Walking side by side, Cacophony and I were at the entrance of Dragon Mojo. We'd just returned from checking in the passed-out man we'd found in the alleyway. The man who'd been attacked by Layla the fortune-teller, and fallen angel. Not that I fully understood her situation in the slightest.
"So... Do you think he'll end up alright?", I asked quietly. My voice was that of a whisper, it was the only tone that I could muster up the courage to speak. It was downright disrespectful for me to speak in a higher tone. After all, I couldn't even muster up a single sound when confronted with the words of the person who'd put him in that state.
Cacophony's face didn't show even the tiniest sign of empathy toward the man in question. If anything, she seemed to be completely over the entire situation.
"The doctor said that he'd most likely wake up soon. If that's the case then there's nothing to worry about. Still, I have to admit that the 'hospitals' that you have today are extremely impressive! All of those machines looked so advanced and to top it off it seemed that their management was airtight!"
"A place like that can't really be considered a hospital. Those are way bigger. At best, an Urgent Care could only be considered a step-down. Still, even hospitals are a downgrade when compared to what they have in the Demon World. I mean, I'd consider them to be Mega-Hospitals. That's even with taking my kingly humbleness into account!", I quickly shot back.
With a slight smile, Cacophony joyously responded to my outrageous fiction, "If that is the case, why don't we take a quick venture into the Demon Realm to check? Surely there are other marvels there just waiting to be uncovered."
As I reached for the door of the Dragon Mojo entrance, it swung open. Instantly, my body tensed up as I saw who was on the other side.
Stepping outside was Farra and Meiying, a pair that I didn't want to interact with any further.
As they stepped forward, I couldn't help but take note of their contrasting moods. Every step Farra took was filled with the gleeful stupor of someone who was clearly over the moon to be done with their work for the day. She was so light on her feet that she seemed to glide and her humming brought a soft melody into the open air. On the other hand, Meiying wasn't so happy. She bore the weariness of someone who'd been forced to endure one too many annoyances.
Instantly, Meiying's scornful eyes caught my own.
"Oh, just great. It's you two," she said flatly, folding her arms.
As I looked down at her, I got a funny feeling in my chest. While it was clear that she was attempting to look tough, she—
"How cute! You're like one of those angry little dogs. I've always thought of getting one. Personally, I'd name mine Cerberus and make him the guard to my house, but when it comes to you—"
"Enough!" Meiying snapped, cutting me off before I could finish. Her cheeks flushed a rosy red, but her scornful glare only intensified. "You're lucky I don't have the time or patience to deal with whatever nonsense is brewing in your head."
Farra, ever the contrast to her partner, grinned as she stepped forward. "Now, now, don't scare the poor boy. Look at him—he's already trembling in fear of your wrath." Her teasing tone only seemed to irk Meiying further, but Farra didn't stop there. Her gaze shifted to Cacophony, and she gave the vampire a mock salute. "It was a pleasure to meet you miss Cacophony. From our short chat, I could tell that you were an intelligent woman and one that I'd be interested in learning more from later. Now, both my niece and I will be taking our leave. Oh, also if it's not too much to ask, Veri would you please be kind to my niece the next time we meet? I understand that she can be a bit much, but please do me this favor."
In response, I gave a bow, "When one of the lower-class peons asks for something with such grace, I have no choice but to respond in kind. I shall graciously accept this offering. The next time we meet, your niece and I will be on good terms."
Meiying looked annoyed but didn't say anything. The pair then began to walk away. It was only as I'd walked into Dragon Mojo and was about to shut the door that she yelled something.
"Hey! I've got guts too, don't think you're so special. Next time, I'll definitely show you!"
Without the needed context, I wasn't completely sure of what had her so worked up. Either way, I really hoped in my heart that we'd never meet again. In fact, I hope that I never meet another member of the Magic Order.
We stepped inside Dragon Mojo, the somewhat familiar scent of spices, tea, and something vaguely magical hitting me instantly. The dojo's style was as lively as ever, with its usual mishmash of decorations—dragon statues, glowing runes, and posters that looked like they belonged in a thrift store. But my attention quickly shifted to Tiana, Kana, and Fang.
The three of them were lounging near the sparring mats, all dressed in the dojo's crisp white gi. Kana was sprawled out, her neat black bangs framing her face as she leaned back on her elbows, looking like she had no care in the world. She had her red headphones on and was clearly listening to music.
Tiana, on the other hand, was perched nearby, her legs crossed primly as she twirled a strand of her short grey hair. Her expression was one of barely contained excitement like she was just waiting for her turn to jump into the conversation.
Fang, however, was sitting cross-legged on the mat, his head bowed and his azure-blue hair messily framing his face. He looked… rough. His usually polished demeanor was replaced with a tired slump, and his gi was crumpled as if he hadn't bothered to straighten it out.
