Chapter 41
Kalim's cooking process took way too long. Every second in the botanical garden left me even more anxious. I constantly looked around for any sign of monsters. Cater appeared calmer on the outside, but I could tell he was also restless.
"Where is Jade?" I muttered. I would feel better if he were here with us.
"Maybe he ditched us," Cater said.
I froze. "No."
Cater glanced at me. "He knows this is a massacre waiting to happen. Why would he return?"
My eyes narrowed. "He promised he would return."
"You believe him? I don't know, Ona, from what Riddle tells me about him-"
"I didn't say he wouldn't abandon anyone like that in general. He wouldn't abandon me."
Cater appeared surprised. "Are you saying... you're special to him?"
I hesitated. My first instinct was to deny it, but that was not right. I knew the truth. "Yes. Yes, I am."
Cater smiled. "I believe you."
My eyes widened in surprise. "You do?"
"Sure. I see the way he looks at you. He seems to always be smiling, but the way he smiles at you is way different."
A smile spread across my face at the thought. "Yeah, it is."
"Okay, the meat's done!" Kalim said happily. "Top it with all the veggies and pickles you like, then wrap it all up in the bread."
"Meow-wow-wow-wow, thanks for the chow!" Grim said. He immediately chomped down. "Mmm, s'good! It's spicy, but with this salty-sweet sauce that blends with the meat's flavor and elevates it to a whole other level!"
"One sec, Cater and Ona. I'll whip up a couple for you, too. The meat shouldn't take much longer. Just sit tight for a few."
"Yeaaah, I think I'm gonna pass, actually," said Cater.
"Me too," I said. The sooner we got out of here, the better.
"Aw, don't be shy!" said Kalim. "There's more than enough to go around."
"Yeesh... Jade needs to get back, and fast," said Cater.
"I know," I muttered.
Kalim blinked. "Why? I don't see what the big hurry is."
"Look," said Cater, "all I'm saying is that this grilling you're doing makes for a strong smell that carries surprisingly far..."
"Farmers spotted!" came Jamil's voice. "There's a group of them!" A couple of other monsters shouted their approval.
Kalim looked around in confusion. "Huh? Jamil?!"
"Mrow?!" Grim said, looking around at all the monsters. "Where'd all these monster team guys come from?!"
"Yeah, that's about what I was expecting," said Cater. "Cooking something that smells that strong and distinctive is basically painting a giant bullseye on yourself."
"The spices in shawarma are potently fragrant, it's true," said Jamil. "I was honestly just trying to make sure Kalim had a nourishing lunch today. This was an unexpected windfall."
"Yeah, like I buy that," I said.
"Using food to lure folks into a trap is playin' dirty!" Grim grumbled.
"I think we'd better make a break for it, guys!" said Cater. I grabbed Grim and ran with him.
"After them!" Jamil shouted. "Don't let them escape!"
We ran as fast as possible, dodging behind plants to shake them. Somehow, we made it out of the botanical garden and away from the monsters. We stopped for a quick break, panting.
"We managed to shake the monster team for now," said Cater. "And nothing calls for a selfie quite like a near-death experience!" He leaned close to us to snap a photo. "Hashtag #NRC #Beansfest #WhatAWorkout."
"Jade never did catch back up with us," said Grim.
"Oh, I'm sure Jade can handle himself. I'm more worried about our dwindling ammo. Let's try to score some more supply crates en route to the coliseum."
"Yeah, I suppose so," I said, feeling a little sad.
Cater placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Ona. He'll find us. He did before, right?" He winked at me.
I smiled slightly. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go." He headed to look for supply crates. We managed to restock on beans and then continued on out way.
"Phew, we finally got some beans," said Cater. "Good thing there were still some supplies left."
"It's kinda strange, now that I think about it," said Grim. "We haven't run into many monsters lately."
"Not too surprising. It's been a minute since the game started. I imagine both teams have been dropping like flies. But this is where things really start to heat up. The survivors at this point are gonna be the most dangerous guys around."
