Pure and utter anarchy. That was the best way Marron could describe the scene before him. Along with the delicate pink blossoms of the memorial tree, for which the communal picnic was being held, a side of his companions that the magic user had never seen before had blossomed, via the high content of sake they’d partaken of. All were red in the face and dim in the eyes as they carried on in a most unscrupulous manner; Tira was laughing like a witch in the Happy Home as she struck Carrot mercilessly with her whip. Chocora too was lashing at Carrot with her viscous wiry weapons as she slurred something about what an idiot he was. Between them, teary-eyed and loud-mouthed, Marron’s wretched brother screamed for mercy like a child whose teddy had been snatched, as the Misu sisters beat the holy crap out of him. To the tumultuous trio’s right, the Mochas were putting on their own little show. Gateau and Eclaire were flexing like crazy, fueled by the alcohol in their blood. Gateau kept having to admonish his sister so she would do the “traditional macho pose”, and she more than willingly obliged. Marron allowed himself a little laugh. They were making complete bakas of themselves. All of his companions were there in the middle of the crowd, subconsciously asking for “moron” labels. The other people who’d come to the picnic had even clustered round to see “the show”. The entire team, all of the Sorcerer Hunters were making themselves out to be first-class morons...Well, Marron thought with a triumphant smile, all save one. No way this self-righteous mage was going to get drunk and throw his dignity to the winds. Marron Glace? Drunk? Pure, virginal, level-headed Marron? Nah...
“I’m so happy to see everyone having so much fun!”
Marron jumped a little at the sudden presence at his side, “Oh! Biggu Mamu.” There was something odd here...His employer didn’t look as decorous and respectable as she usually did. She looked almost...woozy...had Big Momma been drinking too? Marron was shocked by the possibility. It was just not right. And why was she carrying a microphone anyway?
“Chocora said she wasn’t satisfied, so I was getting a little worried,” Big Momma mused aloud as she absentmindedly wound the cord around the microphone’s handle, “but I guess she just needed to relax a little.” Big Momma smiled to herself as she watched the drunken portion of the group putting on their ungainly display. To Marron’s immense surprise, she didn’t even cock an eyebrow.
“Sorcerer Hunters are people too,” she declared, “and sometimes they just need to stretch their wings.”
“HAAAIII!!!” There was a familiar puff of pink smoke and Marron was smacked in the face by something wide and feathery, “Like this? Hee hahaha! (hic!)”
Who wouldn’t know that voice? Marron could tell from Daughter’s sloppy speech that she’d been drinking as well. Marron heard his boss saying “Okay then, let’s go!”
“What?! Go??!!?!” Marron’s voice was muffled and distorted by feathers. As soon as he’d gotten Dotta’s wing out of his face he had begun to protest, “What do you mean, ‘Go-...Euuuh...” The sight he beheld was so odd it was scary. Big Momma had somehow found an outlet and plugged in her mike. She was now standing to the right of the flex-happy Mochas and was wailing away,
“Feeeeeelings! Oh! O-Oh OH...!!!”
“Ooooh! I was (hic!) waiting for this!” Dotta said a little too happily as she applauded, “That’s (hic!) Momma’s best song! (hic!) ‘Feelings’ “
“Biggu Mamu...” Marron choked. He felt ready to faint. This was all just getting too weird for him.
“Oh, Marron, don’t look so (hic!) serious!” Daughter said lazily as she uncorked a bottle of sake ad held it out suggestively to Marron. The mage leapt back, as though he’d stepped on a mouse trap or something, “Oh! No, I mustn’t!”
“Awwww, c’mon Marron! The (hic!) Memorial tree only blooms once every (hic!) ten years and so you don’t get the (hic!) opportunity to have this much (hic!) fun very often either. For once in your (hic!) life, Marron, live a little!” She pushed the bottle closer to him. Marron turned away in denial, so he wouldn't have to smell that horrible stuff...only it wasn’t horrible at all...as the tantalizing vapors filled his lungs, the helpless boy was mesmerized by them...
“I...can’t...drink...” he muttered weakly. But it was too late. Even as he uttered this little chain of words, Daughter’s fingertips were tracing the delicate curve of his jaw, coaxing his lips onto the bottle. He felt the intense flavor of the sake on his tongue, swishing around his mouth, running down his throat...Suddenly he was trapped within the ambrosiatic grip of the drink...everything looked soft and seemed to emit a glow. His heart felt like a hummingbird within his ribcage and the songs of sirens filled the air...he was suddenly surrounded by people, who were all looking up at him as though they wanted something...his world was thronged by a sea of expectant eyes, and the urge to perform clutched the boy and showed no signs of letting go. Marron brought his hands up and formed his magic seal with shaking fingers. The hum of the crowd enveloped him, fueling the power he felt bubbling within. Perspiration beaded on his forehead and left shimmering trails down his high cheekbones, which were tinged with magenta. He struggled to focus and forced himself to finish forming the necessary seal. When it was complete, he lifted his hands high above his head to perform the spell of the phoenix,
“Spiritsh of Fire, hear my commandsh...!” and with a deafening boom, a plume of fire in the shape of a colossal bird shot high into the air and circled around the now complete team of intoxicated sorcerer hunters. Cries of “mite!!!” could be heard among the maniacal female laughter, the maudlin, agonized wailing, incoherent words that could’ve been strung together to form a song, and the choppy incantations that were shouted rather than whispered as they usually were.
As Marron released another Fire Bird, he reveled in the “ooohs” and “aaaahs” that rose and and fell from the spectators around him. They liked him! They actually liked him! All his life, Marron had been laughed at because he was a scrawny little bugger who couldn’t do anything right...but now! Whoo! He’d actually made a lasting impression on the people around him...Oooooh, just wait till the boss hears about this...Marron though t absentmindedly, forgetting that Big Momma was right in front of him, She’s gonna be SO proud of me! Ha! Hahaha...Life is beautiful, life is good! Nice fluffy places to beeee...
All of a sudden the world swam in a sea of smudges before Marron’s eyes. “Mwaaah...? Who da hell are you? Shtop messing with my vision!” Marron babbled as he lost his equilibrium and fell to his knees, his head began to throb, and he wobbled on the spot, “Git losht! I haff a broffer I’ll haff ya know! And he’s gots a shword too! If you’s don’t get outta my way I’ll jusht hafta...euhhh...!” Marron collapsed, clutching his aching head. The last thing he remembered was the taste of bile on the back of his tongue before his entire world went black.
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