Ch.35: Recuperation Inbound! Time to Put on a Show!

After their tumultuous trek through the unforgiving weathers of the Storm Zone, the Shadestars and Ciphers found their way through the much tamer Aqua Zone. The couple of days of weary travel were a vast improvement over the chaotic weather they had to endure. A little rain, mist, and humidity were manageable and preferable.

Courtney traveled most of the journey tucked under her mother's rain parka, snoozing soundly. Her fever had gone down significantly, but she still needed her rest to recover. She nuzzled into Willow's neck, sighing at the warm, comforting embrace of her fur.

Willow looked back at her and smiled. "D'aww. I'm going to miss this when she gets older. Look how precious she is."

Owen laughed. "You should've seen our daughter when she was that age. She used to love when I gave her rides around our village. If I tried that nowadays, she'd be holed up in her room from the embarrassment." Own stroked his chin. "That would certainly scare her away from dating."

Elise gently smacked his shoulder. "No crazy ideas, dear. I still want my grandkids when she's ready to marry."

"Oh, so do I, but…you know…"

Elise rolled her eyes. "Knowing her, she's dancing around with that ruffian—"

"Elise…"

She sighed. "Yes, yes, I know."

Willow frowned. "I take it your daughter's love life contributed to this familial strain."

Elise sighed. "I admit, we had high expectations for her. We come from a very affluent family, thus we expected our daughter's courtship to be with an equally successful partner, like a doctor, a lawyer, or someone of high status. Though, she's always been the adventurous type. Treasure hunters and adventurers seem to attract her."

Owen shook his head. "We didn't approve of her last boyfriend, though…looking back, we may have been too hard on the boy. We snapped when one of his adventures got our daughter hurt. Had to wear a cast for half a year. However, our last conversation with him, and his mother, has made us rethink our stance."

"I see." Willow looked ahead and smiled. "Well, when you find her, I'm sure she'll appreciate hearing that."

Elise sighed. "Assuming we ever do. We could've passed each other without even realizing. Owen, if we do find her, we're getting her a crystal orb. Much more convenient."

"Agreed."

Willow giggled, then frowned in realization. "Shoot, I forgot mine during the ambush back home." She shrugged it off. "Oh well, I haven't had calls in years. Anyway, we should be coming up on the village soon. Hopefully my regular is home, or at least someone who knows him."

"You sure he's willing to set us up with a place to camp?" Owen asked. "How do we know this place is safe unlike the rest of Mysto?"

"Well, for starters, it's pretty tucked away in the woods. Natural camouflage. Practically untraceable in the rain if you don't know where you're going. Aside from that, there should be a handful of magic users in the village, and me for extra precaution."

Elise sighed. "That hardly quells my nerves, but I'll take your word—" She flinched as a droplet splashed off her nose. "Eh?" She looked up, then hissed as raindrops steadily came down in increasing numbers. "Not again!" She buried herself under her parka.

Willow adjusted hers, making sure Courtney's head was protected, then glared ahead. "We should hurry before it turns into a downpour. Stay close." The couple nodded and quickly followed after the Absol, adamant to get out of the rain.

They found their way through an entrance to the woods. Skinny trees arching over their head decorated in blue leaves. Unfortunately, Willow failed to mention these particular leaves were hydrophobic, causing water to periodically splash down in quick bursts. Elise learned that the hard way when a bucket-sized amount of water came down on her head and nearly pushed her face into the mud. Owen thankfully caught her in time, though at the cost of spreading his muddied paws onto her clothes underneath the parka.

"Sorry, dear!" Owen yelped.

Elise groaned, then shook the excess water off herself. "How can anyone live somewhere so muddy and rainy?!"

"If you were a Vaporeon, I doubt you'd mind," Willow teased.

"Well, I'm not!"

Willow laughed at her angry pout. "Relax, the village was built with a canopy over it. Actually, they even use catch rainwater and distribute it through the village. Some purifying glyphs are used to freshen it. It's used for everything. Drinking, bathing, indoor swimming—"

"Please tell me they have a spa here," Elise grunted.

"Eh, don't know. You could ask."

Elise sighed. "I would give half my jewelry right now for a hot bath right about now…"

The tumultuous trudge through torrential tree tides came to its merciful end as lantern lights peered through the moderately dense woods. Upon reaching the end of the path, they were greeted with relief from the rain and stepped into a bustling village with Pokémon shuffling about.

