The group made it back to Fuhren with no problem. Although they would usually walk into town instead of the SUV after what happened in Ur, it hardly mattered. Hinata even offered to take off Shu's slave collar, but surprisingly Shu refused as he now sees it as a gift from Hinata, one he would treasure. After hearing that, Hinata decided to make the collar have a gem to make it more like an accessory which made Shu ecstatic much to Hinata's annoyance.
As for Will, he has completely come to accept what happened in Ur. He even decided to forgive Tio, which the dragon appreciates. Of course, Will can't help but wonder how his dead allies would feel abou this actions, but Meld assured him they'd understand.
When the guards saw them, they were initially alerted by the SUV. But the guards then realizes they were the ones Ilwa was waiting for. They were escorted to Ilwa himself, who was very relieved at seeing Will safe.
Will was off to meet up with his parents. After Will said his goodbyes, Ilwa made no delay in fulfilling his end of the bargain. Hinata and Meld had expected Ilwa's surprised reaction once he saw the abnormally high stats of Akira, Shu, and Tio, but the man was smart enough to not ask follow up questions.
Ilwa asked them what they were gonna do next, which they responded by saying they were going to the labyrinth in Gruen's volcano. Seeing this as an opportunity Ilwa quickly writes up a letter and puts it in an sealed in an envelope sealed eith wax marked by a personal stamp of his. Apparently it's an recommendation letter for the group to be promoted to gold rank. All they would have to do is bring the letter to the adventurers gulid in Horaud.
Upon hearing the name, Hinata and Meld couldn't help but be a little bothered. After all, it is the town where it all began, and where Hinata's class is.
Hinata flat out rejected, since she didn't care for her adventure's rank anyway.
And even though Meld agreed with Hinata, he still took the letter just in case. After that, Ilwa hooked them up with a place to stay in the nicest inn in town, the top floor even.
It was there that they were greeted by Will and his parents, who wanted to express their gratitude...It may or may not have ended with Hinata throwing her harem through the window and scaring the pants off of Will's parents, pretty sure the mom fainted on her way out.
After that disaster of a meeting, the group got to another business, Shu's reward. Fortunately, they had no problem deciding a reward that everyone was content with. Hinata and Shu will spend the day together. Shu will think of it as date, but officially it's not, and everybody will just think he's delusional.
Shu tried his best to contain himself, it was his first "date" with Hinata. Their first destination is the aquarium. Shu was looking forward to looking at all the elegant sea creatures swim in it's tanks.
Or at least, that's how it was supposed to be and now here they are staring at familiar man faced fish. While Shu kept silently staring, Hinata read the plaque infront cylinder tank.
"Rhiiman, it can communicate using telepathy."
The word struck a memory in Hinata it was one of the skills she and Meld gained. As the name implies it's a skill to communicate through the mine, they didn't really use it considering they were just two people alone in a labyrinth.
"Might as well give it a try." Hinata activates her Telepathy. 'Hey, can you understand me?'
The fish turns towards Hinata and replies mentally. 'If you wish to start a conversation you should introduce yourself first.'
Getting taught manners by a fish...that's new.
'My bad, call me Hinata. Anyway, no offense but I gotta ask, what are you?' Even Hinata can't hold back asking that.
'What a ridiculous question.' Rhiiman replied sounding quite offended. 'What would say if I asked what a human was? I can only say I am me."
Hinata smiles, she's starting to like this fish.
'Now I have a question too. How are you able communicate with us? It's almost as if you're one of us.'
Fair question, Hinata supposes there isn't any harm in telling a fish. So Hinata explains it, her fall, and what happened after.
All while Shu was sulking in the corner. "Hinata's more interested in a fish than me."
"*Hic* I see so you were so poor you had no choice to eat Monster meat" Hinata and Shu has no idea how the fish was crying underwater. It seems Rhiiman has misunderstood Hinata's explanation. Even if if it's sorta true that she and Meld technically had no money on them when they fell, and that monster meat was the only food they can eat.
"It must've been so hard yet here you are fully clothed and going on a date."
Ok, time to change the subject.
