Chapter 7: ╮(─▽─)╭

"Papa! Papa! I Wan dat! Fish! Fish!"

Alex, Emi, Alice, Suzuno and Sagiri has been looking around the festival. When they came across a stand where you need to "scoop" a "goldfish" using this paper-scoop thingy that will surely be ripped if it got wet.

And Alice seems to like the goldfish swimming around there and called out to her papa.

"Oh, little miss are you interested." The middle aged man who managed the stand smiled at Alice. He has been in this business long enough to know some tricks.

With just a look, he knew that this little girl's parents dote on her a lot, and if he managed to capture the little girl's attention, then surely, the parents won't hesitate to pay and play just to scoop a goldfish for their daughter.

"You like these fishes Alice?" Emi smiled as she looked at her daughter.

"Un!" The little girl nodded her head while looking at the goldfish swimming around.

The middle aged man smiled and looked at Emi, "Now, now, miss, since you are here at this festival means that you are not an ordinary human. So let me tell you, these goldfish are not normal. Once placed at your house, they will released some sort of energy that will drive off low level evil spirits and keep you from harm! Not only that, there is even a chance that this fish will evolve and turn into a dragon! That was just a legend though."

The girls looked at him with blank stare, obviously, they didn't believe it. Dragons are creature that symbolizes nobility, pride, and wealth, how could this small goldfish evolve into a dragon?

The middle aged man did not lose his smile. He was accustomed to such look and it does not bother.

Alex raised an eyebrow, he appears interested. Though hearing the words of the man, he knew that he was a swindler.

After all, it was supposed to be carp that will evolve into a dragon, not a goldfish. Honestly, people these days, can't even tell the difference between a carp and a goldfish.

However, upond closer look, Alex was intrigued when he found out that these goldfish really has a chance to evolve into a dragon. Granted, not a genuine and proud dragon, but an impure blood family of dragons, but its still a dragon nonetheless.

"Let me give it a try, Alice seems to like it very much." Alex said as Emi looked at him for a moment before sighing.

The father already spoke, Emi can only sigh. She knew how much this man likes to spoil their daughter.

Alex caressed his daughter's head as he paid the man with spirit coins, the currency of the supernatural side.

The man smiled and gave him a bowl with water and the "scoop" used to catch the goldfish.

"What do you want Alice?"

Hearing his question, Alice narrowed her eyes and observed the goldfish with a very serious expression. Which, is honestly kind of cute.

"...the big one!"

Alex looked at the biggest goldfish and shrugs. With a swift movements, he "scooped" the goldfish and put it on the bowl.

The man was shocked. The "scoop" is an item that will break if it sensed a spiritual power, he used it to avoid cheating. Yet what did he see? Nothing! Before he could even blink, Alex already put the goldfish on the bowl.

Alex smiled, "...Do you want more Alice?"

"Un!" Alice smiled and nodded, she then pointed at two others goldfish. One of them is a little smaller than the first one that Alex got, but it got a more shinier scales, while the other is the smallest one in the bunch. "Dat n dat too!"

"Okay." Again, before the man could even blink, Alex already put the fishes on the bowl. "Is that all?"

"Un."

Alex shrugs and told the man to pack the fish. The man did not say anything and nodded. He put the three goldfish on a transparent plastic bag tied up to a string, of course there's water.

After that, they once again moved to look around the festival. Alice was looking at her goldfishes with a sparkling eyes.

Emi smiled as she look at her, "Alice, why did you choose these?"

Alice took her eyes from the fishes and look at her mama with a smile, before pointing at the largest goldfish, "Dis is Papa, dat's Mama, and dat's me! All together!"

Emi blinks her eyes as she stared at her daughter in a daze. It took her awhile to snap out of it as she smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

Alex, who was walking in front, was listening to this. When he heard Alice's words, a smile made its way to his face, but he didn't turn around to face them.

Sagiri and Suzuno stood at the back, when Sagiri suddenly whispered something to Suzuno.

