We open up to see our favorite bunny-kin hopping towards a large cottage in front of a big forest. Haru's humming a song as he bobs his head side to side, his ears swaying with him.
Haru reaches the cottage and hops up to the door and he knocks on the door. After a few seconds the door opens and Megumin pokes her head out.
"Haru?" Megumin questions and she opens the door up and stands in the doorway. "What are you doing here."
"Well, Smaug..." Haru starts.
"Who's at the door?!" Smaug yells from within the cottage. "Is it Haru?"
Megumin looks back into the cottage. "Yes!"
"Well, tell him I'll be down in a minute!"
"If I can hear you, he can hear you!"
Smaug goes silent for a few seconds. "I'll be down in a minute, Haru!"
Megumin rolls her eyes and looks back to Haru. "What were you saying?"
"Well, Smaug said to meet him here." Haru states. "He said this'll be the final week of my training."
"But you've only trained for a month?" Megumin says in confusion.
"It was an intense month of training. And I've gotten real strong." Haru flexes his arms, showing off some muscle.
Megumin smiles. "Well, I'm glad you've improved."
Haru stares at Megumin for a few seconds before his cheeks gain a small tint of red. "Um... Megumin?" Haru becomes nervous.
"Yes?"
"Are you free tomorrow?" Haru as and he taps his pointer fingers together. "Because I wanted to see if you wanted to... you know... hang out in Aureum Regem?"
Megumin starts to blush.
"Like a date?" Megumin asks.
Haru's face turns red. "I... Uh..."
Smaug then slides down the railing of the stairs and falls face first onto the ground with a loud thud. Both Haru and Megumin jump in fright and look towards the dragon.
Smaug jumps up off the ground. "Always wanted to do that." Smaug looks at the two kids. "What're you two talking about?"
Megumin and Haru blush and look away from him. "Nothing!" They both say.
Smaug raises an eyebrow. "O...K?" Smaug walks over to Haru and grabs his arm. "Well, we're heading out." Smaug starts to drag Haru away. "See you later." He waves to Megumin.
"See you later, dad!" Megumin yells. "Have fun Haru!"
----
Smaug and Haru are standing under a large near just a few miles from Aureum Regem.
"So who's coming today?" Haru asks as he sits in front of a flower.
"A friend I made a little over a year ago." Smaug says as he picks at his teeth.
Haru's ears twitch/
"Master!" A female voice rings out and a white blur runs past Haru and into Smaug. "It's been a long time!"
Setsuna's tail wags as she hugs Smaug.
"It's only been a week since you've seen me." Smaug says.
"A week is a long time!"
Haru's jaw is dropped. "The captain of the town's guard!?"
Smaug looks at Setsuna in confusion. "Captain of the town's guard?"
Setsuna lets go of Smaug and sets her hands on her hips and gains a prideful look. "Yup, I took down the old captain a few months ago and became the new one."
"Wait, take down... you mean?"
"Yup!" Setsuna smiles. "I beat him and took his spot."
"But that's not how humans do thing."
Setsuna blinks a few times. "Wait... what?"
"Humans don't have the same rules as the tribes do." Smaug explains.
"Then why did I get the job?" Setsuna tilts her head to the side.
"Because, everyone is scared to get on your bad side." Haru says with nervousness.
Setsuna looks at Haru. "Hey, you're that Bunny-kin I've seen running around before."
Haru sweats and he salutes out of fear. "Haru Dugor at your service, Ma'am!"
"So I'm training him?" Setsuna points at Haru and he begins to sweat more.
Smaug nods. "Yup, and no need to go easy on him." Sweat is pouring down Haru's face.
Setsuna nods then looks at Smaug. "Then can you get her away from me?"
"Get who?" Smaug asks.
"SMAUG!" A small blur slams into Smaug's face.
Smaug yelps as he falls to the ground.
"You have been ignoring Paimon for a month!" Paimon yells as she slams her little firsts into Smaug's face, doing no damage to him.
Smaug uses his tail to pick up Paimon and he stands up. Paimon tries to wiggle out of Smaug's grasp.
"Emergency Food?" Smaug questions.
"It's Paimon!" Paimon flails her arms around.
"Why are you here then, Paimon."
Paimon crosses her arms and pouts. "You haven't given Paimon the attention she deserves!"
Smaug sighs and unwraps his tail from Paimon and begins to pat her head. Paimon smiles as she wiggles her little body.
Setsuna is in the background, stretching with Haru a few meters away from her.
"What are we training on?" Haru asks with a hint of fear in his voice.
Setsuna stops stretching and she cracks her knuckles as she smiles at Haru. "Hand to hand combat." She begins to walk towards Haru and he starts to walk backwards. "And Master said to not hold back!"
Setsuna charges at Haru with a battle cry and Haru screams in fear.
