A/N: Welp I'm back with another update! (After a month long gap...heh). Looks like the update time isn't gonna be cut in half. *nervous chuckles* Also, this chapter'll make the word count over 100,000 words. I can't believe I've written so much O.o. Also make sure to check out my other Seven Deadly Sins story: We're Kids?! It's about what happens after the Sins wake up to find themselves as children and the mishaps that happen due to it (apparently it's very quirky, cute and bizarre).
Anywho, I just wanted to say thanks for all the support on this story. The count's 27 Faves, 34 Follows and 28 Reviews. Not to mention over 5k views total! Seriously, thank you so much guys! (I've noticed a significant lack of thanks on this story, or I have amnesia of the times I have thanked you guys).
But apart from that I don't have much to say. So...
Till next time,
D.L.D
Diane's P.O.V
"The princess is coming..." Gowther spoke, causing us all to glance in the direction of the approaching royal.
It's been a while since Elizabeth has spoken to any of us - a while being a couple of weeks now, which also marks the day that Captain left us. A day that seemed to shake everything upside down. Captain never said why he left, but it all became evident when chaos began within the school. After Meliodas left, it was only a matter of time before everything else fell out of place. After all a bunch of people looked up to him, including us, but after finding out that he went to the Demon Schools people began to doubt.
They began to doubt everything.
Soon students were pledging allegiance to the Demon Schools and doing all sorts in the name of the demons. Holy Knights had also been slowly defected one by one, until only a small portion remained neutral. Really! I could count them all of my hands, meaning there were less than ten. Plus they were all called into a meeting today, meaning the remainders may be finished too. A downer for us neutrals, I know.
However the Holy Knights and rogue students wasn't the worst of it all. Oh no. Kidnappings had been going on all around campus and we've been busy trying to make sure that certain people don't go missing. It was a task assigned to us by the higher ups to look after the royal and important students here to make sure they weren't 'poisoned' by either side. So of course that meant us Sins have all been busy over these past few weeks. Like really busy!
And would you believe that half those pompous stuck up girls (and some of those douchey guys too) wouldn't even give us a thanks for protecting them?! I mean we didn't have to, but we did. We all could've easily let them get kidnapped and blamed it on something else. But we didn't and barely got anything as a sign of gratitude.
Talk about annoying.
But the last thing I expected was for Princess Elizabeth to talk to us again. Especially after the Captain's sudden leave and her new found habit of leaving her wings out for all to see. They were so amazing and magical, a rare sight to see in somewhere like Liones - but that didn't mean that we didn't have our suspicions about her. A lot of us Sins theorised that she joined the Deity Society and was now part of their plan. Something that had been proven correct when Ludociel announced that Lady Elizabeth, yes the daughter of Mrs Deity, AKA the Supreme Deity, was now part of their cause. So that meant that Elizabeth was an integral part of their plan.
But the princess didn't seem too happy when she stood beside Ludociel and the other Archangels. She looked so tiny and quiet beside them: meek and docile. In fact Elizabeth looked like she had no choice, but to comply. Like she was trapped with people she didn't like and wasn't truly happy. That wasn't really shocking too, as Elizabeth always seemed to not take a liking to the pompous jerk, Ludociel. But it made us all feel for the princess, knowing that she was most likely dragged into the situation due to her status. A terrible fate to have.
A terrible fate to live...
"I think we can see that Gowther," I huffed as I studied the princess.
Elizabeth had definitely changed over these past few weeks. She was definitely a lot less timid than before and perhaps even more brash. That was clear from her sudden change in clothing styles. Maybe that was why she was also flaunting her wings so publicly? To show that she had the confidence now. The authority. But maybe that wasn't the only reason why Elizabeth was acting different; she seemed to have a dutiful air around her now. Like she was on some sort of mission.
"Looks like someone's snappy today~" Ban noted teasingly, a smirk seeming to grow at the tone I used.
