Ever wonder what Kodori looked like at Rias and Sona's party? Well, It's in full colour now! As usual, it's on my Ko-fi for free. :)

Chapter 27

(Ryuu and Hagane)

"One day, she will stop surprising me." Hagane commented as he, Ryuu, and probably everyone who wasn't indoors paused to look at the huge fox eared, boomerang shaped glider/blimp raise itself into the air, a small platform of people hanging under it. "Even when she takes a day off, she seems to have surprising things happen on a delay."

Ryuu laughed with a quiet 'fu-fu', then looked down at herself. "I wonder if this is suitable for diplomacy."

After breakfast, Itami had told the two of them to 'make themselves presentable' and to meet him at the Motor Pool. They had stepped out of their little dorm room, hair brushed, face washed, and metal body cleaned, just in time to watch Kodori and company sail away.

"Depends on what kind." Hagane rumbled, "Though, I suppose punching its head off is not the kind we are aiming for today."

"It's early yet." Ryuu said, covering her mouth for a moment, "Oh dear, she's a bad influence." And the two started towards the Motor Pool.

On the way, they gathered a few friendly waves, a kind word or two, and the other two elves Tuka and Yao. Neither of them had changed, so Ryuu was hopeful about her own form of dress. She wasn't sure how well 'battle ready adventurer' would go over with what she assumed were 'rich nobility'. To be fair, she didn't have much experience with nobility in general. But like Kodori, she had visited Kuoh, gotten involved with Devil politics, and at least had a reference or two for what to expect. Orario didn't care about nobility, you were either a good adventurer, or a bad one. Reputation, not bloodline was 'king'.

Itami was waiting for them, his uniform actually clean and pressed, while his Ranger's Beret was tucked through his shoulder epaulette (that strap with a buckle on it). His Humvee had also been freshly painted, and all the windows had been cleaned. Though, from the dark circles under Itami's eyes, he was the one who had been tasked to do it.

"Mornin' ladies." He said after a bit of a yawn, "You can actually ride in the back this time if you want, since we don't have Rory and her weapon around."

"It's not like I need to exercise to keep in shape." Hagane said, waiting for Itami to open the back hatch of the Humvee, and carefully getting inside, "Mind my tail please." He added as Tuka and Yao got in.

"And for our guest." Itami opened the passenger side of the Humvee for Ryuu.

"This formality doesn't suit you." Ryuu commented as she unhooked her sword, got into the Humvee and placed it over her lap."

"The things we do for duty." Itami shrugged while the two elves giggled quietly. After he'd gotten into the driver's seat and got things started, he then said, "But you know that already."

"Of course." Ryuu nodded, "What am I to expect?"

Itami got the Humvee into motion before answering, "Today will be a simple meet and greet. One of those formal time wasters that is supposed to be proper form and all that." He sighed, "I know you're on a schedule, but..."

"I understand." Ryuu nodded, "It would be impolite to simply ask for favours as soon as you enter the room." She sounded like she was reading from a book, but that might have been because she'd actually did read it from a book. She would have to remind Kodori to thank Sona, and her book of 'politics for dummies'.

"Yeah. That's basically it. We'll be going to Italica, to the noble's estate. It's become a kind of neutral ground for all the local lords and us." Itami explained.

"Even after what happened?"

"Actually, yes. Surprised me too, but our local assets, er, militia, have gotten a little extra training." He said, "I mean this in the best way, but back home we have specially trained dogs that find things like what exploded..."

Ryuu nodded, and just to get into a diplomatic mindset, helped Itami with the potentially offensive topic, "Some races in our world have much keener sense of smell as well."

Itami looked relieved, "You understand then. Well, the Volralden, Leonoid and Kobolds have just what we needed to be able to find the device used."

"Kobolds?" Ryuu had seen both the 'wolf people' Volralden, and the 'more cat than human' Leonoid, but not a Kobold in Alnus.

"Oh! They're like the Volralden, but smaller." Tuka made a 'this high' motion that would put them around an average person's hip.

