She Hangs Up The Phone

"Er, okay, but that was actually a joke earlier?" Robin said, confused. She wasn't against it, but it was entirely too sudden for her brain to process.

"It's settled. No talking back to your Aunt, deary." Ayva chuckled.

"Alright." Robin sighed. An orphan being the adopted prince of one kingdom, and the adopted niece/nephew of another kingdom at the same time...such a situation was indeed unprecedented on earth. Robin decided to send a letter back to Ekkinshire Kingdom.

She'd leave the diplomatic ramifications of this situation to King Zephron and his advisors. With any luck, this situation would only serve to restore ties of friendship with the dwarven kingdom. After all, Robin had already accepted it. And the actions of a hero are never taken lightly.

Robin blinked as she suddenly realized something. "Please hand the phone over to Quinn, Aunt Ayva." She asked.

"Eh? All right! Anything for my nie-phew" She said, recovering her words instantly before it accidentally revealed the truth. Turning to a nonchalant Quinn, she offered the metal cup.

"The hero wants ta talk to ye." She said.

Quinn picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" He asked.

"I suppose you think you were terribly clever, sitting back and watching me being stuck down here, weren't you?" Robin said.

"Whatever do you mean?" Quinn asked.

"What I mean is, that Bobble made it up there safely. Ergo, there is nothing stopping you from dropping one of your slime clones down here and instantaneously transporting me out. That is what I mean." Robin said. She had been having this nagging feeling in the back of her head that she was forgetting something. turns out, she was right.

"Why that is indeed a brilliant idea. But you're forgetting one thing: why should I? You're already going to be rescued soon enough, after all." Quinn smirked.

"Ah, but you are forgetting. I am the one who is paying you. If I don't get out soon, there will be no chocolate tonight." Robin replied.

Quinn's smirk faltered. He hadn't thought of that. Christian smiled, seeing his expression. Christian didn't know what they were talking about, but he didn't need to know. Quinn had obviously lost in a battle of wits against Robin.

"Fine, but only for the food." Quinn gave in.

"Thank goodness! If you had said you were doin it for my sake, I'd think there's something wrong with your head!" Robin chuckled.

"Don't you heroes all harp on 'for friendship!' or 'for justice' or something like that? While Food is definitely most important, why are you throwing friendship under the rug so quickly?" Quinn quipped, as he sent a small slime that came out of his hand, down the air vent.

"Because food is definitely most important for you. Should the day come where I am more important to you than food, then I'd be very worried that you were possessed by a spirit master."Robin replied cheekily.

"That remains to be seen." Quinn snorted. Then he cheekily ended the call by handing the receiver to Christian.

"It's for you." He said, before walking off, in a sour mood.

Christian squinted his eyes happily. From what he had heard on Quinn's side, Robin was rejecting a friendship with Quinn, who was probably getting too close for comfort to the hero. But what made him truly happy is that Robin wanted to talk to him after rejecting Quinn. He felt like he had gained an advantage over the Slime King.

"Hello? Robin? What is it? Quinn said you had something to tell me?" Christian asked.

Robin paused awkwardly. She had not intended to talk to anyone before returning to the surface. But that little sneak Quinn had gone and tossed the phone over to Christian. Robin narrowed her eyes with intentions of mischievous returns. But she didn't explain Quinn's trick. Instead she went along with the setting.

"Ah, yes. Please tell Aunt Ayva that she doesn't need to dig me out. I found a way out." Robin replied.

"You're sure? If it's a secret passageway, don't enter unless you're certain it is heading up. I heard that sometimes, the more malicious type are prone to add poisonous gass or insects inside to turn it into a death trap." Christian warned.

"Just let her know, alright?" Robin rolled her eyes. "I don't want her to start panicking just because I'm not answering the phone."

"Is that what this is? a phone?" Christian asked, looking at the contraption in his hands.

"Of a sorts, I suppose you could say it's the most basic form of one." Robin replied. "The newest type can speak to others over a very long distance wirelessly. It can play music and access the internet, make payments distantly, save images, and a lot of other things."

"That is a very impressive array of abilities." Christian nodded. "Are you sure it isn't the latest form of magic crystal ball?"

"No." Robin chuckled. "Technology here and technology in my world have developed very differently. Your people have developed the magic device route. Instead of circuits, you use spell models. Instead of electricity, you use magic. In terms of convenience, I'd say that, unless the latest crystal ball is the size of a marble, smartphones are probably more convenient."

"What makes you say that?" Christian asked.

"It's the shape. But, then again, you probably don't have to worry about the lack of signal in certain areas." Robin replied. Then she frowned. She was talking a lot more than she usually did. "Anyways, go tell Ayva." She finished, cutting off the conversation.

"But Wai-" Robin removed the receiver from the thread, effectively cutting off the sound.

'What is up with me? Usually I am not so open about such things. I don't want this land to develope like earth.' She involuntarily shivered. Earth...She could honestly say that if it weren't for her brother, she would never return. The place had already lost all semblance of warmth for her. A dead rock full of dead hearts except for one.

Robin shook her head. 'No, no. Get that negativity out of your head, Robin! It isn't as bad as you think it is, and you know it. There are still good people there.'

It didn't take too long before Quinn's slime arrived, ending her internal back and forth. It quickly teleported her out.

"Yoto!" Robin muttered as she landed only an inch away from the wooden dowel Christian had almost slipped on. She patted the non-existant dust off her clothes and then looked about.

"This is...still the second level, huh. Thanks, Quinn!" She smiled at the small slime.

"The original is over here, actually." A hand waved from the alley entrance. "And, just so you know, I am expecting the best chocolate ever made."

"You have yourself a deal. Now let's go meet Ayva and Christian before he has a meltdown. I kinda hung up the phone on him." Robin said.

"You can hang up that kind of phone?" Quinn asked.

Robin grinned mischievously, showing the metal cup in her hand.

"Ah." Quinn nodded. "That explains it."

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

Dwarves still milled about the square in front of Ayva's tavern, effectively blocking traffic as dwarves tugged, flicked, and examined the Holy Sword's workmanship.

Jasmine's eyes wandered over the scene with a wry smile. Dwarves will be dwarves, after all. The best blade was like the most beautiful woman to them-or at least, that is how it had been described to her a while back.

"What is going on here!?" A loud voice called out over the crowd. Everyone turned to look at the person who spoke.

"Hmm?" Keith turned to look, his eyes a bit bleary due to the alcohol. "Whozzat?" He slurred.

"By the king's crown!" A nearby dwarf gasped. "It's..."

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

Robin had just finished reuniting with her New Aunt, and now frantic companion, when a dwarf ran up to Ayva and whispered something in her ear.

Christian was about to give Robin a pat down to check for injuries, until Robin slapped his hand away. "Enough! Don't you think if I had been injured that I would have left it to fester all this time? Don't worry about me. I have Bobble, after all." She said outwardly confident.

But, inwardly, she was sighing with relief. 'Phew! That was a bit too close for comfort!' She thought to herself.

"Um...Robin, la-addy?" Ayva said, quickly covering her almost slip-up.

"Yes? What is it, Aunty?"

"Well, I happen ta have a bit of good news fer ya." Ayva began.

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

In the square, every dwarf was kneeling under the pressure of that figure's presence. Red scales gleamed in the sun. And a somewhat taller than usual dwarf stood there, surveying the now silent crowd.

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"Mah husband, King Throm has just returned." Queen Ayva announced.