Dante's POV:
I watched as Val disappeared then looked towards Laurence. "So... she's going to be okay, right?" I asked and frowned. He didn't want me going with her to protect her....
"Just fine," Laurence said. "I asked her to walk in at precisely- two more minutes..." He watched the window before looking at the door. "She's arriving earlier than expected." As soon as he said that Val walked in wearing an entirely new outfit with a man following her. Her hair was slightly longer and layered. Her skin even looked touched by sun now. She crossed her arms.
"Did I leave yet?" She asked. "Baleen kept saying I should hide for the next two days."
"You just left actually," Laurence purred out in amusement. I widened my eyes at the sight of her then looked towards the man at her side. He was looking around with a frown on his face, running his fingers over the hilt of a sword at his side. He glanced my way then looked at Laurence before he looked at Val.
"So... I take it the one on the throne is Laurence?" He asked, frowning. He's a lot grouchier than I thought he'd be. I laughed at the thought and looked him over. That must be the legendary Alexander the Great.
"So, you're Alexander the Great," I purred at him. He looked back at me then looked me over before I saw a faint gleam of interest in his eyes.
"It's been awhile since anyone has called me that.... Val has been calling me Alex for the last two centuries," he whispered.
"That's a shame. Your name is so powerful," I told him and smirked. "Too bad everyone who knows their history thinks you died of a simple feve-"
"Don't you dare say fever!" Alexander hissed, his eyes narrowing. "I didn't die of a fever!"
"I see that~" I told him and laughed. Someone is touchy. "Does it bother you that they think that?"
"Of course, it does bother me! I didn't think it would at the time, but do you know how insulting it is? It's like everyone just believes that a man who could take down entire armies and never lose could die in such a simple way. They didn't even question it," he muttered.
"They wished you on into a happy after life, quit complaining. You got a huge temple and gold out of it. That gold came in handy." She smirked before looking towards Laurence and frowned. "I don't think we should be engaged anymore Laurence."
"Oh Val... You're crushing my stone. Why would you say such a thing? Have you found someone else to love?" Laurence asked. Val blushed a bright shade of red.
"N-NO!! You're the one that stuck me with him." Alexander looked at Val in interest then before a small smirk formed on his face. Oh? Did she get a lover out of this? Alexander looks like he likes her. I smirked then before I nudged Laurence and looked at him.
"Looks like you better find a new fiancé," I teased him. "Maybe you'll find a mate?"
"That's not a thing for me," Laurence said calmly. "I don't get a mate." He rubbed his chin and looked towards Val. "Val, I thought you enjoyed our tea parties."
"No more tea parties Laurence. I've grown up." Val glared him down. "But you haven't."
"So, it would seem," Laurence sighed out and slipped down in his chair before throwing his legs over the arm. "I just want what's best for you. If you want a man that can do something for you that I can't... go right ahead and choose. It's your happiness that I've always looked out for." Val widened her eyes slightly before her eyes watered up.
"I'm sorry Laurence... it's just that you're lying to me about your age." Laurence glanced towards her before sitting up with slight interest.
"Am I?" He asked.
"Yes! I heard your voice." She shook her head. "That was three hundred years ago! You said you were only a couple of years older than us." I widened my eyes then looked at Laurence. What the hell? How is he over three hundred years old?
"Laurence?" I asked and took a step back from him. "How are you that old... but that young looking?" I asked him and frowned. Why didn't he tell us?
"If I told you my age to begin with, I was afraid you wouldn't trust me as good as you would If you thought I was closer to your ages. Don't spoil it for everyone else too now that you know. Paris's trust in me will be ruined and I cannot allow that." I frowned at him.
"Why not? Why can't his trust be ruined, but ours in you can?" I growled out at him. I wouldn't have given a damn about his age- okay, I would've I guess because we're fighting our parents... and the older generations that he is apparently apart of now that we know about his age... but... he doesn't believe in what the others believe in. He wouldn't be helping us. "Laurence," I hissed.