"We have Kobolds in our world, though, they are monsters and more like bipedal lizards about that size." Ryuu explained, "Curious."

"Ah, here." Itami handed her a little book from his breast pocket, "I hope you can read Japanese. It's a little bit of a drive, so you might be able to pick up something at least."

It was a copy of the Japanese to Empirical dictionary their people back home had created with the... 'help' of the prisoners from the Invasion of Ginza. "Hm, your printing press is much better than ours..."

"Oho? Your world has figured those out?" Itami glanced over to Ryuu as she started reading.

"Yes. Adventuring involves a surprising amount of paperwork."

By the time they arrived in Italica, the three elves were throwing very simple phrases around to help Ryuu pick up on the language. Even Hagane was joining in, but he had the experience of countless generations of different languages to draw on. It took Shinkage (and by proxy, Hagane as well) less than a week to become fluent in Kione, Orario's common tongue and only a little longer for the written word.

Itami had to interrupt the fun though, just so they could all act official and proper as they got closer to the middle of the city, where the Lord's Manor was located. Built on a bit of a hill, much like Fort Alnus, it wasn't the grandest of places, but by this world's standards it would serve as a reasonable holding point in case of a siege. Simple stone walls, and a thick iron bound wooden door would have kept most things out for a time.

There were guards at that door of course, a quartet of spearmen with a heavy shield in their off hand, and a sword at their belt. Also of note, each of them wore slightly different heraldry on their tabard.

"Ah, we're a little late it seems." Itami said, "Can't blame traffic I suppose..."

"Those colours? Different lords?" Ryuu asked.

"Precisely." Yao nodded, "That one there is a city guard, while the other three are the personal guard of other lords."

"Ah, equal effort given." Ryuu nodded.

"And a single betrayer would be outnumbered." Hagane said, getting a raised eyebrow from the elves, "What? I'm not wrong."

Itami rolled up to the guards, and one of them stepped forward to halt the Humvee. Itami rolled down the window, "Yoji Itami, here for the minor meeting of Lords, escorting Ryuu, petitioner, and her escort."

The guard looked at him, looked at Ryuu, then the passengers in the back. "Welcome back Yoji Itami." He said, "You are expected, and expected to be on your best behaviour."

"Understood." Itami replied.

Satisfied, the guard turned, looked up at the fort's walls, and nodded. Heavy wood and metal groaned, and the double door opened ponderously.

"All this formality... I've been drinking with that guy. Neither of us care for this kind of thing." Itami sighed.

"Even though you are a Lord yourself, you are still saying that?" Yao said, "It's a shame you cannot truly capitalize on that."

While Ryuu took in the sight of the Lord's Manor, she simply inquired, "Lord?"

The inner courtyard of the Manor was a nicely cared for grass field. It had many of the things you'd expect a hill fort to have, like a small training field, archery butte and stables. But also a nice garden and mini park with nice marble benches. The Manor itself was a square three floor Roman building with many nice windows. On top you could see that the roof was lined with crenellations, and that the stone wasn't marble, but granite. In a time of war, if you had the manpower, all of those windows could be used for archers, and everything but catapults would be ineffective against the heavy stone walls.

"Well, after doing a few things around here, the local lords insisted on giving me a title. My job with the JSDF though still trumps that, so it's really just troublesome for me." Itami shrugged, "Now... where to park... ah! Suguwara-san is here already."

Itami drove slowly as the Humvee neared the stables. The horses, all heavy looking chargers, were giving the death glare to the metal wheeled box as they passed, but showed no signs of nervousness. Next to all the hitching posts was a cream coloured Humvee. It was a standard model, without the extra passenger modification of Itami's, but it was clear that the interior had been modified for comfort.

Once parked, Itami cut the engine and gave one last sigh. Then, with a little tug, he got his Ranger Beret, puffed it out a little, and plunked it on his head. "Right, let's go be civil."

"No wonder why Kodori likes you." Hagane rumbled as everyone piled out, leaving him for last so he could carefully back out of the cramped (cramped for a ton and a half metal cat at least) compartment.

