Well, that was... Loud. Big, too. It was like a giant fiery bubble, gradually expanding outward until it just popped out of existence, leaving only the awed and afraid masses in its wake. 

Thing was so big and bright I'd bet they could see it from 8 towns over. Instinctively, I found myself looking away. Not like a cool action hero who just finished either a narrow escape or an overly drawn-out fight scene, but more like someone who didn't expect the bathroom light to be so bright when they got up to piss at 2:31 in the morning.

Probably a good thing I did, too. I mean, the thing was like a friggin' second sun. Which would have been a much better initial metaphor, in retrospect. 'Cept that wouldn't really convey the loudness of it, though neither does a bubble, I suppose. 

For a while after the blast, there was silence. Aside from Sis's short quip.

It's hard to come up with things to say after stuff like that, isn't it? I guess it's one of those things that kinda just washes away all of one's thoughts, makes 'em forget about whatever's going on. In times like this, one can't help but think about the finality and futility of it all, how the bright, shining destructive mass is but a cruel reflection of our own lives, so seemingly vibrant in one brilliant moment, yet fated disappear the very next, and how there's nothing, no matter how brilliantly one shone that one can do to change that. Or, if you're less sad, one would think about how cool explosions are, 'cus, I mean DIDJA SEE THAT THING? IT WAS HUGE! HOLY SMOKES! I WANNA LEARN HOW TO DO THAT!

But, like, with darkness and stuff. Big darkness ball. I think I should be able to just drop night upon the world. 

Though, I suppose techniques like these tend to cause quite a bit of damage to the surrounding environments, not to mention the potential property damage... 

It's a lot cooler when you don't think about those things. So I won't. Yeah, explosions! 

. . .

My explosion-based trance was broken by the sound of footsteps coming from the entrance of the ruins.

It was the tea guy. Who was still carrying his cup of tea. Classy.

"Oh. Hey." Sis said.

The man sipped his tea. "Indeed." 

These two know each other? Actually, come to think of it, he did mention her before he left. I wonder how that went down?  

"W-wait, I thought you left already?" I said. Shouldn't he be outa town by now? 

"Well, that was the original plan, yes. However, when that cat faced maniac came flying through the halls and almost made me spill my drink, I figured it best I remain within until they departed." The tea man explained. "That being said, it would be poor manners to remain still after something like that."

"I couldn't agree more." I said on impulse. Y'know, I think I'm beginning to quite like this guy.

"Indeed. At any rate, I suppose there's a crater, isn't there?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. Probably." Huh. I didn't even think about that. That's a really good point, tea guy. Mental note to check that out later. 

"It's that a-way." Sis said, pointing in the direction of the blast. 

"Ah. Thank you. Good day, then." He said, walking in the provided direction. 

Oh, was I supposed to point that out? I didn't catch that. How mildly embarrassing. 

Ah well. Anyways, time to get a birds eye view of the-

And then there were more footsteps. 

Ah. I suppose it's gonna be the other tw- Oh. It's Michaus, armor and giant sword in tow. When the heck did he get in there? 

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!" He screamed as he ran out towards us while waving quite enthusiastically. "WHAT WAS THAT!? IT SOUNDED LIKE A BIG EXPLOSION!"

"It, uh, was. That a-way." I said, pointing this time.  

"Cool! Wait, what are you guys doing here? And why is S unconscious? And why's he all blood and throw-up-y?" 

"Uh..." That's too many questions, dangit! "It's... A long story."

"How long?"

I went to answer, but- aw crap, I gotta sneeze. A-a-a-

---

"About 27 and a half chapters. Plus some buildup." Said the immortal.

"Okay!" Said the young hero, who let the information pass through one ear only to spill out of the other. 

---

Choo!

Looks like I missed that last part. 

"Bless you!" Michaus said enthusiastically.  

"Y-yeah, thanks."

"Anyways, I'm gonna-"

And then more footsteps from the ruins. 

And out came the pink haired chick and the knife dude.

At this point, Sis walked back over to me and stood beside me, though she didn't say a word. 

"Tiny people!" Said the pink haired one.

"BAH! You again!? H-h-" Said the knife'd one as their eyes met Michaus.

"Have we met?" Michaus asked.

"Eh, Nope. No. We haven't." 

"What's with you and being afraid of little boys?" The pink one asked.

"Can it, t**s for brains."

WOW that was sexist. Also, dude, there are kids in the room! Or lack of a room. 'Cus we're outside.

"Daww, you're making me blush!"

Don't be flattered by that! 

"What's a t*t?" Michaus asked.

