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« This is stupid. »
Evangelyne's three words were so harsh, so cold, so brutal. It wasn't the first time her friends' group was hearing her talking like that. To be honest, she was talking this way every time she hears some kind of idea that came out of Tristepin's Iop brain. Because let's be honest, Tristepin's ideas weren't the most thoughtful and even showed some kind of inconciousness you have to avoid. The kind of inconciousness that could cost lives if they weren't stopped at the right time by a more intelligent brain as the Cra one.
« It isn't stupide ! It's the essence of a true warrior ! »
Tristepin screamed. The little troup was sitting at a restaurant table of some city they stopped at while travelling. Ruel went to the counter, taking their food while Amalia was adjusting her appearance in the bathroom. Yugo was the only one at the table with Evangelyne and Tristepin, but he was to concentrated on Az's little steps, as he was eating some seeds, to pay attention to their debate. That's why he was kind of surprised when the orange-haired one asked him for his advice.
« Yugo, you agree with me right ?
W-What ?
We agree that being covered of scars, it's the proof of being a true hero !
Well...
Every great hero is covered of scars. Even Gods are ! They're the proof of the fierce battles they went to and that they're so strong they were victorious !
It's totally stupid, you mean. A scar is the proof of an inconcious injury you could avoid. »
Evangelyne was kind of right, saying that... Yugo remembered this mark Ruel made himself while running after a kama, rushing into a wall and hurting his head. There was clearly no glory in this and it was clearly a kind of injury he could easily avoid if the oldest in the group wasn't so obssessed with money.
« But wait, there some fights you can't avoid. Being marked like that is the proof Gods gave a hero some more time so he could win the battle ! Isn't that heroic ?
And for one hero blessed by Gods, how many of his comrades fall ? You really think the hero likes seeing his friends dying ? Fighting without being careful just to have some kind of cool scars is the stupidiest idea ever ! »
They were really bickering like a dog fighting a cat... Yugo was making himself as little as he could, not knowing which side to pick.
« What do you think, Yugo ? You agree with me right ? »
Oh no, Tristepin was asking for his opinion now !
« See that mark on my head ? It's when you defeated me, the day I fused with Rubilax ! That day you brought me back to reason but most importantly it was the beginning of our friendship. Without that scar, nothing would have happen between all of us !
- Now you're taking him by feelings ! You're really limitless Tristepin...
- Ah, Ruel ! »
Finally saved ! The old one was back with their food. Let's be honest Yugo prefered running from this conversation, even if fleeing wasn't the braviest thing for Tristepin. It was time to eat ! The youngest looked at his two friends for a while, looking at each other in a hateful way. It was weird, but Yugo wasn't worried. It's always been like that between Evangelyne and Tristepin. He knew that some time later, they'll reconciliate. Ruel was always saying that they loved each other and that fighting was a way to show love.
And he was kind of right, somehow.
***
« Daddy, daddy ! »
Little Elely ran suddenly towards her father, jumping on him. Tristepin was suddenly surprised, as he was sleeping.
« Gnn... What's going on ?
- Flopin is a true warrior !
- What ?
- He got his first cut ! »
Flopin was hurt ? It was kind of worrying.
« What's going on ?
- We were cooking with mom and he cut himself with the knife... Mom is healing him. »
The Iop got up and saw by the corner of his eye Evangelyne putting a little bandage on their son's, giving him one of her magical kisses on it right after. The little boy, who had tears in his eyes, seemed to calm down a little bit thanks to his mom's affection.
« Flopin is so lucky ! »
Tristepin wasn't sure to understand what his daughter was saying.
« He got his first warrior injury ! He's so strong ! I can't wait to have mine ! »
Oh, that was explaining so many things... Tristepin understood a little better what she was saying. And at the same time, he was thinking about his son's injury and his own injuries too. He had so many scars since then. His skin got darker, covered in burns. He lost an arm too. Yet he was still alive, still strong, a true hero like in the legends he was crazy about. A true warrior.
It might be because he was married to the careful and thoughtful Evangelyne, it might be because he was the father of two kids, soon three...
But he was struggling to appreciate the idea of his children being covered of scars after fierce battles like the one he fought.