Act 1 Mountains

  I stood off to the side eating with Lizel as I watched the princess stargaze with her vintage telescope as she wrote star maps on her small booklet.

  “This is a good view, munch, munch, munch.” Lizel said as she ate her 10th big boy burrito I prepared for us to eat.

  I made 6 bento boxes worth of them, 2 of the boxes were seafood, the rest a mix of beef, chicken and pork, some steamed, others barbecued and the rest fried, filled in with vegetables, butter fried-rice and beans.

  I was drawn back to the view, as I and Lizel sat at a ledge of a cliff, looking at white clouds turning darker and darker, one looked like a duck.

  “Komiko, I think we should cut our picnic short, those look like Cumulonimbus clouds, I give it an hour before it reaches us.” I said as I stood up and placed back my third burrito in an already opened bento box.

  “You're right, a shame, I was almost done mapping this part of town.” She said as we looked to the distance, you can make out the edges of Maplewood, but that’s it. I can’t believe this town had so much sprawl.

  As I helped the princess pack her observation gear, in the trunk of her German muscle car, I felt a drop of water on my skin.

  “Faster Shiro, it’s starting to pour.” Komiko said already inside the car as I slammed the trunk closed and locked it as Lizel started the car’s engine.

  The local news radio started playing, as Lizel drove down the mountain path we rode in.

  “The experts are calling it a flash storm, please we are warning those near Sapling river of potential floods and those up the Maplewood mountains of potential landslides.”

  “It’s barely a light rain, humans do love to exaggerate.” Lizel said right before a great flash of lightning appeared, striking a distant mountain, and then the rain got worse, from a light shower to a torrent of rain.

  “And sometimes we don’t.” I said as I pulled out my phone, seeing that I didn’t have a single bar of signal.

  Act 2 Dead ends

  We drove back to Maplewood center, using the mountain roads, which was becoming more and more difficult to drive through by the minute.

  “Damn! ‘Thump’ this one's a dead end too.” Lizel said as she slammed the driving wheel in frustration, as the road was blocked by another landslide.

  “Let’s wait out the storm, drive back to that motel we passed by a little while ago.” Komiko said as Lizel ‘humped’ in response, and I nodded.

  As we drove a thought came to me and I wasn’t sure if someone was listening or not.

  “Be silent upon a dream, of a flowing stream.” I spoke lightly as a bead on my beaded bracelet broke, as the sound of a distant stream vibrated inside the car, Komiko looked intrigued while Lizel looked confused and then alert.

  “It’s a spell to make anyone listening to us only hear running water.” I said which made Lizel relax.

  “You expect someone is listening on us, Shiro?” Komiko asked, her voice curious.

  “Yes princess, I grew suspicious since someone is clearly trapping us for some reason.” I said, voicing my suspicions.

  “I haven’t smelled anything, but with the storm as strong as it is, it’s dulling my senses.” Lizel shared.

  “I have the same suspicion, but right now we can only wait and see.” The princess said as my spell started to run out and we started talking about lighter subjects like the nightly plays I go too.

  “I have a question Komiko, is there a law against using armies?” I started when a silence started to peter out in our small talk.

  “Ahem. . .why do you ask Shiro?” The princess asked, her voice hinting seriousness.

  “I just wondered, why your siblings haven’t sent a horde of monsters on our door steps yet.” I said, staring out at the rain outside.

  “Princess Sera, what she did is the closest thing to an army attacking us.” I thought about that night, and how I’ve made preparation to counter something like that from happening again.

  “It was a single mindless Trent, and the way she used it wasn’t breaking any rules.” The princess answered, her voice growing distant.

  “I’ll ask again Shiro, why do you ask?” This time her words made me look at her, making me gaze upon her scarlet eyes.

  “Sigh. . . it’s because with enough time and resources I can probably summon one.” I said being honest with her, as I looked away and saw Lizel’s ears twitch.

  “That’s so cool.” I heard Lizel mutter, excitement in her voice.

  “No, even if can you can, I won’t allow it.” The princess said a finality in her voice.

  “It's a rule in this succession game isn’t it? That an army can’t be used, but why?” I said smiling now. Imagining what made that so, in my other life with Bayezid.

  Armies were regulated by the governors and the regency during times of unclear successions, which only meant the Janissaries can’t be used, but everything else was fair game.

  A quiet was made after my last words, so I broke it.

  “Well even if I want to summon one, I need my vessel to fully mature and it would take years before that can happen, the arcane pressure alone would turn me dust if I tried now while I’m still 14.”

