Chapter 32: C.P.O.

*Purpura*

I rubbed my head as I opened my eyes. My head still spun because of this morning. Ava's brother really was a handful. Why couldn't he have been calm like the others? Thankfully, Mrs. Citrine helped.

I stood up as the door clicked open.

"Oh, the babysitter finally woke up," Sou said as he walked out of the bathroom. He had been all sweaty when he came back from training.

I turned away. Seemed the guy wasn't so scrawny after all.

He smiled as he opened his drawer.

"Why are you so cheerful?"

"I heard big brother is coming back today! Sehun called me to let me know." He chuckled into his hand. "Ma and Pa are going to be so surprised!"

"You didn't tell them?"

He stood up and scoffed. "Of course not! That would ruin the whole point of the surprise!"

"I see. Hope he's more like your little siblings than you," I said, rubbing my shoulders.

"Need a massage?" Sou asked as he grabbed my shoulders. He smelled like citrus.

I jerked forward. "Don't sneak up on me."

He smirked. "Doesn't feel good when the shoe is on the other foot, does it?"

I turned away. "Also, put on some clothes! Your towel is going to fall off."

He grabbed it. "Alright. But don't turn around. I'm going to change."

I grumbled. Like I would do that! I wasn't a perv like him!

"Done!" Sou said as he finished tinkering with his belt.

I sighed and laid back down on the bed.

"You okay? You seemed tuckered out. Was the nap not enough to recharge?"

I shook my head. "Don't think that's it. I've been couped up in this room all of this time."

He laughed. "Right, you mentioned that this morning. We can go take a walk in town later if you want."

I sat up straight. "I don't do well with people."

"True. Then a stroll in the forest?" He blushed. "Wait. No. That sounds like a date."

I scratched my head. "I rather go alone anyway."

Sou leaned in and massaged my shoulders. "Okay."

"H-hey! Don't be so touchy feely with me!" I said, moving my shoulders away from him.

"Wanted to make you feel better."

I sighed and laid on my stomach. "Alright, but don't try anything funny or I'll kick you into the sky."

"What kind of creep do you take me for?" Sou said, scoffing. He pressed his thumbs against my back. The kid was really stronger than he looked.

"Not too hard," I yelped.

He chuckled. "You're more sensitive than I expected."

My face reddened. Being a psychic was no fun sometimes. Based on the books I had read during my spare time here, the Amethyst clan had a variety of sensory issues. Either too sensitive or not at all. Wished I was the latter.

"Shut up or I'll sock you."

He raised his hands and sighed. "Okay, okay. I'll try to be softer."

After a while, it started to feel good and relaxing.

"A little more to the bottom," I whispered.

Sou chuckled. "Got used to it, huh?"

"Less talking and more massaging."

He sighed. "You really are a princess."

I narrowed my eyes. "Say that again and I'll forget we're friends."

Sou hugged me. "Yahoo! We're friends!"

"L-let go of me, you idiot! If someone walks in on us, they'll think wrong!"

He let go of me and chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry."

I sighed. Was he really?

"Whatever. Just stop bothering me all of the time."

"Alright. I'm off to do more training then!" He rushed out of the room.

"Dummy, if you do that then you'll need to shower again soon," I mumbled even though he was already long gone.

I turned around and grabbed the other pillow, hugging it. My heart was beating faster than I would've wanted it to. Ugh, why did that annoying guy have to be so easygoing? Although, maybe I wasn't one to talk. If only could go ahead and leave, but then I would've been in a worse situation. But running forever was impossible too. The freedom I desired would be unobtainable if I continued to hide like some feckless coward. I would have to face him one day.

My eyes shifted to the shuttered window. This place was only a cozier, better-lit cell.

"Hey! Wanna come out? My brother is here," Sou said as he barged in.

I tilted my head. "Why would I do that? Also, weren't you keeping me being here a secret from your dad?

"Oh, right. Uh. I'll arrange something later!" he said before closing the door.

Was his brain lacking? What part of 'why would I want to meet' his brother did he not understand?!

I closed my eyes and returned to sleep. I saw a bright face like Sou's staring at me.

"Rise and shine, princess," he said before leaning over to kiss me. It felt like when I had kissed Sou, but warmer. It was a strange feeling.

I opened my eyes and turned, only to see Sou fast asleep next to me. Had I slept for that long? I chuckled. As if a kid like him could kiss that well.

"Princess!" Sou mumbled as he put an arm over me. He leaned in and started making kissy faces at me.

I pushed him away. Princess? Was he dreaming about me? And he said he liked Sehun! In reality, he was just a filthy two-timer. Yet, why was I smiling?

"I love you so much, my princess. I'll always protect you," Sou said, turning around and laughing like an idiot.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I don't need protecting, especially not from someone like you," I mumbled. Although, it did make me feel warm inside.

Standing up, I warped outside. Since the weather was starting to get colder, there wasn't much work to do for Sou's dad.

