Arc 4: What families entail
Road to a hero:
Three chances in another world
Chapter 2. Happy holidays
Four weeks had passed since they arrived at Greenvale, and everyone sat in the cottage, drinking tea and playing cards.
Gray: “This is just war.”
Rosemary: “No it’s called battle!”
Gray: “Very funny Isekai gods.”
Soku: “What?”
In these four weeks they've all continued pushing themselves with Gordon. While everybody has been simply getting better at what they can do, Gray has focusing on pushing mana all around his body continuously whilst fighting. This has left him constantly exhausted, and now, covered in some bandages.
Gray: “Forget it…so is there like a Christmas or….?”
Rosemary: “What’s Christmas?”
Gray: “Wait you guys have Thanksgiving, the same months, hell the same language, and not Christmas? Well most people know about it as just giving gifts to people and stuff, there is more to it but that wouldn't make sense in another world unless you got Jesus.”
Soku: “We just give gifts on New years eve.”
Rosemary: “Also who or what is Jesus?”
Gray: “Just forget that part.”
Soku: “Ophelia wanted to have a big dinner and have lots of presents…but I could never get that done. But now we have money and stuff…but now she’s gone…”
Gray: “Well we can just have a feast in her honor then!”
Edward enters the home, dirty and sweaty.”
Soku: “You were out there longer than usual.”
Edward: “I had to take care of Demas' pen.”
Gray: “I could have done that if you asked.”
Rosemary: “I feel like we should be trying a little harder…we all train with Gordon but we are usually spent after, you just swing that sword outside for hours after.”
Edward: “I’m just trying to get my white hair already…I’m just training as much as I can...I just need to work myself to the brink of collapse and then it’ll happen.”
Gray: “RIght of passage and all that right?”
Julius: “The white hair symbolizes strength and maturity, growth and passion. Then you are given a title to last throughout history. But usually, it is achieved by surpassing your limits, not by just training.”
Soku: “AHH! Wait dammit!”
Gray: “YES! Alright, then overall Julius’ jumpscares go to thirty-seven, and Sokus's score moves to eleven! And Edward in first place….with six…”
Julius: “Forgive me for alarming you miss Soku.”
Soku: “Just call me Soku dude.”
Julius: “I apologize-”
Soku: “AND STOP APOLOGIZING!”
Julius: “I’m sor… alright then.”
Soku: “Thank you, damn…”
Edward: “Only twelve days until New years.”
Gray: “How am I gonna buy presents if I don’t get any money… I don’t know how the money works on top of that…”
Soku: “I’ll just help you later.”
Gray: “Thanks!”
Rosemary: “KEEP FOCUS ON THE GAME!”
Gray: “Hey Rose.”
Rosemary: “Yeah?”
Gray: “Wanna go on a date tomorrow?”
Rosemary: “Uhhhhh…”
Rosemary's face starts to turn red as she struggles to answer Gray. Her heart starts beating faster and faster before she can get her to answer.
Rosemary: “OK!”
Gray: “Cool, all right let’s get back to war.”
Soku: “It’s called battle.”
Rosemary struggles to fall asleep, anxious for her date tomorrow, while Gray sleeps soundly beside her.
Rosemary {I should go get some air, maybe I’ll fall asleep faster.}
Rosemary walks down the stairs quietly, trying to not wake anyone up. Once she makes it down the stairs she hears movement in the kitchen. She approaches the kitchen to see Soku drinking some milk.
Rosemary: “What are you doing up? It’s four in the morning, shouldn't you be asleep?”
Soku: “Shouldn’t you be sleeping for your date? Stop acting like my mom.”
Rosemary: “Sorry…I just can’t sleep, I'm just too anxious…what about you?”
Soku: “I just don’t get that tired anymore.”
Rosemary: “Do you need to talk about anything? You haven't said much about Ophelia…and I know you-”
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Soku: “ALRIGHT! I’m fine…you know what, I am tired so I’m gonna go to my room now. And by the way you didn’t have to cut your hair…”
Rosemary: “I know I just…nevermind, I hope you sleep well.”
Soku: “Yeah thanks…you should get some sleep too…don’t want to be tired on your date.”
Rosemary: “Thank you.”
They both walked upstairs, trying to fall asleep. Eventually they both doze off, sleeping peacefully.
Rosemary wakes up, extends her arms and yawns. Usually Gray sleeps in so Rosemary assumes that she would be able to get ready before he woke up. But today she notices Gray isn’t sleeping beside her.
Rosemary panics, assuming that she had overslept. She quickly grabs her clothes and rushes to the bathroom to get ready.
