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Authornote: Friday February 03 2017

Hello everyone!

Gonna be busy later so the chapter has been posted a few hours early again. I guess that would technically make this a Thursday update, but whatever. lol

Here's the first chapter to Part 2 of The Postman series. There will be a total of 5 parts of the series. I will aim to have each chapter between 4000-7000 words in length and updates will remain on the same schedule for now.

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Thank you very much for the reviews everyone, they're greatly appreciated. :D

ChangelingRin- The Postman wasn't expecting things to turn out this way either! ;) lol

Sam the Fiction Critic -The Postman was always my favourite character in OOT and MM. I love fleshing out side characters in stories. :)

Reiz16- Hope you enjoy part 2! Thanks for the review!

Rainmy-There is going to be a lot of changes made during the 2nd part of this story, hopefully it will all be for the better. :)

FerretFlies- I'm really happy you enjoyed the last chapter! I was hoping to surprise readers with that ending, and I'm glad it worked. :D The Postman is going to learn a lot of things about himself in this series, not all of them good. I hope you enjoy reading part 2 as well :D

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To anyone that didn't read the original version of this story, this series kind of merges all the different Zelda universes into one. In this story there is only one legendary hero that was singlehandedly responsible for saving Hyrule on multiple occasions. This story assumes all Zelda adventures happened within the same timeframe.

Updates will be on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thank you very much for the reviews, they're always greatly appreciated. Please let me know any feedback, suggestions or criticisms you might have.

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How to be a Villain

Part 2 Chapter 1

Regrets

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If there was one thing Hylians enjoyed, it was a good bit of gossip. The news of Ganondorf's defeat had spread so fast, Link was greeted with deafening cheers as he entered Castle Town. The townspeople had been blissfully ignorant of the fact Ganondorf had been scheming, but that didn't stop them from celebrating anyway. They commemorated Link's victory by declaring a paid holiday, and throwing an enormous celebration in town square. Link suspected they just wanted an excuse to have the day off of work.

Zelda wasn't enjoying the festivities as much as her subjects, finding the whole thing stressful and rather tiresome. She was overseeing the preparations of a large banquet, making sure her overzealous servants didn't go too overboard. She watched as people flitted about the large reception hall decorating and setting the places for the feast to come. She did have to admit everything looked stunning with the silk banners and large bouquets of flowers. It was just unfortunate she was not in the mood to celebrate after her ordeal.

Link, still tired from battle, cringed at the standing ovation he received when he entered the room. He was announced as the guest of honour, and to his dismay he was asked to tell his story to the whole room. He skimmed over most of the tale, giving a very abridged version of what had happened. When he finally had a minute to himself, he slouched in a chair on the far side of the room, feeling very out of place. He was a simple boy born in a forest, and raised on the battlefield, so being pandered to and admired made him extremely uncomfortable.

Zelda gave him a knowing smile from across the room, and despite himself, Link gave her a tired smile back. Zelda politely excused herself from the group of people around her, and approached him, taking a seat beside him with an exhausted sigh. Although she looked tired, her eyes were still bright, and she still held herself up straight and proper as was expected.

"You don't have to look so miserable." she whispered over to him. "This is a celebration in your honour. Try to enjoy yourself, if not for yourself, than for the people."

"I know I should." Link said, gazing across the crowded hall. "It's just that the battle is still fresh in my mind, and I'm not used to the peace."

Zelda gestured towards the crowds of people, all of them talking and many bickering back and forth. "You call this peace?" she asked in amusement. "I can barely hear myself think!"

Link didn't answer, his gaze going distant. Only those who had seen the nightmare that was a lifetime of battle would ever truly understand what he meant by peace.

"At least stop frowning." Zelda said gently. "Hyrule's dark times are finally at an end, and you can hang up your sword."

Link looked away. "I know I should be happy, princess, but I just have a feeling it's not over yet..."