A large canopy anchored to the ground stood high above their heads and stretched for an undeterminable distance, at least from where they were standing. Taller huts in the distance cut off their vision to any end to the covering, but the general appearance told them it was a fairly large village.

Most of the buildings appeared to be made from clay and/or adobe, and quite masterfully sculpted, too. Though one story tall for a majority of them, very few imperfections scarred the outside and the sides were smoothed out into a uniform shape. Many of the huts have their own little oddities to help them stand apart, from gardens, welcome mats, wreaths on the door, and wholesome signs pierced into the ground. Around the village were lanterns resembling tiki torches alit in a soft flame.

Elise, stunned by the sight before her, let out a low whistle. "Okay, the trip here wasn't for nothing. Owen, I think we found our new vacation home." He chuckled under his breath.

Willow felt a stirring on her back and lifted her parka for Courtney to squeeze out. She landed on the dry earth and stretched out her legs and body, letting loose a squeaky yawn. "I want breakfast," she mumbled as she wiped her eyes.

Willow smiled and patted her head. "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

Courtney gazed up at her mom and wagged her tail. "I'm feeling much better, Momma!"

"That's good. Try not to push yourself too much. You'll need to get your strength back up."

"Okay!" Courtney looked ahead at the new location in awe. "Wow! It looks just like the postcards at the market!" Willow restrained the guffaw bursting from her throat.

Owen glanced to his left and saw something parked alongside the edge of the canopy. A large wagon carrying a portable stage, as indicated by the closed velvet curtains protected behind a glass barrier, likely to protect the interior from the rain. "Hmm, take a gander at that."

Elise spotted it, then beamed. "Oh joy, it appears we arrived in time for a traveling performance. How exciting."

Willow raised her brow. "I didn't think anyone would be touring during this time. Perhaps it's for relief efforts, or maybe they're hiding out from the shadows, too."

Courtney tilted her head at the wheeled stage. "What's it for, Momma?"

Willow smiled. "I should've taken you to see some plays when I had the chance. That's a theatre stage. It's where actors perform stories for an audience. Sometimes there's fighting, singing, and a load of other neat things."

The little Absol's eyes sparkled with intrigue. "Oooooh." She jumped around her mother's feet, grinning like a fool. "Can we see a play, Momma? Can we, can we, can we? Ooh, dizzy…" Courtney stopped and wobbled unsteadily.

Willow laughed and caught her before she fell down. "I said to take it easy, sweetie. And sure, if they're performing any plays later, we can see one."

"Yay!"

Elise nudged Willow's side and asked, "So, where exactly do we find this regular of yours? Did he give you a home address?"

Willow shook her head. "No, just the village location. We could search around for a bit before booking an inn to stay at. At least, that's what I plan on doing. You two?"

Elise glared. "As soon as we rest up, we're looking for our daughter. I would want nothing more than to stay here where it's safe, but her safety comes first."

"Understandable." Willow nudged Courtney over to the two. "Could you keep an eye on her for me? I'm going to see if my regular is home. Maybe you can see if the theatre troupe is around. I'm sure she would love to meet them."

Owen smiled. "We'd be glad to."

Elise sighed. "I was hoping to freshen up, but so it shall be." She smiled at the giddy Absol bouncing on her paws. "Come along, dear Courtney. Maybe they'll let you see backstage if you're a good girl."

Courtney gasped. "Promise?"

"We'll see." The Ciphers nudged her along and walked toward the portable stage. "Just make sure to be on your best behavior. Back straight, make eye contact when addressing someone, remain professional—"

"Elise, you know she isn't our daughter, right?" Owen teased.

"Am I wrong, though?"

Willow giggled behind her foreleg, then headed off in the opposite direction. This'll be good for her. I can keep her safe here. This is fine. Her smile dipped, bordering on a frown. I just hope everyone else is alright. Oh Ella, I hope you and your friends aren't getting into any danger.

Courtney scampered up to the portable stage and rested her front paws against it while wagging her tail in excitement. "It's so big! I bet you can make a great fort out of this!"

Elise giggled to herself. "Yes, I suppose it would make a lovely fort. A cluster of pillows there, some blankets hanging up over there, and PRESTO! I'm curious if the actors use it as a sleeping quarter."

