The Land of LD

Chapter 8-Inner Reconciliation

"Now, now, will you look at this!" cried Oran from the wooden platform.
Everyone, who were all surrounded around the dinner table, turned to look at him.
"As the beginning of the festival, I would announce the Talent Show for the festival!"
"Talent show?" muttered Kyle.
"Yes, that's it, tiny human! a Talent show! now, as the first step of this year's festival, you would all watch while you eat dinner-and each chosen show participants would have to stand and come up onto the stage and show off their show!"
At Oran's words, some people chuckled softly, for his words purposedly made a rhyme joke.
"Well, it seems y'all want me for the first participant, is it? then let me begin with some well-known jokes-from Corry's books!" cried Oran, gesturing with his hands and tail to Corry the Squirrel.
"Ah...haha..." as everyone was looking at him, Daim blushed and bowed his head down low as he hugged his book tightly.
"Now, first! it's something called a door joke, it goes like...hey, quiet white kid there! Knock Knock~!"
"Huh?"
"Aww, you're supposed to say, 'who's there'! don't you know, stranger?"
"Okay..but why am I a stranger? you know me already."
Everyone started to laugh, and S.S. was confused.
"Yes, so say it already, will you?"
"Okay..who's there?"
"A Stranger."
"Ur..a stranger?"
"Yeah, a stranger to YOU! who are you to be in my house?"
"...?"
Neither Kyle or Emily had got the joke, but every beasts were laughing, and even strict Rei was wearing a small smile on his face.
"Okay, now...hey, Bo! Knock Knock~~"
"Who's there?"
"A banana."
"Banana who?"
"Can I please BAN you ANA my house??"
At this, even S.S. let out a small chuckle.
And everyone else were reacting same.
"Okay, now, the last one. Your Majesty?"
"Yes."
"Knock Knock!"
"Who's there?"
"Your Jester, sir!"
"Your Jester, sir...who?"
"Your Majesty, I'M your jester, not you!"
At this everyone was literally laughing, although Rei was trying to keep his poker face and scold Oran for making 'Our Majesty' do the silly joke.
But King Blue laughed and told Rei to let it pass, because it was very entertaining.
Now was Felix and Charmeleli's turn, and they showed a huge wooden box with the handle made out of spring and tape attached to the side.
"This is our invention, everyone."
"Look at this, will you?"
"We also learned it from Corry's books about this invention, it's called 'Jock in the Box'!"
("Don't they mean,'Jack in the Box',Kyle?") whispered Emily to Kyle.
"Well..."
"You see, Char here will turn the handle, and you will see something AMAZING~" said Felix excitedly.
"Alright, here we go~!"
So Charmeleli began to turn the creaky handle, then suddenly the box began to shake violently side to side.
"Woah~!" cried Charmeleli. then she fled to the side next to Felix.
Then the box even began to let the steams out when they shook.
"Wait, isn't it going to explode?!" cried Emily in surprise.
And while everyone was alarmed, the box suddenly stopped, and it opened with a loud, 'POP' noise.
"Wha--"
"TA-DA~~!!"
A metal-made goofy charmeleon structure popped out as it threw its string arms up in the air, and the pink powder's explosion thundered on the platform as glitters rained on the stands.
Everyone stared about at it, amazed.
After Felix and Charmeleli bowed and came down from the stage, they all asked Corry the Squirrel to read a story to them, for he was the only one among the beast who could read and write humans' languages and read their books as well.
So Corry retold the humans' tale of 'Little Red Riding Hood',and although everyone had enjoyed Corry's trivial acts and voice in reading, and also the story itself, while listening to the tale, Rei the Reindeer seemed uncomfortable...as if he was angry.
Then Corry asked to Kyle and Emily whether they has any intentions in coming up to the stage and perform their show.
Emily said no, saying that she've got nothing to show, and because September urged Kyle to go upstage and perform his shooting skill, Kyle reluctantly said yes.
So September brought a target board made out of painted wooden plank and a thick branch, and placed it at the end of the stadium.
Then Kyle stood at the other end, and he got prepared to shoot. he loaded his gun, and then he took his position, then finally, he pulled the trigger and shot the bullet forward.
