Chapter 19:
Day three of the Dungeon expedition started much like the day before. The allied Familias gathered to have breakfast, each performing their assigned tasks. Ais knew that she was no good at most of the typical campsite activities, so she decided to continue gathering burnable materials. This was much harder to find in the Water Capital, but thankfully the Dungeon created a type of burnable coral. Just like yesterday, Lili looked on and commented that she didn't need to get nearly that much, but Ais didn't mind. She wasn't good for much; she would do her best at what she could.
As the group ate breakfast, Daphne and Cassandra stood guard at the mouth of the cave. As the adventuring party started to clean up, Lili gathered everyone around them.
"Today, the party will be moving to floor twenty-eight, the desert swamp," began the supporter, "If Lili has studied the maps correctly, there is a stable path we can follow to get through."
Ais nodded, "It's the best way forward. Everyone has to be careful to avoid the quicksand. It will suck you in, and then you'll die," she looked over the group, "Stick to the path."
Aisha chortled, "Oh, the path, you say? You know, there is another way?"
Ais narrowed her gaze, "No, there isn't."
Aisha snorted, "Yes, there is," she pointed to herself, "Hermes Familia keeps a set of boats hidden near the entrance to the floor. We can use them to ride on the water."
Both veteran adventurers turned to Lili, who would make the final decision. The prum rubbed her chin in thought, "If the party takes to the water, we will get through quicker," she eyes the amazon, "Any dangers to the boats?"
It's Ais that responds, "The monsters can attack us. The long necks, hemahs, petsuchos, and will-o-wisps will be waiting for us. We will be… we'll be…" she turned to Lefiya, "What is the expression when one is in danger and can't do anything?"
Sitting next to Lefiya, Elwin responded, "We'll be sitting ducks?"
Ais nodded, "We will be sitting ducks."
"These boats move better than you think, Sword Princess," responded Aisha, "and the less time we spend in that swamp, the better. Too many dangers we can't see."
"Lili sees the merits to both options. What do you think, Master Bell?"
Bell hummed and looked between the two women. His gaze settled on Aisha, "The boats will take us through safely?"
Aisha shrugged, "As safe as anything is in the Dungeon."
Bell nodded, "I'm sorry, Ais, but I think we should trust Aisha."
Ais sat there for a moment, her face expressionless. She nodded once, "Ok then."
The Sword Princess stood up and prepared her equipment. Everyone watched her go before looking at Bell. After scrutinizing him for a moment, everyone else left for their assigned tasks—everyone except Welf. The smith walked up to Bell and gestured for him to follow. The two brothers walked to a separate section of the cave, where Welf crossed his arms.
"You know, might have been better to use a different word there," said Welf.
"What do you mean?" Had Bell done something wrong?
"You said trust Bell. As if you didn't trust Ais," replied the smith, "I know you two are still working on some things, but you might want to consider what you say."
Bell looked down, "But I don't know if I do…."
Welf frowned but said nothing else. The two left and rejoined the party. As they were about to leave, Ais walked up to Lili.
"Since we're going down to a floor most of you haven't properly explored, should I go in the front?"
The question was innocent enough, without stepping on Lili's toes as commander. The prum considered it for a second before nodding.
"Miss Wallenstein does have the most experience out of everyone here," responded Lili, "Lili will go with your judgement for this."
Ais thanked her before walking off to join Urashima and Otohime. While the bodyguard scowled, Otohime greeted her with open arms. She started chatting with Ais, who responded as best she could. Eventually, the Sword Princess smiled.
Otohime smiled back, "Did something pleasant happen?"
Ais shook her head, "No, you just remind me of Tiona. You have the same high energy and spirits," she turned to Urashima, "And you remind me of Tione, always looking after everyone."
Urashima's scowl turned into a frown. Just who was this woman?
Before they left, Bell walked up to Ais, hands clenched in front of him.
"Ummm, Ais? I just wanted to say-"
Before he could finish, though, Ais started to lead the party out of the cave. She didn't even bother looking him in the eye as she left. This meant that the whole party was able to throw Bell their looks of pity as they went. When Ryuu passed him, he took up his position in the rear-guard. The elf patted him on the shoulder as she walked by.
"She will come around. For now, just give her some space," was the elf's words of wisdom.
