Guardians of Lapis-A New Age: Volume I

Chapter 17: Figuring it Out (Halfway)

Reiko lays in her own bed, feeling the endless blindness of the vivid sun in her eyes, it's been a few days now since that incident back at the Great Hall. Her body rolled over to the other side when she felt the daylight bisking at her yet again, groaning in annoyance from a sudden hot breath she felt on her face. In the wake of broad early bright the lightning guardian found herself encompassed by sounds of deep snores of Yrist, Letia and Corlia drowsing in sleep right next to her, of course Eiri, Akari and Lydia were nestling each other. Even the boys, Kyo, Aetos, Sora and Rai slept on the floor all night long.

'Eh? Am I dead? Why is there motionless bodies around me?' She thought, looking down at her arm and saw Yrist clinging onto her as Sora did with her other arm.

Shortly she realized that a bunch of other animals such as feline kittens stuck to her like glue, despite her being a cat person Reiko was so fickle in the morning. From right across the room the little pets ran along.

The lightning guardian looks back over to her friends's comical facial expressions and unintended sleeping positions, smiling fondly at the thought. 'They all came to...check on my well-being, for instead they winded up spending the night? Speaking of which I should be the one check on the lord right ab--'

Just then a knocking sound was heard at the door.

'Food's here? Who could that be?'

Before even getting up and washing her face properly, she was still in her nightgown. Nagisa automatically opened the door as she bows apologetically as she wishes her good morning like always, everyone around Reiko suddenly began to rise from their sleep.

"Wakey, wakey... We made tofu eggs and bake-y!" The buttercup haired boy announced from right behind the raven-haired gal.

"Ugh the smell reek?! Have you even washed it before using that pan?"

"No..."

"Then hurry back down!! Now!" Tsubasa skedaddle as fast as he possibly could. Reiko chuckles in amusement at the elder Dimitrious sister's bossy behavior.

"What are we having?"

"Some omelette rice... I presume that's how it's called, though I tried reading the instructions on the box" Nagisa scratches ber head roughly, "come and lend me a hand?" Reiko didn't have to think about and yet she over-thought it.

"Come on."

"Oh, speaking of which the lord wants to have a word with you." Reiko peers over her shoulder to look at Tsubasa then her eyes fell on the back of Byakuya's head concisely. Nagisa stopped in her track as she wishes Reiko good luck and drags her brother back to the kitchen, "lemme know how it turns out, break a leg!" Tsubasa lifts one thumb up nonchalantly.

"Eh? But--" the lightning guardian remains stuff in place.

Reiko was overwhelmed, she didn't have any clue how to act around higher ranked people who're from a foreign valley region. "Nice weather we're having this morning, would you agree, your...your--" Rai interrupts her by busrting in on their conversation, later was dragged away by both Eiri and Sora all the way to the kitchen.

"I...I'm sorry your excellency...I--"

"Please, just...drop the formality. We are family after all, and as of today I will do my best to acknowledge that." He said as he looks at her with a straight face, "understood?"

She gulped carefully, giving him a firm nod.

"You're quite grown up now, how old are you, again?"

"Thirteen, your--I mean ...uh--gramps."