They'd hardly finished the 'been sitting too long' stretch when a JSDF officer trotted up to them, "Sir." And with a smart click of boot heels and a snappy salute, he greeted Itami. "The initial party is here and warming up inside. If you or the guests need to, now would be the time to freshen up before everyone else arrives."

Lazy as he was, Itami still managed a proper return salute, "Understood. If you could show them in, I'll go and meet our Diplomat."

"Yessir." The soldier dropped his salute, then looked past Itami to the elves, "This way please."

The three elves walked with the soldier, with Ryuu taking extra note of the interior. It was for the usual things a true adventurer looked for, like how solid the walls were, where she might duck for cover, and how heavy looking various things were, just in case she needed to throw it at someone. Also of note were the guards. There were an awful lot of them. Both the 'Local' guards and JSDF were walking in pairs at regular intervals and always in sight of at least two other patrols. Twice, while they were walking down the hall, Ryuu picked up the quiet click of a radio and a mumbled 'all clear'.

After the three of them made as sure as they could that they were clean and wouldn't have to (potentially rudely) ask to be excused in the middle of things, the same soldier escorted them not back out, but further in. Passing through a nice double door, they were led into the square building's core. It was a wonderfully kept garden and 'park', with more benches, trees, a marble fountain, and enough space to hold what looked like a very high class party.

The JSDF didn't follow them in, but instead clicked his radio on and said, "They are secure in the inner sanctum, returning to patrol." Then he gave the three elves a nod and closed the double doors behind him.

Ryuu took in the scene, noting that almost all of the male nobles were wearing the same style, a sort of toga with a robe worn underneath, but with different colours. The women with them however had their own unique dresses and gowns. There were others in uniform as well, and she even recognized two of them. The maids were here, quietly keeping people's cups filled and staying as invisible as possible.

Then her eyes spotted Itami, an older man with white hair broad shoulders and a cane, and a Japanese man with a wiry build and the same 'uniform' as the other noblemen in the room. With Tuka and Yao leading the way, the three of them walked over.

Of course, the three of them got many looks. Three very pretty elves were sure to get attention, but Tuka and Yao were well known here, and it was Ryuu, with her adventuring gear and perfect grace that got the most attention.

The wiry Japanese man saw them first, finished his sentence, and looked at them directly. Itami and the older gentleman turned as well, and as they got closer, Itami did his duty with introductions.

"Lord Duran, Sugawara-san. You both know Tuka and Yao. But this one here is Ryuu. She and Hagane are part of the extra help we mentioned when we cleaned up those insects."

Before anyone could say the usual 'it's a pleasure' or what have you, Ryuu asked, "Where is Hagane?"

"Ah, your friend has far too many sharp edges, so he is standing guard by the Maid's door." Duran said in a reasonable Japanese, "And it is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Ryuu. The medicine you helped create with the JSDF already has my soldiers back on their feet."

Itami filled in a little information, "Lord Duran is the king of Elbe, and one of our best supporters here."

Ryuu turned from Itami to Duran, "Ah, the land near the river, I remember." Ryuu nodded, "We were happy to help. I didn't create the medicine, but another of my party. She sends her regards to all who needed it."

Duran smiled in a rather grandfatherly way but remained silent, while Suguwara spoke up, the look on his face seeming to come to some decision, "Lady Ryuu, I've been told what you and your party need, and why. But I hope you can suffer through some introductions before we truly get to that?"

"I was told this might happen. So long as it helps accomplish the goal, we are prepared to spend a little time being polite."

Itami and Suguwara looked a little shocked, but Duran laughed, "HA! A lady who knows the true worth of this sort of thing." He carefully turned in place, the motion a little unnatural, "Come now, I'm an old man, and not getting younger. I respect and honour all the people here, but it simply delays the work."

He stopped a passing maid, a black haired human with what seemed a perpetually cheerful face, "My Lord? A drink?" She offered him the tray of drinks she was carrying.