Zelda placed a hand on his arm consolingly. "You saw that monster die. He isn't coming back. His darkness has been purged from this land, forever. Hyrule is safe and no one has to worry about him ever again."

Link's eyes were troubled when he looked back to her. "Ganondorf has a habit of escaping death. I can never be sure he isn't lurking out there somewhere."

Zelda shook her head, not even wanting to consider it. "You killed him, Link, he's gone."

Link hesitated. "When I fought him, I stabbed him through the lungs, which should have been fatal. He wasn't quite dead when I left him though. I regret not waiting until he took his last breath. The entire castle was on fire, and the walls were beginning to give way, so I left. Only minutes later, the entire castle collapsed which should have ensured his death, but I still feel uneasy. I still feel like it's not over yet, and I can't shake the feeling."

Zelda was rather surprised. "The castle collapsed?" she asked in interest. "I wasn't aware of that."

Link gave another nod. "The magic Ganondorf shot at me caused the fires and weakened the structure. I saw it collapse as I was climbing Death Mountain."

Zelda's eye widened. "I'm glad you got out in time!" she exclaimed. "I do hope The Postman got out in time as well."

Link hesitated a moment as he furrowed his brow in confusion. "The Postman?" he questioned. "Why would you care about him? He kidnapped you!"

"Kidnapped me? The Postman?" Zelda asked in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"Hyrule's postman." Link clarified. "The man who kidnapped you?"

"Why would a postman kidnap me?" Zelda questioned in confusion.

Link frowned at her, realizing something wasn't right.

"Although I don't agree with his priorities, I doubt we'd ever have to worry about him. The only way he'd kidnap me is if someone stuck a stamp on my forehead!" Zelda said, jokingly.

Link was confused, and gave the princess a hesitant look. "But the guards at the castle said The Postman was the last person to enter your room before you were kidnapped! He's been helping Ganondorf all along!"

Zelda's expression now matched Link's confused frown. "What? That's not what happened at all! We were both kidnapped together by Ganondorf..."

Link shook his head in denial. "No, he was working with Ganondorf the entire time. That's why he refused to help us even when he knew Ganondorf's location. He's been impeding this entire mission from the start. He was even at the castle during the final fight."

Zelda continued to frown at him. "Of course he was at the castle; we were kidnapped and brought there." she stated. "And what do you mean he was helping Ganondorf?"

"The Postman had the master key hidden in an envelope and refused to give it to me. He was working with Ganondorf to keep me out of the tower!"

Zelda's frown deepened all the more. "You mean that letter he was trying to deliver the whole time we were together? It had the master key in it?"

Link gave a nod.

"The Postman seemed very determined to deliver that letter but he didn't seem to know what was in it." Zelda said thoughtfully. "He kept mentioning that he had to deliver it, but didn't appear to be hiding anything. He was even the one to help me escape the dungeon."

Link's eyes widened in shock and he sat straight up in his chair. "He helped you escape?"

"Yes..." Zelda replied, starting to get a bad feeling about where this conversation was going. "He had the opportunity to escape and he could have just left me there, but he went out of his way to trick the guards into letting me go. I wouldn't have been able to escape if it wasn't for him and I probably would have died when the castle collapsed."

"Then why was he refusing to help us?!"

Zelda seemed thoughtful for a moment. "From what I've seen of him, he takes his job entirely too seriously. It probably went against his personal code of conduct or something. Have you ever known him to shirk his duty as a postman?"

Link thought about it and finally understood The Postman's point of view. The man had felt he would be breaking the rules and The Postman never broke the rules.

Link felt a sudden stab of fear course through him, and he quickly averted his eyes from the princess. "I thought he was helping Ganondorf... I was sure... I- I really didn't know..."

Zelda's eyes narrowed. "Link, what did you do?" she demanded. "Did you do something to him?"

Link let out a deep breath, and stared down at the floor uneasily. "He wouldn't give me the envelope and I was angry at what I thought he'd done. The betrayal wasn't something I could forgive. I thought he was just another villain."