That ass has been talking trash all day. It's been bugging me a lot recently, especially since the Captain's not here to stop him from going too far. But maybe Captain's absence is why everyone's being so mean and snappy lately. I mean as much as we don't want to admit it, we're all hurt by the betrayal. The sudden leave. We'd always thought that us Sins would stick together, even after graduation, so Captain, Meliodas, leaving stung even more.
He abandoned us, when we'd all promised not to do that. Not to ever do that.
But I guess we have to get over it, right? Even if we don't want to - we have to. For the benefit of the future and the other students here at Liones. After all, people change and people leave - clearly Captain left for what he though would be the best.
"Well, I have a right to be," Scowling, I discard my lunch, suddenly not feeling hungry. The thoughts I had were beginning to fill me with disdain. "We've saved a bunch of stuck up snobs and not one has uttered a word of thanks!"
A murmur of agreement seems to go around at that, while Ban simply laughs.
"Well what did you expect?" He continued to laugh as he mocked a scenario. He clasped two hands together, batting his eyelashes and putting on a high-pitched snob voice. " 'Oh thank you so much Diane! We should totally become best friends and I'll even let you borrow my expensive, fancy things!' "
That awarded a punch from me, knocking him into a wall. Rubble fell as the dust cleared, Ban coughing. I frown at him, glaring, as I check my wrist over and ignore the crater in the wall. Damn that punch really hurt!
"Maybe I should come back..." Elizabeth trailed off as she took in Ban, the wall and our table.
I blink, looking over to the dent in the wall and then the table with scattered trays and food. A right scene for displaying what a group of violent dummies we are. I'll admit it wasn't the most welcoming of scenarios, but it was just a misunderstanding. Yes, a terrible misunderstanding. I'm just tired of all this drama and monotonous routine of feeling scared, hurt or offended.
We all are.
"No wait! We actually wanted to talk to you," I shake my head furiously, shocking both the princess and other Sins.
Elizabeth blinked, taken aback as pink crawls across her face.
"Oh...ok," She took an empty seat, her blush seeming to die down as she looked at us all.
It was awkward. Yep, very awkward. No-one knew where to start or what to say, especially since the rumors going around weren't exactly in her favour. Many spoke of how she was the reason why Captain left, while others say that they'd both joined different sides to spite each other. All sorts of rumors and spats had broken out about it, and to be honest I was curious about some of them. Such as why people believed that Elizabeth was responsible for Captain leaving. Or why they believed they wanted to spite each other. The last time I checked those two were dating and looked like your average teenage couple.
Did they break up? Did they end on bad terms? Or did something get uncovered?
I open my mouth to word this, but immediately shut it. Right now wasn't the time to ask: clearly Elizabeth had something to say. Something important.
"Well I know why you're here, but you'll have to speak to tell the others," Merlin chuckled, a smile spreading on her features as she glanced at the princess. The senior year always was the one to break these dramatic silences. "The answer may surprise."
Answer? What answer?
I glance between Merlin and Elizabeth and soon the princess is ready, taking in a deep breath as she asks her question.
Elizabeth's (normal) P.O.V
"Please can you help me restore peace?" The words left me in a flurry, face burning as I hide within my curtain of hair.
After building up the courage to approach the Sins, wings out and seeming unphased by my role in Meliodas leaving, it all crumbles to dust. Instead I find myself bowing slightly, face flushed and brain nervous as I can't meet any of their gazes directly. Instead I let the question out in a mere squeak, feeling as if they may reject me any second. The Sins have a right to do that after all. I've done something terrible, even if it was unintentional, and for that they should hate me.
No they hate me. I know they do. I'm the reason why all of this has broken out, and if I'd just controlled myself a few weeks ago maybe things would be different. Maybe Meliodas would still be here, and the demons would've left after seeing that convincing him was pointless? Maybe the Deity Society would've ditched their attempts to get me back? And maybe, just maybe, I would've felt happier and gotten closer to discovering what was building inside me. What I was subconsciously leaning towards every time I thought of Meliodas.
