Chapter 30 - Earnest Plea

“What are you doing here?” Yuzu asked, genuinely surprised to see Char Char in front of her.

Her mind flashed back to the horrific wounds that Char Char had suffered from the monster. She had been pierced through her stomach! Since Char Char’s thread didn’t appear to break or become too weak, Yuzu had been fairly certain that her friend wouldn’t die that night. But she expected to hear some sort of news in the next day or two of Char Char’s grievous injuries. She’d even worried a bit that Char Char would be crippled for life, but it was better than her being dead.

How was Char Char here, looking like nothing had happened?

It was like seeing a ghost materialize in front of her! Or a zombie rise from the dead! Yuzu felt like poking Char Char’s belly with a stick just to be sure that it wouldn’t go straight through.

“Can we go inside first?” Char Char squirmed a bit under Yuzu’s gaze. “I need your advice. Oh, and a change of clothes.”

“Sure-“ Yuzu said hesitantly, stepping aside so Char Char could go in first.

Char Char quickly stepped inside the back door, entering the kitchen. Yuzu followed behind cautiously. Although Char Char was familiar with the Xing residence, she hadn’t been here in years. It brought back memories of childhood.

“We have a lot of clothes in the shop.” Yuzu said, closing the door behind them, “You can have your pick.”

“Can you choose some for me? I’d rather not be seen by anyone.” Char Char said. She was worried that if someone she knew saw the blue hospital gown they’d ask questions and even stop her from going anywhere while they called her grandfather.

Char Char had actually arrived an hour and a half ago. She had hid out in Yuzu’s backyard while she listened to Zwei and Xiang have breakfast through their open window. She knew that Zwei would be fine with whatever story she came up with, but she didn’t want to deal with Xiang. She’d overheard that both of them would be leaving ‘soon’ and so waited in hiding for this very moment.

She had come up with a detailed explanation to convince Yuzu to help her, and even planned contingencies for if Yuzu slammed the door in her face. So she was surprised when Yuzu immediately turned around and headed to grab clothes from the shop.

“Sure.” Yuzu said simply, “You look ridiculous in that coat anyways.”

Char Char fumed silently as Yuzu disappeared down the hallway. The taller girl returned moments later with a bundle of clothes in her arms.

“Have your pick.” Yuzu dumped the clothes on the table. “I’m not sure what style you wanted so I grabbed a few types.”

“Thanks, Yuzu!” Char Char said as she immediately grabbed a light blue pleated skirt from the pile. “You’ve saved me!”

The bubbly girl didn’t notice anything as she perused through the clothes, but Yuzu was frozen in shock as she eyed Char Char. Did she know Yuzu had helped her? Yuzu briefly wondered if the girl was sending her a signal, but immediately dismissed it. If she really did know that Yuzu had saved her, Char Char wouldn’t be so indirect.

“Y-you can pay for the clothes later.” Yuzu stammered, picking up a white blouse to have somewhere to place her eyes. “It doesn’t look like you have money on you right now, right?”

“Yes, of course!” Char Char said, looking up at the blouse. It was frilly, and perhaps a little bit short - it was a youthful blouse that exposed the midriff. “Oh that one’s nice.”

As she reached out to it, Yuzu suddenly pulled it away. “Ah. This one is probably too... exposed.” She couldn’t help but shoot a glance at Char Char’s stomach, wondering if there was a grisly, gaping wound hidden behind the coat.

“Oh-“ Char Char caught the glance, then looked down to see that the coat had opened, exposing the plain blue hospital gown below it. “Ah- I can explain-“

Char Char took a breath, bracing herself to explain what had happened on the previous night, however she was interrupted by Yuzu.

“It’s ok. I don’t need to know.” Yuzu said, dropping the blouse on the table and turning away. “I need to open the shop, so… take your time.”

Yuzu quickly walked out of the kitchen to the shop without waiting for Char Char to respond. As she left, she inwardly cursed to herself for acting so strangely. If Char Char didn’t suspect her before, she definitely would think something was up by now!

I really need to learn how to hide when I’m surprised. I’m way too transparent. Yuzu berated herself as she unlocked the shop’s front door and propped it open. She flipped a sign in the shop window to show they were open for business.

If Char Char didn’t know about her involvement, it would be best to not say anything, Yuzu decided as she took a broom from the corner, continuing her morning routine. In fact, even if Char Char were to ask directly, I should deny it.

The last thing she wanted was for her friend to look at her with eager eyes and ask about her new abilities and powers. The thought of it made Yuzu squirm inwardly. She didn’t want the attention. She didn’t want Char Char to think that she owed her anything, either.

A quick glance at the golden threads in the shop told her that it would be a quiet day in the store.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Char Char had finished changing. She had decided against the skirt and settled for a comfortably loose pair of earth brown cotton pants with a drawstring. Over top it she wore a beige blouse with short sleeves and a scoop neck. She had folded the hospital gown and hidden it under the ugly brown coat, which she left on the table.

