Chapter 79: Tournament Day 3 (Part 6)

Just an announcement that I have a new experimental novel's first chapter available on Patreon, I'll be doing long-form chapters of around 5-6000 words and I plan on doing about 10 chapters of it on Patreon before determining whether I'll continue it after which I'll release those 10 chapters and any subsequent ones on a monthly basis here on Scribblehub. If you want to read it beforehand it'll be available along with another experimental novel I've been working on that's a short-form comedy novel focused around a guy that gets adopted by loli aliens and turned into one. Here's a screenshot of both of their descriptions and tags.

For Beyond Pluto(AKA Long-Form Novel):

For I Wanna Be a Loli(AKA Short-Form Comedy):

[Oh Goddess my life is over! Why couldn't that damn elf have waited until I at least replaced my shredded clothes?!? Argh!] - Rose

I was embarrassed, irritated and annoyed. Not only had my horrible status been seen by someone that was effectively a stranger but that same person had also mentioned something weird before I could escape and on top of that She had woken up and the effort of putting Her back to sleep after the battle had frayed my already delicate nerves.

I'd finished my battle, a hard-fought and won affair that had taken longer than expected. T-Totally not because I didn't finish it when I could have, t-that's ridiculous! R-Regardless I'd finished the battle and, after coming down from my adrenaline-addled high, realized that I was showing quite the improper image. My fight hadn't ended with me untouched as the first one had. Instead I'd been struck in the side as well as the upper arm. This damage, while healed by both my magicks and natural healing, hadn't fixed the ripped clothing left behind. As a consequence I, as a the loli that I now was, was unfortunately almost dipping into 18+ territory. My goth lolita outfit looking more risque than was probably intended, although with that pervert tailor you never know.

And it was while this embarrassing situation had been going on that I'd been stopped by that damn legal loli elf, the one that had fought against the Goku wannabe and lost. The way she'd talked at first had made it seem like it was a coincidence that we'd met, like she'd "accidently" wandered into an area that only contestant's could come to. But, what she said next was so laced with condescension and and arrogance that I instinctually retorted based on her religious affiliation, it just seemed like the natural response when someone threatens you with their own religion out of the blue. That being said I have no idea if the barely remembered trip our family had made to the God of Commerce's shrine had mentioned anything about said God being enemies with any other. Apparently we only superficially worshipped him in our family and as such we'd only gone a few times during my childhood.

It was then that she'd mentioned that weird thing I talked about, the Demon Lord. I'd flinched, I hadn't meant to flinch, I mean who'd do something so suspicious when they have a title that basically names them as the next Demon Lord?!? Me apparently cause I'd made a super obvious excuse to top that off. Now the only thing I could hope for was that she hadn't asked me about that topic for any particular reason but the chances of that were basically nil and I'd now basically advertised to the tiny elf that I knew something at the very least. Why'd she even ask about that anyways?!? Should I have asked? Honestly I have no idea but what's done is done, I should probably let my paren-

[Wait did I tell them about my title?] - Rose

[Kris? Are you awake? Wake up Kris!] - Lake

[H-Huh? Where is this Lake?] - Kris

[I don't know, I-I remember Big Sis fighting against those mean guys then it all went black. W-Where are we?] - Lake

[<kof> <kof> So you're the new ones huh? You've been unconscious for a few days according to those cowards there. You two okay?] - Tall Bunny-kin

[W-Who are you big sis?] - Kris

Everything felt weird, I remember that Lake and I had been following Big Sis but we'd been captured by some big meanie's, Big Sis had tried to fight them off but one of them had gotten behind her and held something over her face. I'd wanted to help Big Sis since it looked like they were hurting her but another one had covered my face with a cloth and everything went dark.

Hearing my little brother Lake speaking I groggily opened my eyes but what greeted me wasn't the familiar image of our little rooftop hiding spot. Instead it was a dark cage with shivering people in the corners. W-Where were we?

Suddenly a cough brought our attention to one of the corner's. A large lady with rabbit ears and a lot of muscles was smiling at us while gingerly holding her side. She looked really hurt and I was worried about her but I'd always been told to protect little Lake from strangers so I shakily pushed him behind me while getting to my unsteady feet.

[Me? My name is Judy, you two wouldn't happen to be siblings with a catkin named Moon right? Kris and Lake?] - Judy

[H-How do you know Big Sis' name?!?] - Lake

[Are you a bad guy?] - Kris

[Hahahaha! <kof kof> Ow! Shouldn't laugh when it hurts like that, no I'm not a bad guy. Probably.] - Judy

[Probably? So you might be a bad guy?] - Kris

The "maybe nice?" lady grimaced slightly as she pointed at herself, introducing herself as well as asking about Big Sis! This lady knew Big Sis?!? My little brother, excited by the prospect of seeing Big Sis again, tried to jump around me but I held him back. Big Sis Moon had always told me to be even more suspicious when someone acted like they knew you or your family. Glaring at the wincing rabbitkin I nearly caved when she once more painfully coughed while laughing but stopped myself when she confirmed she might be a bad guy! W-What did Big Sis say about this type of thing? I only know what to do if they're a good guy or a bad guy! What do I do if they might be both?!?