"Your trusts matter to me too." He said calmly. "It's why I tried to make you all see me first as who I am before I introduce you to who I was. I'm not who I use to be and my now is what's important." He stood up then and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Paris comes from a straight line of vampire and demon. He also is the key to most of your futures and mine as well. So, if we were to let him fall into mistrusting me... He might end up falling down a dark rabbit hole somewhere and nothing I've set up for us will matter. Paris will never find out about my true age and none of you will." I frowned a little at him and looked him over before I sighed and gave a slight smile.
"Well... you're still Laurence- no matter how old you are," I purred to him. "I guess your age doesn't matter. You're still helping us, and you're not like the older vampires with their beliefs. I won't tell Paris about this for you." Paris can find out that Laurence is older on his own. He's innocent anyways and would take this harder than others because he trusted Laurence easily. "You're still helping Paris, and you brought most of us together in the same room."
"Like I said... It doesn't matter about who I was," Laurence told me. "It's the now of who I am that's enough. My past is unimportant...." His eyes flashed a glossy color. "But now that I see it... one day I might tell you if you stick around long enough," he chuckled out and looked towards me. I frowned.
"If I stick around long enough?" I asked him curiously. What does that mean?
"It means that when the time comes, I can tell you- when we're all way over three hundred years old." He crossed his arms. "That doesn't mean I'll tell you Val."
"I guess that's okay-" I started but paused as the door opened and Richard stepped in. He glanced around the room before his eyes landed on me and he frowned.
"Dante, I thought you were supposed to be training us," he told me. "Victor won't come out of his room, and Paris said we have to train today."
"RICHARD! Where's Paris!" Val's eyes lit up in delight before she ran off. "PARIS I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" Val yelled out. Alexander's eyes widened and he went after her quickly.
"HEY! DON'T DITCH ME LIKE THAT!" He yelled out after her. I laughed and watched as Richardo frowned and went after Val with a protective look.
"KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY MATE!" He shouted. I shook my head then and started after them. I might as well. Everyone else is going there. I heard Laurence following with a light chuckle.
"Guph!" I heard Paris let out from down the hall before a vase broke. "V-Val? Miss? Wow- your hair is different, and you smell.... great. Not like yesterday. Where have you been?"
"I missed you so much!" Val yelled. We found Val on top of Paris and hugging him tightly. "You smell great too!" Richardo growled and went to pull her off, but Alexander was blocking him from going near her with a frown. Richardo narrowed his eyes, and Alexander suddenly fell to the ground as a loud, high pitched noise went off, breaking the glass in the nearby windows and the vases. Alexander winced then held his ears as they started to bleed before he fell to the ground and buried his face against the floor. Laurence groaned and covered his ears quickly- looking distressed.
"Owe!" Paris yelled out and covered his ears quickly. "Who done that!"
"Alex!?" Val asked and moved off Paris to go to him then grabbed his shirt. "Don't go bullying your superiors." I held back a groan and held my ears as I watched them. The sound faded after a few more seconds, and Richardo looked the two of them over before his eyes widened and he jumped over them, running to Paris. He pulled him into his arms and gave him a worried look before he cradled him. Was that Richardo? I frowned and lowered my hands. Does he even know he did it? He didn't look like it bothered him- like he didn't hear it like we did. Laurence fell over next to me then- dropping like he fell unconscious.
"Laurence?" Val asked and looked towards him before shoving Alex out of her arms and went for him. "Are you okay- He's unconscious," she said and gasped.
"My ears hurt," Paris grumbled out before grabbing his head and rubbed it. "That went off harder in here- like I heard what you all were hearing," he sighed out. "Ughhhhh." He slapped Richard on the chest. "Don't do that again." Richard frowned at him then kissed Paris's head gently.
"I'm sorry.... I didn't realize I could do that," he mumbled to him and ran his fingers through Paris's hair then kissed one of Paris's horns. "It didn't hurt me though...." He glanced towards Laurence then frowned. "Val! Is he okay?" He asked quickly, tensing up. I frowned and looked everyone over then knelt with Val, checking out Laurence before I patted his cheek.
