A/N: One of my quickest update times for a while. I'm kinda proud of myself for getting this written up and sorted in less than four weeks because the update times for this story have slipped. One week turned into two, then three and then months pass by... It honestly happens in the blink of an eye.
Anywho feel free to pop in a review or two! They do help with motivation sometimes (especially on dreary days) plus I like hearing input on the stuff I write. That being said thanks to anyone who's followed, favourited or reviewed this story! You've been a lovely help and hearing from reviewers and such always brightens my day :)
Arthur Pendragon - Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
Till next time,
D.L.D
P.s. Feel free to check out my other stuff for Seven Deadly Sins: 'We're Kids!' and '3,000 Years'.
Elizabeth's (normal) P.O.V
"Has she woken up yet?"
I gently close the door to Elaine's room to meet the anxious face of her older brother. His usually controlled and indifferent features are now twisted into concern and worry, the fairy seeming to pace about as he squeezed Chastiefol close to his chest.
Not that I could blame him for being in such a state.
When I'd first come by, I could sense that something was wrong. There was that eerie and solemn shift in the air, the type of shift that comes with grief and misery, much like when a whole family discovers that a tragic event has occurred. Merlin had seated herself outside of the door, her bleary eyes working away at examining the books that were stacked by her side; Diane had been trying to cheer Ban and King up, suggesting that they grab something to eat or get some fresh air; Ban and King were the worst off.
Ban and King seemed like empty shells in a way. King was pressed with worry, his small form seeming consumed with emotions so powerful that he shrunk in on himself. He sat in a corner, thinking away as he mumbled a few things and wiped away tears that came every so often. He was a complete wreck, a complete mess, and I could sense the guilt that appeared to pour out with the extreme worry that tied to Elaine.
Ban on the other hand was silently brooding. A deep sense of pain along with melancholy was coming from him, but unlike with King, Ban's emotions had stirred together to create an intense anger. An anger that could spark a powerful inferno that would lead to him doing reckless things. Just like earlier on in the day when he had stormed off to deal with the problem alone, I could see the anger flickering in his blood red eyes. I could see it clear as day. That's why Diane had dragged him out on her quest to get some food.
But like I said before, I can't blame them both for being in such a state. How could I when what had happened was truly terrible?
Elaine had been still, corpse-like, when I had slipped into her room to check that she was alive. The usual scent of flowers, fresh air and nature that poured into everything around her was faint and ghost-like, almost akin to a perfume that had diffused and dissipated across a room. Her skin had been pale, paler that what was her natural snowy shade, and when I'd held her wrist to check for a pulse it had felt eerily cold and smooth like a stone. Like finely polished marble.
But despite her deathly appearance, Elaine's vitals had been fine. Her heart was pumping at just the right rate and her lungs were falling and rising in perfect, even breaths. Even the way she felt, the way I sensed her power, seemed alright.
However I couldn't ignore the small spike in power I had noticed. The little rise in her magical abilities that had been missing just hours before in the day. It was sign that her soul was being messed with, experimented on like a new subject in a lab.
"No, not yet," My voice leaves soft, gentle, a wave of understanding and guilt spreading as I looked at King. "She's still got healthy vitals though. Her heartbeat and lungs are working just fine..."
I can't help but gnaw on my lip in shame, my gaze slowly drifting to the laminate floor of the dorm. None of this would've happened if I didn't spark the schism. If I'd just kept my mouth shut and didn't have that outburst, then this wouldn't have happened. Meliodas wouldn't have left, the school wouldn't have been split into two, and Elaine wouldn't be in a comatose state.
"Her soul isn't alright though, is it?" King places a knowing hand on my shoulder, hiding away his own emotions in a knowledgeable glance. He raises a brow, the tone of his voice betraying all he knows as I release a gentle sigh.
"I'm afraid not..."
