Beast Knights (KKM Fanfiction)

To Figure Her Out

Forgetting you will never be an option for me. There will always be one thing after another that will make me think of you... ~ Florence Joyce

xxxxxx

"Are you sure you got everything ready?"

Mari could only roll her eyes upon hearing that for how many times already from Klaus. Why does this guy have to be so consistent in this, anyway?

"Klaus, you seriously don't get tired of asking me that, do you? I'm not a kid anymore, okay? And I checked five times already. I got everything I need and more, only because you insisted on letting me add them."

The others just laughed at the antics going on between the Wind Tiger Knight and the Light Eagle Knight. Even Conrad, whose mood and expressions had remained placid most of the time, was able to laugh at the scene. The soldier was aware that Klaus was protective and caring about the other younger Knights, with Mari in particular. But he never thought he'd see this scene once again in front of him.

"Well, I couldn't help it. You're venturing to another land. And you might end up dealing with a Phantasma. I have to make sure you guys are ready."

"We're just investigating. And even if I do have to deal with a Phantasma, I'm confident that I can handle it. You've trained me for something like this, remember?"

But even those words weren't even enough to calm Klaus down. Even the other Knights could tell how worried the former prince was.

"Klaus, you got to have faith in Mari. She won't be chosen as one of the Beast Knights if she doesn't have the ability and the mindset to deal with this threat."

Of course, Mari couldn't help feeling surprised that Conrad had stepped forward to say those words to Klaus. It was a given that those two were close, considering the connection that they had. But for Conrad to do something like this to Klaus...

"I have faith in her ability, Lord Weller. What I don't have faith in is her recklessness. In case you're not aware, aside from her tendency to overdo things, she's also reckless in terms of combat. That's why I don't want her acting all by herself while fighting or dealing with enemies."

Mari just scratched the back of her head as she rolled her eyes and looked away. Even if there was no mirror in front of her at the moment, she knew she was blushing as she could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks. Seriously speaking, does Klaus have to tell Conrad all of that?

"Don't worry about her acting on her own. I'll make sure she won't have to do that if it would calm you down."

Klaus nodded and chuckled. "I know you will, Lord Weller. But don't overwork yourself, as well. You have a good Maoh that you have to protect and serve. Not to mention, your family."

Conrad just smiled at that and nodded once. With a sigh, the soldier's sight unexpectedly landed on Mari currently talking and laughing with Wolfram and Yuri. He didn't expect her to be close with his youngest brother in such a short time. But there was nothing wrong with that, right?

"Mari still has a lot of mysteries that, until now, I can't seem to discover. But maybe dealing with this case about the Phantasma can help us solve those mysteries."

Conrad turned to the source of that voice. Though surprised to see Hanz approaching, he was able to keep it in. "What do you mean?"

"You sensed it, didn't you? That familiar feeling belonging to Lyall."

Without a doubt, he was surprised to hear that from Hanz. When he turned to the Sound Wolf Knight, he just saw Hanz eyeing Mari with a blank look on his face. But if one would ask Conrad, even if it was weird, there was something about Hanz's look on Mari that said he had to figure things out.

To figure her out -- whatever happens.

"Does that mean you felt it, too?"

Hanz nodded and looked at Conrad this time. "It was weird if you ask me. Especially when I first met Mari when she was 16 years old. At the time, I only kept on saying to myself that I just missed Lyall, that's why I kept feeling that way towards the new Wind Tiger Knight. That is until Klaus also sensed something similar to Mari."

Learning this from Hanz had surprised Conrad in more ways than one. But what could this mean? And why Lyall? It doesn't make any sense at all. And Conrad was sure that it had nothing to do with Mari inheriting Lyall's Knight title. There had to be something more.

Perhaps he'd be able to learn the answer -- once the three female Beast Knights had arrived with them at Shin Makoku.

xxxxxx

Four long days of travel by ship appeared to have not bothered the three Knights at all. It was even though they had not left Esovia to head to other countries since they were brought to that world.

"There are times when we travel in the other world by ship, okay? Regardless of how the ships were made in each world, I don't think it's enough to make us feel anything different or weird about the whole thing, right?" Rina explained that only made the others smile or chuckle.

But even with such an explanation, the others could also tell that there was something that bothered Mari at some point. Only a few had been able to observe that. And yet for some reason, none of them decided to confront the said woman about it as they noticed that she was doing her best not to get absorbed in her thoughts. From time to time, Mari would join the discussion with the Mazoku on board. Especially since she could sense quite a few foreboding presences from her position due to her powers over the wind element.

Of course, it had worried Yuri. But Mari assured them that the foreboding Phantasma presence that she could sense was not in Shin Makoku. But somewhere else. Though it had piqued the others' interest, Mari wasn't sure of the exact location that she sensed it.

"It was probably because the presence wasn't even considered to be powerful enough for any of us to sense it," Murata said.

But Mari shook her head. "That's not it. It's not about how powerful it is. It's about its stability. Their newfound power isn't stable yet. That's why they couldn't do their actual function of mass destruction. Whoever was trying to revive them probably still has no idea on how to let the Phantasma stabilize and control their abilities and real functions."

As this was going on, all Conrad could do was observe the Wind Tiger Knight as discreetly as he could. The thoughts running in his mind were something that he truly considered absurd in more ways than one. Especially since he had such discussions with Klaus and Hanz about Mari having similarities to Lyall.

But if it wasn't her ability and duty as the Wind Tiger Knight that was causing this, then what was it? What other explanations could exist there?

"Perhaps you shouldn't think too much about the answer right now. In time, it will appear. The only thing we could do is to be prepared for whatever answer that will show."

Was it supposed to be that easy?