"I don't get it, though…she told me I didn't have to forgive her…," said Bell.
Ryuu shook her head, "Still though, to then plainly admit that you don't trust her in the Dungeon? That is a painful reminder, and it was not tactfully done."
"What would you have said?" replied Bell with a tilt of his head.
Ryuu shrugged, "Something along the lines of, 'I think Miss Aisha's way is quicker,' or 'We should be ok with these strong adventurers in the boats.'"
As the two talked, they cut down monsters that attacked the back of the party. A raging kelpie was cut in half. A couple of blue crabs got crushed into monster dust. A harpy exploded to a firebolt.
As they walked, Ryuu reached down to pick up a harpy feather, "Bell, you probably had a reason to go with Aisha's plan, yes?"
At Bell's nod, she continued, "Well, when you said you trust Aisha, you implied that you didn't trust Miss Wallenstein at all. Even saying you trusted Aisha MORE would've been better because it would imply that you had some trust in the Sword Princess. Or just stating the reason that you held in your head. Trust was a poor word and an even poorer reason."
As Bell pondered her words, Ryuu continued to feel her heartbeat. Confusion clouded her judgement constantly. Bell was Bell, and she loved him. But this conversation about trust gnawed at her. Did she trust him? In his family was the same bloodline of Silence, Alfia. Now, Ryuu knew that Bell wasn't evil, but it did mean that he was connected to Hera Familia. And if he was connected to Hera Familia, then maybe he was connected to Zeus Familia? Looking at him now, Ryuu realized that she didn't know who Bell was…
As if he sensed her looking at him, Bell raised his head. When their eyes met, he blushed and looked away. Then he almost tripped over a root. Ryuu smiled then, for Bell was still Bell. However, even if she smiled, part of her was still anxious.
At the front of the party, there was a lull in monster attacks. This was possibly due to the presence of the Sword Princess. Her overwhelming strength and aura kept many of the weaker monsters at bay. That isn't to say that there were none, but there were still many less than what Otohime and Urashima had grown used to.
The three marched on ahead. Mikoto had moved to the middle of the party to better use her skill in case of an ambush. So, Ais was left with the Princess and her bodyguard. Urashima kept good on his promise not to forgive her, as he kept taking the time to glare over at Ais. Not that she noticed, though. Her thoughts were preoccupied with Bell's words earlier. Obviously, she didn't expect him to trust with everything, but this was the Dungeon. When it comes to expeditions, she is the most experienced adventurer here, with the possible exception of Ryuu. So, why did Bell not trust her?
"Hey, Ura! Look at this water flower I found!" said Otohime. Cupped in her hands was a flower with deep blue petals and a rosy, pink center. The Princess held it up to her head, "Can you tie it in my hair later?"
Urashima smiled as he nodded, "Yes, I believe it would look wonderful on you."
"Doesn't everything?" responded Otohime, frowning.
The ninja bodyguard rolled his eyes, "No, for example, you look horrible in dark colours and most western-based fashion and outfits. We've been over this."
Otohime pouted, "No need to be rude," she began tucking the flower away, "At least I try wearing different things. Do you own anything besides dark black cloth and battle robes?"
Urashima scowled, but his cheeks turned pink, "I do! I just prefer not to wear it!"
Otohime giggled and then walked up to pat his head, "I know."
Ais frowned, a deep sense of jealousy settling in. Why couldn't she be like this with Bell?
"How'd you two get so close?" asked Ais.
Ura frowned, "Excuse me, but that's none of yo-"
"We were both alone, and then we found each other. It's easy to fall in love when there's only one other person," Otohime looked over, smiled, and grabbed Urashima's hand, "That said, I think it only sped up the process. I would've ended up loving him regardless."
Ais frowned, "But you two are so different… doesn't it cause problems?"
Urashima stood there in silence, and then he sighed and shrugged, "It does. It means that sometimes we clash in our approaches, but there's less of a difference than you think," Urashima marched forward, "Otohime wants what's best for the people. I would like to think that I'm the same."
Otohime considered his words for a moment and then turned back to Ais, "I think that's only part of it," Otohime smirked, "Another one of our many disagreements," she turned back to Ais, "Love isn't about taking the best parts of someone. It's about taking the worst parts, the parts that make you want to tear your hair out, and then saying, 'I'd keep them.' You have to love someone despite their faults, or else, do you really love them?"