Owen walked around and examined the sides. "Judging by the width, not likely. Unless there's space altering properties inside, any extra space is probably used to hold props and backdrops. Traveling troupes like this typically have their own trailers to sleep in."

"I don't see a trailer, though," Elise said, looking around to double check. "Perhaps they sleep on stage."

Owen laughed. "Elise, don't be ridiculous. Sleeping on a hardwood floor every night can't be good for you."

"Actually, she's pretty on the nose."

Owen jumped and stepped away as a Cinccino stepped out from behind the stage. She wore a pink jacket, black neckerchief, and black pants. Atop her head was a pink beret with a white flower. A keen eye could also detect the silver ring with a glistening diamond on her left hand.

The Cinccino grinned. "Hiya. Fancy a little theatre, I see."

Owen regained his composure and smiled. "Terribly sorry for the snooping. We were curious."

"Hey, I don't mind. I love answering questions." She smiled at Courtney, who remained entranced by the stage. "Cute kid. Looks just like you two," she teased.

Elise laughed awkwardly and turned away. "O-Oh no, she's our acquaintance's."

"Really?" Cinccino joked. "I'm shocked." She laughed. "I'm kidding, of course. So, where's her folks at?"

"Just her mom, and she's out looking for someone at the moment. We actually ran into each other on her way here, and we desperately needed a place to recuperate, so we tagged along. You would not believe some of the crazy things we had to deal with from the journey alone." Elise shuddered. "I hate the Aqua Zone so much."

Cinccino burst out into guffaws, clasping a hand over her forehead. "Yeah, it's not for everyone. Some of my troupe aren't exactly fond of the weather here, either. Especially me. My scarves get all frizzy if I don't manage them everyday. You don't want to see a puffy Cinccino in the afternoon."

Courtney pulled her attention of the stage and gawked at her. "But you'd be super fluffy."

"Some ideas aren't worth the trouble," Cinccino snickered. "But yes, I would be super fluffy." She extended her hand to the Ciphers. "Fleurette Glowkeeper, nice to meet you."

Elise smiled and daintily took her hand. "Elise Cipher. A pleasure to make your acquaintance. And this is my husband, Owen Cipher."

"How do you do?" Owen greeted.

"Owen Cipher…ah! You're the owner of the Cipher Weapon Trading company, yes?"

Owen smiled. "Why yes, I am. Are you a regular customer of ours?"

Fleurette giggled. "In a way, yes. We tend to order prop swords from your company. You wouldn't believe how many we go through in a month. When we put on a performance, it ends up being a bit too real."

"Heh, my apologies."

"Oh, don't, we prefer it. We break a lot of props when we need to, but we always have the budget to replace them. Our main stagehand is a frequent shopper, so he gets us discounts on them."

"Ha! I knew that frequent shopper membership was a good idea!" Owen laughed.

Elise rolled her eyes and smirked. "Alright, don't make a big deal over it, dear." She smiled at Fleurette. "So, what brings you to this quaint village? Here for the same reason?"

Fleurette shook her head. "Business has been a bit…nonexistent in the last several months, so we didn't have anything to do. However, an old pupil of mine reached out to me for help. The village was in panicked state when we got here, so we pitched in to keep morale up. Wish we could help everyone, but every little bit helps."

"Wow!" Courtney awed. "You're super cool, too!"

Fleurette giggled. "Aww, thank you, little one. I'm just glad to help my fellow performers."

"Is acting fun?" Courtney asked.

"Oh, is it fun? You bet your cute little face it is!" Fleurette exclaimed. "We're not exactly a super famous theatre group like the stationary ones in big cities, but we're well-known enough to make appearances and put on performances for villages. We go on tours, meet fans, and even sell some merchandise."

"You do?" Elise questioned.

"I mean, we get paid to come here by the mayors and village chiefs, so we don't sell tickets. Everyone's welcome to watch. So, we figured selling some shirts and cute souvenirs would be nice."

Owen laughed. "Fair enough."

"Can I have a shirt?" Courtney asked, excitedly wagging her tail.

Fleurette tapped her chin. "Hmm, I don't know. Are you a fan of my troupe?"

"Uh huh! A super fan!"

"What's our troupe name?"

