Amalgam

Being Helpful

Sophia Pov-

"Raaaaah!!!"

The Aqua Serpent roared before stabbing my sword into the monster's jaw locking its mouth open as it squirmed around in pain. Before it could get free I took out my knife and stabbed and forcibly sliced open its back. Taking my free hand I quickly grab a part of its spine and yanked it out. The monster quickly disintegrated as all that remained was its magic core and the piece of its spine in my hand.

"This should do..."

I say to myself as I put away the spine in the bag that I had and picked up the magic stone and ate it. I went to pick up my sword and noticed that it broke in half.

'Good thing I was hunting to make myself a new weapon' I thought to myself as I walk back to the Xenos safe area. Lighting a cigarette on the way there I puff the smoke as I walk and enjoy my lonesome checking my surroundings to see if any other monsters were close by. As I was walking I began to think about Bell.

He was definitely taller but that was a given since humans grow in height and appearance as they age. He has his mother's snow white hair that I used to love and that innocent smile just like hers. Sadly he had his father's eyes red like rubies. Honestly, I just wanted to pluck them out since it reminds me of one of the causes of the Mistress's death.

I quickly calmed down as I inhaled the smoke from the cigarette as it was nearing its end. Noticing that I was close to the safe zone I quickly snuffed out the cigarette and made my way there seeing all the Xenos talking to one another. As I was about to approach them the feeling of nausea came over me. Suddenly I felt something run down my nose and see a black liquid coming down my nose.

I sigh as I leave for somewhere else having no one notice me leaving. I then see a rock that I can sit on a began unlocking my collar. As I did black liquid began to run down my neck and black smoke seeped out like a chimney from my body. Looking at my body I see that that neck area was irritated and was red and black veins coursed down my skin.

I sigh as I knew what the cause of this was. Looking at the new pack of cigarettes I made I knew that the herbs weren't ready to be used but did it anyway. I sigh as I take out a napkin and start to wipe down the area and all the black liquid inside my body. I then felt the presence of another person coming closer Turing my head to see Ranye looking at me.

" I guess you are one of us."

She says as I turn my head to continue cleaning. As I spoke.

"Of course I am I said this when multiple times already that I was born here like the rest of you."

I said as I looked at my napkin to see it now dropping with black ooze throwing it away. Ranye then spoke again.

"What are you doing?"

"Just cleaning out my body since having the collar on for so long it causes the smoke within my body to clog," I said as I took out another cloth from my bag and began cleaning again.

"Then why do it."

"It's my way to get the surface and relaying information to you guys instead of Fels doing all the work," I say as I notice there was a lot more of the black ooze in there. Worse then the last time I cleaned it. 'Could it be that there's something I'm not seeing?' I thought to myself as I raised my head to have a better view only for the smoke that my body produces to block my vision. I sigh to myself until I see Ranye right next to me.

"Let me help you." She says as I looked at her.

"No need I have it handled." I say to her as I wipe away the last of the ooze from my neck area ready to put my head back before Ranye spoke again.

"You missed a spot around the back of the neck area looks really bad." She says I try to lift my head around the back but it was uncomfortable. Before I could make another attempt Ranye grabbed the cloth from my hand.

"I'll help you out just stay still while I get this disgusting black stuff out of you." She says beginning to clean out the back. It was a little embarrassing to have someone help me with this kind of thing. It also felt weird even though I have done this many times before. Ranye then spoke again.

"By the way what that smell it kind of smells sweet."

'Sweet..? Ah, I know what's she talking about.' I thought to myself before speaking.  "It is my cigarettes it's made from a plant that is extremely toxic to most people but for me, it calms me down. If you prepare it a certain way the toxin is also reduced to none when smoked out from the lungs so you don't have to be worried about being poisoned by being around me." She stopped and looked at me.

"I see while I would say that still seems bad and dangerous I won't bother you about your life." She says finishing up. I was about to put My head back on when Ranye then grabbed me again.

"What are you doing I'm not done I still need to clean the top half." She said.

"I'd rather not its really uncomfortable to touch that area." Especially since one of my magic stones is located in my head.

"You still need to clean it I promise to be careful." I looked into her eyes untrusting but to be honest, maybe that's why my body has been clogging up more often the usual so maybe it's not the body but my head. I close my eyes as I stretched my arms to take my head. I also give her another cloth in my bag since it's always good to be prepared and give it to her. She gently grabbed me and laid me to the side. I expected it to be uncomfortable and as expected it was. She used a lot of force and couldn't help but grunt.

"Didn't you say you would be gentle with me."

"Oh sorry but it's your own fault for not cleaning yourself properly. I think I see something developing in one of your arteries." She said sticking her finger in my neck. I see my body jitter uncontrollably as I wanted to get out of this situation myself. After a couple of minutes of torture, she finished.

"Never again." I said reattaching my head and putting my collar back on. I turned to look at the smiling Ranye.

"Do even know the definition of gentle?" I said to her I said glaring at her seeing the smug smile on her face.

"Consider it payback for the training sessions." She said as I grabbed my bag. When I stood I felt much lighter than before. When was the last time I felt like this? I look back to Ranye. "Thank you for helping me with this." I said to her as she smiled at me. Since the first time we met and me saving her. She and I have always had our differences and was and tried to always have a competition with me. Strange this was the first time I see her smile at me.

"Lets go back I think everyone is worried. Also more training for you."

"Hey I just helped you out and this is how you repay you, bastard!!" She then started yelling at me as I just walked back. Though I couldn't help but feel a bit happy about her getting mad like usual strangely enough.

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Can I have danmachi fanfic recommendations?