Susie hadn't meant to get forced into an adventure.

In fact, if there had been a choice between getting expelled and getting into some weird clusterfuck of saving a goddamn world, well, the answer would have been a resounding nah. To both. Unfortunately, there hadn't been a choice at all, even if the person that travelled with her into this weird world could've been someone else other than the creepy human kid.

The most infuriating thing was that the creepy kid didn't even seem bothered by all this complete weirdness. Their expression stayed the same deadpan as always and wasn't that frustrating when threatening someone and not even getting a satisfying reaction? Even Lancer's reaction had been more satisfying! And he didn't know shit even if he should somehow wound up dangled over the edge of a very high bridge to the freaking fountain!

With a dark glower, Susie glanced to the other nuisance: Ralsei. So happy go lucky, but different from Lancer's admittedly stupid innocence and understandably childishness. Well, fuck it. At the beginning, she had been more than irritated over the same blah blah that sprouted out of Ralsei's mouth. So what, she had to be some stupid hero, saving all their ungrateful asses?

Didn't freaking seemed like it with all these stupid troops attacking them left and right! And what, Kris even listened to the naive bullshit that Ralsei sprouted. No fight in this world needed? As fucking if!

So, no surprise ditching them. It was stupid, sucked anyway and the pay had been horrible.

Still, it had been goddamn funny, seeing Ralsei fumbling with his words or Kris trying to command her what to do. Ha! Fat chance! FIGHTing was all she had needed!

Lancer had been, hmmmm, funny. Really, really funny. More funny than she liked to openly admit, because it had been liberating doing all these petty things. Petty things that, yeah, were kinda childish, but who cared about that when the partner in crime was even more childish than her? Psh, no judging person nearby, so no one's business anyway! Well, except maybe Ralsei's as the good guy, but Kris had been pretty chill. Like always, really, so no surprise here.

And well, the fight against Ralsei and Kris had been just plain unfair. Kris knew that she struggled with the songs that Ralsei sung, so of course they decided to command him to sing! Really, they could be happy that she hadn't decided to bite their face off with all the bullshit they did in the fight. It had been a plus that Lancer had been umharmed, but the humiliation had been real. Like, really, really real, because Lancer and she hadn't been able to hit them. Not even once.

Humiliating and scary. Kris and Ralsei could have defeated them easily, but instead, they had just buttered Lancer up. And it had worked.

Afterwards, well. Susie couldn't be so sure what happened, because it had been kinda fast. Lancer ran and everything else had been a blur of an annoying puzzle that Kris solved after failing five freaking times and the, uh, confrontation with Lancer. If someone could even call the beatdown she gave him 'confrontation'. Still, convincing Lancer and promising not to gut the King had been a choice she didn't regret. Yet.

Welp.

Now, in the present, there wasn't any difference.

Still, waiting inside the elevator to confront the rest of the King's troops and trying not to stare at the ribbon that adored Ralsei's hat was an even bigger struggle than debating the dilemma of taking the King down. And were those Iron Shakles on Kris' wrists? Why?

"Hey. Ralsei."

Ralsei, sitting on the floor, looked up to her. The shadow of his hat caused his features to look like a black hole. "What is it, Susie?"

"I think that my mind will combust if this elevator takes any longer," she drawled lowly, glancing over to the hunching form of their official leader and then back to Ralsei. "Is it normal that you recall your life when you're bored?"

"It means that you are developing, Susie!" he chirped, expression lightening up with happiness. Susie adamantly ignored the soft and squishy feeling that rose up within her when Ralsei turned to Kris with, "Isn't that true, Kris?" and getting a slow nod as an agreement.

Embarrassing as hell. Why couldn't the elevator be more faster? "Arright. It sucks ass, though." To her surprise, this comment received another slow nod from their quiet leader. She grinned, secretly glad that she wasn't alone with this, "Also realized some things, huh? Thought so."

