The rest of our journey was unspectacular. At some point, I hoped that something, anything, would happen. Maybe we’d find a traveling merchant we could bargain with. Then again, maybe it was a good thing we didn’t come across one. Didn’t need another nail in my coffin to remind me of how damn poor I was.

After a while, I tried to reach out to Cannoli.

I’d talk and say what I thought were encouraging words. Cannoli never answered back, though. Instead, she batted my hand away and quickened her pace. I didn’t know what to do. Keke’s head was bowed the entire time. Ravyn didn’t seem bothered one way or the other.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a field of… something. I couldn’t tell what it was, but the ground had been dug out about halfway up my calf and filled with water. Sprouts of green stuck out from the surface, and I knelt for a closer look.

“Have you never seen a rice field?” Ravyn asked.

“Never.” I shook my head. I reached out to touch the blooms, but Ravyn was quick to pull me back by the collar, causing me to yelp and topple to my ass.

“Don’t touch them. They don’t belong to you.”

“I was just curious,” I mumbled as I looked away.

“Is that her?” Keke pointed to a catgirl by the old house’s doorstep. A young woman dressed from head to toe in thick, multi-layered fabrics was hunched over a planter with a hand shovel. Her bushy, black tail swayed as she worked. “Gotta be, right?”

“Shizen! Shiiiizeeeeen!” Ravyn yelled, waving her arm excitedly.

Shizen stopped and raised her head. “Ravyn! Long time no see!”

“Let’s go see her,” said Ravyn, motioning across the bridge overseeing the field.

We made our way across, Cannoli some distance behind us. I glanced back to see she was staring downward, her lips pinched together in a pout. I double-backed, slowing my stride so that I stood next to her.

“Hey,” I said.

She didn’t look up.

“If there’s anything I can do to help, just tell me, okay?”

Her ears twitched, but she remained silent.

“For now, let’s go see Ravyn’s friend. Then we’ll go from there.”

She chewed her lower lip but nodded after a time and made her away across the bridge.

As we stepped onto the porch, the squeak of the floorboards startled me. Shizen laughed.

“Sorry, sorry! Been meaning to get those replaced.” Shizen brushed her gloved hands across her trousers, then laughed again as she looked at them. “I’m a mess. Hugs later.”

Ravyn smiled. “Of course. It’s good to see you again.”

“And with a new man, I see.” Shizen glanced in my direction and winked. I scratched the back of my head and pretended not to see. “How’ve you been? No, no, no, that’s the wrong question. Where’ve you been?”

Ravyn shrugged as Ball came to land on her shoulder. “Around.”

“You could’ve at least wrote! It’s been almost a year now since I’ve heard from you. Was beginning to wonder if you got yourself into some weird trouble again.”

“Again?” I asked.

“That’s not important,” Ravyn said with a wave of her hand.

“You two sure are quiet,” Shizen said, looking around Ravyn to other members of our party. “In case you missed it, I’m Shizen.”

“I’m Keke.” Keke looked behind her, and with a frown, she pulled Cannoli to stand beside her. “And this here’s Cannoli.”

“Keke. Cannoli. What cute names!” Shizen bowed at the waist with a hand to her breast. Keke and Cannoli mirrored her, albeit awkwardly.

“You’ve never been to San Island, have you?” Shizen said with a knowing smile.

Keke let out a nervous laugh. “That obvious, huh?”

“We arrived at the port just yesterday,” said Ravyn. She interlocked her arms at my elbow and pulled me closer. The heat rose to my cheeks at the sensation of my arm between her breasts. “Looking to teach this young man how to make [Energy] food.”

Shizen’s mouth hung agape, her eyes alit with wonder. “I know just the thing!” Shizen unlaced the bonnet to reveal a pair of black ears much like Keke’s. Shizen opened the door to her home with a “Wait right here!”

“You’re the best,” said Ravyn.

“The best! The best!” Ball repeated.

“Yeowch!” Ravyn cried as she let go of me. Ravyn swung her tail around and gripped it tight, her eyes glossed over.

“Whoops,” said the indifferent Keke.

Cannoli put a hand over her mouth, and her eyes widened. “Keke!”

Ravyn turned around with a fiery stare. “Good one.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Keke removed one of her gloves and examined her nails in the light. “Maybe you just stepped on it. It’s really long. Kind of homely, even.”

Ravyn clenched her hand. “You would know.”

I don’t like where this is going. What the hell just happened?

“Hey, hey, easy there.” I moved to stand between the girls, pushing them a few feet apart. “Let’s focus on the task at hand, okay?”

Keke raised a brow. “So, that’s how it is.” She folded her arms and sat in a nearby rocking chair.

“What—”

“I’m back!” Shizen reappeared and shut the door behind her. Good timing. “I’m sure Ravyn’s told you all about it, but I got five pouches of seeds you can have. Only cause you’re good friends with Ravyn.”

“Just the best,” Ravyn said through gritted teeth.

