Chapter six
~my head feels so groggy… It hurts to think… I don't want this feeling…!~
~I stirred in my mind, not noticing the helping hand gently shaking my shoulder. All I could feel was my tears burn against my cheeks. I blinked multiple times and looked up at the person the hand belonged to. He spoke to me, but I couldn't understand him at all. That made me feel really sad since that meant we couldn't speak to each other.~
~What I did know was that he had protected me since I fell… Where did I fall from? Anyway, This big brother has been protecting me since we met. I was so scared I almost wet myself a few times, but he made sure that I didn't feel alone. He made a simple dress to cover me since I didn't have any clothes. He also fed me and made sure that I didn't feel lonely~
~At night, I would have these dreams that really scared me! I would get hit by this… car? I don't know what that is, but it really hurt! A Lot of people came and saved me, but I couldn't remember any of them! And in this other one, I kept being chased by this really big wolf-dog and too scary Ladies only for them to gobble me up after they caught me! It wasn't just nightmares though. I always had this one dream that would come right after all the bad ones. I think it was my mommy. She had horns like I did and used to run around the prairie with me on her shoulders! It felt like I was flying through the sky! After we'd run around, she'd cook me dinner and feed me before setting me to sleep.~
The big brother was shaking my shoulder again. I didn't wanna be a burden on him so I got up. I remember that my mommy used to say that we should always take care not to burden others too much! I sat up and rubbed my eyes a bunch and looked at my hands.
~When… When were they this pudgy?~
I wiggled my fingers a moment and looked around the small enclosure attentively.
"Aaaaah…!" I groaned as a massive headache attacked my brain.
~The big brother rushed over and laid me back down on the pillow and touched my forehead.~
"Sick…?" I asked, he simply just looked worried and rushed out of the tent
My eyes followed him out the cloth door before the strain became too much. I nursed my head in my arms as I pulled the sheet over my body. My brain was really on fire!
"Ma… Mommy…!" I cried out as tears welled in my eyes. Suddenly soothing energy came over my body that made my head hurt less. It felt like someone was touching my temple tenderly, but no one was there. The images that kept popping up in my head of those scary places stopped appearing after that.
After a short time, the big brother came back with an elixir in one hand. He pulled the cover down and sat me up, holding the bowl to my lips. I opened my mouth and drank.
~B-BITTER!~ I thought as I spat the brew out. The big brother just rubbed my back and held the elixir in front of me. He spoke again, but again I couldn't understand him. I could guess at what he wanted though. With a pout on my face and closed eyes, I leaned forward and took another sip. I forced myself not to spit and swallowed. The big brother just smiled and patted my head. He got up and walked over to the back of the enclosure. It was covered in bark, so I thought we may still be on the super big tree we fell into a few days ago. There, he seemed to be skinning a rabbit-like creature and preparing a small soup for me. It was really easy for me to chew meat since I had really big K-nines, but he never let me have any after I made a mess of the first catch he brought back on day one. I watched him prepare the meal and was reminded of how I used to cook…
~Cook…? I know how to do that…?~
Suddenly, another strike of pain hit me and I fell back onto the pillow once again. The big brother heard and turned around, dropping the rabbit-like creature on the skillet he was using. He rushed over to me, but darkness began to cloud my vision…
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The next day :
I passed out yesterday. The big brother sat with me and made sure I stayed in bed, spoon-feeding me my medicine and breakfast. I made sure to not make a fuss and take whatever he gave me since I had begun to feel better after listening to him and taking his medicine. Today I was able to even walk around pretty freely! I did have to stop though as I quickly grew tired from said walking. Still, I got to leave the enclosure and look at the forest outside.
IT WAS SO PRETTY. The trees were super tall and there were flowers everywhere of different colors! The big brother watched me as I played in the brush until I got too tired. After I got tired, he'd pick me up and place me on his shoulders. I loved this since it always made my head feel okay and my heart feels really warm. From his shoulders, I could see that we were super duper high up! I couldn't even see the bottom at all! He brought me back to the Enclosure and waited for me to regain my energy before letting me out to play again. The only time other than when I was tired that I couldn't play was when he left to go hunt. Eventually, night fell and he put me to bed. I only had one bad dream that night. It was the chasing one again, but this time, in the end, the two ladies captured me and melted a mark on my right arm. The pain was so intense that I screamed in my sleep. Before I saw what the mark looked like, Big brother woke me up out of my nightmare. I cried for a bit but quickly went back to sleep.
