Chapter 11

Telskyura. A weird name for yet another fantastic place in a world I hardly knew. To be fair, we didn't have things like 'internet' or even 'travel brochures'. All I'd heard so far were stories, and most of them weren't putting the place in a great light.

Now, if you could handle the crazy humidity, the monsters, and the random challenges of bored Amazons, this place was incredible. Giant, titanic, almost impossible seeming trees! Amazing animals (some of which didn't want to kill us)! Exotic plants (of varying edibility/toxicity)!

The 'final approach' to the massive wooden walls of the city itself was an easy upward slope that had been clear cut of just about everything but a few small plots of crops or animal pens. It made sense to make such an obvious 'kill zone', considering what lived outside the walls. You didn't want those things getting in. Another thing I noticed, now that I was closer, were that many of the trees that made up the wall had windows. This also made sense, since an archer would be more accurate closer to the ground instead of a hundred and fifty metres up. Of course when you had trees that were ten metres across making up your wall, it made sense to put rooms in them. Looking to either side of the road, I could see more towers and farm/animal plots/pens as well. Close to the city and well guarded.

The road was another point of interest. It was quite similar to the 'Rakia Roads' we'd been digging over the last couple of years. The style was different (random seeming cobbles instead of worked stone), but the result was the same. Nice and functional.

And lastly the main gate. It was made of wood, obviously, but it had also been put through the middle of one of the massive tree trunks. I did note that there were no gaps above the door. It had been made into a perfect match to the opening in the trunk. Of course, when wanted to keep out everything, that included things that could crawl over a door, including people.

On either side were a pair of simple guard towers, and a small cabin. Of course, the towers were... huh... 'occupied' (I was about to say 'manned' but not here ha!), a pair of Amazon in each, bow in hand. On the ground were another two, bows slung around their shoulder, spears in hand.

We of course had their full attention the instant we reached the cleared area around the wall. I imagined they didn't get many travellers, and they also looked VERY young. I suspected the oldest of them might have been twelve? Young as they were, they had already started taking on that 'Amazon Tone' of wiry muscle and girly abs.

"Hey boss." Maki mumbled to me from behind the curtain behind the driver's seat, "Notice something missing?"

Aisha glanced back, "If you're going to say 'men' I will tickle you."

I had to cover my mouth, but I still ended up laughing, "Snrk... Tell me, little sister. What's missing?"

"Metal." Maki said, "Bone weapons, leather or cloth armour-"

"If you can call it that." Shinkage said from her place atop Hagane.

"Everything is lashed together instead of nailed." Maki chuckled, "The only metal I've noticed were a couple of earrings on the patrol Aisha-san thrashed."

I hmm'ed thoughtfully, but Aisha nodded and reached back to ruffle Maki's hair, "Good eye kiddo." She said, "These mountains we're in? Basically dry of anything useful. What little we do mine isn't even good enough for utensils."

"Considering your Padao, that's not really an issue." I said.

"Until it's set on fire." Aisha shrugged, "Anyhow, my turn again, stop the horses."

I did as instructed, giving the reins a gentle tug, and watched Aisha hop off and walk ahead. A moment later I heard Ryuu hop off the top of the wagon as well. "Hold Caravan!" One of the guards said, stepping forward to meet Aisha.

"Hello youngling." Aisha greeted, "Brisid should have told you about us?"

The mini-Amazon looked up (way up) at Aisha, then over to us, nodding her head slightly as she counted. "She said six."

"This joke is getting old." Hagane sighed.

The sentry blinked in surprise, "That's..." She 'ahem'ed at herself, "Very well, six." She looked back up to Aisha, "Welcome back, Sister, make sure they know the rules, and are escorted at all times." She paused, "An elf?"

All of the guards focused on Ryuu, but Aisha waved it off, "A blooded companion."

All their eyes went wide, but they nodded, "V-very well." The lead guard turned, "All clear!"

There was a relay of people saying 'all clear' until I couldn't hear it anymore, but after a moment, the huge wooden doors on the tree opened up. I heard Ryuu get into the wagon, and a moment later, so did Shinkage.

Behind me however, Hagane lagged behind for a moment...