"Hah! Well, I ain't scared. We're fulla beans and ready for anything!"
"Way to jinx us, Grimmy! Gah!" Suddenly, Trey and Rook from the monster team were in front of us.
"Sorry to immediately capitalize on that, guys," said Trey.
"Greetings and salutations, mes amis," said Rook.
"Yikes!" Cater exclaimed. "Trey and Rook! That's TWO vice housewardens."
"I'm afraid your game is at an end. For I, le Chasseur d'Amour, and Trey, the Chevalier des Roses, shall be delivering your coups de grâce."
"I keep asking you to stop calling me that," Trey said, shaking his head.
"But why? What more fitting title is there for the adjutant to the Roi des Roses?"
"It's just really embarrassing, man. Ahem. Anyway, let's put a pin in that for now."
"Oui. We have some quarry to hunt first."
"Ona, Grimmy, get ready!" Cater shouted. "Here they come!"
We ran away from the monsters while trying to shoot them with beans. Grim and I ended up hiding behind Cater most of the time since he was the one with the bean blaster. Still, none of us could get a good hit in.
"Hah hah hah!" Rook laughed. "Monsieur Magicam, you flee as swiftly as a wild goat! This calls for a more concerted effort."
"You won't last much longer protecting Grim and Ona," said Trey. Somehow, they had backed us up against a cliff that we were unable to scale. "This is where your road ends."
"Y'know, Trey," said Cater, "nowhere in the rules does it say you've gotta monologue like a supervillain!"
"Please, just leave me and Grim," I said to him. "Save yourself." I moved away to try to draw attention to myself. It worked, for Trey strode up to me with a smirk on his face.
"It's over, Ona," he said. Suddenly, he jumped back in surprise, barely dodging a quick moving bean. "What?!"
"Trey, take cover behind the tree!" Rook called. "There's a sniper firing on us from a blind spot!" The two of them ran behind the nearby tree, looking around anxiously.
"Rgh... Where are they?"
"2 o'clock. They're using a long-range bean blaster!"
"Ouch!" Trey rubbed his side. "Gah. Looks like I've been beaned. You might want to get out of here, Rook."
"How could this be?! CHEVALIER DES ROSES! NOOOOO!" Rook wailed super dramatically just like a Pomefiore student.
"Once again, could you PLEASE not...?"
"I will personally ensure that your noble sacrifice was not in vain. Adieu..." Rook ran off.
"Yeeesh. That was way too close for me," said Grim.
"Was that who I think it was?" said Cater.
I grinned, my eyes already spotting him in the tree. "Yep."
Jade jumped down and strolled over to us. "Hello, everyone. Are you all right?"
"Called it," said Cater. "Welcome back, Jade! That's twice you've pulled us out of the fire. Talk about clutch! I GOTTA take a selfie for this."
"Certainly."
"C'mon, Trey, join us. You're the monster Jade bagged."
"What am I, the fisherman's catch...?" Trey said, shaking his head. Still, he joined us for the picture.
"Hashtag #NRC #Beansfest #ItAintOverTillTheFarmerSings #RIPTrey"
"Well, I'm out, so I'll be heading on back. Good luck getting that harp before time runs out."
"Thanks," I said, waving him off.
"So, Ona," said Jade, "no hug this time?" He smirked.
I laughed. "If you insist." I tried to give him a quick hug, but he wrapped his arms around me tightly, not letting me go for several long moments. I did not mind though. I felt safe and happy with him. "Thanks for saving us... for saving me. Trey would have gotten me for sure if you hadn't shown up. You really are a hero."
"No, I was a hero last time. This time, I must be something greater. I saved you personally, after all." From his small grin, I could tell he was playing around, so I decided to indulge him.
"You're right." I smirked. "The way you saved me... you must be my prince."
I thought I saw his eyes light up, but it was soon replaced by his typical look of amusement. "Then it has been my honor, princess."
I chuckled at this. "Stay by my side, and I'm sure nothing will go wrong."
