit, both in shock and slight pain.
Megumi would reach out with a light gasp, "Careful Tia! She just woke up!" She protested not with anger, but concern all the same.
Tia would let go of her and stare her right in the eye, barely containing her tears. "Look at what they DID to you...I...they..." she started, clutching her own skirt and sniffling.
"They turned you from the world's biggest sweetheart...and made you say and do and feel all of those awful things..." Tia said, which caused Kolulu's heart to sink.
Kolulu nodded solemnly and said, "I...I'm not hateful, Tia...I just...I just want to do right by Zatch. I promised him that I'd take up his cause and become a kind and benevolent king, or...queen...however we rank it." she said, barely focused at this point.
Lori would chime in next, "Kolulu, everyone feels emotions of the extreme variety. Everyone, even the kindest, will feel rage at some point in their lives. It's what makes us...people..." she said, trying her best to reassure her little sister.
"Please..." She said, gently hugging Kolulu close, "don't go down that road...you are strong, sweet, and I couldn't ask for a better sister-figure in my life...or rather, a better sister, period." she declared, causing Kolulu to cry tears of joy as the two embraced.
Meanwhile, outside of the hospital room, Seitaro was nodding along as Kiyo finished explaining everything to him.
"I see...so in your desperate battle at the park, she utilized that terrifying alternate personality, albeit by accident, they both got scared...and in the chaos of battle you simply lost and got his book burned. What a tragedy..." Seitaro said, sighing in sorrow at the situation.
Kiyo nodded, no longer angry, just...ashamed. "I'm sorry for letting him down, dad..."
Seitaro shook his head, "If you failed him OR yourself, you wouldn't be so repentant, nor would you have learned as much." he began, Kiyo staring in surprise as he continued.
"You weren't a bad boy, of course, but you smoothed your rougher edges with the combined efforts of both your early relationship with Zatch, and your friendship with Lori and Kolulu. I say that was a three-step success to starting your path to becoming a responsible young man, and I couldn't be prouder for it." he concluded, gripping Kiyo's shoulder and pulling him in for a brief father-son hug before releasing him.
Kiyo smiled in relief, a weight off his shoulders now. "Thanks dad...I'll keep being my best self, and hey..." he said, peeking into the hospital room as Kolulu, Lori, Tia and Megumi were laughing and chit-chatting along at this point. "...I think my ever-growing friend group is gonna help me just fine."
[Two hours later...]
As everyone is leaving the hospital, all fresh and recovered and making their way to the airport, they're approached by Kory and Djem.
"Oi, everybody! Do you really have to go now? At least let us thank you first!" Kory said with a smile.
"Though Yopopo is gone...I'm glad that you guys were there, inspiring us to fight with all our hearts at the castle." Djem stated, handing Kolulu an origami music note painted pink. "Here, a token from me to you! I think Yopopo would have liked such a thing, I would have painted it green then...eheh." she chuckled lightly.
Kolulu holds it in her hands and smiles sweetly. "Thank you, I love it very much, Djem! I think I recognized Yopopo, but never got to know him personally. He's very kind, and..." she said, taking a more serious expression, "I'm sorry for not-"
Djem pulled out a paper fan and lightly bapped Kolulu with it on the head to cut her off. "No no no, you stop that, love! You did what you could, and it was Yopopo who actively went in there himself. He was a brave boy, and he surely held no grudge, ya hear?"
Kolulu rubbed her forehead and giggled with a nod. "R-right, right! You guys stay safe now, I hope rebuilding goes smoothly!"
And so the two kids would wave the group off, with a final nod between them as Kory apologized for trying to steal her food. Djem would likewise accept it, and all was well between them.
[At the airport...]
Folgore whistled to Lori and the others as he was trying to get his fangirls off of him. "Hey, it's-a my heroes! I have-a to tend to my adoring fans now! But make-a sure to buy yourselves a few tickets to-a my brand new show this week!"