The bandages on her arm clearly stood out. There was only a mild pain from the wounds, which had mostly healed during the night. There was a light scabbing over several gash marks that would probably scar over. It wasn’t a pretty sight, so she decided that it looked better to keep the bandages on.

Yuzu was acting strange, but Char Char had expected it. After all, who expects their friend to show up early in the morning in a hospital gown asking for help?

If she even still considers me as her friend. A bitter thought crossed Char Char’s mind as she thought about the cold treatment that Yuzu had been giving her. It wasn’t a new development. Yuzu had become progressively colder towards her over the past six years, ever since her parents had died.

Perhaps Yuzu was only helping her out of politeness. Char Char felt herself deflate as she wondered if there was anything she had done to make Yuzu dislike her.

No. I shouldn’t think this way. Char Char stopped herself from sighing and shook her head vigorously. She wanted to hold on to the image of the Yuzu from her childhood. The Yuzu that was carefree and imaginative. Quiet, shy, and sometimes a bit blunt, but caring in her own way.

Char Char thought about Yuzu’s hesitation with handing her the white blouse. Char Char had tried it on after and decided against it - It was cute, but Yuzu was right that it was perhaps a bit too exposing.

Char Char wanted to believe that Yuzu cared about her. She just maybe had trouble showing it, for whatever reason. That’s why Yuzu had stopped her from taking the blouse.

After a few minutes, Char Char went to the front to find Yuzu. She let the bandages stand out on her arm, without trying to hide them. As she entered the shop, she saw Yuzu’s eyes immediately go to the bandages.

“Yuzu, I need your help.” Char Char said firmly, her amber eyes serious.

The tall, thin girl stopped sweeping the floor and held the broom in front of her as she examined Char Char with a neutral expression.

“Last night, I went to the shrine by myself. It was... It was stupid, I guess. I ended up being attacked by wolves.” Char Char said, looking down at her bandages. “I was saved by a hunter. He fought off the wolves and took me to a clinic by the woods.”

Char Char decided to keep out the details of the monster for now. She didn’t want to distract from the purpose of her appeal to Yuzu for help.

“I was hurt.” Char Char continued, “I mean, really hurt. I almost died last night.”

She subconsciously held the left side of her abdomen as she spoke, “But I was saved by a cleric. He healed me, with, with spiritual abilities. There was a huge hole in my body but now it’s gone. Yuzu, this sounds crazy but you have to believe me.”

“Show me.” Yuzu said, her eyes on Char Char’s mid section.

Char Char frowned as she gathered the bottom edge of the blouse and lifted it up, revealing a perfectly normal looking abdomen. “There’s... There’s no scar. Because he healed it completely.”

Char Char read the complicated expression on Yuzu’s face and covered up her belly again. She stepped forward gesturing to the bandages on her arm, “I know, it’s hard to believe but you can look at the bite marks on my arm if you want. They’re almost healed, but you can tell that they were really bad. You can tell it would have been impossible for it to heal this much-”

“I believe you.” Yuzu said quietly.

“Eh?” Char Char paused in surprise.

“I said I believe you.” Yuzu sighed, exasperated.

“O-okay...” Char Char nodded, surprised. “There’s one more thing. The reason why I came here. Those wolves that attacked me... There was something strange with them. They had plants growing out of them, like vines. And when I was at the clinic, there was a woman there who was suffering from the same thing.”

“Vines?” Yuzu asked.

“She looked really bad... The cleric was trying to find the cure for the disease. He received a message that said that the cure could be made from a really rare type of mushroom, and he had no idea where to find it.”

Char Char had rehearsed this part in her head so many times in the past hour that it felt like she was acting. “I thought about how you always seem to know the prices of rare or obscure items. There was one time where you made a lot of money off of this old knife that someone pawned at the shop. Do you remember?”

“Yeah.” Yuzu said. It had been three years ago, maybe. Yuzu remembered excitedly telling everyone about how she had found an antique collector that was willing to pay twenty times what she had bought the knife for. She’d probably even told Char Char - they weren’t that estranged back then. Even Xiang was impressed.

“So I thought maybe you’d be able to help me find it. It’s called Biltishroom. It’s a pasty yellow mushroom that grows in places like deserts. It’s mostly used to make poison.” Char Char said, “Actually I think it’s only used to make poison.”

“If we can find the mushroom, we can save that woman. I’m sure of it.” Char Char ended decisively.

Yuzu had a complicated expression on her face as she looked down at the floor, holding onto the broom with both hands as if she was resting on it like a walking stick. She didn’t respond immediately, her lips twitching in thought as she considered Char Char’s plea.

Char Char waited with bated breath for Yuzu’s response. She was prepared to drop to her knees and beg, or to promise to pay her a bunch of marks to help out. Anything to recruit her friend’s help. Yuzu didn’t have to believe her. Just having her help was enough.

After a few moments, Yuzu looked up and nodded.

“I have an idea of where we can find it.”