  “Wait! You're fourteen! I thought you were atleast 16!” I felt the car sway a little, as Lizel reacted which she quickly fixed.

  The road was slippery because of the muddy water that started pooling on the cement road.

  “It’s because every time armies were involved, a century war would begin. . .and even after a successor was crowned, that ruler would spend there first centuries putting out the fires they made.”

  The voice of the princess was grim, like every other time we spoke about this game that I’ve joined as one of her pieces.

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  “After our great grandmother won her war of succession, she made sure rules would now be placed upon the bloody affair, and one of those was ‘no more armies for the kids’ in her own words.”

  And with that everyone was silent again, I thinking of politics in my mistress's kingdom while two others thought of other things.

  Act 3 Motel

  We made it to the motel, it was very American, with a neon small billboard at the front saying, ‘Welcome to Mēpuru Resuto Motel.’ with a maple leaf as its design.

  The parking lot already had 7 cars parked making ours the 8th, there was a drainage canal on the edges of the parking lot.

  And as I looked around inside the car, I saw it was compound style, two smaller buildings acted as wings connected and jutting out of the main building with an entrance, making it a in the shape of a U with the parking lot in the middle.

  The Japanese roofing was nice, but I see it’s mostly a well painted squire brutalist boxy motel, but seeing it’s not destroyed by the storm, I would imagine it was well made.

  I was the last to leave the car, as Lizel and the princess ran for the entrance of the motel, I made sure everything was locked before leaving and took my sack of regents with me.

  “Oh, spirit water tight, may your touch be light.” I sang a little as I felt a small pulsed within my hands, as I walked into the rain, and instead of being soaked, my hair was only lightly wet.

  I entered the motel and was met with a dry hot towel, by a guy in his 20s introducing himself as the innkeeper, looking around I saw he already gave one each to Lizel and the Princess.

  “Welcome, use this to dry up, please fill in the guest log book.” He started as he quickly moved to go back to the desk and I followed him.

  “Sorry but we have a lot of guests because of the storm outside, so we only have one room vacant, can you guys share?” He asked looking over at us, I looked back at the princess wiping herself off, and then to Lizel.

  I was hesitant, because it would be uncomfortable sharing rooms with them.

  Especially now after I force my body to go through hyper puberty, my hormones are higher than what normal boy of my age should deal with, I can’t imagine what I would do if it gets stimulated.

  “I don’t like it here, I smell something awful.” Lizel said, making me turn to her as I saw her nose twitching.

  Then I felt a cold yet soft touch of skin and cloth embracing me, it was familiar as her scent of fermenting sweet fruit and fresh blood dipped in alcohol made my own blood flush through my skin.

  “Packing three people in a room meant for two, wouldn't comfortable, why not stay in my room Shiro?” It was Rikka, as I felt her sweet yet cold breath near my ears as she spoke.

  It made me turn and look at her, seeing her blood red eyes, and light red lips and pearly white fangs.

  “Hello Rikka.” I tried to sound cool but almost stuttered the only thing I could say before a surprise Lizel spoke.

  While my blood flushed my cheeks and tightness strangled my throat prevented me from speaking anymore.

  “Why in the nether, are you here!” Lizel shouted in surprise, making me look towards her, breaking from the enchantment I think Rikka placed on me.

  “Why? I’d imagine, I’m here for the same reason you three are?” Rikka said, turning her head towards Lizel, her smile mocking.

  “How do you do, princess.” She said as she turned and gave Komiko a small bow and courtesy with her black long skirt.

  “You haven’t changed since last time, I see.” Princess Komiko said as she dried her neck, revealing more of her collar.

  “Bam” Lizel struck the lobby desk, making me and Rikka flinch, as I heard light splintering of the poor desk.

  “You damn Blood-sucking slut! I knew I smelled something disgustingly evil in here!” Lizel said, approaching Rikka, a warpath in her eyes.

  I quickly stood between them, embracing both and tugging them close enough that I could feel their hot and cold breath upon my skin.

  “Please don’t fight you two.” I said in a weak voice, speaking in the voice Shiro naturally used, before I we became one person.

  But I felt if I used my normal confident and wise tone, the two would have done something truly terrible to me or to this small shelter we’ve found.

  “Huff!” Lizel huffed a frustrated deep breath, backing away from me and Rikka.

  “For now Shiro.” A small answer from Rikka, as she too made her retreat a few steps away from the conflict.

  The tension was already broken but an awkward silence came over us, but thankfully it only lasted a few seconds.

  “Excuse me, please come with me, you guys can relax in our main lobby.” the innkeeper said with a relaxing smile as he nodded at me, and then the girls.

