Episode 40: Time to Grow Up
"Now…what to do with you? The man I entrusted the potions Devlio created to will be busy for the next few hours…" Nadine mutters as the four children stare up at her with teary eyes, still recovering from Genesis' lack of supervision and poor word choice.
Veiss raises his hand enthusiastically. "If we're gonna be here for a while longer, can you guys show us more of your magic?" he asks, his tears practically evaporating and being replaced by stars in his eyes.
Akane perks up. "Oh!" she gasps and faces the other three children. She holds her hands about a foot apart and a white glow starts forming between them. "Besides my Fire Magic, I can also-"
"Ah ah ah," Nadine says quickly, glancing at the bandages around Mana's wrists and ankles hiding nasty bruises. "Let's save that for later, okay? I think I know something cool the four of you would like to see…"
Zaflior | Phoenix Fire Beachside
"Hmm…" Kyza taps his chin. "Oinkius would probably be the nicest one to meet but I don't know if a giant talking pig would freak them out…" he mutters. "Seprino's definitely not an option. Maybe him but he takes a lot out of me…" Kyza thinks out loud and shakes his head. "Oinkius it is." he says and pulls out a jade colored key.
Rina blinks. "A green key? That can't be a Celestial Spirit Key…right?" she wonders out loud.
Kyza smirks. "Open, Gate of the Lucky Pig, Oinkius!"
In a flash of green light, a large, fat pink pig appears before Kyza. He stands on his two hind legs and wears a black loin cloth around his waist.
The four kids stare at the pig silently.
Oinkius oinks.
And then he's promptly swarmed by the four children - each of them going for a body part to cling onto.
"He's so tall…" Akane says in awe as she hangs from one of Oinkius' arms.
Mana clings to the front of the pig like a koala and sniffs him experimentally. "...Bacon." she says quietly and nods to herself.
Rina jumps up and hangs from Oinkius' other arm. "A Celestial Spirit from a green key! What are you, Mr. Pig?" she asks.
Veiss climbs up the back of Oinkius and tries to position himself on the back of the pig's shoulders. "Wow…" he says quietly and pumps up his arms excitedly. "So COOL!" Veiss cheers.
With the four children preoccupied with Kyza and the Celestial Spirit (while being supervised by Akito and Eira a few feet away), Nadine turns her focus to something else that's been occupying her mind since the encounter with Yutsuko…
Phoenix Fire Guildhall | Infirmary
Danate stares out of the window, a forlorn and resolved look on his face.
"Danate, how are you feeling?"
Danate turns towards the doors to the infirmary, smiling weakly when he sees Nadine. "I'm doing okay. Genesis was right, I'll be fine soon." he says and turns towards the window again.
"Emile nods in understanding, smiling at Danate. "I have your back, Danate! Together, we won't let anything happen to Rina."
Danate sighs and smiles at Emile. "I know." he says and gazes at Rina's sleeping form. "You two are my most precious people. If anything happened to you…" he trails off, a dark look on the Devil Slayer's face.
Emile smiles again, softer this time, and squeezes Danate's shoulder. "I know." he repeats Danate's words from earlier. Then, his smile shifts into something else. "When are you going to tell her how you really feel?"
Danate laughs lightly, his cheeks reddening. "What, the oblivious act isn't cutting it anymore?"
"You know it is, she's just as oblivious as that act of yours." Emile says, rolling his eyes. "She's going to see through you any day now."
Danate smiles and glances at Rina again. "Either way, I can't get involved with her like that until I take care of that."
Emile nods and repeats Danate's words from earlier once more:
"I know."
The woman moves the blood back into its tube and lands on her feet a few feet away from the pair. She curtsies and bows her head, "Danate Lunith, what an honor to meet you." the woman says and looks back up, a cruel look in her eyes. "Your friend Iago was a bit of an inspiration of mine as a child. You could even say that he's the reason I am who I am today."
Danate's harsh expression falters. "Wh-What?"
The woman stands up straight and pouts mockingly. "Oh? I know you were a bit young when you left but have you really been gone so long that you can't recognize a countryman when you see one?" she asks with a smile.
