Ban let out a laugh as he climbed onto a tree branch to crouch down while looking at the large tree covered in pink blossoms in the distance.
"Now we're talking." Ban said.
He then continued moving towards the three, and once making it at the base he started climbing upwards while determined to reach the top.
"Just a drop on your tongue adds ten years to your life." He sang as he was nearing the top. "And a give swallow gives you a hundred more~"
He tossed his sack up to land on the top of the tree as his other hand gripped the top tightly to pull himself up.
"Drink it all and you'll live forever~" He continued to sing.
He then let out a happy laugh when seeing what he came for not ten feet away from him. He finished pulling himself upwards while keeping his eyes on the fountain in front of him that had the immortality giving water flowing into a chalice.
"A miracle treasure guarded by a holy woman." Ban said grinning. "The Fountain of Youth. And anyone who chugs the water flowing out of that cup is in for a nice dose of immortality, huh?"
Ban licked his lips while tossing his bag over his shoulder while letting it rest there.
"Oh, man, talk about blowing things out of proportion." He said. "I don't see an old hag guarding any miracles around here."
He stared in confusion when seeing a blonde little girl standing next to him with large golden eyes.
"Um, what's up, little girl?" He asked as he bent over closer to her height. "Are you lost or something?"
"I'm here guarding the spring." She said as she started to float. "Protecting it from bandits like you."
She then raised her hand, and a force sent Ban flying that had his eyes widening.
"Ah, shit!" He cried as he started falling towards the forest floor.
Ban's eyes suddenly snapped open as he woke from the dream he was having of the past. He hit the ground with a bottle hitting him on top the head. He grunted in pain while realizing he was in the bedroom he shared with Monroe. Though said girl was nowhere to be seen.
"Out of bed, you lazy butts!" Hawk called from downstairs. "Come and get your breakfast!"
Ban groaned as he really didn't want to get up, but forced himself into a sitting position at the least. He looked around wondering where Monroe could have gone. He stood up and looked out the window seeing the silver-haired girl was standing on Hawk's Mom's head. Her back was turned to the tavern, so he could see her expression. Though something about how she was standing had him thinking she was tense about something.
'What's up with her?' He wondered.
'We'll be heading for the Necropolis today,' Monroe thought with a frown. 'I can only hope none of the others are paying a visit.'
She wasn't ready to tell her friends yet. Wasn't ready for them to know of her deal. Wasn't ready for them to know that she had died. She was sure the Sins would feel more guilt than they already do over the rest of her family's deaths. Diane had cried when Monroe told her about her family's passing, and Monroe didn't want to put her through anything else that would upset her like that anytime soon.
And then there was that small part of her that feared their rejection. As silly as it might seem considering none of them are normal and come from very different backgrounds, she still worried they might turn their backs on her. Think she was some kind of monster. No matter how much she tells herself that that fear is irrational, it won't go away.
'Maybe I can convince them to let me handle searching the Necropolis,' Monroe wondered. 'Tell them we should split up to gather more information faster.'
She could tell them to head to the next town over and she'd meet up with them. Though she knew that idea was a long shot. Considering they were trying to add to their numbers, she doubted Meliodas would go along with a plan that would divide their numbers instead. She'll just have to pray that the others aren't nearby.
'Please, none of you suddenly decide on taking a trip home.' Monroe mentally begged.
She then came out of her thoughts as Hawk opened the door and told her to come inside for breakfast. She turned her head towards the pig.
"Who made it?" Monroe asked.
"Meliodas,' Hawk replied.
"I'd rather starve," Monroe said bluntly.
Though she still headed inside to join the others who were gathering. Meliodas and Elizabeth were at the table as Diane was peeking in through the window and Ban was coming down the stairs.
"Good-morning, Monroe," Elizabeth greeted.
Monroe returned the greeted as she hopped up on one of the bar stools. Ban sat next to her while heaving a sigh.