  Act 4 Main lobby

  The guest lobby was comfortable, on one side, it had couches, coffee tables and shelves filled with books and magazines.

  In another it had game tables, billiards for both the puck and ball. A small air hockey table, and even a poker table.

  And near the front there were vending machines, for snacks, coffee and prepared meals, and on another side there were three machines for arcade games.

  This is more than I would expect from a mountain motel at the outer areas of the town, I guess this place is popular for tourists to go to when they go mountain hiking.

  That was what I thought as I went for the vending machine and looked for something good to drink.

  “Hey, hey! I was bummed out, being stuck here, cause of the typhoon.” As I placed my 500 toku bill in the machine after choosing my orders I looked back to see the girls were being approached.

  By a very, very brave young man, he had dyed blond hair and blue contact lenses, he was well built, tall, very much a gym bro and proud of it, showing off with his tank top.

  I grabbed the drinks using a tray I summoned while everyone was busy paying attention to the brave guy, and as no one was paying attention I altered their drinks to soothe them more.

  “So, what kind of cosplay is that?” “Coughed!” I gave a cough as I heard that and looked back to see the princess starting to sour in her mood, Lizel was annoyed, and Rikka was showing that I’ll kill you in your sleep later smile.

  So I immediately entered the group, hoping I can save the young man, from the monsters I hang around with.

  “It is no cosplay my good man, for she is a daughter of wealth and the Lady I serve.” I said, sounding like the butler I appear to be, as I came towards them with a tray of drinks.

  “Here my ladies, drink them to warm yourselves up further.” I spoke, handing them each a specific drink I knew they would love.

  “For Lizel I prepared hot cocoa with extra milk, for my Lady I made honey milk tea and for Rikka a berry tea.” Leaving my back to the guy and he took the bait.

  “Hey suit! I was talking to girls here, don't butt in!” He said as I felt his hand on my shoulder.

  Well a little pain is better than death. I thought as I tossed the tray upward and in one fluid movement grabbed his wrist and then his shoulder and then I threw him onto the ground.

  “Bam!” A buff guy three heads taller than me, on the floor his breath out of his lungs, his eyes unfocused and his face showed confusion as clear as a drop of water.

  “I suggest you and everyone else here, are to get along with me and those under my care, are we clear young man?” I asked him loudly as I caught the tray with one hand and my eyes looking down at him with a soft smile.

  “Cr. . .crystal.” He said in between pained breaths.

  “Good.” I said as I helped him up, and looked around realizing, I took everyone's attention.

  “Well our butler’s right, we’re all taking sanctuary from this typhoon so let’s all get along.” It was Rikka who broke the silence and made everyone nod and go back to what they were doing before we entered.

  “As they say, no one fights in a swaying boat, but maybe it’s too difficult for a certain savage dog-girl to understand.” Rikka continued as I felt the dig towards a fuming and blushing Lizel.

  “I swear I’m gonna kill her some day.” Lizel muttered angrily, as she walked off.

  “Thank you Rikka, I didn’t know your hypnotism can work on a group.” I said after calming down Lizel, as we walked towards the couches.

  “I knew it! You blood sucking sl. . .” Komiko placed a hand on Lizel’s shoulder, before she could burst.

  “Don’t, where among humans, restrain yourself, do not undo what Shiro had made.” She said as I distracted the people as they started to pay attention again.

  “I should be the one thanking you Shiro, this drink is good, I can taste the fermented wild berries but everything else is a mystery.” Rikka said as we sat down, as she took sips on her hot drink.

  “Yeah, I hate to agree with the Night-crawler, but this hot coco is awesome.” I looked at the princess and she nodded, agreeing with the two.

  “Well I used my magic of course, Lizel you're actually drinking whole fortified highland cattle milk, mixed with high protein coco and jerky powder.” I said as I motioned to her drink making her look at it oddly.

  “Rikka your drink is a mix of fermented red flower petals, honey dew and red fruits, with a few shots of powdered bone marrow of a young girl.”

  I said as I remember taking a few supplies from the hospital after they closed it down for repairs and restaffing.

  My answer made Rikka smile, but it was clear she had a lot of questions from the way her eyes twitched as she listened.

  I looked towards the princess and all I got was an amused smile that turned into a laugh.

  “Ha ha ha, no, no, I’m satisfied in not knowing what you did to make this delicious concoction for me.” She said tipping over the empty cup of tea that she had finished while listening to me.

  Actually she was drinking the least wild thing, regular Yamato black tea, with skim milk and sugar cane syrup, I gave her the most normal cause she was the most human in our group.