In the middle of the early morning, Ahri got close to Asriel to wake him up, stopping for a moment to see how 2B was cuddling to him.

Ahri (whispering): Awww look at those two lovebirds, I would be a shame if I take the pillow of this little android, ok you wanted to be the watcher while I sleep, so wake up boy.

She kicked his stomach to wake him up, which worked perfectly, Asriel jumped a little by the pain, turning an upset look to Ahri, asking for an explanation.

Ahri (Whispering): Wake up little man, is your turn to watch.

Asriel gave a look of understanding, but then noticed how 2B was hugging him, causing an unusual reaction on him, surprising Ahri significantly, he didn't become flustered or started to panic, he simply started stroking the hair of the sleeping android with a warm smile on his face. Ahri saw him get out of 2B's grip carefully and without waking her up. By the moment he stood at her side she simply made a wry smile.

Ahri: Care to explain when she became so close to you?

Asriel just answered with a face that wanted to say, "It can be helped isn't it?" making her sigh in response.

Ahri: Just pay attention to the surroundings, I need to sleep too.

Asriel gave her a smile as confirmation and climbed a tree to have a better view of the zone, he saw Ahri lying on the ground close to Ruby, he chuckled a little when the red hooded girl snuggled close to her.

Minutes passed, and he didn't saw or heard anything on the proximities, but even with that tranquility he never let his guard down. His entire attention was on the surroundings, it didn't take long for his efforts to paid off, an animal got close to the improvised camp, but to his surprise, it was a little puppy, more exactly it was a little fox, with golden shining fur.

Asriel was amazed by the sudden appearance of the animal, but something took his attention almost immediately after looking well at it, the poor animal was limping, so he jumped down of the tree without a second thought, still paying attention to his surroundings; the little fox noticed him and stopped moving, taking a defensive position to the human in front of him. Asriel thought for a moment how to show the animal that he wasn't a threat, when he remembered the rests of the dinner, so he turned back slowly to grab a piece of rabbit meat and offered it to the little fox.

The animal was hesitant for a moment, but soon enough he gave up and walked closer to the man, giving a little bite to the meat, as to imply that he still didn't trust the offering. Asriel let the meat piece on the ground to let the fox eat it, and little by little the fox started eating with more confidence.

Asriel saw the little puppy with warm eyes, however seeing his wounded paw make him frown a little; the puppy finished his meal and got closer to him, with his little eyes showing curiosity towards the human that offered him part of his food. Asriel limited himself to stroke the fur of the fox to make him feel comfortable, which seemed effective.

The atmosphere was filled with peace and serenity, until a relatively strong wind flowed to them, when the wind stopped, Asriel turned his sight to make sure the girls were still sleep, but what he saw make his heart stop.

None of them were there, the fox seemed surprised as well for the sudden disappearance of the girls, and before any of them could react a tree suddenly moved, swallowing the fox, Asriel tried to save the little animal but another tree caught him and swallowed him too.

The area was emptied in seconds, like nobody was there in the first place.

-Time skip-

Ahri opened her eyes slowly, a green light shinned in front of her making her avert her gaze momentarily, when her eyes accustomed to the light she noticed she wasn't sleeping on the forest, she was on a cave or something like one.

???: Uuuggghh.

She turned to the origin of the groan, Ruby was waking up at her side, 2B was close too, also waking up silently.

Ahri: Where are we?

Ruby: Huh? Ahri? Why are you waking me up? It's still dark out... side?

2B: How do we entered this cave? Where is Asriel?

Ruby: What is going on?

Ahri: Don't know, but we must figure it out, get up.

The three girls stood up and readied their weapons, Ruby took out and transformed her scythe while 2B materialized a pair of katanas.

Both turned to see Ahri expecting to see her ready to fight, but she was like usual, making Ruby ask in confusion.

Ruby: Do you know how to fight?

Ahri: Of course.

2B: Don't you have a weapon?

Ahri: Dear I am the weapon.