Rosemary {NO, NO, NO! OF ALL DAYS? SHOWER, SHOWER, SHOWER!}
She quickly washes, then goes to grab a towel, but she notices that she hadn’t grabbed one. Once again she begins to panic.
Rosemary {WHY!? THINK! THINK! I don’t want to walk out naked…but I might be able to run out before anyone notices…I GOT IT!}
Rosemary flows mana throughout her body, using the mana to heat up and dry her body. While doing this, she tries to brush her hair as fast as possible, trying to make sure it doesn't dry wrong.
Rosemary {IT WORKED!}
She puts on her clothes as fast as she can. Looking in the drawer for her makeup, rummaging around only to find nothing. She collapses to the floor, wiping tears from her eyes. She struggles to get back up, slouching around the house. She makes it outside to see Gray waiting in the snow with flowers in hand.
Rosemary: “I’M SORRY FOR BEING LATE! I couldn’t sleep…and then I forgot to get my towel…and I didn't have any make makeup
Before she can finish her thought, Gray interrupts her.
Gray: “You look beautiful.”
Rosemary freezes, struggling to respond.
Gray: “Oh yeah sorry…I got up early to buy these flowers…you’re up about an hour early.
Rosemary: “Really?”
Gray: “Yeah but that’s okay! It means we can spend more time together today!”
Rosemary runs up to Gray, kissing him on the cheek then running ahead to the end of their sidewalk waving at Gray.
Rosemary: “COME ON!”
Gray: “I’M COMING!”
Gray catches up with Rosemary, walking down the street. Spending the entire day with each other. A day filled with bliss, happiness, and snowball fights.
The next day Soku waits for Gray outside the cottage, shaking from the cold.
Soku: “GET OUT HERE!”
Gray stumbles out of the cottage, falling into the snow.
Gray: “SoRrY…bleh…”
Soku: “You're still wearing that dumbass necklace.”
Gray: “It holds the cloak of darkness bozo…I have been trying to make it come out but it won’t do it, damned thing.”
Soku: “Oh well, come on now.”
They begin to walk into the shopping district, looking for stores to buy something.
Gray: “You’ve known her longer, what should I get?”
Soku: “She’s your girlfriend, you should know these things.”
Gray: “I know she enjoys sewing and crocheting …I do it with her sometimes.”
Soku: “There you go, buy some yarn and make her something.”
Gray: “I can do that! I hope.”
Soku: “Rose used to be pretty insecure and quiet before you showed up, now she’s being more loud and abrasive.”
Gray: “Y..e…a…h?”
Soku: “You ruined her.”
Gray: “WHAT!?”
Soku leaves Gray standing shocked, his face looking like an eastern island head.
Gray {Wonder if I had a good effect then…or did I make her worse… Nah that was her choice…me thinking I could change somebody's whole personality is too self-centered. If she’s growing more comfortable then that’s great.}
Gray: “Time to go to the store!”
Gray {SHIT I DON’T KNOW HOW MONEY WORKS SOKU YOU LEFT ME!.}
Soku: “GRAY GET OVER HERE DUMMY!”
Gray: “Though you left me…phew.”
They enter the store, looking at all the yarn available.
Gray: “She wears a lot of baby blue, and it’s the color of her eyes so it matches well with her. Just so happens to be my favorite color”
Soku: “Wooooooooow thaaaaaaat’s crazy.”
Gray: “So how does this buying thing work?”
Soku: “Alright what does that say?”
Gray: “Ten copper pieces.”
Soku: “And what do you have?”
Gray: “Um…let me check…”
Gray reaches into his pocket, pulling out ten silver coins.
Gray: “I got ten silver.”
Soku: “Okay so one silver is equal to ten copper, while one gold coin is equal to one hundred copper.”
Gray {So copper is like a dollar, silver is like a ten-dollar bill, and gold is a hundred-dollar bill.}
Gray: “Alright got it.”
Soku: “Now let’s swindle this old guy, don’t let him see your money.”
Gray: “But he looks nice and this is cheap.”
Soku: “Look you wait outside then…”
Gray: “Dammit…whatever, have fun I guess.”
Gray sits on the stoop outside, then eventually Soku walks out of the shop.
Soku: “I played the poor little girl act and got em down to five copper.”
Gray: “Whatever makes you sleep better at night.”
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Across the town Edward and Rosemary both train with Gordon at his dojo.
Gordon: “I’m telling you to get a lighter sword!”
Edward: “My dad used one this big so I’m going to as well.”
Gordon: “Swallow your damn pride.”
Rosemary: “Enough bickering…I’m spent, I ran around all day can I go home now?”
Gordon: “Sure fine, just tell Gray to start working harder! He has been dozing off, he’s barely better than a newbie! You know what Edward you take the day off as well. All of you take time off until New Year's. Still exercise, but spend your holiday happy and rested.”
