" Um... Mr. Amon? Are you okay? You're hyperventilating right now."
The little deer, Shayna asked as she waves a hand over Amon's eyes trying to get his attention off the candy and back onto her.
" *Sharp inhale* *coughs* I'm okay..."
Amon wheezed out, feeling a little light-headed.
" So... You're telling me... I can have this. "
Amon pointed at the bag of all different kinds of treats that he had never even seen before. The little deer nodded.
" Yeah! It's all yours."
Shayna chimed as she wondered why Mr. Amon was so shocked over candy.
" Ok, let's not lose our heads here. Half you'll need to pay the Mimic to get you home safely the rest you should give back to your friends. No one person should have this much candy."
Amon immediately decided, knowing that if Philomel saw the candy she might know it was actually much worse than Darzirak dragging Little One through the dark mines. She might even figure out that Darzirak brought Shayna along. Amon already knew he was knee-deep in trouble for Little One just being here. If she ever were to find out the truth, Amon knew he could start planning his funeral.
" You sure?"
Shayna tilted her head.
" Extremely sure. Please make it home safely. When this is all over. I promise I'll bring your baby brother back."
Amon promised as he pats her head. Shayna frowned at Amon's. After all, she had done, Amon still won't take Little One but she did find some consolation in Little One being with Amon for slightly longer.
"If we survive these mines."
Amon couldn't help but let the thought cross his mind.
" Darzirak, I'm counting on you."
Amon patted the demon on its shoulder.
" No problem, apartment! Come on kids! The Darzirak Express is leaving."
Shayna stood up, glancing over her shoulder one last time at Mr. Amon and Little One before running back to them and giving them a hug.
" I wish you every happiness, Little brother."
Her voice broke as she whispered to Little One and kissed his chubby cheek.
" I'm holding you up to that promise Mr. Amon. Come back soon."
She grinned before giving Amon a kiss on his cheek and running to catch up with Darzirak and Richard, the whole way she was waving bye to them. Amon found himself speechless as he sat there touching his cheek before a smile grew on his face. He then noticed that it was suddenly very quiet and realized that Little One had stopped fussing completely.
" You too huh? Must be nice to be a father."
Amon questioned as he tries to hold Little One at arm's length but the little baby had other plans and held Amon's neck tighter.
" Oh... I see you're no longer a non-stick baby."
Amon joked with a small laugh as Little One climbed up Amon's shoulder and onto his head. Before Amon could do anything Little One had his little legs wrapped around the back of Amon's neck and his little hands around Amon's forehead.
" Planning on being a little monkey? You know I can't see you like that. "
Amon reminded as he touched Little One's arm.
" Hehhhhhhhhhh."
Little One mumbled as he nuzzles against the back of Amon's head. Amon immediately moves his hand away, since it sounded like Little One was about to cry.
" Ok, ok. That's your zone. No problem. When you're tired of holding on like that just let me know... if you can? Maybe climb back down or in some other way? Hmm... You might not even know what I'm saying... I'll just keep an eye on you. I have eyes on the back of my head, so don't worry. "
Amon reassures as he rubs Little One's back and since Little One was right next to his own head. It felt more like he was patting himself but not touching his head which felt weird to him.
" Hey, Among."
Philomel called out as she finally came back from the nearby dead-end tunnel. Her eyes were focused downward on her dress as she did some minor adjustments. Amon's eyes immediately widen before slowly looking at her from the corner of his eyes. Too scared to turn his head to face her, already knowing what was about to come.
" Let's get a move on, this place is starting to get a little.... "
Philomel trails off as she finally glances at Amon and noticed that something was stuck on the back of his head.
" Ai! "
Little chimed and turned to look at Philomel as soon as he recognized her voice. His little hand reaches out to her, happy to see her as well and slightly relieved that finding Amon meant finding Philomel as well.
" Aaaaaaaaaaaa... "
Philomel lost for words could only gasp and point at Little One in utter shock as her mind kept pulling up error signs rather than comprehending what she was seeing. Little One squeals in delight thinking Philomel was as happy to see him as he did her.
" Uhhh... Oh, Little One, how did you get here? When you are supposed to be back at the village. What a surprise that he suddenly appeared out of thin air... Wonder what could have done this... but we are really glad to see you're doing well... Right, Mel? *Awkwardly laughter*."
Amon did his best to feign ignorance. In one quick movement, Philomel grabbed Little One from Amon. Little One was suddenly more than glad to let go of Amon. Philomel held the baby in both arms at arm's length above Amon as she started glaring down at him.
" Among, You have 30 seconds to explain and it better be good before I stomp the life out of you. "
Philomel growled out as Little One grabs ahold of Philomel's right hand, nuzzling against it as he cling onto her hand like a koala bear to a tree branch.
" Darzirak thought it would be a funny prank to bring Little One back to us...?"
Amon awkwardly shrugs as he lies through his teeth. Afraid that if Philomel knew this whole time he wanted to see Little One which was why Darzirak brought Little One back, she would probably do much worse than murder him.
" You Little Wessel!! You planned this with that bloody snake of a demon, didn't you?! You ordered Darzirak to bring him back, didn't you?!! You !!"
Philomel accused as she kicks Amon hard at the side of his body, making him fall to the ground. As soon as he was laying on his side below her, she started aiming for his stomach, kicking him at a quarter of her full strength. Making sure that it hurt but doesn't do anything more than stinging muscle pain for a few minutes. She growled out about to say a bad word but then remembered that she was holding Little One. Little One stared between Philomel and Amon in shock, trying to understand why an angry Philomel makes Amon so scared.
" Rat!!! Where the hell is he?!! Darzirak you better get your sorry ass out here right now before I kick your apartment to death!! Where is he?!!! Tell me which part he lives or I'll beat the shit out of you at every inch of that Wessel body of yours!!"
Philomel growled. The whole time Amon had curled up into a ball, protecting his stomach with his arms.
" WAIT! WAIT! Please wait!! Hear me out first!! "
Amon pleaded as he tries to get her to listen for a moment. Philomel finally stopped kicking him, huffing out a tired breath, and was stopping due to exhaustion rather than Amon's pleas.
" First of all Darzirak isn't here, he used up all his magic hiding Little One that he has returned to hell to replenish his magic. He lives in my hand but he isn't at home now. See you can tell because the tip of my nail is white, not black, see."
Amon lies as he twisted some truth and shows Philomel his right hand. Philomel frowns since the torch that was laying on the ground a distance away from them wasn't the best light source and couldn't really see if Amon was telling the truth. But at that point, it didn't matter, she was less angry and more focused on figuring out what happened.
" Seriously, how could this have happened?! I was only gone for like maybe 5 minutes! How is it even possible that I missed the whole thing?! I was just no more than 6 feet away and I didn't even hear anything!"
Philomel huffed as she held Little One against her chest, cradling him in her arms.
"5 minutes?... but it felt to me like maybe 30 minutes... How is this possible? Unless..."
Amon's eyes snap to the ball of blue yarn that Darzirak had buried a distance away from him. He soon realized that he was in a different time zone from Philomel when Shayna came with her friend. Heck! Probably when Shayna was coming closer he was already being rippled into a different time zone. This might explain why Philomel didn't hear anything when Darzirak came. Which meant Shayna and her friend heard his and Darzirak's whole conversation before finding the right tunnel and joining them.
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