And just like that she took the lead and started walking naturally, making Ruby and 2B even more confused, they walked cautiously for a couple of minutes before entering a big hall, there where circular holes on the walls all over the place, the holes had 1 meter of diameter, with weird claw marks being visible. The three girls prepared for an ambush; and soon enough their expectations where accomplished, giant ants started to rush out of the holes, Ruby and 2B started to fight right away while Ahri stood there for a couple of seconds.

Seeing this opportunity, the ants didn't doubt to attack, but when the first was about to thrust its jaws on the fox girl, a blue flame incinerated the insect in a mere second, only leaving dust behind, the surrounding ants stopped their movements for a second, something that 2B couldn't ignore, striking them with a barrage of slashes.

Ruby was fighting on the left side of the room while 2B and Ahri where on the right side and close to the entrance respectively, she was completely focused on her opponents, so she didn't notice Ahri burning the ants.

Ant after ant, Ruby kept cutting through the enemy with fast and precise movements, whenever she saw herself in danger she would burst in rose petals and escape the danger, cutting everything on her path while doing so.

Ruby (thoughts): You must pay attention to your enemies Ruby, remember your sparring sessions with your team, focus your attacks on one at a time, strike multiple enemies if possible, never risk your integrity to finish a single enemy during a mass fight.

A group of ants formed an odd tower of themselves to let their companions climb it and jump to attack from above, but Ruby noticed this and slashed the ants that jumped to her, spinning her scythe on vertical cuts, loading a fire dust ammunition clip quickly and firing at the tower of ants, creating a little explosion; the fire begun to spread fast between the ants and made them back away from her. Ruby didn't waste time and thrusted the scythe on the ground, loaded a gravity dust clip and fired to the ants, causing a fire shockwave that launched the ants wrapped on flames.

Ruby: They are retiring, that must be enough, lets help the others.

But when she turned back she saw that 2B was slashing away every single ant that was stupid enough to get close to her; But something  else caught Ruby's attention, whenever she was about to receive damage, she disappeared for a moment and appeared a second latter, and every ant on the near area where bisected without any resistance.

Ahri on the other side wasn't less impressing, she was jumping and evading every single ant with grace and beauty, she never let any enemy touch her, it was like any of the ants weren't really aiming for her and where just attacking each other. But above everything else, the beautiful blue flames flying around her just made the sight of Ahri more charming and magical than normal. A normal person would have his or even her heart stolen by her at that moment.

Apparently, the ants noticed that they weren't opponents for the three girls and retreated to their holes, closing them after entering them.

The girls reunited on the center of the room, but before anyone of them could say something the cave started shaking, and a hole started forming on the ceiling. The three prepared themselves for any other giant insect or possible enemy, but what appeared in front of them was truly unexpected.

???: Hmph! So, you woke up already.

A little girl, 5 or 6 years old probably, descended from the hole, she was wearing a single piece dress, her long blond hair flowed until her waist, with the tips taking a green tonality, beautiful emerald eyes, a beautiful porcelain like skin, she looked like you could break her with just touching her.

???: I didn't know there was a nest of goliath ants in this place, I guess it doesn't matter anymore, I'll let you go out of here.

Suddenly the entrance where they came collapsed and a new hole appeared.

???: If you take that path you'll go out of this cave, now go.

2B: Wait, there was someone else with us, do you know where he is?

???: Someone else? I didn't see anyone, now go out immediately.

Ruby: Are you sure, there was a man with us, he was as tall as Ahri over here, silver eyes, black hair with a hint of blue, are you sure you haven't seen him?

???: I told you already, I didn't saw anyone, he probably abandoned you when you were sleeping.

Ahri: Wait, I assume it was you who put us down here. I want to know why.

???: I took you for error, I was aiming for something else.

2B: You were aiming for Asriel don't you?

???: W-wh-wha-what? A-ai-aiming for a m-mere human? O-OF COURSE NOT!!!

The little girl's face was red and filled with shame and anger. Which made the three girls feel suspicious.

???: W-why would I want someone mute?

Ahri: How do you know he was mute?

The little girl froze on her place, she talked too much

???: Go away, or I'll be forced to take you out of the way.

