Memories

Ch.7: How Are You Even Alive?

  The next morning, I woke up in a bed. The tavern was moving so I guess we were on the road again. I sat up in the bed and yawned. I rubbed my eyes then grabbed my glasses. I slipped them on then looked around. I looked next to me and saw my backpack. I decided to change my outfit today to a pair of shorts and a long sleeve. I grabbed a book I had that I was reading and walked down to the tavern's main seating area.
"Good morning, guys." I yawned.
"You slept pretty good. Guess you got pretty drunk because it's halfway through the day already!" Ban chuckled, slinging an arm around me as I sat at a table next to the bar.
"Great, I skipped breakfast." I groaned.
Hawk shivered and I looked over at him.
"Someone should get her breakfast, quickly before she cuts off someone's head!" Hawk laughed nervously.
I waved it off, not in the mood and started reading my book.
"Speaking of food, looks like we need some herbs, guys! That means you're up, King!" Meliodas said happily.
King pouted.
"Aww man! Cmon on, Captain! Do I have to go alone again?! Can't Diane come with me?!" King begged.
"Diane's a giant. Everybody would go crazy if they saw her walking around with you." Meliodas states matter of factly.
"Well who would go with me?!"
I was about to say I would but Ban spoke before me.
"Why don't you bring, Gowther? He seems like someone you'd have fun talking to." He smirked mischievously.
I rolled my eyes. Those two...
"I guess I can go. It would be nice to go into a town and walk around normally for once." Gowther said.
"Why don't you bring along, Gemminia too? She could help bring in some customers easily and maybe you'd get a discount on the herbs." Meliodas smirked, pervertedly.
I slammed my book shut, looking at the wall in front of me.
"I will tag along, but if it's for sexually attracting customers to gain information on the other sins then I will be of no part in it. Got it?" I looked at Meliodas with a serious look.
He shrugged then handed King a list and a sack of coins.
"Don't be gone too long, you guys!" Elizabeth yelled to us as we were walking down the hill already.
I grabbed the pouch of coins and the list from King, putting the coins in my backpack. I examined the list while King yelled at me.
"Hey! Captain gave that for me to hold!" He pouted.
"Yeah, and I don't know why he'd trust a guy to do the shopping." I laughed.
He groaned and I looked over at Gowther.
"Well I suppose she is right. The women are the ones who are known for all the house work and shopping. Unless the captain thinks King is a girl..." He said with his smart voice.
King tensed.
"Hey that's not funny! Of course I'm not a girl! Why would that idea even pop into your head?! Oh why am I always the one being picked on."
I giggled and patted King's head. He looked at me with a calmer face but mostly surprised. I smiled.
"Cmon, we don't have all day." I started walking faster.
As soon as we got to the village, I was amazed by all the weapons and artifacts they were selling. So many different items from so many different cultures and lands. Gowther and King followed me, not even caring I was basically fangirling over weapons. That's not normal for a girl but I guess they've hung out with Diane who is a member of the Seven Deadly Sins so... I started to calm down when I saw the food part. I started walking over happily to the tent but I stopped when something caught my eyes. I looked down at the table next to me to find a rusty golden trident. I stared at it for the longest time and I think the seller was getting worried.
"Um hello ma'am! This trident is from the ancient King Triton of Atlantis himself. It's been sold many times but sadly it's in poor condition now. It's starting to rust and-"
I cut him off but picking it up and immediately the trident started glowing, making all the rust slowly disappear from it. The man stared at me with wide eyes, speechless.
"How much is it?" I looked at him with a straight face that looked almost angry.
"I-it's free for you, miss!" He looked at me, afraid.
"Are you sure?" I asked, sweetly.
"O-of course! It suits y-you!" He laughed nervously.
I studied it then looked back at the man, thanking him. I walked away, still staring at the trident. It felt perfect in my grasp. Did father have the same size hands as me? I couldn't remember. I looked up to see King and Gowther just finishing up picking out herbs. I swung the trident into my quiver case then brought out my list, checking if they had everything.
"No you forgot the spinach, tomatoes, peppers..." I mumbled, trailing off as I grabbed the missing items.
"Are you okay?" King asked.
I looked up at him, getting kind of a red face.
"Y-yeah I'm fine..." I diverted my eyes, grabbing the basket from him.
I handed the man selling the herbs money and he thanked us. We walked away and I put the herbs in my backpack.
"Gemminia, where did you get that trident from?" King pointed to my back.
I was about to speak when the ground shook and citizens started running in our direction. I squinted my eyes, confused but my eyes widened when I saw who they were running from. A teen who looked a few years older than me with hazel eyes and red hair floated above us on the other side of the city. I froze in shock when I realized who this boy was.
"Princess Gemminia, I presume you know who this boy is? Gowther asked.
"Wait... Princess...?" King asked confused.
