Chapter 90: A Duel

This scene may be familiar to those who've played CS3.

Giliath demands your power stones!

*

Several moments of fun later.

"Kyuu.", Tamamo's voice suddenly echoed around the tables which were currently resting in the shade. At the same time, the sound of chips clacking could be heard, coming from Tamamo's end as she sat on one of the tables. A small paw moved all of the chips that were currently in front of her toward the center of the table.

"Going all in eh? You're playing big aint'cha, little fox? Well I'll call your little bluff.", The middle aged man said, who was none other than the leader of Zephyr, Rutger Claussell.

While Sherryl, Tio, Ennea and Firebird were still splashing about in the water and Lechter snoozing away and the Killing Bear doing his own thing, Rufus, Fie, Ennea, Vita, Van, Behemoth, and Rutger were all gathered around this one table as Rutger and I sat on opposing sides. But Tamamo was the one who was seen in front of me, sitting on the table itself while holding five cards in her paws right now.

"I still can't believe what I'm seeing right now", Vita said, shaking her head while she was watching Tamamo play poker with Rutger.

"Well I wasn't the one who taught this to Tama.", I retorted, glancing my eyes back at Vita.

"H-Hey! Maybe she picked it up while we were exploring these last couple years. But I for one did not teach her how to play poker.", Vita retorted back at me with a deadpan look in her eyes.

"Uh-Uh.", I simply responded back, shifting my eyes back to Tama. It was your typical 5 card poker game and she had her cards now faced down on the table. Rufus chuckled after hearing Vita and I say that.

"Haha, it sure is something though. I didn't think a familiar was capable of doing this, so thank you for broadening my horizons.", Rufus said, cupping his chin watching the ongoing match. Looking at the chips on each side, the colors were even as well as the amount. Right now it was a pretty even 50-50 split, which even caused me to be surprised. It was hard to notice but Tamamo's tails were lightly swerving around in my lap.

This time it was the Behemoth to speak up next as he too saw that both sides were pretty even right now.

"How confident are you now, Boss?", Behemoth asked, looking at Rutger who also had his hand faced down on the table. A deck of cards could currently be seen on the center of the table.

"I dunno. This little fox is drivin' a hard bargain.", Rutger said, raising one of his hands, acting has if he didn't know.

"Kyuu~Kyuu~", Tamamo happily hummed, but didn't reveal what cards she had.

"Guess it's time to lay them down?", I suggested, seeing no further play happening.

"Kyuu.", Tamamo responded to me, lifting her paws to reveal her hand. In order They saw five black spaded cards, an ace, a two, a three, a four, and a five.

Seeing a straight flush appear, Rutger let out a whistle.

"Damn, that's pretty tough to beat. No wonder you were so confident.", Rutger said, praising Tamamo a bit. I could feel Tamamo's tails spin happily over my legs after hearing that.

"Kyuu~.", Tamamo happily replied.

"I wonder if I should have backed out after all...", Rutger questioned himself for a moment, only to flip his wrist. We were able to see his hand shortly after Tamamo revealed hers.

Five red hearts. An ace, a king, a queen, a jack, and a ten...

"Woah.", Fie said in amazement, seeing a royal straight flush appear.

"You kept your face well.", Rufus also said, praising Rutger.

"Haha, sorry 'bout that. Maybe next time. You really drove me into a corner a few times though.", Rutger said, before reaching out and grabbing every single playing chip to his side.

At this time, the remaining four finished having fun in the water and approached our side.

"So a winner was finally declared huh?", Sherryl asked, seeing the result of this poker match. She was currently drying off with a towel, as did the other three.

"Kyuuu....", Tamamo replied a bit disheartened, letting her ears swoon down a bit. It took her a moment to register what had happened just now.

"Haha, you still did well, Tama. I didn't even know you could do this.", I said, ruffling Tamamo's head, praising her.

"I think we all learned something new today.", the Behemoth said, nodding his head while crossing his arms.

"Better luck next time, little fox. But since you were entertaining this match I can still reward ya. Seein' that you're with Naoto here, I can answer a question or two. You must be wonderin' why Zephyr is here, aren't ya?", Rutger asked us, which drew our interest.

"Of course, we are out having fun ourselves but it does beg to wonder why a prominent Jaeger corp like you guys are also here.", I said, nodding my head a bit. "But before I ask, do you know about me?", I decided to ask. I saw Rutger nod his head.

"How could I not? Your scuffle with the War God's successor is rather famous among our parts lately. I hear even now he is still recovering from it, and doesn't speak much. Already has a nasty scar too.", Rutger said, explaining the aftermath of the fight that I had with Randy over three years ago.