"I could sure use a drink, Captain," Ban said.
"A little early, don't you think?" Diane asked him.
Ban ignored her question, which wasn't something knew. And they were all used to his drinking habits by now, so Meliodas just went to grab a bottle of Berina ale for Ban. Monroe was a bit hungry herself, but there was no way she was going to try and stomach Meliodas's cooking.
'I could just raid his pantry again for food that doesn't need to be cooked,' She thought to herself.
With that in mind, she hopped over the counter to let herself into the pantry to find food.
"Would you like to have some breakfast with us?" Elizabeth asked the pair.
"You don't expect us to eat the Captain's nasty cooking, do you?" Ban asked.
He then chuckled while catching the bottle Meliodas threw right at his head. He grinned towards the shorter man as Meliodas placed his hands on his hips.
"If you don't like it, make it yourself." Meliodas said.
"Don't mind if I do." Ban said while opening the bottle to take a drink.
Though the contents spewed all over his face as soon as the bottle was opened. Monroe, who peeked outside the pantry, snorted at the scene as she popped a grape into her mouth. Ban pouted at her, so she took pity on him and grabbed a towel. She helped him clean up before going back to her food searching.
"Mo, if you want something edible for breakfast, you just have to ask." Ban said as he came around the counter. "Do you really think I'd let you go hungry, hmm?"
Ban gently moved her from the pantry and plucked the apple she had in hand out of her grasp.
"Come on, go sit down while I whip something up for you," Ban said.
Monroe didn't have to be told twice since she loves Ban's cooking. None else has ever come close to making food taste as good as he does. As Ban got to work on making Monroe breakfast, the others were finishing up theirs.
"Anyway, we need to talk about what's going to happen today." Meliodas said as Ban was getting out what he needed to cook.
Meliodas brought out a map to put across the table after he and Elizabeth moved away their empty plates.
"So, as you know we're heading for the Necropolis." Meliodas said as he pointed at the map. "We should arrive in a few hours. We'll start looking for King there."
Monroe still didn't understand why the fairy would go there in the first place. He shouldn't have any business there, and she highly doubts he's there because he's dead.
"Hold on," Ban said as he was cooking. "Didn't you say Fatty was six feet under these days?"
"It's the only lead we've got, so I think we might as well check it out." Meliodas said.
Monroe made no comment as she was still silently worried about who else they might run into while there.
"The City of the Dead sounds scary." Elizabeth said. "What kind of place is it?"
"I have no idea," Meliodas said. "Honestly, the only thing I know about it is that it exits."
"Look, if you guys ask me, I bet it it's haunted with a name like that," Hawk said worriedly. "I bet it's gloomy and dark all the time with rows and rows of creepy graves everywhere."
As Elizabeth whimpered looking scared, Monroe patted her on top the head in a consoling manner. The Necropolis wasn't scary. It was quite peaceful, in fact. And beautiful in a way. A land covered in green crystals that stretched as far as the eye could see. A place where the dead lived in harmony amongst each other. A place where what race or clan you were born into didn't matter.
"There won't be any bugs?" Diane asked worriedly as Ban finished Monroe's meal.
The girl thanked him for it as she dug in. She almost cried at how good it was. Not to mention it was the first good meal she's head since leaving the capital.
"Once we get there and start looking, what will happen once we do find King?" Hawk asked as Ban came from around the counter, sat down, and leaned against Monroe's shoulder. "Do you really think he's still going to be alive?!"
"Oh, please, don't say anything else." Elizabeth begged.
"Ghosts, huh?" Meliodas hummed.
Monroe made no comment as she ate her food in peace as Ban was nodding off. Her familiar scent soothing him back into slumber.
Monroe sat on the edge of the porch that went around the Boar Hat as Hawk's Mom was taking them to the Necropolis. Monroe then looked down to Ban who was snoozing away with his head in her lap. He hadn't even asked permission to use her as a pillow. He just stumbled out the door a few minutes ago and welcomed himself to her lap.
