Chapter 22 Stories

The time it took for Miya and Rose to finish their tasks, was apparently all the time it needed to make the place descend to chaos.

Lilly yelled, while holding the knife over her head. "Hey! I'm holding a knife here! Stop messing about!"

Lilly was yelling at Hela, who was running around the place trying to catch Loki. Hela just straight up look like a savage beast. She is running around on all fours while baring her teeth.

Loki on the other hand, is acting more intellegent. Loki is on the other side fire circling it to avoid Hela. Loki's tail kept on wagging as it was getting chased around.

From the looks of things, Loki's enjoying this, the same could be said for Hela since she too are smiling, but it isn't pleasant since she is showing all of her teeth while she's at it.

"Goldie! Help out will you?!"

"Hmm, I'm pretty sure I have a name." Chrys said as he appeared from behind one of the trucks.

"Fine, Chrys, will you please help me? There I said it, now help. They'll eventually start breaking stuff!" Lilly said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Loki!!!" Chrys shouted, getting both Loki's and Hela's attention.

"Go play out there." Chrys said as he pointed towards the open place away from camp.

Loki nodded seemingly understanding what he meant. Loki then ran towards the place Chrys pointed at with Hela in pursuit behind him.

"Jeez, took you long enough to react." Lilly sighed.

Noticing Miya's and Rose's presence, Lilly said. "OH! Rose, Miya, you're back. Just place the pot on the fire and separate the vegetables in sizeable sizes, before chucking them in."

Rose and Miya followed her instructions. After Rose placed the pot, Miya put the now separated vegetables into the pot. Lilly then threw the rather large pieces of meat that she has been cutting into the mix.

"What are you cooking?" Chrys asked.

"Hot pot." Lilly replied with a smile.

"Isn't that the one that takes years to make?" Chrys asked in a tired voice.

"Oh, shut it! It will only takes a couple of minutes since I put little cuts in the meat to make them cook faster." Lilly growled.

"Fine, you're the cook here." Chrys said as he took a seat by the fire.

"Hmph!" Lilly crossed her arms as she sat down.

"Oh? Is it time to eat?" V asked as he suddenly appeared from behind the rock.

"No, because someone thought that it was a good idea to make a hot pot." Chrys replied.

"Hot pot? Isn't that the one that takes weeks to make?" V asked.

"Yep, that's the one!" Chrys said.

"Oh! shut it, the two of you." Lilly said as she finally snapped towards them.

"You know, you're starting to talk like Morgan. How nostalgic." Chrys said

"What do you mean? I don't think I have ever heard Sister Morgana talk like that before?" Lilly asked.

"Heh, well. One of the things that first comes to mind when I think of Morgan is her being very upset." Chrys replied to her.

"Well, she is always suppressing her emotions. So I guess that is understandable." Chrys added.

"Are you sure it isn't because you are a sarcastic jerk?"

"Nah, couldn't be."

Suddenly, Rose's eyes flickered and said. "Oh, I have a suggestion. Since we will have to wait for the meal to cook, why don't we tell stories while we wait?"

"Stories, huh?" Chrys' face let out a mysterious smirk.

"Yeah, that's a good idea!" Lilly complimented.

"Yeah, that is a good idea. Have fun…" V said before turning away to leave.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Lilly asked.

"Somewhere else…" V responded.

"No, you said it yourself. It is a good idea! Unless you don't want dinner, you better tell a story." Lilly said threatening V.

"...Okay, fine! I'll tell a story, if Goldie over there tells a story of his own." V said, making his demands.

"Okay. hmm, what story should I tell?" Chrys said suddenly in an excited tone.

"You son of-" V turned to look at Chrys with angry eyes, looking like he is about to commit a warcrime.

"Hey, no cursing. We got kids here, V!" Lilly said, interrupting V.

"Yeah, V instead of cursing. Why don't you start thinking of a story to tell?" Chrys said with a smile.

"Huh?! What makes you think I'll tell a story?!" V growled.

"Ha! I remember. You said that if Chrys tells a story you will tell your own." Lilly said to V.

V's attention suddenly turned to Lilly, and said. "Oh, wow! Now you remember, how very FUCKING convenient!"

