Noelle walked into the next room with gusto, an excited grin on her face. They had finished the last puzzle with the houses, and moved onto the next one.
Kris followed after her, messing with her phone. He snorted, looking at the assortment of games. "You play mobile games?" He asked, and she looked back at him, blushing.
"They're good time wasters…I don't always want to play on my GameKid." She defended, making him hum. He opened the least interesting one he could find, being a small triangular shape with soft corners that smiled at him.
"Okay-what the actual hell is this?" He asked, and Noelle walked over to him, giggling.
"Mess around with it, have fun!" She told him, before focusing on the puzzle consisting of multiple long pathways floating in the acid that connected with each other with two chests and two gray houses at the end of the four platforms.
There was also one of the Maus doors, one that Noelle noticed. She bit her lip nervously, looking away. There were a few red houses in front of her that when pressed, would change some platforms.
"Haha, he's driving a car!" Kris commented, fully enthralled in the mobile game he had just been making fun of her for playing. She snickered, looking back at the puzzle.
Of course…there was a button to open the Maus door. She knew what she had to do. Pressing the button, she tensed as three Maice rushed out of the door, traversing the puzzle and turning at every platform they encountered.
The Maice ended up at a chest, opening it and taking 25 Dark Dollars, before vanishing to Castle Town. Noelle stuck her tongue out, altering the puzzle.
"Damn, you have Angry Birds on this thing!?" Kris asked, and Noelle nodded absently, pressing the button again. She watched the Maice traverse the puzzle, listening to their little squeaks as they ran.
This time, they ran into a gray house, turning it red. Noelle heard platforms shift behind her, and both her and Kris turned to see that half of a bridge had been raised. The other gray house was the target now.
"The mighty eagle!" Kris shouted, making Noelle flinch.
"Wait-no! I'm hoarding those!" She yelped, and Kris showed her the phone just as a giant silhouette of an eagle flew by, destroying the entire landscape. "Kriiiiis!" She groaned, earning a cackle. Little gremlin.
"Let's see what other games you have." He said, perusing her apps. Noelle pouted, looking back at the puzzle and rearranging the platforms.
"Oh. My. God." Kris gasped, making Noelle divert her attention. Kris showed her the screen, pointing at the legendary app.
"You have flappy bird!?"
Noelle smirked, crossing her arms.
"You underestimate, Kris. I downloaded it before it was removed. That game has been on my phone for nearly ten years." She bragged.
Kris looked at the app as if it were a treasure.
"I've…never played it." He mumbled out, making Noelle gasp.
"What!? Play it! Oh-this is gonna be good!" She giggled, finishing the puzzle. Suddenly, Kris paused, hearing a high pitched grunt.
Lancer then leapt out of his pocket, performing a gorgeous display of flips, before landing flat on his face with a loud splat. He laughed happily, standing up and spinning.
"Aw yeah! Lancer!" He yelled, before looking around. "I've been conveniently asleep this entire time! Ooh, what a powernap! Hey there Noelle! Blue person whose name I know! Ooh, what's that thing!?" He asked, pointing at Noelle's phone.
Noelle hummed, snatching it from Kris, who pouted. "It's my phone! Would you like to try it?" She asked sweetly.
"B-But…" Kris mumbled.
"Oh, hush! Let Lancer have a turn." Noelle replied smirking at him.
Lancer hesitantly grabbed it, holding it carefully. He may have been an energetic kid, but he would feel terrible if he broke one of Noelle's things. "What do I do now?" He asked, tilting it in his hand.
Kris crouched behind him, while Noelle sat on her knees. The former pointed at the screen, where a small bird floated. "All you have to do is tap the screen. It's a game. Tap the screen to flap the bird's wings, and don't let the bird touch anything or you have to restart." Kris explained.
Lancer paused, before grinning. "Okay!" He laughed, tapping the screen a bunch of times and making the bird fly into the ceiling, immediately getting a game over. "Aw yeah! I won!" He cheered.
Noelle giggled, covering her hand with her mouth. "Not quite! You have to make sure the bird doesn't touch anything. No pipes, no floor, and no ceiling." She explained. Lancer nodded, smiling at the screen. He tried again, tapping the screen just enough to not touch the ground.
The first pipe came up, and Lancer noticed the large gap in it. "Ooooohhhhhhh. I get it now!" He said, perfectly passing the pipe. Noelle blinked in surprise, watching Lancer immediately master flappy bird, now playing the game without a single mistake.