"Y-You…" Danate pales.
Cooley looks at Danate with a frown. "Danate…?"
The woman smiles again. "Yutsuko Usagi, born and raised in Ambrosia." she says, putting a hand over her heart as she walks towards Danate. "Have you heard about His Majesty recently? I heard he isn't doing too well."
Danate drops the scythe in his hands, a shaken look on his face.
"...You know I have to go and see for myself."
"I know."
"Akito has been bugging me about going ever since he came here." Danate says offhandedly. "So along with him and Genesis, I'm taking Mana with me."
Nadine's eyes widen slightly. "Danate-"
"She has Darkness Magic." Danate says. "If it does come to that, she's going to be the support that I need." he says and puts his hand over his chest. "As a Devil Slayer…as a son of Ambrosia, I have to do my duty."
Nadine shakes her head and sighs. "...You know her friends won't be happy with you. Especially Akane."
Danate turns away from the window and laughs. "Especially Akane." he agrees. "You know, I'm still surprised at how easily Mana managed to make Akane care about her."
Nadine laughs alongside him, "You know how she is." she says and thinks back to the comment little Akane made about her father with a frown. "...She was starved of such things - the things Mana so readily offers to her - most of her life, and now that she's letting someone in, she can't get enough of it." Nadine says, mostly to herself, and sighs once more. "Danate…"
Danate smiles at a worried Nadine. "I'll send word if we need help. I promise."
Zaflior | Phoenix Fire Beachside
"Someone stop him!" Eira cries as a gleeful Veiss chases her around the beach with Kyza's Caelum in Sword Form.
"No, I think this is funny." Akito says without an ounce of emotion.
Veiss laughs maniacally as he catches up with Eira and-
"Flash Step!"
In the blink of an eye, Eira suddenly disappears and reappears three feet in front of Veiss.
Veiss blinks again. Then, he beams, raising Caleum above his head. "That's so COOL!" he cheers and immediately starts chasing after Eira again.
Eira groans.
"You have a sword too, Eira." Kyza points out. "Just hit him." he says simply.
"I'm not going to hit a kid!"
Mana grumbles under her breath, holding her knees to her chest.
Eira winces when she sees the dejected look on Mana's face. "Sorry, I for-"
"Take THIS!" Veiss says as he clumsily swings Caelum at Eira.
Eira swears under her breath and parries Caelum out of Veiss' weak grip.
"Oof!" Veiss grunts, the force of Eira's swing sending him falling backwards. He blinks, silently staring up at the sky for a moment.
Eira winces again. "O-Oh, sorry, did I hurt y-?"
"So COOL!" Veiss cheers as he jumps up onto his feet. "You're so strong! What else can you do?" he asks excitedly.
Kyza laughs, "What if you actually hit him this time?" he asks. "Seems like he'd be up for it."
Eira groans. "I'm not hitting a kid!" she repeats and immediately follows it up with another apology to Mana.
Mana shrugs half-heartedly.
Kyza sticks his tongue out at her. "You're no fun." he says.
Eira's eye twitches. "Do you want me to hit you?"
Kyza freezes. "...W-Well, I'm a kid too, y'know-"
"You're thirteen years old and you're a Mage." Eira says, drawing and flourishing her sword with an annoyed smile on her face. "I think you can take it." she says.
Veiss beams. "FIIIIIGHT!" he cheers, drawing the attention of the three other kids.
"F-Fight?" Mana asks worriedly.
"Fight?" Rina asks curiously.
"Fight!" Akane repeats excitedly.
"A-Ah…" Kyza takes a step back, drawing an ornate handle from his satchel. "Let's stop and think about this - aaai!" he cries, quickly snapping the wrist of the hand holding the handle. A green light extends from the cross-guard of the hilt and takes the shape of a long, broad blade that protects Kyza from the blade of Eira's rapier.
"Are you familiar with the rules of a formal duel, Kyza?" Eira asks as she jumps back. She points her sword at him. "No Magic, first one to land a hit wins." she says. "Are you up for it?"