----
Haru is walking up to Megumin's home with a slight limp as he has a hand on his right side. The sun is high up in the sky. Haru knocks on the door and after a few seconds Megumin walks out, wearing a dress.
Haru blushes as he looks at Megumin.
"Hi, Haru." Megumin says with a smile.
"Uh.. Hey, M-Megumin." Haru says with a nervous smile. "I like your outfit."
Megumin gains a small blush. "Thank y-"
"Who's at the door?!" Smaug yells from within the cottage.
Megumin groans and looks back into the cottage. "Nothing, dad!"
"I could have sworn I heard someone knocking at the door about a minute ago!" Smaug yells.
"You're ears are failing you old man!" Megumin yells back.
"OLD MAN! I'm only 16,000 years old! I'm pretty freakin' young!"
"That's really old in human years!" Megumin yells back in annoyance.
"Well, you're over 200 years old!"
"And that's thanks to magic! If Kazuma didn't use his wish to have everyone have the lifespans of Elves, I wouldn't be here!"
"That's not the point! I'm still a young dragon!" Smaug yells.
Haru's just standing at the door, stepping side to side with some nervousness. "Megumin?"
Megumin looks to him. "Sorry." Megumin looks back inside. "I'm heading out!"
"OK!" Smaug yells. "Just be back by sundown!"
"I'm not 15 anymore dad!" Megumin yells back and steps outside.
"Young lady you-" Smaug starts but he's cut of by Megumin slamming the door shut.
"Sorry about that." Megumin says as she fixes some of her hair. "He's just overprotective."
The two begin to walk off.
"Has he always been like that with you?" Haru asks.
"Sorta, but after he found me he's been much more... cautious." Megumin states.
"Found you?"
"It's a very long story that ends with my father saving the multi-verse."
Haru looks at Megumin in confusion.
"I said to was a long story." Megumin says to him. "But even if he's really overprotective I would never trade it for anything else."
Haru gains a small smile. "Smaug is the best, no matter what everyone else says."
Megumin looks at Haru and smiles. Haru looks away with a blush.
----
A couple hours later at Aureum Regem.
Megumin and Haru are sitting down at a table in a nice restaurant.
Megumin looks around and sees some golden decorations and a few murals of Smaug on the walls.
"This is a fancy place." Megumin says.
"Don't worry about that." Haru says with a smile. "I'm paying for tonight. I saved up the past couple of weeks for this."
"Are you sure?"
Haru nods. "My dad always said the gentlemen needs to treat the lady on the first date."
"Your dad seems like a nice person."
Haru looks a little sad. "Yeah, he was."
Megumin eyes widened and she looks embarrassed as she picks up the menu on the table.
"So do you know what's good here?" Megumin stammers.
"Well the carrot soup here is good." Haru says as he picks up the menu. "And the carrot casserole. The carrot hot dish. The carrot cake here is to die for."
Megumin peaks around her menu and looks at Haru. "That's a lot of carrot dishes."
Haru laughs and rubs the back of his head. "I like carrots.
Megumin looks back at the menu. "How's the Slow-Roasted Chicken With Honey-Glazed Carrots."
"I don't eat meat." Haru says.
Megumin's face burns with embarrassment as she hides behind the Menu. "I think I'll get the carrot soup."
"Oh, that's my favorite." Haru says in excitement. "It's really good, trust me."
---
It's nighttime in Aureum Regem and Megumin and Haru are walking down the streets.
"That carrot soup was really good." Megumin says with a satisfied sigh.
"Did you not believe me?" Haru as with a raised brow.
Megumin quickly shakes her head. "No! It's just I never thought carrots could taste so good."
"My mom makes the best carrot muffins you'll ever have."
"Maybe one day I could meet your mom and she could make me those muffins." Megumin says hinting at something.
"M-Maybe you could." Haru says with a blush.
Haru's ear twitch as he hears someone in the distance.
"No stop!" Haru hears his elf friend Tomoaki yell.
Haru stops and looks off to his left and Megumin notices.
"Haru?" Megumin questions.
"Stay here." Haru says and he looks at Megumin with a serious look on his face.
"But-"
"Megumin, please." Haru says with seriousness and Megumin just nods.
Haru runs down the street and quickly take a left down another street and continues to run towards where he hears Tomoaki.
After a minute of running he sees Tomoaki being pulled into an alley way by three tall and buff men.
Haru grits his teeth as he hears the cries of Tomoaki.
Tomoaki is thrown against the wall and she falls down it and onto the ground. Tears fall down her face.
"A pretty little thing outta get us a bunch of money." One of the thugs says.
"I don't like it here." Another thug says as he looks around.
"Oh, shut up." The last thug says as he slaps the second man on the head.
"But haven't you heard the rumors of Aureum Regem?" The second thug says.
"Yeah, there are nothing but rumors." The first thug says.
"Yeah, but what if they're true?" The second thug in a scared tone. "A dragon could fucking kill us!"