(Hagane)

It seemed like I may need to build a little of my own reputation, here in this place. Being miscounted was something I'd all but forgotten about in Orario. Once I'd visited a few of the more notable places, spoken a few words and run about in the dungeon a few times, it seemed like all at once, everyone in Orario knew who I was.

I'd forgotten how much being... 'dismissed' irritated me.

While this body had many limits, it had some obvious advantages. Oddly enough, it had some unexplainable ones too. Despite being a giant metal cat, with a skull-like face and only a jaw and eyes to distinguish where my head was... I didn't really scare anyone. Quite the opposite. Not that I minded.

Using this odd quirk of mine to my advantage, I stalked up to the lead... child(?)... stopped, and said a single word. "Yes."

She was surprised, and puzzled for a moment, but when I leaned down just a little, lowering my head so I could 'look' into her eyes, she got the idea, and gave the top of my head a pat. "What... are you?"

"Sister, you shouldn't get distracted." The other small Amazon said, looking like she was about to pull the first one away. Of course, that unexplainable magnetism my forehead had for headpats drew her in a moment later, and she too joined in.

"I am Hagane." I replied, leaning my head a little to encourage them. To be honest, I didn't feel the 'friction' of their hands, but the warmth and sound of their hand going over my outer shell felt... good. "My body is metal, but I have a mind like anyone else." I moved my head away, "Thank you, but she's right, you shouldn't get distracted."

The other Amazon giggled, and the two went back to being 'serious'. Introduction done, I simply walked away to catch up to the slow moving wagon.

(Kodori)

To my surprise, the 'back' of the wall was a really busy place. Platforms had been carved or braced into the rear face of the wall quite a ways up. I didn't know what the smaller sheds were for, but there wasn't any wasted space, that's for sure. Ahead, looking into the town proper...

Oh boy.

"As you can see, we make do with what we have." Aisha said as we passed another half dozen young Amazon, each on guard like the ones out front, "Space is a bit of a premium, like everything else except wood and food..."

Japan has a lot of rocky hilly terrain. And 'flat' places for crops were often something you had to make yourself, else you'd never be able to grow anything in an abundant and organized fashion. If you look up a picture of a 'Rice Terrace', you'll get the idea of what I mean. Done that? Now imagine something without the greenery, and have it all made of small solid rock shelves. This extended back a very long ways, with hundreds of these platforms.

"Oh... wow. Hey... Is that a gravity cart system?" I looked up at a sort of... the closest 'modern' thing to it would be a ski lift. Except this wasn't driven by motors, but gravity. Most commonly used in mining, you could fill one of the many baskets/buckets with rocks/ore/people/whatever, and gravity would do all the work of getting it to the bottom.

Aisha looked to where I was pointing, "Oh, yeah. We aren't completely backwards here." She returned my friendly elbow, "Can't carry everything up the stairs. That one there is for people." She pointed to another one. This one was more complicated looking, with a couple of extra ropes holding up the baskets, and maybe a lever system to allow for brakes to let people on and off... maybe? "You can use the... you know, I'll explain it later... We're going to have to find a place to put the wagon first."

From behind the curtain, Shinkage asked, "I take it you've been away a while?"

"Yeah." Aisha shrugged, "Wasn't much for me here, so I went where everyone else was going."

"And got spoiled for silks and cottons?" Maki asked, her face innocent.

"Hell yeah. Been getting used to fur again though." She nudged me, "Hold on."

I stopped wagon again, getting a backwards look from one of the horses. All this stop/go would get on my nerves too.

"Youngling." Aisha called to the nearest guard, "We need to put this out of the way."

Young or not, this little one had a good 'appraising eye' already. "Merchant?" She looked at me.

"We do have goods to trade, yes." I nodded.

"Go that way," She pointed left, "She will have to read for you, but pick the first spot that will fit your wagon and horses."

I nodded, as did Aisha, and with a little flick of the reins and then a gentle tug to the left, we started down that way. While we did, I just... kept looking at stuff. I regretted not bringing HIDA-lite, but she might not have lasted on her battery all this way.

Here at the bottom of the massive network of terraces on the slopes above, we travelled over a wide (say fifty metres?) cobble street. It wasn't ALL street, no, it was simply the base of the cliff that had been smoothed out for 'stuff'. A few small cabins. A lot of large 'Yurt' styled tents. A bunch of 'industrial' type places (pottery, wood working, maybe a bone carver or two). And finally, a modest market 'square'.