Shizen passed looks between each of us. “Something happen?”

“No,” I said. “You were saying?”

“Um. That’s it.” Shizen held out the five paper pouches, and I took them. I was grateful they all fit in the palm of my hand. Depending on how my [Cat Pack] was looking, I figured it might be a better idea to just hold onto them.

“Hold on. Ravyn, I thought I was coming here to learn. I don’t know the first thing about farming.”

Shizen narrowed her brow. “You don’t?” Ravyn’s eyes averted Shizen’s gaze, and Shizen sighed as if realizing something. “Some things really do never change.”

“Shizen—” Ravyn began.

“It’s fine,” she said with her palm held outward. “You owe me a drink later, though. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

So now I was going to learn how to farm. I suppose it was only a matter of time until I learned what the [Harvesting] craft looked like. I hadn’t had a lot of interest in it the first time I saw the option in the iPaw. Now though? It wouldn’t make for a bad break in between making potions and fighting to survive. Maybe growing my own spices or plants could aid my [Alchemy].

I found myself smiling at the thought. I rocked back and forth in the chair and rested my hands behind my head. A cool breeze nurtured the skin beneath the robe Shizen lent me, and the chirping of crickets calmed my nerves while I thought.

Then the image of Cannoli feeding the elixir into the dying cub’s mouth came back to mind, fresh as the moment it happened.

I wonder why she feels so unwelcome? I thought everything was fine.

The front door clicked open a moment later, and Cannoli walked out in a robe similar to mine. Her wooden sandals clicked and clacked, and I called to her.

“Hey.”

Cannoli gasped, then looked away. She shut the door and took to a seat opposite of the doorway, away from me. Guess she wasn’t expecting anyone.

“Sorry,” I heard her mumble. Cannoli wore the tragic beauty thing well. The moonlight shone on her fair skin, her bright red eyes searching for anything distracting.

Well, it won’t do any good waiting for her.

“Cannoli, I want to know what’s wrong. I’m worried about you. I’m sure Keke and Ravyn are too.”

Cannoli shook her head. “I’m wasting everyone’s time and efforts.”

“Why do you say that?”

Cannoli fidgeted. “I’m not very smart or athletic. I can’t fight like Keke does. I don’t know the spells that Ravyn has.” Her lips trembled. “I couldn’t even help the baby cub.”

I leaned forward in my chair. I hoped she knew that I was trying to give her my full, undivided attention. “To be fair, Keke’s a very good shot. I don’t think anyone could’ve saved him.”

“You’re wrong. If I had just gotten another point of [Stabilize] instead of [Blessed Light], then I could’ve saved him. I don’t make a good [Acolyte].”

“Then get a point of [Stabilize] next level. I get it. You didn’t want to blind us. I’m sure I would’ve made the same decision.”

Cannoli looked up with a wry smile. “Is that why you made so many potions?”

My mouth hung open for a moment. “No! I got them for everyone. Just so we had them for emergencies. You have some too! Believe me, I trust in you.”

“That nice of you to say, but I’m not stupid. I know I can’t heal anyone.”

“But that’s wrong. You stopped me from bleeding on the night with the minotaurs. I’d be dead otherwise. I’m sure of it.” Cannoli paused, and I pressed on, confident that I had found a hole in her logic. “It was you who taught me how to brew the potions. Keke wouldn’t have been able to get the nyapples down without you. You’ve contributed more than you think.” I chuckled. “Definitely more than me. You’ve taught me a lot. I bet you’ve got a green thumb.”

She tilted her head. “‘Green thumb’?”

“Means you’re good at gardening, keeping plants alive, things like that.”

“A-ah. Yeah, a little. Doubt I’m as good as Shizen.”

“Ah, Cannoli.” I rose from my chair and walked over to her, taking the seat next to her. I briefly wondered why a single woman had so many chairs on her porch “You better not be. You see how she is? She looks like she’s been doing this her whole life. That wouldn’t be fair.”

Cannoli looked down, then back to me. She repeated the motion, picking at the hem of her robe. “No. I suppose you’re right.” A brief silence passed by us. Cannoli ran a hand through her hair, then leaned up against me. “You’re very kind. Thank you.”

I swallowed hard and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m just being honest. There is no party without you.”

“I’m so glad you feel that way.” Cannoli nuzzled her head against my shoulder. Her ears twitched in the most adorable fashion I’d seen yet.

“I mean it.”

The mood was ruined by the crashing of the front door. Cannoli and I shot upward, sitting up straight-backed in our chairs. Behind the sound was Shizen. Her robe was sloppily put together, with one of the sleeves drooping down to reveal her bare cleavage. My stare was broken by her scream.

“They’re coming! I feel it in my bones! Little bitches are on their way!”

“But this is a [Sanctuary], right? Appear, iPaw.” The device manifested into my hand. In the corner of the screen where the star had been hours ago, a pair of interlocked swords had taken its place. “The hell?”