"I hope you two are happy with how things have proceeded," Ralsei mused with a smile, contently straightening up to look at both of them. It was no use, however. Still a midget to her and barely bigger than Kris with his hat. "We are almost at the fountain. I also hope that the King can be reasoned with.."

"Well," she cut in, seeing the slight hesitance on his expression when he shot her a worried look, "I guess we just have to try our best, huh?" Susie bit back a startled yelp when Ralsei's whole expression brightened up like some really powerful light magic. Kris, she noticed, didn't even wince. How? "H-Hey, turn it down, will ya? My ax can do talking just as fine!"

The other still continuend to grin like a loon. "Susie, thank you! You're the best!"

And then, to her further embarrassment, this elected a visible firm nod from Kris. This traitor! Misunderstanding her words on purpose! When they were back in school, they better be prepared for some quality rough handling. They just called for it, cheeky little human shit.

"S-Shut up! Nothing to thank for and nothing to see!" Susie bit out with a roar, turning away from Ralsei's happy expression and the aura of smugness that radiated out of their quiet leader. She huffed and forced her composure to pick up. "I'm.. Just not breaking a promise with Lancer. Nothing more and nothing less."

"Of course, Susie!" the prince of Darkness agreed, looking like he was just one step away from jumping up and down because of giddiness. Somehow, she had the feeling that Kris, with their back to her and eyes shadowed, was just one step away from doing something similar. It was a discerning feeling, knowing that both of them were filled with such strong emotions.

Because of her.

It was weird. This situation was weird and she would gladly not be a part of it.

"Enough of this chit-chat. Why does this elevator take so freaking long?"

Kris looked up, their hunching posture changing and straightening with her question. Susie lifted an eybrow when the only human inside this room leaned over to Ralsei and proceeded to whisper something into his ears that she couldn't really deciper. Then, to her utter confusion, Ralsei sprang up from his position and went to the elevator buttons. She watched in anticipation when his fingers hovered over one of the buttons, a button she hadn't noticed before coming into the elevator.

"Dude, what are you doing?" she asked with curiosity mingled into every word, not even anger coursing through her when nobody answered.

Ralsei pressed the button.

And the elevator started moving.

Bzzzzzt..

Nobody moved.

..

..

..

"It seems I forgot to press the button," Ralsei voiced with a very embarrassed undertone, turning to her and Kris with a deep bow. "Forgive me. I guess it slipped my mind.."

Kris shrugged blandly.

Susie couldn't form a thought.

"Thanks for reminding me, Kris. That elevator uh.. might take a while," he repeated his earlier phrase that he had uttered ten freaking minutes ago, sitting down, casting a bewildered glance at their passive leader. "Get comfy, everyone. Umm, again."

And Susie felt her nerves explode.

"What the FUCK?" Pushing herself off the wall, she trampled over to Kris, hosting the other up like a ragdoll and leaning forward till her face almost touched theirs. Ralsei tried to stop her, but she ignored the little midget. "What the fuck, Kris?! What did you do? Here we are, standing like IDIOTS inside this elevator!" She shook them, watching their head flop to the side like they didn't have any muscles to use. They didn't even seem to react. "Dude!"

Kris, like always outside battle, didn't even start an attempt to speak. Typical. How frustrating and annoying. That they didn't even seem bothered by her shaking was slightly reminiscent how she had threatened them in school. No reaction whatsoever, but the whole school was used to it by now, she included (unfortunately).

"Susie! It was just a joke! No harm done!" So they had withheld this information on purpose, sneaky little human! Ralsei grabbed her by her elbows, but his touch could have been a kiss of a breeze, because she could've tossed him away like an unruly child. He was way too soft, like Lancer. "Susie, please let them go! They are essential in sealing the fountain!"

Susie huffed. "I don't care!" Glancing at the other, she gestured to their limp and silent leader. "Why can they do whatever they want, but I get scolded by you?" At his incredulous expression, she shot him a dark glare. "You said that I'm a bad hero, but they prank us and now they get away scot free?" She shook Kris, silently relishing in the fact that they looked kinda blue because of their position. Quiet fleshy shit. "I don't think so, dude."