"Hehe! This is fun!" He giggled. Kris hummed, getting to his feet.
"Well, we should continue. C'mon, Noelle. Lancer, you should follow outside my pocket for a bit. Explore with us and stuff." Kris offered.
Noelle grinned, getting to her feet as well. "Great idea, Kris! Lancer, we've never really explored anywhere with you, huh?" Noelle then asked, making Lancer pause.
"Gee willikers! You're right! Well c'mon, fun gang!" He laughed, sliding behind Noelle. She smiled at him, holding her hand out and allowing him to give her a high five.
He slapped her hand with his, laughing loudly. The noise made a cartoonish splat noise, and Noelle checked her hand after. There was nothing there…did Lancer just naturally make that noise?
"Hey, Lancer." Kris started curiously. The boy looked at him, still perfectly playing the game despite not even looking at it. "Where do those…noises keep coming from?" He asked.
Lancer blinked, before he opened his mouth.
SPLAT!
The noise came from his mouth like it was natural, before Lancer slapped his own belly.
SPLAT!
Lancer then stopped sliding forward, taking a step instead.
SPLAT!
"Everything I do makes that noise! Why do you think I learned to slide everywhere?" He asked, earning a nod from Kris.
"Ah. Well, at least the noise is funny." Kris mumbled, making Lancer laugh.
"That's what I said too!" He said, looking back down at the screen.
Eventually, they made it across the bridge of platforms, coming across another tiny patch of land. There was a lever in front of them, along with a stone hand just like the one that had been blocking their path.
Kris pulled the lever, and another stone hand rose from the acid, now floating just across from the other one.
They both twitched, and Kris instinctively stepped in front of Noelle, holding his shield out.
However, the two hands simply high fived, before descending again. They heard something shift, and another set of platforms appeared behind them, leading back to the beginning of this pit stop.
"That hand should be out of the way now." Kris mumbled, making Noelle smile.
"Great! I'm kind of itching to get out of here…I got used to the smell a bit ago, but…all these acid fumes can't be good for our skin, right?" She asked.
Kris shivered at the thought, walking faster.
"I'm probably immune. I'm immune to most things!" Lancer added, taking a scoopful of battery acid and drinking it from his palm. "Yummy!" He cheered. Kris and Noelle stared at him, concerned.
"What? Mom drinks it all the time! She says it's all age appropriate." Lancer told them.
Noelle froze, with Kris flinching beside her. "QUEEN'S YOUR MOM!?" They both yelled, and Lancer gave them a peace sign.
"Yeah! King is my dad, Queen is my mom!" He explained. Kris paused, humming to himself.
"Huh. That…actually makes sense…so Queen and King…" he trailed off, cringing. "Oh, that poor woman…" he murmured. Noelle slapped him on the forearm, and he winced. "Ow…" he grumbled.
"What Kris meant to say is that your mother is very fun and charming, Lancer." She corrected, shooting Kris a warning glare, making him flinch.
"Y-Yeah! Your mom is super-uh cool and stuff!" Kris forced out, earning a nod of her head from Noelle.
"Thanks guys! I'll make sure to tell my dad you think that. Maybe he'll finally let me see her again!" He laughed.
Noelle frowned, while Kris stiffened. He adopted his emotionless mask, something that Noelle noticed. "We should go." He said, and while he tried to disguise it as normal, Noelle could hear the anger in his voice.
"Kris?" She asked, before biting her lip, glancing back at Lancer. Kris didn't turn to face her, but he did stop. "I…nevermind. W-We'll talk later." She whispered, before suddenly grabbing his hand, squeezing it tightly. Lancer blinked, looking between the two, but didn't say anything.
The three continued down the second bridge, making it back to the start of the area. The swan boat was still there thank goodness, and the hand was gone. Kris didn't say anything as he boarded the boat, his mind clearly elsewhere.
Noelle stared at him in concern, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb. He didn't react whatsoever, completely lost in whatever daydream he was in.
Based on how hard he was squeeze her hand…it wasn't a good one.
Noelle glanced back at Lancer, who was occupied with the game. She took a silent step towards Kris, close enough to whisper in his ear. "Kris?" She whispered.
The boy barely moved. "What are…you thinking about?" She asked hesitantly. She didn't want to hurt him, she would hate herself if she made Kris upset by prodding, but she wanted him to feel better. Even if it was something small. She wanted to help him.