"The…The, uh…" Courtney's mind went blank for a moment, struggling to think of a name. "The…Super Cool Play…People?"

Fleurette giggled. "Close. We're the Starlight Road Company." She booped Courtney on the nose. "But a good try."

"Aww," Courtney pouted. "That was my second guess, too."

"I'm sure it was. You seem like a smart cookie." Fleurette smiled. "Tell you what. We have plenty of shirts in stock. I'm sure we can spare one for a budding fan."

Courtney squealed. "Really?"

"Under one condition." Fleurette knelt down and grinned. "You have to watch us perform a short skit. How does that sound?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Courtney cheered. She turned to Elise and Owen, exclaiming, "Can we watch? Can we, can we, can we?"

Owen flashed a toothy grin. "Oh, I don't see why not. Sure thing, kiddo."

Elise sighed. "It'll take my mind off the mud clinging to my fur."

"Yay!" Courtney cheered.

Fleurette giggled and ruffled Courtney's head. "Always happy to entertain an audience."

"Now, where the heck is that boy?" Willow grumbled, weaving through passing Pokémon and uttering quick apologies for her hastiness. "He made it sound like he'd be staying here for a while, so I can't imagine he left already. I really, really wish I took up his offer sooner."

Willow sometimes hated how protective she was of Courtney, so much that she was too stubborn to think she needed any help beyond what she could provide. Given the hectic series of events in the last several weeks, a blow to her pride was warranted, if not needed.

With an annoyed sigh, she cupped her paws around her mouth and yelled, "Saffiro! Where are you? It's Willow Shadestar! Hello?!" The passing villagers winced and hurried away from the screaming Absol, much to her embarrassment. "Sorry," she whimpered.

"HEY!" Willow turned her head sharply as a Breloom came running from around the corner, twisting his head around in search of something. When his eyes locked with Willow's, a huge grin broke out over his face. "Hey, hey, hey!" He made a mad sprint toward her, causing Willow to instinctively tense up.

"Oh no—" she managed to spit out before the Breloom scooped her up into a crushing death hug. Her injuries from her last fight came back with a vengeance, rattling aching bones and reintroducing stinging sores to healed wounds. "AGH! Not so…tight, Meadowfist!"

He snickered through his grin and set her down. "I can't believe you're here! I came running over as soon as I heard your voice!"

"Thanks for the heads up," Willow groaned jokingly. She picked herself up and stretched out her legs. "Be mindful of my body, though. I've faced death one too many times in my life." She smiled at him. "And how are you, Oswald?"

"Feeling great!" he exclaimed. "I've been working out a whole bunch lately. My Ultimate Fist is a hundred times stronger than it use to be!" He jabbed the air a couple times as he bounced on his toes. "I bet I can take on anyone, even the Shadow King himself! HIYA!"

Willow giggled. "Well, nothing wrong with dreaming big. Speaking of dreaming, where's that lazybones friend of yours?"

"I have ears, Ms. Shadestar." Willow smiled as the sword-carrying Hakamo-o approached them, sword in one hand, drinking gourd in the other. He smirked and asked, "Did you decline my previous invitation to surprise me~?"

"Heh, it was a surprise for everyone, me included." Willow stepped toward him and patted his shoulder. "Good to see you in your usual spirits, Saffiro."

"Same to you, though you're looking worse for wear. No offense." Saffiro glared at Oswald. "What did I tell you about overdoing it with the hugs?"

Oswald pouted. "Hey, if I don't put effort into what I do, how will anyone know I care? I say give it your all!"

Saffiro rolled his eyes, muttering, "I feel sorry for whatever woman you have kids with…" He faced Willow and smiled. "So, what brought you to our little neck of the woods, Ms. Shadestar?"

Willow sighed. "Forces I had hope I could deal with on my own, but I'm understating the increasing strength of these creatures. They ambushed my shop and tore through everything. I had no choice but to leave."

Saffiro frowned. "Oh dear. I'm so sorry, Ms. Shadestar. Is your daughter alright?"

"For the most part. Poor thing just recovered from a fever, and…" She grazed her claws across her stomach. "Well, I'm recovering from what could've been a lethal encounter. It's been a rough few weeks for all of us."

Oswald bared his teeth into a scowl. "If I was there, I could've vanquished those monsters in one kick. They dare try and hurt a mother and her daughter? I'll crush every last one of them!"

