"Here, lemme see that map ya got there, Dev," Grim said from his perch on Devon's shoulder as they made their way toward their assigned starting location. He took the map from her and looked it over. "Says here we're startin' at point A-6…" He looked closer at the map. "That's the woods near Ramshackle."

Devon looked around to see students heading in just about every direction. "Looks like students are being sent all over campus. Hopefully there'll be a friendly face or two nearby…"

"Dev-Dev, Grimmy! Over here!" a familiar voice called. Devon and Grim turned to see Cater walking toward them. "Are you guys starting at point A-6 too?"

Devon nodded. "Yep. Guessin' it's the same for you?"

"Got it in one," Cater replied. "This is my third year playing NRC's Beanfest, so lemme give you two a quick pro tip: the farmer team members are always better off operating in groups. And look at that! We're at the same starting point! That's as good a reason as any to team up, right?"

Devon studied Cater carefully, a mildly uneasy feeling washing over her courtesy of her blessing. Grim watched Devon's expression, having learned by now to defer to her in situations like this. "I dunno… I can tell there's somethin' lurking behind that smile, Cater. Somethin' I don't like."

Before Cater could protest, the trio heard the sound of approaching footsteps, looking in the direction of the sound to see Deuce walking their way, completely absorbed in his map. "Point A-6 should be…right around here, I think…"

"Hey Deucey!" Cater called out, pulling Deuce's attention toward them. "You starting in this area too?"

Deuce smiled and nodded. "Sure am. You guys too?"

"You know it! In fact, I was just telling Dev-Dev and Grimmy that we should totally team up," Cater replied. "You want in on this too?"

"Of course!" Deuce agreed immediately.

Cater beamed. "Great! And what better way to commemorate this new alliance than with a pre-game selfie?" He wrapped one arm around Deuce's shoulders and the other around Devon's, pulling all three underclassmen in close before whipping out his phone. "Say cheese, everyone!" There was a flash as he took the picture, then he pulled back and began typing away. "Now to tag it… Hashtag #NRC #Beanfest #FarmerTeam #MonsterTeamsGotNothinOnUs…" He gave a satisfied nod. "That should do it! Aaaaand…posted!"

Deuce sighed and shook his head. "You never change, Cater…"

The loud chiming of a bell cut through the air, the sound clear enough to be heard anywhere on the campus.

"Oop! That'll be the start signal!" Cater said, putting his phone away. "It's game on, guys! Make sure to keep your wits about you, okay? You never know where the monster team's gonna pop out. Make sure to keep your beans locked and loaded too."

Deuce held up his pouch of beans. "We only have ten beans apiece to take down the monster team. We'll have to be really careful about how we use them."

"Personally, I think they shoulda given us more," Grim replied. "They'll do in a pinch if we get hungry."

"Yeah, I think I'mma just hang onto these," Devon said, gently yoinking their bean pouch from Grim and tying it to one of her belt loops.

"Grim's got a point, though. We can never have too much ammo. What do you guys say to hitting up a supply crate?" Cater suggested. "Those thing'll have way more than just beans in there, FYI. They'll also have bean blasters that can fire 'em out at high speed and all kinds of other goodies."

"Won't that make them prime targets for a monster team ambush?" Devon asked.

"Yeah, but the early bird gets the worm with those things," Cater explained. "People scramble for 'em every year."

"A calculated risk, then," Devon mused before nodding. "Alright. Seems like our best bet."

"It looks like the closest farmer supply crate is in the woods near the botanical gardens," Deuce said as he looked at the map. "Let's check it out."

The group carefully made their way through the woods, doing their best to stick to the shadows and avoid any open spaces as they barely dared to speak. Thankfully, they made to the woods surrounding the botanical gardens without being notices (as confirmed by Grim's sharp hearing and sense of smell).

"The crate should be somewhere around here," Deuce mumbled as he looked around, his expression brightening as he pointed toward a nearby apple tree. "Is that it? That wooden crate underneath the apple tree? It's got a farmer team crest and everything."

Cater nodded. "Yep, that'd be it. I've always thought the less experienced freshmen should get first pick of the gear." He gave Deuce an easy smile. "Go ahead and grab whatever you want, Deucey!"

Deuce's eyes widened. "Wow, really? Thanks, Cater! I mean, so long as everyone's okay with it…"

Cater merely grinned as Deuce made his way toward the crate before reaching out and pulling Devon and Grim behind the nearest tree with him, his voice lowered to a whisper. "This way, you two."