"It works a little different here." Aisha said as we continued past the square, "Valis is used, but it's not as valuable as goods. If it weren't for its value to the rare merchant we get this way, we'd melt the stuff down and make it more useful than 'a disk with a number on it'."

"Huh. Defacing money is actually illegal where we're from." Maki said, "Suppose anyone who wants to go to Orario would need a little too, right?"

"Yeah, basically." Aisha nodded, "Also, see that?" She pointed to what looked like bunch of boards laid out in a line. It passed under many of the huts and Yurts as well. "Don't open that. Ever."

"Ah, sewage." I nodded, "What about water?"

Aisha pointed to a small stone building, then another, then another, "We have wells all over the place, even up the crag." She pointed up the terrace, "Since it's a permanent thing, it's been put in a stone house."

It made sense that everything around here was 'replaceable'. "Noted. Ah, think this will do?" I looked at what was basically an empty place along the giant tree wall, "Oh... I've seen that writing before."

"Of course you have." Aisha nodded, "That's Amazon Script. But yeah, that'll do."

Our 'parking space' was just a little longer than the wagon itself, but wide enough for it, the horses, and if we wanted, a small tent or merchant stall. It was gloomy however, since the wall above loomed over us. That helped with the humidity, and even smelled nice. "Maki?" I said, "Find the jar with the white stripe on it."

"Heh, already getting the bug repellent out?" Aisha laughed, "Good call though. Hey Ears? Want to help me set up a smoke shed? If we want to sell this snake skin, we really should cure it properly."

"What do we do next though?" Maki asked.

"I suspect Brisid will find us?" Shinkage guessed.

"Yeah probably." Aisha nodded, hopping down, "Fox, give us a hand too."

"Let me give the horses a little attention, then sure." I hopped off as well, and the six of us went about setting up 'shop'.

While getting set up for what would hopefully be a short stay, I thought of something Aisha said, "Blooded companion?"

"Means what you think it does." Aisha said, giving Ryuu a nod, "We've got our differences, but I'd trust her with my back, in the dark, in a hopeless situation."

Maki chimed in with her own question, "I get that, but what about that other look they gave you?"

Shinkage clarified with a, "They were surprised she was even here at all."

"You want to, or should I?" Aisha asked Ryuu.

"Many of the views we have are... opposed to each other. Usually." Ryuu said after a moment, "Sex, children, relationships, care of the land, attitudes... It is a long list."

"See." Aisha looked like she wanted to do a friendly 'arm over shoulder' grab with Ryuu, much like she would with Welf or myself, but she settled with a single pat on the shoulder, "Elves are usually pretty prudish. They have a life partner, keep things in the dark and under the covers, and don't advertise what they have."

If you looked at Aisha, dressed in her... almost not dressed at all leather and cloth (with nice functional armoured bracers), then Ryuu, with her form concealing cape and hood, modest fur and fabric vest and shorts, then knee high boots... Well, it was obvious what some of the bigger differences were.

"We see children as a treasure, and the family as sacred." Ryuu expanded, "As opposed to a pure survivalist view of the Amazon race, and their... casual attitude to sex."

"So... what made you change your minds?" Maki asked.

"We didn't." Both Ryuu and Aisha said together.

"We've both figured that it's just 'small stuff', and after all this time adventuring together, it doesn't matter." Aisha grinned.

"Both our views have softened to acceptance." Ryuu shrugged, "Instead of remaining indignant."

Maki looked to them, then to me, and I shrugged, "What? They're both my friends, they both get along, and yes, you can bet your tails I played intermediary when they walked away from each other in a huff about something the other one did." I looked back to Maki, "It's the same sort of nonsense back home, but here I could do something about it."

Both Aisha and Ryuu did the same 'scratch cheek' thing when I looked back, daring them to deny it.

"Let's get back to work." Aisha said, "Word will certainly have gotten around that you're here, and you want to be done as soon as possible, right?"

"Yeah." I nodded, "Hey... think this snake skin would be any good for armour?"