"Laurence passed out," Paris told us. "He saw Richard's power coming right before it released, and I was able to read his mind about it just before he got hit hard with the noise. His ears are more sensitive than ours since he's trapped in a younger body." Paris got to his feet before walking up and eyed Laurence over. Laurence's eyes flickered open and he grabbed my arm quickly to stop him from patting his face. He sat up and rubbed at his ears. Richard got up and walked over slowly, looking at Laurence.
"Laurence, are you okay?" He asked him, frowning. Alex finally sat up and rubbed at the blood in his ears. Val looked over her shoulder at Alex before frowning.
"Is that blood?" She asked him. "Ewwwww- Not in your ears." Laurence looked us over before eyeing Richard over.
"He's getting his hearing back at the moment," Paris whispered. Laurence got to his feet and gave Richard a pissed look. Richard widened his eyes then backed up slightly, holding up his hands.
"He is? Oh man... he doesn't look happy," Richard mumbled and gave Laurence an uneasy smile. "I'm sorry," he told him slowly so Laurence could read his lips. Laurence's eyes lightened up before he rubbed his ears again and gave a relieved look then.
"I thought it might be out for a day. I was so worried. But I can hear your hearts just fine along with your stones." He moved his hands down before walking up to Richard and grabbed his shirt. "RICHARD! Don't you dare get jealous and do that move again. We're never battling in the same area. I'm staying far from you." Richard frowned then.
"I didn't know I could. I didn't mean to hurt you... or Paris... or Dante and Val.... I won't use it again unless I'm alone," Richard promised Laurence, looking him in the eyes. "I'll figure it out so that way you guys don't get hurt- especially you and Paris," he purred to him. "I'll go practice outside far away so I can control it."
"Good." Laurence let him go and patted his shirt. "I was afraid I would have to teach you a lesson."
"So, who's this guy?" Paris asked and pointed to Alexander. Richard looked from Laurence to Alexander then glared him down.
"A wall I'm going to knock down for getting between us," Richard hissed then started for Alexander.
"That's Alexander the Great," I purred out to them. "He's unbeatable. I wouldn't fight him, Richardo~" I told him and laughed. Richard tensed then before he paused in his step, recognizing the name. Alex glared Richard down before he got up shakily and dusted himself off.
"Val's gift from me," Laurence purred out. "Since Victor killed her human blood slave."
"Laura was more than just a blood slave," Val mumbled out. Richard frowned then looked Alex over before he went for him anyways.
"Well, let's test out just how unbeatable he is," he said and went to grab Alex, but Alex suddenly was sitting on the table that had the broken vases on it. He smirked and stretched as he looked Richard over. The room was clean from the glass. All of it had been picked up, and even the window had been replaced.
"Let's see.... I think you said something about testing how unbeatable I am? I kind of forgot.... I'm sure you did. It's been about a day for me," Alex said and purred in amusement as Richard froze up and looked around in shock.
"Alex," Val hissed out and looked annoyed. "That's not funny. Please tell me you didn't go around everyone's room and go through their things."
"No... I cleaned up the glass then went to town and got a man to replace the window," Alex hummed out, looking at Val. "I wouldn't go through someone's things. I took a bath too and got the blood out of my ears." Val rolled her eyes.
"I'm going to go kick Victor's ass..." She walked off then. "VICTOR I'M COMING FOR YOU!" I heard hurried footsteps then a hallway over, sounding like Victor's boots. Well... he knows he's in trouble. I laughed and watched Val as Alex got up quickly and went after her. Once the two disappeared Laurence gave where they were a smile before he hummed lightly. I heard Victor yelp before he appeared near us then widened his eyes at the sight of us.
"Oh man..." he muttered, rubbing his cheek where it looked like he had been slapped. "Dante, don't you dare give me away," he hissed my way. "I know you would just for a laugh." I smirked then.