When I woke up, the big brother was nowhere to be found. I sat up in my little makeshift bed and looked around. The enclosure was just as it was yesterday. I decided to get up and check outside. Maybe my big brother was just hunting for food. My little feet pitter-pattered against the floor as I made my way to the entrance. My horns were the first thing to appear out of the door as I peaked my head out.
I looked left and right and down the tree branch we were on, but I couldn't see the big brother anywhere. I became worried. What if something happened to him? With that on my mind, I set out down the tree branch. The feeling of running before flooded my mind, but I wasn't sure why. I made it to a small waterhole where a bunch of animals was gathered. I slowed down to a walk as I looked down at the animals. They were completely at peace. I walked up to a moose that was also drinking and stood next to it for a few moments before gently placing my hand against Its leg since it was too tall for me to touch its neck. The moose jumped up wildly and knocked me to the muddy ground. It reared up above me and angled its antlers downward before I could even understand what was going on.
~I need to move!~
I rolled to the side and stumbled upwards on my little feet. For some reason, I felt that this small body of mine was disproportionate and as a result, I over-corrected and put myself in a poor position to do anything.
~No…!~
Suddenly tendrils of liquid shot out of the water next to me, striking the moose and knocking it on its side. Afraid, it scrambled to its feet and fled.
I looked around and saw the big brother in the clearing I had entered from. He ran over to me and checked me to make sure I was fine. Once he decided I was, he picked me up and made my way back to our makeshift home. He talked all the way there, way more than usual. Upon arriving, I understood why.
In Front of the enclosure were three people. Two really beautiful Ladies and one short kid. The big brother waved with his free hand and began to jog over to them.
Later that day :
Big brother had spent a lot of time talking with the new people. Hours even. It was really really boring. Since I had nothing better to do, I decided that I'd just close my eyes and think. My mind was really a mess. I had so many different memories of different people and places that I didn't know what to make of them. I even felt like I had seen two of the people who were here with us before, but I just couldn't place it. Everything was extremely hazy and Any time I tried to really think about something, I'd seemingly get a fever.
The group continued talking until the older woman leaned down and smiled at me while petting my hair. She was saying some things but as usual, I couldn't understand her. She looked back at the big brother and tilted her head to the door. Everyone suddenly got up and exited. The older woman then leaned in and placed her hands underneath my arms, picking me up. We walked outside the enclosure and directly in front of it was this great big portal that I just hurt my head to look at. The woman holding me chuckled a bit and placed her hand on my head. She said something and pulled her hand slowly away and I found that I could barely look at the portal thing. One by one, everyone walked into the portal until it was just me and the woman holding me. She said something again and smiled at me before carrying me through.
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"So this is where he has been staying." Oberon said as he examined the moderately sized hut made of wood on the side of the tree.
"Not bad considering he has never been good with manipulating things with mana this dense. Perhaps I should reward him!"
Tryamon slapped him in the back of the head as he suggested that.
"We're here because your student acted recklessly and put himself in considerable danger! The last thing you'll be doing is rewarding him!"
Oberon stuck his tongue out and rubbed the back of his head as he walked away from the hut.
"Now all we've got to do is find that little ass."
"You should be kinder with your words, he is just like you after all." Tryamon said as she shrugged her shoulders and began to walk down the tree branch.
"Let's catch up, Isaea is already taking the lead. We can't very well let that continue."
"Right enough! I'll go on ahead and search on my own."
Oberon took out a large walking cane and tapped it on the ground. The ground beneath him became like liquid as it began to carry him down into the branch itself.
"Be careful you mad hatter!" Tryamon shouted at him as he wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"Weird as ever. I wonder why I ever slept with him in the first place." She remarked to herself as she jogged down the branch after Isaea.