"This is what happens when you drink so early in the day." Monroe said as she poked his cheek.
He pushed her hand away while not even waking from his slumber, which didn't surprise Monroe. As Monroe watched him sleep, she wondered what kind of dream Ban could be having.
-BAN'S DREAM-
Ban let out a huff as he tried his umpteenth attempt to steal the Fountain of Youth from the youthful appearing guardian. He was honestly getting tired of her just sending him flying, so he was ready to give her a piece of his mind. Ban made it to the top while glaring at the tiny blonde woman.
"Dammit, will you just stop?" He asked as he was holding onto the edge of the top.
"You're the one who needs to stop around here!" The girl said. "How are you even alive anyway?! No human could possibly survive a fall from this height."
Ban just shrugged off his luck for surviving all the falls he's taken today since he didn't care, but he supposed he could answer this girl.
"Well, I did get caught on a branch once." Ban said. "And, yeah, I fell into a clump of trees another time."
The girl looked shocked to hear this as Ban finished pulling himself up onto the tree.
"What—Is that true?" She asked. "Why would the forest try to save a human like that?"
Ban laughed it off as he stood to his full height in front of the blonde who still seemed surprised.
"Oh please, like I care." He scoffed as he walked forward. "I still can't believe a little thing like you is the guardian of this sacred treasure. But now it's my turn to get serious."
He pulled out his weapon to hold around his shoulders with his two hands gripping the ends tightly. The girl gave him a look of disappoint though didn't seem as if she expected any less.
"You only kill and steal." She said. "You all think the same. You all want something without earning it."
Ban slightly narrowed his eyes while taking slight offense to this girl's claim since she didn't even know him. He then activated the magic in his weapon and flung one end towards the girl. She raised her hand to defend against it, but it went around her, which had her eyes widening. Ban used it to snatch what he wanted from behind her to bring back to his hand. Once in his possession, he grinned in success. He then gave it a sniff.
"Not bad." Ban said. "Doesn't smell anything like boozes though. Well, bottoms up."
The girl, who was horrified to see he had the chalice, went to beg him to stop, but another voice spoke up before she could.
"Now, now, what do we have here?" A person asked as they pressed a blade to Ban's throat.
Ban turned his head carefully considering the sword against his neck to see an elf standing there. He had a small grin on his face though his eyes were narrowed at Ban.
"Giving my wife trouble, are you?" He asked. "That simply won't do. Besides, Human, you drink that and this entire forest will die. You don't want that, do you?"
Ban blinked at the elf as the small maiden floated over to him and wrapped her arms around the elf's elbow.
"No, I don't," Ban agreed without a fuss with the elf. "Okay, fine, I'll stop."
The girl nearly fell over in shock, but quickly regained her composer as Ban held out the chalice to the elf who took it while lowering his sword.
"What do you mean, 'okay, fine'?" The girl demanded. "How dare you lie to us like that!"
"I believe the human is telling the truth, my love," The elf said as he went to return the chalice to where it belonged. "After all, he gave up without a fuss. You're an interesting human. Just who are?"
The girl looked interested as well as she flew back over to the elf who had called her his wife. The girl grabbed onto the man's arm as Ban rolled his shoulders.
"Me? I'm a bandit," Ban replied. "Isn't obvious? And Bandit Ban is my handle around here. What about you two?"
"My name is Elénaril." The elf replied. "Current king of the Elven Clan, and this is my wife—Elaine. She's the Holy Maiden that protects the Fountain."
"You…you're married to a child?" Ban asked confused.
"Oh no, I'm not a child." She assured him. "I'm a fairy."
Ban hummed as that made more since. Though he was confused as to why an elf was married to the fairy. He never heard of such a thing as most people stick to their own clans.
"You seem confused. Don't you have someone special to you, Bandit Ban?" Elénaril questioned. "A wife or lover perhaps?"