When she finished her little speech, Otohime made to keep moving forward. She stopped when she noticed Ura staring at her.
"What is it?" asked the Princess, blushing.
"I just fell for you all over again."
Otohime stopped in her tracks and turned a dark red, "You can't…you shouldn't…Ura!"
Ais watched the two adventurers fall into light bickering. As she did, she pondered the conversation she just heard. Does Bell love her, despite everything? He doesn't trust her, so that isn't a good sign. However, the other question is, does she love him?
These thoughts plagued her as she came to the stairs leading to the twenty-eighth floor. When she arrived, with Otohime and Urashima, the three of them waited for the rest of the party to join them. Ais watched the two of them continue their flirting, hoping to take notes about what she could do with Bell. Even if she didn't love him…she wanted to find out for herself. She wasn't going to wait around, though.
Before they left for the expedition, Tione made a special point of pulling Ais aside one day. The Amazon took Ais back to her room and sat her down. Tione faced the Sword Princess, arms crossed over her chest.
"Are you ready to do what it takes?" asked Tione.
Ais tilted her head, "Ready to do what?"
Tione rolled her eyes, "To fight for your man?"
"My…man?"
Tione nodded, "The March Hare. You aren't the only one interested in the boy!"
"March Hare?"
This conversation just kept getting more and more confusing to Ais. What in the world did Tione mean by all these funny words?
"Bell Cranel!"
The Sword Princess's eyes widened. Were there more people interested in Bell?
Tione smiled when she saw the words start to sink in.
"There are others?"
Tione nodded, "Yes."
"Who?"
Tione started listing people off on her fingers, "His Goddess, the prum girl, the renard, the elf, and hell, this whole thing started because Freya is obsessive and freakish."
Ais's mouth fell open, "That's a lot of people…."
"And those are the ones I've been able to find out about," added Tione.
"So, there could be more?"
Tione nodded, "So, do you know what that means?"
Ais pondered the question. She wracked her new emotions that had started to fill themselves in but came up with nothing. She was just a doll, after all. She frowned, "There's nothing I can do. I don't know how to…be like other girls…."
Tione smiled, but it was forlorn, "Neither do I, but that doesn't mean I won't be the Captain's girl one day." The amazon shook her head, and then her smile broadened, "We don't have to be like other girls. The only thing we have to be like is ourselves. If they don't love us for us, then they ain't worth the time!"
Ais didn't look convinced. After all, she was just a weapon…the only thing she was good at was destroying monsters…
Tione sighed, "Well, how about I help you then? I can teach you to be a bit like other girls?"
The lessons were doomed to fail, but Ais needed to see that for herself. Bell Cranel liked Ais Wallenstein, not the other girls. Bell Cranel was in love with the Sword Princess, the woman who would save him from a thousand monsters. The sooner Ais learned that, the better.
Ais was jolted from her thoughts by the arrival of the rest of the party. Staring at Bell, she felt her original anger rise. So Ais pouted because even if she wasn't going to give up, she was still angry at Bell. This was the Dungeon, and no one knew it better than her.
Lili walked to the front of the assembled adventurers, "Is everyone prepared? We will now be entering the Great Swamp and will continue to push on until we reach the twenty-ninth floor. If there is anyone who wants to back out, now is the time!"
No one budged.
Lili nodded, expecting that answer, "Then, moving forward, the formation is as follows. Miss Ryuu, Miss Aisha and the Sword Princess will be at the front. Behind them will be Miss Mikoto, Mister Urashima, and Miss Daphne. Next will be Mister Welf and Mister Ouka. Following them will be the supporters and mages. Finally, bringing up the rear will be Master Bell and Miss Otohime. Everyone must take their time," Lili stared at Bell and Otohime, who were already starting to bunch together, "And no one should do anything reckless."
For good measure, Ryuu and Urashima also stared down the rear guard. The two reckless knuckled-headed rear guards both had the decency to look abashed. The party started to take its new formation, but Bell tried to talk to Ais before leaving. Ais wasn't having it, though. She simply told him that they would talk later. Then, she turned her back on him. At the front of the party, Ryuu narrowed her eyes.
"If he reached out his hand, you could've taken it," said the elf.
