Brother and Sister Bond

Back in Britannia, the Holy Knights are exhausted and exasperated. As far as they know, they've finally rid the land of those destructive fire boars with the help of the Brown Preying Mantis squad from the mainland. However, the Holy Knights aren't sure who caused more damage, the boars or the Brown Mantis members. Not only did they show their brutality through killing the boars and over mutilating their bodies with great enthusiasm, but they've also been attempting to reck and plunder homes and businesses. Even though their captain told them to keep the plundering and so-called practical jokes down, he largely ignores what they are doing. Only one member in the group, as do the holy knights, try to keep them under control. They are currently on probation after serving prisoner time and are "restricted" to things like wilderness boar hunting and bandits. Unfortunately, Queen Joan can't afford to spare them, and they are completely loyal to their nation and the crown. Their captain does enforce two things, not to completely destroy homes, businesses, and food supplies; and never to drink while on duty. As if their fighting style wasn't brutal enough, they actually play spar with each other in brutal ways that make Ban and Meliodas's fights look like mere child's play by comparison. They badly mutilate each other and only just stop at the blink of death, and if not for having magic healing items with them, they would be. They are always laughing at their 'on brink of death' experiences and beating over who can shed the most blood or survive the greatest torture.

The holy knights are now sitting with Veronica, tending to their wounds and trying to have a small meal. The Brown Preying Mantis members are unwinding with "borrowed" whiskey. Strangely, their captain, the most violent and crazy of the bunch, doesn't take part in the drinking, explaining that he turns 'immorally violent and mad' if he drinks. One other mantis doesn't drink either, claiming that alcohol turns him into a 'nice guy'. Most of the mantis members, drunk and sober, have taken the extreme craziness up to a new level, including sheading their clothes, cliff diving off one of the most dangerous ravines in all of Britannian into a furious rocky river below, and engaging in rather inappropriate behavior that would make the Seven Deadly Sins cringe.

One drunk woman, who's shed all her clothes except her thong panties (her long blue hair covering her breasts), puts her arm around Gilthunder and tries to get on his lap. He tries to be polite and ask for his personal space. She doesn't seem to understand and tries to get inappropriately cozy with him. He pushes her off and moves away, saying that he's married. "A young handsome man like you, married? Who cares, most married men cheat. Your way too young to be...tied down anyway.

Howzer's jealous. "Hey over here, I'm single." She immediately jumps on Howzer's lap in a drunken enthusiasm. At first Howzer thinks he might be in way over his head but relaxes as soon as she starts pouring a bottle of whisky into his mouth.

"You know;" says the smashed woman; "the queen's turned down yet another marriage proposal for herself and her sister. She's quite infamous for turning down marriage offers as I'm sure you know. She's made quite a few enemies for refusing their proposed marriage alliances. She'd better watch her back or our country will be in more than one war soon. Not that I'm complaining. I JUST LOVE mutilating the enemy."

"Cousin Joan and Cousin Alice want to marry for love, like us and our parents;" informs Veronica as she takes her fiancé Griamore's hand; "Father told us that he'd never pick husbands for us. He doesn't believe in arranged marriages, especially for political reasons or social status."

"Wasn't Bartra and Caroline's marriage arranged?" asked Howzer.

"No!" answers Gilthunder; "Get your facts straight Howzer. King Harry didn't approve of Barta and Caroline's relationship because she was a common farmgirl. He tried to arrange a different marriage for Barta and sent Caroline away, but Barta found her, and they eloped. There was nothing he could do about it, or he risks excommunication from the church."

"Grandfather claimed not to believe in love;" says Veronica; "Just because he was miserable in his own arranged marriage, just like his parents and grandparents before him. It was always about politics, not love."

The other female Mantis arrives. She's calmer and nicer than her fellow female comrade, still proactively dressed and nearly just as drunk. However, unlike her comrade, she's not throwing herself at the guys and respects their space. "Hic up. Queen Joan better watch her back. I hear that nobody dares to turn down a proposal demand from Big Mama, or she'll make you regret it."

"Yea;" adds her comrade; "Like sending the severed heads of your loved ones in a gift box or even killing your spouse or fiancé to make you available for one of her many children. She's even been known to kidnap the intended fiancé and blackmail them into marriages. Wish I could sever the heads to some very unpleasant people I know, but the queen won't allow it, that gutless bitch!"