But now I'll never know. Or maybe I did and just didn't try hard enough to see it while it was there.
However I know that now it's gone. Whatever was building and forming was now lost, or perhaps even broken, and now I'm just left alone to pick up the pieces. To finish the puzzle I can never complete. Something I'm fine with, in fact acknowledge I deserve to face, and yet feel so guilty and pained about. So regretful... Maybe that's why I'm aiming to fix this mess once and for all now? To make up for this mistake and hopefully fix things for everyone else.
After all, I won't let history destroy the future. Never.
"Did we...hear that right?" Diane tilted her head, chestnut tresses spilling over her shoulders. She seemed to laugh slightly, a grin spreading over her features. "You want us to help?"
"Yes," I nod, a determined expression crossing me as I nod. I ball my fists and smile slightly. "I want to fix this mess I created."
The Sins seem to look at me, silently studying before deciding to send ambiguous signals to each other. Thoughtful eyes, plain expressions and hidden emotions seem to pass as they consider my option, before deciding to lay out their own response.
"Can we discuss this for a moment, dearie?" Merlin raised a brow, glancing between myself and her fellow Sins.
I nod, understanding and knowing that they'd have to see if they could trust me. See if I was speaking the truth or slowly baiting them into a trap for the Deity Society. I was an 'official' member after all, despite not believing in their goal. However I wanted them to know that I was operating on an entirely different base from theirs. I had no intention in using the Goddesses to help achieve my goals after all: I made that mistake once and this time I won't do it again. I know I won't. For myself, my people...my friends. I won't do anything that will risk anyone else; I'll only risk myself.
"Are you serious about this Elizabeth?" King raised a brow as they ceased their discussion. An agreement seeming to have been met between them, smug grins in place as they glanced at me in turn. King was the only one who seemed concerned, his expression clouded as he glanced at me. "You know that opposing both Heads will - "
"Result in a lot of trouble, I know," I give them all a smile, genuine and innocent. My words comes out airy and light as I continue. "But I want to face that trouble for a brighter future. I want to risk everything I have to make sure that I can finish what I started ages ago."
Shock and surprise can be described as what followed. Diane seemed aghast, pupils shrank and mouth agape; Ban was alike, his eyes wide but mouth somehow still closed; Merlin just had a knowing look, masking her genuine surprise; Gowther his usual blank stare; Escanor's face had paled slightly, a hand frozen in the air; and King had frozen in place, eyes wide and arms tightly squeezing Chastiefol as he blanched.
The scene caused me to giggle slightly, the moment finding amusement albeit the serious meaning.
"Wait...so you've been doin' this for how long?" Ban raised a brow, my laughter having snapped him out of his shock. He blinked, eyes narrowing as he focused on me.
Another laugh leaves me at that, a smile forming.
"Just around 3,000 years," A small grin spreads as I convert it to surface years. An innocent look crosses my features as I count on my fingers. "So around 3 years in your time."
"Just how old are you?!" Both Ban and Diane ask the question, expressions matching once again as hands slam onto the table.
Laughter escapes once again, this time from me and Merlin as we both look at them. Clearly there was a lot I had to reveal to the Sins before working on our plan to achieve peace. A lot of things that had been left behind when I transferred to a school on the Surface. However the past always has a habit of coming back to haunt you...
"The princess is around sixteen in human years," Merlin answered their question, an amused smirk playing on her lips. Hazel eyes seemed to glow as her grin grew. "But if you want to count it in the years that go by in the Goddess Realm, she's over 3,000 years old."
"3,000 years?!"
"How come you look so young?"
I flush, the sudden attention too much for me. Too many questions, words and looks directed at me - especially with both Ban and Diane poking at me like some sort of specimen. Gowther wasn't too far behind with that too, a covered look of menace on his features as he glasses glinted in the light. A look that I knew meant trouble - or experimentation. I suppress a shiver as I try to steer the conversation back to collaborating.
"We can discuss that later, right now I- "
"King! Ban!"