A silence settles between us. A thin and gentle silence that is filled with understanding and shared guilt. We both believe that this is our fault, that we have a part to play in what has happened to Elaine. King believes he is responsible as he has his reasons that are tied to his hidden past, just as I believe that I am guilty because of some things that I have done. I know that I am guilty because I am the cause of the Commandments being here in the first place. I'm the cause of all of this.
But King still carries the blame of this on his shoulders, the reasons for why unknown to me as he has never shared much of his past with me. It was never really something we discussed and now would not be an appropriate time to ask.
But the least I could do was try to lessen to weight that King bore. I could at least let him know that not all of this was his fault, that this happened because of a number of things.
However when I think of that, I think back to what I've done. I think about the weight that rests of my own shoulders and I can't help but feel the guilt bubbling back up once more. It twists and turns up the column of my throat, choking my words as it spreads through my veins and arteries in a journey so fast that even my willpower cannot stop it. Nothing can.
"I-I wish I could help more," The words leave shakily, defeated. I can feel the tears brimming even though I don't want them to, my mind screaming that King and Ban should be crying and not me. It was my fault after all. I caused this. People like me shouldn't be crying. "If I knew how to heal something like this, I would. I truly would. But I don't know how. I don't know how to do anything right now..."
Silent tears slip down my cheeks, my eyes once again glancing to the floor as I hide behind my curtain of starlight hair. My long, silver hair that has hidden me many times before when I felt guilty or ashamed. It was always the veil I hid behind, my subconscious always too ashamed to even display my expressions when I was guilty and caught. When I was at my most vulnerable and childish.
I reach up and scrub away the warm tears that track my face, resenting their salty taste as some land on my lips. Why do I always have to cry? Why do I always have to do the one thing that makes me look like a victim when I'm anything but?
Why do I always care so much?
"You've done enough, Elizabeth," King breaks through my sniffles, his expression softened as he passes me a tissue. I'm not sure where he's gotten it from but I'm thankful that he has.
"Thank you," I smile a little, glad that he does not hate me. That none of the Sins hate me for what I have done. I do deserve hate though, I deserve to be hated for what I have done. I'm not better than the demons that everyone despises so much, but even so everyone is always supporting me. They are always by my side to cheer me up when I'm feeling down. They're always there to catch my tears when they fall.
King then pulls out a flask and two little cups. The lid of the flask comes off with a little squeaky pop, the rubber lining of the circular lid lined with drops of condensation. A little steam curls from the cylindrical flask, the rich aroma of what I assume to be hot chocolate leaking into the small hallway of Elaine's dorm. The sound of liquid pouring then fills the empty air, King filling both little cups before passing me one.
I take it gratefully, enjoying the small jolts of comfort that the warmth of the drink gives me. It feels like a hug from a person I haven't seen in forever, warm and filled with longing and happiness. It's comforting, engulfing, and swallows the guilt that had begun to consume my mind and soul.
"I want to thank you Elizabeth," King took a sip from his cup, his own pale hands wrapped around it.
"Thank me?" I raise a brow, tilting my head as I turn to face him. "But I haven't done anything..."
To that King shook his head, chuckling a little as he downed the rest of his cup and refilled it. He seemed a little brighter now, slightly cheered, and that's when I noticed that he'd added a drop of something other than hot chocolate into the flask. I could taste it with a light burning at the back of my throat, my own brain feeling a little lighter from the fire that the spiked hot chocolate had lit.
"No, you were her friend," King smiled a little, his voice certain and clear as he leaned against the wall. "You spoke to Elaine like she was a person, not a precious treasure that needed to be protected. You made her feel...like her thoughts and opinions mattered," The fairy then turned to me, his amber eyes seeming to glow in the dark, "Even if it doesn't seem like much to you, to me and Ban, it means a lot. So thank you, Elizabeth. Thank you for being Elaine's friend."