"Suzuno, think we should give them some space? I mean, this is a rare moment for them. I never really see the three of them going out after all."

Suzuno stared at them for a moment before nodding, "You're right Sagiri-dono. I think we should give them some space, but where should we go?"

Sagiri thought for a moment before answering, "...let's go find my cousin. She ran away here earlier."

Suzuno nodded and called out to the family of three, "Alex-dono! Emi-dono!"

Alex and Emi stopped and turned towards them.

Sagiri coughed, "Ahem! You see, I wanted to find my cousin and spend some time with her. Its been awhile since we met so...."

"I also wanted to come with Sagiri-dono in searching her cousin. At the same time, talk to her about some ninja stuff, as you know, I'm a big fan."

Alex and Emi looked at each other before nodding. Emi smiled at them, "Sure, we also wanted to look around here since Alice rarely went out because of a certain someone."

Alex scratched her cheek with his index finger as he gave a wry smile. Its not his fault his daughter likes to spend her time with him.

And its not his fault that he likes staying in the inn just rolling around and make some things in his workshop.

The group split as they said their goodbye's. Emi, Alex and Alice continued on their way. Looking around the stalls.

After awhile, they came across a shooting game, and Alex saw Emi eyeing the large pink teddy bear, which can reached up to his waist, and incredibly puffy, and he was damn sure its soft and smooth as well.

'Its probably not made of ordinary materials...well, its not that surprising since this is a festival where only those who are Spirit Ability users gathers.'

With a shrug, he went towards the shooting game stall and decided play. Its just a teddy bear anyway.

Emi blinks and followed him, she thought that he wanted to gift Alice some teddy bears that was on display as prices.

Alice wasn't interested in it though. Intead of teddy bears, she was more interested in Godzilla that could cause a mass destruction. Especially if she can ride on its shoulder.

Alex picked up the rifle with a cork as its bullets. He then aimed at the targets, the moment he did so, the targets blurred and multiplied, before it keeps shifting its position with a speed impossible for ordinary spirit ability users to follow.

The rifle was aslo designed to not fire when it detected spiritual power being used.

However, for Alex it was way too easy. He doesn't even need to use his magic, as he fired.

After hitting all the targets he could, Alex asked the guy who managed the stall for the large teddy bear that Emi has been eyeing earlier.

Alex turned towards Emi and handed it to her. "Here, you like it don't you?"

Emi blinks her eyes in shock. She wasn't really expecting for Alex to give it to her.

Alex looks at her, "You like bears right? I mean, you'd probably wrestle with one if given the chance, and most of your things has Relax Bear logo."

Emi blushed and hurriedly took the teddy bear from him with her other arm, since she was still holding Alice.

"S-So w-what if I like bears?! And Relax Bears are good too!"

Alex smirked and walked away.

Emi looked at his back before observing the teddy bear as a smile appeared on her face before she shook her head and put it in her storage ring as she followed after Alex and walked beside him.

The three wandered around the festival, buying and eating some stuffs. They bought some mask, a fox for Alex and Emi, and Pikachu for Alice, she really liked those.

Alice also likes to eat the chocolate covered bananas and cotton candy.

After that, they rested for a few minutes and heard that there will be fireworks. So Alex used Magic Sense to find the best place to observe the fireworks and brought Emi and Alice with him.

There's no one around them and the night sky is in full view. Alex lied down on the patch of grass as he gazed at the stars.

Emi sat behind him and put Alice to the ground as the little girl crawled over to her papa and lied on his chest, staring at the sky.

Emi couldn't help but chuckle seeing that. She then looked at the sky with a smile, "...Hey, how long until the fireworks?"

Alex closed his eyes, "Around ten minutes I guess."

"Is that so...." Emi remained silent, before she suddenly thought of something, "...hey, you said that you and mom go way back right? How exactly did you two met?"

Alex opened his eyes with a reminiscing look as a smile appeared on his face. "Its a boring story."

"...we've got nothing better to do anyway."

