*Poff*
"Haaaa, we made it back!"
Although fatigued from their excursion, the two youths managed to return home safely, their backs resting on the thick bark of the leafless tree.
"Man, that Froggit ruined the party.", Crystal said, pouting. "I can't believe I didn't sense him once while he was there; he must be great at sneaking around!"
"Luckily, nothing happened; he sure did look scared when he left, though. Did I shout too hard?"
"Meh, who cares? More importantly, what do you think, Raz?! Did you like the Ruins?!"
The conversation shifted as quickly as Crystal's mood, her eyes glimmering with excitement as she lunged towards Raziel, eagerly awaiting a response.
The young boy sat idly for a few moments, mostly caught off guard by Crystal's abrupt question.
Before he could write his thoughts down, Crystal spoke once more:
"I've only shown you a fraction of what the Ruins hold in store! You still have to meet all the other Magical Beasts, there are dozens of puzzles we haven't solved yet, and still so many games to play, and tons of other awesome places to visit!"
"And Mama's Garden, and the old monuments, and the Froggit's house!"
"And, and, and...!"
"Sigh"
A quiet yet deafening exhale left Raziel.
The faint sound travelled hazily, leaving a trail of silence in its path...
One that violently shook Crystal out of her euphoria.
She remained still and quiet, as if a cold blade had just pierced her heart.
Amidst the awkward silence, a timid smile, portraying anything but joy, formed on the princess's lips.
A harsh truth became painfully apparent.
"I talk too much..., don't I?"
"???"
"Sorry, it's that I've... I've never really had a friend before."
"I spent most of my life alone, and when you came around, I finally saw the chance to be friends with someone like me... A real person."
"When Mama told me you'd be living with us, I got so happy I could barely stop myself from screaming."
"Guess I got overexcited; I probably sound annoying talking so loud, huh?"
Crystal dropped her head, avoiding meeting Raziel's gaze as much as possible, insecure about what he might say.
Awkward silence filled the room again.
"You like it when it's quiet, don't you? Don't worry, I'll try to talk less from now on, so that I don't bother you too much."
The princess kept smiling, but the shimmer in her eyes had faded.
Amidst all this, Raziel found himself utterly confused.
His sigh was nothing more than him being tired from their outing.
Did Crystal misunderstand it?
Oh god...
The sudden realization hit Raziel like a ton of bricks.
Guilt flooded his heart as he panicked for a solution. What has he done?! He made his friend feel awful, all because he was careless and acted without thinking!
Thoughts of the sort raced through his mind like a crashing train. Soon, both teenagers avoided looking at each other, feeling bad about their actions.
Raziel felt the need to apologize, or at the very least, let Crystal know that what she said about herself wasn't true.
There was no better way than to be honest.
Scribble, scribble.
[I don't want you to stop talking.]
"Huh?"
[I don't find you annoying at all. In fact, I like your voice a lot.]
[You sound so thrilled every time you speak, I can't help but get excited myself.]
[Your voice soothes me when I'm scared. It's nostalgic almost.]
[I'm not tired of you, please, keep talking to me.]
Reading Raziel's notes, Crystal felt her heartbeat accelerate by the second.
She wasn't anxious but rather immensely happy. His words made her feel accepted for who she was.
She held the pages up to her chest, giving the biggest, warmest smile one can manage.
"Raziel, thank you."
Seeing the princess shine anew, the young boy felt a sense of relief.
However, he learned a valuable lesson. Due to his carelessness, he ended up hurting someone dear to him.
He refused to let that happen again. Therefore, he promised himself to be more cautious and to communicate his intentions clearly from now on.
The two youths met eyes at last, both smiling ear to ear.
"I-"
"Princess, ribbit!"
Hopping out from the Ruins' entrance came Mr. and Mrs. Froggit, calling out to Crystal, sounding rather ecstatic.
"Oh, guys! What's up?"
"Ribbit?"
The Froggits stopped in front of the two youths.
"Ribbit, are we interrupting something? You two look rather red, ribbit," remarked Mr. Froggit.
Eh! Uhm, n-no! You didn't interrupt anything! We were uh... talking! About...s-stuff."
The princess looked away in a flash, trying to hide her now beet-red face behind the notebook pages in her hands.
"Hmm, ribbit." The froggy couple stared at Crystal intently, doubting the legitimacy of her words.
"W-What are you guys here for anyway?! And stop staring at me!"
"We wanted to show you something important, and you told us to meet you here at the tree, ribbit."
"Oh, right! I almost forgot about that! What is it? Come on, show me, show me!"
The sudden rush of curiosity wiped Crystal's embarrassment away instantly, leaving only a flaring anticipation for the Froggits' surprise.