"I will make certain of it." Jade took my hand and planted a kiss on the back of it. He smirked when my eyes widened in surprise.
"Since when are there princes and princesses in this game?" Grim grumbled. "You two are acting like Rook."
"Aw, let them have their fun, Grimmy," said Cater.
Grim shook his head. "Anyway, your timing back there was somethin' else, Jade. How did you find us?"
"Heh. It was simple," said Jade. "I've simply been monitoring Cater's Magicam feed."
Cater blinked. "Wait, what?"
"You keep posting pictures every time anything happens. I couldn't have located you otherwise."
I shot Cater a look. "Please don't do the enemy's work for them..."
Cater rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, that's...embarrassing. But hey, it got us out of one mess, right?"
Jade gave him an innocent smile that hid so much. "It did indeed. Heh."
"And you got your, uh, prince back, Ona." Cater flashed me a grin.
I rolled my eyes. "Just stop it with the Magicam."
"Will do. So, Jade. You got the weapon you wanted."
"That bean blaster you've got is way longer than ours!" said Grim.
"Yes," said Jade. "This model is called a bean launcher— it lets you fire beans a further distance than other models."
"Oh, sweet!" I said, moving closer to check it out.
Jade smiled at me. "Do you want a closer look?" He seemed proud to show it off to me. "I also obtained a Run Fast for Ten Seconds potion."
"We're racing against the clock here," said Cater. "I think we should make a break for the harp. That battle took a lotta beans, though. I'm down to like four left."
"As it happens, I'm also down to six beans on hand."
"Oh, c'mon!" said Grim. "How are we supposed to win when we're runnin' on fumes over here?"
"Says the guy who's totally outta ammo," said Cater.
"So we have ten beans between us," said Jade, "a Shrink for Thirty Seconds potion, and a Run Fast for Ten Seconds potion. Hmmm. I might have an idea. Would you be willing to hear me out?"
"Go right ahead," I said. "I trust your judgment."
Jade smiled. "Thank you, Ona." He thoroughly explained his plan, which hinged on me in the center of the action.
I hesitated when he finished. "Are you sure you want to trust this all to me?"
"Of course! You can do it. I believe in you, Ona. It's time for you to be a hero." He smirked a little. "The princess has to pull her own weight, right?"
I rolled my eyes. "I suppose... But you'll back me up?"
This time, Jade's smile was genuine. "Of course. What kind of prince would I be if I let anything happen to you, dear princess?"
I gave him a small smile in return. "Thanks, Jade."
"Ah, that's not how you should address me."
I smirked. "I mean, thank you, my prince."
Jade smiled wider. "You are quite welcome." He glanced at our companions, his expression returning to normal. "And the rest of you?"
"Well, I don't have a better idea," said Cater. "Let's do it."
"I'm in too," said Grim. And so, we started off for the coliseum.
"All right, everyone," Jade said as soon as we arrived. "I believe it's time to commence Operation Harp Homecoming."
"I believe in you, Ona," said Cater. "You're the only one who can bag that monster."
"Our very lives are riding on you."
"Consider that monster bagged," I said with more confidence than I felt.
"This calls for a pre-final battle picture!" said Cater. I gave him a look, and his smile faded. "...Then again, maybe not this time. Let's just post a big group pic if we win!"
"I'd be happy to," said Jade. "Here goes nothing, then. It's GO time!" He pulled me into a hug and whispered to me, "Good luck, princess."
I smiled slightly. "Thanks."
Cater and Grim headed into the coliseum alone. Then, once Rook and Jack had them surrounded, I drank the Shrink for Thirty Seconds potion and went in after them. I sneaked up right behind Rook.
"Now, Ona!" Cater called. The potion wore off, and I returned to normal size. Rook and Jack appeared astonished.
"What?!" said Rook. "When did you get behind me, Trickster?!"
I was momentarily caught off guard by the nickname. "I'm what now?" Then I quickly got my head in the game, aiming my blaster at him.