"And I will, but it has to happen later. This is the Dungeon," replied Ais.
The two stared each other down. In the campaign for Bell's heart, they both knew that they were each other's chief rivals.
"That's enough, you two," interrupted Aisha, smacking the two over the head, "We've got bigger issues than your little contest."
The amazon walked off, taking the lead. When the party made their way down the stairs, they came face to face with the Great Swamp. Great large trees rose from the ground, and their roots caused a great mess of tangles. These roots ran over the top of mud and water. Lichen almost covered the entire area top to bottom, not to mention great swathes of vines tangling this way and that.
Aisha made a face, "I always hate coming to this floor, the mud ruins my clothing," the amazon smacked at her neck, "and the bugs are awful."
All around the adventurers, swarms of tiny monsters moved this way and that. Blood-Lets, Darkflies, and more made up for a low buzzing sound heard throughout the floor.
Behind them, Lili brought up the rear, "Which is why Miss Naaza was kind enough to provide us with healing salves and itch cream. Now get moving! The less time spent here, the better."
"Understood," responded Ryuu, who made the first move onto the path of roots.
A long time ago, adventurers whose names were lost to time had charted out a long path along the crisscrossing roots. This functioned as a sort of road through the swamp.
"Hey…ummm… there's no floor boss down here, right?" asked Cassandra.
Lili shook her head, "No, but there are many monsters that come close. Think of them like area bosses, like the Cadmus Dragon."
"What are they?" asked Haruhime, careful to not let any potions fall from her bag.
"The first is known as the Witch-Of-The-Woods," began Lefiya. The elf was looking this way and that. Her upbringing meant that she especially hated this floor and the stench it brought with it. In fact, many elven adventurers were notorious for not going past this floor simply based on its smell and disgusting interior.
"The second is Marsh Warden, a monster made of vines and moss," continued Lefiya. Her foot almost slipped on a wet piece of moss; it was Elwin who caught her. She nodded her thanks before continuing, "and the last one is Great Green Ogre."
"…what are the chances that we run into one?" asked Chigusa. The young girl from the Far East definitely moved with the most confidence among the supporters and mages. In fact, it was the three trained members of Takemikazuchi Familia, who grew up among nature in abject poverty, who moved the best through the swamp. Even the lumbering Ouka seemed more at home and at ease.
"The chances are quite low. That said…" began Lili, "Incoming!"
The Dungeon finally took notice of their presence, and a flock of long-necks descended on them. These birds looked much like Herons, except that their talons were over a foot long, and their beaks were filled with needle teeth. They swooped and bit at the party.
"Firebolt!" called Bell.
Blasts of flame began to shoot off. Bird carcasses started to fall to the ground. Around Bell, the other adventurers began to grab bows from the supporters.
Mikoto took one from Haruhime, their fingers brushing. Mikoto nodded her thanks before she started shooting off arrows. Chigusa, who dropped her pack, echoed her movements. The two were lastly joined by Urashima, who began throwing shuriken with precision. As the birds began to rise up into the higher branches, Ryuu and Aisha jumped after them. By leaping from branch to branch, the two were able to cut down the last monsters.
Otohime let out a breath, "Well, thank goodness…."
"Will-O-Wisps!" called back Ais.
These floating sacs of magical flames descended on the party, which held magic stones inside, were decidedly dangerous. Their strategy involved getting close to an adventurer and then exploding. When they died, gas clouds released, which meant that each fiery explosion was more dangerous than the last.
The party soon discovered this, and Daphne began cutting through sac after sac. The trained adventurer took the lead in cutting a path forward. If one could kill them before they exploded, that was best. The only problem was that the gas still made it out. The area now began to fill with a dangerous fog.
"Clear out of the way! Tatsumaki!" cried out Welf. A steady gust of wind began to shift the air.
"Everyone keep moving!" shouted Lili. The first rule of the swamp was to never stand still. Doing that meant risking getting bogged down.
The party took up a brisk jog across the swampy floor. They ran along the great roots, careful to never stop in one place. The only problem was how twisty the branches were. To travel ten feet in a straight line meant going fifty feet around. Thankfully, this is where Aisha came in.