Zelda reached out and pulled him around by the shoulder so that he was facing her. Her expression was not amused. "What did you do?" she repeated.

Link felt horribly guilty and closed his eyes to avoid that gaze. "...I was so furious with him, and he wasn't cooperating..." he admitted, hesitantly. "I needed that key to confront Ganondorf, so... so I fought him for it..."

Zelda let a gasp. "Link, he isn't a warrior! He's just a postman, a civilian! How could you have fought against an unarmed civilian?!"

Link looked even guiltier and his shoulders slumped. "I lost control of my temper when he wouldn't cooperate; I wasn't thinking straight." he confessed. "When I thought he was standing in my way of getting to Ganondorf, I.."

Link hesitated a long moment before continuing. "I killed him for the key."

Zelda's mouth dropped open in horror. "Oh, Link!" she cried. "He was just a postman! He didn't do anything wrong! He saved my life!"

Link said nothing as he sat, eyes closed and fists clenched. He felt like an absolute monster and took a deep, shaky breath. Zelda simply stared at him, unable to believe the hero of Hyrule would do such a thing. The overly serious, but dependable postman that she was fond of was dead, killed by the one sworn to protect the people.

"I didn't know," Link said quietly. "I killed an innocent person and it's all my fault."

Zelda was completely silent.

"I never would have done it, if I had have known!" Link assured her. "It was an accident."

"That doesn't make his death justifiable." Zelda responded, her voice like ice.

"No." Link agreed. "It doesn't."

Link slowly stood to his feet and stared across the room feeling completely numb. Everyone seemed so happy and it only made his chest feel heavy with regret. Link felt he deserved none of this recognition. He was no better than the villain he had killed.

"I should leave." he stated.

Zelda gave him a nod of understanding. "Perhaps that would be best. I will need time to process this situation."

"Understood, princess."

"I will send for you at a later time." Zelda promised. "Take this day to clear your head. Maybe it will make you feel a bit better."

Link turned away. "No. No, it won't."

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The desert air was blistering hot, but The Postman didn't notice, feeling chilled to the bone. He was in a state of shock and gave a shudder, unable to believe what had just happened. He stood at the outer edge of Ganondorf's throne room, still drenched in blood and staring blankly at the Gerudo in front of him.

Ganondorf was angry and exhausted, and had flopped down into his throne with an exaggerated sigh immediately upon arrival. Reaching for the nearby bottle of wine, he poured himself a glass, and then another and then another after that.

After his fifth glass of wine, Ganondorf's gaze finally fell on The Postman. He gave the smaller man a thoughtful frown, and motioned him forward. The Postman did as he was told, still in a daze.

"You have agreed to come under my employment. By doing so, you swear allegiance to the Gerudo nation. You will never betray any Gerudo, especially myself, and as of today you are permitted to live within Gerudo territory. This will afford you with our protection, and in return you will give us your unfaltering loyalty. I am only to be referred to as 'Sir', 'Lord Ganondorf', or 'Your Majesty'. Any other form of address is unacceptable. Do you understand?"

Eyes on the floor, The Postman gave a mute nod.

Ganondorf seemed satisfied with this, and gave a grunt. "I accept your word, postman. Do not disappoint me."

"I won't, Sir."

"Good. Now it is extremely important that we keep your identity a secret. You're believed to be dead which I will use to my advantage. As of today, you are my Tracker and you have no other name."

"Tracker, Sir? What does a tracker do?"

Ganondorf gave him a look as if he fully believed The Postman was an idiot. "You track, obviously. You will be used to find people, deliver messages, and whatever else I tell you."

That didn't seem too different than his job as a postman, so he nodded.

"Also, you will be given a mask and uniform which is to be worn at all times outside of your private quarters. No one other than a Gerudo is to be trusted with your identity."

The Postman wasn't sure how he felt about wearing a mask, but he nodded all the same.

