The two men look at Julie in shock. the one she punched slowly getting up and rubbing his cheek. Jack was laying there on the ground, beaten and bleeding from his nose and bruised along his face. His chest and stomach hurt. The first, drunken man yelled out.
“Buzz off, bitch. The men are playing,”
“And ah wanna get in on the fun,” Julie said slowly walking toward the other two men. She shows no sign of fear, no hesitation.
One man, a black haired one, charges at Julie. She weaves back, out of the way of the hit. The black haired attacker swings again and hits Julie square in the jaw, causing her lip to bleed. The other friend rushes in for a hit on the large Malenterian woman, but hits his friend instead after Julie grabs onto the black haired man's shirt and steps back.
“Ya said men where playin, y’all hit like boys,” Julie said, licking the blood off her lip with a smile, fixing her glasses after.
The second man, having blonde hair, tried attacking Julie again, to which landed a hit on the side of her face. The dark skinned woman uses her grip on the black haired man's shirt to throw him into the blonde attacker. The two men fell over and Julie used rock magic to wrap rocks round both men, keeping them on the ground.
“Sit there for a while, ah have ta check on my boy,” She walks over to Jack who had been witnessing the entire fight. Once by Jack, Julie grabs his ham delicately and helps him up. “Ya okay sweetheart?”
Jack nodded, he was disappointed in himself. Once again,he had fallen into his fears again, calling for someone to finish what he started, beaten because he couldn't pull himself together to fight back.
“What happened?” Julie asked, though she already knew.
“I wanted to help. But I didn’t. I got scared and didn't fight back.
Julie wipes the blood from under Jack’s nose and carries him off to the inn they are staying at with Sav’akk. An arm wrapped around Julie's back and one of her own wrapped around his body, under his armpit.
“It's alright Jack. Sometimes ya don't win, but ya helped someone at least, right?”
“Yeah,” Jack said halfheartedly. “I did.”
“Ya did somethin good then.” Julie said with a smile.
Jack knew Julie was only trying to make him feel better, but sadly nothing worked. Jack still felt like a failure, he still felt like a coward. He still failed, he was still a coward. The attempt to help someone only ended up in his own detriment. The caring Malenterian that carried him saw this in his face and decided to just stay silent and bring him to the inn to sleep the night off. Once there at the inn, Julie helps patch Jack up after bringing him to his own room. Sav’akk being curious asks what happened and gets the rundown, to which she simply nods at the given information. Julie had expected a bit more bravado from Sav’akk. Insults, snide comments, rude actions. Nothing though. The witch Leader takes note of the fast improvement Sav’akk has made since trying to be better.
“It’s bedtime, let's leave Jack be,” Julie said
“Alright boss,” Sav’akk said, nodding and walking out to her room left of Jacks.
For a swift moment, Julie looks back at Jack and around the room. It was well lit, the blankets looked nice with a square design in four quadrants. THe adjacent squares black, the other two warm brown. The bed itself seemed to be twin sized, the blankets on the bed governed the bed as Jack was laying on top of them. There was a fan on the ceiling, a small tv in front of the bed, in a dresser, and a short walk to a nearby bathroom. The room itself was decently sized. Looking at the Radiator under the nearby window, the fan, the lights, and the tv, Julie thinks to herself how versatile Magic Stones are with their varying elements. Without them, the tech of today wouldn't be possible. She looks at Jack and walks over, kissing his head.
“My baby boy… Ah hope ya feel better in the mornin.”
The large bodied Malenterian makes her way to the door.
“Mama, wait.” Jack calls out before she exits.
Julie looks back over at Jack, the small braid that she had on the inner side of her hair that typically fell over her shoulder, moving slightly as does the large hook shaped tuft of hair that came down to her chin. “Yes, Jack?”
“Why did you take me and Jacklynn as your adopted kids? We were 15 when we came.”
Julie thinks to herself for a bit, she didn't exactly know at the time, which was strange for her admittedly. But after a small bit of thinking, the reasoning she didn't have before became clear.
“Everyone needs a mom. Hearin what happened ta ya both, ah thought ah’d pick up where ya mother had to leave off,” She said. THe Malenterian looks at the ground and sighs. “Ah hope ya mother, wherever she is, Is happy with how ah’ve done. Ah want her ta be proud of the people y'all have become.”
Jack remains silent for a bit thinking, He knew his and Jacklynn’s mother was still alive in the village. He thinks back to why Jacklynn and he left and looks at Julie.
“I’m sure she will be. I think you did good with us.” Jack said with a small smile, his face mostly swollen from the abuse he had taken earlier.
Julie smiles at Jack’s words. They mean more than Jack would realize to her.
“Thanks Jack. It feels great ta hear that,” Julie says with a smile, feeling vindicated for the work shes done to try and ting up Jack and Jacklynn right the past two years.
After smiling softly at Jack, and he smiles back, Julie exits the room and enters her own between Sav’akk’s and Jack’s. The Malenterian lays there for some time thinking to herself. It's barely been a day, already she misses Rose. She has a few more days to go too. But she was certain Rose was behaving herself back home.