"Myeh heh heh!" Grim laughed. "Our Shrink for Thirty Seconds potion let her circle around you."
"Get clear, Rook!" Jack shouted.
"Begone, monster!" I said right before hitting Rook with a bean.
"Ouch!" Rook said dramatically.
"WOOHOO!" Grim cheered. "You bagged a monster! Quick, Ona, throw all the beans we've got at Jack!"
"Begone again!" I said, this time aiming at Jack.
"You little..." Jack growled. "You think you can hit ME?" He moved out of the way of every bean I shot at him.
"Dude, did he just dodge all our beans point-blank?" said Cater. "He twisted in mid-air to weave through them! What kinda ninja acrobatics...?!"
"Whuh-oh," said Grim. "We're outta ammo, guys!"
"Ona, get running! The harp's right in front of us! All we have to do is touch it, and we win!"
"Right!" I said. I immediately bolted.
"Get it, Ona!" Grim cheered. "Go, go, go!"
"Grrr, I don't think so!" said Jack.
The harp was in reach, but Jack was gaining on me. I ran as fast as possible. Time was runner out. I leapt for the harp and stretched out my hand. I could almost touch it, but then something grabbed my ankle, forcing me to the ground. I let out a loud groan.
"Gotcha!" Jack said triumphantly.
"Noooo!" Grim wailed.
I chuckled as I looked up at Jack. "Okay, you win. Not bad."
"Thanks," Jack said gruffly. He offered me his hand, and I allowed him to help me up.
Things happened quickly. Grim, Cater, and Jade were also caught, so we headed to the gym to wait with the farmers. Soon after that, we were told the game was over. Vargas said something about Floyd being the last farmer caught (by Azul and Jamil, of all people), and that meant our team officially lost. It would still be some time before we were to all gather for the closing ceremony, so Jade, Cater, and I decided to head to Main Street to check out what was going on (Grim claimed he was too tired to join us).
Vil seemed seemed to have had the same idea, for we found him already waiting with the monsters Rook and Jack. "Ah, it's you three," said Rook.
"Hey, Rook," I said. "What did you call me back there? 'Trickster?'"
Rook smiled. "But of course. That is what you are, is it not?"
"It's not! I - I don't know why you'd think that." I looked around at the others. Vil, Jack, and Cater appeared to have no idea what was going on, but Jade had an amused smirk on his face. "Do you have something to say?"
"He's right, you know," Jade said. "In fact, my whole plan hinged on your abilities."
I frowned. "Yeah, but it was your plan. You're the tricky one."
Jade chuckled. "But I put you in that position for a reason. I knew you were the best one for the job."
"Well, maybe, but-"
"And you can't forget how you tricked Azul - and Leona, for that matter."
"Hey, I had no choice. I was desperate."
Jade smirked. "Then there was Jamil."
I shook my head. "No, that was you and Azul. I didn't really do much."
Jade appeared amused by my assessment. "That's hardly true. You saw through Jamil right away but you made him believe you were on his side. And even after you enlisted our help, we could not have gotten as far as we did if you weren't there to smooth everything over. Your analysis of the situation was on point, by the way. All I had to do was confirm your suspicions."
I thought about everything he said and could find no flaws in his arguments. "Okay, maybe you have a point. I just... never saw myself that way."
Jade smiled. There was a teasing look in his eyes, but there was also something genuine. "Ah, but I always did. And clearly Rook sees it as well. You may be skilled at hiding your true nature, even to yourself, but I see who you are." His smile turned warm as he gazed at me. "And, I have to say, for a trickster like you to use your abilities for good the way you have... That makes you irresistibly fascinating."
I grinned at him. "You think so?"
Jade smirked. "Would I lie to my princess?"
I chuckled. "You wouldn't be much of a prince if you did."
"Does anyone have any idea what's going on?" Jack said in a low voice.
"It's beyond me," said Vil.
"Just leave them be," said Cater.
"Ona," Jade said, suddenly sounding serious, "I-"
"I'm baaack!" said the loud, familiar voice of Floyd. He was covered in mud and looked mighty pleased with himself. "I lost big time!"
