8.

"I don't see why Takumi gets to ride on Duran while the rest of us have to walk," Nao balked, wiping sweat off of her brow.

Mai looked at her, angrily, and it seemed she was about to say something harsh, but Natsuki intervened.

"Hands up, all those who have had a heart transplant in the last year and need to take it easy?" Natsuki called out. Takumi sheepishly raised his hand. Natsuki nodded, "No one else? Last call? Hmm. Seems like Takumi is the only one who has a good reason not to be walking long distances."

"Here, here," Haruka nodded, "I just wish someone had told me that I was going to end up wearing heavy armor in the hot sun. I'd have picked a different class to play as."

"I'm surprised that Nagi still has so much power at his disposal," Shizuru sighed, fanning herself with an open spell book, "I would have thought the destruction of the Star would have stifled his abilities."

"If it gets any hotter, I'm stripping out of these sorceress robes and walking around in the all-together," Mai huffed, "Why aren't we heading to any of the towns to stay at an inn?"

Natsuki's eyebrow twitched, and she had her most sarcastic smile firmly in place, "Kikukawa, you want to field that one?"

"Well, we don't have much in the way of money," Yukino said, quietly. "And since we have to eat, it's best to save money for food, not lodging."

"You guys could have all been filthy rich," Midori leaned against a tree, "But someone in the group said that looting the corpses of fallen foes was prohibited."

She cast a meaningful look at Haruka.

"Haruka was playing to the parameters that you gave her," to everyone's surprise, Shizuru spoke in Haruka's defense, "You gave her an alignment of Lawful Good, and she would take penalties to her character if she had defied that. She was playing to the rules of the game, Suguira."

"Fujino…" Haruka blinked.

"Fujino-san," Kikukawa smiled at her.

"Bickering between us is precisely what Nagi would want. Or have we all forgotten too soon the horrors of the Carnival?" Shizuru turned from the group and looked back at the road.

"Good point, Shizuru-san," Mai nodded, "I don't want to go through that again."

Shizuru looked over her shoulder and smiled, "Just Shizuru is fine. Between the HiME, there should be no need for honorifics, yes?"

Mai grinned, "Ah, but if we all use yobisute, how will you show everyone your devotion to Natsuki-chan?"

Natsuki blushed slightly, and Shizuru gave a tittering laugh, "Oh, that was well played, Mai. Delightful, indeed. Well, I believe that if I hold Natsuki's arm as we walk, it will be enough to remind everyone that I belong at her side."

"I do have to ask if we have a plan?" Haruka sighed.

"Well, we've been walking three days in the hope that ignoring Nagi will get him to zap us back home," Akira sighed, "So far, that's gotten us nowhere."

"Nagi can be stubborn," Natsuki sighed, crossing her arms.

"Says the authority on the subject," Nao smirked.

"Shut up!"

"Well, I have an idea," Takumi spoke up, "We're here, and it seems like this is a reality, not a dream, right?"

"Yeah, what's up, kid?" Midori asked.

"Well, I have an idea for making some money. But we'll need to go to a town to do it."

"Care to let us in on it?" Midori asked.

"It's a surprise," Takumi said.

"Not sure I'm big on surprises," Nao sighed.

"Give him some credit, Nao," Natsuki said, "Takumi is pretty reliable. He is Mai's kid brother, after all."

"The nearest town is just up ahead," Yukino said.

8888888

Takumi had directed them to find a market and gave them a list of ingredients.

"We're trying to make money, kid, not spend it!" Nao protested.

"Ara, but has Nao not heard the old saying?" Shizuru replied, "One must spend money to make money. That is the essence of doing business. These are…"

Shizuru paused, looking at the list of ingredients, then smiled broadly, "I see what young Tokiha-han is up to. These are very disparate ingredients. Mai, you and Mikoto handle the meat. Natsuki and I will get the vegetables. Midori, you and Nao take the dry goods. And Akira, you and Takumi find us a place to cook."

"What about me and Yukino?" Haruka spoke up.

"Advertising, Suzushiro! Advertising!"

8888888

Takumi and Akira had, after a bit of finagling, assembled a small brick grill, and gotten a fire going. The others brought the ingredients, and with a bit of effort, Takumi got to work.

"Is he…" Nao blinked, "No way!"

"That's a Tokiha for you," Natsuki grinned, "Magicians in the kitchens."

Takumi combined water, flour, and leavening, and made a rudimentary dough. He mashed it out as flat as he could. Then he prepared a sauce using blanched tomatoes, as well as a few herbs and spices.

He took a length of sausage and began to cut it widthwise in slices as thin as he could get them. Then he added a soft cheese in chunks over the surface.

"Takumi, I think you just invented the pizza," Mai grinned, "At least, as far as this world is concerned."

Takumi cooked it on the fire, and Akira fanned the smoke out into the town. People began to gather to see what was happening.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Haruka bellowed, "Come one come all! We have a brand new taste scintillation for you to try!"

"That's 'sensation', Haruka," Yukino sighed.

Takumi began selling the pizzas he was making to the gathering crowd, many of whom quickly marveled at the flavor, prompting more sales.

"We're only going to break even, for what he's selling them for," Nao griped.

"Not so," Shizuru smiled, "I know his plan. May I, Takumi-han?"

"Of course. I think someone as attractive and competent as Kaicho-sama will be able to pull it off better than me, anyway."

"People, listen, we are but travelers. Tell the innkeeps and restauranteers that we will sell them this recipe for 5 silver pieces, each!" Shizuru called out.

Several men pressed their way to the forefront, as Takumi explained and demonstrated the technique. They happily forked over the coins requested, quickly filling the purse of the traveling party.

"Hmm. Not bad," Nao smirked, "But aren't we interfering in this world, doing this?"

"Before long," Takumi said, "We'll be long forgotten and the innkeeps will all claim that they were the ones who came up with the recipe. It's fine."

"The young man is correct," An unfamiliar voice spoke to them. They turned to see a plump, wrinkly, squat man with grey-brown skin, a bald head on top, with a length of silver-grey hair down his back, and red robes, "Greetings, I am Dungeon Master, your guide in the realm of Dungeons and Dragons. I know that you young ones have been brought here in a most strange manner, and I can aid you in returning to your world."

Natsuki frowned, "Are you connected to Nagi?"

"Nagi? Oh, him? Well, I know him. Sometimes we are allies. Sometimes, enemies. I don't know what his purpose was in bringing you here, and so I don't know if we have a common goal, or are at cross purposes. However, I can tell you that there is a path home to the north. In the city of Gygax, there is a temple. When the Sacred Ceremony of Union is performed, the path of the stars will alight, and the way home will be opened. But beware, the beasts of old will bar your path, and there will be a trial that the guilty must answer. Thank you for the new recipe, Takumi Tokiha. It's a welcome addition to the Realm."

"Don't talk in riddles, old man!" Natsuki growled, following him as he walked around a fountain. Only as she rounded it, he was gone.

"Damn it!"

"Well," Mai sighed, "It's the first clue we've had in days on how to get out of here."

"Then, should we go north?" Shizuru asked the company. She received a solid vote in favor of it.

"Let's just hope this isn't one of Nagi's tricks," Natsuki sighed.

Watching from the shadows of an arched doorway, Nagi smirked, whispering to himself, "Oh-ho! So, Old DM is getting involved, huh? This could be fun."