I can only look at King in shock, my brain not at all able to comprehend what he had just said. It just can't compute it at all. That's because even though I've done good things, even though I've helped in ways others can't, I've still done unforgivable things. I've still caused evil. That's why I find myself shaking my head, the warmth of the hot chocolate now feeling like a fierce fire as guilt crawls onto my skin and latches on like a filthy parasite.
"Thank you, King," I give a solemn smile, wiping away the remaining tears but no longer crying. I speak with certainty, clarity, as I meet his eyes. "But I don't deserve those words..."
Before he can protest, I then push away from the wall, knowing what I have to do to right my wrongs. I have to do it without involving them. I have to keep the Sins safe from getting tangled and caught in the middle of this gigantic web of lies, deception and action.
They've already gone through enough pain and grief. I don't need to add to it.
Giving a final glance about the dorm, my brain buzzing with the adrenaline I need to carry out my plan, I silently leave Elaine's dorm. Once outside, I give Merlin a small nod, knowing that she will not meddle with my plans.
"Good luck," She whispers and then I'm gone into the night.
Vanished like a specter in the fog.
Diane's P.O.V
"We're back!"
My voice rings bright and chirping, like birds calling a new dawn, as I ignore the string of curses that Ban utters when I cheerily step inside Elaine's dorm. Bags of some food from a local restaurant hang from my arms, the steam from the containers catching my exposed skin as they swing slightly.
Since it was a little gloomy here, I decided to drag mopey Ban out to get something to eat. People tended to be a little more grumpy on an empty stomach after all and I knew the perfect place that was just down the road from our school. Add in the lack of night patrol and the fact that it was the norm to sneak out of school after curfew and I found tonight to be the perfect occasion to pull out my hard-earned cash and buy a guilty pleasure.
Plus Ban looked like he needed the fresh air, his red eyes being bleary from what I assumed to be holding back tears. He had looked a little hopeless cooped up inside, sinking into his brooding thoughts while Elizabeth, King and I tried to melt the palpable tension and despair. It didn't help that he looked so damn angry and hurt, his red eyes often containing the tell-tell glint that betrayed when he was plotting something reckless.
So I left King with Elizabeth, knowing they would be fine all alone, to try and get Ban to clear his head and freshen up. My idea seemed to be right too as he was now speaking a little more, muttering a few things at my bright nature. He even managed to pull a face, setting the bags down on the table.
"Where the hell are they?" Ban frowned a little, his red eyes prowling about the room. "It's too quiet."
"I'll go check," I leave the living room, frowning as it does seem a little too quiet. Merlin had left to get Gowther and Escanor, the Senior detailing how they were both manning the Boar Hat alone tonight because of what had happened. But Elizabeth and King should still be here, the both of them saying that they'd watch Elaine.
I walk into the hallway to spot that King had fallen asleep, his form happily curled up upon Chastiefol. Beside him are two cups, one half full of his special hot chocolate and the other empty. His flask was still out, the green metal glinting in the light. I touched it and felt the warmth of the liquid inside transferring to my skin. King himself was knocked out cold, his small form far away in its own realm of dreams and thoughts as I could only sigh and look at him with fondness and concern.
He used to do this all the time. Every night when he got the bad dreams once again, a little bit of his special hot chocolate and King would be out like a light, the fairy regretting it when his head would pound in the morning but still taking it every time he failed to sleep properly. Sometimes I'd join him, the sweet yet spiky flavour of the drink going down pretty well on a colder night. But King didn't really have any unless he was stressed out. It seemed today was one of those types of days, King having also given Elizabeth some and therefore explaining her disappearance.
Elizabeth was a pretty light drinker after all. Even when she was free to have as much as she wanted, the princess always limited her intake. That meant she might have felt a little queasy after having King's semi-potent mixture. But if that were true, then I would hear her puking her guts out or sleep talking because she was also knocked out cold. Elizabeth was a sleep talker after all, she just didn't speak very loudly.
However the dorm was totally silent when Ban and I walked in, not a trace of King or Elizabeth found expect for this. Only King remained too, so that suggested that Elizabeth had left. But where did she go to and why didn't she tell anyone about it?