"You don't seem particularly bothered about that," said Vil.
"Nope. Sure ain't. You're not lookin' too bothered yourself there."
"I played to the fullest of my abilities and still lost. That's simply how it goes sometimes."
"Hey, Floyd," I said, smiling brightly at him.
Floyd grinned at me. "Hey, Little Shrimpy!" He ran to me the same time I ran to him, and we met each other in a hug. "How're you doing?"
"Good." I pulled away to look at him. "I'm glad to see you ended up having fun."
"Yeah, it was great!"
I then notice who had come back with Floyd: Azul and Jamil, both in monster camp. "Hi, Azul!" I ran up to him and gave him a hug, which he returned awkwardly.
"Hello, Ona," Azul said.
"What do you think you're doing, princess?" Jade said in a smooth voice. "Consorting with the enemy?"
Azul rolled his eyes. "The game is over, Jade."
"No, he's right," I said. "I should not have let my guard down so easily. I shall stay with my brave prince." I returned to Jade's side, and he looked down at me with an almost smug look.
"What are you two even talking about? You're farmers, not royalty."
"They've been at this all day," Cater said. "I don't get it either."
"So, you two did team up?" Floyd said, smiling at Jade and me.
"Yes, Jade was very heroic," I said, smiling back at him.
"Indeed, I was," Jade said. He suddenly moved behind me and wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder.
I tensed, and my heart rate picked up from his sudden actions. "Wh-what are you doing?"
"What's the matter?" I did not look at him, but I could hear the smirk on his face. "You let Floyd do this to you." That was technically true. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"
"No..." I was more surprised than uncomfortable. Once I let myself relax, I did not mind all that much. Floyd seemed amused at the situation, while Azul and Jamil did not.
"Good." Jade then whispered in my ear so softly that I thought I might have imagined it. "I'm not ready to let you go yet."
My eyes widened slightly. Feeling a little flustered, I looked around at the others, settling on Jamil. "Hey, if you won, why do you look so upset?"
"Because of him," Jamil grumbled, jerking his thumb at Floyd.
I looked at Floyd, who looked pleased about something, and then back at Jamil. "What did he do?"
"What did he do? After chasing me and trying to bean me, he ignored the game and attempted to start an all-out brawl. It took both Azul and me to subdue him." I did not mean to, but I laughed. "It's not funny!" He sighed. "Why did I think you would understand?"
"Sorry." Smirking slightly, I looked at Floyd. "What happened?"
Floyd shrugged. "I wanted to make things for interesting. Besides, I've been wanting to get at Sea Snake for awhile."
"That's understandable."
"It is not!" Jamil shouted.
"Ona, you know Floyd was the last farmer in the game, right?" said Azul. "He prioritized attacking Jamil over winning the game. He's the reason you lost."
"Wait, what?" I said. Jade finally let me go when I moved towards Floyd. "What were you thinking? Why didn't you try to get the harp?"
"I didn't feel like it," Floyd said, seeming annoyed. "What's the big deal?"
"We could have won!"
"I was having fun. And there's no guarantee I could have gotten the harp anyway."
"But if you had stuck with Jade in the first place instead of abandoning him-"
Something flashed in Floyd's eyes. "I didn't abandon anybody!"
Jade was instantly at my side, a hand on my shoulder. "Floyd. It's alright. She's not serious."
Floyd closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, all of his anger was gone. "I didn't abandon you or Jade, Shrimpy. You wouldn't have had any fun with me. You two are more suited for a game like this. You had fun, didn't you? I told you two to team up so you wouldn't be alone. We can have fun when we're apart, you know. It was better this way."
"He does have a good point," Jade said softly. "I had an amazing time with you, Ona. Didn't you have fun with me?"
I gave him a small smile. "Of course I did. I had a blast. It couldn't have been better." He seemed very pleased at my response. I nodded at Floyd. "Okay, you're right. I'm sorry."