I stepped toward the barn. Sou's horses lived here. Annabeth and Percy, were their names, right? Wonder why he picked such random names for them.

"Oh, you're up early, Sou!" a guy who looked like a taller and more muscular Souta said. He blinked. "Wait, you aren't Sou."

I stepped back slowly. "Forget you saw me."

"It's alright!" He chuckled. "My little brother told me about you. He sort of had to because we used to share that room."

"Wait, where did you stay the night? Here?" I asked.

He laughed. "Not that I would've minded spending the night with my friends here, but no. I slept on the couch." He rubbed his neck. "You really owe me one."

I narrowed my eyes. "If you want, you can take your old spot back. Sharing a room with your brother isn't easy."

"I bet! Sou would always kick me and throw me off the bed when we were little. Unconsciously, of course. I don't think Sou's capable of hurting even a fly."

I snickered. "Shows how well you know your brother. He would kill a million flies if it's for someone else."

He gasped. "Has Sou fought for his life?"

"I wasn't there to see it, but based on what I've been told, yes. He can be like a different person."

He frowned. "Darn. I want wanted to avoid that."

I smiled. "Why? Does he have some superpowered rage mode or something?"

He shook his head. "Nothing like that. I just wanted him to continue living a relatively normal life." He reached into his right pants pocket and pulled out a wooden block. "That's why I joined the paranormal hunters in the first place."

"Paranormal Hunters?" I asked, staring at the strange cube.

"As the name implies, we hunt down things like spirits and monsters. We prefer to capture them alive or help them move on by talking to them in the case of the former. But sometimes, we have to get rough." He touched his leg. 

"Does that include psychics too?"

He smiled. "Well, it depends on the person. If you're a villain trying to hurt my little bro then you will definitely be gutted."

Yeah, this guy is for sure Sou's older brother.

Souta's brother patted my shoulder. "But I can tell that you're not that kind of person."

"How?"

He raised his hand to his chin and hummed. "Instinct?" A laugh escaped his lips. "Although, it could also be because you remind me of a certain someone."

"A lover?" I asked.

"Eh? What makes you say that?" he asked, blushing as he backed away from me.

I gave him a dry smile. "I was only kidding."

"Oh, you were? You sounded so serious." He sighed. "That guy also trips me up."

Guy? Wait, was he a homosexual too? If Sou's dad knew about this, he wouldn't like it. He already struggled to come to terms with Souta's sexuality.

He gave me a slight smile. "Do I disgust you?"

"Huh? Not really. It's none of my business who you like to get in bed with as long as it's consensual and they're of age."

"Eh? I think I have a few more caveats than that. Like shouldn't you include love there too?"

I shrugged. "I guess, but not everyone does it for love." Not that I would know. I was still a pure flower.

"True, but then that's just lust."

Seemed he was even more of a romantic than Souta.

"Oh, yeah! Speaking of your powers, we were hoping you could come to our local meeting."

"You have a local chapter?"

He nodded proudly. "Yeah, it's called the Dance of the Cherry Blossoms!"

"What kind of lame name is that? Sounds more like the title of a book or show."

"You might have a point there. Anyway, I wanted to introduce you to someone who is very interested about your situation."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "How would this person know about my situation?"

"Prince Sehun told her. Also, seems she met my brother already. They seemed to have hit it off well."

I furrowed my brow. Hit it off?

"And what would I get in return?"

"Protection from your uncle."

I gasped. "That guy told you that too?"

He nodded. "We are currently looking for him. His actions led to an upheaval of the heavens. That's the biggest of crimes."

"You can arrest people?"

He nodded. "Of course! And we have legal jurisdiction too. Except, the cases are only heard by the Council of Paranormal Occurrences or C.P.O. for short."

I hadn't thought there was an entire parallel legal system for supernatural crimes.

"So you work under her highness?"

"We are actually transnational, sort of like Interpol, but much better at capturing our targets. There is a branch in each country of the world. Even the small ones."

"Sounds impressive. But can you truly defeat that man? He is a slippery one, escaping even an angel."

He sighed. "We hope so. The quicker we do, the safer this town will be."

"This town?"

"Oh, right. You probably aren't aware, but a multitude of demons and other such creatures have been moving toward us. My partner and I have been keeping them at bay thus far, but it's providing to be too much. But with the arrival of backup, we should be able to turn the tide in our favor. Plus, we have an even bigger concern than your uncle or the monsters."

"The Demon Lord?"

He nodded. "Yeah, we believe that he will appear around this area, given all of the build up of powerful forces. If need be, our liege will call upon more allies, but doing so puts the sovereignty of the nation in danger. Not that there's much of an alternative. There is no sovereign kingdom if there is no world."

I chuckled. "That goes without saying." I turned around. "Anyway, let's get going. By the way, the name is Purpura."

Souta's brother grinned as he chased after me. "Nice to meet you. I'm Seiya!"