Willow laughed behind her paw. "That won't be necessary now, but I appreciate the sentiment."

"Speaking of your daughter, where is she?" Saffiro asked.

Willow nodded over her shoulder. "Oh, I left her with a couple I've been traveling with recently. They're checking out that portable stage out front."

Saffiro nodded. "Ah, Fleurette's theatre company."

"You know the troupe?"

"I don't know the whole troupe, but Fleurette was my theatre mentor when I went to Scorch Grave City for a summer course, back when I was a little Jangmo-o. Only reason I took it was because Oswald thought I needed to do something instead of sitting on my butt all day."

Oswald crossed his arms and grinned. "Well, it's true. Before we formed Team Shatter Star, you were either sleeping or going out on dates with random girls. Sometimes at the same time—" Saffiro whacked his scabbard across Oswald's head. "Ow! Okay, I deserved that one…"

Willow tilted her head. "I didn't know you were fond of acting, Saffiro."

"Eh, wasn't really my thing, but I enjoyed my summer. Though, Fleurette's the one that got me interested in pursuing baking. Didn't think I'd make a career out of it, but…well, from my time with the team, I'm considering opening my own private dojo/bakery."

Willow raised her brow. "Wait, you mean a dojo where you train swordfighters…and bakers?"

Saffiro shrugged. "Eh, I like sword fighting, but I also like baking. I'm too lazy to choose between them, so why not both?"

"…Yeah, I can get behind that."

Oswald gestured over his shoulder. "How about we sit down and get something to eat? You must be starved after your journey over."

"Well, between being thrown down a mountain and nearly getting impaled several times, I guess I've worked up a month's worth appetite."

"Want to swing by and grab your kid?"

Willow waved it off. "Nah. I'll just pick up a muffin for her or something." She grinned. "Plus, I don't want to ruin her fun."

"Once you finish the assignment, I'll need you to send it to the project manager," Fleurette stated on stage to her Runerigus partner. Courtney, the Ciphers, and a few villagers sat in front of the stage and watched with interest.

"And the project manager is who?" Runerigus asked.

"Naturally."

"Naturally, got it."

"You do?"

"Yes, I give the finished assignment to Naturally."

"Ye—what? No! You give it to Hoo!"

"Naturally!"

"Then say it like that!"

"I did! I have to hand the assignment to Naturally!"

"You don't! You have to give it to Hoo!"

"Naturally!"

"Then why aren't you saying Hoo?"

"I have been telling you! You want me to deliver the papers to Naturally!"

"It's for Hoo!"

"Naturally!"

"Then why is this so difficult for you to understand?!"

"I don't know!" Runerigus shouted.

"Oh, Ida No is the accountant."

"What accountant?!"

"No, Watt's the janitor."

"I don't know!"

"No, they're the accountant."

"Who's the accountant?!"

"No, he's the one you're giving the papers to!"

"Naturally's the accountant?!"

Courtney doubled over in laughter, kicking her legs in the air. "S-Stop, stop! I can't breathe!" She squirmed and wiggled in the dirt. Her laughter turned infectious as the rest of the audience burst out into laughter.

Owen snickered behind his paw while Elise stared blankly up at the stage. "I'm…so confused."

"I'll, hahahaha, I'll explain it to you later, dear."

Fleurette and the Runerigus looked to their guffawing audience and took a bow. "Thank you, thank you! We hope you enjoyed our little parody piece, ladies and gentlemen! Be sure to stop by later tonight! We'll be putting on a play for the young ones to enjoy." The small crowd applauded them, then stood up to leave.

Courtney bounded over and hopped onto the stage. She squatted down, wiggling her rear and wagging her tail. "That was really funny!" she squeaked.

Fleurette smiled. "Glad you enjoyed. And I believe I promised you a shirt. Trevor?" The Runerigus stretched his shadowy arm behind the curtains and fished out a small black shirt, handing it to Fleurette. She knelt down and showed it to Courtney. It had the company logo on the front, designed in purple and blue spray paint art. "Here you go."

"Woo!" Courtney raised her forelegs up. Fleurette giggled and slipped the shirt over Courtney. It was a couple sizes too big, but she instantly adored it. "Yay! I'm a real fan, now!"

"It looks good on you," Fleurette complimented.