"Hehehe!" Lilly started laughing while tapping the pot. Chrys on the other hand, has this mischievous smile on his face.

"You tag teaming bastards! Fine, you go first Goldie! I'll remember this!" V said as he took a sit.

Rose and Miya took a seat as well. Rose took a deep breath, before saying in a calm voice. "Amber, come over here we're telling campfire stories!"

Miya got surprised at Rose's actions. She expected Amber to ignore her, but to Miya's shock Amber actually came over and sat down.

In her hand, a black headband. It's the one she always wore. Miya could guess what Amber is currently thinking about.

"I swear, I would help Amber overcome her sorrows. But, like Rose said, I'm also going through the same situation as her." Miya thought.

"Hmm, what story should I tell? Oh-" Chrys pondered for a moment before his expression turned into a serious one.

"Once there was a man, he was a general of a  great army. He took part in many battles."

"The greatest of these battles was the siege of the walled city. The walls of city is said to be made out of remains titans."

"The battle lasted a long time, ten years to be exact. A lot happened in the war. A lot of people sacrificed their life for their own cause."

"The walled city's greatest warrior fell at the hands of the other side's greatest warrior. Who then paraded the corpse outside the walls of the city."

"Said greatest warrior was also slain in battle by a coward who shot him in the heel."

"After many battles, the war finally ended with man's side declared the winner with the help of a giant wooden horse. A very bizzare strategy but it worked, I guess."

"After the celebrations was over, a competition was proposed. The winner of the competition gets to keep their greatest warrior's armor."

"Of course the man joined in, he was a general after all. In his mind, he was the only one worthy enough to wear the armor."

"But things didn't go his way. Another general on his side, won the competition which means he gets to keep the armor."

"This sent the man into a fit of rage. He knew the man cheated in order to win, but he just didn't know how."

"That very same night, he went to kill the general who robbed him of victory. He also decided to kill all of the other generals in the army during his maddened state of mind."

"In the middle of the night, he decided to enact his plan. Blinded by his greed for the armor, he went on a murder spree."

"The moment he came to his senses, he saw what he had done. Luckily, he didn't kill other generals, instead he slaughtered a bunch of animals in the camp."

"He took around himself, blood and carcasses everywhere. He then thought to himself, 'is this what I have become?'"

"The next morning, the other generals woke up to see the massacre of animals outside. They called an emergency meeting to find out who did this."

"Everyone went to the meeting, with the only exception of the man. This caused the other generals to be suspicious."

"They sent out soldiers to find the missing general. After a while, they found the man."

"They found him in a forest, dead. He could no longer live with the guilt and the shame. He killed himself by literally falling on his own sword."

"He left a note by his body confessing what he tried to commit."

"The other generals wanted to just leave his body there to rot, but the man's brother wanted to have his brother a proper funeral."

"Seeing the commotion, a vote was proposed. It ended with the majority votes to just leave his body there."

"The others who objected the idea of leaving his body behind, left with the others begrudgingly."

"Little did they know-"

"Oh, this is so boring!" V suddenly interjected, causing Chrys to stop his story.

"No one asked!" Chrys snapped towards V.

"No one wants to here a boring story like that. Do you even know what a story is?!" V yelled back.

"Huh, then why don't you try to tell a story?" Chrys asked intimidatingly.

"Yeah, you know what? I will and it will be better than your grandma story."

"Ahem, Once-" V began talking.

"Oh, this is so boring!" Chrys suddenly interjected.

"Huh?! Do you want to go?!" V menacingly asked.

"Sure, where do you want to go? We're already outside." Chrys replied in the same menacing manner.

They both stood up and menacingly glared at each other.

"Hey! Sit down you two, or you're not getting any food." Lilly shouted.

"Huh?! Who do you think you're talking to?!" Chrys calmly asked as he stared at Lilly.

"Ding! Ding!" V mimicked the sound of a bell in a scary fashion.

Lilly began to sweat profusely. Before hiding behind the girls. She had the look of someone who just saw her biggest fear.

"Hmm..." Chrys took note of Lilly's behavior before sitting back down.

"Ding!" V imitated the sound of a bell one last time before sitting down as well.