Someone had been planning ahead with this city and it's placement. You would think that being next to a massive wall of impenetrable wood would basically leave half your day without light, but, it didn't. The sun here rose on the other side of the wall, giving the city shade and the modest crop fields sunlight from late morning to just after noon (so like... 8am-1pm or so). But as the sun started to set, the wall, where we were, would get sunlight until it went behind the cliffs above, (around 7pm or so).

Not like there weren't other light sources. Torches, obviously, made from a sap extracted from one of the trees they had in the jungle, were the primary light while the sun was down. There were other lights too. A certain insect was one of them, much like a firefly back home, except... bigger.

Like. Big enough to keep a thin leash on them. Oh, and bite hard enough to draw blood if you bothered them. But they were basically pets to some of the people along the wall. I made a point to ask what they ate, since I knew I could use them for alchemy, and Delly would love a couple of them, if I could hide them on the way back.

The last light source however, told me that someone already figured out the alchemy thing with the glow bugs. Aisha called them 'amber jars'. And you've probably seen them in movies or something. Basically a glass jar, that lights up for a while after you shake it.

"So." I said as I stacked up the last of the dried and cut up snake skin just inside the wagon, "Where is everyone?"

Aisha looked at me, "What do you mean?"

"Well, usually, when someone odd comes to town, like us, you have no end of curious types who wonder what we're about." I replied, "Maki? Tie this up?"

"Sure." Maki got a bit of string and started to bundle the snake skin.

"Well Fox, to put it bluntly, we're just not that important here." Aisha shrugged, "Each of those tents you see up the hill? Think of it like a very tiny village. As we speak, almost everyone in each of those tents is using the daylight hours to hunt, forage and train. Some will be making clothes or weapons. Others killing stuff for food. No one can afford to be idle here." She gave me the arm over shoulder thing she hadn't given Ryuu, "Now, once it's too dark to hunt properly? That's when we'll get the attention. People will be returning, dividing up the loot to their Room, and then using their free time how they please."

"And that includes seeing what we have for sale?" Maki asked.

"That's right." Aisha nodded seriously. "It's a very competitive place, and if you spend too much of your daylight not trying to improve, some other Room will overtake you."

"The terraces..." Ryuu started, "The larger they are, the more value they have?"

"Yeah. If you want more space for your Room, then you have to fight for it. Sure, you can increase your numbers, bring in people who've lost their leader and the Room they just had, but then you'd have to give them the space to live in your own Room." Aisha explained, "And before you ask... yes, that's basically what happened to me."

Shinkage spoke up, her little arms around a barrel that she could have stood up in, yet had no problem carrying, "They wouldn't have asked."

Maki, Ryuu and I all shrugged, nodded, but didn't stop Aisha from continuing.

"Heh, well. Let's get dinner set up. If you want to attract people Fox, then I suggest you make a lot."

While I made dinner, applying my new knowledge of making giant snake edible, with old knowledge of how to cook for lots of people (and never have a person be unsatisfied when they were done), we listened to Aisha tell the short version of why she left.

The Rooms all competed for space. If your Terrace was large enough to hold, lets say, ten people, and you wanted to add more, you had two options. First, take over a new space, then invite people in. Or, invite people in, then take over a new space. If you opted for the second one, well, until you DID take over the new space, you had to put up with an already cramped space getting smaller.

This is what happened the Aisha. Her Room Leader took on a couple of extra hands, then made a bid for a new Terrace. Except the new members weren't all they bragged they were. Her Leader was killed, most of her Room was killed or 'dispersed'. And she only managed to live because someone had kicked her off the Terrace before the fighting was done.

She woke up homeless, with no Roommates, and when she returned to her former Room, it had already been looted, and claimed by another group. They weren't even part of the raid, just strong enough to see what had happened, and hold the new Terrace from anyone else who saw it was now empty. So, Aisha just... turned and left. She went to Kali, told Her that she wanted to go to Orario, and without a care, the Amazon Goddess 'released' her Falna. This left Aisha able to change Gods to whomever updated her next. So, she tagged along with the first merchant caravan to leave Telskyura, and joined Ishtar soon after arriving in Orario.

"After getting thrashed so bad here, I decided that was the last time I'd let it happen because of someone else's choices. Once I found a place to store my stuff in Orario, I got used to the dungeon, caught the attention of the Berbera, and became part of Ishtar Familia soon after. It wasn't long until I was basically running the show."