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Poppy was sitting at the watering hole with the animals, meditating. During the incident, he transformed into his true self in order to survive the fall. While this did ensure that happened, he formed hairline cracks in his body from the impact. He needed to allow for his body to connect itself again by sitting completely still in a place full of natural energy. Elsewise he could suffer far more serious consequences. The least of which would be the destruction of his mana circuits.
This time of meditation was doubly effective for him though. He needed time to digest all the things he had learned about the small horned girl he had been taking care of.
First things first, she seemed to not be able to understand his speech, which was a problem. Fortunately for him, she had been very obedient when he had attempted to administer aid to her. If not, he would have had a much more difficult time since he was not versed in taking care of children. She was strange even for a child though. Oftentimes she always seemed to have this glimmer of intelligence in her eye while other times she seemed to be 'normal'. She also frequently had nightmares and terror attacks that manifested in sudden and high fevers. He also discovered a burn mark covered in black ink on the outside of her left bicep. The only thing he could think of was that she was tortured from birth. It wasn't out of the question considering his interaction with the mysterious one over the intercom. Nobody would toss a one-year-old child so casually like that if they truly cared for them.
Perhaps the most curious things that he observed were her eyes and horns. He had seen much of the world on his travels with his master, but he had only ever heard tales of horned folk in the lands far to the sound of the abyss, beyond the plane of no return. She must be from there. Her eyes were also disturbing as well. The Irises contorted into new patterns frequently. He had no idea why, but what he did know was that they were densely packed with Mana. Not just her eyes, her entire body appeared as if it was draining the mana around her. This gravely concerned him as That much Mana concentration would be deadly for any other creature he knew, even him. As he understood it, Creatures of flesh and blood that were made of the soul required both Natural energy and Mana in order to function. The only exception to the rule being fairies as they were beings composed and birthed into existence by Natural energy exclusively. This is why he had mana circuits etched into his true form. They allowed fairies the ability to channel mana which would otherwise be inaccessible to them.
Once he gets back to the Abyss, he'll petition the arch magus and his master to take the girl in. She needed to be studied, but also by people who wouldn't treat her as a simple lab rat to be experimented on.
Poppy nodded his head and exhaled, opening his eyes. Much to his surprise, a face lay nestled just above the water's edge, staring at him with a wide grin. Poppy furrowed his brow and looked down with worry.
"Master? What… are you doing?"
"I was just watching you meditate. I may be a legendary fool, but it would simply be going too far to interrupt a fairy that was healing themselves."
Poppy chuckled and rubbed his right knee.
"That is surprisingly lucid of you Master!"
Suddenly, Oberon shot out of the water and landed on top of Poppy's head balancing on his index finger.
"Hey! Don't you start with me! I've already gotten enough bull from Trya to last a few lifetimes."
Poppy looked up and inquired.
"The arch magus is here?"
~That made sense. Otherwise, it'd be improbable for his master to have found him this quick.~
"She is. We teleported here after she saw you on her Gyrosphere. You had better make sure you thank her. Teleportation is not a spell to be used casually. She nearly exhausted her mana circuits just traveling all the way here!"
"I understand master. That's probably why you arrived this early though. Otherwise, the potential time differential could have been much larger."
Oberon began to walk his fingers along the top of Poppy's head, stretching out his body every which way as she balanced.
"That is exactly right, my foolish apprentice. Perhaps you have taken your studies more seriously."
Poppy nervously laughed.
"Well actually, I've been relying a lot on my partner to help me with that. Honestly, if it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't even be a junior magus."
Oberon smiled and hopped off Poppy's head, standing behind him.
"This is nothing to be ashamed of. A strong man can only become stronger with the companionship of the opposite gender! Two sides of the same coin that make one whole!"
Oberon shouted as he danced like a professional skater over the pond.
Poppy blushed at Oberon's words and stammered.
"I-It's nothing like that!"
"Oh?"
Poppy turned around and saw Isaea who had entered the waterhole from the entrance leading back to the hut.
