a͟m͟b͟i͟v͟a͟l͟e͟n͟c͟e͟ - espresseleine au

Madeleine rescues some children (badly)

Madeleine looked at me incredulously. "The Palanaeum is literally on fire, and that's the first thing that came to mind?"

I shrugged as the smell of smoke tickled my nostrils and I sneezed. He rolled his eyes at me and gave me a kiss on the forehead before running off.

I snapped my fingers, shielding the bags, and ran after him. I cast spells over escaping cookies until I was nearly depleted.

You're a fucking idiot, Espresso. I thought as I realized I didn't have any coffee on me.

I turned and staggered through the crowd, bodies pushing past me. I was dead-set on finding either Ricotta or Madeleine when I heard crying from the remains of the Palanaeum.

I whipped my head around, not sure how I'd heard it given the immense panic and number of servants in the Palanaeum. There was a young woman whose leg was caught under a flaming beam that had broken off the roof. She was panicking, sobbing messily like she knew she was about to die.

I summoned the last of my energy and flung the beam away before collapsing, exhausted.

 She stopped crying once she realized the beam was gone, and looked around for her savior. Once she saw me, she rushed toward me.

"Sir, are you okay? What happened?" she asked, checking my body for injuries like a trained professional. She had a motherly figure and pink curly hair.

"What about your leg?" I asked groggily. "Are you sure you're fit to heal like this?"

Her face it up, and the she started crying. "So you are the one who saved me! My daughter and I will be forever in your debt!" Her face turned contemplative. "Ah, I can start by healing you!" 

My feeble protests were drowned out by her spell. Once it was done, I felt brand new again! I was about to run off in search of my friends again, but then I remembered her leg.

"What about.." My question died in my mouth. She was already healing herself. Well then. I thought, turning around and leaving.

The next thing I stumbled across was a group of cookies huddled around a hole in the wreckage. How is it still on fire???? I thought. I'll have to look up "magic flames" later.

Turning to one of the cookies, I asked. "Why are you all huddled around the flames like this?"

"Our children are still in there, and we could not go back and rescue them ourselves! We were struggling on what to do when this knight with blond hair showed up and volunteered to go get our children. We cheered and let him, but it's been 10 minutes and he hasn't shown up, so we're getting a little worried."

I facepalmed. "That's my boyfriend, and he can be an idiot. N-not in the 'volunteering to help your children' way." I stammered. "In the 'choosing a bad way out' way. I'm going to go look for him - and your children." With that, I cast a shield and ran into the building.

I was coughing so hard I could hardly see, but I kept going.

The flames were so bright I could hardly see, but I kept going.

The Palanaeum was so maze-like I could hardly find my way, but I kept going.

The roof was so collapsed I could hardly find my way, but I kept goin.

I finally found Madeleine in a "cave" (whose walls, roof, and floor were on fire) huddled around five children.

"Don't-" He coughed. "Worry-" He coughed again. "Children-" Another cough. I had to stop this before he tore apart his lungs.

"Okay children, I'm going to cast a shield on you." I cut in. "It will protect you from the flames, so no need to be afraid." They nodded as I cast, and Madeleine looked up at me.

I pulled him into my arms, bridal-style, and led the children with a shadow-puppy I had created that they could follow.

Madeleine laughed weakly and murmured into my ear, "Isn't it usually me doing the rescuing?"

I shook my head at him and kissed him on the forehead as the children continued to follow me. "Would you rather I leave you here?"

He laughed again and then fell asleep. The children and I made it out of the Palanaeum just before our shields broke.

The parents fell on their knees thanking me, promising the same thing the young woman had promised. I embarrassedly thanked them, and then headed off with Madeleine.

"Doggy." He muttered deliriously. 

"Madeleine, there is no doggy here. You're just tired from all the saving." I said soothingly.

He sat up, which made me almost drop him, and pointed behind me before laying down again. I turned, and there was the shadow dog I had made for the children! I thought it'd just dissipate, but apparently not.

I sat down and laid Madeleine down on the grass - we were far away from the still-burning Palanaeum - and the puppy jumped on my lap.

I started idly petting it, and asked Madeleine what he thought we should name him.

"How do you know it's a him?" He asked sleepily.

"I created him. I just know."

"Alright boss."

We laid down on the ground and looked at the stars. "Back to the question at hand, what do you think we should name him?"

"Let's name him Dux. Latin for guide." He murmured, sleepier. "He was a guide to the children."

I nodded, and told the dog, "We christen you Dux. You shall be a guiding light to whomever you meet." I looked at Madeleine. "Does that sound good?"

He was already asleep. I laughed, and laid back, settling down. We laid like that for a while until my hand buzzed. I held it up, and the rune on my hand started glowing.

"Espresso, Madeleine. I've put out the Palanaeum, and thank you for your effort in saving so many people." I smiled. "But that was not any ordinary fire. It was set by the disciples of Dark Enchantress Cookie herself. So we must flee." I blinked. So that was why it burned for so long!

"Espresso, you and you alone know where we're going. I trust you to lead Madeleine there and fill him in, and I will meet you there after wrapping things up here." The rune faded to dark again, and as I laid there processing the information I had just been given, only one thought entered my mind.

Triple double extra fuck.

yay it's here! sorry for the long wait, I was grounded. I hope this chapter was worth it! (or at least something vaguely resembling worth it)