"Hold out your arm." Ganondorf ordered.

The Postman did as he was told, somewhat wary about what the villain was going to do. Ganondorf touched two fingers to the back of The Postman's hand and there was an uncomfortable burning sensation. When Ganondorf removed his fingers, there was the desert emblem burned into The Postman's hand.

"That mark lets all know you have my permission to be here. It also works as a way for me to contact you. If the marks burns, then you are being summoned."

The Postman stared down at the mark, not quite sure how he felt about that.

"You have free reign to go wherever you want but don't leave Gerudo territory without permission. When I summon you, you're to come to me without hesitation and without question. It doesn't matter what you're doing at the time, you're to always answer a summons. Any disobedience will not be tolerated."

"Yes, sir." The Postman said quietly.

Ganondorf nodded and waved his hand dismissively. "More will be explained to you later. For now you are to go to Koume and Kotake to have your magic evaluated and your wounds treated."

"I don't have any magic, Sir."

"Just do as you're told." Ganondorf snapped.

"Yes, sir." The Postman answered, turning towards the door, already sensing where the old witches were in the castle.

Clutching at his injured stomach, he left the throne room and began walking down the corridor, hoping no one paid too much attention to him. An inured man walking the halls might be too much temptation for some of the more aggressive Gerudo. He knew he was a very unnoticeable person, too insignificant for most creatures to bother with, but after the day he'd had, he wouldn't be surprised if everything had changed.

Repeating a silent mantra of 'don't notice me, don't notice me, don't notice me' over and over, he turned into the main hall where the guards were posted. To his relief he passed right by them without getting so much as a glance. In fact, every Gerudo he passed, gazed right past him as if he wasn't even there. Relieved, The Postman relaxed and navigated through the Gerudo Castle, heading for the witches.

In the castle's lower level, he came to a door where a putrid smell was leaking out from the cracks. Eyeing the pink smoke warily, he reached out and turned the doorknob, the door opening with a loud creak. A wave of the smoke poured out of the room, both blinding and choking him at the same time. Coughing, he squinted into the room, not expecting a boney hand to snake out and grab him suddenly by the ear. Letting out a startled yelp as the ear was yanked, he came face to face with one of the old twin witches.

"It's rude not to knock before entering a room." the old woman scolded him. "Didn't your mother teach you any manners? You let out all the wondrous aromas we're cooking up!"

"Sorry, ma'am." The Postman said, wincing as she gave his ear another twist.

The woman let out a 'hmph' and released his ear. "Kotake, it seems we have an unusual visitor!"

Through the haze in the room, The Postman saw the other witch standing just to the left of the door stirring a large cauldron. She gave him an appraising look. "Bring him in then, Koume. Maybe we can add him to the pot."

Koume let out a cackle and pushed him into the room, closing the door after them. The twins then began circling him like vultures, still cackling oddly. They looked him up and down, pulled at his arms, seemingly assessing him. Seeing his blood-soaked shirt, one of them lifted the shirt to inspect the half-healed wound on his stomach.

"Tsk, tsk." she scolded. "Now, what happened here, I wonder?"

The Postman pulled his shirt back down. "Lord Ganondorf sent me to be 'magically evaluated' and to receive medical treatment. I've already told him that I don't have any magic."

The twins exchanged a look. "You don't have magic, you say?"

"That's right. I was just a postman up until this morning."

They exchanged another silent look.

Koume glanced back at him. "Funny you should say that because-"

She was cut off when Kotake elbowed her. She shook her head 'no', and then pulled The Postman over to a chair. Pushing him down into it, she reached for a bag nearby and dumped the contents out on the floor in front of her. Grabbing a few different items, she threw some powder into The Postman's face and waved her hand over him, speaking the words of some sort of spell.

"Um, what are you-"

"Hush!" the other witch scolded. "She needs to concentrate!"