The eyes of the girl shined with killing intent, making Ruby step back while Ahri and 2B were immutable.

2B: What have you done to him!?

???: I warned you.

The little girl raised her hand and a green light started shining through the room, blinding the three girls momentarily; when they opened their eyes, what was in front of them make them step back unconsciously.

They where in the lake where Ahri and Ruby talked hours ago, the floor started to shake, and a giant mass of wood emerged from the lake, second by second the wood was accumulating taking a human shape, when a entire body was formed a great amount of bones started to come from inside the forest, ending on a huge creature, with human skulls attached to its waist. The little girl was now on top of the beast, which made Ahri click her tongue.

Ahri: Tsk, so, I have to kill this thing now!? Fine, come here and burn!

-An hour ago-

Asriel woke up slowly, a little fox was lying at his side, looking at him with piercing eyes. He sat up and analyzed his surroundings, he was in the middle of a hill, tress surrounded the perimeter of it, and one giant tree was behind him, he wondered what happened, little after that he remember that the girls were gone, and he was eaten(?) by a tree, but a small voice interrupted his thoughts.

???: You are awake, welcome, this is my little house.

Asriel turned to see who was talking to him, and saw a little girl, beautiful blonde hair that ended on green tips, emerald eyes that shined through the night, porcelain skin that felt so delicate, the girl was extremely beautiful, he stood there half amazed and half confused.

???: Don't worry, I won't hurt you, I just...

Asriel wondered himself how this little girl could hurt him, but he discarded the thought quickly, he looked to the little girl with an inquisitive gaze, trying to urge her to explain.

Marie: My name is Marie, I'm a dryad, I own this forest.

Asriel nodded in understanding and waited for her to continue her explanation.

Marie: I'm so, so, so, so, sorry for the rudeness of my actions, but, I needed it.

Asriel gave her a look of confusion before she spoke again.

Marie: I... I need you, I want you, to stay at my side, I've seen how you act since you entered the forest, you are kind, honest and innocent, I've been alone since I came to this world, today I'm becoming 6 years old, and what I want more than anything else... Is a family.

Marie broke into tears after saying that.

Asriel showed an amazed expression, and right after that he stood up and got closer to the little girl, giving her a hug, Marie was shocked by the sudden action of the man, but soon enough she hugged back crying on his shoulder.

Asriel (thoughts): She's been alone since her birth? Who would be able to do such thing to an innocent child?

Marie started to stop crying and tried to talk but most of it was just her babbling and it was impossible to understand a single word. When she finally calmed down, she talked again.

Marie: I just want to have a family, I've been alone for my entire life, even If a lot of people come to this forest, must of them come here to hunt or cut down trees, none of them admires life, none of them had the heart to help a little injured animal.

Asriel looked back to the little fox, he was walking normally now, he got close to Marie and jumped to her shoulder.

Marie: This is my friend Renard he is as old as me, we have been friends since the begging, when I saw you as a possibility, he went with you to confirm for himself if you were suitable for being our family. And you passed his test, you helped him when you saw he needed it.

Asriel pointed his finger to himself with a questioning look, surprised for Marie's election and the little fox's test.

Marie: Yes, you, when I first saw you I was able to feel it faintly, you are pure, there is no evil on your soul, like you were a newborn. Your soul is something that I, that we couldn't ignore. I beg you, please stay with us!

He could only stare at her amazed, but something important came back to his mind, he couldn't ignore the disappearance of his companions.

Marie noticed what he was thinking and tried to calm him down.

Marie: Don't worry about those women, their fine, none of them are hurt, I just take them away from here.

His expression became more relieved after hearing that, but then Marie seemed to notice something, she explained to Asriel trying to hide her irritation.

Marie: There is something I need to attend on the forest, could you wait here please?

Right after that she opened a hole on the earth and entered it. Asriel saw her going and started looking for a way out of the hill, he obviously didn't want to abandon Marie, but he couldn't abandon his friends either, even if he just knew them a day ago, they were everything he had.