[Haha! Well to make a long story short I'm friends with your Big Sister.] - Judy

[B-Big Sis doesn't have any friends!] - Lake

[Big Sis says she isn't really popular so you must be a bad guy!] - Kris

[Oi oi, calm down. Damn Moon you're not even respected by your kids. Anyways, you could say that I'm a recent friend. We were actually trying to find you two but we got separated when I... Well let's just leave it as we got separated.] - Judy

Backing away slightly as I continued to push my little brother behind me I realized that behind us was a wall made of bars. What the large lady said next though solidified in my mind that we needed to get away though cause she called herself Big Sis' friend! Big Sis didn't have any friends! Now completely convinced that the lady in front of us was a bad guy I shakily pointed an accusing finger at her while completely at a loss of what to do. Big Sis had always told me to run away with Lake if we ever came across a bad guy but what do I do if I'm stuck in a cage with them?!?

My mind reeling as I tried to figure out how to run away I barely heard the big lady try to reassure me and what she said... huh? Big Sis was looking for us?

[I-I don't understand but... Big Sis was looking for us?!? Where?!?] - Kris

[Yeah Bad Guy Big Sis, where?!?] - Lake

[O-Ow! Hold on a minute you two, I'm a bit fragile at the moment.] - Judy

[O-Oh! S-Sorry...] - Kris

[Sorry...] - Lake

Excited about the prospect of seeing Big Sis again the two of us jumped towards the big lady, grabbing her hand in the process. Wincing as we took her hands from her she chastised us for our excitement. Filled with a shame similar to when Big Sis told me off I laid my ears forward instinctively while the two of us apologized. Big Sis had always told us not to jump at people like that without warning. We'd even gotten in trouble for it just recently and everything.

[It's fine, oof that hurts... Anyways as for where? I'm not sure honestly, when I last saw her she was running from some guards, I don't even know if she got awa- Awawawawa! I'm sure she's fine! She definitely escaped so don't get that look!] - Judy

[<sniff> ...really?] - Lake and Kris

[Oh thank the Goddess... yes I'm sure, if anyone could escape and get help it'd be your Big Sister. I'd count on it...] - Judy

Still pressing my ears forward as I sheepishly glanced at the person I'd decided couldn't be a bad guy I felt tears welling up with her next words. B-Big Sis was in danger?!? She was being chased by those bad armored guys! Feeling tears start to fall both Lake and I started crying, our tears making Judy panic as she promised that Big Sis was okay.  Reassured by the nice lady I wiped my tears away, doing the same to my little brother a second later. Muscled Big Sis was nice lady, she must be since she trusted Big Sis so much!

I'd looked everywhere after the little lady had vanished, something in her expression telling me that it wasn't a good idea to just let her wander off. The hardened look that she'd gotten as the recent battle came to a close worried me. It was like she was preparing for something unpleasant but also anticipated. It felt like if I didn't find her soon she'd vanish on me and I'd never see her again.

Honestly speaking, the thought that she would just up and leave shouldn't have bothered me, I had only just recently met her afterall. But the thought that she'd leave without saying anything, that one day she'd just vanish, it bothered me. So I frantically searched the Arena, the crowd of people milling around as they left after the last fight of the day getting in the way of my search.

Luckily for me however, was that my target was fairly noticeable and well-known, leading to a large hole being opened in the crowd of people as they gave her a wide berth. Her own path coincidently meeting mine. Running up to her as soon as I saw her I noticed a sad look on her face that quickly became happy upon seeing me then pensive and finally blank-faced once more. I wonder why? W-Well regardless now that I'd found her it was time to head back!

[Ah! There you are! Where'd you run off to?] - Edgar

[N-Nowhere, now let's get back to o-our room before that infe- human nurse notices.] - Aerin

[You know I'm pretty sure she has a name, you don't have to call her inferior or even human you know?] - Edgar

[Hmph! A-As if I'd remember some human's name! Now let's go Edgar!] - Aerin

<You know that I'm a human too right?> - Edgar

[W-What was that?!?] - Aerin

[Nothing! Coming!] - Edgar

Ah, the barely caught insults, the thinly veiled condescension, and even the worried look she'd get every once in a while. All of them had quickly become things I was looking forward to, and no I wasn't a masochist, probably. No it just was starting to feel so much like "Aerin" and for some reason that made me feel more comfortable than "no Aerin".

Of course I still felt it only right to try and correct her little verbal tick of referring to people by their race rather than their name, she'd been introduced to us afterall. He assertion at not remembering human names however made me smile slightly, a feeling of pride and humor filling my brain. I mean I was Human afterall.