Kanchome would run up to Kolulu and hand her a small box with a singular donut inside of it. "Here, we got you a donut for the flight home! You deserve it for the leg work you put in back there!" he said gleefully.
"Aww, don't discount yourself like that, thanks for the donut though!" Kolulu said appreciatively.
She then noticed Hide peeking out from behind a pillar. He would hide swiftly afterward, holding a green envelope in hand and clutching it close to his chest.
"One second, big sis." Kolulu said to Lori, who nodded and let her do what she had to do.
Kolulu approached the pillar and slowly peeked around. "Hey Hyde!" she greeted with a little wave.
Hyde jumped and looked away, "O-oh, hey...Eido had this for you and Lori. Thats all, don't touch, pester, or shoot the messenger, bye bye." He said, running off as Kolulu took the envelope. He followed a cloaked figure behind a corner and onto another flight, vanishing from the airport.
Blinking twice, Kolulu looked down at the envelope and speedwalked back to Lori as their flight was called.
Lori took the letter and cracked it open as the group said their final goodbyes before parting ways on different flights. Kiyo and Lori's group went on the Japan flight, Tia and Megumi boarded a flight of their own, and Folgore likewise got on his own separate flight.
Kiyo sighed, "Once again...I bid my dad farewell...but I feel better for it." he said, looking at Lori with a soft smile.
Lori looked back over to Kiyo and nodded, "Yeah...I'm glad you sorted everything out with your dad, Kiyo. I hardly ever see even one of my parents...but I was recently reassured by them that they do love me all the same. Despite our odd circumstances, I couldn't ask for a better family...and that will always include Kolulu." She said as Kolulu was finishing up the donut Kanchome gave her.
"On that, we can agree, you two are perfect, and I like to think in spite of goofs and disagreements, Zatch and I had the beginning of such a bond ourselves." Kiyo said thoughtfully as he looked out the window.
Lori gave him a thumbs up, then read the letter at last...in her head of course.
"So that was NOT the reunion I had planned, but holy CRAP was it awesome! That Kolulu is actually pretty radical, though nowhere NEAR as radical as yours truly~ When you get the chance, I want an actual all-out battle between Hyde and Kolulu. I can't attract the chicks if I fall BEHIND the chicks, and neither can he, ya feel me? I think Hyde will appreciate my advice on how to become a suave gent one day, but thats beside the point. In all seriousness, though, you dudes did great back there, and Hyde hopes Kolulu won't be too strung up over that wicked evil side of hers."
"Sincerely- Eido"
Giggling to herself, she folded the letter, put it back in the envelope, and put it in her bag, dozing off in relaxation, having finally walked away from the prior battles with a hopeful heart. Even if some evil mamodo attacked them sooner than expected, she, like Kiyo, thinks that things ended on a great note, and both she and Kolulu are stronger for it, and finally ready to tackle the battle for real this time.
:{Arc 1, Torch of Kindness (END)}:
Note from the author: Thank you guys for reading this far! I want to thank everyone who read, even if you didn't leave reviews (though all reviews and open thoughts are welcome and encouraged!)
I also want to thank Raze for being a wonderful friend, critic, and support pillar for me as I was writing this. While a few chapters (at the time of writing this author's note) are in need of fixes I had yet to get around to (due to wanting to push for the finish line of the arc), they will be fixed in time. If you're reading this post-fix? Congrats, you read a higher quality version of a few of the chapters!
Stay tuned for one last bonus chapter, and stay tuned for the the second story arc; Rivers of Fate!
As the two Kolulus start to slowly understand each other, they also start to clash with each other more and more as their conflicting interests put a strain on the sweet Kolulu proper and the bloodthirsty evil half that dwells within her. When faced with more and more powerful foes, will they set aside their differences by the end? Or will they crumble into a mental and spiritual civil war against themselves? As they leave England behind and walk away stronger and encouraged for their troubles, they wonder if they can overcome their next series of battles, and if they can do right by their caring older sister, Lori.