"Would I?" Yes, I would. "OH VAL!" I called out, making Victor growl before he started for me.
"Dante, Victor, you two are supposed to be training our boys right here." Laurence gave us a look and smirked. "I'll tell Val she's got Italy to take over today with Alex." I frowned then.
"I thought we were going to take today off," I muttered. I was looking forward to relaxing today. Victor frowned and looked the two love birds over.
"No... we shouldn't take today off. If we did, those two wouldn't get the training they need. Every minute counts," Victor reminded me.
"By giving Val something to do I can assure you a day or so of training before Val tells Alex to kick your ass for her." Laurence smirked. "I'll go let them know about Italy right now." Victor nodded before he looked at Richard and Paris before he smirked.
"Drop and give me one hundred," he said firmly.
Paris's POV:
I watched Laurence walking away from us and frowned before I looked towards Dante. "Do I have to? Richard and I were wondering if we could have some time to ourselves soon. He's getting sexually frustrated, and I could use some relief too." Dante smirked at us.
"Didn't you hear Victor? He said drop and give him one hundred," he purred at us and leaned against the table. "Sexual frustrations can wait. In the heat of a battle, you can't go into a closet and mate." I frowned.
"We wouldn't be doing pushups either," I grumbled and got down to do the pushups like he asked. Richard frowned and got down beside me. I felt a foot between my shoulder blades then- right between my wings.
"Down," Dante purred to me. I saw Victor do the same to Richard, making Richard shake a little from the weight. I fell quickly and put my face against the cold ground and smiled. Down I am. "Now back up soldier," Dante ordered me. "I want to see a beautiful one hundred." I groaned and tried to push myself back up but had trouble with my wings being extra weight. I saw Richard struggling beside me as Victor had him giving him pushups. "Good, you're almost there," Dante told me and smirked as I managed to get up. "That's one, Paris. You're going to thank me for this later when you're powerful."
"I know," I sighed out and went back down then started back up. Ugh I hate these though. No one needs stronger arms.
"Two~" Dante purred, sounding pleased.
"One," I finally heard Victor say. "Come on, piano boy. You can do better than that, can't you? What are you going to do when your father compels you and makes you grovel on the ground as he rips Paris's stone out? I don't think being weak is going to help you," he told him and smirked at him. "You need this, Richardo. No one is going to take it easy on you in a battle. You're the son of the king of vampires. This is pathetic. Where's two?" He asked him, growling slightly. Richard groaned and struggled to come back up. I frowned as I watched Richard. I can't believe he's not strong enough to do more pushups than me... I mean... He seemed so powerful when I first met him. I guess he only worked on his image and not his actual strength. I started to do my pushups, working hard to get them over with.
"Three," Dante purred to me.
"Two," Victor said and sounded a little more pleased. "Beat Paris to the finish line, and I'll be proud."
"Oh, Hell no, my boy is going to beat yours," Dante teased Victor.
"No, mine will or else I'm not going easy on him for the next week," Victor told Dante and smirked. "Oooh, three~ Someone's trying harder. Four," he purred out suddenly. I frowned and glared Richard down. He can't outshine me! I trained way longer than him. I growled and started to race to beat Richard.
"Four... five-" Dante started but was cut off quickly as Victor's voice began to overlap with his.
"Five, six... seven-"
"Six, seven, eight," Dante counted out.
"Eight, nine, ten...." Victor purred, sounding pleased. "Good~ That burn in your muscles is what you want. Eleven, twelve...."
"Nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen," Dante purred. I glared down Richard and tsked.
"Slow down over there," I hissed. "I hope you go out quickly at fifty and can't lift another finger just to teach you a lesson." Richard exposed his fangs before he winced and a little bit of sweat ran down his forehead. I could see he was trembling as he tried to keep up with me, pushing against Victor's added weight. I laughed as I watched him and kept going with my pushups, feeling my wings flutter a little.
"You know~ your wings are adding more weight, Paris. You're lifting weigh more than Richard is," Dante told me and smirked, leaning down to look at me.