"Uh, I guess it's my turn." Rose said, falling into a pondering state.

"Oh, I know. I'll tell..." Rose stared to speak, but she stopped herself midway. She looked very conflicted.

"What's wrong, Rose?" Lilly asked, after seeing Rose's expression.

"I-I'm fine. It's just that… I don't like the meaning behind the story." Rose replied.

"Well, it's fine if you don't want to tell a story. Miya, your turn."

Miya looked shocked, she immediately sat up straight, she opened her mouth to speak.

Before she could utter a world, Rose interrupted her by saying. "No, I'm fine. I'll tell my story."

Miya leaned back on her seat, giving her permission for Rose to continue. Rose saw this, and began to tell her story.

"Ahem, Once upon a time there was a little girl dressed in a little red hood."

"In her hand, a basket of food for her grandmother who she was visiting."

"She went towards a forest that her grandmother was leaving in. Jumping up and down in joy as she rarely ever gets to meet her grandmother."

"Suddenly, a wolf the size of a man blocked her path. It growled at her with its massive mouth that could swallow a person whole."

"The ferocity of the wolf knocked the little girl off her foot. A thump could be heard as the basket of food fell down with her."

"The basket spilled its contents onto the ground as the wolf inched closer to the little girl."

"But then, a massive man, a giant, no, a Titan appeared out of nowhere."

"It kicked the wolf with so much force that it flew off into the horizon."

"The little girl thanked the titan for the help. The titan even helped the girl fix her basket with it's massive hands."

"After a few minutes of talking, the titan decided to lift the little girl onto his shoulder before it began heading towards the grandmother's house."

"After a short walk, a very short walk, the titan carefully let the little girl touch the ground, before saying goodbye."

"The little girl then headed towards the grandmother's house with a smile and a story to tell."

"And they live happily ever after. The end!" Rose clapped her hands together as she finished telling her story.

"Hmm, the Big Bad Wolf, huh? Interesting." Chrys said as he placed his hand on his chin.

"Seems like nothing has changed in Titan." V said.

"Hmph, they are the only people who could do something like this. Come here, Rose." Lilly said.

Lilly grabbed Rose's head before she could react. She then began patting her head gently. Rose looks a bit confused while Amber observes a good distance away.

"Don't let their brainwashing get to you, Rose." Lilly gently said, while still patting Rose in the head.

"I-I'm fine. I know the meaning, so could you please let me go?" Rose asked, while trying to set herself free.

"No. Miya, your turn. " Lilly replied.

"Umm, I-I guess it's my turn." Miya said, looking very nervous.

"... Um, uhhhhh..."

After noticing Miya's unbearably struggling, Lilly said, as she let Rose go. "Miya, before you speak. "Come over here for just a sec. "

As Miya listens to Lilly, Rose immediately took the opportunity and separated herself from Lilly. It looks very reminiscent of Amber's reaction.

"Umm, sure?" Miya said before moving closer to Lilly.

The moment Miya was within arm's reach, Lilly asked. "What is her name?" pointing at Rose, who has since moved seats.

"Umm, Rose." Miya answered, still moving nervously.

"I see. Come a little closer, Miya. " Lilly said. Miya moved just a bit closer, as she was told.

"Umm, can I ask what this is about?" Miya nervously asked.

To which Lilly replied, looking very menacing. "It's nothing. I'm just looking for the right angle. "

Then suddenly, Lilly slapped both of Miya's cheeks with enough force that Miya's face got smushed together while shouting. "Confidence!"

"Aaaaah!!" Miya screamed as she fell backwards onto the ground with a burning sensation on her face. She began to rub them to try and ease the pain.

"Why do you always start your sentences with 'Umm', Miya?" Lilly asked while wearing a scary face.

"Umm-" Miya tried to answer, but was quickly interrupted by Lilly.

"Huh?!?" Miss Lilly grunted as she began to walk towards Miya.

"No...!" Miya screamed as she realized what was coming, trying to crawl away.

"Confidence!!!" Lilly yelled as she slapped Miya's face again, but this time it was somehow harder and more powerful.

Tears began to crawl down Miya's cheeks. As the pain on her face began to turn unbearable.