"I thought... oh... what was her name?" Maki scratched an ear.

"Phryne." I said, feeling my wrists tingle.

"That... thing was captain, sure, but aside from thinking she was the mortal pinnacle of beauty, she was useless as an actual captain." Aisha looked like she wanted to spit, but resisted, "Huh. Looks like she's finally here."

"With friends." Shinkage added, "If that's a thing here."

Brisid and her oddly emotionless face attempted a smile. Around her I recognized a few of the ones who'd been in Orario and run ahead of us on our way here. Added in were some I didn't know. But all of them looked like they'd had a rough day at work.

"Demon Fox." She greeted, "All accounted for still? Horses too?"

Behind me, the horses made a noise that could easily have been translated to, "Damn right!"

"As you can see, we brought a little of our trouble here with us to trade." I motioned to the last couple of snake skin squares that were curing on simple racks. "Care for introductions?" She seemed like that kind of person.

"Sure." Brisid shrugged, "Some of these you know, the ones you met before are cutting up our kills, and these ones wanted to see the famous Demon Fox." She motioned to each of the groups, then for the last one she pointed to a youngling, maybe ten years old, probably younger, "And this one wanted to talk to your metal cat."

"Hagane." He corrected, "I am only a metal cat, because it is the next best predator, and easier to build."

"Oh, she was in one of the towers." Maki said, "Sensei?" She nudged me.

"This is Maki, my sister. The short one there is Shinkage. You've met Hagane. That's Ryuu. And this is Aisha." I motioned to everyone, "Yes, Ryuu is an elf, no she doesn't care what you do in your spare time."

Someone said, "Good. Celibate tree hugger..."

Ryuu replied with a (very surprising!), "I only hug them, instead of sanding them down smooth and mounting them."

The one who started it was about to say something, but the rest of them laughed at the comeback, drowning her out. "Okay, she gets it." Brisid chuckled.

"If that's settled, if you have a bowl, bring it over." I said, "We have business to discuss."

They didn't all have bowls, but there seemed to be a bit of a 'pecking order' for chow. Eh, I'd made a lot, and was sure they'd all get their fill, no matter who ate first. Brisid had a bowl, but gave it to the youngling first, while everyone else got behind her.

So, as I filled up bowls, "So, is that man still alive?"

"Unless someone killed him today?" Brisid shrugged, "He doesn't talk much, and he isn't eating very well, but he wasn't dead last I asked."

Aisha looked at me, and I motioned her to go ahead, "He hasn't been claimed yet, has he?"

"Of course he has." Brisid said flatly, "Without falna, he made it from the deep jungle, to about half way here."

"Are we going to have to negotiate for him?" Aisha asked.

"Probably." A pause, "Where'd you get that?"

The only thing different about Aisha since they'd last met was the bone sword/spear head she'd gotten, so with a shrug of her own Aisha said, "Patrol near the swamp edge called me out, so I put her in her place."

"Huh, city didn't make you soft then." Brisid accepted her bowl back from the youngling, and I filled it up again for her, "Thanks. So, now that you're here, you know the rules?" She looked at me, since she knew who I was, and more or less why we was here.

"I have an expert." I swished a tail at Aisha, "We need to talk to this man you've picked up, and then get to the thing in the jungle. We'll know more when we get there."

"Well, unless she takes a Room, you're tourists. Everyone here is to be under escort if you leave the ground." Brisid explained, "If you aren't, then do your best not to be seen."

The looks from Brisid's 'Room' were quite clear on the 'Or Else' implication. "Sure. But who's watching us?"

"That's not our jo-"

"I will!" The youngling who had given Hagane a visit spoke up.

I assumed it was for speaking out of turn, but someone was about to slap her. I saw the look, I saw the hand go up, but it wasn't me who got in the way.

There was a hollow metallic sound and quiet crack of bone as Hagane moved over about a half step to get in the way. "Accepted."

There were a few surprised noises, a couple of half drawn weapons, and I had to rescue someone's bowl with a quick outstretched hand, but it was only Brisid who's reaction I cared about.

"The first one is free, the next one costs you." Hagane warned, "I will even pay her for her time."