The third thug walks over to Tomoaki. "Yeah, but no one has spotted Smaug for almost half a year. Besides, I think we could have a little fun with her before we go."
Tomoaki cries as the third thug reaches out towards her.
"HEY!" Haru's voice rings out through the alleyway.
The three thugs and Tomoaki look to the entrance of the alleyway and see Haru.
"Haru?" Tomoaki whispers.
"Step away from my friend and put your hands against the wall!" Haru says in anger. "You're all under arrest."
The first and third thug just laugh and the second thug looks worried. The third thug walks over to Haru and he is much taller than Haru.
"What's a little thing like you gonna do?" The third thug laughs. "I think we can make a small bonus on-"
Haru's left fist becomes covered in ice and he punches the thug right in the face and the thug goes flying down the alleyway and lands behind his friends.
The third thug looks up as blood seeps out of his mouth and he spits a tooth out. "Kill him!"
The first thug pulls out a knife and runs towards Haru.
The second thug doesn't move. "Wait, I think I've heard his name before."
Haru snarls and flames surround him and he growls, causing the first thug to stop and stare on in horror.
What the thug sees is red eyes staring at him through the fire surrounding Haru and suddenly he sees a shadow of a dragon behind Haru staring down at him. The thug drops his knife and falls to his knees.
"Please don't kill me!" The first thug cries out.
The flames surrounding Haru and the shadow dragon disappears. Haru walks towards Tomoaki.
"This bunny-kin is known throughout this city!" The second thug says. "He's a known adventurer in this city."
Haru glares at the second guy and the thug backs up and into the wall. Haru reaches Tomoaki and he kneels down to her and hugs her. Tomoaki cries into Haru's chest.
"What's going on here?" A voice says and Haru looks at the entrance of the alleyway and sees Setsuna, in some armor, with a few guards with her. Megumin is standing behind Setsuna.
The third thug stands up and wipes some blood off of his mouth. "Me and my friends were just helping the little lady out when this kid attacked us!"
Setsuna looks at Haru then to the thud. "Arrest those three." She points at the thugs.
"WHAT?!" The third thug says. "But he attacked us!"
"I know that's not true." Setsuna says. "Haru is a respected person in this town and I know him personally."
The guards walk into the alleyway and walk over to the thugs and grab them. The third thug starts to resist but he's knocked out by the guards.
Setsuna walks over to Haru and kneels down to him. "We'll take care of her."
Haru nods and looks down to Tomoaki. "Tomoaki, Miss Setsuna will help you back home."
Tomoaki nods and lets go of Haru and wipes her eyes. Setsuna helps Tomoaki up and they walk out of the alleyway.
"See you tomorrow for training, Haru." Setsuna waves goodbye and the guards take the thugs out of the alleyway as Haru stands up.
"Sorry for just running off." Haru says.
"You did a good thing." Megumin says. "I've seen her around before and talked to her. She's really nice and I'm glad nothing happened to her."
Haru and Megumin walk out of the alleyway.
"We better get you home." Haru says.
"Yeah." Megumin says and she grabs Haru's hand and holds it as they walk back to her cottage.
---
Haru and Megumin are standing outside of her house.
"Thank you for today, it was lovely." Megumin says.
"Maybe do this again sometime soon?" Haru asks.
"I would like that." Megumin says and she kisses Haru on the cheek and walks inside her house.
Haru stands still stunned as he puts a hand on his cheek. He blinks a few times before his face slowly glows red.
Inside with Megumin.
Megumin has a blush on her face as she puts her hands one her face.
"Sooooo embarrassing!" Megumin whispers.
Megumin takes off her shoes and walks into the dark living room and begins to undo her hair. Suddenly a candle lights up behind Megumin and we see Smaug sitting in a chair with a pair of glasses on and a book in his hand.
"You're late young lady." Smaug says in a dad tone.
Megumin yelps and she turns around to spot her father. "You scared me!"
"Says you!" Smaug says as he takes his glasses off and sets them, along with the book, on a table next to him. "Do you know how late it is! I was worried!"
"I'm not 15 any more dad!" Megumin complains. "I can stay out as long as I want, besides I was on a date."
Smaug's pupils go slit as he stares at Megumin.
"I should not have said that." Megumin whispers.
"Date? DATE?!" Smaug yells. "No one is allowed to date my special little one!"
Megumin groans in annoyance.
"Who is it!" Smaug says.
"It's Haru."
"Oh I'm-"
"Dad, please stop! I'm not a little kid anymore and I'm not in danger." Megumin starts. "I've grown and matured! I'm not the same kid I was when I was nearly killed by Scatha! So just let me have my own life and stop micromanaging my life!"
Smaug stares at Megumin then he stands up and walks out of the room. Megumin hears him walk up the stairs and she leans against a nearby table and takes a few deep breathes.
"I didn't think he would just let it go like that." Megumin whispers.
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09-22-2022
2714 words.
