63 HNG and Friends (1/2)
If Orisa had been carrying something at that moment, she would have dropped it right away. A bizarre kaleidoscope of guilt, worry, fear, hope, and anticipation flashed on Tiana's face. She looked at Orisa reluctantly, not knowing what to say. Several seconds of tense silence passed, and Orisa dashed to the girl, placing her in a tight embrace:
”I'm so glad you are okay!”
Tiana squeaked in surprise. She didn't expect that kind of reaction at all. Slowly letting go of her luggage, she hugged Orisa too. Only after that, Tiana thought of looking around, and surprised, amazed, and pleased faces of people who came to check the source of the commotion overwhelmed her. She tried to distance herself from Orisa in panic, but the girl only gripped her tighter and muttered:
”I don't care. Bear with it and accept your punishment.”
”My-my, who would have thought, huh? Our dear leader is still full of surprises. To think she could freely cuddle with the daughter of the Supreme Commander, oh my.”
Coughs and gasps followed Dippo's commentary, and people began to whisper something like ”That's Commander's daughter?”, ”What's going on here?”, or ”I'm gonna faint,” and such.
This time even Orisa felt the need to break out of the embrace. She stepped back, her eyes dashing between Tiana and Dippo.
”But how? Is it even possible?”
”Long story short, it just happened. Thanks to certain someone's brilliant ideas I'm too damn tired to talk, think, or even eat. So I'm going to sleep, and you take care of these three since they are your precious friends.”
Two other precious friends who were silent until that moment groaned unhappily.
”Dear brother of mine, how far we have fallen. Mongrels, mongrels everywhere.”
”Indeed, dear sister. Alas, we will follow our liege to the depth of hell. But as I see it, we passed it a long time ago and ended somewhere far worse.”
”What a lovely bunch, I already like them,” Dippo chuckled and left the crowd.
”Tiana, may I bother you with an official introduction? Your own and your, well, friends as well.” Orisa shuffled uncomfortably but had to steel herself and move forward with the most unpleasant part.
”Greetings, honorable members of an esteemed division, The Hounds. As of today, I, Tiana vas Kavenfenn, and my close peers, Bassa and Ramulie vi Durek, will be joining you all on the prowl. Please, take care of us.”
”Oh, such a pleasant girl!”
”It's our honor to work with you, Lady Kavenfenn.”
”Let's be friends!”
To put it shortly, people of Sean's squad were quite pleased with this addition. As for Orisa's group, they were mildly surprised and moderately positive but nothing more since it was Orisa who made close ties with Tiana and not them.
”Tch. What are you two oafs doing here?”
To everyone's shock, Shou made his way towards vi Durek siblings and first chopped Ramulie's forehead, insulting her usual way too frilly pink dress, then quickly shook Bassa's hand before kicking him in the knee for the glove he wore during their handshake.
”You know each other?” Orisa muttered in disbelief.
”Regrettably.”
”Oh, dear brother, another trouble on our doomed heads. What have we done to deserve such fate?” Despite her tone, sugar princess looked pleased and perhaps even happy.
”I assume you'd prefer to stay together?” Orisa asked the siblings, but they ignored her with a 'Hmph.' Deciding to save her nerves, Orisa turned to Shou. ”Could I bother you with finding them a room for two people?”
”Tch. Guess I have no choice, then. You two, move your protrusions.”
With that, the crowd began to thin out, and Orisa turned to a quiet and reluctant Tiana:
”If it's okay with you, would you like to settle in our room?” Orisa gestured towards the other girls. Onuki unenthusiastically nodded while Marina performed her usual ”Te-he-he, nice to meetcha, sis!”
”I would love to!” Tiana reacted eagerly.
The four of them went upstairs to their room, but Orisa quickly pulled Marina to the side and quickly whispered:
”Marina, please help me with Tiana. I know how nervous she is to be here, and it is my first priority to make her at ease. Do you think you could lend me a hand? Although, I don't know how, since Tiana is, well, a normal kid and certainly wouldn't appreciate what you did with me.”
”Gosh, sis, when you are so serious, you are no fun at all.”
”Sorry, but Tiana is too important for me to let her just be. I want her to feel at home, needed and desired here. So that she could feel being among friends. She is that important to me.”
”Who are you, her mum, or what? If you are so worried about her now, how are you going to fight? Would you throw all our lives into the fray just to spare hers? Think about it, sis. As for your request, of course I will help out. I also want to make lots of friends, you know?”
With that, Marina left Orisa brooding. She never thought about it because there was no need at all. But now because of Marina, the question struck her deep. Orisa always treated her friends equally, but Tiana was something else. Would Orisa really sacrifice her friends to save the girl?
”Tiana, I know you only just got here, but I really need to speak to the captain,” Orisa's voice was full of guilt, but the fact that she needed to talk to Dippo remained.
”It's only normal, isn't it? Moreover, while I'm grateful to you and your kindness, I don't need nor want any special treatment. Please.”
”Te-he-he, how cute and noble, I already like her.”
”I wish that were me,” Onuki stirred the pot.
Orisa found Dippo at his usual spot on the third floor's balcony:
”I thought you went to sleep?”
”Gosh, are you here to ruin the mood?” Dippo put an almost intact glass of wine on the table and turned to Orisa together with his seat. ”What is it now?”
”You should have known about my warm friendship with these two retarded siblings from the report card, right? So what the fuck is going on, sir?”
”If you are so smart at guessing things, my choco muffin, then do a little bit of thinking, please.”
”The set of three is indivisible?”
”Clap-clap,” replied Dippo and halved the glass in one gulp before returning it to the table.
”So you were in the capital? What is going on? How Tiana ended up here? It should have been beyond anyone's capabilities to get a hold of her.”
”Pure accident. I had to report to the Big Daddy and happened to overhear his assistant's complain about not knowing what to do with the girl. So I quickly offered my brilliant division. The only condition was that these two champs should always guard her.”
”Considering how he treats his own daughter, I can't understand why he still insists on guarding her.”
”Oh my, you too noticed what a loving father Commander is? Public image, I guess. I can see no other reason, you are right, my pumpkin.”
”Please, sir, help me deal with them. I'm sure they won't listen to me.”
”We'll see what could be done. I can't possibly make my lovely treasure cry.” Dippo laughed. Despite his earlier grumbling, now he was clearly having a lot of fun.