We meet again

                                    

                                          
'I can't believe Mom and Dad really abandoned us.' Keira said as she hugged her knees. Athy patted her back as she said, 'Don't worry, at least you have us.' She smiled, which comforted Keira. 
'I can't believe that's how you treated her the first time you met her!?' Keira and Athy looked back to see Ruby trying to murder Callisto. 'You point you're sword at her, was that all you learnt from me?!' Ruby's eyes were full of rage as Callisto tried to calm her down.
'What's going on?' Keira asked as she looked back at Athy. 
'Eh Penelope probably told her how Callisto and her first met.' Athy shrugged before continuing to braid Keira's hair. The Mertensia family had arrived today, and turns out that their parents also dumped them here. All except for one, who 'ran away'.
'Ruby's scary when she's mad.' Penelope whispered, only to be stopped by Leilin.
'Don't worry Pen, he deserves it anyways.' Leilin replied as she patted Penelope's head. 
'Yeah sister Hilise! Beat his ass!' Lily screamed as she watched Hilise and Rezef arm wrestle. Cayena only laughed at this fight, amused about the rivalry they had for each other.
'Finally a worthy opponent.' Rezef creepily smiled as he strengthened his grip.
'Glad you realized it.' Hilise replied, no one could tell if they just really got along or if they extremely hated each other. 
'Language Lily!' Julianne shouted as she went back to talk to Heinrey and Benjamin.
'So where did Cale go?' Heinrey asked as he took a sip of his tea.
'Honestly, we have no idea. He does this a lot so it doesn't really bother us.' Julianne replied.
'Yeah I can relate.' Benji said as he eyed Lucas and Erez who weren't doing anything, which was quite unusual.
'Guys, let's do something,' Lucas nagged causing everyone to sigh. 'It's so boring here, there's nothing to do.' Lucas had been complaining for a couple of hours now and everyone was getting sick of it especially Athy. She got up and started pulling his hair. 'Ow! That hurts!'
'Then stop complaining.' Athy said sternly, Lucas stuck his tongue out which caused Athy to pull his hair harder. Wanting to avoid another fight between the two Erez said,
'Why don't we explore the city today?' Everyone stopped talking upon hearing the suggestion.
'That's actually a good idea.' Keira said in disbelief. Who knew this idiot could say something that actually makes sense?
'I know I'm a genius.' Erez said as he beamed. Now everyone groaned, 'Fine if that's the way you want it.' He murmured.
'I don't think I can go...' Ruby smiled at the group.
'Why can't you go?' Callisto asked, concerned for his sister.
'Dad asked me to talk to the monsters again, apparently there's trouble in the North. Anyways need to go bye!' Ruby rushed out of the room.
'Did anybody else feel like she's lying?' Heinrey asked. They muttered in agreement. 
'Everyone gather in a circle!' Lucas yelled as everyone did as he instructed. 'Make sure you have a partner if you want to separate from the others.'
'Today, we are nothing more than citizens of the Obelian empire.' Erez said before they transported to the city. Everyone was now wearing simple clothing, and Erez made sure to hide the royal family's jeweled eyes. 'Now everyone grab a partner.' This was the final pairing:
- Lily and Julianne
-Penelope and Callisto
-Lucas and Athy
-Keira and Erez
- Rezef and Cayena
- Heinrey and Benji
- Hilise and Leilin
'Good now that everyone has a partner, let's split up.' And with that everyone went their separate ways.
'I guess it's you and me, Hili-' Leilin turned around to see nothing. 'Uh Hilise, where did you go?' Leilin walked around only to find a crowd of people in the middle of the street. Was there an event going on? Leilin shrugged it off until she heard.
'How about you pretty lady, with the black hair and purple eyes?' The man on staged asked.
'Um, no thank you actually I was looking for someon-' but before she could finish a group of men dragged her onto the stage. Looks like she didn't have a choice.
'Now for our groom.' The man said, 'how about you the hooded man?' Groom? Leilin thought, just what type of game is this.
'We have our couple!' The man shouted as the crowd cheered. 'Now, by the power invested in me, you are now husband and wife, you may give each other a handshake now.' Leilin sighed, just what kind of stupid game was this anyway? As long as it's over quickly. The hooded man seemed to have thought the same as he pulled out his hand, Leilin took his hand and they shook it. As Leilin was about to pull away, the man suddenly chanted something. Was he using magic? A bright light shined, and for a minute Leilin thought she turned blind. Now Leilin was confused, nothing happened, was that light just for show?
'This is stupid.' the hooded man murmured as he walked away but suddenly he was pulled back to Leilin.
'What did you do to us?!' Leilin shouted.
'The spell worked!' The crowd cheered as the man took a bow to the audience. 'We now officially have a new couple doing a 24 hour challenge!' Leilin was pissed, first this guy drags her into a game with consent, secondly he used magic on her without consent, and finally she's stuck with a guy for 24 hours without her consent. Before she strangled the guy she calmed herself down first, she can bribe him first than strangle him. The man told them to follow him as he smiled and waved to the audience, as he took them to an alley.
'Let me tell you the rules of the game, you can't be more than 5 meters apart before you get sucked in and-' he said but before he could say the rest Leilin interrupted him.
'I'll give you 10,000 if you let us go.' Leilin said sternly, the man sweat dropped upon hearing this.
'Although, I'd happily take your offer, I'm afraid it can't be undone until your 24 hours are done.' The man said, before apologizing to them. The first option, bribery didn't work so now it was up to option 2, strangle him. Before Leilin could reach for his neck he disappeared. Now Leilin had a massive headache.
'I guess we're stuck together,' Leilin said as she looked at the man she was stuck to. 'You're not much of a speaker are you? At least allow me to see your face, that way I'd at least get to know you better.'
'No thanks.' the hooded man said as he tucked his hood trying to cover his face. Leilin frowned upon hearing this. 'Why do you sound so familiar?' she asked as she tried to take the hood off of him. Fortunately, the man was taller than her so theirs no way she could reach, that's what the man thought until she kicked his shin which made him bend and she flicked the hood off.
'So it was you Master Silver Shield.' Leilin laughed as he groaned.
'I told you to stop calling me that, Cale's just fine.' he said as he got up.
'I heard you ran away from your family, was someone in need again? I thought you wanted to continue your slacker life?' Leilin teased, fully knowing well of his sense of justice.
'tch whatever,' Cale murmured. 'Since we're stuck together then we should make the most of it.'
Leilin laughed as she heard this. 'Y'know if I were stuck with anyone else, I would've killed them. But if it's with you then I don't mind.'
'You've always been such a strange woman,' Cale whispered before turning to her. 'Come on! We have stuff to do.' Little did Cale know was that Leilin could see the tip of his ears turn red and she thought to herself,
Maybe this was a blessing in disguise