Alicia was beginning to think that perhaps the Villain had brain damage. He did have two terribly high fevers. The highest had reached 110°F, while the other was 108°F. Both are high enough to cook the brain and cause death.
She was seriously beginning to worry now. 'I did want you to leave me alone, but not like this! Please just be a mood swing.'
"Hey come on, let me see your wounds, did they reopen? I can't help if you don't let me." She looked over her shoulder and called out. "Bubbles, Ash, do you smell blood?"
Ash trotted out of Alicia's shadow. Bubbles heavy footed his way over, shaking off the water as he did. Both sniffed the air and replied at the same time.
"No Mom/Aunty, I don't smell any blood."
With their words her tensed muscles somewhat soothed. But she could not be completely worry free. What if he had internal bleeding? Those two couldn't possibly smell it then!
Wait, why was she beginning to feel real worry for him? He's the Villain and a main contributor to the story that would initiate progress to be made. With this knowledge shouldn't it be impossible for him to die so soon?
Thinking up to this point her muscles soothed even more but still not enough to mean she was completely relaxed. Subconsciously she knew her thoughts meant nothing in the face of reality.
Even though she now knew her life was taking place in a story, her first years of life had already solidified this world as reality. Hence she separated the story book characters from the people she'd grown up with.
To those she saw as people, her arms were open, welcoming them into her life. To those she knew as characters, her arms were firmly shut, unwilling to let them anywhere near her heart.
Yet even though she'd done this, subconsciously she can't help but blur the lines, like she'd done with her cousin, Cedric. Even if she herself is unaware, what was done has already been done, what has started is quite difficult to end.
Unbending her legs she stood back up as she bent her waist. Reaching out both of her hands palm up she spoke the same way she did to Krad when they first met.
"Alright you big fellow, if you aren't hurt give me your hands and let's stand up, okay? Ash, go stand behind him to make sure he doesn't fall backwards."
Ash complied with a nod. This formed a doting smile on Alicia's lips as she looked back down at the Villain. There was line after line of tear tracks on his bronze face making it difficult to tell if he was still crying. Still she felt quite fidgety regardless.
Silver didn't hesitate as he put both his hands in hers. His hands are twice the length of her own and just as wide. His four fingers swallowed her small wrist as his palm took up the whole space of her hand.
Carefully she helped him up. As she did this, her eyes moved back and forth between his face and the area on his left abdomen. The Villain was wearing thin white clothes which would work in her favor. No matter how small the amount, she had no doubt she'd be able to spot any blood. So far, not a drop of red could be seen.
Relieved that he was now on his feet, Alicia carefully escorted him inside.
"Wait for me Aunty! I wanna go too!" Bubbles whined as he jumped up and down shaking the ground violently.
Alicia rolled her eyes and indulgently called out. "Alright alright you big oaf, calm down and come here."
Alicia reached out her arm beckoning him over. Full of joy Bubbles roared as blueish magic with traces of green glittered around his large body. Soon his body the size of a barn shrank.
While in the process of shrinking his body, Bubbles went to a crouching position as he shook his rump in the air, quite like a cat right before it pounces. Then he leapt, propelling himself off the ground and towards Alicia.
Landing on her palm, Bubbles scurried up her arm. He twisted his form which now resembled a furry Chinese dragon around Alicia's shoulders and neck.
Ash snorted as he nipped at Bubble's tail hanging off his mother's shoulder. "You annoying lizard we had a bet and you lost, don't you recall?"
Bubbles swiftly retrieved his tail in a hiss. Wrapping it around his Aunty's neck he clawed his way to her head as he looked up at Ash in reproach.
"Why are you bringing that up big brother Ash? You're such a big bully and you know it. You tricked me and knew I couldn't win. If I'd known that lion in the garden was a statue do you think I'd agree to talking to it?"
Bubbles' pride was truly hurt that day. He's spent an hour of talking to the statue wondering why Ash was laughing at him.
Once he found out why, both him and Ash got into a huge fight that destroyed the garden. Afterwards they were reprimanded quite fiercely by both Alicia and Sheila.
Ash whipped his head to the side as he looked down at Bubbles in contempt. A bit of laughter was in his tone as he spoke down to him.