Raziel was curious too. What could a pair of frogs possibly have prepared for them, he thought.
Mrs. Froggit looked back and gently nudged something behind her. Then, one step at a time, a tiny baby Froggit emerged from behind its parents. It squeaked forward, trembling with every step, like it had just finished learning how to walk.
Something so cute shouldn't be allowed to exist.
"We wanted you to meet someone special, ribbit. This is our kid," sang the Froggits sweetly.
"Ah... aaah!!!"
"He's. So! CUUUUUTE!" she yelled wildly.
"Eep..."
"Does that mean I'm...I'm," the princess began to tear up, sniffling and hiccupping increasingly, "I'm finally a grandma!"
"...Eh?"
Everyone around thought Crystal's reaction was a bit over the top, but hey! Who are they to criticize someone meeting their grandson for the first time?
She sniffled. "Aaaaw, come here, baby."
Crystal gently picked up the baby Froggit, who, being no larger than her hand, nestled on her warm palm while she nuzzled him affectionately.
A storm of kisses and cuddles ensued, leaving the poor creature with no choice but to endure and squeak through it.
Eventually, the newborn was released from the princess's onslaught of love, successfully overcoming its first trial of life.
Crystal lowered the baby to her chest, caressing its head with the lightest of touches.
"He's so precious."
In between cuddles, the Froggit noticed something shining in front of it. Stimulating its delicate senses, it instinctively licked and nibbled at the shiny object like fresh food.
"Hey! Not my locket, hehe!"
The shiny object in question was Crystal's heart locket.
Amongst all the black, there it hung, radiating like gold.
It always stood out for some reason, and regardless of where you looked, you'd inevitably end up staring back at it again.
Raziel was no exception, and with each unintentional glance, he wondered...
Why does she wear it?
What could be hiding inside it?
Where did she get it?
He'll eventually find the right time to ask. For the time being, he had other things to worry about.
"Eep!"
Fed up with her exhilaration, the baby leapt from Crystal's hand onto the floor. It wobbled a bit before settling on the boy's lap, who was much quieter and provided good warmth.
Upon landing, the baby got comfy and began to purr softly.
"???"
"What?!"
"Ribbit?"
Everyone seemed confused.
Well, yeah, duh. You'd be confused too if you heard a frog purring like a cat.
At least, that's what the boy thought.
"Why isn't he put off by Raziel not having magic?!"
Oh, right...
So much happened today that Raziel had already forgotten their unfavorable dynamic.
[Froggits aren't hostile, maybe that explains it?]
"Well, yes, but he's still a newborn! They're very sensitive to fluctuations in magic, so the complete lack of it should make him uncomfortable."
"Ribbit, maybe he's more focused on how warm the boy is?" hypothesized Mr. Froggit.
"A blockhead, just like his father, ribbit," she scoffed, jokingly.
"Hey, ribbit!"
While the frogs bickered, the two teens agreed that the reason for the baby's calm nature didn't matter. So, they both went back to petting the Froggit, taking turns gently scratching his little head.
"He likes you a lot, hehe. I'm sure you two will be great friends!"
The young boy giggled and nodded.
"Wait, you still haven't told us his name yet!" Crystal shouted.
"He still has no name. That's another reason we came here, ribbit," stated Mr. Froggit.
"Princess, you've looked after us for many years and made our lives far more enjoyable than we could have managed without you, ribbit."
"We owe you a lot, and that's why we'd like to ask you to name our child."
"Ah..., guys," she sniffled. "You're going to make me cry again!"
"A name, huh? What pressure!"
"There's no one better suited than you, ribbit."
"Hm, in that case..."
Crystal gazed at the baby, losing herself in her thoughts as it peacefully slept. She couldn't ignore the unique bond forming between the fallen and the newborn. With every caress Raziel gave, it seemed to become more and more at ease.
Only one name felt appropriate.
"Azzy!"
"???" Raziel's eyebrow raised.
"What? Don't you think it's cute?"
[Why Azzy?]
"Because it sounds similar to your name!" Crystal expressed brightly. "You two are getting along so well, it just feels right to name him after you!"
"Also, I feel like that's a nickname people usually give you, hihihi!" she snickered.
"!!!" Raziel looked away quickly, his cheeks slightly reddened.
[Not too far off from the truth...]
"So, what do you two think? Do you like the name?"
"It's perfect, ribbit!" exclaimed the two Froggits.
"Great!" Crystal grabbed the baby Froggit and raised him in the air. "Welcome to the family, Azzy, hehe!"
"EEP!"
Azzy leaped from her hands to save his life. He landed between his parents, returning to his original spot behind Mrs. Froggit.
Too much energy for his liking.
