Dimension shuffler

Chapter 16: Paz-t and present: Part 3

The woman that came down those stairs was not the one that walked up them the night before.

Paz no longer donned her signature armour but instead wore an elegant dress that concealed her feet. It was sleeveless and was tinted pink but came accompanied by soft gloves and a pink rose on the headband.

"Paz... You..." Drez stammered.

"I should probably explain. I've failed too much as of recently to really call myself a knight which is why I'm following in my mother's footsteps and hanging up the sword."

No-one could react properly. The once stern and formidable girl had been replaced by an elegant lady.

"Is this... is this really what you want?"

"It is. Come one, let's explore the town before we need to say our goodbyes."

After Paz had left, Chico tugged at Drez's jacket, "By 'say our goodbyes' does she mean she won't come with us?" Drez couldn't even stifle a response. He was too worried about the girl who had died during the night. The one replaced by the lady in pink.

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Paz walked among the stalls, smiling and greeting those she met. Everyone smiled back. Everyone except her friends.

"It's unnerving, isn't it?" Stephen stated, "It's odd to think she once struck fear into me."

"That's not very nice." Chico huffed.

"It's true. Besides, look at her! This isn't Paz. I've been here maybe a few weeks now and even I can tell that! You can't tell me otherwise."

"Maybe you're right and we can't very well intrude on her decisions. This is what she wants and, like it or not, we have to accept it. Right Drez?"

Drez wouldn't speak.

"A-are you al..." Chico was interrupted by Paz returning with a stuffed rabbit.

"Here. I bought you this." She handed it to the young girl, "Aww. You look so adorable with it. Stay right here, I'm going to get you all something." She ran back off into the stalls

"Paz knows what adorable is. You learn something new everyday." Stephen was flabbergasted by her sudden intrusion.

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"You know, if you arranged your flowers like this, it looks like a rainbow." Paz fiddled with the flowers in her mother's shop.

"That's... great, sweetheart." Was her reply.

"I am going to help you so much after my friends leave."

"You really aren't coming with us?" Chico stood at the door with Stephen and Drez, her little heart shattered.

"Well... you see... I'd just be holding you back now I'm not a knight. And, of course my mother needs my help."

"Alright, this is where I draw the line!" Drez, for the first time that day, spoke up.

"Draw the line? What do you mean?"

"Paz, this isn't you. You're the strong-willed, aggressive warrior we all know and love not some dolled-up lady."

"But I failed..."

"You didn't fail. You made a mistake. We all do that. You've proven time and time again that you're competent. If not for you, Benson would still be terrorising people."

"If not for you, I'd still be test subject in some lab." Chico added.

"I wouldn't even know who you guys were if not for you." Stephen chimed in.

"And not just that, you found your mother with no clues of my whereabouts." Her mother took her hands.

"Paz... You are, by far, the most effective knight I've ever known, anyone can attest to that. If you don't come back to be a knight, then come back for me, for us." The trio beamed at Paz/

"You'll be needing this." Her mother presented her sword, "I wielded this once many years ago but my time is behind me. Your story is still being written. I wasn't able to hand this to you properly before, but I will now. You aren't just my daughter. You are Paz, knight of this land and protector of the innocent and, one day, the greatest sword master in the world."

Paz embraced her mother, "Thank you." She looked to her friends, "All of you." She took the sword and held it to her chest, blade to the sky, "I swear, I'll make you proud mother. I'll protect everyone and fight for what's right."

"Does that mean you're coming home with us?"

"Well, I'm not going to get much fighting sitting around here, am I? I'll be sure to visit often, mom."

"Of course, you and your friends are always welcome. Now get out there and be a better knight than your father and I could ever be. And remember, I'll always love you, pumpkin."

"I love you too, mom. Now come on guys, let's go home."

The way home, though, seemed to be slightly more inverted for Stephen though.

"I coming anyway! You don't need to drag me again just run home a gag."

"Hey, I never promised I'd stop, did I?" She giggled to Stephen's dismay.