Sneaky, Sneaky Lolo

Lolo

I ran down the sidewalk toward the gate. I climbed over the gate and landed on the other side. When I landed, I rolled my ankle. I st I looked around and ran down the road toward an alleyway. I got to the edge of the alleyway when I was stopped by Holo Gina, his Master’s “acquaintance” for receival and deliver, the Moon Howler.

“What are you doing? Your mission isn’t done.” Holo Gina growled.

“Keep it down. Iris doesn’t know I am out here. Master told me to come back for another mission.” I said as I grabbed a branch nearby.

“Are you okay, Lolo?” She asked me as she stepped toward me.

“I am fine!! I am fine. Also, I told you not to call me Lolo. I told you to call me Death Keeper.” I said as I stood up and looked at Holo Gina.

We glared at each other for just a moment. Then, I sighed and looked at Holo Gina as her ears drooped.

“I… I am sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that. Just help me get back to master’s place.” I said as I grabbed the branch again.

“Yes, Death Keeper. Anyways, what happened to you that has caused you to limp?” Holo asked as she grabbed his arm and put it around her neck.

“Tch. Long story. I do not know if I will have to tell Master and I do not know if she will have me tell you guys. Just… Let us get going before Iris and my parents figure out that I am gone.” I said as I started limping along side Holo Gina.

We stayed silent as we walked a couple of miles away my parents lovely home that I was raised in.

‘Home… How does that saying go again? Oh, yes!! Home is where the heart is. Where does my heart sit, home with my family or with my Master?’ I thought to myself.

Holo Gina and I were silent all the way to master’s house. We walked through the back door and all the other acquaintances started cheering Holo Gina and I’s name given by our Master. Her name that was given to her was Deceit. We walked past them and into our master’s office. I cleared my throat and motioned for Holo Gina to leave. She did so and closed the door as she walked out the door.

“Death Keeper? Is… Is that you?” My Master said as she turned around in the chair.

“Y… Yes, ma’am. It is I, Death Keeper. I am here for my next mission.” I said as I looked at her cloaked form and saluted to her.

“No need to be that formal, my dear Lolo. Anyways, your next mission is to live with your family and act like nothing is wrong. Then, you will update me on your progress on trust within your family, so we can destroy it before it gets to be an issue.” She said as she stood up.

“Destroy my family? I am sorry. I cannot accept that mission if that is the purpose of it.” I said as my foot started throbbing with pain.

“Did you just say no?” She asked as she looked down upon me, confused.

“Yes, ma’am. I did say no to you for that specific mission. I am not going to allow you to destroy my family which I grew up in until I got you, Master.” I replied as I hid the pain as much as I could.

“Huh. Just as stubborn as your father was when my father was Master to him. Your father refused to kill the Last Black Draginucous because he didn’t feel like that was the right thing to do. He thought that we should all live in peace. How cute. I hated it and so did my father. How shall I put this? It’s do the mission I gave you or mucking out the stalls in the horse barn for the rest of the year.” She said angrily.

“I would rather muck out stalls, clean up around here, or even do some extra tough training, than hurt or destroy the family I was born into. I would rather be sent off to another Master, or even to slay another creature of evil, than to hurt or even break my family apart. They are worth more to me than you will ever know, Master.” I said with a wicked smile.

“Fine. I will order Regina and Deceit to help you muck tomorrow. First, you need to rest and make sure you are ready for mucking out the stalls tomorrow.” She said as she grabbed me by the chin and lifted it up.

“Y… Yes ma’am.” I said as I left her office.

I closed the door behind me, and I started to limp all the way to my quarters, up the small set of stairs and into the loft. I walked in and closed the door. I walked over to the medicine cabinet and grabbed an Ace bandage. I walked over to my bed and sighed. I sat down on my bed and stared at the wall for just a moment. I took my sandal off and started wrapping my foot and my ankle. Then, someone knocked on the door just as I had finished wrapping my foot. I put my sandal back on and looked at the door. I stood up, limped over to the door, and opened it. I saw it was Deceit and Regina. I motioned them to come in to my room.

“Hey, I heard that argument you had with Master. She didn’t seem incredibly happy.” Regina said as she walked in next to Holo Gina.

“Fancy room, Death Keeper. Well, at least fancier than ours.” Holo Gina said as she looked around the room.

