Kai and Cassy sat down on the couch, each with a steaming cup of their tea of choice; Kai had chai tea while Cas had green tea. Both of them folded their legs comfortably under them and thus started the conversation of the events from yesterday.

As Kai got straight to the point, describing the cave with Kapt’n’s bloody wall design to the bones and ghostly apparition, Cassy’s eyes widened in shock. Her jaw further dropped when Kapt’n chimed into their minds {So far so good}.

Cassy yelped from the unexpected voice and jumped up, hot tea still in hand, threatening to splash her and the couch. Kai managed to quickly read the moment and saved her friend from the tea disaster, grabbing the dangling handle of the cup, pulling it out of her hand just as Cas stood up in shock.

“Wh-what the fuck was that” Cassy asked in alarm. Kai didn’t get to the medallion part yet so Kapt’n was an entity that wasn’t fully introduced yet.

“That ghost I just mentioned, its here, well, his name is Kapt’n and he’s residing in that necklace on Maomao” Kai casually explained, pointing to the curled up Maomao on the sofa chair across from them, half asleep.

Cas sat back down with a plop onto the couch with a dumb look on her face, eyes still wide staring at the cat and the jewel.

Kai briefly summarized the situation as simple, such as going to Aria, depositing the necklace, and staying there until a new sun or moon came up. She intentionally did not mention that there was a possibility of conflict or being stuck, just keeping it simple was better.

Cas swallowed and mechanically turned her head back to Kai, prying her eyes away from the inconspicuous cats.

“Oh, and I can now speak cat language,” Kai jokingly mentioned to Cas with a smile on her face. Cassy frowned, “That’s not funny,” she said, followed by a sigh.

“I don’t know what freaking shroom you ate this time to cause you to hallucinate and somehow develop telepathy, but I trust you to not die on me.” Cassy said firmly, crossing her arms.

It seemed that this wild notion of an otherworldly adventure was lost on Cassy however they trusted each other, and she accepted whatever truths Kai said as face value.

“Alright, this sounds so crazy! Another world, right? So that type of thing exists? So if I speak to Maomao, he would be able to talk back right?” Cassy then turned to Maomao and said, “Hey Shitty kitty, wake up. Say something. Are you smart or dumb?” Cassy provoked Maomao and waited for a response.

Maomao slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head, letting out a yawn and a small airy chirp-like sound after exhaling a breath, directing a look towards Kai.

“He said ‘shut up’ to you, Cass.” Kai confirmed, stifling a giggle under a new emerging smile. Cass’s smile faded and a new frown took its place. She got up from the couch and starting pacing behind it, with her hand on her chin, deep in thought. After a few laps, she stopped and turned to Kai, hands by her side.

“Alright, lets get packing for your trip. And see if we need anything else.” Cassy confirmed her thoughts and felt that she needed to help her best friend prepare for the worse.

They both headed for the computer and started to internet shop for items that Kai probably needed for self-defense and such. Mace, hunting knife, a type of easy to use and somewhat affordable assembly required light crossbow, camping supplies, water skin, flares, rope, batteries, etc. They also found an easy survivalist manual that broke down how to make essentials, ranging from different forms of primitive huts to making soap from scratch.

They both had fun picturing scenarios which different items could be used and helpful given the unknown situation. Kai felt better talking to her best friend and felt an ally on Earth. They ordered a bunch of items online, mostly for next day shipping and simply enjoyed the time they had together, leaning on each other’s strength. Kai needed Cassy and She needed her, both for emotional and mental support under their own situation. Cassy talked to Kai about her failed relationship and they both agreed it was for the best. Kai and Cassy both went into the bedroom and started to edit the closet, allowing Cassy to expand her wardrobe. Cassey unpacked and Kai revealed the new outfits offered for her friend to wear since they were a similar build and of no use to Kai on this trip.

Kai needed organizational help for her expedition. She was pragmatic on most things, but she was blind to the essentials needed later. They made a list and edited it meticulously, separating by category. Bathroom essentials, types of clothes, camping tools, cooking utensils, self-defense, and tools. Everything had to be well-thought-out because Kai had to carry it all on her tiny frame, so things couldn’t be too bulky if she had to run with the pack on. Consumables would be used up fast, so they needed to delve deeper into the tools required to move forward.

A camping multitool was a must-have as it had a variety of everything needed in a primitive setting, from a building scenario based on the types of blades to self-defense. Rope was a given as it would be used in various manners.

So many things had to be considered to go into this trip. As the girls were nearing their condensed train of thoughts, they realized that it was already dark out and rest was essential to continue on to the next day.