The Red Hand

Chapter 268 – A Bitter Taste.

"One, two, three! Cheers!" Akagi coordinated a toast among the various players who were celebrating at a large table she'd placed in the center of the newly reconstructed arena. She'd originally invited all who attended the event to the after party, but many, like the exploration team, wanted to head home and get some 'rest.'

"CHEERS!" Everyone's glasses clinked as they each took big sips of various drinks.

Once the arena had been fixed up, and Superbia and Hishya were ok'd to move around, Akagi figured that the best way to finish off the day would be to have an outdoor party to celebrate the tournament's success. Tomorrow would be the Grand Finals, a match between Hishya and Halifax, and one that everyone was excited for. There would also be a fight between Superbia and Zephiria to determine third and fourth place, but that would take place afterwards.

"Akagi, I hope you brought enough booze for everyone because, with this many of us, you might need a couple of swimming pools to quench our thirst!" Eris laughed as she brought a cold pitcher up to her mouth and took a massive gulp. “Ah, hell yeah! That's the good stuff!”

"Don't worry, I got plenty." Akagi laughed as she took a sip of her own drink, which was some of her personal stash of Ayakashi Sake. "And Mika, I see you over there trying to sneak a cup." She didn't even need to look at the blue-haired girl, whose girlfriend was trying to give her some alcohol. “You're not allowed to drink, remember?”

"But why?!?" Mika protested as she put down the empty glass. "We're not in Japan, so the legal drinking age doesn't matter!" She figured that it was fine if she jumped in on the fun, and Yuzu and Suzu seemed to agree.

"There is no legal drinking age in Dumetor, but I said no." Akagi laughed. "It's not good to drink at such a young age. You're only eighteen, and it will have negative effects on your body, even with magic helping to digest it." She said, taking a sip.

{Not to mention I don't need you liquored up only for idiot one and idiot two to take advantage of you, though you might be ok with that...} (Akagi)

"Yeah, what would your parents say if we brought you home drunk?" Kana sighed as she drank her juice.

"They'd probably be ok with it." Mika shrugged, figuring that neither would care. "They both used to go to illegal parties when they were younger, so it'd be pretty hypocritical to yell at me." She snickered, knowing that both had done far more illegal things than simply underage drink.

"Oh, come on Akagi, let the kid live a little." Ayame laughed as she slammed a glass of mead down on the table. "Give her a glass and let her try it. 10:1 says she spits it out anyway." Her comment made everyone chuckle.

"Pleeeese!" Mika tried out some puppy eyes. "Aren't I your Backup Squishy? Shouldn't I be rewarded?" She fluttered her lashes in an attempt to guilt the Demon.

“Yeah meow~! let nye gurl live nya little meow~!” Ara agreed as she drank some hard lemonade.

"Fine... But one glass and that's it." Akagi caved, not having it in her to deny the practically begging girl. "Just don't blame me if that knocks you on your ass though." She rolled her eyes.

{Mika probably gets drunk just off the smell like in an anime anyway.} (Akagi)

"Yippe!" Mika smiled as Yuzu poured her a small glass of ale. "I bet this tastes amazing!" She took a sip, and her face contorted as if she'd just eaten a lemon. "WHY IS IT SO BITTER?!?" Mike screamed as she threw the cup far away. "YOU ALL LIED TO ME! IT TASTES AWFUL!" She spit on the ground. “WHERE IS THE GOOD IN THAT?!?” She grabbed a glass of water and downed it to remove the taste.

"Hah! I knew it!" Ayame laughed. “Kids don't like the good stuff!”

"Was it really that bad?" Kana asked, thinking that Mika probably overreacted.

"It tasted like the most sour thing you ever had!" Mika was still trying to get the taste out of her mouth.

{It was like I bit straight into a fresh pickle!} (Mika)

"Do you want to try?" Akagi looked at her sister with a smirk.

"I'm good. I know better than to tempt fate." Kana declined. She was well aware of what alcohol tasted like since Akagi had given her some on her birthday, and she had a similar reaction to Mika.

"You kids just need to acquire the taste." Eris said as she smugly swirled her mug. "This stuff is the refined drink of us mature adults." She tried to act all mature and haughty, but everyone just laughed.

"If you idiots are mature adults, then I shudder to think what that means for the rest of the world." Mixu said, side-eyeing Eris.

"Considering our overlord is a Demon that flops around on a futon and does tricks for ear scratches, I think this world is already doomed anyway." Superbia snickered as she and Munechika drank together.

"Better than the overlords of my world. At least this troublemaker has some redeeming qualities!" Halifax laughed as she set down her empty mug.

"Hey! I don't make trouble. I end it." Akagi corrected their completely accurate comments.

"No, you definitely make trouble." Yumi said while sipping on some Sake. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that trouble was your middle name."

"Name one time where I caused trouble!" Akagi demanded proof.

"Do you mean inside or outside of FWO? Because I have a list, and it's segmented by location and world." Hishya chuckled. “We can start with the letter A, and just getting to B might take till dawn."

"Fabrications, lies and slander!" Akagi blew a raspberry. "I'm a Saint! I cause no issues for anyone!" As she said this, her lips curved into a wicked smile since she knew their claims were 100% true.

"Ah yes... A Saint." Mimi rolled her eyes. "My Lord is definitely such a thing."

"Lady Akagi is a paragon of virtue and generosity." Kira laughed, deciding to join in on the fun.

"I see you two have learned to back-sass me. Did Yumi's bad habits spread to the rest of the family?" Akagi sighed.