Back at Moonshine run, night had just began to fall and Rose was running around with Celeste playing a little game with her and Mr. Cuddles. Anzyu floats around and watches. She seems focused not on the game they play, but on an object. Her focus was on Mr. Cuddles. Drav’dornuss had been watching the two play around the Main room, when Julie was gone, he often took it upon himself to take care of Rose. Afterall, deep within he loved Julie. He always had, ever since the Malo-Goxian War. And because he loved Julie, it trickled down onto Rose, loving her as his own daughter. The Malenterian warrior chuckled and laughed as he watched the rabbit anc child play around.
“You don’t know, do you?” Anzu asked suddenly, her tone was less than happy and serious.
Drav’dornuss looks over at the flying cat creature, and they remain watching the Stuffed animal. “What do you mean?”
“Of course you don’t,” The flying feline retorted.
“What are you on about?” Drav’dornuss asked, confused. “What don't I know?”
“I could tell you. Yes I could, but that would ruin everything now. Wouldn't it?”
“Stop playing these games, what are you talking about!?” Drav’dornuss demands loudly, causing Celeste and Rose to stop playing and look over at the unfolding events.
Anzyu flips on their back to look at the Malenterian upside down, the alien stares directly into his eyes as they speak.. “If you don’t know, that is your problem.” Then the extraterrestrial feline creature flips back right side up to look at Rose and Mr. Cuddles.
Celeste looks between the two, Drav’dornuss seems to rack his brain for anything he may have missed that Amzyu may be talking about, and Anzyu simply stares curiously at the cat doll Rose held so close to herself. Celeste catches on and also looks at the plush. It was a well loved, black cloth cat that seemed knitted. Its left eye was a green button and the left was orange. It had a small zipper on what would be the belly to fill it with plastic pellets. These pellets made the stuffed toy weighted, however the tail of the cat seemed to be lightly filled with stuffing.
Celeste couldn't find the reasoning for Anzyus' interest in the toy, but she puts it out of her mind, the rabbit pats Rose's black and speaks silently.
“Time for bed,” She softly said in a very gentle, soft voice. Almost inaudible if she was any quieter.
Rose nods and the brown Bunnisarian heads off to tuck the Malenterian child into her own bed. Before then, Drav’dornuss waves to Rose.
“Sleep well Rosie,” he said before looking at Anzyu again. “Seriously, What am I missing here?”
“You’ll learn, It isnt my place to step in and tell you anyway. I shouldn’t know.”
And with the final statement, the Flying alien floats off to the back of the base, leaving Drav’dornuss confused. He crosses his arms and leans back. He was wearing casual everyday clothes, a white t-shirt and black pants. It was here, that he'd begin thinking hard on whatever it is he may have forgotten, or whatever it was he doesn't know. Perhaps there's signs they never realized somewhere. Perhaps, he shouldn't have been so forward on Julie when Rose was around, thinking back he certainly felt he was out of line then. The Malenterian then decided to try and take care of Rose as much as he can for Julie while she was gone, then to apologize for his actions.
With Rose, She was in her toy filled soft green room. The brown Bunnisarian, Celeste trainer of Alveta, tucks Rose in and smiles at her, rubbing her head. Rose smiles wide and holds Mr. Cuddles tightly in her arms.
“Iz can't wait for mama to come back!”
Celeste giggles quietly and nods, her big bunny ears flapping with her nodding movement. Rose smiles and snuggles into her pillow as she watches Celeste slowly leave her room. The child thinks about learning how to sword fight or even cast magic tomorrow morning to show off when her mother returns. Her eyes shut and she continues imagining how proud of her Julie will be when she becomes the best at sword fighting and using magic.
After a short time with her eyes closed, Rose hears a voice.
“Rose,” THe voice spoke to her, it sounded deep and smooth. “Rose, awaken.”
The child shifts slightly and opens her eyes, looking at Mr. Cuddles
“Iz trying to sweep.”
“No slumber rose,” THe cat plush seemingly speaks, moving its head up to look at Rose. “I wish to play”
“It bedtime, mama don't like it when we stay up and pway.”
“Mother isn't home, Rose.”
Rose sits up and looks at Mr cuddles, letting go of him as he flops ofer limp on his side. Soon enough, the Black cloth cat begins sitting itself up in front of Rose. The child wrapped up in her blanket.
“Mama won't be happy if she finds out.”
“This is true,” The plush looks down at the bed and presses one of its stubby hands against its face, just under the mouth. “Perhaps then, it is best if we to Sleep. I would not want to anger Mother.”
Rose sleepily nods and yawns, laying back down. Mr Cuddles crawls under the blanket and against Rose's chest. The White haired child wraps her arms around the plush and slowly drifts off to sleep. But just before then, the plush creature presses its face against Rose’s cheek, its plastic nose leaving a small cold area where it touches.
“Goodnight, Rose.”
“Night night, mr Cuddews”
And with that, the room falls silent, leaving Rose sleeping soundly.