Hippolyta had kept both eyes open, searching for the right marker. Finally, her eyes alighted on a great carpet of moss that seemed to shimmer in the unnatural light of the Dungeon. Her grin was feral as she called for the others. She began leaping great distances, across rocks and over bogs, until she arrived at her destination. She reached down and ripped the moss up, revealing six slender boats. The moss shimmered in her hand and then transformed into a white tarp. With each boat was a long pole to help push them through the water.
Ryuu landed next to her, "One of Andromeda's illusions?"
Aisha nodded, "Specially made magic item," she started grabbing the push poles nearby, "Alright everyone, start getting into boats!"
"Lili wants all the high-level adventurers to spread themselves out!" commanded the prum, "Split up for different boats!"
The supporters went first, each carrying a pack with them. Then went in the level threes and fours. Finally, the strongest among them split up. In total, there were five boats on the water. The first, which just so happened to be the lead boat, was Haruhime, Mikoto, and Aisha. They were relying on the amazon to guide them through the water.
Behind that was a boat with Lili, Welf, and Bell. The three gravitated to each other naturally. Next was Cassandra, Daphne, and Ryuu. The elf maintained a steady watch on the water, standing at the bow of the boat. Daphne pushed them along while Cassandra watched on. The healer would deny it, but she enjoyed admiring her dear friend's taut muscles.
Next to them was Ouka, Chigusa, and Ais Wallenstein. How she had ended up in that boat, she had no idea. She stared longingly at Bell's boat and felt a deep clawing sensation when she saw how close by Ryuu's boat was. Her grip on her sword tightened. The only thing holding her back from jumping over was all the…water…
Lastly, bringing up the rear was the double-date boat. Since there were only four supporters, who took up the space of two people with their large packs, the last boat had room for four people. Inside, Otohime stood at the front, gazing out in childlike wonder. Behind her, as always, was Urashima, who studied the murky waters. Next was Lefiya, who tried to cover her nose with a sleeve. And in the back, Elwin just pushed them along.
They travelled in almost complete silence, with the occasional whispered conversation taking place. Elwin's head turned back and forth, a growing sense of unease forming. He looked to the front and saw how tense Otohime's shoulders were.
Farther ahead, Bell felt his anxiety grow. Something was terribly off. In fact, every member of Hestia Familia felt uneasy. They knew danger. Haruhime's tail twitched, and Mikoto's instincts were screaming at her. Welf's grip on the pole tightened, and Lili's hand rested on her arm bow.
Finally, it was Ryuu who put their thoughts into words, "The buzzing has stopped…."
It was true, after the initial attacks, the monsters had seemed to vanish. They had been left alone, for the most part. As their boats continued along the water, the others began to feel it too. Then, Aisha began to notice the driftwood. They were large pieces of wood that seemed to drift against the current. Their bark was jagged and mishmashed.
Ais narrowed her eyes, "Those aren't logs…."
The water exploded, and great snapping maws almost devoured them. Giant creatures seemed to materialize out of nowhere. Their skin shifted and changed colours. These beasts were known as petsuchos. They were great monsters that could shift their colours and hide their presence. They had massive tails, hides as thick as iron, and jaws that could snap the bone of even a level five adventurer with ease. In the water, they were comparable to anything found in the Deep Floors.
A whole pack of them materialized, some coming out from under the tangles of roots and others throwing away their disguise as Dungeon debris. Each one was at least two meders long and a meder across. Despite that size, though, they had pulled off the perfect ambush.
They were the ultimate hunters of the swamp, with the ability to mask their scent, change their skin colour, and even hide their heat signature. For the most part, they kept to the deeper areas of the swamp, where movement was more manageable. As long as an adventurer did not venture onto the water, they would be fine.
In their boats, the expedition party really were sitting ducks. The boat in the back was the first to be attacked. Thankfully, they had the most paranoid people in it. Princess Otohime Nakamura had been the subject of over one hundred and eighty-three assassination attempts. Urashima Taro had been subject to one hundred and twelve. By this point, not even the stealthiest of individuals could sneak up on them. The two leapt into action, each scooping up one mage.
Holding Elwin bridal style, Urashima leapt to the trees. When they landed in safety, Elwin batted his eyelashes, "My hero!"
Urashima grunted, "Please don't make this weird."
Otohime landed next to him, Lefiya thrown over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The little elf was scrambling, "Put me down, put me down, put me down!"