I never had the time to see how Randy was doing after our life or death? a battle happened during that raid on my home. Guess he isn't holding up well, but he is still part of the Red Constellation, so he must still be having a rough time. The fateful event he would end up undergoing won't happen for a few more years, the one which would prompt him to leave and join the SSS.

"So even you guys know about that fight, eh?", I asked curiously.

"It sounded really cool.", Fie happily said.

"Haha, well the past is in the past, but yeah you can say we know you. But that isn't all there is to it, is there? People say you've been missing for the last three years, and now you just show up here.", Rutger said with a serious tone. "Isn't that right, Your Highness?", Rutger continued to ask.

Hearing that, a few surrounding us had their eyes turned wide.

"You're kidding me. This kid's a royal brat?", Firebird exclaimed in shock.

"Hehe, how do you think we felt when we learned it?", Sherryl retorted back at Firebird.

"A Crown Prince no less. How'd a little prince from Liberl's throne end up all the way here?", Rutger asked in wonder.

"Well, there were some...let's say unfavorable circumstances. Though I could say it is also partly why we are here on this island. But what about you guys? Good time to ask now.", I asked Rutger.

"Well, we actually can't say much from our end, considering the privacy of our contractor. But we've been tasked in providing security 'round this part for a while. Not sure what's happenin' but I couldn't care less. They paid hefty mira so we aren't complainin.", Rutger said.

'So they are acting as bodyguards...', I said to myself softly.

"And sadly that is all we can pretty much answer right now, since we weren't given a lot of info to begin with.", Rutger said, slowly standing up from his chair. He reached into his pocket only to grab a cigarette and light it.

"Can't say anything more huh?", I said, looking at Rutger taking a smoke. "And you do know there are children around, right?", I retorted Rutger seeing him smoke.

"It adds to his character, Big Brother.", Sherryl retorted me after she heard me say that.

"I concur.", Tio also replied with a nod.

"Smoking's pretty bad though.", Van also said, seeing Rutger do this.

"Hey, I can do what I want. That's how we Jaegers work. Ain't that right, Fie?", Rutger responded back at us.

"That's right. You guys ain't strong enough to fight daddy anyways.", Fie retorted us.

"Ouch.", Lechter responded.

"Hey I don't need to hear that from you.", I sneered at Lechter. Hearing that, Lechter put his arms behind his head and started to whistle.

Sherryl couldn't help but pick a key word after Fie said that which caused her to become surprised.

"Rutger's your dad, Fie?", Sherryl asked in surprise.

"Haha, why don't we just leave it at that?", Rutger asked, raising his hand a bit. Doing that caused us to become silent for a moment.

As all of us became quiet, it was now getting late and the sun was now setting, creating a rather picturesque view along the ocean horizon. But I took this time to ask Rutger one more thing.

"Say, Jaeger King.", I started to say, which drew his eyes my way. I was polite in addressing him

this time.

"Now that's a different tone. What's up Your Highness?", Rutger asked with interest.

"Why don't we head out to an opening? I promise this won't take long. Though please don't take offense of what I'm going to do.", I said, which drew his interest along with everyone else.

"Naoto?", Vita asked, also unsure. Tamamo could now be seen resting on her shoulder, also interested.

"Something about to happen?", Another deep voice said, which revealed the Killing Bear joining our group.

"Well look who decided to show up now when the party's over.", Firebird retorted seeing Killing Bear arrive.

"Tch, I don't need to hear that from you.", Killing Bear responded. He was the last to arrive but I still made my way to an opening on the beach.

"It's been a while since I pulled this guy out but hopefully that hadn't made it rusty.", I said.

Before anyone could ask I reached my arm in, only to have it vanish into a black hole, aka the Inventory. Me doing this caused most of Zephyr to become surprised. But that only lasted briefly as they saw me pull out a long violet wooden box with a special phoenix emblem embedded on it.

Sure I gave my combat orbment to Elie for safekeeping but no way was I going to give this guy out. This box has been passed down through generations after all.

"This...", Rutger began to say, which had his interest on the box itself. He was particular drawn toward the emblem on it.

Unlocking the box via its metal clips, it slowly opened, only to reveal a rather beautiful azure-violet hilted rapier which spanning about three to four feet long, which was around my current height. But I was closing in on being five feet tall and was looking to be well over six feet when my height finishes growing.

Grabbing my Radiant Starlight, it immediately acted its equipment buffs, causing several stats to soar.

Storing the box away again, I turned about face, facing Rutger again. It was then I took a certain stance, which happened to be the same stance my Master taught me. An air of seriousness swept around me, which caused Rutger to become serious as well. It was now I spoke out in a firm voice.

"First and last disciple of the Sword Fox. Beginner level. I hereby request a one on one duel with you, Jaeger King.", I declared, pointing my inherited rapier at him.