"And..." The princess then softly laid her hand on Raziel's.
"You too, Raz. We're happy to have you."
It seemed that the two youths had finally managed to close off the earlier discussion. In quite an adorable manner, too. A perfect marking point for their relation-
*GRUMBLE*
...
Nevermind.
"Wow, you must be pretty hungry, huh?"
Raziel nodded shily.
"Now that I think about it, you've barely eaten anything all day! We should go inside; it's almost time for lunch anyway."
"Sorry to cut this short, guys! Maybe we can hang out later this afternoon and introduce Azzy to everyone?"
"Sounds good, ribbit."
"Fantastic! You should go too, I wouldn't want Azzy to get hungry!"
"Ribbit, see you later."
"Bye-bye! Take care!"
"Eep!"
The Froggit family made their way back into the Ruins, croaking and squeaking happily together.
***
Step, step, step.
"Alrighty, let's get you some grub! You must be starving right now, but hang in there a little longer! Mama makes tons of delicious food every day!"
"I bet she even made a pie to celebrate your arrival!" Her pies are the best! I promise you it's worth the wait!"
Crystal's claims only made Raziel's belly growl louder. The audible nightmares coming out of his stomach propelled the youths to the front door.
Crystal turned the knob, expecting to find her family waiting for them at the table.
"Mama! Papa! We're back-"
The royal couple moved in elegant harmony. Their every motion seamlessly transitioned into the next, creating a graceful dance.
The queen pirouetted into the king's arms, fully trusting her lover as she bravely arched back, ending their choreography with a striking pose.
"Hm?" Tori looked to her side as if woken up from a trance.
Staring at her were the kids, silently standing at the front door, waiting for them to finish.
"Oh, kids!" The couple let go of each other and greeted the youths. "Sorry for not noticing you earlier. Welcome back."
"Excuse us for that, we were waiting for you two to come back, and to pass the time, we decided to dance a little."
[Is this normal?]
"Yup, Mama and Papa like to dance pretty often!"
"You caught us, fufufu," Tori's cheeks flushed faintly.
"Now come, sit down at the table; the food is ready. You can tell us all about what you did this morning there."
***
"Here you go, my child. Eat as much as you like."
Tori served Raziel his lunch, a much more abundant portion compared to the others she poured for her family.
The boy's eyes lit up in elation as he marveled at the mountain of goodness in front of him.
A giant bowl of meatballs and pasta!
The sauce glistened under the living room light, and the meatballs appeared so tender they'd fall apart if you looked at them too hard.
Seas of drool cascaded from Raziel's mouth.
The rule states you should wait until everyone has their plate before starting to eat.
*GRUMBLE*
Yeah, you know what, screw formalities. He's waited long enough.
In the blink of an eye, Raziel dove headfirst into the bowl and began devouring it with no regard for manners.
"Is it good?" Tori asked.
Raziel briefly lowered the bowl to catch his breath. With food smeared across his face, he responded with a resounding: "MM-HM!"
"Fufu, I am glad."
Tori has cooked for many people over the years and has received every compliment imaginable. Her cooking is considered the best in the entire Underground, but none of the praise compared to the happiness she felt watching the boy eat her food.
You could feel the joy pouring out of him with every bite.
The mother rested her chin on her hands, smiling pleasantly as she watched Raziel eat.
"No way! The Froggits had a child?"
"Yeah! He was so cute, you should've seen him!"
Meanwhile, Crystal shared her morning with her father, recounting all the events that transpired. Unlike others, they managed to balance eating and talking quite well, having only finished half of their plate.
Raziel, on the other hand, was already asking for seconds.
"I am glad you two had fun, and I am quite impressed by your guts, too, boy."
"Mh?"
"Blocking a Final Froggit's attack bare-handed is no easy feat. However, I recommend you stay sharp; a single mistake could result in serious injury."
"Hmph," nodded Raziel.
"Also," he glared. "I see you are trying to beat my record of food finished in under thirty minutes, huh?"
"You should know, I am the undefeated champion of this family," proudly stated the king, patting his stomach.
"No one dares to challenge me!"
"Dear, let the poor child eat in peace," Tori interjected, trying to stop their peaceful lunch from turning into a war.
[Bring it, old man]
"Raziel!" yelled both women in shock.
"Hahaha, arrogance, I like it!"
The family kept on eating and conversing for some time. To no one's surprise, it didn't take long for the two men to run through all the remaining food in the pot.
Crystal and her mother chatted away like usual.
As for Raziel and Goreas...
Both slumped back into their chairs like beaten warriors, stomachs full and faces plastered with tomato sauce.
"We'll- ugh, call this a draw..."
A quivering thumbs-up rose from beneath the table, finalizing their bout.