Urashima looked away, "Princess, please put Lady Lefiya down…we can see up her outfit…."
"I can die a happy man…."
"PUT ME DOWN!"
In front of them, the boat with the Sword Princess was in a much more dangerous position. Ais's immediate reaction was to get out of the water, but she had also sworn to protect these people. Chigusa still had her supporter's pack to put back on, but the way the petsuchos kept knocking into the boat made it difficult. This also meant that Ais and Ouka were constantly off balance. Neither of them was used to fighting on such unstable terrain. They jabbed and slashed when they could, holding off the monsters for now.
"Anyone here know a weakness?" asked Ouka as he tried to cut down at the gator monsters surrounding his boat. Soon, he would be overwhelmed. Flashbacks to an injured Chigusa haunted his memory.
"Well, Little Bit?" asked Welf, who tried shooting flames at the monsters. Unfortunately, they just ducked back underwater.
While everyone looked to the Dauntless, it was actually Bell Cranel who provided the answer.
"Ice! Cold temperatures!" screamed Bell. In his mind, Eina nodded on, gesturing for more information.
"They're cold-blooded monsters! We have to freeze them!"
Lili turned, "Thousand-Elf!"
"I wish upon the name of Wishe…" began Lefiya, already chanting.
Sensing a magical presence, some of the petsuchos turned towards her. They began making their way towards the four adventurers waiting for them.
"I name thee Aries, the sign of the Ram: Aurata!" finished Elwin. A magical golden barrier sprung up in front of him. Hands thrust out in concentration, he turned to Oto and Ura, "I'll protect the front; you two cover the sides and the back!"
The two nodded, made eye contact, and turned in different directions. Facing left, the Dragon Princess began dancing across the tops of monsters. Using her Bisento as a pole, she vaulted from monster to monster, thrusting downwards as she went. When the creatures thrashed beneath her, she'd leverage her polearm up and out, leaving long gashes. Unfortunately, one petsuchos got smart and wriggled so that her weapon got stuck. The Princess was knocked off balance, and a monster waiting behind her opened its jaws.
Urashima slammed on top of it, metal arms first. Following the incident at the tournament, he had Welf reinforce them with Dir-Adamantine and strips from the Black-Goliath robe. With enough momentum, he could punch through almost any obstacle.
At this moment, he punched through the skull of the monster, right into its brain. As it began to sink, and the Living Weapon began dropping with it, he was pulled off his feet. Moments later, where he had been standing, another petsuchos chomped forward, eating at its monster brethren. The water turned red.
Urashima and Otohime, who had pulled him, landed on a large boulder. The Dragon Princess had recovered her Bisento, and her eyes were steely. Without acknowledging each other, they leapt back into battle. The two fought like a hive mind, with a sense of cooperation that surpassed even the Gulliver Brothers.
"Blizzard, the three severe winters – my name is Alf!" screamed Lefiya. An explosion of ice followed, shooting out in front of her—jagged spikes formed over the water, freezing the lead half of the monsters.
"Everyone, to the Thousand Elf!" shouted Ryuu. The others were quick to comply and began jumping. Daphne assisted Cassandra, and Ais and Ouka helped Chigusa. Aisha had jumped on ahead but turned back when she heard a familiar yell. The stupid, clumsy little Enchantenko had been knocked off balance by a last-minute tail whip. As she began to fall towards the water, the pack of petsuchos began to gather…
"Haruhime!" shouted Aisha, one foot off the ground.
Then, a shadow streaked by. Without a thought for herself, Yamato Mikoto dived into the water and tackled the nearest monster. She was on its back and wrapped her arms around its giant maw.
"Lady Haruhime! Please, get out of the water!" screamed Mikoto.
Then the petsuchos started to flip and roll. Mikoto was holding on for dear life as she began to go in and out of the water. Haruhime was so paralyzed in fear that she didn't notice another monster sneak up on her. That was when Aisha slammed into it, feet first.
"Let's go!" screamed Aisha. She picked up Haruhime and jumped from the water. On dry land, they all gathered to watch Mikoto wrestle with the beast. They did what they could to shoot at and finish off the rest of the pack, but none had been able to find a clear shot on the final giant beast. Any magic would most certainly hit Mikoto as well, and even Chigusa was not good enough to land that arrow in a clean shot. Just as Otohime and Bell were about to jump back into the water, they saw Mikoto stab the beast in the eye.