The Postman fell silent, simply watching as several more powders were thrown at him. The witch was still weaving her spell, and a low light was emitting from her hands as she worked. The Postman wasn't entirely sure what she was doing but there was an uncomfortable burning sensation beginning to grow in his chest. At first he tried to ignore it, but when it became painful, he pulled away from her, breaking her concentration.

Both witches gave him severely unimpressed looks.

"Sorry." The Postman offered somewhat half-heartedly.

One of the witches rolled her eyes. "No matter, I found out what I needed to. Now, explain to me how you became injured as I write up my report for Lord Ganondorf."

The Postman told them about being a postman and how he had been trying to deliver a letter when attacked and stabbed by the hero of time. He explained how he had nearly died, but Ganondorf had given him some fairy tears and saved his life. He told them about his new position as 'Tracker' and that was why he was there to be evaluated.

The witches exchanged another look with one another. "A Tracker is actually the ideal job for you..."

The Postman didn't look convinced. "Oh? Why?"

"Nevermind that for now. Show me your wound so you can be healed."

The Postman lifted his shirt to show her the large wound running across his stomach. It was scabbed over and red to the look, and Koume knew it hadn't healed correctly. Frowning, she knelt down so she could inspect it more closely. She ran her fingers across it lightly and The Postman flinched, just that small amount of pressure agonizing.

"I don't understand. The fairy tears should have healed you completely; there shouldn't even be a scar." Kotake stated thoughtfully. "How much did you drink?"

The Postman honestly wasn't sure and gave a shrug. "Just whatever was left over from Mr. Ganondorf." He answered. "A few mouthfuls, I think."

"That's Lord Ganondorf." Kotake corrected. "Koume, get him a healing item."

The Postman glanced over at the simmering cauldron the pink smoke was coming from. "Is that what you were making? A healing potion?" he asked.

Kotake followed his gaze. "That's not a potion, that's our lunch. A delightful toadstool and sea-moss stew that's good for bowel movements. Would you like to try some? It's just about ready."

The Postman stared at the thick, pink, smelly goo and quickly shook his head. "Er, no thank you."

Kotake shrugged. "Your loss."

Koume gave one more frown to The Postman's wound, and then reached down and picked up a bottle from the mess of items on the floor. Inside was a small pink fairy looking a little worse for wear. It had obviously been stored for a very long time.

"I don't know if you're worth a fairy, but my Lord Ganondorf sees potential in you, so you must have a purpose no matter how unapparent it is."

Pulling the cork from the bottle, the fairy flew out and immediately began to swirl around Koume, and the Gerudo let out a snarl.

"Not me, you stupid fairy, him!"

The fairy paused a moment, and then obediently flew to The postman and swirled around him. As the magic took effect, Koume stared at the wound with a troubled look. The wound sealed off completely but it left a horrible looking X-shaped scar behind. The Postman let out a sigh of relief as the pain instantly vanished and looked down at the fairy's progress. When it was done, it disappeared in a flurry of sparkles, and Koume reinspected the wound. She gave the scar a gentle poke.

"Does that hurt?" she demanded.

The Postman shook his head.

Placing both thumbs over the scar, Koume pressed down reasonably hard, but the scar was healed enough that it didn't hurt.

"Hmm, strange…" she observed. "You seem to be completely healed but it left this scar behind. Fairies must not be able to completely heal wounds tainted by other magics."

"That's fine, ma'am, I don't mind having a scar." The postman said politely. "Thank you for your help."

Kotake gave him a shrug of indifference, and then said. "You should be proud of your scar. It's an honour to be injured defending your king; it's the mark of a warrior. We Gerudo are strong women, so you're expected to take care of yourself without the need of help from others. We won't cater to you, so will take care of yourself in all regards."

The Postman gave her a nod. "I understand."

Koume held out a roll of parchment. "Take this report back to Lord Ganondorf. He'll be expecting it."

The Postman reached out to take it. "Yes, ma'am."