"You're being childish, Susie!" Ralsei scolded, resting his hands on his hips. He looked vaguely disappointed with how the situation was going. Ha, bad for him! Oh, and for ragdoll here. "Look, I could, umm.. Bake you an apology cake! How does that sound..?"

Tempting. Her stomach was gurgling with a need for food since she ate the chalk in school. "Mmmh, what's the catch this time?"

"You let them go and ummm, forgive them?"

"Are you asking me?" she asked snarkily back, letting their leader drop onto the floor with a satisfying thump. Ralsei rushed to their side when they didn't move, hands aglow with Heal Prayer. "Sheesh, I didn't hurt them. Chill!" When her two party members stayed resolutely silent, she drawled roughly, "The cake is accepted, by the way."

More silence.

Susie felt a little uncomfortable.

Maybe this was more serious than she thought.

"Ralsei? Are they unconscious, or nah?"

Ralsei was a second longer silent and then, "I think they are laughing." A beat. He looked weirdly tense and stiff, like a statue. "I think they are laughing because of this whole situation. Um," he mumbled, leaning into the motionless and apparently boneless form of their leader as a grin formed on his lips. Susie felt like she was going to have a bad time. Weird. "I think that they think that we should relax a little bit more."

"They aren't moving to laugh into the floor? That's not even logical? They look the same?!" Susie stated exasperated with wide eyes, looking from Kris to the amused Ralsei. No one replied to the logical breach in physics, like always. How could Kris laugh when they were laying on the floor without moving a muscle? Stiffly, she added, "And what do you mean, relax? We're chilling inside this super slow elevator!"

"But you're thinking about the King, Susie. And um, your promise with Lancer..?" At the second sentence, he glanced to Kris, seemingly hearing or seeing something she couldn't even fathom, and then nodded with a smile. Irritatingly, their leader didn't even twitch with their face turned into the floor. How..? "So, um, Kris thought it would lighten the situation up..! Did it work?"

Susie shook her head. Hard. "Nah. Not at all!"

"You're blushing," Ralsei pointed out, grinning from ear to ear and totally ignoring her disapproval. Must have surely learned that from Lancer, too! On the floor, face still stuck in the same position, Kris lifted a hand up to show her a thumbs up. Freaking TRAITOR! "Are you happy, Susie? I hope that Kris' prank has helped you!"

Yeah, helped her realize that the rigid and creepy little kid from next door was in reality a bold and cocky little human trashbag that will get the ass-kicking of their life. "Stop saying SHIT!" Susie roared with all her might, but she was warm and fluffy inside that it was even kinda hard mustering up any defense reaction. Seeing Ralsei's sincere smile and Kris' support, made her feel round and soft like Dark Candy. "J-Just.. I can, like, think of a plan against the King!" she blurted out, internally sweating. She had wanted to talk with Kris after the conversation with Ralsei about joining the party for real, but, somehow, the situation had evolved into something completely different because of Kris' small lie about the elevator. "ACTing is a piece of cake!"

Uh-oh, what the hell was she boasting about? ACTing? She? What a joke! It would take centuries before she could ACT like Kris–!

"I totally agree!"

Huh?

"Huh..?"

"I think ACTing isn't hard, but together, it would be more fun, don't you think so?" Ralsei jumped up from his crouch, energetically hopping over to her. With his hat casting a shadow over his fur, it looked like he was in some kind of endless black hole. Reflexively, she leaned back from his open and sincere eyes. "And then, when we ACT together, we will be an united Fun Gang!"

In response, Kris pumped a fist up.

With their face still parallel to the floor.

..The sentiment was still appreciated by the look on Ralsei's face. She wasn't so sure what to think, anyhow. "See? Let's ACT together, alright?"

Susie felt completely exposed with a pair of eyes on her, but the feeling was kinda being overthrown with her mouth twitching upward without any conscious thought. If Ralsei had any lingering doubts about her joining an ACT, he sure as hell hid it well at the sight of her signature slasher smile. That normally sent everyone running. "Ya sure, dude? I'm gonna ACT till everyone begs for me to spare them."