"I know," I hissed out. "At least this will help me walk better with them."
"We'll do squats after this," Dante told me. "Only fifty squats. It'll help your leg strength.... After that, you can run off and mate all you want if you have the energy," he hummed out.
"No! Not squats!" I hissed out. "Anything but those. I'll run laps."
"Okay... I want you to touch your toes seventy-five times in replacement of squats," Dante told me. I groaned and rolled my eyes. That's even worse. My arms are shorter than my legs which means I'll never touch them. "Or you can do fifty leg kicks," Dante purred, noticing the look on my face.
"I'll kick you in the face fifty times," I muttered.
"What was that soldier? You want to do an extra fifty pushups? Alright, don't say I didn't warn you," Dante told me and smirked.
"I think I reached one fifty," I told him and collapsed on the floor.
"No, I was counting.... That was only sixty five," Dante told me. I heard Richard collapse shortly after, panting. Victor removed his foot and frowned.
"Richardo, are you oka- Oh man, he's passing out," Victor muttered then leaned over to shake Richard. I frowned and hit Richard with my foot.
"Wake up! I'm not killing your parents without you." Richard groaned and opened his eyes slowly before he looked towards me. Victor paused and looked him over.
"Let's get them some water. They did good for Richard's first time and for Paris's first time with wings. They should take a break before we break them," Victor told Dante who nodded in agreement.
"On your feet soldier and march your butt to the dining room for water," he told me and smirked, crossing his arms. I curled up and looked up at him.
"Water? I want blood," I told him before I got to my feet.
"Blood it is," Dante purred then looked at Richard. "Richardo, get up." He groaned on the floor and twitched his hand, making Victor sigh before he grabbed Richard's foot and started to drag him down the hall.
"Come on boys. Blood will make you get your strength quicker and fix your sore muscles," Victor told us. I eyed down the windows and gave a small frown. This is tiring. I wish my father had trained me when I was younger. I wouldn't be such a poodle then. Dante watched me then smirked before he started after Victor.
"Victor, you shouldn't drag Richardo like that. He can walk on his own," Dante told him. "He needs to walk."
"Paris," I heard Richard groan out as his shirt started to get pushed up from being dragged and his bare skin was being dragged on the floor.
"Get up and walk," I told Richard. "I'm doing just fine. It's not like we're humans. Get up and keep going." I bit my bottom lip and eyed his body over. He looked towards Victor then kicked at Victor's hand with his free foot, making him drop him then sat up, tugging at his shirt to make it go back down. Victor paused and looked back at him then smirked.
"Are you going to walk?" He teased. Dante raised an eyebrow then yanked Richard to his feet.
"Hell, if you don't shape up, you're going to get killed," Dante told Richard and looked him in the eyes firmly. "You have to catch up to Paris, and he's got a week on you." Richard frowned then gave a small nod. "Good. Now walk," Dante purred and let Richard go before he walked over to Victor. "We should train with each other after they get their blood. They need a break." Victor smirked then nodded.
"Okay, they'll have the rest of the day off," Victor told him and looked him over. "I want to play with knives today...."
"Knives? Not swords?" Dante asked and frowned.
"Yes, I want to train with knives," Victor told him and started to walk down the hall with him, ditching us. Richard hurried after them quickly, looking more determined than before. I frowned and followed them. No fair.... They get to play with weapons. SCREW THIS! I don't need training from them. I started for the weapon's room.
"HEY POODLE! GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE!" Dante called out. "You're supposed to be drinking blood!"
"Later," I told him and kept walking.
"Paris," Dante hissed.