"...s' nothin'." He mumbled, failing to hide the emotion that plagued his voice. Noelle frowned, tightening her grip on his hand.
"Y-You don't…have to explain to me…but please? Please, Kris?" She begged. Kris faltered, shaking in place for a second. For that brief moment of vulnerability, the second that he let his guard down, his eyes flooded with tears.
"I-I…no. I c-can't. I don't w-want to…face those memories." He whispered. "I d-don't want to feel those feelings…" he whimpered.
Noelle frowned sadly, closing her eyes and beginning to run her hands through his hair. Her fingers began to glide through his long hair, combing through it with relative ease. It soothed Kris a little bit, just enough for him to speak a little more clearly.
"I…I miss my dad, Noelle." He whispered. A pang of sympathy rang true in Noelle. She knew how it felt. To miss someone. To miss everyone.
"I-I see him once a week, but…it's…it's not him. He's not…he's barely himself anymore." He whispered. "Any time he smiles, all I can see is hurt. I-It's like looking at me…brings bad memories." He whimpered out, tearing up again.
Noelle bit her lip as she felt her own eyes moisten slightly, doubling her efforts. She added another hand to his hair, combing through it gently.
"The best part?" Kris started again, before a humorless chuckle bubbled up from his mouth. "Mom's the same way. All she does is smile and laugh. I haven't seen her get upset in years." He grit out, his sadness making way for anger.
"She doesn't even care anymore. It's all appearances. She might love me, but when Asriel comes home…maybe she'll give enough of a shit to actually show herself." He growled. Noelle was silent, and Kris continued.
"Mom doesn't even look at Dad anymore. Any time I bring flowers over, she scolds me for even seeing him, then tosses them in the trash. She-she just throws them away! She throws them away like she didn't have children with him! Nearly two decades of memories-and she…she just…"
Kris faltered, crying now. His mouth was set in a snarl, and his hands were clenched. He looked so angry, yet so, so sad. It broke Noelle's heart.
"Threw us away." He whispered. Noelle sniffled softly, embracing Kris from behind. He chuckled again, the sound wet and broken.
"Dad's gotten so much worse, Noelle. He was already…he…god-he's stalking her now. He refers to her as his wife…he can't move on. I don't want him to move on, but…he-he…this isn't the way." He continued.
"A-And Mom, with her…she pretends like she just doesn't care. She always tenses at his name-acting like he…like he hurt her! Why? Why?" He asked, his voice breaking.
"Why can't…we just be a…a family again?" He whispered.
Silence ensued.
Noelle checked on Lancer. He was still playing on her phone.
"I know how you feel." Noelle whispered back, making him gaze at her. "Dad…tch. Dad lies to my face every time I see him. He…doesn't think I know. Maybe he thinks I'm…gullible enough to believe him? Maybe he's just…lying to himself." She began, before looking down.
"But my dad is dying, Kris. I've known it for a while…but I haven't accepted it. I-I don't think I ever will. I don't think I ever can." She continued, and it was Kris's turn to comfort her now. "I don't know why he thinks…that pretending to get better will…will make losing him…easier. It won't. It isn't." She whispered.
Kris looked down, remembering what Rudy had told him yesterday.
"I don't think I'm making it to Christmas, Kris."
He didn't say anything, but so desperately wanted to tell her. In the end, he knew it wouldn't give her what she wanted-what she needed. She deserved to hear it from the man himself, not from him.
"And my mom is…ha-where to begin?" She asked, placing her hand on her forehead, smiling sadly. "After Dess, she just…stopped caring. She spends barely any time at home, barely any time sleeping, all she does is work. She buries herself in it every day, working hours beyond what she needs to." Noelle spoke, her words growing bolder.
Her own anger rose as she continued, almost sounding betrayed. "This just might be her way of coping, I get that…but what about me? What about Dad? She just left us alone to deal with the pain of losing my sister-with Dad losing his daughter?" She asked, before she laughed in disbelief.
Kris didn't know if he had ever seen Noelle this upset at her mother. Before Dess disappeared, Noelle only ever had a few bad things to say about her mom. How she worked too hard and didn't relax enough, how she would forget to eat because of planning an event, how she was way too stern on them for little things…but she was never mad at her.
Now?
Noelle didn't just look mad.
She looked furious.