Floyd grinned. "Apology accepted, Shrimpy. Besides, we were planning to meet up with you before we got attack."
I tilted my head to the side. "'We?' You were with a team, Floyd?"
"He was on my team," Vil said, "along with Epel and Riddle."
I turned to him in surprise. "Really? How did you get him to cooperate with you?"
"Oh, it wasn't that difficult. I simply made a deal with him."
"Oh yeah!" Floyd said excitedly. "You promised to teach me a throw, so get teachin'. Oral agreements are still contracts, blah blah blah. Your words!"
"Right now?! I'm so tired I can barely move. Can it wait?"
"Bah, fine. You better not conveniently forget about it later."
"A throw?" I said curiously.
"A martial arts move I used against him when he rushed me," Vil explained.
"You should learn it too, Shrimpy!" Floyd said excitedly. "You like martial arts!"
I shrugged. "That'd be cool."
"I suppose if I have to take time off from rehearsal, I might as well teach the whole group. It would be good for them."
"Great," Jamil muttered.
"Daaang, Vil and Floyd both have mud splattered all over them!" Cater said, watching Vil and Floyd together. He started toward them, taking out his phone. "That's a REAL rare sight. I gotta capture this for posterity. Strike a pose!"
"Since we're juniors, this will be the last Beanfest we play in," Vil said. "I'll indulge you a commemorative photo... But don't even THINK about posting this to Magicam without my express permission. There will be consequences if you do."
Cater grinned. "I know, no worries!" He snapped a photo of the two farmers. "I'll DM you a copy of the pic later."
"Did you really have fun today, Jade?" Floyd asked as soon as Cater moved away.
"Oh yes, very much so," said Jade, his eyes flickering to me before he looked back at his brother. "And yourself?"
"It was okay, I guess. Man, I am starvin'."
"I'm positively famished as well. I neglected to have lunch today."
Floyd grinned. "Twinsies! ...Get it? Haha."
Jade chuckled lightly. "Indeed. As for why I did, well... It's a bit of a long story."
"Let's hit up the lounge kitchen, then. We can make somethin'. What sounds good?"
"Actually, I'm very much in the mood for one particular food right now."
"Oh yeah? I got a hankerin' myself, as it happens." Floyd smirked a little.
Jade mirrored his look. "Is that right? Let me guess: assembled from disparate ingredients, the end result provides a rich, spicy bite that's immaculately balanced?"
"Yeah! All centered around meat that's so savory—so turbo umami—that one whiff'll make you drool."
"That's right," the twins said at the same time. "SHAWARMA!"
I chuckled lightly. "You know, I never got any food from Kalim myself..."
"Then please join us," said Jade.
"Yeah!" Floyd said brightly. "It'll be more fun!"
I grinned at them. "Alright!" They offered me their arms, so I got between them and looped my arms through theirs.
"Oh, you three look good!" Cater said. "Mind if I take a picture?"
"Sure," I said. My companions agreed, so Cater snapped a quick photo. "Thanks. Can you send it to me?"
Cater smiled. "No problem."
"Oh, me too!" said Floyd.
"I'll send it to both of you," I said. Then the three of us set off.
"So, was Jade really that heroic?"
"Oh, I don't want to brag," Jade said with mock politeness that neither of us bought.
I smirked. "Fine, I'll brag for you." I proceeded to explain his actions in an extremely dramatic tone, making sure to exaggerate a lot. Floyd laughed, and Jade seemed pleased with my account.
"See?" said Floyd. "I knew you two could have fun like that together."
Suddenly, I understood what he meant and why he had almost gotten angry with me earlier. I had gotten so used to playing around with Jade that I forgot Floyd was much too straightforward for that kind of joke. Perhaps he would have understood if it were Jade talking to him like that, but I had never done it with him. And that probably did help Jade and I join the game together in a way that we couldn't if Floyd was with us.
I nodded in approve. "Good work, Floyd. You helped made this an amazing day!" Floyd beamed at me, and Jade nodded in appreciation.