"What did you just call our queen!?" replies her comrade with an angry expression, hitting her with a whiskey bottle shattering it to piece; "Gutless? Why Joan has more guts than you'll ever have. Besides, those are just rumors."

"Whose Big Mama?" asks Griamore.

The drunk women rant on. "Oh, you've never heard of Big Mama, the warlord empress in the South Pacific Islands. She's very infamous for her many ex-husbands and many, many children. She was supposedly trying to arrange a double marriage between Joan and Alice with two of her sons, but they declined. As to why she'd be demanding political connections in this part of the world is beyond me."

"Something about the rare, sweet chocolate supply made by the druids and fairies. That woman's destroyed whole nations over their sweets."

"Who cares."

Gilthunder and Griamore decide they'd better get some rest. They've hardly slept in three days, and there's only a couple of hours until dawn. They have to drag Howzer away, who's now drunk and laughing with the overly flirtatious almost naked woman. As they distance themselves from the Preying Mantis squad, the two drunken women get into an argument and start fighting each other savagely with whiskey bottles and knives. Their male comrades soon join in turning the place into a blood bath.

"I'm so glad they're leaving in a few hours;" says Griamore.

"Not some of our more considerate guests, that's for sure;" adds Veronica as she leans her tired body on Griamore. She wonders if she should be concerned with what was said. Veronica and her sisters are pretty close to Joan and Alice, almost as if they were five sisters in the family rather than just three. Despite that, the island of Britannia and mainland Britannian Kingdoms usually keep their affairs private from each other and deal with their own problems (although a couple mainland kingdoms, including Joan's, did send troops and supplies during the recent Holy War). Veronica really hopes this stuff these drunk gals said aren't true, or at least very exaggerated.

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In the fortress spa, no search parties have returned in the past three hours. Despite offering his help to Bluey, Gowther found there wasn't much he could help with in the lab and returned to the spa. In a pink bathrobe and slippers, he's been using his powers to redirect anybody coming close to the spa, so they're all safe at this point. Both Willie and Inuyasha have taken hot baths and have passed out on massage tables. Willie was going to put on one of the pink robes without fuss. Inuyasha however, refusing to wear pink as his clothes dried, went searching for other robes wrapped in a towel. He found some and chose black since there weren't any red ones while Willie choose beige. Inuyasha had been insistent that they go retrieve the Tassaiga and its sheath right away, but his exhaustion catches up to him. It's actually Gowther who calms down the half-demon's mind to get him to rest, which wasn't an easy task as Inuyasha proves extremely stubborn. Two others who won't rest are Nuri and Iris despite really needing too. Nuri had briefly fallen asleep in the hot tube and now is fighting not to feel relaxed, also trying to hide the fact that she's actually enjoying the cinnamon pancakes with freshly cut baked apples that were brought.

Hawk's tried to rest but is too full of anxiety to lay still. At least Melidy is sleeping soundly after her bottle and warm bath (dressed in a pink baby bathrobe and headband with a pink bow that Bluey couldn't resist putting on her). Thinking that the headband must be uncomfortable, Hawk tries to remove it. Melidy wakes up and cries. Hawk stops trying to take it off and she stops. He tries again and she seems to be trying to say something to him. He again lets go of the headband and she again quiets down returning to sleep. Either she doesn't want Hawk to bother her while she's sleeping, or she really doesn't want it off. Hawk asks Gowther what she's thinking, and Gowther confirms that she likes the headband bow and doesn't want it removed. Her dreams are literally full of the color pink, even imaging Wild as pink and Iris, Jasmine, and the church girls all dressed in pink. Hawk asked if he's in the dream, and he definitely is, dressed in pink swimming trunks with blue fish. Melidy's also dreaming of herself swimming in the water in a pink bathing suit.

Hawk wants to know if his one-month-old sister understands words. Gowther tells him that she has the mind of a highly developed human infant. She most definitely understands a number of words and phrases already. She knows her name, as well as Hawk and Wild's names. She also knows Jasmine and Iris as Jaz and Scout and some of the girls and dogs. She's also familiar with Iris's face as she's shown it to the infant piglet whenever they were alone and hums to her. She recognizes two tunes, the song that her brothers sing to her, and the one Iris always hums to her. Her goals in life are to walk, swim, drink real milk, and to talk.