"You know…maybe Dad wouldn't be in the hospital if his wife was there to comfort him. Maybe-just maybe, Dad wouldn't be dying if she had just faced the damn facts!" Lancer had looked up now, gazing at the two.
"Maybe if she cared more about her family than her stupid job, then Dess wouldn't have…" Noelle trailed off, lowering her head.
"...I-I'm sorry. I…I got carried away." She whispered, ashamed. Kris moved instantly, cupping her chin.
"No. You've been holding that in for a while, haven't you?" He asked softly. Lancer stared at the interaction, rubbing his chin.
Noelle nodded, closing her eyes and squeezing out a couple tears. Kris wiped them away with his thumb, and she placed her hand atop his.
"I don't…I don't deserve you, Kris." She whispered, making his grip tighten ever so slightly. Anger shined in his brilliant eyes, anger for her.
"You're wrong. You deserve me…and I deserve you. You deserve all the love you…you missed out on." He whispered, leaning forwards. Despite having kissed many times now, his heart beat as if this were going to be his first.
Noelle felt the same, her lips shifting. "Well…then so do…you." She whispered back, their breaths shaky in anticipation.
They kissed softly, soft lips warping against each other. Lancer made a face, but grinned down at the phone. "Knew it." He mumbled.
Their kiss was charged with emotions, emotions that had been hidden for years. Sorrow and angst were expressed, but so were joy and love. In their pain, they found each other. A contradictory kiss.
Kris's heart pounded out of his chest as he stared at Noelle. "I love you. I want to spend my life with you." He said, making her gasp. Kris realized what had just come out of his mouth, covering it with a sharp inhale.
"I-I-"
"I'd like that." Noelle responded simply. She held his hand with a smile, face pink and eyes full of love and passion. Feelings that she felt for him-him. "Perhaps…we're a bit young to…to um…make a promise." She murmured, face getting redder.
"But…haven't we…already spent so much of our lives together?" She asked, emotion clogging her voice. "W-Would it really be so crazy to…to want to continue that?" She continued.
Kris felt like his heart was going to explode.
"I-I guess n-"
"PREPARE THYSELVES, WORMS!"
Kris and Noelle froze, with Lancer tilting his head. "Oh no." Both Kris and Noelle murmured.
Rouxls Kaard appeared in a blazing flash of light, and Noelle realized that they had reached a blockade, a large patch of land with numerous gray houses littering it. "Itst is I! Duketh of Puzzles! Rouxls Kaard! Thou worms dareth stand againstst me!?" He cried.
"...Can we just pass? Please?" Noelle asked, earning a valiant laugh from Rouxls.
"Of courseth not! Thou shall beste me inst combat whilst I ride…" He shouted, before the wooden boat he was standing on fell forward, revealing a mechanical yellow duck. "Whatevereth this thing is!"
Kris and Noelle blinked at the sight of the duck, before Lancer laughed. "Haha! That's the thrashing machine I was going to use on you guys! You turned out to be really cool though, so I decided not to use it. Lesser Dad must have swiped it!" He explained, and Kris nodded.
"We don't want to do your stupid puzzle. Let us through or we'll kick your ass." Kris warned, making Rouxls gasp.
"Such brutish behaviore! I mustn't taketh this lying down! En guarde!" he shouted.
Kris sighed as he drew his sword, glaring at Rouxls. He was really starting to dislike this guy. "I bet thou were so shockedst when I vanished from youreth inventorye!" Roulxs laughed.
"Actually, we didn't even notice." Kris corrected.
"Yeah, we kind of forgot about you, honestly." Noelle added
"We didn't forget about Lancer though. Just you." Kris said, smiling at the boy.
"Yeah, we could never forget about Lancer! Sorry Rules Card, but you're kind of…um…" Noelle trailed off.
"Boring? Annoying? Dumb? Repetitive? Loud?" Kris asked. Noelle blinked, looking away.
"Well…I mean…yeah." She mumbled.
Rouxls was silent for a few seconds, before he sighed.
"It's pronounced Rouxls Kaard…whatever. Just…do the thing with the houses. I don't care." He mumbled, dropping the accent.
Noelle winced, feeling bad, and Kris pointed forwards, brimming with satisfaction. All of the houses turned red, only for Rouxls to grin at them.
"Hahahaha! You FOOLS! Don't you know!? When all thy houses are a singular color…" Rouxls started, before he began floating, an unimaginable amount of power surrounding him. "I become a god!" He continued.
