Chapter 43 Rona and Ronald

Droop.

"Pant... Pant..." We were all tired from killing monsters non-stop. We had no time to catch a break.

"Ugh... I'm so tired." Dan sat on the ground and couldn't move.

"I'm tired too, but you don't hear me complaining. So move your ass. It's not like your ass is as big as mine. Not to mention, I got 2 weights, front and back." I pulled Dan up.

"Oh... I see..." Dan stared at me in confusion.

"Stop bullying him." Isaac smacked my head.

"Ouchie! I'm not bullying him."

"I know you're not tired. No one has monstrous stamina like you."

"Tch!" I pouted.

Suddenly, we heard a growling sound.

Growl~

"A bear?" Dan jumped and grabbed Isaac. I shook my head. "Oui. That sounds familiar."

"...Ah!" Isaac and I screamed. "Rona!" We ran toward the sound and found Rona eating a cable.

"That's not edible." I took the cable out of Rona's mouth.

On the other hand, Isaac saw the bloodshot eye boy and did a flying kick toward him. "Get away from Rona," Isaac exclaimed.

The bloodshot eye boy saw Isaac and swiftly caught Isaac's leg. "Huh?" Isaac got caught and was dangled in mid-air. Dan and I stared at Isaac in pity as Isaac struggled to break free, but he held Isaac's leg firmly.

"Let me go, you monster!" Isaac screamed.

The bloodshot eye boy looked behind him. "Was he trying to kick a monster that was behind me? Odd... I didn't see one." Isaac screamed. "I was trying to kick you."

"Me? Why? What did I do?" The bloodshot eye boy raised Isaac higher.

"You were touching Rona, you creep!"

"T-Touching? Am not. I was just trying to stop Rona from eating it." He turned red like a cherry tomato.

"As if! You were trying to take advantage of her!"

The bloodshot eye boy and Isaac continued quarrelling. Dan panicked and kept looking at me for help. I just stood there and enjoyed the drama. "Oui... Isaac is always losing his cool when it comes to Rona. How sad. I don't have popcorn to enjoy. Hmph!" I pouted. Meanwhile, Rona was sleeping while standing. I rushed toward Isaac and gave a good smack on his head.

"Argh! Why did you hit me for?" Isaac screamed at me.

I pulled his ears. "Why not, huh? Why are you fighting in the middle of the maze? You want all of us to die, shorty? And how dare you scream at me?!" I pulled his ears harder.

"Ow! Ow... Okay. Okay. I got it, so stop pulling my ears." I stopped pulling Isaac's ear, and he covered his ear in frustration.

I ignored Isaac's glare and turned toward the bloodshot eye boy. "Sorry about that, I'm Llyne. That crazy shorty is Isaac, and that huge timid guy is Dan. What's yours?"

The bloodshot eye boy nodded and replied. "Ronald."

I smiled at Ronald. "Hi, Ronald. I was thinking, would you like to team up? It will be easier to find the centre of the maze. Unless you have other plans?"

Ronald looked at Rona. "Ermm... Is Rona okay with it?"

I shook Rona. "Wakey, wakey, Rona. This isn't a place to sleep."

Rona mumbled softly. "Don't run away..."

I moved closer to Rona. "Hmm...? What did you say?"

Suddenly, Rona grabbed me and opened her mouth to bite me. "My food!"

Ronald reacted quickly and separated me away from Rona. "Oui... Rona wanted to eat me? She didn't turn into a zombie... Did she?"

Rona rubbed her eyes. "My food..." We looked at each other and took a few steps back. Rona yawned and stretched her arms. "Nice sleep. Yum!" She looked at us and asked. "Rona has a feeling that everyone is afraid of Rona. Vhy?"

I cautiously moved closer to Rona. "'Cause you tried to bite me, Rona."

Rona tilted her head in confusion. "Rona tried to eat Lil? Rona doesn't remember."

Isaac cut in between us and said. "Come on. We got to go. I bet a few teams have made it to the fifth level already." We nodded and followed Isaac.

"Wow! With the 5 of us, no monsters can beat us." I cheered.

"Okay. That's enough. Stop talking." Isaac warned me, and I pouted. "Booo~"

I looked at Ronald and saw him fidgeting. "What's wrong, Ronald? Why fiddle so much? Need to do No.2 business?" I laughed. Ronald shook his head. "No... Nothing like that."