Iris has been busy this whole-time taking cares of everybody else, especially helping to gather and make food. She had to take it upon herself to make sure that everyone else got some food as Meliodas isn't giving it up easily. She hasn't stopped to sit down or take in nourishment herself. She really doesn't care about her own needs right now. She rarely feels hunger and seldom remembers to eat or drink anything aside from water unless someone, usually Jasmine, reminds her (or rather convinces her) to do so. She really hasn't slept in some days either, even though she really needs it. Hawk and Nuri are greatly concerned for her, but can't convince her to stop.

The animals Cringer and Karoo are exhausted and hungry themselves. Meliodas hasn't stopped eating at all unless there was no food left to eat. Even after three hours, he's still showing no signs of stopping, although the color has returned to his face and his hunger pangs aren't so loud (but still there). He's obviously much more cheerful and happier as well, constantly teasing and making fun of the talking (or quacking) animals. They don't understand Meliodas's corny jokes and don't find them funny. They constantly look at Hawk for answers, who's embarrassed by the dragon sins jokes. Despite this, Cringer and Karoo still take a liking to Meliodas because he is generally nice (depending on your definition of nice) and friendly and really seems to appreciate all the food and drinks they keep bring him. He has a certain charm to him despite his silly and goofy behavior.

Meliodas hasn't hit it off well with the other animal in the group, a llama wearing red silk pajamas. Willie passed out before he got a chance to use the language amulet on the llama, so Eyelash's words remain a mystery. All the llama does is pound the food (and the rum) that Meliodas endlessly requests giving him nasty stares. He's purposely spat on the dragon sin's food, as well as his face, several times, which Meliodas doesn't care about and really isn't in the mood to deal with this rude llama aside from clobbering him on the head a few times (Eyelash has several burning bumps on his head). Cringer will not translate the things that Eyelash is saying. In fact, it seems Eyelash doesn't have much of a likely for his animal comrades either and is constantly putting his butt and passing gas in their faces, or instead of food giving them dirty socks on plates, smiling the whole time. He hasn't exactly hit it off with any of the other guys either, especially Inuyasha, it being 'hate at first sight' with the llama. Gowther was disgusted by the stuff that's on the llama's mind and quits reading it. Based on what the tiger and duck say, he's not on good terms with Bluey either despite her being a female.

The only ones Eyelash isn't rude to is the two ladies. He always makes lovey dovey eyes when looking at them and tries to make a fool out of himself personally attempting to cater to them. Both girls despise this, Nuri not even accepting any food, drink, or soap bubbles that the llama has offered her, instead shoving everything into his face and clobbering him out on the head at least three times already. Iris has only hit him once when Eyelash started sniffing her hair, even asking if he could have a piece of it. Otherwise, she's simply been redirecting the llama and taking advantage of his fondness for women. She telepathically sends orders to him to keep getting food for Meliodas, or to stay away from her and Nuri for a while, which Eyelash happily obliges to without a thought. Cringer (and Karoo in his own language) call Eyelash "Lustful Eyes" and explain that he's only helping Meliodas because Iris keeps asking him too. Otherwise, the llama in red pajamas would never help a guy. Also, his silk red pajamas aren't for sleeping in.

Cringer and Karoo are looking at the table filled with mountains of different kinds of pancakes and egg-fried sugar cinnamon toast. Meliodas is hoarding it all and isn't being generous, only taunting the hungry tiger and duck by dangling some bacon or a piece of pancake in front of them, only to snatch it away and eat it himself while laughing. They are getting pretty frustrated. Meliodas has talked about Elizabeth, and Cringer tries a trick.

"Meliodas look, Elizabeth's here, your girlfriend."

However, Meliodas doesn't fall for it and keeps shoving syrup drenched pancakes, toast, and bacon into his mouth. Finally, Hawk comes over. "Meliodas, please spare these guys some food. They've been working their butts off to feed you and they deserve a break."

"Yea, Meliodas, pleasssseeee;" goes Cringer. Karoo quacks and puts his hands together like in pray or pleading.

"Sure, why not;" Meliodas gives them each a plate of pancakes and bacon, shocking them; "Thank you for saying please."

Cringer and Karoo look at each other bewildered. "What? That's all we had we do was say please?"

"He's not cold-hearted guys;" explains Hawk; "Just...a little selfish and annoying at times, on purpose." Meliodas giggles as Hawk looks at his own plate. "Hey Meliodas, will you spare me some syrup please?"