Elaine rushes in, features twisted with panic as she barrels straight into King. However she doesn't greet him with her usual enthusiastic hug, or a smile, instead her eyes are wide and skin flushed as she regains her composure.
"Something terrible is happening. Something really bad."
Elaine's P.O.V
"Whoa calm down Elaine," King frowned as he held me by the shoulders, studying me under a critical gaze. It only made me squirm more, senses on high alert as I know that not much time is left. Not much of anything is left now.
The Ten Commandments had successfully taken back what they came here to get and now the whole school was in disarray. The Goddesses were retorting in their own secretive and deceptive ways, while everyone else was left in the crossfire. The messy and ruthless crossfire. Students were doing all sorts now, education put second in favor of gaining the good side of the 'most prestigious' schools in the area. The well-known schools that could land you a good future as long as you graduated by their terms. Countless lawyers, doctors and even business entrepreneurs were born from Celestial Prep and Clan Academy, and therefore everyone wanted to land a spot beside the best of the best.
As a result, no-one was safe anymore. Now that the demons' plan was in motion, everything was falling apart. Liones Academy was now a mess and could become inadequate or perhaps even owned by either prestigious schools' network, resulting in all of its students becoming pawns in this massive game of chess. A game that no-one would ever win. I couldn't wish that on anyone else, since I know what it's like to be a pawn myself. A tool. Used only when needed and discarded when useless.
It wouldn't be long until I was involved in all of this too. I know that once this whole plan reaches a new phase, I'd be stripped of my free will and used to carry out dirty work. My soul put to work after being 'disobedient' for so long. For the past while. As a result I had to warn everyone before anything happened. I had to say something before I became a mindless worker again, and end up doing things I'll regret. Things that I'd seen others do.
"I can't," I shake my head, eyes lowered as I distance myself. "They're coming. They're going to take me away again an- "
"Elaine!" King was playing the role of overly concerned brother yet again, brows furrowed as he seemed to be calculating what I could mean. However it wasn't really a mystery to anyone who knew why I joined Liones later than most. In fact I had to go under the guise of a transfer student to avoid any connections to my previous school. So of course he connected the dots, but so did most of the Sins. Aside from Escanor, all wore their own expression of concern or sympathy.
It was only Ban and King who looked as if they were ready to go on a killing-spree.
"No-one's takin' anyone away on my watch," Ban growled, jaw clenching along with his fists. "We'll find a way to fix it."
"Yes, there has to be a way," King agreed, actually not opposing the Fox Sin for once. Something I'd usually be glad for, but right now it was just causing more and more alarm bells to go off. After all I've tried everything to get my soul back from Melascula; but the only way to do that was to strike another deal or take it back by force. A task that was proven impossible for just me to pull off and was considered as a small threat since Melascula was nowhere to be seen over the past year.
"Well surely the princess could fix whatever's going on?" Diane tilted her head in thought, finger tapping her chin. "Don't most Goddesses have the power to heal?"
Elizabeth flushed slightly at the attention brought to her. Of course she knew of her own ability to heal, but it wouldn't help in this situation. Souls that are taken or owned by someone else aren't like injuries or wounds that you could heal. It was permanent damage and therefore a lot more severe. Healing couldn't put in a dent into my problem, and I think Elizabeth knew that as she cast me a solemn smile.
"I'm sorry but...that's not possible," She nibbled on her lip as she looked directly at me. Guilt seemed to spread on her features as she frowned slightly. "I can only heal wounds and injuries, not something as complicated as a soul."
"Well, we'll find a way to fix this," King insisted, seeming to steadily get more and more antsy. If I had a guess at what was bothering him, it was probably that I was once again placed in danger when he promised to himself that it wouldn't happen again. "We have to."
"Yeah I'm sure one of us will have an idea, right guys?" Diane beamed, offering the only smile on the suddenly bleak cafeteria.
"Yes, I'll make sure to make it my top priority," Merlin nodded towards me, sincere expression on her face.