The one who had tried to slap the youngling went about straightening her broken finger, while the others put their weapons at ease again, "Fine." Brisid said with an actual smile, "Follow them around, keep them out of trouble." Again, the 'Or Else' was obvious, but the youngling nodded vigorously. Brisid turned to me then, "Food, water, shelter are all on you until you leave. Train with her if you want. Do your best to keep her alive."

I nodded, "Deal." I smiled, "I'll make sure she has some stories to tell." Then to the youngling, "Kodori, Hestia Familia." I handed the bowl back to whomever dropped it, then extended my hand to the girl.

"Amani." She replied gripping my forearm with surprising strength, "Kali Familia."

"We'll spread the word a little, tell the one who has that man you're looking for that you want to meet him. Were you going to open up shop? Good work with the snake skin." Brisid asked, her face returned to that lax emotionless state.

"Thanks. And sure. Even have some stew left to share." I looked to Aisha, "You'll have to do the bartering though."

"Things I put up with." Aisha laughed.

After everyone but Amani left, we set up a small table. It was really just a couple of our barrels and a plank of wood, but it was sufficiently stall-like in appearance that it wasn't long before people started getting curious. Some were younglings, looking for food. Not surprising since it was late day and a growing child was always hungry. For a bowl, Aisha accepted teeth. After a good look at them, I figured I could do something with them if I got them to my alchemy table back home.

For the snake skin, we were offered many things. Animal skin, furs, cloth, meat, vegetables, semi-precious gems (like garnet), and even a couple of those ironfang knives. I left the details up to Aisha, and was sure she'd do well. Or at least no poorly.

Our last visitor however surprised me.

"Oh no..." Our newest employee said, looking down the street and trying to duck out of sight.

I put down a recently drawn bucket of water and followed her gaze down the street. Aside from a few wandering Amazon, there was only one thing of note. "That one there?" I asked Amani, "With the cane and limp?"

"Huh." Aisha, who seemed to have lost interest in the whole 'merchant' thing stood up straight, "It's a Crone."

"A sage?" Ryuu asked, probably using her own term for it.

"She's a mean old woman, who hexes us if we get out of line." Amani was trying not to show fear, and was doing well too! Except she was basically hiding behing Hagane as he sat at attention next to me. "The last youngling to bother her was sneezing black snot out for a week! Another one went bald for over two seasons!"

"Have you considered not bothering her?" Hagane asked.

Aisha laughed, "Here, a Crone is basically too weak to fight, but too useful to leave in the jungle."

Back before I'd become Kodori, I'd know all kinds of people with difficulties getting around. It was obvious from this 'Crone's look she was heading in our direction with 'stubborn purpose'. Like most Amazon, (full grown ones at least) she was tall, and had tanned skin. She didn't however have that cable-like tone of muscle, and was wearing pants (I could count how many times Aisha had worn pants on one hand) and even with the humidity being what it was, had a fur shawl over one shoulder, covering the arm she wasn't using the cane with.

And aside from 'determined to get here', she looked grumpy. The frown lines on her face had ruined some of her good looks.

Once she'd gotten close enough to greet without yelling, Aisha started with, "Can I help you?"

It was polite enough, but the Crone frowned even harder, "Did you bring any medicine from Orario to trade?"

Since I was the 'medicine' person, I stood up with a quiet "Char the pot Hagane? Thank you." And went over. "Honoured Elder." I greeted, "What ails you?"

She looked at me with obvious contempt, "Damned prissy Easterners..." She then sighed like I'd asked the dumbest question ever, "I'm in pain! Makes it hard to work enough to live!"

Figuring I'd play to her stereotype of me, I continued with my best 'formal' tone, "Obviously, honoured Elder. From what I see you've a twisted knee, likely many scars, a bent back, a strained shoulder, and a nose that's been broken at least as many times as mine." I smiled, "I'd guess you also suffer from poor circulation, and one of your eyes isn't as good as the other." Because yes, she was either giving me a hairy eyeball, or one eye was better than the other.

"You missed a few." She grunted, "But even a good sleep doesn't make it all go away the next morning, and its back just as bad by the time I get half a day's work done."

"What about the snake venom?" Maki suggested from our little camp fire, tapping the bottom of our cooking pot to get the charred bits of stew out, "Or do you not know what kind it is?"