Alex sighed, she's right, "....Where to begin. Hmm, well, long before I was known as the Demon King. I was just a little goblin brat. Demon World was a mess back then, if demons from different tribes see each other they'll fight to death. My clan was so weak that it might as well get blown by the wind. A single demon who couldn't even use magic annihilated us, leaving me as the only survivor. My first and last memories of my parents is them lying on the ground, dead..."

"That's—" Emi's eyes widened, she wanted to apologize for bringing back such a memory, but she saw Alex just waving his hand so she shut her mouth.

"My entire clan was massacred, and I was toss aside like a trash just waiting to die...but.." At this, a smile on Alex face couldn't be more happier, "..Someone appeared, someone who actually wanted to save a filthy brat like me. That was the first time I ever saw an angel..."

"...My mother." Emi said, as Alex nodded.

"Well, since I was a stupid little goblin, I tried to fight her even though I was wounded. I did not even managed to lay a hand on her. Since I'm a Demon, as long as I have Demonic Force, I would heal even if my heart stop beating. But your mother kept coming back to check up on me...honestly, a stubborn one, that woman."

Emi stared at Alex, this might be the first time she saw him looking like this. Smiling in joy as he recalled something very precious.

"She would tell me all sorts of stories, things I never heard before, I don't care much about it back then, but I listened since I couldn't move. Over time, I wonder why an angel would care for a filthy demon like me, so I decided to ask..."

Alex paused and gave Emi a flat stare, "Don't you dare laugh."

Emi just raised an eyebrow but nodded nonetheless.

Alex sighed, "....Its because I was crying."

"Eh?" She blinks.

But Alex continued, "She said it was the first time she saw a demon cry. So she didn't want to leave me alone."

"...so? Why were you crying?"

"I don't think it was because my clan was massacred, or I saw my parents die. To be blunt, I think it was because of my frustration. I was frustrated about how I was going to die. And how meaningless my life is."

Alex sighed, "She keeps visiting me even after I was healed and would follow me around, annoying me. One day, she suddenly disappeared, leaving me a crescent shape crystal—"

"That crystal...could it be..."

Alex nodded, "Its Alice, when she still doesn't have a consciousness. When Lailah disappeared, she also left me a note aside from Alice..."If you want to know more about the world, plant this seed and nurture it. Do your best, Great Demon King Satan"....and that was the last time I've ever seen her. She was the one who gave me my name."

"What?" Emi blinks, "So you're name is not Satan?"

Alex nodded, "Yeah, Satan is actually a pretty common name back in the demon world. Its the name of the Ancient Demon King who existed even before the Heavens....well, that was what the legend and Lailah told me."

Emi just remained and silent and just stared at him. So the relationship between Alex and her mother was this deep? She thought.

"Anyway, enough with this talk about the past, the firework's about to start. Time to get up my chest Alice..." Alex tried to carry Alice away from his chest as he wanted to sit up.

"Noooo!" Alice cried out as she tightly held her papa's yukata.

Alex just sighed and held her as he sat up and made her sit on his lap.

Emi couldn't help but giggled seeing that as she caresses Alice's head with her other hand, since she was holding the fishes of Alice.

The whistle of fireworks was heard as the three of them looked at the sky, just in time to witness it explodes and released a sparkling red light.

"Whooo~!" Alice's eyes sparkled as she stared at the fireworks continuously exploding in the sky.

Alex also smiled, before he looked at Emi and decided to tease her, "You know, we look like a real family right now."

Emi blinks and stared at him, before she smiled and nodded as she looked at the sky, "Yeah....yeah we do."

Alex was actually a bit shocked by that reaction. The last time he said something like this Emi blushed and almost attack him.

But now.

He stared at Emi—who was smiling, in a daze, finding her even more beautiful than before.

After awhile, he snap out of it and stared at the sky with a smile of his own.

"Its very beautiful isn't it." Emi said.

Alex blinks, before answering, "Yeah...very..very beautiful."

Whether he was talking about the fireworks, or something else, only Alex himself knew.