Seeing his intentions, Renard growled to the man to stop him from living, only to receive a sad look. Asriel couldn't stay longer, he made his way to the trees on the limit of the hill and started climbing them with ease, even him was impressed by his physical abilities, but right before reaching the top he felt a that something like a jaw caught his leg and pulled him down.

When he turned to see what stopped him, he saw a 3 meters tall fox, his golden fur was shining with the moonlight. Renard was going to keep him there, even by force.

-Back to the girls-

The giant leshen was unstoppable, the more damage her received, the more trees he took from the forest to heal himself; Ahri's blue flames where extremely effective, but the monster always regenerated himself before she could assets the final blow.

2B was occupied cutting down the roots that appeared from the ground trying to stab them, while Ruby was sniping bone crows that the monster generated from his back.

On the head of the Leshen, Marie was sitting watching the fight with tears on her eyes.

Marie: JUST LEAVE!!! LET US BE!!!

Ahri: We are not leaving without our friend!!! So, you better return him to us!!!

Marie: WHY WON'T YOU LET US IN PEACE!!!??? WHY DO YOU EVEN CARE THIS MUCH FOR HIM!!!??? I NEED HIM MORE THAN YOU!!!

Ruby: He own his life, you can't hold him against his will!!!

Marie: I'M NOT FORCING HIM!!! I JUST WANT A FAMILY!!!

2B: You kidnapped him!!!

Marie: HE IS GOING TO BE WITH ME!!! FOREVER!!!!

Ahri: Not as long as I'm here!!

Marie: THEN I'LL WIPE YOU OUT OF THE WAY!!!

The giant leshen then raised his arm and brought it down with devastating strength, sending Ahri and 2B flying, they recovered in midair and prepared themselves for the next attack, which arrived quickly, a barrage of roots came to them as snakes going in and out of the floor, Ahri and 2B avoided the attack and started running over the roots; some bone crows tried to attack 2B but Ruby snipped them from afar, jumping on the trees to avoid roots attacking her.

More roots came flying to Ahri, but 2B stood in the middle and cut down every single one of them, leaving a free path to Ahri to strike the monster with all her might, she prepared a unusually big concentration of fire on her hands and dashed forward, throwing a cyan fireball to the leshen, the one meter diameter fire ball hit directly on the chest of the monster, or that is how it should have been, but the leshen protected himself with a wall of roots.

Ruby: Gyaaahhh!!!

2B: Ughht!!

Ahri turned to se that Ruby was below a tree trunk and 2B was flying in direction to Ruby. Both were taken down.

Marie: Now, why won't you give up? Just abandon him, I'll take care of him, no, he is going to take care of me, as my father.

Ahri: If is a father what you want, why don't you go to a city and enter an orphanage?

Marie: None of them are good enough, none of them are HIM, he is pure and kind, HIS SOUL IS JUST TOO PREFECT TO LET HIM GO!!!

Ahri: I'm giving you the same answer!!!

Ahri dashed again with a fireball on her hand, but the roots of the leshen stopped her, some thin roots pierced her arms and legs to immobilize her, leaving her on the ground bleeding.

Marie: I didn't want it to end like this.

Ahri: Uhgggh! You really thought that we... uugghh! would be able to abandon him?

Marie: You barely know him, why would you risk your life?

Ruby: Nnnnnggghh! because if we don't stay by his side, who will?

2B: We are everything he have!!!

Marie saw the will on their eyes, tears began to flow again, she didn't want to, but they'll never let her be happy with her new father.

Marie: Well, now he has me, goodbye.

But right before she could command the Leshen to finish them off, a powerful soundwave assaulted her.

Marie: W-what!?

Ruby: Nngghh what... was that?

When Marie looked back to the origin of the attack, she saw him there, her new father, riding Renard.

-Back in time with Asriel and Renard-

The giant fox stood in front of Asriel, seeing him menacingly, prepared to stop him from leaving the old tree.

Asriel looked everywhere to find a way to outwit the animal, both kept staring to each other eyes for a couple of seconds that felt like hours; and finally, the first one to make a movement was Asriel.

