The Monster and the Reluctant Groom [Dimentio x Luigi]

(5) - The Children

- - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - A night that was meant to be joyous was quickly turned into bitter tears. - - - - -

- - - - - Seeing Adrian return with the monstrous thing outraged Jewel, however, Adrian would not repent for what he did. - - - - -

- - - - - The magician confronted his wife, demanding to know which fruit she ate, only to discover she had eaten both despite his warnings. - - - - -

- - - - - Jewel blamed Adrian for bringing her the fruit, claiming that it was his own fault for letting her eat both. - - - - -

- - - - - In a fit of rage, Adrian retaliated, blaming her for having the gall to eat both fruit and then turn her back on their eldest child after conceiving the twins. - - - - -

- - - - - That very night, a line had been drawn. Adrian no longer had the heart to call Jewel his wife, so he cast her out of his family home, but not before coming to an agreement. - - - - -

- - - - - Both of them would care for their daughter, Adrian would provide Jewel with basic necessities to survive on her own, and Jewel wouldn't tell a single soul about the monster child. - - - - -

- - - - - Scared of the possibility of people discovering the eldest twin and hurting them, Adrian kept the baby a secret as well. He did not even risk telling the child's twin. - - - - -

- - - - - Little Dimentio was confined to the garden and cabin so that no one could hurt them, and Adrian was determined to be the best parent he could be. - - - - -

- - - - - However, even without Jewel or Adrian spilling their secret, the people had a way with gossip... - - - - -

- - - - - Soon enough, word on the street was that plant-boy Adrian was keeping a monster trapped in his garden, and everyone became wary of him whenever he came into town. - - - - -

- - - - - The only two people who weren't scared of Adrian was Jewel and their daughter. Of course, their daughter didn't believe that her father was keeping a monster, but that didn't stop the gossip. - - - - -

- - - - - Thanks to the gossip floating around, many local children began to get curious and try and take a peak in Adrian's garden - - - - -

- - - - - Little Dimentio got to see lots of other children this way, but none of them had gotten close enough to see him before Adrian caught them and shooed them away. - - - - -

- - - - - Adrian hated this game the local children played, but little Dimentio loved it, and was excited to see which new "friend" would make it to his garden every day, despite Adrian intervening so often. - - - - -

- - - - - None of the kids foolish enough to go to Adrian's garden were skilled enough to get close without being caught nor brave enough to get too close, leaving the garden's contents a mystery. - - - - -

- - - - - Until the day two little brothers came to town... - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - -

"You two better be back inside of my home BEFORE the sun is down, you hear me?! And Mario, you better not get your little brother into trouble! !"