The Great Rebellion : Transformation And Swordsmanship

"EEEEE! We're moving?!" Alice shouted. 

"B-Bbbut, Leo!" Alice pointed at the table. 

"They're serving food already!" Tears welled in Alice's eyes. 

"Okay, okay... go ahead," Leo sighed. Lin laughed gently. 

"YAAAY!" Alice rushed off, the sound of chairs scraping followed. 

"Easy, easy there!" a servant called out.

"Ahh, I should return this girl to the orphanage soon" Leo murmured to Lin. 

"She's cute, isn't she? Reminds me of me when I was little" Lin said, her voice soft with amusement.

Leo held Lin's hand; Lin's cheeks flushed. 

"Come on, let's wait for her outside," Leo said, then turned to Arthur. 

"I'll be outside," Leo added with a faint smile. 

"Sure, Leo. Let me call for the others," Arthur smiled back, rising from his chair.

When Leo stepped outside the castle, thunderous footsteps echoed, patrol time. Guards murmured to each other

"Will it reach us?!" 

"I hope not! I can't stand guard duty in this heat!"

A guard approached Leo. 

"Leo! Leo! Please, when you find Sunder... tell him..." 

The guard paused, wiping his tear. 

"THAT I MISS HIM SO MUCH!" He bellowed desperately , as if he were a father searching for his own flesh and blood

Why do I have to...?

And who's Sunder anyway?

"Ahaha... I will... " Leo scratched his head. 

".. But.. after finding the book. You know its importance, right?" Leo added.

"THAT'S RIGHT!" boomed a giant voice behind Leo. 

"I, THE GREAT GORO, SALUTE YOU! I HAVEN'T FELT SUCH A PUSH IN YEARS!" 

"It wasn't me, though," Leo said with a confused smile. 

"You mean defeat?" Alice's mocking voice chimed in. 

"AHH, the small girl!" Goro lowered his head, peering at Alice like a speck of gravel. 

"I HOPE WE GET ALONG, GIANT MONSTER!" Alice raised her hand expectantly. 

"YES! NICE TO MEET YOU, LITTLE RAT!" Goro shook her hand with his pinky.

Goro turned and landed a punch toward Leo. Leo braced into a defensive stance. 

"NEXT TIME... I WILL KILL YOU." 

"That's right... Good luck with that, kid," Galen said, adjusting his spectacles, lenses flashing white as he approached with Arthur. 

"Until our paths cross again."

The guard who'd shouted for Sunder withdrew slowly, hands raised defensively toward Goro, trying to vanish into the background. 

"So, what's your next destination, Leo?" Arthur asked. 

"Do you know where Fotia would go?" he added. 

"I'm not sure..." Leo stared at his sword. 

"But first, I need to get Lin and Alice home," Leo said. 

"Then I'll find a way to track her down."

Alice stopped spinning near Arthur, squatting low to listen. 

"That place's reputation is rotten anyway, bandit-infested, villages abandoned... I'd wager everyone fled," Arthur added.

THUD

Alice slammed her fist into the ground.

Everyone whirled toward her. 

"Alice, again?..." Leo sighed. 

"Alice! You okay?!" Crimson bloomed where her hand hit the stones.

Alice stared up at Leo, her expression eerily vacant, like her spirit had momentarily fled. 

"I'm... I'm just..." 

She clutched her stomach. "AAAH! I ATE TOO MANY EGGS!!" 

"WHERE'S THE TOILET?!" Alice scrambled up and bolted for the castle.

"THE LITTLE RAT HAS THE RUNS!!!" Goro's laugh shook the courtyard. 

"I hope she's okay" Lin whispered, hands pressed to her chest.

Leo froze ,That hollow stare.. Never had she looked at him quite like that.

"Sorry, everyone. Be right back." He sprinted after her.

After entering the castle, Leo asked the maids, "Where's Alice?" 

"...That small blonde girl," he added. 

"Ah! She ran toward the toilet!" One maid winced. "Screaming 'IT HURTS!!'" 

Leo sighed. Guess I'll wait.

Minutes later, Alice emerged from the toilet. 

"Did you wash your hands?" Leo asked. 

"I did..." Alice shuffled forward, arms wrapped around her belly. 

"Leo... I think we should go. I need a rest," she mumbled, voice thick with exhaustion.

She's sleeping really... Leo thought, then stopped mid-hall. 

I should get the maids to help her. 

"She bled a while ago... Let me check." Leo grabbed Alice's hand. 

"WHAT?!" Leo gasped. 

"Her hand... It's unharmed."

She's really asleep... Leo thought, stopping mid-hall. 

I should get the maids to help her.

"She bled earlier, let me check." Leo grabbed Alice's hand. 

"What?!" Leo gasped. 

"Her hand... It's unharmed." 

"...Was this another one of her chaotic pranks?" 

"Was that tomato?!" Leo muttered.

A sleepy laugh escaped Alice. 

"What a drag.. ." 

Leo wrapped a scrap of fabric around her hand. "This girl... always making trouble."

Leo returned to the square; they were waiting for him. 

_I should check the ground too , he thought. 

"What's going on?!" 

"Guys... did someone clean that spot?" 

"THE RAT CAME BACK? WHAT SPOT?!" Goro boomed. 

"What's going on?!" 

"Leo, glad you're back!" Lin said, smiling. 

"So... you are about to depart, Leo?" Arthur's hand drifted to his sword pommel

"Leo, glad you're back!" Lin said, smiling. 

"So... you are about to depart, Leo?" Arthur's hand drifted to his sword pommel. 

"Yes... Ah, my sword? where is it?" 

"Here it is!" Lin dragged the sword like a heavy flail. 

"Oh, you're holding the girl. What's wrong with her?" Arthur asked softly. 

"She's exhausted after... stomach troubles. I'll carry her home." 

"And about my sword..." 

"Don't worry," Arthur said. 

"Galen... did you bring it?" 

"Yes, Your Highness." 

Arthur handed Leo a folded bundle. 

"A brown bag?" Leo said. 

"No, unfold it" Arthur urged. 

Fabric whispered as layers fell away 

"Oh! A sword sheath!" Leo's eyes widened. 

"Yes! Now you can wear it properly." Arthur clapped with a Spontaneous smile

...and a sunflower." A sweat drop slid down Leo's temple. 

"I made it!" Lin said with a wide smile. 

"Thanks..." 

Leo started moving, waving at the group. 

"Goodbye!!!" 

A tear splashed onto a guard's helmet like a raindrop. "I'M NOT ..

SNIFF

CRYING!"

"There's no onion, Goro," Galen said steadily, adjusting his spectacles before smiling. 

"Not yet!!" Arthur ran to Leo, panting heavily. 

"Are you okay?" Leo asked. 

"Take this." 

Arthur handed Leo a small Silver Button

"What's that?" 

"If you feel endangered, use it..." 

"How?! It's just a circle thing?!" 

"Just Hold it tight, when the right time comes " Arthur urged. 

"Okay." Leo tucked it into his sword sheath. 

"Lin, hand her to me." Leo gripped the drowsy Alice. Alice's weight anchored him to the earth as he walked.

"Tch... those people... always make me feel this way." His eyes darkened. 

Each step forward felt heavier than the last. 

Then Leo sprinted toward the repaired gate, its iron bands gleaming like new.

"Leo, wait!" Lin raced after him