Well, in fact there was no bullet. there was only a magical light bullet fired from his pistol.
It shot forward and stroke the target. it hit the center due to its force.
Everyone was speechless for a moment and just stared upon Kyle and the dart with the bullet hole.
Then everyone started to roar and scream and clap their hands in utter shock and amusement.
While everyone was marveling over Kyle, someone came up.
Someone, that everyone was laughing but yet one person who kept his face stern and frozen.
Rei.
"All right, this year's festival's over. you, come down from the stage. take what you need and get out of here with your friends."
"Wait, Mr. Rei?? why are you..hey, let me go!"
"I said, THE SHOW IS OVER! you're now free to go, and you know that!"
"Mr. Rei-please, I didn't mean any harm, please! I'll get down by myself if that's what you want-WOAH!"
Rei had literally thrown Kyle toward S.S. and Emily the moment he managed to pull him down from the stage, and Kyle bumped into both of them pretty violently.
All three of them would have tripped and fell to the ground if September hadn't caught girls from the behind.
"Hey, hey, Rei. what is this? does this mean you ACTUALLY want to start a fight, old. beast. ? huh?" growled September threatingly to Rei.
"I don't have any intentions for such foolish things like that. I just want you to leave. if you're still traveling with them and not attempting to stay here, September, you're welcome to leave with them, too."
"Rei! what in the name of the spirit are you doing?!" cried King Blue.
But September and Rei were arguing so fiercely, not even King's dignity could work on them right now.
Emily could guess why Rei was acting that way....if his family was hunted in the past, he would probably have...maybe, even a trauma for humans' gun sounds. that could be why his acting so angry...but even in her eyes, it seemed wrong to pull Kyle down the stage by force just because of that, and in front of everyone, too! and besides, mostly because Kyle is her brother..
But while she was thinking about this, she intentionally turned and surveyed other people's reactions.
September was grinning, but it mostly looked like she was gritting her teeth because of her anger, and Rei, meanwhile, looked sober and also angry. but while September was burning, he was frozen.
Kyle was keeping a serious face on, and he looked ready even if Rei would just pass September by and strike his face.
And S.S. also looked ready, but she was looking that she was ready to attack if Rei approached any one step nearer to them.
King Blue looked thoroughly shocked, for Rei to act this impulsively and emotionally, and every other beasts were looking curious and concerned at the same time.
While their arguments continued on, King Blue looked that he was ready to seperate them apart, but Emily also saw that Red catch his shoulder from his behind, and shake his head.
Kyle gestured to Emily and S.S., and they came behind him. then Kyle called September.
"Sep!"
"Ha?! what?!"
"Just stop it...let's just go..."
"What?! go where? what do you-"
"We can't leave yet, I know, but for now, let's get away from here! please!"
"....."
September hissed lowly, and just strode after the others, her hairs,ears and tail all bristled up.
After four children had gotten away, all the other crowded beasts also broke up.
And there was only Rei and King Blue standing in front of the stadium.
"Rei..."
"......"
Rei couldn't look up to King's face, and he reached up and grabbed the shot target from the stage.
Then he broke it in half with his knee, and he threw the wooden pieces into the bonfire.
He sighed deeply and fell to his knees in front of King Blue.
"Your Majesty...I don't know what to say....I'm so sorry for my behaviors." then he put his head down on to the ground.
He banged his head hard, it looked as if his mighty horns would break, but Blue patted his back, telling him to get up.
The king knew that this man was not good with his words or expressing his feelings, but he knew that he was loyal from his very core. he was just..
"Rei...I was okay. but all of children seemed scared..and you should also apologize to Kyle."
"...Yes. Your Majesty."
"Thank you....Rei, I know you do have those...feelings for humans for a reason."
"...."
"And I do know why you made such an action back at the stage. but Kyle was innocent, you should know that."
"....."
"He was only performing what he could, and everyone had wanted to see. I also wanted to see...and even if it was humans' technology, I was awed to see that he had a soul good enough for his own magic."
"........."
"Please, apologize to them with your real feelings...will you, Rei?"
"I will, Your Majesty....."
"All right..."