"The bet was if you could move the lion in the garden, then Mom is yours for a whole two weeks. But if you lost then for two weeks you couldn't sleep with mom no more. How's it my fault that you couldn't move that piece of stone? I never specified on how you had to move it. It was you who misunderstood my words and tried reasoning with it."
Bubbles growled but then smirked as one of his paws lifted off of his Aunty's head. He curled three of his claws and the last one pointed to the sky as he spoke.
"One of Aunty's lessons of life, if you wish to move others, words are important along with the meaning behind them. But if words do not work then smash them with your fist! So technically I did win the bet big brother Ash, the lion moved."
"The bet was to move the Lion not to smash into bits." Ash rolled his eyes. He blew air at Bubbles forcing him to tumble off his mother's head as he continued speaking. "You lost and that means you have to stay away from my mom, so get off her shoulder and walk!"
Bubbles caught himself as he rushed to his Aunty's opposing shoulder. Now he was facing Ash directly as his claws dug into his Aunty's shirt.
Swiftly he swiped at Ash, but didn't manage to hit him. "No it was sleeping with Aunty, nothing was said about sitting on her shoulder!"
Alicia had enough of their bickering and flicked them both on the noses. "Alright you two stop arguing in my ears. Bubbles is right, the contents of the bet do not forbid him from being on my shoulder."
Ash's tail hung disappointingly behind him as he slumped his head. "But mom, I don't want him on your shoulder."
Alicia sighed at the sight of this. Her big ball of fluff looked as if she'd abandoned him and it pricked her heart. How she wished she could give both her fluff balls all they wanted and more, but unfortunately there was only one of her.
What was left of the tension brought on by the villain vanished because of these two. She reached out and rubbed Ash's head soothingly.
"Ash, you get to be with me all day and everyday, be good and let Bubbles have a turn, alright. You can do this for me, can't you? You are my big and capable good boy after all."
Ash howled instantly, of course he was his mother's good boy. No one else had this title and he would guard it with his life. Just to make sure no one took it from him, he wrapped his long tail around Alicia's wrist as they walked.
Bubbles had calmed down after that. He wrapped himself back around Alicia's neck as his head rested on her shoulder.
Silver had witnessed all of this but remained silent. His large hand gripped Alicia's tighter while an uplifting smile was tickled out of him.
Alicia was surprised by his grip and glanced up at him. But because he'd turned his head to the side she couldn't see his smile. Letting go of her curiosity she led them back into the house.
"Alicia you spoil them too much." Opening the door into an indoor sitting area was Sheila. The room was brightened by the wall of windows and soothed by the smell of earl grey tea.
Sheila stood tall in her human form. Her height reached three inches below six feet. Her short ripe plum hair curled around her face and two protruding horns. The rest of her hair rested in an angle down her neck, stopping a few inches below her shoulder line.
Those sky blue eyes smiled at Alicia as she spoke. "My son is already spoiled as it is by you and yet you spoil your son just as bad. It's no wonder these two refuse to leave your side. How do you expect to have privacy when you can't even bear to shoo them away?"
"Come on Sheila, I'm not that bad." She laughed awkwardly.
Yet when Sheila narrowed eyes she shrunk into herself. She mumbled out in defeat. "Okay, maybe I'm a little too nice."
Sheila shook her head at this with a laugh. She poked Alicia's forehead. "At least I'm assured your kindness isn't for everyone. If it were, I your sister would become a grey dragon in no time."
"Who knows, I bet you'd look good grey!" Alicia tittered.
Sheila snorted at her words.
Sheila then glanced up at Silver, grazing her vision past their locked hands with a smirk, then glared at the two children . "Caelum, Ash, don't think I don't know about you both arguing about that ridiculous bet again. Both of you march outside and run 50 laps around the estate. Magic is not allowed. Nor are you allowed to fly or change your size Caelum. I'll give you both to the count of three to leave."
"One," Just as the word came out both Ash and Bubbles rushed out the open door. They knew unlike Alicia, Sheila would beat their tails if they were to disobey her. They did not want their tail ends to be red and sore!
"Come on, let's sit down." Sheila closed the door, grabbing hold of Alicia's hand as they walked towards the table with tea.
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Author's note: In case of theft. This is an original -English- novel done by yours truly [MyKataren]. This author will state here and now, oh ye thief of old, thanks for the free advertisement!
Original : www.tinyurl.com/MVPGAwebnovel