"Let's trade a moment." He said with a chuckle, offering her his cane in exchange for a nice wine glass. With ease, he drank the bubbly amber liquid and accepted his cane back. "Thank you."

"Of course my Lord. Any for you? Sir Itami? Mr. Sugawara? Ah and..."

"Ryuu. No, but thank you." Ryuu declined, "Lord Duran? Your arm and leg?"

Again, the two Japanese looked a bit horrified, but again, Duran laughed. "You've a keen eye, but yes, a legacy of my own idiocy. But, it was this that led me to become such good friends with the Japanese. Despite our differences in the past, they let me walk again, and have treated me and my people fairly." He gave Suguwara a light tap on the leg with his cane, hardly enough to ruffle the toga/robe uniform of the nobility he was wearing.

"It's as he says. I hope that you and yours can treat him favourably as well." Suguwara nodded, "Ah, she's here."

One of the double doors leading into the courtyard opened, and a very young woman entered. She might have been just into her teens, yet still walked with balance and poise. She also wore a woman's version of the 'nobleman' robe/toga, and had a thin circlet of silver on her head. Following a half step behind to either side of her were Pina and Bozes, the two of them in full armour. The one in the middle, with orange hair and blue eyes, looked at the people gathered and waved to anyone who'd meet her eyes.

"That." Duran said, leaning in a little so he could talk quietly, "Is Countess Myui. She's a girl of only thirteen, but she still survived her two older sisters when they tried to start a civil war here for Italica."

Suguwara nodded, "We did help her, but it was after we saw the people's opinion of her. She's young, but kind, smart, and sits on her throne out of duty to her deceased father, not because she wants to."

"I take it she will be my second introduction then?" Ryuu asked, "Since Lord Duran has taken first spot by proximity to Itami?"

Duran, again, couldn't help himself and laughed, "Ah, it's refreshing to not have to teach the new person how things work. Come on you three, let's go greet our most gracious host, and get on with our day?"

(Shinkage)

(Before Kodori, and more importantly Hagane, went through the Gate)

Amani had returned to her Room, not as a resident (though she still was), but as an employee. Right after Kodori had contacted them, she had made the trip up the terraces, her new metal tipped spear in hand, payment for her service thus far.

She made it to there without challenge, thankfully, but as soon as she stepped onto her Room's terrace, one of her roommates spotted her. Apparently this one chose to stay home today and work on a few things, like cleaning up the animal hides from yesterday's hunt.

"Hey Runt." She called out, standing up from her task, "Back so soon?" Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the gleaming shard of metal on the end of Amani's spear.

"Nope! I'm still on the job." She smiled, "Shinkage wants to hire Brisid and the rest of us, so we can head back to Orario and help out the Ganesha Familia capture monsters."

"Huh." She looked towards their Yurt, "Hey Girls! We have a job!"

There was a bit of ruffling in the Yurt, and another pair of Amazon came out. "Oh, the runt is back." This one was the same Amazon who tried to hit her for speaking out of turn. "Oh? Gotten paid already?"

Amani, unlike most people her age, didn't clutch the spear to herself to try and protect it, but instead planted the butt of it on the ground firmly, "Kodori and her party called it a down payment on how useful I've been."

"Sure sure. So what's the job?" She waved off Amani, looking back to the first one.

"Escort back to Orario so we can do our first job." She replied.

"Huh. Think Brisid will care if we go without her?"

"Just the three of us?"

"Four." Amani declared, "I want to go too."

The first and the silent third Amazon looked at Amani with a raised eyebrow, while the second walked over to her with a mask of anger on her face, "What have I told you about speaking out of turn? You don't deserve that, Runt!" She reached a hand out for the spear, just behind the metal point, "Give it to m-"

One of the lessons, or rather, bad habits, Ryuu had broken Amani out of, was 'attacking the weapon'. Moving your weapon away as your opponent tried to strike it from your hand, could unbalance them, and give you an opportunity.