"You're just imagining things." Mimi waved her off.

"Indeed. We are your loyal servants and family. We would never do anything as vile as talking about you in a negative light." Kira snickered.

"Looks like you don't have as iron a grip on them as you thought, Onee-chan." Kana laughed.

"Yeah..." Akagi scratched her cheek, embarrassed. "But that's ok. I like that about them." She smiled.

"Aww, look, she's embarrassed." Mizumi giggled. "That's so cute."

“I guess even Akagi can act like that.” Shiru chuckled.

"If you would've told me a few months ago that a Demon Lord could get embarrassed, I would've called you a nutcase." Halifax smiled as she took a sip, polishing off another glass. "But I think it's nice."

"Better kitty than world exploding." Hishya nodded in complete certainty that floof was better than doom.

"Yeah..." (Everyone else)

"Fuck you all..." Akagi looked away, still embarrassed. "And people wondered why I liked VR so much. Having real-life friends is an absolute pain in the ass." Though she wouldn't deny that she was having a lot of fun with her 'pains in the ass.'

"But that's the fun part!" Zephiria smiled as she took a big glup. "We get to torment you, and you can't just run away!"

"Maybe that's how we defeat the Demon Lord?" Shinlua chuckled. "We must kill her with kindness." Her comment caused the whole table to laugh, and for Akagi to roll her eyes.

"Onee-chan never did do well with compliments or anything of the sort, so maybe that really is her weakness." Kana laughed as she poked her sister in the cheek, knowing just how bad she was with this kind of stuff.

{Onee-chan and social activity get along about as well as potassium and water.} (Kana)

"I put on a whole event for you all, and I get sass and lip in return." Akagi sighed but couldn't hide a small smile.

"Oh yeah!" Zephiria stood up quickly. "That reminds me..." She smiled before looking at all the other attendees, who each stood up. "One, two, three!"

"Thanks for hosting such an awesome tournament, Akagi!" (Everyone)

"I... uh..." Akagi was genuinely surprised by the show of gratitude. "You don't need to thank me... I just did it because I thought it would be fun." She didn't know what to say or how to react since this had never happened before.

"Oh, it definitely was." Superbia smiled as she hugged onto her sister. "I haven't gotten to really go all out since we got back, and it was nice to cut loose like that!"

"Oh yeah!" Eris nodded. "It was like we were back in FWO and giving it everything we got!"

"I'd be down to do it again. Maybe you could do something interesting with the next one?" Ayame commented.

"I think team battles could be fun." Mixu added her two cents. "And maybe you could make some dynamic stages."

"Hell, she could probably just do it within her shadow and make an entire city for us to fight-" Hishya paused, her eyes flashing with excitement. "Yeah, you need to do that." She looked over at Akagi. "That sounds amazing, and we can blow stuff up with no issue and we can't die in there either!"

{I NEED IT!} (Hishya)

"Such demanding people you all are." Akagi rolled her eyes as she chuckled. "But I'll consider it." She winked.

The group partied into the night with booze flowing like a river. Akagi had procured quite a lot of drink, and it ended up being just enough to keep everyone happy. As things winded down, everyone stumbled back to their rooms, some drunk, others exhausted from a night of lively discussion, dancing, and other merriment. Though there were still a few things that needed attending to.

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"Just be sure that she actually gets some sleep you two." Akagi warned the two Yuki-Onna sisters not to try anything on the sleepy Mika.

"We won't..." Yuzu and Suzu sighed as they helped the barely awake Mika back to her room.

{Ok, Mom...} (Yuzu x Suzu)

"You two should get some sleep too. It's quite late as it is." Akagi turned to Naomi and Kana. "I'll take you back to the house."

"What, will you tuck us in too?" Kana chuckled.

"Maybe she'll read us a bedtime story?" Naomi laughed.

"I can if you want, but that will be far more embarrassing and awkward for you than me." Akagi replied.

"I think we'll pass." Kana yawned. "I'd prefer going straight to bed. I'm tired." It was already long past the time she preferred to be in bed by and with School starting again soon she didn't want to get into bad habits.

"Maybe getting Akagi to give you a kitty body pillow would help you out." Naomi giggled.

"It's too late at night for this stuff..." Kana sighed. "Can we just go home?"

"Sure." Akagi snapped her fingers transporting the three of them back to the estate.

"What are you going to do now?" Kana asked.

"Not too much. Yumi is checking on Miji right now, so once she gets back I think we'll get to sleep as well." Akagi answered.

"Ok, well, good night, Onee-chan." Kana said, hugging her sister before heading off.

"Nite Akagi." Naomi turned and followed Kana toward the guest bedrooms upstairs.

Once the two disappeared into the hallway, Akagi hopped on the couch and checked the news with her phone. There was a bit of disappointment that the tournament broadcast was cut short due to the EMP from Halifax's attack, but Akagi made sure to upload a full version online once things were fixed.

"I guess some things never change." Akagi laughed as she put her phone down. "People act more civilized, but bloodsport is always popular."

Closing her eyes, Akagi sat on the couch for a few minutes until Yumi returned.

"Is something the matter?" Yumi asked, taking a seat next to Akagi. "I can tell your mind is racing by that look on your face."

"I'm just waiting, that's all." Akagi answered with a smile.

"For the Heroes?" Yumi knew that this issue was eating at her and that she was getting antsy being able to do little more than wait until they attacked.

"It won't be long now, I can tell." Akagi's lips curved into a smile.

{And then, it will be time for me to have some unrestricted fun.} (Akagi)