"King, kingy wake up," I shake King's form, frowning as he mumbles for me to not disturb him. His hands sleepily push mine away as he turns in his sleep. Normally I'd find it cute, but tonight it's anything but that. I'm too stressed and worried to think about how cute King is when he sleeps, let alone just let him be. "King I need you to wake up or at least tell me where Elizabeth is!"
"Hmm?"
Those words seem to trigger something, the fairy sitting up and weakly pushing my hands away. He wakes groggily, slowly, his amber eyes seeming glassy and bleary as he rubs at them and yawns. Auburn hair is scattered in all directions, his slumber ruffling the usually smooth locks, and his skin has the usual sleepy hue that comes from when you first wake up. In all he looks like a tired wreck, the dark rings under his reddened eyes not helping at all.
"Where's Elizabeth, King?" I say the words more firmly than I was meant to, most likely upset at the fact that he was drinking the hot chocolate again. It was a habit he'd gotten over after all, one that I thought was left in the past once the dreams stopped.
"Elizabeth left..." King frowned slightly, shaking his head as he sank into thought. His tired eyes gained thought, a hand coming to scratch his ruffled head as he released another yawn. "We were talking and then she said something about not deserving gratitude. Next thing I knew she left and didn't say where she was going..."
"And you let her leave?!" My eyes widen, the urgency of the situation making me grab him by the forearms. That was a really bad move. No it was a very bad move if he let Elizabeth leave after saying something like that. "Really King?"
"I wasn't really in the state of mind to argue," King responded, still a little dazed and seeming unfazed by the slight jolt my arms gave as I shook him a little. He then glanced over at his discarded hot chocolate and poured himself some more. "Want some? It might help you to calm down a little."
I can only release a sigh, shaking my head at both King's offer and the fact that he'd let Elizabeth walk out here by herself. She's in a highly emotional state right now and last time she had ignored us all because of her emotions.
I'd thought that leaving King and Elizabeth here would remove the possibility of something like this happening, especially since they both seemed pretty levelheaded and self-conscious enough to function by themselves. They were civilized and mature enough to get along while I went to grab some food. That seemed to be correct too as they both managed to have a little chat and cafe session, but clearly the idea of not letting a distressed Elizabeth leave had slipped King's dazed mind.
Of course it did...
"King you don't realise how stupid that was..." I end up pouring myself a cup of his stupid hot chocolate, figuring that I now needed the burning liquor in my veins. Even if it was just a little bit mixed with hot cocoa and milk. "We have to find Elizabeth now before she meets Captain."
"S-she's going to meet the Captain?"
King's face pales, his hands lowering the cup he was about to drink out of. His amber eyes are wide, shocked, something terrible seeming to colour his face as he looks at me. It's like this piece of information is new news, like Elizabeth - Oh...
It's then I realise that Elizabeth hadn't told anyone else about her plan. She was planning to do that, but clearly the accident with Elaine had probably made her rethink involving us all. That sounds like Elizabeth too, the princess always putting everyone else above everything else. She even puts us all above her own safety and well being, doing things that risk herself more than anyone else to help everyone but herself.
"Yeah, that's why she came here," The words leave quietly, solemnly, as I take a sip from my cup. The chocolate is warm, soothing like a spiced honey, as it slips down my throat. "She said she was gonna tell us all her plan."
"That's why she was so guilty..." King frowned, all the pieces clicking in his working yet still dazed mind. He seemed to think for a moment, lips pressed into a thin line, before he turned to look at me once more. "Diane did she tell you anything about her plan?"
The question gets me to think, recall all of the information that Elizabeth told me. Sadly it doesn't result to much, Elizabeth having carefully coded her words in a cryptic fashion that even Captain would probably struggle to decode. In fact now that I thought about it, Elizabeth was really skilled at keeping things vague and simple, only supplying the information that was needed without revealing her true intentions.