"So...Rhiiman, how did you end up here?" If this is truly the fish Shu saw that day, why would it be here in Fuhren instead of the lake in Brooke?
"Well, I was swimming in a lake, when suddenly, there was an eruption blasting me out of the water. After that, I called for help with my telepathy and now here i am."
After Rhiiman finished Hinata and Shu jolts upon realizing that the eruption was definitely them getting flushed out by Miledi. With this realization Hinata starts to grin. "Hey Rhiiman, do you want to back to the ocean?"
"Huh? Of course, free things should be free after all"
"Good."
Later that day there was a report of Rhiiman's tank being brokenand Rhiiman himself being carried in a net but an odd mechanical thing flying up to the sky.
Hinata happily walks through the streets of Fuhren. Maybe this "date" wasn't so bad, it's only a matter time that her drone will come back to her after it delivers Rhiiman.
Hinata then sees Shu still sulking and slumping forward. She can understand why he's down, feeling a bit apologetic she notices a stand.
"Here" Shu suddenly feels something cold and soft placed on his mouth. Once it reaches his tongue he can feel a delectable sweetness. He realizes it seemed to be sone kind if white cream on a cone he then sees Hinata holding an identical cone.
"Guessing that wasn't the experience you were hoping for."
Appreciating the gift Shu happily eats the ice cream. Hinata does the same while also opening a guide. "Ok, so the aquarium plan was botched, so why don't we go the theater and..." Hinata suddenly trailed off.
"Hinata?"
Hinata looks down ."I sense someone."
"Well yeah there are people all around us."
"No I mean, I sense someone below us, in the sewers"
"Maybe it's a worker."
"If it was, it wouldn't be so weak, I think it might be a kid, in bad condition."
"W-What!? Then we gotta help them! Quick give me directions." Shu immediately runs forward. After he did he Hinata had a short moment of silence. Usually Hinata would reject the idea of helping a stranger and would just report it to someone but...she didn't, and instead ran to follow Shu.
The kid Hinata sensed was being carried by the current of the sewer. So in order to catch they follow along the road and goes ahead of the kid. Hinata then used Transmute to open a hole on the ground. Jumping in Shu spots the child in question, instead of jumping into sewer water Hinata knew it was better to create a wall using Transmute to stop the kid and pick him up there.
After that, Hinata and Shu gets to finally see the child. He was little, has bright blue hair, and is only wearing rags. What stood out the most of the boy is he ears that are in the shape of fins. The boy weakly opened his eyes before fainting in Hinata's arms
Shu and Hinata was able to identify the boy to be part of merfolk race. Unlike other beastmen, the merfolk were protected due to their massive help in the fishing industry.
After getting out of the sewers, Hinata ordered Shu to give the boy a shower while she herself was gonna get some clothes that did not reek of sewage, and perhaps some food to the give the weak child sone energy back.
Shu uses a bathtub made by Hinata to wash the little boy. Hinata then came in with a small white tunic and brown shorts. Shu then changes the boy into the new clothes and then fed him meat skewers that Hinata had bought.
Once he was done eating it was time to start asking.
"All right first, what's your..." Before she asked she remembered Rhiiman's words. "My name is Hinata, and this is Shu what's yours?"
"M-Moku."
Moku then explains how he got here. He says he was swimming with his father near the coast, when they got separated and a couple of men found him and then brought him here. Shu shudders as he and Hinata figured it was probably a slave merchant.
Moku continued his story about seeing other kids in the same situation he was. Moku was going to be next, but when he heard water he dove in. Shu immediately pulled Moku to a comforting hug.
Shu gives a look Hinata and she knows what it means. "We're not taking him with us."
"Bu-"
"We'll leave him with the guards of the city. The Merfolks are protected right? Then he'll be taken care of."
"I guess you're right..."
"Uh big sister?"
"Well it was nice knowing you Moku and your...VERY traumatic story, but this is goodbye."
"No!" Moku yelped. The small boy then rushes to Hinata and hugs her around her stomach (because she's that short). "I wanna stay with you big sister!" He begged while crying.
Hinata sighs when it comes to a crying child, who can say no to that?
She can.