Edward: “Thank you!”
Rosemary: “REALLY! Heck yeah! I’ll go tell them now, THANK YOU!”
Gordon: “She seems excited.”
Edward: “She really wants to finish her present to Gray.”
Gordon: “Young love… Do you get them any presents?”
Edward: “ Yeah, some simple things like a ring or a book.”
Gordon: “Man you're boring…oh well get out of here.”
Edward: “Will do!”
Julius: “Thank you again, sir.”
Gordon and Edward: “AHH!”
Julius: “My apologies.”
Edward: “I’ll tell Gray to add it to the count…now I’m at seven…a couple more and Rosemary will be winning.”
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Four days later
Gray stands in the backyard practicing with his sword swings whilst flowing mana through it. The snow fell on his shirtless body, feeling colder because of the freezing wind hitting the sweat falling off of his body.
Gray {AND…ONE HUNDRED!}
Rosemary watches from the kitchen window, brewing tea.
Soku: “Perv.”
Rosemary: “AHHH! Good lord doesn’t sneak up on me like that…has Julius been teaching you his ways?”
Julius: “How rude.”
Soku: “SHIT!”
Julius: “Your score goes up to thirteen.”
Rosemary: “I don’t understand how you guys don’t notice him, he was the drinking tea I made him.”
Julius: “And I give you a thousand thanks for that, it is delicious.”
Rosemary: “You…r welcome…”
Soku: “Oh Gray’s coming inside.”
The door opens, letting in a smell of sweat and musk along with a breeze of fresh cold air.
Soku: “Gross, take a shower.”
Rosemary: “It’s not gross! You should try putting this much effort in…”
Soku: “Alright chill out damn, also go take a shower you’re gross.”
Gray: “Oh nice you made tea.”
Rosemary: “Oh here you go…I hope it’s good, it’s hot so-”
Gray gulps down the tea, setting the cup down and wiping his lip.
Gray: “OOOOOOOOOO WWWWWWWWWW! IT’S HOOOOOOT!”
Edward walks through the front door, seeing the confusion and goofiness that is Gray Kyojin. Or what is also known in whatever world you’re in as being “stupid”.
Rosemary: “Oh… I need to take a bath…I’ll go after you.”
Gray: “You…could take one with me now…if you want that is…”
Rosemary: “Wha… ummmm.”
Rosemary covers her face from embarrassment. She then grabs Gray's arm and they walk to the shower, leaving everyone else in the kitchen.
Edward: “They’re moving fast…in their relationship that is.”
Soku: “She has had a crush on him since she met him, Now she’s finally with him…yet I don’t get how she likes him that much.”
Edward: “I thought she hid it well…I thought they were just friends.”
Soku: “Ugh it’s so gross.”
Soku: “You got presents for everyone?”
Edward: “I do actually...you?”
Soku: “Yep…and you Julius?”
Julius: “Yes I do actually.”
Edward: “Oh that’s nice of you.”
Julius: “The only reason I am here right now is that you kindly rescued me so I feel as if I owe it to you to give you gifts.”
Soku: “Makes sense.”
Edward: “We didn’t help you out to get anything…we just didn’t want to leave anyone behind.”
Soku's face goes white, proceeding too quickly to walk to her room.
Julius: “Did I say something wrong?”
Edward: “No…I did…I should apologize.”
Julius: “She is in the right to be angry at me. I took her sisters' place in life, and; she has no knowledge of who I am, a mix of selflessness and selfishness. You all are truly interesting. Either it is what drives you all or your personalities, they all seem fake though real at the same time. Rosemary might be the loudest out of all of you while remaining the quietest, Soku has a bit of an attitude and likes to make fun of people yet she seems the most emotional about her self-worth. Then there’s Gray, a loud man lying to himself about who he is yet he doesn’t even know it, truly comedic.”
Edward: “You’re good at reading people, you did something similar at the mansion when we first met you.”
Julius: “I am an observer. Quiet and learning, it is just what I like to do. You Edward, you are my favorite.”
Edward: “Waa?”
Julius stands up, putting his finger over Edward's lips.
Julius: “You do not even like fighting yet you were born into a family known for it. Known for being a monster and yet you hate it. You go against your bloodline yet it flows through your veins, rushing and it boils over when you battle. The warrior's spirit is strong in you, yet you make it harder for yourself. A snake eating its tail. A walking character study I struggle to understand. Now please continue to grow as a person, will l go buy some groceries for dinner. I will be the one cooking by the way.”
Julius leaves the cottage, walking into the cold snow with his eyes still closed and a smirk on his face.
Edward: “What the hell…?”
End of Chapter Two.