"I wasn't given much," I find myself grimacing, the once sweet and milky hot chocolate now seeming bitter on my tongue. There was only one piece of information I had that was useful and it happened to be something that could ensure her safety. "However Elizabeth did say she'd meet Captain at a certain spot."
"Then we'll go there," Ban appears in the doorway that leads to the living room, his red eyes seeming fuller now. He had no doubt already eaten since I was taking so long with King, the way he leaned against the doorway with a small spark of life within him suggesting that he was now in a better mood. "Princess isn't gonna put herself in danger because of us bozos."
His words were met with two wide grins, both me and King agreeing with him. There was no way Elizabeth was gonna put herself in harm's way just because she wanted to protect us. Hell and all its most terrible sights would have to get past us all first! Elizabeth was part of the Sins just as much as the rest of us, and as the Sins we had rules and a code of honour to uphold. One we could never betray. Therefore we would protect anyone who was one of ours, even if they weren't an official Sin, and would do all we can to prevent them getting hurt.
That included Elizabeth.
"Couldn't have put it better myself Ban," King grinned, the drowsiness seeming to be pushed aside by the duty that overcame him. However I think the liquor was doing its magic already, a weird sort of overconfidence overtaking my Kingy.
"Aww you two are getting along!" A look was shared between the pair and I couldn't help but squeal, pulling out my phone to quickly snap the moment. King and Ban rarely got along (and I've known them for years) and if Elaine and I were going to be sisters in law I'm not going to humor this petty behaviour. Plus they made a pretty good team when they worked together.
"It's only for Elizabeth and Captain!" King spluttered, his face turning bright red like a fire hydrant.
"Yeah," Ban grimaced, a glare set in my direction as he snapped. "So don't get any ideas, Diane!"
I only chuckle in response, knowing all too well that they were really just getting along. But I'll let them keep that little secret.
Elizabeth's (normal) P.O.V
The world was quiet tonight. Silent.
Not a sound can be heard in the air, everyone within the city seeming to be asleep. Odd since you'd think a city as large as this one would never be asleep. You always hear about other big cities being ones that never rest: flashing lights, corporate buildings and large cars always creating some sort of sign of noise and life. But tonight everything seems still. Eerie. Not even the stars are shining too brightly, their thin and silvery light appearing to be weak and pale tonight.
But maybe that's because I haven't been out by myself for a while now. In fact I haven't been outside at night for a very long while, the recent schism of the demons and goddesses preventing such liberties. It was simply too dangerous. The lingering nightmare of my stalker and attacker is also a constant fear these days, his eyes and smile seeming to always follow me about. An especial trigger is walking alone along a street, those empty stretches reminding me of how suddenly I had been snatched away.
So what I once found calming and beautiful about nighttime, the quiet and peaceful darkness, was now ruined, the beauty of the serene darker hours now cloaked in a terrible sense of dread and fear. A sense of anticipation and trepidation.
A cold wind blows past, billowing the bottom of my jacket and sending my hair flying as I try to hug the pink material of the jacket close to my form. In true Elizabeth Liones style, I had brought a thin jacket thinking that it would be more useful than the thick one my sister Veronica had bought me. To me it hadn't seemed too cold tonight, but once I had stepped outside I was proven wrong.
It was extremely chilly and windy tonight.
Add in the fact that I rushed so much I forgot to pull on some leggings and I was now in the awkward position of wearing a jacket as a dress. On a very windy and chilly night as well. So in short it was very breezy downstairs for me.
As I try to readjust the bottom of my jacket, hoping that my underwear hadn't been flashed, I still can't shake the feeling of being watched. I can't describe it, but I can feel several sets of eyes upon me. The sorts of eyes that watch and wait for something to happen, their owners always remaining hidden no matter what. I have to admit that the feeling irks me slightly, sends a shiver up my spine, as I stand in the empty expanse of the agreed meeting spot.