Hinata watches as Moku continually reach out for her while being held in the arms of the guards. It wasn't actually easy bringing him here in a literal sense. Moku was literally kicking and screaming while being dragged here.
Hinata usually wouldn't have mind giving a couple of payback, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. When they first got to Fuhren Hinata had no problem beating the crap out of that rich brat, but she couldn't do the same to Moku. Not just because Hinata thought Moku already went through enough, but also because unlike that brat, Moku was annoying her out of fear, a fear she understands very much.
After the guards ensure her safety, Hinata and sad Shu was about to leave but not before Moku said one last thing.
"Big sister do you hate Moku?"
Hinata pauses for a moment before answering. "If you don't forget about me, maybe I will." Shu gasped at the answer as Moku continues crying.
The two finally leave. "Hey Hinata, don't you think you were..."
"Too harsh? Maybe, but we got our own stuff to do. Besides, we saved him from the sewers, I don't see any reason why we owe him anything. If that is what it takes to get rid of him, then so be it."
Shu was a bit shocked at first it sounded as if Hinata was heartless but he knew that wasn't it. "Hinata, could it be that you didn't let Moku to join us for his sake?"
"...No comment." As the two continue walking Hinata kept thinking back to Moku. She kept remembering how he was reaching out for her, crying for her, crying fo hel-
'NO!' Hinata shook it off. 'This isn't like that incident. He's a kid I just met, and I'm leaving him in child protective fucking services not under a-'
"Hinata?" Hinata broke out of her thought upon hearing Shu. "Are you o-"
BOOOOM
The two of them instantly turn to the building they had just left and see it destroyed with smoke coming out of the rubble.
""Moku!"" They both run to the building. There the see the guards they had seen just a while ago dead. They see no sign of Moku, that's when Hinata finds a letter, a ransom letter to be exact. The letter spoke of a threat, where Moku was gonna be killed unless she hands over Shu. The letter also ordered Hinata to bring Shu to Freidhoff in the commercial area.
"Hinata this is.."
Hinata internally cursed, she underestimated how badly the slave traders wanted Moku. But the jokes on them, Hinata tried to stay out of this but they got her involved with this letter.
Following the letter Hinata and Shu stumbled upon the designated building. In front of it a couple of men stood, they were talking something about selling both of them as slaves. Wasting no more time Hinata and Shu makes quick work of them and goes inside.
It wasn't long until they find the boss in his office cowering while still demanding for them to surrender. Shu wastes no time and gets straight to business. He uses his hammer to hit the bastard on his stomach pinning him down. The man spits some blood out as Shu starts asking "Where's Moku?" Shu asked in an unusual deep voice.
"W-Who?"
Shu presses his hammer down on him. "The merfolk kid, talk before your organs pop out."
"I-I'll talk! I'll talk! please don't kill me. The boy is in an under ground auction in the museum...Please let me go."
""Let me go?" How many times did the kids you sell asked you for that?" Shu raises his hammer. "I have no mercy for people like you."
After watching that nice display Hinata finds a piece of paper on the table. It was a document of their organization structure. Hinata grins. "How convenient, Shu time to assemble the weirdos."
After a nice day of shopping, Akira and Tio are relaxing together, drinking in a café, and having meaningful conversations.
"I wonder how Master is doing on her-"
CRASH
Tio and Akira flinched when a man suddenly crashed through the wall of the building near them and knocked their table away. The man was definitely unconscious, and the two of them turn to the building and see Hinata and Shu.
"Oh, its you guys, we were looking for you." Hinata said.
"Hinata, what's going on?"
"Oh nothing, we're just gonna destroy an entire slave trading ring, you want in?"
Akira and Tio looked at each other before chugging down the rest of their coffee, then throwing the cup down and simultaneously yell. ""Hell yeah!""
And so the four of them ran off, and not long Meld came out of the café.
"Kay, I'm back and…guys?" Meld looks around and sees the mess before him, and he immediately figured what happened. "Oh no…"
Moku floats in the tank with his eyes closed. He paid no attention to curtains being raised nor to the auctioneer. He just kept thinking to his saviors. He kept wondering why they left him, why big sister said sonething like that.
Was he being selfish?
Was big sister mad that he hit her?
