Book 4: Chapter 76: Patch 13.0: Operation: Operation

While the groups may not be explicitly set up for a “boys’ night” nor “girls’ night” anymore, each of them has much more fun than they were previously having.

Between Tabitha, Nell, and Oleander, those on The Shoebill never run out of things to talk about. Oleander proves his ability to expand on any conversation—albeit in perverse ways, usually—and Tabitha and Nell are both able to work with that better than when it was mainly just them doing the talking.

As for those on the serpent’s back, they enjoy their alcohol—save for Cassiel—and have some fun fishing. It mainly ends up being Corwin and Cassiel doing the fishing and chatting while Serra tries to tease Fenrir, forcing him to be careful and make sure that neither of them falls off from the serpent’s back.

Naturally, the serpent doesn’t approve of Serra grinding herself back against Ryouta’s crotch while on her back and tries to get Fenrir to make her stop. When that doesn’t work, the serpent turns her head around and spits water onto both of them while Cassiel and Corwin laugh at the whole sight.

And then there is the one woman probably doing something that she shouldn’t be doing. She definitely should not be doing what she is.

Fireworks are dangerous enough on their own.

Azalabulia doesn’t think so.

After leaving a few fireworks for the others on The Shoebill to play with, she has taken all leftover rockets and is having herself a Tabitha moment by performing mad science mixed with dangerous magic to create the ultimate firework.

She may just be a kindergarten teacher in real life right now, but that doesn’t mean that’s all she knows how to teach.

Her original degree is for teaching something much more… reactive.

Rock and Shogun are the only two keeping Azalabulia company right now. Though, it is more like they are lying next to each other while watching whatever it is that she’s doing.

They may not fully understand Azalabulia’s mumbling and giggling to herself, and they know that they should probably be really worried about what is going to happen once she’s done, but they have decided to keep going and see what happens.

The time to stop has already come and gone.

“Yo,” Rao says, lying down on The Shoebill’s deck next to Shogun.

Azalabulia looks at him and then looks around to see who he’s talking to. It is only when she notices that the others are all on the other side of the deck that she realizes he’s talking to her.

“I-I-I’m dating Fenrir!” Azalabulia declares.

Rao sighs and says, “I know. Everybody is. I’m just here to chill, don’t worry. I wouldn’t try anything with one of my bro’s girls.” He looks over at the others. “Besides, the shortie is keeping an eye on me.”

Azalabulia looks at where he is and sees Tabitha sending suspicious looks his way whenever she’s not talking. “A-ah, I see,” Azalabulia says.

“Yeah. So, you’re not going to blow us all up, right?”

Azalabulia nervously smiles and freezes for a few seconds before saying, “I – I’m sure that it will be fine.”

“You don’t sound sure.”

“Do not doubt the Wielder of the Cursed Flame of Bahamut.”

“Couldn’t you just use your magic to make explosions instead of having to use these rockets?”

“It’s more fun this way.”

“At least you’re honest. Anyways, if you need help with making sure it’s not going to explode in your face, just let me know. You’re my bro’s girl, so that makes you one of my bros, too.”

“I – I’m your bro?” Azalabulia asks with her head tilted to the side.

“Yeah.”

“But – but I’m a girl.”

“So is the deer, but he’s still my bro.”

“B-but you just called him a he…”

“Don’t worry about the finer details. Well, worry about them when it comes to this rocket you’re making,” Rao says, stroking the hand he’s not lying on against Shogun’s back. “The point is that you’re my bro, so I’m down for helping you if you need anything.”

Azalabulia looks to the sides, up, down, and then finally at Rao to ask, “Does… does this mean that we’re friends?”

“I mean, yeah, that’s exactly my point. Aren’t we all bros here?”

Azalabulia smiles, looking back down at her monstrosity of a magically-enhanced firework.

“I – I guess so,” she says.

“Besides, me and you have got to stick together since we’re the two newest members,” he explains.

“We are?”

“Did you forget we joined up with these guys on the same day? They met you just a couple of hours after they met me. Me, you, and Shogun are the newest.”

“So, we’re like twins!” Azalabulia says with an excited voice and bright eyes.

“Twins? Huh?”

“Y-you know! It’s like being born at the same time, but joining the group at the same time!”

“I’m pretty sure we’d be more like brother and sister than twins in that case,” Rao says, looking her over. Sure, there are girl and boy twins who look similar, but he knows that they look nothing alike.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-seven, why?”

“You’re – you’re older than me! Finally! Everybody is always younger!”

Meanwhile, Tabitha whispers to Nell and Oleander about how Rao is even more pathetic now that they know just how old he is.

“You can be my big brother!” Azalabulia tells Rao.

“Uh… what?” Rao asks.

Even the others have dropped their conversation to listen in on whatever strange discussion is happening between these two.

“Since we joined at the same time and you’re older, and you keep saying we’re ‘bros’ which is like brother, so that makes you my big brother!” Azalabulia explains.

“How old are you again?” Rao asks with a tilted head.

“Twenty-six! I’m younger for once!”

“Aren’t you a teacher?”

She nods.

“And you’re calling me your big brother now?”

She nods more.

“Al-alright then. I guess I should call you sis instead of bro?”

She nods even faster.

Tabitha, Nell, and Oleander have no idea what to make of the current situation and are equally confused about him actually accepting this situation.

“Alright, sis,” Rao says. “Anyways, hurry up and finish your rocket. I want to see this before I wake to go to bed.”

“I’ll be done soon, b-bro,” Azalabulia says.

The other three look at each other.

“What were we talkin’ about again?” Tabitha asks.

“I have no idea,” Oleander says.

“I wonder if Fenrir would be alright with me pretending to be his little sister… albeit in a much more sexual context,” Nell says.

“Do ya even have to ask?” Tabitha asks.

“She has a point,” Oleander says. “Fenny would probably be begging you to do that if he had just a little bit less shame.”

Nell begins plotting.

“Alright, done!” Azalabulia says to Rao. “What do you think? Can you see anything wrong?”

“Uh, yeah, tighten that part right there some more,” Rao says, pointing at the bottom of the rocket.

“Like that?”

“Yeah. Everything else looks good. Ready to shoot it?”

Azalabulia nods her head.

“Then let’s get up to the bow. It’ll be safer to shoot it from there. By the way, sis, how much magic did you put into this thing?”

Azalabulia grins and says, “A lot.”