"Yea sure." Meliodas deliberately pours the syrup on Hawk himself; "HEY! What's the big idea!"

Meliodas giggles while pouring straight up syrup in his mouth; "Hehe. What's the difference, Hawk? You can just eat it off yourself like you usually do."

"Thanks a lot, now I have to have another bath. You haven't matured at all have you?"

Meliodas just smiles licking his fingers. "Why would I? You should know me better than that." Meliodas dangles a chocolate chip pancake with chocolate syrup in front of Hawk. "Want some? Oh yea, you're allergic to chocolate ain't you? I'll eat it then." That was uncalled for, Hawk is indeed VERY allergic to chocolate. Meliodas takes it a step further by dangling bacon in front of the pig, then eating it.

"You're so cruel and annoying!" Hawk's look then softens, and tears form in his eyes; "Gosh I've missed you." Hawk jumps on his old friend. Meliodas returns the embrace, admitting that he's missed him too.

"You're not going away again are you buddy? The Boar Hat isn't the same without you. Of course, you may have some heavy competition for Scrapes Disposal Captain." Meliodas smirks saying that.

"That's uncalled for;" snaps Hawk; "besides, I think you'll need to take that up with Wild. He eats three times more than I do, considering his size."

"Challenge accepted." Meliodas's grin widens, Wild really doesn't know what he's in for. They then hear laughing, Iris is watching the two old friends (Cringer and Karoo have taken their food as far away from the dragon sin as possible).

"Yo, Iris;" says Meliodas. Hawk says Scout simultaneously, the dragon sin gives him a funny look. "Huh? Scout?"

"Oh yea. That's her nickname. Her full name is Iris Dawn De Santis. Am I right, Scout, or Iris?"

The half-human smiles and nods. Meliodas, who only has one name (plus titles), is perplexed by the multiple names. "Iris is enough." He then notices that she's wearing her mask and shades again. Why? "Are you wearing that stuff again? Take them off please. What's the point? You're so beautiful and I want to talk to your face."

That's actually the main reason she hides her face. People always think she's beautiful and stare at her, admiring her. As a naturally shy person who hates being the center of attention, it's usually more then she can bare. People pay much less attention to her when her face is covered, assuming that she's plain or ugly. She'd much rather be invisible to the crowd.

However, this is her brother. Hawk will be staring at her, but she sucks it up and removes the mask and shades. Meliodas is happy and pats the sit next to him on the couch. She looks unsure.

"Come on, I'm not going to touch you that way now. I'm so sorry about that. If I had known you were my...sister...I wouldn't have done it."

"That shouldn't matter, you pervert." Meliodas clonks Hawk on the head. The word sister sounds so odd coming from his mouth, yet great at the same time. Meliodas never could imagine having a sister before, now he really wants to bond with her and know everything about her. Before she takes a sit, she grabs a wet towel for Hawk, then slowly takes a sit.

"Thanks Scout, your so kind." Hawk looks at Meliodas; "So are you, when you want to be."

Meliodas just smiles, taking it as a compliment. He eats some more chocolate chip pancakes and offers her some, she declines. He asks her if she wants bacon as he eats some, a disgusted look appears on her face as she doesn't eat nor like pork. "Where have you been all this time?" Meliodas asks with his mouth full; "When were you born and how old are you? I wonder why nobody ever told me about you or Mama? What was Mother like? Zeldris? I can't wait what to tell him we've got a sister! He'll be so thrilled."

Hawk clears his throat. "Actually, Meliodas, he already knows."

Meliodas almost chocks hearing that. "(Coughing) WHAT!? When? Why? How? Hawk...wait a minute? How do you know that...he knows?"

"He's only known for a couple of days. We learned it from Scout's journal. You left it for us, didn't you?"

Iris nods her head.

"Her journal?" asks a perplexed Meliodas. "Hang on. Hawk, how do you know her? What's been going on these past months? Wait, did you say Wild? I though Wild was dead. You mean he's still alive? Hawk, THAT'S GREAT!"

Meliodas is grinning widely, he's also out of breath from talking so fast.

