To Be Human

A Day in the Market

  "If I buy two of these, will you give me a deal?" Nina asked the vendor at the stall. We were in the market, and she was holding up two matching hairpins.

  "They're already half-price today. That's all the discount I can give you." The older man stated.

  "Then how about arm wrestling me?" She had this look on her face that made me chuckle.

  "Arm wrestle you?"

  "If I win, how about you make it half off half price? Come on, please?" Of course, Nina won, then put one of the hairpins into Mugaro's hair and the other into her own. Mugaro seemed pleased with the gift, and I chuckled again.

  "Is that the only thing you want?" The vendor in front of me asked, and I nodded while handing over some coins. Smiling as I picked up the pendant, I tied it around my neck and looked down at the metal dragon wrapped around a moon made out of some sort of animal bone.

  "You coming, Lila?" The pink-haired girl called out, and I went to catch up to her and Mugaro. Walking through the capital, Nina ended up dragging us into a clothing store. She spent a while picking some garments out before ending up handing clothes to Mugaro and I to change into before ushering us into changing areas behind some curtains.

  After seeing what she had picked out for me, I cringed and set it to the side. I was never one for frilly dresses and bows, but Nina certainly was and this was yet another attempt on her part to get me to wear something like that.

  "Lila, did you put it on?"

  "No." I replied while crossing my arms, and the curtain flew open.

  "Come on!" She whined. "Just this once?"

  "No." I gave her the 'look' and she pouted.

  "Fine. But I'm still picking out something for you." Nina hurried off and was back in five minutes with something a lot less frilly and not so brightly colored. "There. Now, change!"

  "Okay, okay!" I pushed her out from behind the curtain and closed it before changing clothes. The dress she had brought me was made from black and dark red fabrics with two rows of buttons going down the front. The only bow this time was at the collar of the dress rather than all over it. Nina seemed satisfied to see me in the dress, and I rose a brow at Muguro also being in a dress. 'Isn't he a boy?' I thought but said nothing seeing as the kid was happy.

  "This is my first time shopping in the capital, so I really went overboard. I spent most of the money I had left over." Nina grinned as we were walking down the street.

  "I can get us lunch then. I have enough."

  "Thank you, Lila!" Nina then turned to Mugaro. "Did you have fun?" Mugaro nodded and smiled, and the pink-haired girl put her fists on her hips. "You're such a good girl, Mugaro!" She gave a thumbs up, and the kid smiled. "I bet that's why Azazel always had you around. I hope he comes back soon." Nina stopped walking again before looking at me this time with that goofy smile of hers. "Speaking of Azazel....didn't he take your first kiss?"

  "Shut up, Nina!" I rose my voice as my ears and cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

  "Did you like it?"

  "Nina!"

  "Come on, you can say! It's just us listening." She was making a rather weird face while wiggling her eyebrows, and I just sighed while turning away.

  "I'm trying to forget that happened." I muttered, and Nina giggled. However, the light atmosphere was crushed when we heard gasps and shouting. There was a man using a slave collar to punish one of the demons with him. No one moved to intervene, and no one was saying anything. My jaw clenched, and I felt Mugaro gently grab my hand.

  "Stop that!" Nina spoke up.

  "You want something, little girl?"

  "Just look the other way, girl." A woman whispered.

  "I wouldn't get involved." An old man added.

  "If you keep that up, he's going to die." Nina ignored the people behind us.

  "Little girl, I don't know what's gotten into your head, but this isn't a person. It's a demon and my slave." The old man had his foot on the demon that was still on the ground. "And what I do with my slave is my business, isn't it?" He got closer to Nina, leaning down to where his face was close to hers. I didn't like the look in his eyes, nor him in general at all in fact.

  "That doesn't mean you can torture him." I gently put Nina behind me in a protective manner, my free hand clenched into a fist as I tried to remain calm. "Or are you too stupid to know that?" The old man raised his brow while smirking at me.

  "Girls, you keep this up and I'll make you both my slaves, too." He nudged my chin up with his gloved hand before taking a few steps away.

  "Feel free to try." Nina popped off.

  "But you'll inevitably fail." I furrowed my brows while still looking at the man dressed in rather expensive-looking clothes.

  "You've got guts! We'll show you two a good time." He said ominously while the men that were with him smirked and chuckled. Nina stepped to my side as I looked at her, and we shared the same evil smile. We were going to crush these guys, Drango style.

  We waited for them to make the first move, but everyone froze as a bright light came from behind us. My eyes went wide as my mouth gaped, seeing the collars on the demons disintegrating. Looking over my shoulder, I was shocked to see the eye Muguro usually had covered was the source of the odd light.

  "Wh-What? What the hell is going on?!" People gasped as the demons advanced on the slave owner. The old man was trying to use the bracelet that connected to the collars, but with them absent, it was useless. The demons roared and growled, chasing after the men when they fled.

  "Well....that's one way to do it."

  "Mugaro, did you do something?" Nina tilted her head, but the kid only smiled gently. "What's wrong, Mugaro?" The pink-haired girl asked as we followed Mugaro since he was quickly walking away. "Are you hungry or something?" Of course, there was no verbal reply and just a little smile that was so sweet.

  "All right then, let's raid some vendors." I grinned while seeing food stalls up ahead.

~

  We reached the carriage as a woman in a cloak was leaving. Mugaro and I didn't really spare her a long glance, however, but Nina did.

  "We're home! Hey, who was that just now?" Nina had her fists on her hips while talking to Bacchus. "Why did someone so pretty come to this carriage?" The drunk wasn't talking, so she bore down on Hamsa. The duck quacked while trying to escape, but Nina plucked him up by his neck. "Hamsa, you know, don't you? Who was it?"

  "She was an old colleague of Bacchus from a long time since passed!"

  "Colleague?" Nina had this look on her face. "You don't mean lover?"

  "I suppose it's not that uncommon for colleagues to become lovers." The duck blurted before quacking up a storm as Nina was giggling and tickling him.

  "Shut up, you idiots!"

  "Hey, hey, Bacchus." Nina plopped down on the couch next to the drunk god.

  "I told you to shut up!"

  "Mugaro is amazing!" She continued while ignoring what the man had said. "She chased away these awful people who were doing terrible things to demons. Mugaro started glowing, and the stones on the demons' collars just disappeared! Although I don't know how Mugaro did it since she doesn't talk."

  "Bacchus, could this be the child?"

  "What are you talking about?"

  "Hey, you. ....What's with the outfit?" Bacchus asked Mugaro. The kid glanced down at his clothes, then smiled at the drunk god.