"Stellar performance, you two," Owen stated as he and Elise walked onto the stage. "You know, in my youth, I've taken an interest in musical theatre, personally."

Fleurette grinned. "Oh, is that so? How come you never followed through?"

"Because my dream was to follow in my father's footsteps and work in the business world. Though I look back on what could've been fondly, I don't regret my decision."

Elise rolled her eyes and smirked. "That, and you're tone deaf."

"Elise!" Owen gasped.

"When we were dating, he tried serenading me in the shower. The bathroom's acoustics didn't help him in the slightest. Actually, I believe he shattered a mirror. Not because of his pitch. I bet the mirror took its own life to end the suffering."

"Eliiiiiise!" Owen whined, sinking to the ground and whimpering.

Elise patted his head. "Oh, don't be a baby, dear. You may have the singing voice of nails on a chalkboard, but I still married you, didn't I? That has to count for something."

He sniffled. "T-True…"

Courtney giggled and poked the whimpering Pyroar's snout. "Aww, I bet you sing like an angel. A really, really raspy angel."

"Heh…thanks, kid."

Fleurette patted Courtney's head. "You know, kiddo, it's a bit of a slow day for us. Would you like a tour of the stage? I can show you some neat tricks of mine."

Courtney gasped. "Really?"

"Uh huh. In fact, what's that behind your ear?" Fleurette reached around Courtney's head and, in a pink flash, pulled a prop sword out from behind. "Oh! Where did this come from?"

"Ooh! An odachi!" Courtney grabbed the sheathe in her teeth and happily wagged her tail. "Can I keep it?"

Fleurette giggled. "Sorry, that's company property for us to break." She tapped the sword and reduced it into a pink marble that fell into her open palm.

"Aww…"

As Elise helped Owen up, she asked, "You can use magic?"

"Compression magic, yeah. You could say I'm an expert at it." Fleurette stood up. "Well, compared to any other practicing it, at least. If you want to see stupidly high mastery, talk to my sister. She has me beat seven ways around the stage with how she performs." She juggled the marble around in her hand. "But it makes for convenient storage. I use it for pretty much everything."

"That so?" Elise asked, marveling at the simple trick. "How does it work?"

Fleurette grinned. "Well, I did offer a tour, so I'll show you our set up. A little something to welcome you lot to the area. And for my newest fan, of course." Courtney giggled and nuzzled up to her side.

"You're kidding!" Oswald gasped.

Willow slurped her coffee, sighed, and wiped the foam mustache off her lip. "Nope. It survived that mini massacre of mine and hunted the both of us into the mountains, and on a particularly bad night, too."

Saffiro leaned into his chair and nodded sagely. "Yes, if one isn't used to the Storm Zone's torrential storms, fighting can be impossible. Especially with all that mud~."

"And yet, the only thing burning through my mind was protect Courtney no matter what. I may have taken that too seriously since dying was hardly an option. I'm just grateful the folks who found me patched us up."

"Yeah, lucky you. I'd hate to be in Courtney's shoes. No father, losing her mother. Sounds awful."

Willow sighed. "Very. I take it your families are alright, though?"

Saffiro nodded. "That's why we came back. And yeah, they're doing fine."

"Haven't seen my master since we got back," Oswald grumbled. "I swear, that guy's either vacationing or off doing something crazy. I bet he's pummeling every bandit in sight for laughs." He slammed his fists onto the table. "Dammit! That could be me right now!"

Saffiro rolled his eyes. "And you say he's crazy?"

"Oh hush!"

Saffiro sipped his coffee before continuing, "Our team's pretty scattered over the region, too. Helping folks, defending armies, doing their own thing. We checked in on Ebony and Cybil the other day. Said they were helping some nomads find refuge. They're probably done by now."

Willow crossed her forelegs and nodded to herself. "Well, guess it's nice to see young folk are using their time to help the less fortunate. Wish I had that kind of selflessness."

Oswald smiled. "Hey, you're protecting your daughter. That's the greatest form of selfishness anyone can commit to."

"Not sure that's selfishness, but he's right," Saffiro agreed.

Willow groaned and tilted back in her chair. "I know, I just…I used to be a warrior. Traveling the region, helping folks, getting into all sorts of danger. That was the life. Then I got engaged, had Courtney, bad things happened…" She huffed through her nose. "I'm not ungrateful. Courtney's been an absolute joy in my life. I just…it's that old part of me still screaming to help the innocent."