"Stop, don't, sshshshshhshhhh." I said, internally screaming and outwardly glaring at the knife guy. Granted, my glare isn't all that different from my usual look, but it seems like he got the message. Also, I think I heard someone laugh, but I'm not sure who. We're getting quite a crowd, aren't we?

"YouShouldBe......MoreMindfulAround......Children......Stranger......" Said the green robed man.

"Thank you." I said. At least someone around here gets it. 

. . .

Wait a minute.

I looked up towards the direction of his voice. 

The green robed man was sitting atop a nearby tree. From below, we could see up his robe, which revealed that he was wearing a second, smaller robe underneath. 

"H-how long have you been there?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Been here for a while. He was already around when we showed up, at least" S said. 

"O-oh, really? Alright."

"No 'e wasn't." The knife guy said. "I've been out here all day, and we've had people inside at all times. Now way 'e could've gotten in."

"He could've been in the before you. Or maybe he's just really good."

"How the hell would you know?"

"I smelled him earlier."

"The hell-"

"You know what he smells like? S-s-steamy." The pink one said.

Is it?

"YouCould......SenseMe?" The green guy sai- 

. . .

Wait a minute.

"Right, I-" 

"Eh- eh- S? Y-y-y-you're up already?" 

S chuckled. "Bit late on the uptake, aren't ya? Right, I woke up at the sound of that explosion. I tried to just fall back asleep, but then this crowd formed." 

"Oh yeah, didn't you just get the crap beat out of you? How the heck are you already up?" Asked the pink one.

"Awwww, I missed a fight?" Michaus quietly pouted in between thoughts. 

"Right, I've always been a light sleeper." 

"Y-y-you vomited blood." I pointed out.

"Right."

"Anyways hi S!" Michaus said with an enthusiastic wave.

"Hey Michaus."

"And hi other people!" Michaus said, turning to the knife guy and the pink girl. "What're your names!?"

"Why the hell do you wanna know?" Knife guy asked.

"Because, uh..." Michaus tilted his head as he thought. "I wanna!" He didn't think for very long. I don't think he ever does.

"Pinkie!" Said the pink one. Oh yeah, I think the tea guy said that earlier. That's their actual name? Oh, it's probably an assumed name, isn't it. "And this is Knives!"

Okay, that's just silly.

"Hey-"

"Oh, come on. They're code names, anyways. And he's just a boy."

"Hello! I'm Michaus Nrokhi, the hero!" 

"That so? In that case, maybe we should start running!"

"Don't worry pretty lady, I'd only attack you if you were evil!"

"D-daww! He called me pretty lady! Ain't he the darndest-" Pinkie said. Though their words were semi normal (kind of), their face went beet red. Please don't be so flattered by a kid who wouldn't have even graduated elementary school yet.

"Yeah, I heard." Said knives, unamused.  

Y'know, it kinda seems like everyone's forgotten about the explosion. This is just some weirdly casual impromptu social encounter among people who I'm pretty sure were ready to kill each other until a few minutes ago. 

"Speaking of!" Michaus continued, "I still don't know your name yet!" He said, pointing at Sis.

Ah! Predicament!

"Oh yeah, I haven't seen you before." S said, also looking at Sis. "Who're you?"

Up to this point, Sis had mostly just been uneasily looking at everyone as they appeared. Especially that green guy, who is... No longer here, apparently. When- Where the heck did he- Anyways, she seemed wary of everyone, even S and Michaus. I suppose it makes sense for her to be uneasy around so many unfamiliar mostly people, especially after what just happened... I should try to get us out of here as soon as I can. 

"Uh, she-" I began.

"I'm this guy's sister." She stated simply in her usual deadpan tone.

"But what's your-"

"Oh, I didn't know you had a sister!" S said. Before he spoke, his nose twitched slightly, and he had this odd look in his eye. 

"Uh, y-yeah-"

"You didn't need to." Sis said. 

What's that supposed to mean? That's not a rhetorical question. I genuinely have no idea.

"R-right." S said. Sounded like he didn't know, either. Maybe it was just a weird thing to say? I suppose she does seem a bit on edge right now. That's reasonable.

. . .

I guess now that those prolonged introductions are mostly over, this group doesn't have a whole lot to talk about. 

"Come to think of it, there was an explosion earlier, wasn't-" Pinkie began.

"That way." Sis pointed in the direction.

"OOH! YEAH, YEAH, I WANNA SEE!" Michaus shouted as he bolted off at speeds that practically left his shadow in the dust.

"Ooh, me too!" Said Pinkie, following Michaus at far more reasonable speeds.

"Guess I'm also coming." Said Knives as he, too, left.

And just like that,

there were 3.

 

well, that was weird.