“A [Sanctuary] is just a safe place for that time. It doesn’t mean it’ll stay that way,” Cannoli explained.

Hey, see Cannoli? You’re helping plenty.

“Ah, shit.”

“They’re coming!” Shizen yelled again.

“The fuck you on about?” Ravyn appeared in a robe of her own. It was a beautiful red outlined with black. It bore a shine that none of the other robes had. Looked comfortable as hell. Ravyn wiped at her sullen eyes, her pointed teeth bared in irritation. “Oh… oh no.”

“What’s wrong?” Keke pushed Ravyn to the side as she stepped outside with the rest of us. She gasped. “What is that?”

“Locusts. They’re going to eat my crops!”

“[Combat mode!]” I cried out. In a flash, my robe disappeared, replaced by my leather garb and axe. The girls parroted the change and, within seconds, we were armed for the swarm that approached. That is, save for Cannoli. “Cannoli, come on! Switch over!”

“But there isn’t anything I can do here.”

“Sheesh! Get out of the way!” Ravyn shoved her way through the group and stood at the edge of the porch. “Oh flames of life, grant my enemy misery. [Fire Ball]!” A magic circle with dozens of foreign symbols came to life beneath Ravyn’s feet.

“Wait!” The alarmed Shizen reached for Ravyn’s shoulder, but it was too late. The flame left Ravyn’s hands and soared into the sky with purpose. It crashed into the swarm with an explosion, sending dozens of the flying insects to the ground like the spent edges of fireworks. “Don’t!”

“Why not? Do you want your crops devoured?” Ravyn yelled back.

“You’ll set my farm on fire!”

Ravyn blinked. A couple of the rice plants sizzled in the darkness. The flames hungrily devoured the plant up until the water snuffed it out. “A-ah. I see.”

“So do something about it!”

“Guess we’re doing this the hard way,” said Keke. Dropping her bow on the ground, she pulled out a small dagger from behind her belt and ran into the field, swiping at the hungry horde.

“Then the other side’s mine.” I took to the side opposite of the bridge and began swinging at any miniature monstrosity I could find. Sometimes I’d find my mark. Most times I missed. It felt like we were a bunch of misfits, swinging our weapons around at nothing. There was a reason you never used a hammer to kill a fly. My axe connected with another, cutting it clean in half. “Got another one!”

“Great! Only hundreds left to go!” Shizen stamped her feet against the floor and ran back into the house, screaming, “I’m getting my net!”

“Ball Gag! Go get them!” The parrot tilted its head, then flew off in Keke’s direction.

The longer it went on, the more it was evident that this was a lost cause. They showed no signs of fear and were next to impossible to hit. We just didn’t have the right tools for this.

Warning! Matt’s Energy is low! Find a safe place to rest!

“Damn it! I know! Shut up!” I swung my axe and cleaved through another locust. We were getting overrun. It’d gotten to the point that I had to start throwing them off of me. They seemed to catch on, as they were starting to attack us now. Blood dripped from pinpoint welts and bite marks they left on my skin. They stung like hell. But even worse—they itched. “Get off of me!”

“Cannoli! Help!” The locusts had bit into Keke too. I could only see her from the waist down, but they’d ripped into her clothing. Splotches of red and pink decorated her legs, and as the fight dragged on, I was becoming less worried about the farm and more worried for our safety. It’d be a death by a thousand cuts—well, bites—if something didn’t change.

“Cannoli!” Three more locusts landed on top of me, biting into my skin like serrated razors. I grabbed one and crushed it in my hand, batting another way with my axe and biting into the third, decapitating it with my teeth. What the hell were these things made of? Cannoli reeled in disgust as I turned toward her. “We need you! Help us!”

I had no idea if it would even work. As stupid as it was, I felt Cannoli needed to realize it on her own. I would tell her outright before I explained to Leiana why I was back in that courtroom. But I wanted to give Cannoli the chance to figure it out first.

Cannoli puffed up her chest and furrowed her brow. “Okay! I’ll try! [Combat Mode]!” Cannoli’s combat attire materialized on the spot. Like the magical girl I knew, she held out her scepter and spun it like a baton before bringing it close to her chest. Then she raised the scepter into the air and screamed, “[Blessed Light]!”

I shut my eyes in anticipation before my lids were soaked with light. Soon after, I opened them and was thrilled by what I saw. Locusts plummeted to the ground all around us. Their legs twitched a few times, then lie still. More dropped into the water and, from what I could see, they weren’t swimming or searching for purchase. I assumed them dead.

Moments later, Shizen reappeared with a gigantic bug net in hand. “I found it! Let’s round them… up?” The net dropped at her side, her mouth hung agape. “What did I miss?”

“Cannoli just saved your farm.”

New Notifications!

Matt has gained: 1 Level of Kindness!

Matt has gained: 20 XP!

Keke has gained: 22 XP!

Cannoli has gained: 45 XP!

Ravyn has gained: 3 XP!