Akito raises his hand. "I am."
"No." Eira says flatly.
"Why?" Akito asks, his expression unchanged.
"You'll kill me." Eira answers, shaking her head and sighing as she sheathes her rapier (making Kyza let out a sigh of relief).
Akito sighs disappointedly. "Boo." he says dully.
"You shouldn't be fighting in front of them anyway." comes a new voice. "Especially in front of her. We like her when she's not having panic attacks."
The group turns to find Emile walking towards them with a frown.
Eira frowns right back at him. "Shouldn't you be resting?" she asks, gesturing at the bandage wrapped around Emile's head. "Master Nadine and that kid said you took a pretty bad hit."
Emile puts his hands on his hips, a proud look on his face. "The doctor gave me the go-ahead to get out of bed for a bit." he says. The proud expression on his face turns into a devious smile. "And a good thing too," Emile says, his head turning towards Akane and Mana. "I have plans for those two before they turn back."
Akane and Mana look at each other in confusion and turn back to Emile, tilting their heads to the side. "Huh?"
Emile grins. "Let's go try on some pretty white dresses!"
Zaflior | Phoenix Fire Guildhall
"What's wrong with him?" Marcus asks Ken, nodding his head at Cooley.
Between Mana somehow making it from her room to Nadine's office and his encounter with Yutsuko, Cooley has been uncharacteristically silent. Currently, he's silently sitting at one of the tables, bouncing his leg with an unreadable look on his face.
Ken sighs. "Miss Mary seems to have disappeared from Miss Mana's mind. He's understandably quite anxious about his daughter's well-being." he says. "And of course, there was his brief fight with that woman…" Ken trails off and starts staring into space.
Marcus frowns.
The corners of Ken's lips upturn in a slight smile.
Marcus' frown deepens. "Now what's wrong with you?" he asks.
Ken blinks, zoning back into the conversation. "Pardon?"
"You were talking about the woman who did all that shit to Mana and Mary, right?" Marcus asks. "Why do you have that stupid look on your face?"
"My face?" Ken wonders, rubbing his chin. "Well…personality, crimes against humanity, and obsession with Miss Mana, you cannot deny that the woman is quite beautiful," he says. "I met her once - I only realized after viewing Genesis' Archive footage. I'm unsure as to why she let me go." Ken says.
Marcus looks at the man like he has two heads.
"Mister Marcus?"
"Are you on something, dude?"
Ken huffs as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box of cigarettes. "I resent the impli-"
"I certainly hope you don't plan on doing anything more than admiring her physical appearance." comes Coraline's voice from behind Ken. She snatches the box of cigarettes from Ken's hand and tosses them at the front doors of the guild. "How many times do I need to tell you to do that outside?" Coraline frowns, looking down at Ken.
Ken smiles apologetically. "Force of habit, my apologies." he says, standing up and adjusting his tie. "Still, one has to wonder why a talented Fog Magic user such as yourself is against smoking."
Coraline sniffs. "My Magic doesn't smell like poison." she says.
Nearby, a still dizzy Madelaine raises a heavy hand. "I resent that." she says and drops her hand on the table with a tired groan.
Coraline ignores her.
Ken smiles courteously. "If anyone needs me, I'll be-"
"Emile…what did you do?"
Everyone's eyes turn towards the entrance of the guildhall, confused and curious whispers filling the building at the sight of Emile and their four de-aged guildmates.
Veiss is wearing a cute little black tux, Rina a light blue dress with Novem at her side carrying a basket of flower petals between his teeth, and Mana and Akane are in white dresses.
Emile smiles innocently. "Just practicing for the future." he says.
Akane, holding Mana's hand, blushes furiously as she rocks on her heels. "Emile says we're gonna get married." she says shyly.
Mana, confused, just shrugs. "I don't know what that means." she says.
Acro frowns thoughtfully. "I thought people usually dated for at least one year before getting married," he says. "They've only been together for a few months, haven't they?"
Emile blinks. "...Huh?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Acro." Genesis says, waving him off. "Of course they've only been dating for a few months - that's how long they've known each other." he says matter-of-factly.