"But you won't call upon it because you're a mother," Saffiro guessed.

Willow nodded and sat her chair down. "All that matters is protecting Courtney. That's all I ever wanted. It's…what I need." She shakily picked up her coffee cup and held it to her lips, but didn't sip it. "…I've lost my adventuring spirit the day my fiancé died. I've lost friends, distanced myself from them, and never bothered remarrying. I barely have friends outside of regulars who visited by shop. My own sword doesn't even respond to me anymore."

"Your sword?" Oswald asked.

Willow glanced to the sword mounted across her side. "The magic within my sword has gone dormant from inactivity. I used to use it in deathly serious fights, the kinds that got my blood pumping. I lost that energy in myself, and I think even my sword feels my apathy. Now all I have left is Courtney." She traced her claw around her cup's rim. "Still…"

"Hmm?" Saffiro hummed.

"When I fought that Drapion monster on the mountain, I felt…something. Something I hadn't felt in many years. Perhaps it was my imagination. Perhaps I mistaken it for my berserker instincts kicking in. I went into a bloodthirsty rage. I had serious tunnel vision centered on destroying that monster. Protecting Courtney was all I cared about, but…I feel like there was a hint of excitement fighting to the death again. A part of me finds hope in that, another feels disgust that I was enjoying myself when Courtney's life was at risk, too. The feeling, as brief and inconsequential as it was, made me feel nostalgic for the good old days. I don't regret starting a family, but…I would love to experience that thrill one last time. A fight to truly leave me breathless and…whole."

The two Shatter Stars glanced at each other, then smiled sympathetically at Willow. "Yeah, I think we can understand that," Saffiro said. "Nothing you can do about it now, I guess. At least you two are here, safe and sound. And, in my personal opinion, nothing wrong with taking it easy."

Willow smiled. "True." She downed her coffee until the cup was empty, then wiped her lip. "Actually, that reminds me. I saw you and your team perform at the Gelid Peak Tournament."

Saffiro smiled. "Oh, you did? How'd we do?"

"Remarkably well, obviously."

Oswald pouted. "We were so cheated out of a victory, though. Stupid shadow wielding—"

"Actually, I was wondering," Willow politely interrupted. "Are you two familiar with one of the other teams? Team Ravenfield?"

"Team Ravenfield?" Saffiro laughed. "A little too familiar. I actually met one of their teammates in your home village. I recommended her to see you."

Willow smirked. "So, you're responsible for my last protégé. I should've figured. I take it both teams are close?"

"With everything we got dragged into, I'd say we're tight."

Oswald slapped the table and laughed. "Both our leaders are like two peas in a pod!"

Willow giggled. "Amusing." She sighed and looked up at the canopy. "I do hope Ella's fairing well. I would feel better hearing from her again. I'm sure Courtney would appreciate a hello, too."

Saffiro shrugged. "Maybe you'll get your chance when the worst passes."

"I hope so." Willow rested her head inside her forelegs and exhaled softly. "Though, I fear what the worst brings for her and her team…"

Fleurette opened a drawer and pulled out a few pink marbles. She turned back to Courtney, who curiously examined the backstage with a glint of joy sparkling from her eyes. Her claws made adorable clicking sounds across the hardwood as she danced around, spinning and jumping like a loon.

"Look at me! I'm an actor!" Courtney exclaimed, waving to her invisible audience. "Welcome to the show! Throw money at me!" Owen and Elise, sitting off to the side, had to contain their laughter at the child's adorable antics.

Fleurette giggled and walked onto the stage. "Take my advice, kiddo, you don't want literal money being thrown at you." She juggled the marbles in her hand before flicking one in the air. "Here, catch!"

Courtney acted fast and raised her paws as the marble uncompressed into a unicycle. She caught it, then examined it. "Ooh!"

"We do all sorts of skits, but comedies are our favorite." Fleurette flicked another marble into the backstage and released a bed, causing the stage to shake briefly. "This is how we travel around. I compress everything down for later to maximize space. I can turn the stage into a bedroom, a kitchen, or any scenery we have available."

"Cool~!" Courtney gushed.