"Isaea!" He shouted with genuine joy. He had been worried about her since she disappeared that day. He got up and ran over to her with open arms.
~He's gonna tackle hug me isn't he... ~ She thought to herself.
~I could dodge, but I would feel bad. He has been out here by himself the entire time.~
Isaea held her bicep with one hand and stood there, fully prepared to take his embrace.
"Not so fast you stupid boy."
Tryamon appeared behind him and grabbed him by his collar, pulling him out of his sprint.
"Gagh!"
"You had better get down on your knees and apologize to Isaea. What you did was completely reckless and the height of stupidity!" She yelled as she kicked him behind his knees.
Poppy fell down on his knees and lowered his head down to the ground.
"I'm sorry Arch Magus! I'll never do something as stupid as that again!"
Tryamon once again kicked him, this time in the butt.
"I believe I told you to apologize to Isaea! Not me!"
"You're right! Isaea! I'm sorry!"
Isaea blushed as she received this warped apology.
"I-It's okay. I know you didn't mean to endanger us."
Tryamon huffed and began to walk back up to the hut. Oberon somersaulted off the water and landed next to Tryamon, walking up with her.
"Tch. Why am I the one disciplining YOUR student?"
"Hehe. Well you're scarier than me Trya ♥ "
"Hmph."
Isaea walked forward and helped Poppy stand up. They walked in an awkward silence up the hill, with her arm wrapped around his.
They all eventually made it back to the hut. There, Tryamon was preparing to cast teleportation once again.
Oberon, who was leaning on the hut, shouted out as loud as he could
"All aboard who are going abroad! Next stop is the Tower in the Abyss!"
Poppy held his hands up.
"Wait a minute. During the incident, I met this small horned girl that I've been taking care of."
Both Oberon and Tryamon raised their eyebrows and spoke in unison
"Is that so?"
"Yes, she should be asleep inside…" He stopped as he leaned into the doorway and found the hut empty. Poppy shot out of the doorway and began to look around, frantically.
~She is in serious danger. She's too young to be unsupervised!~
Poppy sprinted back down the hill as fast as he could manage with his injuries.
"Where are you going?!" Isaea shouted as after him
"Just wait for me here!"
~She can only be at the watering hole!~
Poppy made it to the watering hole in under a minute and just in time. The horned girl was about to be speared by the antlers of an Expanse moose. Poppy outstretched his arms and whipped them upward, forcing the water next to the girl to impact the Moose with the power of a cannon.
~I made it in time…!~ he thought to himself as he ran over to check the girl for injuries.
"You're really lucky little one." He said as he saw no injuries and picked her up.
"It's time for us to go home."
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Tryamon and Oberon both stared with great curiosity at the small horned girl in Poppy's arms. They both had only ever met horned humanoids once a long time ago when they attempted to explore beyond the plane of no return. That was centuries upon centuries ago.
Tryamon took the chance to ask for a debrief of the entire situation.
Poppy set the horned girl down at the entrance of the hut.
"Let's talk inside." Poppy said.
One debrief later.
"I see…"
Tryamon was tenderly patting the small girl's head as she pondered over what had been said during the conversation. She had too many possibilities in her head to work on the fly right now. She gestured to the door with a head nod.
"We're leaving. Everyone outside."
Tryamon placed her hands underneath the small girl's arms and picked her up. Together they walked out of the hut.
A half-minute later, She casted the teleportation incantation. Expecting that Trya would be winded after the cast, Oberon went to catch her, but nothing happened.
~I don't feel weakened…? How?~
She placed her hand over her eyes and made it so she could visibly see mana.
~My circuits didn't get activated…?~
She then noticed that the horned girl was positively saturated with mana, so much so that she should have been dead a thousand times over by now. She observed that the girl was having a hard time looking at the portal and attempted something.
Tryamon placed her hand on the child's head, in between her horns, and withdrew half the mana concentration that was pooled in her eyes. To her delight and wonder, the child blinked and clearly looked at the portal if only just for a bit.
"Fascinating. Let us go, little one" she said as she walked through the portal