I don't like the feeling of being watched. It reminds me of the stalker and my first home. Both are just as terrible and sadly none ever bring me comfort and warmth. Not even when I think of all the good memories I made through my first home or how my stalker was most likely someone I could've been friends with before they became my stalker.
The sound of rustling leaves makes me turn around, only to spot a russet fox scampering across the darkened grass. Its fur shines in the moon's light, the white tips of its tail and underbelly shining brighter than the dusty red, as I quickly makes its escape. Its as it does that I notice the red eyes within a bush, the orbs disappearing as quickly as I'd spotted them.
"It's been too long," Jenna's voice rings in my ear from the earpiece, her tone analytical and worried. "Head back Elizabeth. I'm pretty sure he knows it's a set up."
Her words are heard, but I can't respond to them. I can't compute them. Not yet anyway. Not when my heart is hammering away in my chest, my hand tightly clutching at the pink fabric of my jacket as if trying to steady the racing organ but failing entirely. It does nothing to calm my panicking nerves, nor cool the sweat that begins to build as my lungs feel as if they can never get enough air. My mind cannot calm my shaking hand, nor can it do anything to brace me from seeing the past in the present. Or rather seeing the impossible become possible once again.
"Meliodas..." The name leaves my lips in a silent breath, my blue eyes wide as I can see him but can't see him.
His usually wild blonde hair had been tamed as it was back then, his messy but casual and well-put style seeming to have been replaced with a more stiff and formal one. It had been ages since I'd seen Meliodas with a properly tied tie, the blonde always saying that it bugged him to no end when it was properly fastened. Seemed about right too as many people say ties are like chokeholds. However he was now everything he had hated about his past life, the Meliodas I see now being nothing like the one I knew.
It's like all those years ago have come back, the person I had gotten to know so well over that time having been wiped away and reduced to what he was before. He was back to being the mindless worker bee, his father having the ultimate say once again.
"Elizabeth," He regards me in the same manner as how he looks, formal and emotionless. All of those years we've spent as friends must've surely been wiped away. But maybe they weren't real to him anyway.
Maybe it was all an act.
"I can see that you were serious about it then," I try to wipe away the shock that's filling my senses, the utter wave of déjà vu that forms just from looking at Meliodas like this. It works by swallowing thickly, ignoring my racing heart and the way my brain screams that everything is wrong. That he shouldn't look or act like this right now. "May I ask why?"
My eyes meet his and even though his are pitch black like coals, I can spot something within them. I can see the first flickers of emotion, the first tiny specks, that usually took ages to emerge. That sight both pleases and chills me inside, a small part of me feeling relieved at the fact that Meliodas was still in there but another part feeling rooted to the spot from the emotion that I caught swirling around. The emotion I had never liked him to have.
Pain.
"What's the point in why when it's already done?"
Dark onyx meet ocean blue, just like the borders of night and day, and even with the guarded tone and perfect mask I know something deeper is going on here. I can tell from the slight pinch in his brow and the way his jaw tenses a little. I can tell from a body language that I have known fluently from years of practice, Meliodas knowing my own as well as I know his. We both know when the other is trying to hide something and right now I can tell he's hiding something.
He's hiding something that's causing him pain.
"Because I want to know why!" I huff a little, my cheeks warming as I fold my arms over my chest. My gaze narrows, not out of anger but frustrated concern, as I look at him. "I want to know why you'd do this to yourself, Meliodas."
I expect to see more emotion leak out at this point, perhaps something that had been kept locked away from everyone else; but I got nothing. I didn't get an obvious look or glance, didn't get anything other than words that were stated in the same stiff and calculated manner.
"After losing what I valued most I had nothing left to lose," Meliodas states simply, a frustrated look forming as if he were stating the obvious to a small child. "I would've expected you to know at least that."
