[BONUS] ALIKE
[Thanks to Ian <3 (3/6)]
El'Rion felt that he had been bamboozled again. Leonel told him to do whatever he pleased, and then happened to have the perfect plan for the exact option he did?
He almost thought that Leonel was using Dream Force to control him, but how could such a thing work against a Pluto? He could be an infant and Dream Force would still be useless against him.
Even so, he couldn't help but feel that Leonel had managed to surprise him again. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
This plan not only covered for Leonel's future, but it also covered El'Rion's own ass.
The Pluto Race had been taking a lot of heat recently. First it was the fact they were declining in general. Though they were still by far the best of the best, their enemies were like sharks in blood-infested waters.
Then there was the help they had given the Fawkes. Not the fact they had helped out Humans to begin with, but instead the fact they had done so with the help of so many Incomplete Worlds. That was unacceptable to many God Races.
If El'Rion was too willful, he could end up putting even more pressure on his family. That was precisely why he had immediately told Leonel that he couldn't just do this all the time.
But it seemed that Leonel had already considered this more than he had.
"Alright," El'Rion nodded. "We'll do as you say. In that case, farewell."
"Whoa, whoa," Leonel called out. "You don't want to stay for dinner or something?"
El'Rion's steps paused, not quite understanding the invitation until he translated it to himself and tried to find the right words for it.
However, in his language, the best he could do was the word "gift", and the idea of anyone gifting him anything struck a chord with his Pluto Pride. It felt like Leonel was looking down on him.
But he could also tell from Leonel's tone that that wasn't what he meant.
"You should really taste my wife's cooking. I bet you the whole of Existence doesn't have a better chef."
Aina smiled, seemingly not minding the fact Leonel was offering her services.
"Um... alright..." El'Rion finally said slowly.
Leonel grinned and the trio vanished into the Segmented Cube.
...
"Holy hell, you're huge!" Raj looked up at El'Rion, craning his neck. "Where've you been hiding this guy, cap?"
"He has not been hiding me," El'Rion replied in polite correction.
Raj and Milan looked toward one another and burst out into a fit of laughter.
"Arnold!"
"Allan!"
Raj and Milan spoke out at the same time.
"We found you a new friend!"
Leonel stood in the kitchen with Aina, laughing.
"What, you're not unhappy you're missing out anymore?" Aina asked.
"No, ma'am!" Leonel stood at attention. "Direct me as you please, General!"
Aina's laughter echoed in a radiant bell-like tone.
"Good, then start prepping. Since you got me into this, you're slaving too."
Leonel was aghast. This woman had just spent months on end fighting against a horde of literally trillions of enemies. She had the stamina of a million chefs. She certainly didn't need his help nor support.
But it seemed that he wasn't escaping today.
After he tuned out the laughter from outside the kitchen, he grinned again.
"Today, I'll show you how a Crafter does things. You Force Cooks are all so rigid and unimaginative. Have you ever seen a man chop a hundred onions at once?"
"Oh?" Aina called out with a smile.
"Indeed," Leonel opened a palm and Tolliver formed a gorgeous array of flickering liquid silver before forming into several tiny lives. "Watch and learn, wife."
A flurry of slices echoed through the kitchen. Vegetables flew about, and neither Force Herbs nor powerful beast meat could escape his clutches. He even ground fresh spikes and dispersed the air of tear-inducing vapors all at once.
He was simply a machine.
Aina clapped to the side, feeding her man's ego.
The atmosphere could only be described as happy and harmonious.
...
In an unknown location, voices echoed, their intentions laced with schemes and multi-layered hidden meanings.
"It's coming, like you said. This will be a perfect opportunity to take advantage of."
"But can you guarantee my safety?"
"Did I not already promise you all the riches in the world? What can the measly Human Race do for you? Are you not aware that the most powerful Humans in Existence have never stepped foot into the Human Bubbles? They are all born and raised in other worlds.
"Do you want to be the big fish in a small pond? Or swim in the vast ocean? In fact, in this case, you wouldn't even be a big fish, you would always be under his thumb. I don't think you understand what it means to be a Wise Star Order."
"I came to you, not the other way around. You don't need to remind me of the benefits, I've long since become aware. I just want to make sure that you will keep up your end of the deal."
"Can I hide from your abilities?" The voice chuckled. "Just the fact you could contact me in the first place has astonished me. You'll do well here."
"There are many things in this world that I do not understand," the other voice replied plainly.
Another chuckle came. "Continue to be humble, it will bring you far. I'll trust you to do as you've said, and you can trust me. It isn't like you'll be in danger."
"Maybe..."
The voices fell into silence, and it seemed at some unknown time, they had disconnected from one another. Just like that, silent and without fanfare.
The second voice sat in silence, shadows moving over their figure as they sat in an unknown location. In their hands, a familiar Black Tablet was rolled back and forth, their fingers gliding over the etchings as though fascinated by the fact such an unimaginative item could hold such power.
"You and I are a lot alike," they said with a silent chuckle.