He would apologize for all of that. He just wanted to be with them.
"Start swimming already!" Moku whimpers as the auctioneer starts hitting the tank. "Such a pain, I hate brainless goods like-"
"He's not the only pain here." A voice across the auction hall.
The auctioneer looks up and sees Hinata jumping aiming her foot right at him. Hinata lands a kick on the auctioneer's head instantly crushing it, good thing Moku's eyes were close. She breaks the tank and picks up Moku, who has his eyes open now
"Big sister?"
"Stop calling me that, you're making a cliche."
"Cli- What?"
"Ugh just hold on."
As the bidders panic, and guards start to come after her. Hinata uses herAerodynamicskill and started hopping on condensed air eventually breaking through the roof. She kept jumping higher and higher until they were able to see most of Fuhren.
"W-We're flying?"
"No we're not, but you're too young to understand, just watch carefully."
Moku follows what Hinata says and looks down on the city. At first seemed fine except for the building they broke out of. Hinata activated herTelepathy.'You guys ready? I got Moku."
'The other kids are already freed.' Akira reported back using Breeze Breath, a wind spell for long distance communication.
'Good.' Hinata snaps her fingers, and then a massive explosion emerges. Flames coming out of the grounds the museum was on, and then from dark clouded sky a massive dragon made of pure lightning comes down destroying multiple targeted building after separating itself into smaller.
Hinata eventually landed on the ground with a trembling Moku. The child's fear was quickly lifted once he reunited with Shu and the rabbit boy pulled him to a hug. Hinata watches the sweet scene and is glad that the other two did their job, it wasn't lon ntil Tio and Akira showed up.
"To go from a "date" to destroying a crime syndicate."
"You really are a trouble magnet, Master."
Hinata turns around to Akira and Tio. "Yeah, whatever. By the way, nice shot Akira."
Akira stands pridefully over the compliment. He then walks over to Moku and observes him for a moment.
"Hmmm..." Akira suddenly picks Moku up to a hug. "That level of adorableness is almost cheating." Akira starts rubbing his face against Moku's, which confused the child.
Hinata watches her party getting acquainted with the cute kid. She starts recalling the day and has to admit... it was quite fun. First they committed an aquarium break for Rhiiman, and then annihilated Freidhof. She almost wished this was an official date "I guess all's well that ends-"
CRASH
Hinata and the others flinched as they all turn to sound of the crash and see...a smiling Meld?
The man before was definitely smiling and yet they all can't help but feel unnerved. Meld starts to walk closer. "It seems you all had a fun day." His voice was as calm as his face. "Which was weird considering Akira and Tio was suppose to be shopping with me."
Akira and Tio gulps.
"And the two of you were suppose to on a harmless "date"." Hinata rolls her eyes, while Shu whimpers and holds onto Moku.
"And yet, when I went to the restroom for a few minutes, I come back to see Akira and Tio gone, an unconscious man and a hole on a building, and when I tried looking for you all, I end up seeing a bunch of building explode out of nowhere." They can almost see a tick mark on his Forehead.
"So what do you have to say for yourself?" Meld is now looking down on Hinata.
As she looks at the looming figure and only has one thing to say "Nothing really." in a nonchalant voice.
And that's when Meld's happy facade falls. "YOU IDIOTTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSS!"
"9 buildings vanished, 15 collapsed, 32 damaged, 34 people dead, 44 unconscious, 28 heavily wounded, 119 missing..." Ilwa kept reading the casualties from Hinata and Shu's "date".
Meanwhile Meld was bowing his head to the ground apologizing and he made sure everyone did too. He stretched out his arms grabbing Uzi and Tio's head while also pushing Akira and Shu down with his arm. Hinata was still trying to get out of Meld's hold , Akira and Shu didn't really try to resisting cause they know Meld's strength all too well, and Tio...was being Tio. All while this was happening, Moku was happily sitting on the couch eating sweets that was prepared by Ilwa.
"I can't apologize enough Mr Chang."
"I regret nothing!" Hinata yelled before her head gets slammed back to the floor. Ilwa waves his hands.
"Uhh, please don't worry about it sir Eld. Freidhoff has given us our fair share of trouble, so despite your methods, all of you might have done us a favour."