Suddenly a soundwave resounded through the area, a giant ethereal pipe organ appeared behind him playing an orchestral song filling his body with energy, his leg, which was bleeding by the bite of the giant fox, was somehow healed, and the tiredness was throwed away.

(Ignore the girl :v)

He started running directly to the huge canine, impulse by the energy of the sudden song, sliding down the fox, passing between his fangs and rolling down hill, Renard growled and started chasing after Asriel, and when he reached the wall of tress, stepped on it and jumped with a backflip, causing Renard to crash against the wall, destroying it.

Asriel (thought): How. The. Hell. I. did. That? Doesn't matter, I need to go out and look for the girls.

The pipe organ and music faded away as he started running, he passed the fox still lying on the ground, but behind him, sad snarls could be heard, crushing his heart every time he heard them. Asriel couldn't ignore the poor animal and ran back to him, kneeling in front of his giant snout.

Renard's eyes were beginning to be covered in tears, Asriel started to stroke the animal to comfort him, and immediately after a pipe rose from the ground at his side, playing a slower song to calm down the crying fox. Much to Asriel's surprise the song did much more than just calm down the animal, the song revitalized him and gave him new strength.

Renard approached to Asriel a little more, a bright light formed between the two and ended with a little lightning entering on the head of Asriel, right after that he started to hear a voice on his head, and an unexpectedly child like one.

???: Marie will be sad if you leave.

Asriel (thoughts): What? Is that...

Renard: Yes, I'm talking to you.

Asriel (thoughts): How can you do this?

Renard: I'm not just a regular fox as you can see. Are you sure you want to leave? Marie needs someone to guide her.

Asriel (thoughts): That's what I'm going to do right now, I'll go with her, and I'll invite her to come with us, of course you are welcomed too.

Renard: Leave... the forest?

Asriel (thoughts): Of course, you can't leave here your entire life, it'll be better to travel and discover the world, don't you think?

Renard: Discover... the world?

Asriel (thoughts): Are you going to answer every question like that for now on?

Renard: For now... on?

Asriel (thoughts): Ok now you are just fooling around.

Renard: Jejejejeje, ok, let's go to Marie.

Asriel nodded and jumped to ride Renard.

Asriel (thoughts): You are really fluffy, you know?

Renard: JAJA!!, this fur is my proud!

-Back to the present-

Asriel and Renard were in front of Marie, standing between her and Ahri. Marie was shocked, she couldn't believe what was in front of her, her trusted friend, let his future father escape, and even stood between her and the enemy. But above everything else, He saw everything.

Ahri: Asriel?

He jumped down from Renard's back and rushed to Ahri's side, seeing her wounds with a worried face, none of them were lethal, but they'll take a lot of time before healing, she might not be able to walk in months. He turned back to Marie, with anger on his eyes.

Marie was scared, she let him see a terrible scenario; and desperately tried to make an excuse, like a child that was trying to avoid a punishment from her parents.

Marie: I-I, I w-was, I was, I...

Asriel stopped her with a gesture, signaling her to come down. She was hesitant to do it, but the look on Asriel's face made her obey without giving any other response; once down she walked closer to him, while he was waiting for her with his arms crossed.

Marie: I-I'm sorry, I just didn't want to lose you, they were planning to take you away from me, I want you to be my family, I want you to be the father I always dreamed of!

She started crying after that, Asriel kneeled and gave her a hug. The roots started to disappear freeing the girls again.

As Marie was crying on Asriel shoulder, pipes started to appear around them and a song started playing.

https://youtu.be/KToROLFBsgc

As the music and Asriel's voice resounded, it was like the world was being turned into a fairy tale, the Leshen was being covered in flowers and started to fade away little by little, even the wounds in Ahri's arms and legs disappeared every time a kind soundwave reached her body, making her look amazed to the origin of the miracle.

When the dawn illuminated the lake, three girls and a giant fox witnessed the beginning of a long wished family.

Well here it is, there is a new member on this wierd team, and the ability of Asriel was revealed!! well one of them, I hope you like it, thanks a lot for reading this and made all the way down to here, see you in the next chapter, Bye.