"I'm sure," he agreed, smile and all and without any pity. Susie bit back a choked-up hiccup that threatened to escape her throat at his pure sincerity. It was like a balm to her SOUL and embarrassing as hell. Like with Lancer, she had been accepted, no need for any facade to built up. Just her. Just Susie. She observed with a tight throat and damn stinging eyes as Ralsei turned to their motionless leader with a small shrug, probably thinking over the ridiculousness of this whole situation. She sympathized. Somehow. "Um, Kris, do you want to stand up again..?"

With his back to her, she sniffed discreetly. Damn tear workers. Luckily, her voice didn't shake when she spoke up, "Stand up, you little ass. I will trash you later."

"That would be counterproductive since Kris leads our ACTs.."

Ding!

"Ah, we're on our destination!" Ralsei remarked with surprise, glancing at her and then at Kris with some kind of soft tenderness that made her feel like a rough, but protective mom. "I'm waiting outside, alright? Please, um, help Kris onto their feet, Susie."

And then, he skipped outside.

No one said anything for a few moments.

However, now, the silence wasn't an awkward pause. It was a time to process everything that happened since now.

Susie hadn't ever felt this warm and soft since she entered school, but it was sure as hell a feeling that she wouldn't ever forget. Emotions that warmed her SOUL to the brim, filling her with some kind of determination to protect them. First Lancer and then Kris and Ralsei. Such idiots..

Such stupid friends..

"Hey. Kris." she called out, not even turning to the laying form of their leader. Her gaze was adamantly fixed onto the wall of the elevator. No need to see the various rude gestures that Kris made with their hands to mock her. "I want to join the party for– oof!"

Susie stumbled a few steps back as a sudden warmth enveloped her hips, squeezing with a kind of strength she would have expected from a boss monster. Uncomfortable as hell, her head snapped to the nuisance and she reflexively tensed up, an insult on the tip of her tongue as well as a slug to the face, but, with a start, she noticed the flow of straight navy hair and silver armor that identified her attacker for none other than-

"K-Kris?" she yelped, not squeaked damn it, feeling their arms tighten around her midsection. They were seriously hugging her. Kris was hugging her more tighter than she had ever been hugged before. Susie felt her face erupt into a fiery blush. "H-Hey! What are ya doin'? What's your deal?" To her surprise and complete embarrassment, the other mumbled something into the hug. Some softly spoken things which she couldn't really understand with their head buried. "What are you saying? You know that quiet people piss me off, don't ya?" Gently, she returned the hug. Reluctantly. Totally reluctantly. "S-Speak up, freak."

Kris slowly nodded into her. Then, they looked up, tilting their face to meet her eyes. Susie saw a red eye peek out from under her leader's heavy bangs. It was such a rich and strong red color that she was instantly mesmerized. Their lips parted to speak and they–

All of a sudden, a second weight joined their hug, right next to Kris, and the moment was broken. "I also want to share a hug!"

"H-Hey, watch it!" Susie warned to the prince of Darkness when she stumbled again, internally cursing Ralsei's bad timing. Kris had wanted to say something, but a look at the person in question confirmed that they were hiding themselves away again. She knew they had wanted to say something important before the other had interrupted them! Damn it. Freaking fluffy boys. Frustrated, she groaned out, "Ralsei, this is not a hug party!"

"I'm sorry! Just forgive me this once!"

"No freaking way!" Susie instantly shot his request down even as she made a mind to include him inside the hug, too. Holy heck, he was so fluffy, it was ridiculous. The only lucky point was that none of these midgets could see her face that was surely nearing magenta now. "..However, if we do this with Lancer.. maybe.."

"Done!" Ralsei yelped over Kris' quiet 'mmmh!' in agreement.

And Susie was content. For the moment.

Da end.

AN: I was bored, I guess? It's also posted on AO3 with my Acc, so it's all on me, bruh. Thanks for reading.