The area around them began to shake as darkness surrounded them. Kris grit his teeth nervously as Noelle held on to him, looking around, terrified. Lancer didn't even seem to notice, sticking his blue tongue out in focus as he continued his game.
Suddenly…Rouxls Kaard's entire body save for his head petrified, turning entirely into stone, surprising Kris and Noelle. However, they weren't going to take this for granted.
"...GOD-" He started, before falling on one half of the isle, landing so hard that the middle part broke off, sinking into the acid and giving them safe travel. "-DAMNIT!" He finished.
Kris waved at him with a smug smirk while Noelle winced at his stoney state. "Sorry Mr. Card!" She shouted.
"IT'S. PRONOUNCED. KAARD!" He screamed, his voice getting quieter and quieter as they left.
Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel, the swan boat stopping at the end, where the red carpet of the mansion started. "Finally, we're out of here." Noelle mumbled, and the three of them exited the boat.
Lancer laughed when he finally died, spinning in place. "Yay! I lost! I think I beat your score, Noelle!" he said, handing her phone to the smiling doe.
"Oh? Well let's see-842!?" Noelle shouted, making Kris look at the screen.
"Huh. Guess Lancer's good at games." He mumbled, inwardly impressed.
Suddenly, Lancer shivered, his body getting pale. "Oooh…I don't feel good." He mumbled, his smile gone.
Noelle gasped, dropping her phone, which luckily didn't crack. She kneeled on the ground, checking Lancer worriedly. "L-Lancer-you're freezing!" She said.
Kris lowered himself to the ground, placing a hand on Lancer's cheek, frowning at just how cold he was. "Jeez…she's right. Here, let me carry you." He spoke gently, and the Darkner grunted when Kris picked him up, giving him a piggy back ride.
"Hehe…never…been this tall before." Lancer mumbled tiredly, leaning forward. Noelle smiled at the sight, clasping her hands together.
"You're cute with kids, Kris." She giggled, and Kris blushed.
"O-Oh…thanks, Noelle!" He responded nervously, making her giggle again.
"C'mon, silly." She whispered, leading them forward.
They walked along the carpet, only making it a few feet forward before a shadow was cast above them. Noelle looked upwards, seeing large black boots heading for her and Kris.
She yelped, diving to the side, with Kris following after, making sure that Lancer wasn't jostled.
Susie, Berdly, and Ralsei landed all on their feet, the first of the three laughing loudly. "HA! That's fun as hell! I can't do that in the real world!" She shouted.
"SUSIE! BE MORE CAREFUL!" Noelle yelled, making the girl flinch. "You could have landed on Kris or I! Jeez, watch where you're falling!" She continued, making Susie subtly close in on herself.
"...My bad." She mumbled.
Berdly then spoke up, clearing his throat. "Noelle, I'm sure you could have worded that in a nicer way. I don't appreciate the way you're yelling at my friend." He said clearly.
Susie blinked, surprised, while Ralsei smiled. Noelle got to her feet, wincing as she realized she had snapped at Susie. It…wasn't that hard, knowing what she knew. "S-Sorry…just look…down next time." She corrected, and Susie nodded, silent.
Kris then stepped forward, and Ralsei frowned at the concern on his face. "Ralsei, something's wrong with Lancer. Can you help him?" She asked, and Ralsei looked at the boy, before sighing sadly.
"No…No, I…I can't." He spoke solemnly.
Susie and Berdly blinked, looking at the strange child. Who was that kid? Why did…he look so pale?
"You see…when a Darkner is gone from their fountain for too long, they…" Ralsei paused just as Lancer groaned softly, before his body solidified into stone. Kris grunted, falling to his knees as the once light boy became a literal statue.
"LANCER!" Noelle shouted, rushing over to the boy's side. She helped Kris lift him, placing him on the ground. Noelle kneeled beside the child, with Kris placing a hand to his forehead, feeling nothing but solid stone.
"...They turn to stone." Ralsei finished, closing his eyes. Noelle gasped, covering her mouth with her hands, while Kris lowered his own head, scowling to himself.
"Why…didn't you think…to tell us that SOONER!?" He shouted at Ralsei, glaring at him. The prince flinched, stepping backwards and trying to stammer out a response. "How are we going to help Lancer now!? Why the hell didn't you say something!?" He repeated, and Susie stepped in front of Ralsei, growling at Kris.
