MONARCH - Discontinued

Chapter 12 - Hellos Mean Goodbyes

         Because Ava and Sinbad totally threw a curveball everyone else, they were p*ssed. Sinbad had reached up to play with Ava's ears since she let him have Valefor's power, which also kind of p*ssed her off too, sitting with her one of her knees bend up while the other was stretched out, her arms crossed.

          Minifor was set down gently beside them. Sinbad laughed aloud, "Looks like I win! That was kinda close!" "Curse you Sinbad," Drakon hissed, his hand darting to his sword.

          "You're nothing but a no - good traitor!" "Exactly how many times are you gonna steal from me?" Mahado simply growled loudly while Vittel and Hina shouted at Sinbad, making Ava realize she was kind of in the clear here.

         "I knew I should've killed you when I had the chance," Ja'far exclaimed, his fists clenching. "You sure about that?" Sinbad stood up, smiling before his face turned to stone. "If I hadn't pulled that stunt a lot of you would've been stuck in here forever."

         This didn't seem to comfort the others, who were still tensed with anger. "But, with all of us working side by side, I would've been trapped here too." Sinbad reasoned, and Ava knew he would begin one of his little speeches. Valefor gazed at him, interested for what he has to say.

         "Think about it, who's right or wrong is never the real issue. Someone had to obtain the king's power, and clearly, destiny chose me to be the recipient." Ava tuned out, not caring about his reasons.

         She knew, oh she knew, and she wasn't stupid. He didn't need to tell her, because she already knew. Ava looked away from the purple - haired male to scan the room, something catching her eye. A pale white shard of glass, which made her ears perk up for some reason, and her tail lash.

         Frowning, Ava ripped her gaze from it.

         Then, Ava realized that vivid yellow butterflies fluttered around the room, practically bursting with energy. These weren't the butterflies that Ava saw when she and Hina first entered the Dungeon, no, these were different.

         "I ask all of you, create that country with me!" Sinbad exclaimed, and for a second, a strange and wild second, Ava saw someone next to him.

         He was larger, taller, much older yet still looked incredibly young; long, purple hair in that same ponytail. He had this... shadow over his eyes, but that didn't make him any less appealing.

          And that smile... that damned smile Ava could recognized in a billionth of a billionth of a billionth of a second.

         Sinbad continued with his speech, but Ava couldn't focus. Without Ava noticing, one light yellow butterfly landed on her fringe, acting like some sort of bow, and while she was staring at the butterflies, Sinbad glanced at her.

         He smiled gently, before crouching down, gaining her attention.

         They stared at each other for a moment before he smiled sheepishly, "You're not too mad, right?"

***

         Long - story short, Ja'far turned into a monster. And Sinbad wasn't fighting him. He let Ja'far beat him, throwing him into the wall, and Ava couldn't move.

         She wanted to, but she cowered along with the rest of them. And she couldn't be more ashamed. Valefor was explaining that it was some sort of spell, but the blood gushing through Ava's veins as well as her own heartbeat prevented her from hearing.

         Drakon kept trying to shoot what was once Ja'far, but Ava knocked the gun out of his hands, taking it for herself. The sorcerer appeared, and Ava fled.