She Gets Visitors

Robin was so annoyed that a vein began to throb on her forehead.

'The next time he yells, I am gonna punch him right on the mouth.' Robin decided. How rude did someone have to be to wake a person that needed their sleep?

"Robi-" Whack!

Robins fist swiftly collided with the offending person's chin, silencing his useless tirade. She sat up, angrily.

"What do you think you are doing! Can't you tell I am trying to sleep!?" She growled menacingly as she brandished her fist. Then paused.

...The bed she lay in was unfamiliar. The room around her was unfamiliar....the person she punched...was familiar.

"Christian, where is this? And what are you doing, lying on the floor?" Robin asked, innocently.

"Er, we are in the mayor's house, right now. And I am...searching for the ever elusive Papa Rotsy whom you are trying to avoid. want to join me?" Christian asked, massaging his pained jaw. "He told me you're not a morning person, by the way."

Robin burst out laughing, which quickly became coughing. Her mouth was bone dry.

"Water." She croaked.

Christian poured a glass from a nearby pitcher. Robin quickly gulped it down. It was only after her third glass that she sighed contentedly.

"Now I feel a bit more human." She placed the empty glass down on the small table next to her.

"So, what makes this Papa Rotsy so terrifying?" Christian asked. Robin laughed aloud again, before she explained.

. "Paparazzi isn't a person. It's an organization of professional gossip seekers, that likes to find the most shocking and private dirty secrets of great people, and expose them to the public in order to get more people to buy their daily news papers."

"Sounds like the worst kind of person. No wonder you are avoiding them." Christian grumbled, rubbing his sore jaw, again. "Remind me never to wake you up again."

"Noted. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some sleeping to do." Robin laid back down, and turned her back to him.

"But you've already slept for three whole days already!" Christian exclaimed.

"If I can still sleep after this, it means that I need it."Robin replied. Then suddenly sat up in bed.

She had finally recalled what had happened.

"The kids! Did they make it back, okay!? Was the forest fire extinguished!? How about the goblins? Were they all killed!?" Robin asked the questions rapid-fire.

"Hold on, hold on!" Christian raised his hands defensively. "I am going to let Jasmine answer that." Christian said, as he turned to look at. the door.

It opened showing Jasmine in all her angry glory. 'Angry? Wait...' Robin had an uneasy feeling. She realized she was right, when Jasmine slapped Robin's dumbfound face.

"That is for not listening to my instructions!" A second slap smacked Robin's other cheek.

"That is for making a stupid bet with an even stupider man!"

A third slap smacked Robin.

"That is for not taking one of us with you to help!"

Robin, who supposed she was finished, was surprised by another slap.

"And that last one was interest for making us worry about you!" Jasmine huffed, as she was finally finished venting her anger.

-------------

"So? I want your report. What did the Hero choose?" The figure behind the red curtain asked the crystal ball user.

"Hmm...Well, you could say that He killed them, but you could also say that he couldn't." The crystal ball user answered in a pondering manner. "He prioritized saving the human younglings. But, in the process, the goblin trash were killed due to ignoring the spread of an accidental fire."

"Hmmm?...Interesting. Keep me updated on anything new that happens." the figure behind the red curtain once more left the darkened room.

----------

Robin held her hand up to her burning cheek.

"Yeah. Thanks. I probably needed that." She said with a sigh. "I'm sorry, for making you worry."

"Hmmph! If it wasn't for the fact that you saved all of the town's children, I'd have smacked you even more!" Jasmine huffed.

"How are they doing?" Robin asked.

"Completely fine, now that they're all back home. Much better than a certain someone that can't take care not to overload their mana source! If you didn't create that smoke barrier, as an intermediate cool down spell, you would have burst your mana source and died!" Jasmine admonished.

"Thank goodness." Robin sighed.

"What is up with you! Please remember that we don't need a hero, here! What we need is for you to stay safe and in good health so that we can send you home in one piece, got it!?" Jasmine scolded.

Robin smiled, sheepishly. "Okay, I got it. It won't happen again."

'Next time, I will execute it perfectly, without losing anything. Including consciousness.' She determined.

"You aren't repentant at all, are you!" Jasmine complained.

"Eh heh heh...." Robin could only chuckle awkwardly. Given the choice, she still probably would've gone to save them.

Jasmine held her hand out to Robin, who looked at her blankly.

"Hand!" She ordered.

Robin blinked, then realized Jasmine wanted Robin to extend her hand out. Christian sniggered about how Robin was being heckled by Jasmine for a change. Grasping Robin's wrist, Jasmine examined Robin's internal condition again.

"The effects of the smoke poison are almost gone. But, your mana source is very fragile at this point. You are not allowed to use any spells until it's all healed." Jasmine prescribed.

"Can't you fix it with a health potion?" Robin asked.

"Well, I would, if some idiot hadn't used a health potion right before almost shattering their mana source." Jasmine huffed.

"Now you can only heal the old fashioned way. But, aside from spells, you'll be perfectly fine. Get yourself plenty of rest, today. We'll be leaving tomorrow morning."

Robin nodded. "Okay."

Christian looked between the two, and began to feel odd. Could it be possible that Jasmine...actually was falling in love with Robin!? And poor Robin had no idea that he was the object of her affections, thank goodness.

He needed to make sure that Robin keeps more of a distance from Jasmine, so that he doesn't get deceived into something he cannot get out of. And so, Christian also began scheming to find ways to keep Robin away from Jasmine, or at least make sure that they are never alone together.

"That being said, I have been quite impressed with your swordsmanship for a while, now! Would you mind if we had a little spar later on, after you are feeling better?" Christian spontaneously spoke, immediately wanting to kick himself inwardly, afterwards.

'Why in the king's throne did I say spar! Stupid! Stupid!' He mentally berated.

Robin smiled. "Sure! I don't mind. I need to keep my skills well-honed, after all."

Jasmine blinked, and gave Robin a pointed stare. "Not before you rest!"

Robin nodded. "Of course-" Her grumbling stomach interrupted the conversation.

"Er....before that, could I possibly have something to eat? Three days of missing meals is no joke!" Robin asked, rubbing her empty stomach.

"Right. I just knew this would happen." Jasmine chuckled, before turning to face the door.

"You can come in, now, Ponzu!"

Ponzu poked his head in.

"Hello, Teacher! I knew you haven't eaten for three days, so I brought you some soup. I've stewed it for three whole days, so it's nice and clear. It should be enough to stave off the hunger pangs until you can eat solid foods again."

Robin's eyes lit up. "Soup?" She waved him in.

"Sounds perfect! Now, hurry up and bring it in! I'm starving!"

While Robin felt that she could eat a whole cow, she knew that someone who had slept for three days wouldn't necessarily be able to eat solid foods right away. Instead, it was best to jump start the digestive system with soup and light foods.

Robin obediently played the invalid, and allowed herself to be taken care of. After Robin finished eating, the door opened once more, and Gerard peeked his head in.

"Um...Robin, you have visitors." he said. "Would you be okay with receiving them?"

"Oh? Who is it that wants to visit?" Robin asked. If it was that grumpy old fart of an ex-captain, then, Robin would smile and say 'no thank you!'

"It's a group of kids led by a girl named Gertie." Gerard said

"Oh that's fine! Please let them in!" Robin said, waving her hand.

The children came into the room, and crowded around the bed. There were actually about twice as many kids present as the number that she'd saved.

"Oh? To what do I owe this pleasant surprise of a visit?" Robin asked.

"Mister Robin," Gertie began, then the twelve that she saved came to the front, and bowed deeply.

"Thank you very much for saving us!" They said, while presenting a large bouquet of flowers.