"Back off, runt. We may be working together, but Ralsei didn't do anything!" She spat, earning a scoff from Kris.
"Yeah, that's the problem! Lancer could be dead! Look at him-he's completely made out of stone!" He yelled. "What if we can't bring him back!?" He continued, voice breaking.
Noelle cried softly over Lancer, holding the still statue's hand. They were…they were just having fun-she didn't-how could this-
"K-Kris…" she whimpered, and the boy shut his mouth, immediately kneeling next to her. "Please…this-this isn't helping." She whispered. Kris lowered his head, nodding softly.
"You're…right." He mumbled. Kris then stood up, looking at everyone. "I…sorry, Ralsei. You didn't…I was just…" he murmured out, trying to explain himself.
"I understand, Kris. It's okay, really. Lancer will be fine." Ralsei told them, making Noelle sigh in relief. "Once we get him back to Castle Town, he'll be good as new. We just need to seal the fountain and bring him back!" He explained with a shaky smile.
Kris nodded silently, brewing in emotions. He was relieved to hear that Lancer was going to be okay, but he couldn't help but hold a little bit of anger at Ralsei for not telling them. Noelle then stood up, frowning softly at Ralsei and wiping her eyes.
"Kris…has a point, though. I…I thought he…" Noelle started.
Berdly then cleared his throat, diverting all attention to him. "Perhaps we should focus on this later? I…I can see Queen up ahead. She's…waiting for us." Berdly told them.
Susie smirked, walking ahead of the rest of the group, earning a sigh from Noelle. "She's just going to get herself hurt…" she grumbled, and Berdly shot her a look.
'Susie mentioned something about being familiar with Noelle's anger…could she have done something to invoke the infamous Holiday wrath?' he wondered to himself.
Noelle had never been one to mumble under her breath like that, especially about Susie. "Noelle, is there something that happened between you and Susie?" Berdly whispered, quiet enough so that only himself and Noelle would be able to hear.
Noelle flinched, staring at him in shock. Berdly frowned, already getting his answer. "I see. Well, whatever happened…please don't hold it against her. She doesn't mean what she says, she…" the boy trailed off, before sighing. "You should talk to her." He finished, and Noelle chewed on her lip.
Had she been too harsh? She said some pretty serious things to her…but someone had to. What she had done wasn't harmless. What she had said wasn't harmless.
She clenched her fists, thinking back to how scared Kris would always look whenever Susie showed up. That wasn't something that just happened.
Noelle would talk to her…but she wasn't going to be friends with her. She would work with the girl, of course…but nothing more. Looking back at Kris, she found him staring at the floor, trailing behind everyone.
She slowed her pace until she was beside him, hands clasped behind her back. "Kris?" She whispered, watching him flinch. He really was in his own head a lot, huh? "You still upset?" She asked, making him nod.
"I-I'm…not as mad, but I'm still pretty upset. I wouldn't…have taken Lancer with us if I knew he would…would turn into stone. He's just a kid." Kris whispered. Noelle frowned, looking down.
"...Well, if we know he's going to be okay, then worrying about him will only stress you out." She told him, earning a sigh.
"You're right. You usually are. I can't be distracted now, not while we're so close to sealing the fountain." He responded. Noelle beamed at him, before pressing her lips to his cheek.
He smiled, blushing softly at the contact. "Thanks, Elle." He said, before he kissed her on the cheek as well.
Noelle paused, before pecking him on the lips and trying to dash away with a giggle. However, Kris grabbed her wrist, pulling her into him. She gasped as he placed his hand behind her neck, leaning forward and kissing her deeply.
She blushed, looking over at their friends, only for his hair to cover her view.
'Oh my Angel this is romantic.' she thought to herself, wrapping her arms around his neck. She didn't even consciously do that, her body did it on its own! 'Wow, this kiss is lasting a while. Is it weird that I don't care if they're looking or not?' she thought.
It took a few seconds for Noelle to realize that her eyes had closed. And another few seconds to realize that she was biting his bottom lip. Wow, she was really into this kiss.
A cough from Berdly didn't interrupt them. Raksei cleared his throat, and Kris groaned into the kiss.
"Okay, wrap it up, you two! Jesus, you're basically eating each other!" Susie said, grabbing the two and forcing them apart.
Noelle whined childishly, while Kris touched where she had bit him, visibly more purple than before.
"Those two…" Ralsei chuckled. Berdly glanced at him, humming loudly.