The petsuchos roared in pain, opening their maw with great force. Mikoto had been careful before to bring her feet into a position on top of its mouth. When it snapped open, she used the momentum to push herself into the air. She did a graceful mid-air flip before landing in a crouch next to her companions. When she stood, she was met by their slack-jawed gaze. She suddenly felt her cheeks start to burn terribly warm. Thankfully, Ryuu took control of the situation.
"Alright! There are most likely more monsters on the way!" screamed the elf, "We need to get moving before we get caught! Let's go! But first," she turned to the last petsuchos, "Someone put the damnable beast down!"
Everyone jumped at her words and resumed their trek. Chigusa threw a spear that went right through the beast's other eye, killing it. As Ryuu passed the young samurai, she patted her apprentice on the shoulder.
"I'm proud of you," said Ryuu before walking off.
As they continued their march, at a much slower pace now, Mikoto felt Haruhime fall in step beside her. The fox princess's tail wrapped around Mikoto's hand.
"Thank you…for saving me…again…." Haruhime was blushing so hard that she couldn't look her friend in the eyes.
Mikoto's eyes widened, and she mumbled, "Always," in response. She studied the ground as she walked.
Behind them, Cassandra watched on, "I can't even imagine being that close…."
Daphne narrowed her eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Cassandra whirled, "Nothing! I mean…"
Daphne shook her head, "If you don't think I wouldn't do the same for you…."
The usually snarky adventurer trailed off. At her side, a hand moved out, palm open. Cassandra stared at it, then looked up to Daphne. Then, she looked back at the open hand. Slowly, afraid as if it would bite her, she took it in her own.
"Stay close to me…got that?"
Cassandra nodded, her heart pounding much too quickly.
The party's earlier formation had been totally knocked off course. Now, everyone just kept walking, wet and bedraggled, looking for a spot to rest. Aisha walked at the front, a scowl on her lips. Behind her, Lili studied a slightly soggy map.
"If we travel just a little further, there should be a large stone clearing we can rest on," called back Lili. The party called out noises of affirmation and trusted in the words of their commander—all except Aisha, who remained silent.
Around them, the insects began buzzing again. There was the occasional attack from a stray long-neck or Gilman, but it seemed that there was a lull in danger...for the moment.
When they arrived at the large boulder that would be their rest stop, they actually found it to be a set of raised rocks. These rocks sat on top of a massive tree stump, covered in vines. The party fell to their butts as they arrived. Aisha volunteered to take guard position, and Lili checked her watch.
"Now is as good as time as any for a lunch break!" she called, "Eat now! Lili does not want to stop later!"
Everyone grunted, and the supporters silently handed out sandwiches they had prepared ahead of time. Everyone was too exhausted to bother with formality, so they all began stuffing their faces. All except one, that is…
"How in the world can you still eat so daintily?" asked Daphne, who stared at Otohime.
Otohime tilted her head, "You believe this is dainty?"
Then the ex-Princess plucked a part of her sandwich and popped it into her mouth. Not a single crumb went anywhere except into her stomach. After swallowing her food, the Princess shook her head, "If I was to eat like this back home, I would get many slaps on the wrist," she smiled, "This is quite a wonderful experience! Never before have I been able to rough it like this!"
Daphne pulled a face, "I hate how optimistic you are…"
Otohime shrugged, "Ura is not injured, and I have not had to use my magic. All is good."
Urashima frowned, "Please include your own wellbeing next time."
Otohime shrugged again, and Urashima's frown deepened.
Meanwhile, Bell was squirming in his seat. He felt Ais stare at him. Her golden gaze bore down on him with an incredible intensity. Close by, Welf rolled his eyes.
"I know you want to say it," began the smith, "So go ahead, you earned it."
"As much as Lili hates to admit, the Sword Princess has earned the right to say it," added the prum.
Ais looked at the two of them, who nodded encouragingly. Then she returned her gaze to Bell, "Bell, look at me."
Slowly, the March Hare raised his head. When his eyes met hers, she opened her mouth.
"I told you so."
The words made Bell flinch.
Ryuu turned towards Aisha, "You were wrong too. Now get over it and come join us for lunch."