"Take it easy buddy;" says Hawk; "Yes, Wild's very much alive and well. We've only known Iris for about a month. She came to purgatory to retrieve something and saved Melidy's life because our crib got destroyed by mysterious debris. She brought us back from there. We've been in a place called Amalfi, Naples. It's a good distance from Britainnia. Zeldris, Elizabeth, and Ban are there now. I sure hope everybody's safe in that big church. They are, aren't they Scout?"

Iris nods her head assuredly but knowing that they're there makes her concerned about the volcanic activity there. Even Jasmine can only tame nature's fury so far. She's been praying endlessly for them.

Meliodas actually stops eating. "You've seen Elizabeth?! Zeldris and Ban too? How are they? Are they alright?"

"Yea, they're great. In fact, Elizabeth's preg..."

"SHHH!" says Iris with her finger over her mouth. Hawk nods but really doesn't know how long he can keep this from Meliodas. He sure hopes the parents-to-be are reunited soon.

"Yes, Meliodas, she's good;" comes an unfamiliar voice. Hawk and Meliodas look at Iris, she's surprised herself and touches her burning throat.

"SCOUT! YOU TALK!" Hawk jumps on her lap. "They said you could talk! How I've wanted to hear you speak and see your face! I still can't believe it! You look exactly like Meliodas and Zeldris. Well, almost. You're a carbon copy of your mother too! So is Meliodas. You two look more like twins, but Zeldris is still close. Now I understand why your only 18, even though you were born 3,000 years ago."

"18?" asks a surprised Meliodas; "You mean, just 18? Not 1800? Hang on, did Hawk just say you born 3,000 years ago? Did you reincarnate? I sure hope you're not cursed. Mother? What happened to Mother?" Meliodas takes a deep breath, suddenly feeling sad. He rubes a tear from his eye. "Mother...she's...gone, isn't she?"

Iris looks down, tears forming in her eyes as well. "When I...was born. No, I'm not cursed. Uncle Azareth...sealed my soul for 3,000 years, until God broke the seal...then..." she gestors towards herself.

"Uncle Azareth saved you?!" Meliodas still feels a little sad, but happier. "He saved you. So, you were sealed until 18 years ago I'm assuming. I understand completely." Meliodas decides to stop at that. This is so much to process, and he doesn't need to know anymore right now. He puts his arm around his newly discovered sister and gives her the biggest hug. At first, she's surprised, but she lovingly returns the hug.

"Actually;" says Meliodas; "There are a couple other things I want to know. Was our mother really human? Are we hybrids? We are all full-blooded siblings, me, you, and Zeldris? Are we?"

His sister gives a smile and nods her head. When she smiles, she looks even more like her brother.

Meliodas is relieved to hear that. "Just one more thing, did Mother, love us? Did she love me?"

"Yes, she did." Iris's voice is a little clearer now. She sounds very sweet and gentle, like Elizabeth. Meliodas can't help but have more tears in his eyes. His mother really did love him, that's all he needs to know. He then turns back to the food. After eating more pancakes, he picks up one of the rum battles (he actually doesn't know what this drink is called, as long as it has alcohol) and drinks some, then offers one to Iris.

"Here Sis. This calls for a drink to celebrate!" Iris gasps and turns her head away, holding her nose. She holds out her hand, shaking the no signal. Meliodas shrugs his shoulders. "I guess you're not a morning drinker, but this is an exception. You're old enough to drink. Let's have a toast." Meliodas offers to pour her some, but his sister picks up a pitcher of milk and pours a glass of that. Meliodas doesn't get it and thinks that's tacky, but he shrugs his shoulders and accepts her toast, although it's not official to him. "Ok then, we'll do a real toast later. Guess you really aren't a morning drinker." Hawk doesn't know how to break it to Meliodas that own flesh and blood sister isn't a drinker at all. In fact, the very thought of alcohol makes her sick. She can't stand the taste or the smell at all, and the smell of the rum makes her feel like she's going to throw-up. Her brother then pours rum on some of the pancakes and egg-fried sugar cinnamon toasts, as well as the bacon. He then tops that off with heavy amounts of syrup, regular and chocolate, which he's also poured rum into. He proudly eats them all up with his fingers. "Brings out the flavor more, don't you think." Meliodas winks at her. She finds that so repulsive, yet there's something funny about it at the same time, and she giggles.

"Hey, Sis, can I see those pictures again." Iris opens up the locket, which is around her neck, and Meliodas silently looks at the picture of their mother.

"What was her name?"

"Isabella."

Meliodas just smiles.