Chương 35: Reunion
"And that's it. That's how the story ends. I wish it didn't hurt your feelings."
"No, it's okay."
Barbara tells everything about my mother and also about my father. I feel sad, not because only they died, but also because that the fact that Barbara needs to live alone again.
"Well, you know, when I learn about the death of Miss Alicia, I almost go crazy. I haven't slept and eaten for days because of that."
"Then, how?"
"Hm?"
"How did you recover?"
"Recover? I haven't recovered ever since that day."
"Then that means you keep living because you want to avenge my mother?"
"Revenge? Nah! Those are only for losers. The reason why I keep living and fighting is that I wanted to continue your mother's dream. To protect and save humans. That's all."
"I see... I'm glad."
"Sorry for leaving you behind... to be honest, I wanted to adopt you but the king suggest that I should live in Moirai so that they can guard you and me. But of course, I disagree, I mean, that's where your mother died. It's too painful for me to live there. Also, how can ten years old me raise a child."
Even though it doesn't look obvious, I can clearly see in her eyes the pain she carried from the past to here in the present.
"But, I'm glad I left you there. Look at you now, a proper adult. You might have already a girlfriend."
"No, I don't."
"A crush then?"
"..."
"My, my."
She extended both of her arms to me.
"Come here. Even though I only see you once when you were still a baby, I'm still happy that I see you again."
"Ah...eh..."
"Come here. Let your big sis Barbara embrace you."
"No need."
"Ehhh...boring."
"Hehe."
Even though this is the first time I saw her. I'm kinda happy now, having a big sister. A family.
"Hey, hey!"
Ernesta runs over to my room.
"I have great news."
"What it is, Ernny?"
"Could you stop calling her that? It kinda pisses me off."
*After all I'm the first one who made that nickname.*
"We're going to have a mission. This is your first mission!"
"Stop ignoring me..."
"Oh, Hiroro. You here huh."
"Ugh..."
"Yeah. Let's do our best."
"Yeah!"
Both of them shake hands and then nod.
________________________________________
"So... we're here to kill Outsiders right?", Vinna asked.
"Yeah."
"Then, why are we picnicking here?!"
"Well..."
It is because Barbara and Ernesta suggest that we should sit here and let them do that mission.
Both of them really enjoy fighting.
While eating my sandwich made by Ernesta. I'm watching Barbara.
She's really good indeed. Her moves are so smooth. She's even faster than we fight.
"Ugh..."
"What's the problem?"
Vinna leans her head to my shoulder while eating a sandwich.
"I'm bored..."
"I see... then why not clean your rooms once we get back."
"You do really love cleaning arent you?"
"Well... yeah? Then how about practicing?"
"I guess that's a great idea."
"Hey, we're finished. Let's go back."
"Wait! It's hasn't been ten minutes!"
____________________________________________
When we arrived at headquarters. We saw Relaine inside, sitting while sipping a cup of tea.
"Hey."
"Relaine!"
Ernesta runs and jumps towards her. She hugs Relaine.
Relaine continues sipping the tea without paying attention to Ernesta.
"Hm?"
Relaine notice Barbara.
"Woah, who's this cutie here."
*Please don't piss her off.*
"I'm Relaine."
Relaine try to stand up but Ernesta still hugging her that's why she sits still.
"I'm Barbara, your cute."
"I have a bad feeling about this."
"Me too."
We know what will happen when you pissed off Relaine.
"...Thank you."
"Eh?"
"She didn't mind it."
"Yeah."
"Maybe the tea that she's drinking has some sort of magic."
"Yeah."
"Barbara!"
Ernesta let go of Relaine and jump to Barbara. She hold both of her shoulders
"Hm? What it is?"
"Tell me your secret!"
"Huh? Well... I sneak in the kitchen last night to eat some snacks."
"Wait! I didn't see you.", Rick said.
"No wonder why my cake is gone when I open the fridge.", Ernesta said.
"Cake? I didn't eat those. I only take the chips."