She applied this lesson, with maybe a little more pleasure than she should have, by tilting the spear away from her roommate's hand, getting both her hands on the shaft, then smashing the other end of the spear against her opponent's bare front ankle just before she could put her foot down.

There was a crack of wood on bone, and the taller woman's leg was swept sideways. Already about to put weight on it, she half spun, lost balance, and flopped to the ground on her back. Before she could recover, she found herself looking up at the point of Amani's new spear. "It was paid to me. Hands off!"

The other two, seeing the mouthy woman get downed and pinned didn't go into a rage, or try and save her. No, they instead mumbled to themselves, "Not bad." "Tricky play, good form too."

Amani stepped back, keeping both hands on her spear, but giving the other the room needed to stand. "Damn brat! Those city folk teach you that?"

"Yup! It was the el-URK!"

Amani was sent backwards by a vicious kick, the ball of the older woman's foot slipping past her spear and catching her right in the gut. Lifted clean off the ground and sailing between the other two, she flopped to her back, coughing.

"They should have taught you not to drop your guard." The Amazon laughed.

Knocked flat or not, Amani still had hold of her spear. She was using it to get herself back to her feet as she got her wind back, the older woman stalking towards her, likely to continue the 'lesson in manners'.

"If you know what's good for you, you better drop it." She sneered.

Coughing, a bruise forming on her ribs and resisting the tears that wanted to escape her eyes... Amani dropped her spear.

The other two Amazon frowned. It might have been because of the bullying, or how easily Amani gave up, no one would know. But as the older Amazon bent to pick up the spear, the fingers of her hand curling around and under the shaft, Amani pulled another one.

With a slightly breathless "YA!" Amani slammed her foot down onto the shaft of the spear, smashing her tormentor's fingers between the wood and stone of the terrace. She wasn't done though. Her time on the Ground with Kodori and the others had made her forget for a moment where she was. There would be no 'letting them get up' this time.

No, instead, she took advantage of the older Amazon's posture (half kneeling to pick up the spear) and used every bit of strength she could to smash her little fist into the side of the woman's jaw. She then stomped her foot again, grabbed a handful of hair, and tried to shove her knee into the taller woman's nose.

Even yelling in pain, the other Amazon blocked the knee, then used her head to push Amani over. The smaller girl went down, but was back on her feet so fast she hardly touched the ground at all. The spear forgotten on the ground now, the older woman looked to be ready to just use her fists and pound Amani into the stone, but as soon as she saw it coming, the younger Amazon copied something she'd seen Maki try and do to Kodori.

For the record, Maki failed. But Amani did not. The smaller of the two stepped into the punch, clapped both her hands over the forearm to pin it against her shoulder, and twisted sideways. With the elbow locked and her momentum already going forward, the taller Amazon was once again on the ground, but this time on her face, with her arm bent backwards and Amani laying on her back.

There was no hesitation this time, and Amani finished the move by twisting the arm further, while levering her body against the shoulder. The older Amazon screamed as her shoulder and elbow were both dislocated, and then silenced as Amani let go, turned over, put her hand to the back of the taller woman's head, and smashed her face into the stone.

This time, the other two didn't mumble, but instead gave their youngest roommate a round of applause. Just a little one mind you, since they didn't want to give her an ego.

"So now that you've beaten her, what do you plan to do with her?" One asked, picking up the discarded spear, admiring it for a moment, then giving it to Amani.

"After all those other times, I'd say you owe her a lot more than just a beating." The other said.

Amani got her breath back properly, gave her ribs a bit of a poke to make sure she didn't have any broken ribs, then asked, "Vouch for me?" She asked.

"Sure." They both shrugged.

"And don't call me Runt."

"Well, now you're pushing it." they laughed, giving Amani a hair ruffle, "You sure you want to go to Orario then?"

"Since she's staying here, someone has to take her spot." Amani suffered through the hair ruffles, "Could you please tell Brisid about the job? I'm still supposed to be down there."

"Someone will be down to negotiate tonight." One said while the other went to inspect the fallen Amazon.

"Wow... She's going to be sore later. Should we wake her up before or after we set her arm?"