That got an 'intrigued eyebrow' from the Crone, but it went back to being grumpy when I said, "Sadly no, it's a blood toxin, not a nerve toxin." Then back to the Crone, "What do you do?"

"Can't you smell it?" She shot back, "I'm what passes for an apothecary down on the ground here. Except only drugs from Orario have what I need to make the pain stop. That or frog venom. But no one wants to touch those." She said sarcastically, glaring at the youngling, "Back in my day we did it to build resistance!"

That broke our little Amazon's resolve and she 'eep'ed.

"Bah!" The Crone turned and started to move away, but I reached out to grab the arm under her shawl.

Except there was nothing under the fur. The arm just under the shoulder just wasn't there. Amani 'eep'ed again, and with a heavy THWACK the Crone smashed the side of my head with her cane. I felt the impact all the way down to the soles of my feet, but with my hand on her, I was immovable. That wasn't to say it didn't sting an awful lot, but I'd had much worse.

The move however had unbalanced the Crone, and she started to tumble to the ground. I reached out over the makeshift stall counter with my other hand and grabbed her wrist to keep her from falling, but it left my other hand with her fur shawl and the Crone's missing arm stub exposed.

"Rude tourist! Get your hands off me!"

Her missing arm looked to have been chewed off by something with really nasty teeth, but the wound itself was old. The scars on her shoulder, now uncovered, told the tale of those teeth nearly biting her entire shoulder off, but sliding down and getting just her arm instead. Lucky and unlucky. "What would you pay to have your arm back?" I asked, her cane still against my forehead. "Knee too, if you're lucky."

By that point Ryuu had gotten behind the Crone, keeping her steady when I let her arm go. "Don't give me false hope." She grumped, "And get your hands away from me, ears. I could never afford a metal arm. Even if I were back in my prime."

"This isn't a replacement." I shook my head, "Even if I built him, I don't know quite enough to make a golem arm." I smiled, glancing back to Aisha, who shrugged and went into the wagon, "No, it's something to regrow what you lost. It takes time, more depending on what its replacing. And I think you'll find the price quite affordable."

Ryuu backed away now that the Crone was steady again, "I barely make enough to eat every day. I live in a shack I can hardly lie down in. Even my clothes were given to me out of pity. What could I possibly pay you?"

I gave the side of my head a tap (hiding the wince of pain I felt since I just poked my newly forming bruise). "You know things I don't. Local plants, remedies, and maybe even a bit of alchemy. And if you know enough, I'll even tell you how to make more of this stuff."

"Guess she doesn't know who you are." Maki laughed, "I don't think I'll ever get tired of you doing stuff like this."

Amani leaned over a little (though she was still behind Hagane), "Who is she then?"

"Kodori." I came around the counter and got the Crone seated on a stool, "Hestia Familia."

"So boring Fox." Aisha chuckled, handing me a metal box, a staff of Hermes on the front. She then handed the Crone a bit of leather, "This is going to sting a little."

"I still haven't agreed to anything." She growled, "I hardly think anything I know compares to someone from Orario. Especially if you can make something like this."

"Ryuu?" I called Ryuu over, since I couldn't actually cut the woman to administer the Lizard tonic, "As long as you make a modest effort to pay me back, I'm not picky. Even teaching me to make an Amber Jar would be enough."

"Well I can do that..."

"Sold. Bite on that. Aisha hold her shoulders."

The 'operation' wasn't really much. Considering the scars on this woman, we might as well have been poking her with toothpicks. For her arm, it was the same cut I had Kurin do for Fukawa, a shallow cross shape then a swipe with the Lizard Tonic. The Crone nearly threw Aisha off of her, but the pain was brief. Like they say, 'bitter medicine works best'.

Her legs were worse. We actually needed to cut her knee open to expose her kneecap, and put a little tonic there as well. What ever had gotten her leg had taken about half the 'cap' with it, and severed one of the tendons on the back. If she didn't lock her leg while she walked, she wouldn't be able to walk at all.

We also fixed her cane. Not only had she splintered it against my skull (Maki took out a couple of slivers while we were working, you know, since she had the tweezers on hand), it was too short for her.

And lastly? We fed her some of our snake jerky. Adventurer or not, the body needed fuel, more if it was healing. And she was going to (hopefully) be doing a lot of that over the next year, maybe more, maybe less.