"So, it's you Rick?"
"Well..."
"Wait! That's not what I mean, Barby. I mean, how come that Relaine is not mad at you?"
"Eh? Who's going to get mad by getting praise?", Barbara said while tilting her head.
"That would be Relaine."
"Oi!... so, you have a new member huh."
"Yeah."
"I see. I'm only here to bring some documents, don't mind me."
"Hey, Relaine. Want to go shopping?"
"Shopping?"
"Yeah, let's buy clothes with Barbara."
"I see, I don't mind. But I'm going back before it gets dark."
Ernesta turns around and faces Barbara.
"She already agrees!"
"Nice! Then, let's go, Hiro."
"...Eh?"
___________________________________
"Why I'm involved in your shopping?"
"Now, now. Don't be sad. I'll buy you some clothes too. So what do you want?"
"No need, I already have enough clothes."
"Eh... don't worry, I'm going to pick you some clothes."
"So... why are you here too? Darius."
Darius is walking beside me.
"I don't know too. Barbara just drags me here."
"You two become close already huh."
"I have an explanation for that."
"I see... so you also join too... Vinna and Greg..."
"Well, I want to go shopping too."
"I have to sharpen my katana to a smith."
"So... Rick you're here to carry their things?"
"Yeah... this is my punishment for eating Ernesta's cake."
All of us except commander is here in Novus.
As for Lulu, she's being carried by Barbara on her back.
"I can't believe it."
"What is it, Hiro?", Vinna asked.
"Nothing."
"We're here!"
We already arrived at our location.
A cloth shop.
Greg is about to go since he's not going to buy some clothes but Rick stops him.
"Wait..."
"Come on men, it's only this time. Let me pick you some clothes. The good one."
I'm about to go outside to wait there but Barbara grabs my hand and pulls me.
"Wait!"
"Come here."
She shows me a white T-shirt with a printed black skull in the middle.
"Do I like an emo to you?"
"Eh? You don't want this? Wait."
Now she shows me a black T-shirt and this time, the skull is color white.
"Isn't the same?"
"Hey, Hiro, Hiro. Take a look at this."
Vinna runs towards me carrying a white T-shirt.
She shows me a T-shirt that has a pink heart shape in the middle.
"Are you kidding me?"
"Eh? You don't like this? But Greg accepts it."
*What the hell Greg?!*
"Eh... that's lame, Hiro wants this."
"Hiro is not an emo."
"Yeah but he is not a-"
"Fine, I'll take both of this."
"Yey!"
"Please wear it."
"Later."
*No way! I'm just going to display this in my closet.*
"I should take some plain color T-shirts too."
I spotted Greg that being dragged by Rick.
"Hey."
"Yow. Heh! What a lovely T-shirt you got there.", Rick said.
"Hehe. How about you Greg? Vinna told me that you accept the lovey T-shirt."
"No, she actually throws to me this T-shirt."
"Seriously?"
All of them are busy shopping.
It's been a while since we did this, although we're in a weapon shop at that time.
Also... it's been a while since Cedric and the others died.
*I wonder, hows Leo doing.*
"Hm?"
I saw Darius being dragged by Barbara. He saw me and it looks like he's telling something.
*Help?*
That was his mouth saying. The people inside the shop are too loud for me to hear what he's saying from afar.
*Sorry men, but I already have enough of those clothes that don't suit me.*
"Lulu!"
I heard Ernesta's voice.
"Hey."
"Hey, have you seen Lulu?"
"Wait... you leave her alone?"
"Nahhh, she's with Relaine. I also have clothes for you."
"No, please. I despise clothes."
"Eh? But it's one of the necessities of humans."
"I don't care."
"Ehhh... come on, this one is good. Look."
"Hm?"
She shows me a black polo shirt.
It's actually good and looks suitable to me.
"Woah!"
"See!"
"Yeah, I'll take this."
"Nice! Now, Lulu! Relaine!"
She runs away.