I glared at Gowther. King moved in front of my vision and my face softened. The guy who was floating snickered and we all looked at him. I reached behind my head, gripping my sword.
"Sup, little sis." He smiled at me, evilly.
"You know this guy?!" King almost yelled at me.
I winced at his voice raising and squeaked, squeezing my eyes closed.
"I-I didn't mean to-"
"Save it, please..." I looked at my perfectly healthy and very much alive brother, "How are you even alive?"
"Did you really think you were the only one born into the family with powers?" He laughed, "That's cute, little sis. Does it really matter how I'm still alive?"
"Yes! I saw with my own eyes the whole royal family tied up and completely dead."
"Did you forget, dear sister? My throne is at the very end. The one where nobody wants to turn their head so far towards." He sneered.
I rolled my eyes but they soon widened. A quick memory flashed into my head. I saw all the thrones, except mine, were filled with a dead royal member. But there was one more chair that was filled with a fake dead royal member. I gasped and stared at him.
"Do you know who killed our people then?"
"It was over four centuries ago. Finally, I get to do what I've been wanting to do since that specific day. I heard that's your sin. Am I wrong?"
"How do you know about my sin?"
"You have a sin?" Both Gowther and King asked.
I sighed, moving my jacket and showed them my tattoo. Their eyes widened.
"Enough talking. I have a job I was assigned. It was to kill my own little sister." He smirked, flying towards me.
I lifted my hand and flicked it, sending him flying back a little. It didn't do much because he kept coming for me after that move. He shot a ball of water at me and I avoided it. I shot a bunch of water arrows at him and he tried to avoid. We kept shooting different attacks and I groaned in frustration. He had equal strength as me. He grabbed a sword and swung it at me. I grabbed my own and blocked it. Our swords kept clashing and eventually he pushed me to the ground hard.
"Gemminia!" King yelled in fear.
"Stay out of this, little boy." My brother flung his arm towards King and Gowther's direction and pinned them to the wall using sealing water.
"King! Gowther!" I started to run towards them to help but I get yanked to the ground hard.
My arms shook as I tried to sit up.
"No! Gem!" King almost cried.
"Is loverboy worried for his precious love's life? Oh wait that memory was taken away too! Too bad! She'll die in front of you painfully anyways even if you don't remember and I'll take my time so you both suffer." He smirked at King.
"Shut up and leave already, you bastard." I said through grit teeth then swung my arm across the air, making my blade strike him.
He winced in pain then started laughing as if it were a joke. His arm moved up then he slammed it down. I looked up to see a bunch of rain water fall onto me. No... He didn't... After a few seconds, I stared to glow. I glared at him as I felt my legs stick together. My tail appeared and it flicked up, trying to find real water.
"G-Gem?" King whispered, confused.
I looked down at the ground with a serious face. I balled my fists and you couldn't see my eyes behind my hair.
"I'm going to kill you, Calder." I raised my arm up high then used my speed attacks.
His eyes widened as he tried to keep up. His face started to sweat and I only gained more speed. It was amazing he was still matching my speed. I wasn't even tired or anything. Eventually his speed decreased and I smirked. I let the sword drop. I clasped my hands above my head and close my eyes.
"Evaporate!" I yelled.
The air around us kicked up a lot and Calder looked around in horror. I only stared at him with hatred which made the wind become even stronger.
"What happened to the old Calder I used to know?! What happened to always putting everyone you love first?! What happened to protecting me?!" I yelled at him.
"That was the old me. I see the old you is gone too. Then again you fell in love so I suppose you should be different." He tried to keep his feet on the ground.
"I'VE NEVER BEEN IN LOVE!" I yelled at the top of my lungs and used my powers to make his body start to erode away.
"Oh yes you have, my darling sister. He's right there. King, is that his name?" He calmly said, not even caring he was fading away.
"STOP LYING!" I clapped really loud and the air lifted up a bunch of dirt and made a loud booming noise.
When the wind died down, it revealed he was gone. I started panting and I fell onto the ground. I heard footsteps running towards me and I looked up to see King and Gowther hovering over me.
"Let me guess, your brother is from Atlantis too?" Gowther asked.
"Why do you keep revealing my secrets, you asshole?" I coughed up some blood.
"Am I not supposed to?"
I groaned and rolled my eyes.
"Gemminia? Would you like to explain what's going on? Is this part of what Gowther was trying to say last night?" King asked in a softer tone.
I looked at the ground. I closed my eyes and sighed.
"Yes... But not here. We need to let Meliodas and the others know anyways. The only problem is..." I looked down at my tail, "My brother put a certain spell on my tail that makes me have a tail for the rest of the day. Sadly, it means I have to find a large body of water soon."
"Chasteifol can carry you until we find a lake or a river."
"There's a river by the tavern, if I recall." Gowther pushed up his glasses.
"Okay. We need to hurry though." I nodded.