Ban almost wanted to scoff. Someone like him lucky enough to have something as special as that was laughable. People like him don't get that kind of happiness. They don't get that one thing that would mean the most to them. He didn't deserve it.
"You must be waiting then," Elénaril said getting Ban's eyes to widen. "On your special someone. Perhaps that's why you wanted the Fountain, hmm? You want to live long enough to find the thing that you're searching for. The thing or person that will make you truly happy. Is that it?"
Before he could answer, he felt as if someone was tapping on his chest, which started to rouse him from this dream.
-END OF BAN'S DREAM-
"Ban, it's time to get up." Monroe said as she gently shook Ban.
Ban's eyes opened up to see Monroe as she was leaning her head over his with her eyes blinking down at him.
"Huh?" He asked half asleep.
"We're here." Monroe informed him.
Ban lifted his head off of Monroe's lap to look and see that Hawk's Mom had indeed stopped. He groaned not wanting to leave from his comfortable position. He even laid his head back down and turned over, so he could hold onto Monroe's waist.
"Five more minutes," He pleaded.
Monroe chuckled at his actions as her nimble fingers ran through his hair. Nearly putting him back to sleep then and there.
"Sorry, but you have to get up," she told him.
He frowned really not wanting to, but he decided not to be difficult. He sat up completely while letting out a yawn as Monroe stood up to look around.
'This place is the same as I remember it,' Monroe thought.
—FLASHBACK—
"How long do you plan to be staying for this time?" Cassiel asked as the goddess was sitting up in the rafters in one of the old homes the Apostles sometimes used for shelter.
Monroe, who was throwing her bag down on a bed to lay claims to it, hummed in thought at first.
"Not sure," Monroe replied as she sat her sword down next to her bag. "I'm due back within two weeks at the capital. I need to give myself time to travel, but that doesn't take too long. But depending on who else shows up will also factor into how long a stay."
Cassiel nodded in understand before she jumped from the rafter with her wings slowing down her descent to the floor.
"We should spend some time together while we can then," Cassiel decided. "We are part of the same generation of Apostles after all. The older ones are too serious."
Monroe looked at the older girl wondering if she was being serious. Because if she was then she obviously forgot about Filtiarn, Gwydion, and Raskos. The biggest goofballs in their group. Monroe didn't comment though as she let Cassiel tug her outside. They walked down the old dirt paths as Monroe absently looked around at the old buildings.
She wonders why Ketzad never fixes them up. Perhaps so people won't become interested in this place. It might be a run-down old village, but it also was the place where the barrier between the Necropolis and the Living Realm is at its thinnest point. The less people they had running around here the better. Besides, it might be old and not the prettiest village around, but it had its own charm. And it was the place the Apostles called home. Where their Clan could be together in peace.
—END OF FLASHBACK—
"So, this is the Necropolis?" Diane asked with her voice bringing Monroe back to the present. "It's not what I expected."
"How did a rundown little village end up with a name like that anyway?" Hawk asked.
Monroe made no comment as she jumped down to the ground with the others following after her. Though Elizabeth took the ladder to get down as did Meliodas. Once on the ground, Monroe did a few leg-stretches since they went to sleep due to Ban using her thighs as his personal pillow.
"Let's see if we can get some intel on King and find out where to go from there." Meliodas decided. "And we're going to have to make some food money right away, so let's get the tavern up and running."
Monroe shook her head as she wondered if Meliodas really thought there'd be people to serve way out here.
"Huh, what do ya know? Guess the captain really does sell the drinks." Ban said.
"When he's working, he is so cute!" Diane gushed. "O.M.G!"
"And I'm going to put all you to work too!" Meliodas said as he pointed at Ban and Diane.
The two seemed shocked, and Monroe just frowned. She knew what was coming. If they were working it meant, she had to wear those clothes.
"Bring in some customers, Jumbo Billboard Girl," Meliodas told Diane.