“Don’t touch anything! Why are you guys up here?” I snapped as I limped back toward my bed.

“Well, did she ask about your limp?” Holo Gina asked as she watched me limp from my bed to a chair.

“No, she didn’t. I didn’t show any kind of pain with her. I am her favorite out of all of you lower class organic beings. Also, I will push and hide all pain that I endure from her.” I said as I sat down on a chair and set a picture of Iris, face down.

“Who was that in the picture, Sir Death Keeper?” Regina asked as she walked closer to me.

“It’s Iris, my younger sista. I used to play with her when she was little. I found out earlier today that I was her role model. She grew up so quickly while I was gone. She protected herself, a whole school and… and…” I said as I started to cry and couldn’t finish his sentence.

“Hey, hey, hey. It’s alright. I haven’t seen my brother since he was little so, I don’t know what he looks like now.” Regina said without shedding a tear.

“Tch… babies. I haven’t seen my family in years maybe even a decades. I ain’t crying over some stupid flesh that you call family.” Holo Gina said as she leaned up against a column in the room, faced away from us.

We stayed silent for the next couple of hours when, our Master called for all of her acquaintances to line up. All three of us walked down the stairs and stood in line with the other 17.

“Lolo the Death Keeper, dear. Get out of that line. Lines are for the weaker classes.” Their Master said with a smile.

I stepped out of the line and next to her. I smiled at her and she smiled back. As she went to speak, they heard a knock on the door. I walked to the door and opened it. I saw Iris and started chirping. Everyone scattered, and she kept her hood up.

“Lolo, you have to come home, now. Ma and Pa are worried about you.” Iris said as she kept her head low.

“Go away, Iris. My name is no longer Lolo. My name is Death Keeper.” I snapped as I slammed the door shut.

Then, Iris showed up in front of me again. I looked at her surprised. Then, she looked at me with tears in her eyes and disappeared into a cloud of smoke. I looked around confused and chirped again. They all came out of hiding and stood back in line. I counted 18 and didn’t see Regina.

“Deceit!! Where is Regina?” I demanded.

“I… I don’t know sir.” Holo Gina said nervously.

I raised my hand to smack Holo when he heard, “I am so s… sorry sir. I am the one to blame not Deceit, sir.”

I put my hand down and saw Regina running toward us. She lined up and looked at me.

“Why were you late?” I asked her as I walked toward her.

“M… My foot got stuck be…between 2 sacks of grain when I hid, sir.” Regina said nervously.

“All I can say is at this point, be careful next time. That goes for all of you!!” I said confidently as I watched my footsteps.

“Sir, Yes, Sir, Death Keeper!!” All 19 said.

“Master, why did you call us?” I asked as I knocked on her office door.

She came out of her office and said, “I called you guys for a ceremony of get rid of and keepers.”

Everyone started whispering and I shushed them up quickly with a glare. She pointed to the first five and motioned them to leave. They gave their collars and their pods to Master. Then they left the building.

“Everyone else stays. Lolo, I need to see you in my office along with Regina.” She said as she walked toward her office.

Everyone left the line and went back to work. Regina and I walked into our Master’s office and closed the door.

We both saluted and said, “Here on your command.”

“No need to salute, Regina and Lolo. I bet you two are Aunt and Nephew. Is that true?” She asked.

“Y… Yes ma’am. That is true. My father is Tara Diera and Regina is his sister.” I explained.

“Regina, who is his mother?” She asked as she looked at her.

“His mother? I… I don’t know who his mother is.” Regina said with honesty.

“My mother is Deera Freedom, The Last Black Draginucous.” I piped up quickly.

“How is that possible? How can a Draginucous and an Elf make a child? That’s impossible!!” Their Master said.

“Actually, it isn’t impossible if I am standing here.” I said as I stood up tall and smirked.

“Ugh… whatever. Both of you are taking the mission I said earlier and updating me on your progress.” She said quickly as she turned around to face the wall.

Regina and I smiled and left the room. We ran all the way to the mansion gates to see Iris on the front porch. Iris unlocked the gates and opened them. Regina and I ran in and hugged her tight.

“Let go of me, you traitorous claud elf.” Iris said as she pushed both of us off of her.

They walked into the mansion and went to bed immediately. Regina laid on the floor in Lolo’s room. They slept for a long time.