"No need to panic. It's just a joke. Chill, bro." I patted his back.

Ronald looked at me and Isaac nervously. "Stop staring at us like that? It's annoying." Isaac glared at Ronald.

I poked Isaac's side. "Think before you speak, stinky mouth. Use some filter." Isaac ignored me, and I got pissed.

I stretched Isaac's cheek. "How dare you ignore me, little punk!"

Isaac struggled. "Serusey?! Sop Zat." Isaac and I continued bickering like children.

"I'M SORRY!!!" Ronald screamed. We were startled by his piercing scream and turned toward him. He was bowing his head at Isaac and I.

"Raise your head, child," I said proudly, and Isaac kicked my leg. "Ow! Why, you little pipsqueak!" I tried strangling Isaac, but Ronald continued.

"I'm sorry I troubled you guys before this."

Isaac tsked. "Took you long enough to apologize, brat."

I slapped the back of Isaac's head. "No need to apologize. It's common for friends to fight. The more you fight, the closer you get. So don't go all puppy look on us, big guy." Ronald nodded politely. Isaac looked away and sighed. I whispered. "If that tiny thing disturbs you, tell me. I'll handle him." Ronald smiled awkwardly.

Step. Step. Step.

As we continued to walk inside the maze, I felt a sense of uneasiness. 'Hmm... Something isn't right...? What is it?'

Isaac scratched his head. "That's weird. We should be there by now, but we have been walking in circles instead."

Ronald touched the mirror walls. "This feeling. It's not a mirror. It's an actual brick wall."

Dan lifted his sword. "Do you think I can smash the wall?"

Isaac shook his head. "I don't think it's that simple." Dan looked at the mirror and swung his sword at it. Isaac screamed. "Wai-"

Bang!

Dan used full force and smashed the wall. The dust flew out and blurred our vision. "Cough. Cough. Is everyone alright?" I swatted away the dust and realized they were gone. "Huh? Guys? Where are you all? Hey!" I looked around the place and noticed the mirror walls were angled differently. I felt an ominous feeling. "I got a really bad feeling about this. I need to find everyone quickly." I quickly ran, hoping I could find either one of them.

[Rona's side]

Rona stared at the wall blankly. "...Rona got separated from Llyne and Isaac?" Ronald looked at Rona and realized something was wrong. 'Huh? Her eyes look weird like there's no soul in them. How come? Did something happen to her when we got separated?' "You okay, Rona? You don't look so good."

Rona looked down and felt confused. "Rona... Don't know. What just happened?"

Ronald scratched his head and said. "I don't know as well. But one thing I know is that these walls are abnormal. I think it can move on its own, that's why we were all separated." 'Not just walls, the atmosphere feels weird as well. Something is definitely wrong about this place.'

Rona tears up. "So they didn't leave Rona because Rona is a nuisance?"

Ronald panicked. "W-What? Why did you think like that?" Rona started sobbing. Ronald thought for a while and said. "You know I don't know them as you do, but one thing I know for sure is that Llyne and Isaac love you so much. They won't think of you as a nuisance. You are their bundle of joy... Mine too... So don't cry, okay?"

Rona wiped her tears and stared at Ronald. "Uh...Really?... But... Will Rona be able to meet Llyne and Isaac?"

Ronald smiled and said in confidence. "O-Of course we can. Leave it to me. I'll sniff them out before you know it."

Rona tilted her head. "Ronald is a dog? Woof? Woof?"

Ronald smiled awkwardly. "I'm better than a dog."

Rona giggled. "Really?"

Ronald thought to himself. 'Ugh... The cringe... But it looks like she's better than before. Most importantly, I better find everyone else and get Rona out of here before she loses her mind.' Ronald patted Rona's head. "Rona looks tired. How about you rest up and leave everything to me?"

Rona shook her head and said. "I want to help too."

Ronald refuted. "It's okay. I'm strong, nothing will happen to me, and I'll make sure nothing happens to you too. I promise. Pinky swear?" Rona looked at Ronald's pinky. "...…." Ronald started to panic. 'Oh no. Is she mad? I hope she's not." Ronald gulped nervously.

Rona slowly lifted her hand and locked her pinky with Ronald's. "Pinky swear!" Rona smiled.

Ronald sighed in relief. "Okay, up we go." Ronald carried Rona and walked deeper into the maze.