After hearing that Meld sighed in relief as he let the others out of his hold. They all sit on the couch as Ilwa sits on the other side. "I gotta say Hinata you seem different to me somehow."
Hinata raised an eyebrow. "What're you talking about?
"Never would I have imagined you would do something like this for a child you just met." Now that he mentioned everybody looks at Hinata and they have to admit , it was odd seeing her this...motivated to help someone.
Hinata keeps her straight face. "Don't read into it."
Ilwa sighs. "Very well, now onto other matters." Ilwa looks at Moku. "We will help the other children you rescued but as for this one. Would you prefer to take him home yourselves?'
Shu quickly turns to Hinata "Hinata...I-I promise I'll look after him."
Then Moku clings onto to Hinata. "Big sister, can't I stay with you?"
Hinata internally sighs, they really need to learn that she's immune to begging. The puppy do- or maybe, bunny and fish...eyes? Won't work on her. The original attempt to send Moku home might have failed, but with Freidhoff gone and Ilwa on the case, things should go smoothly this time. "No w-"
"We'd be happy to." Meld cuts Hinata off.
"Huh!?"
"We'll make sure he reunites with his family."
"Hey, hold-" Meld covers Hinata's mouth
"Won't we Hinata?" Meld asks with his menacingly calm smile. That's when Hinata understood, this was her punishment.
It doesn't look like she has any room to argue so..."Guh fine" she conceited as Meld takes his hand off.
"Hinata."
"Big sister."
Hinata internally gagged. "Ok that needs to stop." Hinata looks Moku. "Alright kid, you really need to stop with the whole big sister thing, just call me Hinata ok? I'm serious."
"Mmmm." Moku places a finger on his chin. "Then... how about mama?"
"EH?"
The whole room was shocked. "H-hold on, don't you already have a mom?"
"My mama went to be with god when I was born."
Oh crap.
"So you're my Mama now." Moku declared without the utmost care.
Hinata wasn't having any of it. "Bite me, that's even worse than big sister just call me Hinata!"
"No, you're mama now!" Moku insisted while running away.
Hinata gets up to try and catch him "Get back here you son of a- mpf?"
Before she can start chasing, she is suddenly picked up by Meld who covers her mouth again. "Very well Moku, if that is what you wish than you may refer to her as "Mama". "
"Yay" Moku exclaims.
Hinata started to thrash around and give out many muffled screams. Meanwhile the other three guys saw this as an opportunity.
"If Hinata is the mama then I shall be the Lapa." Akira instantly declared.
"H-Hey no fair me and Hinata were the one that saved him." Shu immediately objected.
"Oh you two...children often imitate their parents. So the best father figure would be m-." Before he can finish that load of bull crap he was immediately wrapped by chains courtesy of Hinata who had temporarily stopped her struggling.
As the other two decided to ask Moku which one would he call "papa" the kid simply replied. "Eh? I already have a papa, I don't need another."
The two of them looks down in apathy while Meld takes this time to introduce himself. "Don't mind them. I haven't introduced myself have I! You may refer to me as Eld when we're with other people ok." Meld said that last part in a whisper, he'll tell Moku his real name later when they're alone.
Moku stares at Meld for a second before suddenly saying. "Grandpa."
Meld immediately felt as if he's whole body turned to stone. Hinata's muffled screams was then replaced with muffled laugh.
"You act like Mama's Papa so that makes you Grandpa."
Ilwa kept watching this odd scene while feeling nothing but awkwardness.
Meld walks into the living room. He can see Hinata sitting by the couch looking at the moon outside. "You called?"
After getting back from Ilwa Hinata had secretly used Telepathy to ask Meld for a meeting. It was fortunate that Akira and Shu had finally stopped trying to sleep with Hinata and finally respected the girl's boundaries...mostly.
Hinata turns to him. 'Use Telepathy, I don't want to take any chance of waking the others up." She conveyed through her mind. Meld sat down on the opposite couch and activates his ownTelepathy. 'So what did you want to talk about?'
'YOU KNOW DAMM WELL WHAT THIS IS ABOUT!'
