Chapter 29: Propaganda! Puzzle

The return walk was different from the walk to the bath. Billie held my hand and led the way without walking in front, guiding me in little ways having made the trip many times in the dim lights that were placed on the buildings and occasional street stalls. There were still people out and about on the streets, fewer than in the daytime, but still a good number given the size of God’s Bath. Short folks, tall folks, thin, wide, folks with big ears and enormous eyes all doing their business more quietly than the people had managed in the sunlight.

“I’d not paid you for my share of the bath, Monday. Would you like a snack, or a drink?” Billie was looking over to one of the stands as she asked.

“Billie, if you don’t agree with distancing just say so, I’m okay with that.” I looked down at our joined hands. “I don’t want to cause any trouble for you or Bernie, but I’m happy to stay friendly with you if you’re not worried. You can just… let go if you are.” We’d had a short conversation before leaving the bath, mostly me agreeing that if I was a danger, it might be smarter to be less friendly with me.

Billie stopped and scuffed her foot at the road before looking up at me. “I want to stay friends. I’ll have a talk with him before breakfast, just in case he gets worried.”

“Then let’s go straight back. If Ann is still up I’ll buy a desert and tea for us to share. Still reading to do, but I’d rather have a nice chat than read that notebook.”

Ann was up, and though there were some folks eating a late meal or having an early start at the Pillow and Pie, she brought us right back to a small table I’d seen in the kitchen. Bernie was making up dishes for the customers, but Billie had told me she started earlier and finished earlier as she did the baking and pastries.

Anyhow, Billie and I had a few cookies and some milk. Bernie dropped by and gave Billie a hug from behind, planted a kiss on her head and snuck off with a cookie as he returned to the griddle. Ann would stop by every few minutes or so, having checked the front room, take a sip of tea and a nibble of a frosted pastry before going back out again.

Ann wouldn’t let me pay, saying I’d done so well with storekeeper Goode that she didn’t feel right taking my coin for a snack, even if she’d already provided a slice of blueberry pie with dinner.

“He’s very sweet to you.” I whispered to Billie.

Not even glancing at Bernie she met my eyes. “Yes, exceptionally sweet.”

“Ouch, sweet isn’t good?”

“Sweet is great.” Billie agreed. “But not always.” She leaned in to me after having another sip of her tea. “Not everything is a cookie, pie or cake. Sometimes you want a bit of spice. And even with sweets, you need a hint of salt.”

“This is something I don’t have all the information about, isn’t it?”

Billie didn’t even reply, aside from a little sigh and a sip of tea.

“Hey Billie, I still have some reading to do. Do you want to sit with me? Should I head back to my room? Do you want me to hold off and hang out longer?” I didn’t want to leave her alone if she wasn’t ready for it, but I hadn’t looked ahead and wasn’t sure how much reading I had yet to do.

Finishing off her tea, Billie patted my arm. “Nope, go on and… Never mind. If you're good with it, go and read on the couch, I’m going to tidy up here and then drop by for a couple minutes before I head to bed. Baking starts early, you know?”

Going along with her request, I thanked Ann for the tea and Billie for the cookies, then headed out to the couch to advance my attack upon the notebook.

I skimmed the part about life in Cecal, it matched mostly what Billie had told me. Bluebird’s thoughts were slightly more positive than what was expressed by Billie, especially about how life was for System Users and adventurers as a whole. Given their position as a representative and Guild Master, that heroic framing wasn’t surprising. Billie had painted a darker version of the existence of those who fought against monsters and advanced against the darkness. Settlement guardians were respected, adventurers seen more as profiteers and troublemakers.

The section about life in other places was vague, at best.

Information from other parts of the world outside Secal has been spotty and unclear for over 200 years. We know people still continue to exist through Lunar communications, auctions and the occasional crossover. Unfortunately any comprehensive information has been unclear. Avlon is populated, as are Sol and Mryshush. Products from other regions are occasionally available, but populations and current status is all based on supposition.

I thought about it for a few moments and realized it had very little to do with me.

Much rather consider the things nearby, or directly impacting me.

System Initiates were the oldest name for the System Users. Probably the origin of the term Syssies as well. Though at one time more than half of the population of Cecal were System Initiates, only the most resolute continue to bond with the System in the 3rd century AC. Created by brilliant innovators in the time of the cataclysm it allowed people to manipulate the new Mana energies without additional catastrophic results.

For hundreds of years System Initiates have worked to protect people in settlements across Cecal from the deprivations of Monsters and Man.

‘Hmmm, maybe asking the Guild rep for System information was a mistake. Much propaganda.’ I thought as I felt Billie half flop half sag onto the couch and into my side. “Hi, not ready for bed?”

“Bernie won’t be done for an hour or more, but I asked him to check for me here before going upstairs. If you don’t mind I just wanted to… I know it would be smarter to go upstairs, or at least not spend… Stupid system, stupid gran, stupid brain.” There was spite and sadness in Billie’s voice. “You might as well be a child and I just want to curl up against you and take a nap and I don’t even know that it’s me that wants it or if I’m being tugged into wanting it by something I don’t control.”

I thought about Billie and her situation for a few seconds. “You don’t want to be alone? Or do you want to spend time with me?”

“Yes.” Then a strained chuckle bled out of her, low and heavy.

Grabbing my things I asked her to follow me as I went back into the kitchen. “Hey Bernie, Billie is tired and worn out and doesn’t want to be alone. I know you’ve got work to finish up, but would you mind if I hung out in your room with her until you get done? I’ve got some reading to finish while she gets to sleep, and I can do that wherever.”

Bernie’s light blue eyes traveled past me as he looked up from the vegetable covered chopping block. His lips quirked into an easy smile, I would guess having landed on Billie. “Sure, Monday March. Thanks for asking. See you both in an hour or so.”

Billie led us up the stairway in the back up to a small halfway with a pair of doors. Opening one with a touch, she invited me inside. Lamps lit up as the door opened, unobtrusively revealing wooden walls and a floor with rugs. The room felt nice and cozy to me, a couch, table with a partially completed jigsaw puzzle bracketed by a pair of chairs, double bed with a quilt duvet, bookshelf with a few books, boxes and trinkets.

Billie welcomed me in and said she’d be right back, slipping into one of the other 2 doors in the wall. I glanced out of the window near the table. Pulling aside the curtain I could see down into the alley behind the Pillow and Pie, as well as more stars in the sky than we’d seen when returning from the Bath. So many stars.

Setting my slimeskin pack on a bare part of the table, I noticed that the puzzle seemed to be a dog playing in a field of flowers. The outline of the dog and the edge were complete, but there were a bunch of incomplete flowers, sky, grass, and fur.

Two flower pieces added successfully after about a dozen failed attempts and Billie was standing by me, apparently back from what she’d been doing. She looked so tired, faded purple flannel nightshirt that came to just under her knees, hair tied up like a little poof atop her head and blue eyes half lidded. One finger poked gently at my arm, “Sleepy.” Then she turned to the bed and crawled in, patting the empty side.

I snagged my notebook and sat next to her atop the quilt, propping my back with the pillow and headboard. Billie immediately snuggled into my thigh and sighed, almost deflating as relaxed into my leg despite the quilt between us.

‘She’s cute.’ And I was a little sad because I’m not sure if the thought came from me, or that strange and mystical force of the System we were fretting about earlier. Placing my hand on her hair anyhow I stroked it lightly as I opened my notebook with the other hand.

Somehow she snuggled into me even more.