62 New best friend (2/2)
[...]
[...]
Ashley was not responding to Gustav's call so Evlin became worried and tried to call her on the chat-room.
[Ash? Sis...? Are you there?]
[Ah! Evlin!! Yes I'm here!!]
[Ah!! Sis!! I'm so glad to hear your voice!!!]
[Me too! Are you ok? Is anything wrong?]
[Everything is A-Ok! I'm just hanging out with Gustav and teasing him a bit! It's a lot of fun!!]
[... I- Is that so...? You... You are not worried about...]
[About Marcus's pack of idiots...? Yeah, I was, but the two of us had a little chat and now I'm over it...]
[I... See... That's good!! That's... That's very good...]
[Yeah, so hurry up and come over here! I don't like leaving you alone with that weird plant-girl on your head.]
[Excuse me?? It wasn't enough to kidnap me, now you want to badmouth me as well?]
[Eh...? Is that- Is that the dryad??]
[Yes... She is still helping me... Drya, this is Evlin, my little sister...]
[Oh! Are you the one that punched me?]
[... Yes...?]
[Drop dead...]
[... She seems lovely Ashley... I can't wait to introduce her to my special friend as well! His name is Mr. Herbicide, I'm sure they'll get along just fiiiiine!]
[Do you have any problems with me miss stick armor? It seems like you are in a bad mood... Could it be that someone tried to kidnap you while you were sunbathing just minding your own business or something?]
[... Not today actually, but it's still early in the morning... Who knows what could happen...]
[Oh right, I forgot, you're like a kidnapper's magnet aren't you? Must be nice having so many people constantly going after you all the time... You sure are loved!]
[... Ashley, I don't think I like you hanging out with this girl...]
[I'm fine Evlin... And stop wasting time and move towards the kingdom... We will meet you later...]
[What?? But I want to wait for us all to go together!]
[We can't be seen in groups remember? Just wait until night falls and we will find a place to regroup.]
[Fine... Hey you, green girl!]
[What do you want stick-girl?]
[... You better not do anything weird to my sister while I'm gone!]
[What am I going to do, think about ugly names...? I'm a voice inside her head!!]
[Just behave! I'll separate you two in no time. Be careful sis!]
[You too Evie!]
Gustav observed as Evlin finished speaking in the mind chat-room.
”So, what now?”
”You heard Ashley... We can't be seen as a group or the demons will get suspicious... We will enter the kingdom first and try to reunite with everyone once we are inside.”
”Is it safe to leave them alone?”
”Daren has Lilith with him, she can predict any danger, and Auren and Ria have a blessed barrier to protect them. I still don't know if it's ok to leave Ashley alone thought...”
”Maybe we should wait for her...”
”You think she will be mad?”
”Maybe... But I think a mad Ashley is better than a harmed Ashley... Let's wait for her for a while...”
”Thanks Gustav!”
Part 2
Ashley was standing on top of the exit of her path. She was observing from a distance Evlin and Gustav relaxing under a tree having a snack without a care in the world.
A few minutes ago she was ready to join their side still under the idea that her sister was still terrified from the upcoming threat of Marcus and needed her help to feel better.
However, she quickly realized Evlin was better than fine once she impaled a demon with a huge smile on her face and later started to tease Gustav as if they were best friends.
She wasn't sure of what had happened, but it seemed like Evlin was feeling much better now. Even during her telepathic message she just kept picking fights with Drya as if nothing major was going on.
”...”
[Guess I was wrong... She seems like she didn't need you that much...]
”...”
[Honestly... Seems like she kinda replaced you for Mr. horse over there...]
”...”
[You... Not going to reunite with them?]
”I... Don't want to see her right now...”
[I see but... It seems like they are waiting for you...]
”Huh!?”
[Look... They aren't moving...]
”They are waiting for me...? Why...?”
[Because they still think you're defenseless... They don't know how powerful you became!]
”...”
[She still thinks it's her job to protect her big fragile weak sister...]
”...”
[What are you going to do?]
”... I'm going to show her what I can do...”
Ashley started to concentrate and began to call for Gustav using his telepathic power.
[Gustav... Can you hear me...?]
[Miss Ashley, what happened?]
[Drya found me another shortcut. I'm almost inside the kingdom. Are you and Evlin much further?]
[What?? You are almost inside the kingdom??]
[Yeah... I'm entering it right now actually... Please hurry! I don't want to go in alone!]
[J- Just hang on! Evlin and I will be there in no time!!]
[Ok, thanks! I'll see you guys soon.]
”...”
Ashley observed as Gustav stood up in a panic and began to scream something at Evlin. She widened her eyes and the two started to run along the path trying to reach for Ashley who they assumed was already at their destination.
[Is it ok to lie to them...?]
”It's fine... Once we are all inside, it won't matter who came first or last...”
[Still... Don't you want to reunite with your sister...?]
”Not while she keeps thinking I can't do anything without her help...”
[I see... So what's next?]
”We wait for a bit and start moving as well...”
[What if we run into some kind of danger...?]
Ashley stared at her arm. The arm that Drya used to stab a dying man and that she used to slash four dryads in one move. The arm that just a few seconds ago was covered in blood before she cleaned it with the snow. Her arm. The arm of a killer.
”Then we just deal with it...”
[... You're not afraid...?]
”Not anymore...”
[...]
”... I have you on my side after all...”
[That's my girl!]