"Me too."
"And me!"
"I'm sure that I can offer some kind of aid."
I smiled at all the offered support, glad to have met people who were so helpful and kind. However it faltered as I remembered the ticking time bomb within me. The thing that was just waiting for me to lose control and start becoming a loyal servant once more. The tool I had tried so hard to leave behind in the past, and yet is always coming back to haunt me. Whether through memories, people or even acting like that once more, I always had a reminder of who I was. What I was.
And now that I had moved on, it was coming back. Slowly forming with each tick of the clock.
"Oh, I know just how to fix this," Ban grinned slightly, however it wasn't in his usual teasing manner. Oh no, I've seen that smirk before.
If I had a guess at what it meant, it was most likely that was going to find the root of the problem immediately. That he was going to place himself in danger just to make sure I'm not involved. Again. Just like when he'd skipped the chance to fight Melascula due to me telling him not to, and Derieri beating her to it. The only reason why he didn't do it was because I wasn't in any immediate danger - but now there was nothing there to block Ban from doing something reckless.
Nothing at all.
"Don't do it Ban," I glance at him, fully knowing that my warning could do little now that he had this idea. Not after having it before. "Please don't do something stupid."
I searched his face for anything. Something. But all I could see was that his mind was made up and he was more than ready to confront Melascula. Something that could prove lethal and yet there was nothing to persuade him from it. Nothing to stop Ban at all. It was as if he wasn't scared of death at all; like he really had no concern for how he'd meet his end.
And so I wasn't surprised when he let out a sigh and cast me a softened yet fixed look.
"Too late, Lanie, I'm already doing it."
He then got up with those words, leaving the cafeteria and all of us behind.
Elizabeth's (normal) P.O.V
"Elaine wait!" King called after his younger sister and she immediately followed after Ban.
The two had left the cafeteria in record time, Ban's long steps and Elaine's ability of levitation allowing her to easily catch up with him and leave. That left King behind, pondering whether to go, before quickly excusing himself and chasing after his younger sister. Something that resulted in the rest of us sinking into silence, wondering what we could do while also being aware that tension was rising everywhere. It seemed that even within our own little group we couldn't avoid disaster happening.
"This isn't good."
We all turned to see Escanor, his glasses removed and therefore his form changed. An odd surprise to me as I didn't know this happened.
His once shrimpy frame with barely any muscles, let alone flesh, covering his bones was now gone. Instead in its place were all sorts of muscles - large, small, powerful and even unnecessary. They all seemed to suggest that he had gained them over time and rigorous training. Albeit it did seem like overkill. However the muscles all added to the effect of the contrast between the two forms of this student. Between the two personalities he seemed to contain within his one mind. The one that was all macho and bravado - the one we see now - and the one that was shy and shrunken. The one that is a shell of this curse he has been born with.
"At this rate this is a war of pride," Even his voice has seemed to changed, dropping lower and having more masculinity behind it. Well stereotypical masculinity. I felt as if he had a lot of power just from that voice alone. The Lion Sin released a sigh as he placed his glasses upon the table, his brows furrowing and eyes crinkling. "It won't lead to anything positive. I should know..."
"Well, why don't you share the insight into why this isn't so good, Escanor?" Merlin grinned slightly, canines bared as she clicked her tongue. Her eyes were cast to the ground, arms folded as she spoke. Consciousness being evident from the way she wore a grin and more or less instructed Escanor to share some insight. "Tell the others as to how you claimed your Sin."
A settled silence, all eyes drawn to the suddenly brawny man. He seemed shocked, eyes wide and yet understanding. A look that contrasted with the confidence and pride seeming to radiate from him. Then it was suddenly gone, like a leaf in the wind. A firm nod and Escanor was soon fiddling with his mustache, expression thoughtful and muscles seeming to ripple with the effect.
"Very well," He promptly cleared his throat, a smile forming on his face. "I shall tell you all of how I gained my title. The title of the Lion Sin of Pride!"