The Gerudo snorted at his politeness, and then turned away. "You'd better not disappoint us, Tracker."

"I'll try not to." The Postman said, feeling a bit uncertain over the whole situation. He didn't know the first thing about being a villain after all.

"You will adjust." Kotake said in way of reassurance. "Life can be good here."

"Yes, ma'am." The Postman said quietly.

"Go, before our king gets impatient."

The Postman gave the twins a salute and quickly slipped out the door.

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Link slowed Epona to a canter and stared across the fields wistfully. This was where he'd first met The Postman many years ago. Back then, he'd thought The Postman was simply some crazy person running around the fields. It wasn't until much later that he'd discovered he was actually a postman.

The Postman had lived in a world all his own and nothing seemed to matter to him except for his mail. He barely even seemed to remember Link unless he had a letter for him. When Link was younger, he had been fascinated by the strange postman. He had happily followed after The Postman on his route within Clocktown, curious and eager to help. The Postman had indulged him, and had even let him help with a few deliveries and pick-ups, calling him a junior postman. From their many conversations, Link learned the many rules of being a postman, and also about the strange affinity The Postman had for rabbits.

Link let out a heavy sigh and stroked Epona's head, the memories not making him feel any better. The memories left him feeling guilty and rather sick to his stomach. He hadn't known The Postman well, but figured the man must have had a family of some sort. Was The Postman married? Did he have children, or was he single and alone? Whatever sort of family he had, Link knew he would have to be the one to break the bad news. His family or friends would notice him missing eventually, and Link didn't want to put them through the agony of not knowing. It would be better for him to confess immediately.

Link decided he'd ask around town to see if anyone knew who or where The Postman's family were. He'd write them a letter explaining-

Link paused. There was no postman to deliver the letter. More guilt settled into his stomach and Link gave his head a shake, trying hard not to dwell on it. He'd have to find a different postman to deliver it.

A thought then occurred to Link and his eyes widened. He didn't know The Postman's name! He'd killed a man in cold blood and didn't even know his name! He'd killed him as if he were nothing more than a Moblin, and Link felt horrified at what he'd done. How could he track down The Postman's family if he didn't even have a name to go by?

Link felt uneasy at that thought, and turned Epona back towards Castletown. He'd ask around to see what he could find out. Someone had to know The Postman's name...right?

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The Postman stared at the throne room door, scroll clutched tightly in his hand. He could hear Ganondorf yelling angrily from within, and wasn't too sure he wanted to interrupt. He had a feeling the Gerudo king would turn that anger on him the second he stepped into the room. He wasn't exactly a physical person and knew he made an easy target. Yet again, if Ganondorf was expecting Koume and Kotake's report asap, that could lead to him getting even angrier.

Weighing his options, The Postman quietly opened the door and peered inside. Ganondorf was surrounded by a group of Gerudo warriors clearly discussing the events of earlier. Ganondorf absolutely livid as he explained what had happened, and the warriors looked frazzled and very stressed. By the warriors' uniforms, they looked very important and were probably his military advisors. It didn't seem the sort of meeting he should intrude on, so he stood awkwardly outside the door, simply watching from afar.

Ganondorf ranted for a few minutes and then his gaze flitted over to The Postman as if he'd known he was there the whole time.

"Tracker, stop lurking, and get in here!"

Every eye turned to The Postman, who obediently slipped into the room and silently approached. The Gerudo warriors seemed surprised by the sight of him as men were forbidden within the Gerudo territory except for special circumstances. They gave The Postman a curious look, wondering if he was a prisoner or an ally, but didn't dare question their king.

"I have the report from Koume and Kotake, sir." The Postman said, holding out the scroll.

Ganondorf impatiently snatched it from him, and then unrolled it to began reading. His scowl quickly turned to a look of surprise. His eyes scanned the rest of the scroll and then he turned thoughtful eyes to The Postman.

"Did you read this?" he demanded.

The Postman shook his head. "No, sir."