Veiss frowns, tilting his head to the side. "What's dating?" he asks.
"That's what that man who keeps sending me presents wants to do with me but my mommy says I'm too young." Rina says, nodding to herself.
The guild goes silent for a moment.
Emile coughs, clearing his throat. "R-Right, uh, anyways," he says and turns back towards his guildmates, confused. "What the hell are you all talking ab-?"
"Emile…"
Emile freezes.
"I hope that you, as an ordained minister, aren't abusing your power and your friend's inability to currently speak for themselves to marry them."
Emile slowly turns around to face an extremely unimpressed Nadine. He smiles nervously. "G-Grandma, listen, it's not what you thi - OW!" Emile cries when Nadine slaps him upside his head. "Wasn't one concussion enough!?"
Nadine narrows her eyes. "I said you could get out of bed, I never gave you permission to leave the building." she says. "Get back in bed. You can keep Danate company."
"But-"
"Go." Nadine says.
Emile grumbles unhappily but does as he's told and trudges over to the infirmary.
Nadine sighs and turns her attention to the four kids-
…
…
…
…
Nadine pinches the bridge of her nose and takes in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "...Where did they go?" she asks after a beat of silence.
"Akane left with Mana and Veiss and Rina tagged along." Marcus supplies helpfully.
"And you didn't think to stop them?"
"Er…"
"Just…" Nadine sighs again. "Coraline, Ken, with me." she orders and starts to leave.
"What about me?" Marcus cries.
"The rest of you have shown you're either incapable of looking after children or you're concussed." Nadine says dryly. A gleeful Ken picks up his box of cigarettes on his way out the door, to which Nadine promptly snatches from him-
Marcus huffs and mutters, "You're the one who lost them…"
-and throws at Marcus' head.
Coraline snorts when Ken pouts as the pair continues to follow after Nadine.
Novem, who had long since made himself comfortable in the basket of flower petals, snorts and shuts his eyes, going to sleep.
Zaflior | Some Kind of Bakery, They Don't Know They Didn't Read The Sign
The baker looks down at the quartet of children with an amused look. "A wedding cake?" he asks.
"That's what I said." Akane says, attempting to cross her arms before she remembers she's holding Mana's hand. She obviously can't let go of Mana's hand so she opts for pointing authoritatively at the baker. "And you can put it on Phoenix Fire's tab!"
Rina tilts her head to the side. "Is that allowed?" she wonders.
Veiss laughs. "Of course it is! We're Phoenix Fire Mages!" he says and puts his hands on his hips.
The baker raises an eyebrow as he observes Veiss. "You…" he pauses, a thoughtful look on his face. Then his eyes widen in surprise. "That can't be…Veiss?" the baker gasps and looks between the girls. "And you're…Akane, Rina, and…Mana?!" his voice getting louder with each face he recognizes.
Mana flinches. "You don't have to yell…" she mumbles quietly.
Rina nods wisely. "My mommy says you have to use your inside voice when you're in public. It's con…consin…considerate."
The baker gapes at the four of them for another moment before laughing. "A wedding cake, you said? Who's the lucky couple?" he asks, looking pointedly at the two girls in white dresses.
Akane raises her free hand. "It's-!"
"W-Wait!" an out of breath Emile bursts into the bakery, making Mana flinch again. He looks at the four kids in relief. "Phew. Good. Okay. I got here in time." he says and laces his fingers behind his head, catching his breath.
"Is something wrong?" Rina asks as the four of them turn to surround him instead of the baker's counter.
"No," Emile shakes his head and shrugs a backpack off his shoulders, an awkward look on his face. "I just…remembered certain, uh…details about the, um, circumstances surrounding Mana's and Veiss' transforma-"
"Have your injuries made you go deaf, boy?"
Emile pales and whips around. "M-Master, wait - I actually have a good reason-!"
Coraline and Ken move past Nadine and Emile, two potions in either of their hands. "We met the doctor from Veneto on our way over here." Coraline says as the two of them kneel down in front of the children, handing each of them a potion. "This will turn you back to normal. Drink it or pour it on yourself, it doesn't matter." she instructs.