"Sigh, what will I do with you boys, honestly?"
"You ate so much, you probably don't want dessert anymore."
"!!!"
Both men immediately sat upright in their chairs again, their eyes fixed on Tori.
"Pfffhaha, all right, all right, I'll go get it."
Tori left to get her dessert. After a bit, she came back with a steaming hot cinnamon pie in her hands.
"Still got space for more?"
"You bet!"
"Mh-hm!"
"Fufu."
The scent of cinnamon filling the room created a warmer, more comfortable atmosphere, putting the Dreemurrs in a calm mood.
As they talked to each other, Raziel detached from their conversation to get a brief moment for himself. He seized this rare opportunity to deload and clear his mind, focusing only on the sweet taste of cinnamon in his mouth.
While eating his dessert, the boy realized he had never really taken a look at his new home. With so much happening around him, his surroundings often became an afterthought.
Well, now's as good a time as any, right?
Raziel turned his head left and right, inspecting every element of the living room.
He first saw the kitchen in the right corner, then the bookshelves beside the chimney on the left.
A few sofas and a large couch surrounded the fireplace, replacing the classic TV setup one would expect in any house.
Everything looked so beige... and dull.
This place felt old. Like, eras old.
It was a significant shift from the highly modern architecture Raziel saw every day on the surface, but one he didn't mind.
Sure, there was no TV or other conventional means of entertainment, but it's unlikely Crystal would let him spend all day in front of a screen anyway, so it's hardly a loss.
Raziel, convinced he had seen everything and satisfied with his research, was prepared to re-engage with the family when he noticed something odd out of the corner of his eye.
He looked again, and beside the bookshelves hung a strange object.
A black sword.
Although darker than the abyss, the blade reflected a strange reddish twilight. The handle was unusually long, much longer than needed. Its sculpting was elaborate and overdone, too, serving only for aesthetic appeal.
The sword's guard was shaped like a pair of angel wings. In the center, three large triangular gems sat ominously, reflecting that same unusual light. The pommel followed the same design principle, featuring an angel bowing with its wings raised to the sky, forming a sharp point.
It felt so out of place; it made no sense.
Why would a weapon be put in this house?
Especially when there's no need to! These people have magic to defend themselves with; they don't need a sword!
Yet, for some reason, Raziel couldn't look away from it. His body wouldn't move.
He felt eerily drawn by the sword.
Everything around him began to mellow out. Voices became muffled, the room blurred into gray.
All that remained clear was the blade.
The boy felt his immobile body getting pulled towards it. Something was calling out to him.
He wanted to feel it.
He... had to?
Closer. Closer.
*Creak*
Just a bit closer-
"You are going to fall from your chair if you keep leaning like that, boy."
"Eh?" Goreas's voice snapped Raziel out of his trance.
"Rather eye-catching, right? I must agree, though, we could have picked a better spot for the sword. It does not match well with the living room decor."
"And I keep on telling you we should not have put that thing in our house," Tori retorted, sounding quite irritated.
"Honey, we talked about this. It is better if we keep it close to us."
[Wait, what's so special about this sword?]
A valid question. Raziel's trance aside, what makes it so significant that it warrants an argument over its location?
Tori held the answer:
"You see, my child, this weapon is an important heirloom passed down to every new ruler of Magical Humans. It holds a great deal of history and must be protected at all costs. For everyone's sake."
[I assume you have a castle. Why not put it there?]
"Normally, we would," Goreas retook charge of the conversation. "However, we spend more time here in the Ruins than in our castle. Leaving the sword there, even with surveillance, is not a good idea."
[Why? Is it dangerous?]
"It's a long story, boy," the king sighed, not wanting to delve deeper into the subject.
[I would like to know. Please tell me, sir.]
"Hmm, you seem highly interested in learning about our history, are you not, my child?" Tori butted in.
"Uh?" Raziel stared at the mother for a second before nodding.
"Unfortunately, Goreas and I have some important matters to attend to at the castle right now and will only be done by nighttime."
"However, I would be more than glad to teach you everything you want to know later this evening."
[Really?]
"Of course."
The boy nodded profusely in excitement.
"Brilliant, I promise you will get your answers before going to bed, my dear. Think of it as an educational bedtime story."
[Thank you so much, ma'am.]
"Oh, there is no need to be so formal, fufu."
"Awesome, let's play some more then!" Crystal jumped from her chair, latching herself to Raziel's arm.
"I bet everyone's awake now, let's go meet them!"
"We'll be going now, be careful, you two."
"Ok! Bye, Mama. Bye, Papa!"
The princess dragged the fallen out of the house, where they would spend the whole afternoon playing together.
"...The sword."
CHAPTER END.