"Just let him go. You can't force feed him blood," Victor told him. "Besides, we still have one of the love birds. He looks hungry too." Victor laughed then and looked towards my mate. "Let's get you some blood then you can do whatever you want, okay?" Richard nodded and began to purr as they rounded the corner, letting me leave them. I walked up to the weapons room Laurence kept and went inside before I looked around at the weapons to choose from and practice with. I picked up a sword and groaned from the weight but took it with me outside to practice there. I saw the dragon tamer chasing Baylorik around a way out from the castle, trying to catch him in his dragon form. I found Mayloi gnawing on a flower as I walked into the garden, hiding among the leaves as he bit the petals on it with a playful growl. I tilted my head slightly before I dropped the sword and walked up to Mayloi. I scooped him up into my arms then kissed his head.
"Hey there!" I gave him a huge smile. He looked up at me and sneezed before he purred, crawling up my shirt then nuzzled his head happily under my chin. One of my treasures found me! He's got horns now~ Hehehe! It's kinda cute. He eyed my horns over then fluttered his wings before he jumped up onto my shoulder then climbed onto my head, rubbing against my horns before he gnawed at one. I yelped and grabbed him- yanking him away from my horns.
"Owe!" I told him and looked out at Baylorik. Maybe I could get pointers in how to work my wings if I asked him... He's got wings. Mayloi purred and rubbed his head against my hands innocently, giving a delighted noise as he rubbed his neck against my fingers. I saw Baylorik flutter his wings before he took off into the air quickly and got in a tree, roaring at Abbott. I watched his wings curiously before I looked back at mine. Mayloi looked towards my wings and made a laughing noise at me before he licked my hand and purred sweetly. I looked back at Mayloi then smirked before I sat him back down in the flowers. I'll work on my wings. I sat down and looked back at my wings, concentrating to get them to move. I laughed as I watched one twitch. Mayloi slowly came out from the flowers as he watched me then fluttered his wings, watching mine as he got on his hind legs and fluttered his wings again, looking at his then at mine curiously. I giggled and looked him over. He wants to fly too!
"What are you doing?" I heard Grimm ask me as he appeared on the bench. He frowned as he eyed me over. "You're not seriously thinking about using those things on your back- are you?" Mayloi fell over with wide eyes then looked at Grimm before he spat and growled loudly, puffing smoke his way before he filled his body up with his breaths and then hissed as he puffed more smoke at him then managed to get a small tiny bit of fire out of him, spitting it out and watched as it fell to the ground and went out quickly. He yelped then ran into my lap, hiding against me from Grimm as he watched him. I rubbed Mayloi's head.
"I was wanting to- yes. I need at least some control over them," I explained.
"What about the sword? You weren't coming out here to give it to someone... so why's it out here?" He asked me.
"I was thinking about training with it."
"Then you would need a partner," he told me and stood up. "Let's work on your wings first." He moved behind me. "Let's test what you can feel, Paris." He knelt and started to run his fingers against my wings- testing. "Feel this?" He asked as he plucked a wing. I growled at him slightly. I heard Mayloi growl before he got on my shoulder, getting brave again and hissed towards Grimm. Grimm reached out and rubbed Mayloi on the head.
"It's okay Mayloi. I'm helping Paris," he purred out. He let go and picked up one of my wings, making me gasp. "Work on-" He dropped it then touched my back where it was connecting then started to poke around my back before focusing on something that made me wince. "Ah~! Okay Paris. Feel this," he told me, and I felt him grab at my wing's base and started to move them- letting me feel them move around. "Focus on the movement." Mayloi calmed down and watched Grimm before he nuzzled against me then fluttered his wings again, rolling off my shoulder and falling into my lap. "Paris, your attention please," he told me as he caught me paying more attention to Mayloi.
"S-sorry," I whispered. I looked back over my shoulder and watched him working to help me get the feel of how to move my wings. Mayloi looked towards how Grimm was moving my wings then tried it on his own slowly, giving a pleased squeal before he laughed again and fell over in my lap. He looked up at me as he laid on his back then playfully kicked his paws up into the air, pawing at it. I giggled and grabbed at his paws.