Elise stepped onto the stage with a grin. "Very handy. Have you ever thought of starting your own moving company? I'm sure anyone would pay top dollar for this kind of easy service. Plus, you know, you won't get sued for damaged property."

Fleurette laughed. "I'll keep that in mind if the Starlight Road Company tanks."

"I heard you can use that spell on creatures, too," Owen pointed out. "That's not…dangerous, right?"

Fleurette shrugged. "Well, depends on how long you keep them compressed, but they'd be fine. The worst that could happen is starvation. Though, I haven't practiced in a long time, so I can't compress living creatures. I'm trying to relearn, though. Do you know how handy that is for surprise entrances?"

Elise chuckled. "Quite. Seems like it's the perfect spell set for tricks."

"Yeah, it really is. But my sister is way better with the parlor tricks. She sent me a letter recently telling me how much she improved." She flashed a big, wide smile. "I'm so happy for her!"

Elise looked down with a sad smile. "I'm glad you have a good relationship with your sister. Owen and I would like something like that with our daughter. I hope she's doing okay."

Fleurette patted her shoulder. "Hey, for what it's worth, you folks seem like awesome parents. I know loving parents when I see them!"

Elise wiped some tears, then flashed a genuine grin. "Thank you, Ms. Glowkeeper."

"Any time."

"Momma!" They turned to Courtney as she ran off the stage and into her mother's awaiting forelegs. Saffiro and Oswald tailed behind, smiling at the sight.

Willow nuzzled her daughter's head. "Did you have a great time, Courtney?"

"Uh huh! Theatre is so cool and funny and cool!" She pulled free and tugged on her shirt. "They gave me this shirt, too!"

"Aww, how sweet." Willow kissed her forehead and stood up. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." She smiled up at Fleurette as she walked to the edge of the stage. "I take it you're the head. Sorry if she was a bother."

Fleurette shook her head. "That precious cinnamon roll? Nah! I was more than happy to."

Willow giggled. "Well, thank you. I'm glad she's able to smile after everything." She patted Courtney's head, which she leaned into.

"So, are you folks planning on staying here?" Fleurette asked as she sat on the stage's edge.

Willow nodded. "We are, at least. I'm sure Elise and Owen want to get back on the road soon to find their daughter. I personally don't recommend it, but…"

Elise smirked. "You aren't stopping us, you hear?"

Willow sighed, but wore a defeated smile. "Who am I to argue with a worried mother?"

"Darn right!"

Fleurette laughed out loud, slapping her knee. "I like you people!" She smiled over at Saffiro and Oswald. "Why didn't you two tell me you have such lovely company?"

Saffir shrugged. "Hey, I just know Willow here~. Don't go yelling at me~."

"Heh. Well, tell you all what!" Fleurette jumped off the stage and dusted her hands off. "You've all clearly been put through the wringer, and my schedule's pretty clear for the rest of the day. How about I treat you all and get you cleaned up?"

Elise raised her paw. "May I recommend the spa, please?"

Fleurette snickered through her grin. "Sure, why not?"

Willow stretched her hindlegs out. "I suppose I could go for a soak." She smiled at Saffiro and Oswald. "Will you boys be joining us?"

Saffiro shrugged. "Eh, why not~?"

Oswald crossed his arms and laughed. "No thanks! I've got a village to monitor! You all have fun with your little spa getaway! I've got some shadows to spot and destroy!" And with that, he kicked off and dashed out of sight.

Fleurette burst out into laughter. "Oh, that guy's hilarious! Come on, let's get you all cleaned up." She waved them along and took the lead through the village.

Willow picked Courtney up and set her on her back before following. "This should be fun, Courtney. A little Mommy/Daughter bonding trip."

"Sounds fun!" Courtney cheered. "Do I get to do those cool seaweed wraps?"

"Eheh, let's not push our host's budget, sweetie. How about a hot bubble bath?"

"Ooh, that's way fancier than seaweed!"

Willow chuckled. "Bubble bath, it is." She looked ahead and tried her best to smile. She let her previous conversation with Saffiro and Oswald drift away from her mind. The worst was over. She just had to weather out the storm and the rest would be history. Protecting Courtney was all that mattered. Keeping their little family together was all that mattered.

This is for the best. We can just stay here. And I don't have to worry about losing you or anyone…else. Willow bit her lip, hesitant in her assessment. Everything…will be fine. I'm sure.