The amazon called back in her usual haughty tone, "No thanks, I'm good."
Ryuu sighed and muttered about the stubbornness of Amazons but turned back to the commander, "So, what happens next, Dauntless?"
Lili examined her map, "Now, we go with the Sword Princess's plan. We stay away from the water and continue along the path of roots," the prum frowned, "There is only one problem. With our current trajectory, we will be swinging very close to the territory of the Witch of the Woods."
"Then, we'll just have to be extra careful," countered Ouka, "I'm sure we'd all prefer that than going back near the water."
Everyone gave off various sounds of agreement. Ais was the most vocal in her displeasure. Lili nodded her agreement, "Then it is settled. After a quick rest, the party continues on."
Bell nodded, "But before we keep going, I want everyone to take a mandatory nap. Five minutes rest at least."
Some widened their eyes, but Ryuu and Ais smiled softly. Then they noticed that they were both smiling. This was followed by mirrored frowns. Both assumed that Bell only had nap memories with the other. Ais shuffled closer.
"We should go in rotations then," Ais shifted so that she was on her knees, "Bell, you rest first. You can use me as a pillow…if you want."
Ryuu frowned, "That is quite enough. I'm sure Bell would prefer to nap with someone he is close with. Like a Familia member, correct?"
Ryuu shuffled closer and also presented her thighs. Bell looked between the two, while Lili disparaged. She was cursed with tiny prum legs.
That was when Mikoto raised her voice, even though the words tasted like bile, "Sir Bell! I'm sure that Lady Haruhime's lap would be most comfortable…."
She trailed off when she saw Haruhime shake her head. The renard trembled from nerves as she said, "As the one who saved me today…I would be most pleased to present my lap to you…Lady Mikoto…."
All these different people looked between each other in silence. This silence was, of course, broken by…
"Now lie down and close your eyes!"
"Lady Otohime, I am not tired."
"I said, lie down and close your eyes!"
Otohime was forcibly trying to shove Urashima's head into her lap, face first. Thankfully, Urashima was now at the same level as her and was able to resist. The bodyguard sat back on his feet and blushed.
"I must insist that you rest first, Otohime," he patted his legs for emphasis.
Otohime smiled then and laid back happily. She booped Ura on the nose before she closed her eyes.
Watching the two soulmates was what inspired Lili.
"Master Bell," began the prum, "Lili would like to rest. Would your lap be available?"
Bell saw his chance and took it. He went back on his legs and allowed Lili to lie down. The little prum flashed a triumphant smirk at the two Top Tier Adventurers. They both glared at Bell, who gave them an uneasy smile as he shrugged. Nothing to do now, right?
Lefiya watched on, "What a womanizing delinquent."
The elf's eyes were narrowed, and she glared at the boy. Any menace she had, though, was reduced by the nature of her current position.
"You know, you sure got comfortable quick," commented Elwin from above. Lefiya turned to look up from her position. Her head rested on his thighs, and her hands were folded neatly over her stomach. Looking down, Elwin became acutely aware of her curves.
"Is there a problem with this position?" asked Lefiya, eyebrow raised, "I can rest somewhere else if you like…."
"No! It's umm…that is… it's good…really good…." stammered Elwin, "I just thought you weren't the affectionate type."
Lefiya yawned, "Let's just say I'm too exhausted to care," then she narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger, "But no funny business!"
Elwin rolled his eyes, "Oh come on…what could-OW OW OW! Let go of my ear!"
"No funny business!"
"Ok! I got the message!"
Satisfied, Lefiya let go and turned to the side. Soon, her breathing deepened.
"She's going to kill me one day…."
Lili rested on Bell, Oto on Ura, Daphne layover Cassandra, and Mikoto napped on Haruhime. Ouka had offered himself to Chigusa, but she had politely refused. Instead, Welf took up the offer and settled himself onto the big man's lap. Everyone else stood by on guard.
With that, it was time for the adventurers to take a break.
And with that, we are all caught up now! Tomorrow both chapters on fanfic and archive will be posted at the same time! Woohoo! What that leaves now is, how you guys liking everything so far? Now that you're all caught up it'll be easier to respond to reviews, so let me know what you think!
To the guest: Possibly, everything will be explained with time.
