240 Immovable objec (1/2)

Joseph and Claire exited their rooms after finally waking up and kept each other company while marching to get some breakfast.

As they moved through the hallway, Claire noticed that the boy was unusually quiet for some reason, not that she was complaining.

”Hey... Claire...?” he whispered.

”Well... It was good while it lasted...” she mumbled, ”what is it?”

Joseph started to look tense while crossing his arms and frowning his eyes, ”What do girls like?”

The young lady just tilted her head, ”excuse me...?”

”You know... Girls... What do they like...?”

”What kind of question is that...? You think all girls think the same way??”

”They don't?”

”Do all boys think the same way?”

”Of couse we do! We all like games, comics, and action movies!”

”Really...? All boys? In the whole world? They all like the same things?” Claire sarcastically asked, ”why are you even interested in that?”

”I want to give a gift to Dia!”

Claire raised an eyebrow, showing that she was slightly interested in this topic, ”Then just ask her what she wants...”

”I can't do that!! It needs to be a surprise! Can't you help me??”

”What makes you think I would know what she wants? The girl was literally born yesterday!! I don't think anyone alive knows what she wants...”

”Ugh... True... Ah!” he replied while snapping his fingers, ”That's right! Ellie can read minds now!! She can find out what Dia wants!!”

”...” Claire just rolled her eyes and watched as Joseph stormed to the room in front.

”Ellie!!” Joseph shouted while slamming the door open, ”Ellie! I need... Uuhh...?”

The boy stopped his speech as soon as he noticed how deserted that place was. The only ones there were Ellie and Dia who had now taken the place of helping Ellie with her food while she was still drained from using so much energy.

”Hey, Joey...” Ellie whispered, looking worried.

”Uuhh... Everything ok? Where is everyone...?”

”They all jumped into a portal after some weird lady appeared and told them that a dragon was attacking their friends...” Dia replied, followed by looking at her plate that was still full but being unable to eat due to not feeling hungry anymore, ”Also, Ellie is sad...”

”I'm not sad, I'm just worried...” the girl corrected.

Dia then approached Joseph and began to whisper in his ear, ”can you cheer her up, please? I can't eat while she is like that...”

”...”

”Joseph...?”

”YES!!!” he shouted after realizing he was spacing out while looking at Dia who was so close to him now, ”I- I mean... Yes, sure...”

”Thank you!!” she replied with a gentle smile, which made Joseph want to smack his head against a wall to hide his red cheecks.

Joseph then rushed to Ellie's side and began his operation 'Make Dia happy by making Ellie happy!'

”Oh... I... I'm just a tad worried about my aunt and her friends... I wanted to go and help them but I'm still having trouble moving my body...”

”Why would you worry? This is great news! We were looking for a dragon and now he showed up! Miss Evlin will stomp him and complete the request from that weird goddess from last night! Problem solved!” he explained, ”and then we will finally be able to go home and...”

Joseph then realized something that he had been ignoring for a while now.

”... And reunite with our family...” he whispered while looking at Dia and noticing that after Evlin finished this dragon, he would have to say goodbye to her since she was from another world.

Ellie looked at his expression, ”Joey...?”

”... ... ... I... I need to go to the bathroom... Excuse me...” he commented while exiting the room, just as Claire finally managed to catch up.

She saw his face and became curious as to what had happened. The only time she ever saw him showing that face was after he had a fight with his parents.

”What happened to him?” Claire asked.

Neither Dia nor Ellie could reply. They had no idea of what was going on in that kid's mind.

Part 2

”Auren, you stand back!!” Daren stated while he stood in front of his friend, ”We'll handle Knucker!”

Auren then raised his eyebrow in confusion, ”Knucker...?”

”It's that dragon's name... We got a request from a goddess last night asking to deal with him...” Lilith replied, ”I didn't think we would meet him so soon...”

The whole group was just standing with their weapons in hand waiting for the enemy to move. Auren was feeling confused as he was sure he never heard the old man referring to himself by the name 'Knucker', but considering how he seemed to have some memory problems, he might have just forgotten his own name.

”Ok, Knucker! Let's do this!!” Evlin stated while clenching her fist and charging it with healing magic to increase her strength.

The old man turned around to look at her, ”Knucker...? What...?”

Evlin charged at him with her boosted speed and delivered a punch aimed at his face, but the dragon was faster and blocked it with his scaled arm.

”Young lady, could you do me a favor and tell me where the church of the west is?”

”...” Evlin gazed at her gauntlet that was so easily stopped and leaped back to create some distance between then.

Lilith and Daren jumped in next and slashed the old man's back with her silver sword and his silver claws, but just like before, they had little effect on him.