I give another huff at his response, my own frustration rising the more he acted like this. We had always clashed in the old days because of his stubborn nature and arrogant ways had constantly opposed my selfless and empathetic ones. As a result we had a lot of little spats that begun as normal conversations, both of us flaring each other's angers until the day we learned to compromise.
But that day came much later on in the timeline.
"But what about the Sins?" I raise a brow, my mind already searching for all the things he could live for instead of me. As I think of all the things that were much more important than me. My hair spills over my shoulder as I state each factor, my tone emotional. "What about everything else that you've cared about? Losing someone like me can't be so detrimental. There's so much else to lose, so much else to - "
"You don't get it, do you?" Meliodas quirks a brow, the tone of his voice rooting me to the spot. I don't even flinch as he steps closer, invading my personal space bubble but not making any move to make me uncomfortable. Instead it's more of a observational invasion, a questioning invasion, as he looks at me with deep thought. Deep questioning.
I can see the many thoughts working away in that mind of his, the blank and guarding expression upon his boyish features not helping at all. Meliodas was always someone who could mask what he was really thinking, what he was really feeling. That's why I had never thought to address the musings of the Sins or to even ask if the rumors were true back when things were normal and well. I was always afraid of making a fool of myself.
But after what's happened, after reminding myself that I've known Meliodas for extremely long, I know that I can read him. Sure it takes a bit of translating, changing and analyzing for it to be comprehensible to myself, but eventually I know what he's thinking. I know what Meliodas is truly feeling no matter how much he tries to hide it from me.
And he knows that.
That's why he's making sure nothing gets out because if it does then I'll know where to start.
"Well, I'd like to," I hold the eye contact between us, my hand coming to rest against his cheek as I all but whisper the words. His skin felt warm, familiar, the same as it had always felt despite his changed appearance and demeanour. Oh how I missed being able to talk like this - to just...have things how they were before. "I know you're still in there, Meliodas, and I mean the you that I've known since as long as I can remember."
"Do you really want things to go back to how they were?"
"More than anything," This time I actually whisper the words, hot tears bubbling as I don't dare to break the eye contact. It was the only thing keeping him from continuing the stupid facade of his past life. The only thing letting the smaller glimmers of the Meliodas I knew break through to me.
"You can try all you want," Meliodas stepped away, shaking his head and blinking as if he were trying to control himself. His brows furrow. "But it won't work."
"That's what you think," I push, my words having already done their magical work. A smile creeps onto my lips, my hands resting on my hips. "You of all people should know that I have a way of making the impossible possible."
"Challenge accepted then, princess," Meliodas smirked devilishly, knowing fully well what he was beginning. There was that mischievous spark in his eyes that betrayed it all, the mask he wore so well doing nothing to hide it. He held out a hand for me to shake. "Although you're almost certainly going to lose."
I feel the tugs of a smile pulling on my own lips, my eyes seeming to light up with amusement as I look at him. Meliodas, the same one who was talking of how he was never going to be the same person he was again, was betting on me actually finding a way to to get him back. He was actually challenging me to try and find a way to help him, to save him, even though that seemed to be the last thing he wanted.
Now this was definitely a sign of something.
"Don't underestimate me, demon," I smirk a little, the flame of a competitive fire already sparking away within me. It's been ages since I've been able to talk so lightly, have banter, and I can't deny that it's freeing. "I'm not nicknamed Bloodstained Ellie for nothing."
A crooked grin forms on Meliodas' features, the only thing ruining it being his coal eyes, but even so I love it. I love the way he is always so competitive. He's always up for anything really and will always be in a good mood about it. He was always surprising me, always doing the unexpected, and that trait seems to be something that's survived whatever happened over the past few weeks, the grin he sported now telling me all I needed to know.
I reach out to take his hand.
"Elizabeth wait!"
I spot Diane popping out of the bushes, her brown pigtails swishing as she bounded towards us both. A look of panic is sat on her features, her amethyst eyes squinting in the low light of the moon. A hockey stick is in her possession, her hands and arms bracing to use it in defense or attack.