"I've noticed that you…don't seem to interact with them when they're…like that." He observed, making Ralsei blush.
"O-Oh, well…I-I don't want to get in the way of their um…affections. I already felt like a third wheel during our first adventure, but now that they're…together, I think I'd rather just let them enjoy each other's company." He explained, smiling somberly.
Berdly shook his head as Susie walked past them, continuing forward. "It looks to me like they're going to continue showing their affections either way. You shouldn't be afraid to have fun with them, Ralsei." Berdly told him, following after Susie.
The prince looked down, not noticing as Kris and Noelle walked up to him. "Are you okay, Ralsei?" She asked. He blinked, looking back up at them. Kris rubbed his arm, looking to the side.
"H-Hey…I wanted to apologize again for how…harsh I was back there. I understand that you didn't mean any harm by not telling us…and I shouldn't have blamed you." Kris said, earning a happy smile from Noelle.
Ralsei beamed at him, shaking his head. "I'm sorry too. I really should have told you that was going to happen before we began our adventure." He mumbled out, a little embarrassed.
Noelle smiled at him, before she grabbed Kris's hand. "C'mon, guys! We gotta catch up! Race you two to the rest!" She shouted, bolting forward. Despite knowing he had absolutely no chances of winning, Kris ran after her, laughing all the way.
Ralsei smiled at the sight, before Noelle paused, Kris along with her. She turned to Ralsei, smiling at him. "What are you waiting for Ralsei? Come on, race us!" She yelled.
Ralsei blushed, surprised, before he nodded. "O-Oh-okay! Um…may the…best person win?" He murmured out, running after them.
Ralsei shoved his hands in his cloak, leaning forward as he sprinted. Kris blinked as the boy zoomed past him, even overtaking Noelle, who gasped.
"Woah! I didn't know he had it in him!" She laughed, before she doubled her efforts, hooves pounding into the carpeted ground beneath her.
Ralsei looked to his side to see Noelle galloping gracefully, smiling at her. "You are fast!" He complimented, and Noelle grinned back.
"So are you! You're not faster than me though!" She laughed, sweating slightly. Noelle slowly began to accelerate even further, surprising Ralsei.
Noelle finally made it to Berdly, stopping once she made it. "Whoo! I beat them! Suck it, Kris!" She celebrated.
Berdly blinked, staring at her with his mouth slightly open. Susie had a similar reaction, only she was less surprised. Ralsei was next to arrive, followed by a panting Kris.
"You guys…seem to forget that…I'm in a…suit of…armor…" he rasped out, the metal armor covering his body shuffling as if to accentuate his point.
Susie noticed that his chestplate seemed to have reformed, the Delta Rune now plastered on the front. "Hey, what's with the symbol thingy? That wasn't there before." She pointed out.
Kris looked down, placing his palm on his chestplate. "Huh. You're right. I didn't even notice it came back." He mumbled.
"Ah, the Delta Rune. A symbol of prosperity and peace! The perseverance of Monsterkind!" Berdly laughed, earning a giggle from Noelle.
"And humankind." She added.
Ralsei smiled sadly, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. 'Yet…nothing about Darkners. That's okay.' he thought to himself, the corners of his smile straining, yet it was so subtle that nobody noticed.
'I don't mind.' he lied to himself.
"Oh Hello My Lovely Idiot Children Susie Come Over Here It's Time To Enact Our Plan" Queen called, sitting in her hover throne. She drank from a glass with blue liquid this time. None of them asked what it was.
"Uh…about that." Susie began, scratching the back of her head. "I uh…totally like the plan. I really do, being a badass axe wielding bruiser freaking rocks!" She shouted, before clearing her throat.
"But…we have to go home. M-My uh…my mom is waiting for me at home." Susie mumbled out, sounding far less confident. Berdly stepped forward, smiling and bowing at Queen.
"Truly, this adventure has been wonderful. I have enjoyed nearly every second of this world…alas, we must return to our world, and if sealing the fountain is the way to do so, then it is what must be done." He added, preening his feathers.
Ralsei clasped his hands together in front of him, smiling kindly at Queen, who had lost her smile and was now staring blankly at the five of them. "Um…we have a dark world that you can stay in! Everyone will be visiting regularly too, so…we can…all have fun together there?" He tried, only to look away when Queen didn't say anything.