"Paris," Grimm hissed out. "You better be paying attention. Try these movements on your own." He told me and stepped back. I frowned and looked back at my wings as they fell down. I looked them over before thinking about it for a minute. They're like arms... I can do this. I watched my wings and focused on moving them again like Grimm was showing me. I watched as they fluttered to obey me then felt my butt come off the ground. I yelped as my wings stopped and I crashed to the ground. Mayloi let out a yelp as he fell and looked around, startled by the suddency before he looked up at me then at my wings. He sniffed at me curiously and glanced at my wings again before he crawled onto my shoulder and looked at my wings, eyeing them over. "That's great progress Paris. I want you to do that for a few days to get your wing strength up before we try something new," Grimm told me. I nodded and looked him over.
"Thank you," I whispered and got to my feet. He smirked.
"You want to practice sword fighting?" He asked. I nodded and walked up to the sword and showed it to him.
"I only grabbed one," I told him.
"That's fine. I have one," he told me before extending a hand and a sword appeared in it. I widened my eyes and watched him. Mayloi looked our swords over with wide eyes before he purred loudly and started to crawl down my arm, going towards the blade with a dazed look in his eyes, curling his small claws around my fingers as he reached the hilt of the sword. I held the hilt with two hands quickly before looking at the flowers and walked up to them. I shook him off into them then went back to Grimm.
"Let's begin," I told Grimm and smiled. He smirked and extended his sword.
"I'll take it slow on you so you can get the hang of using a sword," Grimm told me and started to circle me. I followed his movement so he wouldn't get behind me. I heard Mayloi start to run up towards me, purring happily before he jumped up onto my pants leg and clung to it then jumped off and ran back into the flowers, tackling one as he began to chew at it. I laughed a little before I dodged Grimm as he rushed me. I widened my eyes and heard our swords collide suddenly as we were facing each other. He pushed his weight with the sword into mine and made me start slipping up on my grip on the sword. He noticed and smirked before easing up a little.
"You better get a better grip for battle Paris. I expect a next generation out of you." I heard Mayloi give a small playful roar from the flowers, watching the two of us then fluttered his wings before he pounced into a rose bush and chewed at a rose. I laughed a little before shoving my weight into my sword to try to overpower Grimm. He laughed and let go quickly- stepping to the side. I stumbled forward and felt something trip me up and hit my back before I was headfirst onto the ground. My sword clattered under my chest.
"Paris," Grimm tsked. "Get up," he told me. I nodded and got to my feet. I took my sword with me as I went after him to get him back for that.
"Paris!" I heard Victor call from the doorway. "Did you come out here?" Mayloi looked towards the door then jumped out of the rose bush. I frowned and stopped going towards Grimm and looked towards the doorway.
"I'm out here!" I told him before I felt Grimm kick my chest and I felt my weight stumble before I fell backwards and hit the ground.
"Alright! I wanted to check. Richardo went to go take a bath. Need anything while you're out here?" Victor called out. Mayloi raced towards me then jumped onto my chest, pouncing on me before he gnawed at my shirt playfully, giving me a cute look.
"No!" I told him before I looked up at Grimm and tsked. I looked down at Mayloi then rubbed his head. He purred and immediately leaned against my hand, moving his entire small body against my hand for attention. He nipped at my fingers then called out to me sweetly. I yelped and moved my hands away from his mouth then pushed him off my chest and got up with my sword. He whined and then nuzzled against my feet before he looked at Grimm curiously and approached him, sniffing at Grimm's feet cautiously. Grimm snatched him up before shoving him in his pocket and started after me again with a smirk. I laughed and brought my sword up to clash against his.
"Okay!" Victor called out and went back inside. I heard Mayloi calling out in the pocket, trying to poke his head out to see. Grimm placed a hand down into his pocket and Mayloi's cries were softened as he continued to hold his strength and sword up against mine. I heard Mayloi give a whimper before he quieted down, relaxing in Grimm's pocket obediently. Grimm pulled out his hand and overpowered me suddenly- knocking me onto my back once again. I groaned and rubbed my head.
"Again!" He told me and motioned for me to get up. I nodded and got to my feet before I continued to practice and grow strong with his help.