"Are you sure?" Diane asked with sparkles in her eyes.
Meliodas then turned to Ban as Monroe was looking for a quick exit strategy to try and get out of helping out on a futile attempt to bring in customers.
"You start grilling up some tasty grub, Jailbird Cook!" Meliodas ordered.
"Who me?" Ban asked pointing at himself.
"Are you sure you want this guy handling our food?" Hawk asked. "I mean, he has to be better than you since Monroe ate his cooking, but still."
"Trust me," Meliodas said. "He may not look it, but this guy is a real whiz in the kitchen!"
"Yeah, well, I don't know about that." Ban denied.
Honestly, he just didn't want to be stuck playing cook. He wanted to walk around after being cooped up so long in prison. Maybe take a stroll. Looked like Monroe, who was trying to scoot away unnoticed, wanted to get away too. Maybe they could explore the village together.
"Alright, let's get to work!" Meliodas said. "Put your backs into it, you guys!"
He then reached out to grab the back of Monroe's shirt before she could run away. She turned to frown at the short blonde whose grip was ironclad. There was no way she was getting away. Not without stripping off her shirt, and she definitely wasn't doing that.
"Not so fast, Roe," Meliodas said as he gave her a cheeky grin. "You're on the clock. You know what that means, right?"
He pulled her uniform out of nowhere and held it up to her. She went pale at the sight of it as Ban's brow rose. He looked between Monroe and the outfit as he cupped his chin thoughtfully. Maybe he would stick around to cook for a bit.
"Come on," Meliodas urged. "You need to change and then go into town with flyers to reign in the customers."
Monroe frowned because she really didn't want to put on that outfit, but if it meant getting away from the group to go into the abandoned village, she'd do it. It'd give her a chance to see what they'd be running into and making sure the others were around and to see if she could find King without the others even having to step foot into the village. Didn't make it any easier on her when she unhappily took the uniform.
"Fine," Monroe grumbled then trudged towards the tavern. "I'll go change."
She slammed the door behind her after she went inside, which had Elizabeth and Hawk sweat-dropping.
"Poor thing," Elizabeth said.
"Yeah, she really hates that uniform." Hawk added. "Not that I blame her."
Elizabeth then looked to Meliodas while not wanting to be left on helping out. She wanted to work just like everyone else.
"Please, Sir Meliodas, I want a job," She requested. "My injuries don't bother me anymore."
"Just don't push too hard," he told her.
"You got it." Elizabeth said.
Meliodas smiled before gasping as Diane pulled him off the ground. She thanked him for her job as she rubbed her cheek against his hair. Elizabeth and Hawk laughed at the pair. Meliodas then blinked when he remembered something.
"Oh, Ban, the…" Meliodas trailed off when seeing that Ban was already heading inside.
He blinked a bit surprised Ban was heading inside without much of a fuss or anything. Ban went up the stairs towards the bedroom he shared with Monroe. He was going to knock on the door and ask if she wanted company into the village since he really didn't want to cook right now. However, he noticed the door was slightly ajar.
He tilted his head then pushed the door open just a bit more and peeked inside. Monroe was still getting dressed, so he was going to turn away and give her privacy. However, he paused when something on her back caught his attention. They were scars. Scars that looked as if they were caused by arrows. It looked to be about four…maybe five. Five possible scars caused by arrows piercing her body.
'…the only one to survive. People called it a miracle considering the severity of her wounds.' Jude's words filtered through his head.
Ban felt a tightening in his chest as he continued to stare at the marks. He couldn't look away until Monroe put on her shirt thus blocking the old wounds. He shook his head as he stepped back.
'I almost lost her,' He realized. 'She was almost taken from me.'
He then moved back and away from the door to sneak outside to get some fresh air. And just in time too as Monroe came out of the bedroom. She looked side to side with a look of confusion on her face.
"I thought someone was there," she murmured to herself before sighing. "Well, I suppose I better get this over with."