But before anyone else could do anything, I hurriedly took Meliodas' hand in mine and agreed to the challenge. With a single handshake, the meeting spot was gone and phase one was complete; but now came the harder part of getting back the Meliodas I knew. The Meliodas I loved.
And from how he phrased this challenge, it was going to be an incredibly tough feat.
Diane's P.O.V
"Fuck!"
I can hear Ban's screech loud and clear, the monstrous roar of his voice being similar to a tiger having its tail stepped on. His fist connected with the trunk of a tree, shattering it into splinters almost instantly. Shards were stuck in his fist, blood continuously pouring and slowing to a drizzle as he continued to punch away at whatever could satiate his sudden surge in anger.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"
King and myself could only watch the display in concerned silence, both of us sharing a look which spoke of the same thoughts and feelings. The same thoughts and feelings of having failed at keeping yet another person safe from this tangled situation. It seemed like everyone we wanted to keep safe was throwing themselves right into danger's way, their noble actions and intentions making the whole situation a lot harder for people like us.
First we lost Captain, now we're trying to save Elaine before it's too late to do anything to save her and just now, like right in this instant, we have lost Elizabeth because she doesn't want to involve us in her problems anymore. But little do they all know that their sacrifices, their wanting us to not be involved, has only made us want to do more to help them. Captain leaving is what caused us to get involved in the first place, Elaine striking a deal is what made us want to confront the Demon schools even more and Elizabeth leaving will only make us all want to get all three of them back all the more.
"Calm down Ban," The words leave quietly, hopelessly, as I know he won't really listen to me. Not that Ban has to. He has a right to be angry right now and it shows as he continues to rant and berate, his voice leaving in a frustrated storm of words.
"Calm down?" He growled, his fists balling but not striking anything yet. His jaw is tight and squared, the redness of his pupils seeming to gleam through the darkness. "Calm down? Making sure the princess was safe was the last thing I could do right for Elaine. It was the one thing I could do to help Cap'n and look what I've done! I've fucked it up just like everything else!"
He then storms off, most likely to convert more of his hidden grief and strife into destructive anger, a string of mutterings and curses leaving as he cleared the path.
"Ban..." I begin to protest but am stopped by King interrupting, his own emotions seeming more potent with the liquor in his system.
"Things have just gotten worse," King paced about, his hands squeezing away at Chastiefol. He shook his head, gazing towards the direction in which Ban stormed off in. "It's all getting worse."
I frown at King's words, knowing that they're true. Things are getting worse. I can't deny that everything was going off track and one bad thing just seemed to follow another; however I know that all because things were going bad didn't mean we had to give up. We're meant to overcome challenges and adversities. We're meant to try and climb over whatever obstacle crosses our paths, life never once stating that it would be easy or effortless.
So when I see Ban and King like this, so gloomy and despairing, I can't help but feel like I have to show them the small positives. Even if I was feeling the effects of the negatives a little more than I would like to admit...
"I know it seems bad, King," I try to lighten the situation, offering a gentle smile as I rest a hand on King's shoulder. His pacing stops and he blinks, facing me as I continue. "But we need to stay positive. If we keep - "
"I-I know, D-diane," King nodded, understanding shining in his amber eyes. Even with the tremble in his voice I knew he was certain, the expression he wore speaking where words couldn't. "We'll all get through this somehow, right?"
"Right," I nod and wrap him into a hug. A hug I think I needed more than he did.
So in the silence of this turbulent night, I enjoy the rare conscious embrace from King. The rare hug where he can return my own hold and not explode into a red and/or nosebleeding mess, for once thankful that he had that stupid chocolate tonight. It gave him a bit more nerve than usual.
Plus the clinging to hope, to the belief that things will improve, is a sign that not all hope is lost. That not all of the good endings have been erased yet. Things will just have to get better after all. We've hit rock bottom so hopefully all we have to do is go up.
Up.