Kana was the first to notice us. She gave a lazy wave and grinned. "Well, well, if it isn't His Majesty? I was wondering where the two of you had disappeared off too. A short lover's respite?"
Cacophony laughed after hearing Kana's words. "I wish it was something so interesting, but it was a far less graceful event. We only met with an Angel."
All three of them completely stopped in their tracks. Each one seemed to be frozen for a moment.
"What is this? The moment that I team up with you guys all these crazy things happen. Is this heavenly punishment?", Fang meekly remarked.
Tiana entered the conversation, "I think I'd be interested in hearing the rest of this story! Could you please continue?!"
Kana interjected before Tiana could say another word. "I have to agree. You can't just leave off at a spot like that."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I'd be glad to tell you all of my tales of grandeur later, I promise. Fang, before we get into it, what happened to you? You look like you just walked into the floor boss's lair without properly leveling up any of your gear."
Fang shook his head and gave a small, self-deprecating laugh. "It's a long story," he muttered, keeping his eyes on the floor. "Let's just say I ran into... complications."
"Complications?", I repeated, but before I could continue Cacophony clapped her hands and cleared her throat.
Cacophony took a step forward, cutting me off with an air of authority that made it clear she was about to take control of the conversation. She grabbed all of our attention as she spoke, "Why don't we save the detailed stories for later?" she suggested, a sly smile playing on her lips. "I have a far better idea. Let's discuss everything over food and drinks at Veri's place."
At her declaration, everyone seemed to perk up. Kana pulled her headphones down, her eyes lighting up. "Food and drinks, huh? That doesn't sound too bad. I've worked up a bit of an appetite from winning so much today."
Tiana clasped her hands together, practically sparkling with enthusiasm. "Yes, yes! A proper debriefing over a bountiful feast sounds positively delightful!"
Even Fang looked to be filled with a tinge of happiness over the idea.
"Wait, wait, wait!" I waved my hands, trying to stop the growing momentum of this terrible plan. "Hold on. My place is... uh... not exactly equipped for hosting. I don't have any food or drinks to offer! As things stand I'm living a very modest life in order to hide away from the Angelic Union! I've got no ingredients. Like, none at all!"
"Of course, I know that already.", Cacophony scoffed, "Despite saying over and over again that you'll buy some, you've yet to do so. That's one of the reasons that this is such a great opportunity!"
"Kill two birds with one stone, huh?"
Cacophony's face darkened and she suddenly had an extremely worried expression, "No not at all! Why would you propose something so gruesome?!"
"Hold on wait. Listen that's just a common saying nowadays!"
Kana raised an eyebrow. "You sound fluent in English, but is it a second language? I mean how could you not know that?"
Fang replied, "That's a whole situation itself. It's actually the reason I came to visit today."
"Then it's simple," Kana said with a shrug. "We've got a bunch to talk about so we'll have a little feast and get everything settled. There's a Publix within walking distance. We'll just stop by and grab whatever we need."
"You guys are seriously just steamrolling me here," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. But it was clear that I had already lost.
Without delay, Fang, Kana, Tiana, and I went into the changing rooms and switched into our school uniforms. As we were changing Fang asked me a question.
"So, what's a Publix?"
For a moment, I kind of stared at him. That's when I remembered a crucial fact. There aren't any Publixes outside the southern United States.
"I guess you really are an immigrant."
"The hell's that mean? Go back to your weird medieval fantasy. I prefer that over whatever this is supposed to be."
"I didn't mean it in a demeaning kind of way. It's just that shopping at Publix is a vital part of southern culture! Even if the prices are completely outrageous and unreasonable, you can't help going back to get ripped off again!"
"You make it sound horrible."
Once we were all done, we met up in the front lobby once again. This time, Master William was there waiting for us.
"If any of you wish to get stronger, please feel free to visit us again."
All of us bowed as he spoke, once he was finished we took our leave.
As we stepped outside, the warm evening air greeted us like an old friend. The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows over the city streets. It shimmered up in the sky like fresh morning dew. Elegantly, it bathed the city in a myriad of beautiful orange colors. With every step, the group's chatter filled the air, a blend of teasing, curiosity, and reluctant camaraderie. The day's events lingered in my mind—a fallen angel, a strange man in the alley, and now an impromptu trip to Publix of all places. I couldn't help but feel like I was walking a tightrope, balancing between two worlds I barely understood. Yet, as Kana and Tiana bickered over what snacks to buy, Fang checked up on his two familiars, and Cacophony quietly muttered something about "modern absurdities," I realized one thing: even in the chaos, this odd group felt more like home than I ever expected.
I wish I could end this off on such a perfect note, but really there is one more thing I have to mention.
My stomach is totally going haywire! I'm starving much more than I expected!