"Before. She's got a good scream."

Job done for now, Amani walked with a little less spring in her step back to the Wagon, but with a much bigger smile on her face.

"You look different somehow." Shinkage said as Amani returned, "I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Haha. Very funny." Amani sighed, "I don't suppose I can sit down? I'd really like to sit down."

Normally, Shinkage would just shrug and not reply, but this time, she actually brought over the stool that the 'cook' would use at the camp fire and put it down for her. "I thought you were just going to ask them to escort me back."

"Aisha told you about metal weapons... Well one of my roommates didn't think I deserved it. Oh... thank you."

Shinkage, again with a little more empathy than usual, had also gotten a cloth and dunked it in the 'fresh' water bucket. She didn't apply it to Amani though, instead she just handed it over and let the mini-zon figure out where to put it. "And you won."

"Won? I kicked her ass so hard, she'll think... Yes. I won. And... I know I'm kind of overstepping, but can I come with you?"

"Yes you may."

"I know I'm not very reliable yet, bu- wait? Yes?"

"Yes. You may not be very reliable, but the others say you show promise. I agree, and I am still your boss, so yes." A pause, "Fine you can hug me."

"Yay!" And yes, gave Shinkage a hug.

Negotiation was done that evening. Shinkage hadn't been given any specific instructions on how to pay, but that didn't mean she was totally ignorant of trade here. Brisid, as cold and plastic as her face usually was, gave her a discount too, since they were already going that way, and because Kodori and her merry band had taught Amani enough in two days to beat the stuffing out of the 'second last' person in the Room. Now, Amani held that place, and her opponent was now 'last', and thus most likely to be used as monster bait the next time they went to hunt something large.

And yes, Amani got a headpat from everyone else in her Room, aside from the ones who's seen the fight.

So, with a firm handshake, Shinkage and Brisid sealed the deal, and was told they'd be leaving right after the morning rush.

And so it was with a barely awake Shinkage, with Amani sitting beside her and learning to 'steer' the horses, that the caravan got underway. Like a good little minion, she had helped Shinkage do all the chores before bedtime, so all they'd have to do was eat, feed and hitch the horses, and leave. But also like a good little minion, Amani knew that if they didn't do that before bed, Shinkage wouldn't help her when she woke up.

Brisid and the others took their job very seriously. Probably too seriously. There were six of them outside the wagon, and six more in the wagon resting so they could take over at night. Amani wasn't part of either detail, but instead she was Shinkage's personal guard. Not that she needed one, but it was still her job all the same.

But it was a good thing she WAS there, learning to handle horses who were quite capable of handling themselves on such an easy road.

Amani's first hint that something was wrong, was pretty obvious. Without warning, Shinkage started moaning as if in incredible pain, grabbed the sides of her head, and started to fall forward. Had Amani not been there to stop her, she'd have fallen under the wagon and probably gotten run over by the wheels.

As it was, she would have to apologize to the horses later for jerking back on the reins as she panicked. "Whoa! Stop!" She called out, dropping the reins and hugging Shinkage around the middle to stop her fall, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Even young as she was, the first thing she did was look for something that might have bitten her. Snakes, insects, frogs... any number of things in the Jungle could poison a person. Seeing nothing, she looked at the first of her Sisters who got there to see what was happening.

"I don't see anything, no bites, no wounds..." Amani said as the older Amazon did a few others things. Touching the forehead, getting a pulse, peeling back an eyelid, "That's normal!" Amani added when the other Amazon backed up a half step at the shape and colour of Shinkage's eye.

"he's... gone." Shinkage mumbled, tears forming in her eyes, a bit of foam at the corner of her mouth, "i can't feel him anymore."

"Anyone understand what she's saying?" Brisid asked, arriving just after the first and looking around, "Hey! What ever it is you're saying, say it louder!"

"Do we still have to escort her if she dies?" Someone asked in a serious tone.