Noelle frowned at Queen, concerned. The woman wasn't usually quiet for this long. "Are you okay, Queen? We don't want to take your city away, but…we need to seal the fountain. It's dangerous to have it open." She explained, and Queen…frowned at them.
It was actually unnerving. Each and every one of them felt like their own mother were frowning at them.
Finally, Kris took a step forward, staring fiercely at Queen, determined. He didn't falter at her frown, not when his friends needed him.
"We need to go home, Queen. Whether or not you want us to isn't a factor. We don't want to fight you, but…if we have to, we will." He told her, ready to draw his alabaster sword if necessary.
Queen sighed, before she threw her drink away, not reacting as it exploded behind her. She then grinned at the children, snapping her fingers.
A wire descended from the air, a plug connected to it. Susie was the first to notice it, and her eyes widened as she realized it was heading for Berdly.
Her body moved before she could even think.
She pushed Berdly out of the way, the plug connecting to her instead. Noelle and Ralsei gasped, while Kris stared at the sight, eyes widened.
Berdly grimaced, looking up at Susie, ready to call her out for being a brute, when he froze, seeing the plug that was connected to her face.
"S-Susie?" He asked, but the girl didn't move, her arms hanging limply at her sides.
"What Made You Think You Had A Choice" Queen asked, a green drink in her hand again.
Kris drew his sword as Noelle fired an ice shard at the wire connected to Susie, only for it to bounce off harmlessly. Kris jumped at Susie, attempting to slash at the wire with his sword, only for her to summon her axe, stabbing the blade into his chestplate.
He gasped as it sliced into his chest, incredibly grateful that he had his chestplate on. If he hadn't, then he surely would have been fatally wounded.
Susie used her axe to slam Kris into the ground, further digging the blade into his chest and kicking away a fluffball from Ralsei. Kris yelped in pain, and Berdly swung his halberd at Susie's axe, dislodging it from Kris's chest.
Both Noelle and Berdly attacked Susie, the former using her ice magic to create barriers that knocked Susie off balance and large fists made of hands to punch her while Berdly kept him on the defensive.
Ralsei cast heal prayer on Kris, who was already getting up. The human sighed in relief, grabbing his blade and glaring at Queen, who was watching Berdly and Noelle fight Susie, a contemplative frown on her face.
Kris dashed at her, Ralsei at his side. Kris led off the attack by jumping and trying to slam the hilt of his sword into her head, only for her to kick him with her heel, sending him flying back a few feet.
Ralsei wrapped his scarf around her ankle, and she looked at him, smiling at him. She reared her arm back, preparing to throw her glass of battery acid at him. Reasonably, Ralsei let down his guard, flinching in fear.
"Sike Lol" Queen laughed, grabbing Ralsei's scarf and pouring her acid on it, burning the end of it off and freeing her. She then drank the rest, before throwing it at Ralsei, who sucked with a yelp.
"Seriously!?" He shouted.
Queen laughed again, before a tornado was sent her way, making her yelp. Berdly laughed, only to get kneed in the chest by Susie. He fell to his knees, his armor dented where she hit him.
She then tried to slam the handle of her axe into Berdly's chest, but Noelle drew her Mecha Saber, blocking the attack with the beam of blue energy.
She struggled to push Susie back, but got just enough leeway to step in front of Berdly, holding her weapon uncertainly. Susie stepped forward, swinging her axe down at Noelle, who blocked the attack with a shaky defensive stance.
She yelped as her arms bent against her will, barely guarding against Susie's superior strength. Suddenly, Kris dashed forward, slashing quickly at Susie's arm, making sure to cut as shallowly as possible.
Susie faltered, giving Noelle just enough time to step backwards, gaining some room to maneuver.
"Go help Ralsei!" Kris commanded Berdly, who resummoned his halberd, grunting in pain as he stood.
"Of course! I'm on my way, my fluffy friend!" Berdly shouted, sprinting towards the prince, who was doing well to hold his own against Queen.
Kris and Noelle nodded at each other, glaring at Susie. "Target the wire, keep her off balance with your ice magic. I'll play defense and get my licks in when I can. Got it?" Kris asked, earning a nod from Noelle.
Kris then took a breath, before focusing on his soul, a dull red glow surrounding him. 'Don't give out on me now, Soul…I just have to keep Susie's attention on me…easy enough, right?'
Susie then raised her axe, purple energy glowing at the head.
Kris's eyes widened, recognition flashing in his eyes.
'...fuck.'