"Why... why did you help her?" Amani asked, "None of the merchants I've met just... help. Always here for money, or 'fun'."

I looked at Aisha, "The Room shares everything, and if you're lucky, has a room for the privy so you can at least squat in peace."

I looked back to our part timer, "I'm new to the city, and I need a friend." I replied, "So long as she gets a good sleep tonight, she'll feel like a new person in the morning. In exchange, sure, I get some new knowledge to bring home with me, but she might be willing to speak well on my behalf later. Maybe this 'free sample' of mine will bring more business? Not a bad thing either."

"Huh..." She scratched her head, shrugged, then looked to Shinkage, "Want to spar before bed?"

"I may be a little past your ability." Shinkage replied.

"HA! I'm already nine years old, and level two!" She said proudly, puffing out her chest a little.

"Sounds like someone more your speed, Maki." Shinkage said with a yawn, "It is getting close to my bed time anyhow."

"Oh, so you're backing off huh?"

Ryuu, Aisha, Maki and I facepalmed at the exact same time. Shinkage on the other hand shrugged like it didn't matter, "Fine." And went into the wagon to get her weapon.

"Oh! A Padao!" Amani smiled, "Kodori? What do you use? Can I borrow it?"

"I don't use weapons. Just my hands and feet." I clenched my fist, the metal and leather of my gauntlet making almost no noise, "Are you sure? She will have a lot of reach over you."

"Brisid says I should use every weapon I can, until I find exactly what I like. I didn't want to use my spear, since I need it for guard duty..."

"I was told to take care of you. So if your spear breaks, I will replace it." I replied, "Do not put yourself at a disadvantage on purpose. In a duel, it can be insulting. In a battle, it can be fatal."

The sparring was... enlightening. Even at nine years old (younger than I thought, but maybe it was that Amazon 'being tall' thing), our little helper was actually decent. Very rough around the edges, and using her stats to make up for the difference in skill, but for a rookie, she at least had a 'clue'.

Shinkage on the other hand... Well, when you put a literal nine year old against someone who had about 10,000 years of combat experience locked up in their head... Our overpowered dragon Loli at least didn't try and embarrass Amani. She simply treated her like we did Issei in the early days. Let them try, and poke at their openings with a little 'corrective force'. Educate, not dominate.

After about a half hour, Amani seemed to have had enough, and after getting a firm jab in the gut (again) from Shinkage for getting too eager with a sweep of her spear, she slid to a halt, "You're holding back!"

I had to bite my lip when Shinkage replied, "You have work in the morning."

"Grrrrr, no! Treat me like an adult! I'm not made of straw!" Amani got her feet planted again.

"I'll get the first aid kit." Ryuu mumbled to me.

"I'll get a spot for her to sleep." Maki added.

Shinkage sighed and braced her feet as well, "I thought I was treating you like an adult. But if you insist."

It was very dramatic to start. Amani yelled a battle cry that would have done any adult proud, then jumped forward with her very best speed. Of course, it ended like you'd expect. With that same cold, bored expression on her face, Shinkage slipped the spear, took a half step forward, and took another page out of my book. Using her half step of momentum, better bracing of her feet, and a deceptively strong shoulder, she did what I'd done to Kiba when Rias asked me 'if I knew how to fight'.

Amani bounced off Shinkage's shoulder with a 'whoof' of expelled air, and landed badly, her shoulders and head bouncing off the cobblestone of the street with a hollow 'clonk'. Stunned, winded, and probably wondering where all the spots had come from, Shinkage took another step forward and very casually shoved the rounded butt of her Padao into Amani's solar plexus.

You could practically hear the little funeral chime as our helper turned her head to the side with a quiet 'blarg' and passed out.

"Right then." I clapped my hands, "Aisha? We have any water left in the bucket? I'll make sure she didn't break her fool head."

NOTES!

MERRY... whatever you call your day off.

After the next chapter, I -think- I'll do another look into the other side of the Gate, then after that... well, we'll see. :) Hope you enjoyed, and have a good/safe/fun/not bad holiday.

Daeore on Ko-fi, Inkitt, and right here! (though, today, I might just sleep in. Hmm.)