"Yes. Her, and the wagon were the terms of the job." Brisid said. "Take her and put her in a bed. You! Take the reins. Five point formation!" Brisid helpfully pushed the curtain aside so Amani could scoop up Shinkage and take her in back.

An hour later, Shinkage was still mumbling. She'd switched languages a half dozen times at least, and her eyes were darting around as if trying to find the source of a sound only she could hear. But it was at that point Amani got an idea. She was certainly breaking professional boundaries by doing it, but she'd seen where Kodori had put one of the Occulus. That wasn't really the problem. It was that Amani had to break open the padded box that it was in. Hopefully they wouldn't get mad later.

"You sure you should be doing that?" One of the 'resting' Amazon asked, pausing her spear sharpening.

The little box broke open easily enough to the slow pressure Amani put on the lock, "Oh, is that one of those crystals the city folk were wearing?" Another commented, "Little big to wear." Commented another.

"I'm not sure? But I saw Kodori using it to talk with her Familia. Um... turn the flat side to face me? Yeah... and um..." The Occulus was dark, even with the light coming in from outside, "Hello! Can anyone hear me?"

"Well, if it doesn't work, we can call you crazy."

"If it does though... think we can get one?"

"Hellllooooo? Please answer?" Amani tried again.

She was about to try one last time, but then the Occulus brightened up, revealing the handsome face of Takemikazuchi. "Good afternoon. To whom am I speaking to?"

"Oh, that's a God. Which one though?"

"Are you Lord Takemikazuchi?" Amani asked, "I'm with Shinkage, and we're on our way back. But she suddenly grabbed her head and started foaming at the mouth!"

"Yes child I am. And is she there? Can I see her?"

Amani (very VERY carefully) walked down the narrow path between the cargo and bunk area of the wagon. "She's been mumbling things too, but none of us know what she's saying." Amani continued, "Um... turn it like... this?"

"Bring me closer to her mouth? Yes, that's perfect." There was a pause, the only sounds in the room were the creak of wagon wheels and Shinkage's mumblings. "I believe I understand the problem, though... Hm. Turn it back to face you?"

Amani did, "Can you help her?"

"At the moment, no. But, keep this close to you, and safe, and I will call into it as soon as I find someone who can. Keep her warm, try and get her to drink a little water, and yell into the Occulus if there is a problem. Do you understand, Amani-chan?"

"Yes Lord Takemikazuchi!"

"Very good." And the Occulus went dark.

There was a pause, and the other two Amazon who had been following her on her little quest sighed, "It's a shame he's a God. Quite handsome."

"Yeah..." The other nodded, "Anyhow. Do your job kiddo."

"Of course." Amani nodded, accepting the hair ruffle. "I'll just..." And she covered Shinkage up with another blanket.

They were setting up for camp that night when someone called through the Occulus. "Is someone there? Amani?"

Amani lifted her head off of Shinkage's bed, blinked a couple times, then remembered. A moment later she had the uncovered Occulus in her hand, "Um yes, that's me."

"My name is Fels. Is Shinkage still ill?"

"If you mean mumbling random noises and looking around like something is about to bite her in a dark room? Yes." Amani used her other hand to give poor Shinkage a headpat.

"Do you know where the medicine box is?" Fels asked.

"Yes." A pause as she walked a couple paces to the front of the wagon and took the thin metal box with a red X on the front. "I've got it."

"Good. Open it, and look for a metal tube, with a black stripe on it that is corked."

A pause as Amani (and now all the resting Amazon who, while serious, got curious like anyone else might). "Do I op-"

"NO! Not yet. Dear me..." If Fels could sigh in relief, he would. "Put the Occulus down, or have one of those near you hold it, and listen very very carefully." A pause as Amani handed the Occulus to the first empty hand to volunteer itself. "Now, put your thumb over the cork to keep it from opening, and shake that tube until you no longer hear any rattling from inside."

Amani did as instructed, the metal vial clicking a few times before sounding like a bottle of sand, then a liquid, "Okay. Huh... sounded like an Amber Jar for a moment..."