Emile's face flushes with panic. "Just wait a second-"
Rina drinks the potion without hesitation, downing it in one gulp. After a beat of silence, Rina erupts into a puff of smoke and when it clears, an adult Rina is standing in place of the child version.
Rina blinks, processing her surroundings for a moment. Then she looks down at her outfit and blushes lightly. "Well that's embarrassing." Rina says, standing in the middle of the bakery in her pajamas.
Emile's eyes widen. "I knew it." he breathes. "Don't drink that, don't drink that, don't drink that!" Emile cries, throws his bag to the floor, grabs Mana's (who's holding onto Akane for dear life and consequently drags the girl along with her) and Veiss' wrists, and sprints off towards the back of the bakery with his child teammates in tow. He finds a closet, throws Mana (and Akane) into it, and shuts the door. "Now you can drink it!" Emile yells as he continues running, searching for a private place for Veiss.
Akane and Mana exchange a confused, slightly concerned look before shrugging and downing the potion.
Back at the front of the bakery, Nadine apologizes to the baker for the commotion while a curious Rina, Coraline, and Ken pick up Emile's discarded bag and peek into it.
Coraline frowns. "Clothes…?" she mutters.
Ken picks up the topmost garment, a thoughtful look on his face. "You know, I purchased a top like this for Miss Mana a while ago." he says.
Rina digs through the rest of the bag. "All of these clothes belong to Mana and Veiss." she realizes. Rina looks down at her own outfit again. "I was taking a nap, then I got up to use the bathroom, and I went to wash my hands…and now I'm here." she recounts and thinks back to what the others told the four of them while they were children. "If the water was tainted and Emile has their clothes…"
Mana turns on her heel. "I'm going to take a shower." she says and heads towards the girl's dorms.
…
"I'm gonna take a shower too." Veiss yawns and walks upstairs to the boy's dorms. "Don't bother me." he says and leaves without another word.
Ken makes a small o with his mouth. "Ah. Miss Mana and Mister Veiss would be…indecent when they turn-"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"-back." he finishes and tilts his head to the side. "Was that Miss Mana's voice?"
Coraline hums. "I suppose she would be surprised to suddenly be-" she pauses. An amused look crosses her face and she tries to bite back a smile. "Didn't she take Akane with her when Emile hauled them away?"
"J-Just let me leave!" Akane whines, flustered. "Using me as a human shield is not working the way you think it is!"
Mana tightens her grip on Akane, a panicked look on her face. "Don't you dare open that door!" she cries, her cheeks a dark crimson.
Akane clenches her jaw. "I am feeling things I wouldn't be feeling if you weren't exposed." she says pointedly, trying to get her point across without explicitly addressing Mana's state of undress.
"How lewd!" comes Emile's voice from outside the closet door.
Akane's eyes widen. "Y-You - I didn't mean it like that!" she says.
Mana frowns. "Lewd…?" she repeats. "Feeling things…?" Mana looks down at the non-existent space between her and Akane.
…
…
…
…
…
Mana screams again and her blush darkens as she pushes herself as far away from Akane as she can and clamps her hands over Akane's eyes.
Emile's laughter fills the tiny closet. "I brought clothes for both you and Veiss, by the way. But this is funny so I'll give him his clothes first." he says gleefully, his laughter getting louder as Mana and Akane scream at him to come back.
When the four of them take too long to come back, Nadine ventures to the back of the bakery to find a displeased (but adult sized) Mana and Akane - the former wearing Akane's white hoodie and her shorts - sitting on top of an unconscious Emile while Veiss sits on the floor nearby, pulling his shoes on.
Nadine sighs. "At least they're back to normal…"
PF x SS x AH
A/N hashtag chronic pain hashtag surprise bitch hashtag bet you thought you'd seen the last of me hashtag it's been so long that i forgot where i wanted to take this so i apologize for the ending if it's Not Good^TM
hashtag not proof read don't come for me