Meld grabs his head, experiencing a small headache from the mental outburst.
'What's up with the whole Mama thing!?'
'Consider it a punishment for what you did.'
'Oh I'm so sorry for saving a bunch of child slaves' Hinata thought sarcastically.
'Yes, I know you did good but you also did it in a reckless way that caused trouble for Ilwa, this punishment isn't even severe.'
'Not that severe?! Are you kidding me? You agreed to take Moku with us and your letting him call me Mama?'
'Yes, what you described is not that bad. Once we reach Erisen he will be left there with his father. And as he grows up, he will eventually forget the whole Mama thing and hopefully the Grandpa thing.'
Hinata lets out a sigh, her temper starting to die down. 'Well at least I'm not suffering alone. But honestly, what is wrong with kid's head calling a stranger Mama like that?'
'Aren't you being a little harsh on the child? You're not just some stranger to him. You're someone who saved him, twice in fact. And perhaps Moku has always desired a maternal figure, so when a older female cared for him that compelled him to call you mama.'
'Well he should've gotten over it. After all... you don't see me whining for a new mom.'
Meld's eyes widen hearing what Hinata just said. 'Wait, Hinata are you saying your mother is-'
'Yeah.' Hinata cuts him off. 'My mom died around after I was born, just like Moku. And don't even start on the "I'm sorry for your loss." thing I have no attachment to someone I've never met, even if it's my mother. '
Meld to begin to understand why Hinata was so angry. Because she was similar with Moku and yet so different as well. A teenager who grew up with no mother suddenly becoming one ? It sounded ridiculous and unsafe for the child. But Meld wouldn't worry, he may not know anything about parenting, but he knows as long Hinata cares for Moku for even a little, the boy will be ok. But back to what she said...
'Even so..' Meld began.
'Even if I'm ok with no mother that doesn't mean Moku should be. Yeah, I know.' She took the words right out of his mind.
There was a moment of silence. 'Look...don't worry, I won't force my lifestyle on Moku. That would make me just like that idiot.'
'Huh? Who are you talking about?'
'Hm? You know...Amanogawa.' She was referring to her classmate, the the so called hero.
'Kouki? You're saying he forces his way onto others?' Meld was a bit confused. He knew Hinata held intolerance for the boy,but he never asked why.
'Kinda, he always kept pestering me back at Japan. Just because I sleep in class, get average grades on purpose, being an otaku and so on.'
Meld sweatdropped, it sounded like Hinata was terrible student and Kouki was just trying to make her better... or at least, that's how he would've thought. But knowing Hinata, he knows there was more to it.
'When we got here, his hero complex got even worse. Wasn't he the one that made everyone join the battle?'
Meld thought back to what Hinata said. Although he wasn't there during the summoning itself, he can only imagine how terrified the students must've been when they got here and then were asked to fight. Did most of them only agreed to fight because Kouki did? He remembered the hero was often mad at Hinata for not joining training and then just entering the labyrinth with her regular clothes on.
'Anyway, speaking of which.' Meld was broken out of his thought 'Meld...why did you agree to Horaud?'
'...'
'There's no way it's a punishment for me. You already know how I feel about my classmates. If I see them I can just say "bye" and never look back. They can't stop me anyway. If it's as an apology to Ilwa it's not a good one. I destroy part of the town and then I get promoted for it? That doesn't make sense. So I ask again, why did you agree to go there?'
'Hm' Meld looks to the window 'Perhaps...I did it for myself. I'm not saying that I'm purposely trying to meet them, but on the off chance I do... then I will have to deal with it.'
Hinata gets up and starts making her way to her room. 'Whatever.' After that, Meld went to his own and so they slept for tomorrow.
Omake
Meld: Now that we have a child with us, I implore you to keep your profanity in check.
Hinata: Relax. I won't curse in front of the kid, I swear.
Later
Hinata: Son of a beach!
Meld:...
Hinata: Mother trucker!
Meld:...
Hinata: You pain in the grass!
Moku: Grandpa, why does Mama keep shouting weird things at big brother Akira, Shu , and Tio?
Meld: Just...keep moving.
Thanks for reading, and I am so excited for the next chapter.