*I can't believe that Ernesta is good at picking clothes.*
"There you are you two!"
Ernesta already saw the two.
"What is it?"
"Clothes!"
She shows to Lulu a cute purple and green dress.
"What about mine?"
"Ohhhh. Interested? Here!"
"Huh?"
*A bikini?*
"What the h-..."
Relaine stops when she remembers that Lulu is with her.
"Look good right? Come on, wear it. I wanted to see you wearing this already."
"You little!!"
"I'm just going to ignore them."
The shopping takes longer before we finished.
________________________________________________________________________________________
We already went back after buying some clothes.
I throw all the bags that fill with the clothes that I buy in my bed.
"Hm?"
I grab one of the bags.
"I forgot to give this to Hiro."
I went to his room immediately.
"Hiro, are you there?"
I touch the doorknob.
It's unlocked.
I slightly open the door and no one there.
*It's strange, Hiro never leaves this room unlocked.*
I went inside.
The room is clean and neat as usual.
"I'm just going to leave this here."
I put the bag on the small table beside his bed.
"Hm?"
I saw a piece of paper on the top of his book.
"Hm?"
I read it. It's just short but I don't understand what's it's telling about.
"Half of what you give will bring back to you?"
________________________________________________________________________________________
Walking around the cave, I hadn't spotted Cerex.
"Hey, where's Cerex?"
I asked Arnil who's playing with an Outsider.
*So childish.*
"He said he's going to get an amulet."
"Amulet? Where?"
"To..."
"Huh."
"With those words that Arnil said, my body froze up."
"A-Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
"Tsk!"
I run immediately.
"Where are you going, Clair?"
I run into Zod.
"I'm going to stop Cerex."
"Stop him?"
"Later!"
*Is he seriously going to do that?!*
"Cerex, you son of a!..."
________________________________________________________________________________________
"Rein, let's play."
"Okay!"
I was about to go when I notice that someone is outside the orphanage.
The person is far away.
I run towards the window and look at it seriously.
"Huh?"
I run immediately to Sister Evangeline.
"Sister! Sister!"
"Hm? What is it, Rein?"
"T-There are..."
"There are?"
"There are so many Outsiders outside!"
________________________________________________________________________________________
"Hurry!"
All of us ran towards the Orphanage.
"Are we close?", Barbara asked.
"Yeah."
Our mission of to check the orphans and the others in the orphanage.
Sister Evangeline calls the commander but they didn't finish talking and sister Evangeline didn't tell why she call because the call ended with a loud noise.
"What do you think happen, Hiro?"
"I don't know, but I wish is not that bad."
"Were here!", Ernesta shouted.
"What the hell happen here?"
The orphanage that standing here is almost gone.
The roof is already gone and there are only a few walls left.
"No way."
"Everyone, search all the people inside."
"Got it!"
We went outside the orphanage.
I went in the direction where the orphan's room are.
Slowly walking inside the orphanage.
I spotted the place where the children are playing, the same as the place where Rein and I sat.
I already pass to their rooms, I walk a little longer and I reach Rein's room.
Thankfully the room is unharmed.
I walk towards the bed and kneel.
I saw Rein's collection under the bed.
"Hm?"
I heard some footsteps coming from the hallway.
"Hiro!"
"Vinna?"
"Come here!"
Vinna grabbed my hand and pull me with all her strength.
"Wait!"
"Just come!"
"What's the problem?"
She continues pulling my hand until we reach the back of the Orphanage.
Everyone is there, they look in the same direction.
"Hey, what are doing?"
"Hiro."
"Huh?"
Vinna suddenly hugs me behind.
"What is it?"
I saw Ernesta crying while being embraced by Barbara.
Lulu is hiding behind Darius.
When I look at the direction that they looking.
I saw all of them.
Sister Evangeline, Rein, and the other kids are on the ground.
Sister is sitting on the ground while her backrest on the tree, beside her, is her swords.
The other kids are laying on the ground. Including Rein who's hugging one of the children.
"Are they...dead?"
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