"You didn't read your own evaluation report?"

"No, sir."

Without a word, Ganondorf held it out to him. "Read it."

The Postman accepted the scroll and glanced down at it.

'Male

Terminian

Age 29 years, 6 months, 10 days'

The Postman's brow furrowed. How in the world did they know that?

'Magic- raw, untrained, natural

Power- great potential. Constant shield of invisibility instinctively used. Instinctively follows life-threads to locate living individuals. Instinctively senses magic.'

The Postman frowned down at the scroll. "...but I don't have any magic..."

"According to my most trusted witches, you do. You will begin training in the morning."

"Training?" The Postman repeated, not liking the sound of that.

Ganondorf gave a nod. "If I'm employing you, then I want to squeeze out every bit of potential you have. I don't employ useless people."

Ganondorf turned his gaze to the eavesdropping warriors. "This is my new Tracker, he is not to be hassled while he's working or training. He is not equal to a Gerudo, but he will live among us for the time being until his usefulness has diminished."

The warriors whispered amongst themselves, surprised and confused over this turn of events. It was extremely rare for their king to allow an outsider to live within Gerudo territory. There was only one other person who had such privilege, and he wasn't exactly liked among the general population. In fact, he was completely detested, and was the sole reason most Gerudo hated men. The warriors gave The Postman narrow-eyed glares, and he subconsciously backed up a step.

"Tracker, you may retire to your quarters until summoned. Do you know where the personal rooms are located?"

The Postman shook his head. "No, sir."

Ganondorf rolled his eyes. "One of you show him to an empty room on the third floor."

The warriors gave The Postman another scowl and one of the younger women, obviously still in training, was pushed forward out of the group.

"Adena, show him the way." One of the others ordered.

She looked mutinous, but didn't dare protest, instead giving The Postman a look of death and motioning him to follow. Without a word, he followed her out of the room, easily keeping up with her angry stride.

As they went up a staircase, the Gerudo glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "So, if you're no longer our postman, who is?"

"I don't know." The Postman answered honestly. "Someone else will have to take over my route once I'm discovered missing. My brother Jaru will probably take it over; I don't believe he has a route of his own yet."

"Is he a good postman?" she demanded. "I get very important parcels delivered."

The Postman gave a shrug, knowing very well that she never got anything other than candy orders from Castletown.

"Hmm, that doesn't really reassure me." she stated worriedly. "I liked how reliable you were, despite your flaw of being a man, and I don't want a replacement."

"Sorry." The Postman replied with a sigh. "Not much I can do about it."

She gave him a dirty look, and then pointedly looked away.

They walked in silence the rest of the way, The Postman lost in thought, and a few minutes later they stopped in front of a door.

"These will be your quarters, room J13." Adena informed him impatiently. "Food is served three times a day in the dining hall, at six, noon and six, and unless you plan on starving to death, I suggest you attend. Most people buy their own food once they begin earning wages, due to the fact the free food tastes like sewage."

She paused a moment and then said. "Which reminds me, garbage pickup is on Mondays, so just leave any trash in the hallway you want removed."

The Postman nodded wordlessly.

Adena gave him one last look-over with a scowl, and then turned and walked away without another word. The Postman placed a hand against the wood of the door, and leaned against it, still in disbelief over everything that had happened. Closing his eyes as he tried to push aside all thoughts, The Postman opened the door and entered the room.

Opening his eyes, he froze at the horrible sight in front of him. The room was in absolute shambles, dust and cobwebs hanging from every surface, broken furniture strewn about, and a thick layer of dust covering everything. A dirty and stained mattress was on the floor, the blankets ragged and disgusting. Laying directly on the pillow was a dead Skulltula, and it took all of his resolve not to just turn around and leave again. The Postman was a naturally neat and tidy person, and so the sight of the atrocious room set him completely on edge. Steeling himself, he stepped further into the room and closed the door after him.

Home, sweet home...

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