"Now. Sit Shinkage up a little." Another pair of hands got that one, "And open the bottle under her nose for just a moment. Then close it again VERY fast."

The reaction was almost instant. Amani opened the vial, then closed it almost as fast, and with a sudden jerking motion, Shinkage threw her head back as if someone had just punched her nose. A half second later, she started coughing.

"Urg, what was IN that?" The one holding Shinkage up asked, recoiling a little as well, "Like someone forgot to dump a bucket down the gutter after a week!"

All the others backed up a little too, but Fels said, "That's close to it. Shinkage! Can you hear me?"

Shinkage turned her head just a little, her lizard-like eyes focusing a little on the hands holding the 'voice'.

"They are ALL safe. Even Him. Do You Understand? They are All safe." Fels said clearly and slowly.

Shinkage's body relaxed a little, and her mumbling stopped. And a moment later, she was making little mouse noises as she slept.

"What was that all about?" One of the Amazons asked.

"I am only allowed to say that she was very worried for her family." Fels said, "Amani, thank you for taking care of her. I will tell Lord Takemikazuchi as well."

"Thank you sir." Amani said, "Um..."

"Simply cover the stone up, that is all." Fels said, his own picture vanishing.

"Huh, well, at least we won't get docked pay for not bringing her home alive." One chuckled, "And put that away! It stinks!"

"Yeah, sorry. Um..." Amani put the Occulus into the med kit, the vial of (vile) smelling salts in next to it, then closed and latched the metal box. "Guess I'll ju...oh, it's dark already."

(Zorzal's castle, in the kitchen, nighttime.)

Tyulle, was once again raiding the kitchen in the dead of night. It was getting steadily harder to placate Zorzal, while keeping him interested in fighting the JSDF and the Empire. The 'capture' and 'use' of the new black powder weapons had gotten him more interested again, but at the moment, he simply lacked the soldiers, and a way to mass produce the new weapons quietly.

She was sure that if word got out about having JSDF weapons, or at least, imitations of them, the Men in Green would take up a fatally active role, and ruin everything. No, she had to erode their support, then begin striking in earnest, but only when they were ready.

"Bouro." She said quietly, putting together a plate of dried meat and cheese.

There was a quiet scrape of stone, "My lady, I bring important news, good, but also strange. We ran several horses to death getting it here."

The Mongelman, Tyulle's best agent outside the walls sounded... unsure. "Oh?"

"We had had to remove our agents from Italica for the moment, but were successful in testing the black powder weapon. As usual, the Green Men reacted quickly, but not quickly enough to capture any of our agents."

"A shame we have to let the city cool off, but yes... let them know we can strike at almost any time." Tyulle smiled, carefully cutting up various things, feeling a little hungry herself as well. "But?"

"Before they fled, the Igniter Mage said he saw several new people with the JSDF."

"They have so many people orbiting them, but what makes these ones special?"

"Two of them have tails. One with nine, the other with two. And their ears and tails do not match those of any race I am familiar with." Bouro explained, "A third, is an elf. But again, her ears and shape are different than those I am familiar with. Then there is an Amazon."

Again, Tyulle almost cut herself at the strange news, "Amazon? But they vanished..."

"That is not the strangest one among them. The last is a metal cat. As long as a horse, and hip high at the shoulder, its is like something out of a nightmare, yet surprisingly satisfying to pat. The spy who drew the picture would not have gotten that close, but couldn't stop themselves."

"Interesting indeed. Who are these people I wonder?"

"We are still trying to find out. And I only received this information an hour ago. But the last part is... somewhat worrying. The Igniter Mage said that one of them survived standing next to the black powder bomb. The one with nine tails."

Tyulle knelt down, placing the loaded plate of food on the floor by the gap under the stove, "Keep on top of the situation. We may need to work faster."

"Yes my lady, thank you my-"

"Go." Tyulle nudged the plate under the stove, "Don't be seen leaving."

NOTES

Mwahahaha, yes, things are moving along happily (or unhappily) and all that stuff. See you in five days for more. :)

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