"What? Why?" Devon whispered back.

"Shh, you'll see…," Cater replied, pressing his finger to his lips.

No sooner had Deuce reached the crate did Ace and Sebek emerge from the brush. "Well, well, if it ain't Farmer Deucey-the biggest sucker on the block!" Ace taunted.

Deuce took a startled step back. "The monster team?! An ambush!"

Ace snorted a laugh. "C'mon, man. Anyone with half a brain cell knows these supply crates are the best spots to get the drop on you farmers."

"Ah, crud. I shouldn't have dropped my guard!" Deuce grumbled before bolting into the trees.

"He's running!" Sebek shouted. "Quickly, now! After him!"

Ace smirked. "Heh. Don't have to tell me twice!"

Cater, Devon, and Grim waited until they could no longer hear Ace and Sebek's footsteps before letting out the breaths they'd been holding. After a moment, Cater grinned at them before nodding toward the supply crate. "Sweet! Looks like they're gone! C'mon, you two, let's score some of this loot while we can."

Devon stared at Cater in disbelief. "I knew there was somethin' lurking behind that smile…"

"I thought it was weird that you were so quick to let Deuce have first pick of the supplies," Grim agreed. "You set him up to take the fall. How're we even supposed to trust you now?"

"Heh. Gimme a little slack, guys," Cater said, shooting them both a sly grin. "Nothing wrong with having a strategy, right? Deucey'll get extra credit regardless as long as the farmer team wins and you know what they say: there's no 'I' in 'team'! He's on the track team too, so he should have no problem giving those two the slip."

Devon and Grim exchanged a glance before giving Cater matching dubious looks.

Cater sighed. "Look, if it helps, I don't have any intention of doing that to you two. Frankly, I think Dev-Dev's gonna be the one to beat."

Devon blinked. "Me? Why?"

"Don't try to play dumb with me, sweets. Between parkour and cheerleading, I know you've got plenty of moves under your belt and I heard Ace and Deuce talking about you playing paintball with you family, so I know you're used to this type of game-different rules maybe, but the basics are pretty similar," Cater explained. "Besides, you're one of the only people I know that has the brains and drive to win to back up those skills. If I can't skip the game entirely, I figure I might as well try to win and I genuinely think that you're the farmer team's best hope, Dev-Dev."

A rustling sound cut off the conversation as two more students, one from Octavinelle and the other from Scarabia, appeared from beyond the trees. Devon's stomach sank when she saw the purple patches on their uniforms.

"Looks like we've got some farmers over here!" announced the Octavinelle student.

"Grab 'em!" ordered the Scarabia student as they advanced toward them.

"Aw, crud! I thought all the monster team members in this area had cleared out!" Cater exclaimed before turning back to Devon and Grim. "Get those beans locked and loaded, you two!"

Vil made his way to the starting point listed on his map, staring up at the coliseum when he finally reached it. 'Interesting… So my starting point is within eyeshot of the coliseum, just a stone's throw away from where the harp is being kept. Going in alone and unequipped is out of the question, though, and I can't overlook the possibility of getting caught in a pincer maneuver or surprise attack. Safety in numbers is the best strategy, I think. To that end, my first move should be to locate some teammates to join up with me.'

As fate would have it, two Savanaclaw students with farmer team patches approached Vil's starting point. The first one whistled. "Nice! They've got us right in spittin' distance of the coliseum!"

"Seriously!" the second agreed. "We could probably grab the harp early if we make a break for it right at the start."

"Ha ha ha! Good call! We can show off those moves we've been workin' on during our morning Spelldrive practices," the first added eagerly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Vil warned as he approached them. "Not unless you want to get eliminated within moments of the starting bell, that is."

The Savanaclaw students blinked as he walked toward them. "Huh?"

"You're both on the farmer team, are you not?" Vil asked before gesturing to their orange patches. "If I were on the monster team, securing the coliseum and the harp within it would be the first step on my list. This is an asymmetrical game-the farmer team outnumbers the monster team by design. If you really want to make it to the end, your first step should be forming a group."

"Pfft. Yeah right," the first student scoffed. "You just wanna buddy up with us for some extra protection."

"Heh. That tracks," the second taunted. "Everyone knows the guys in Pomefiore are just a buncha wimps who can't hold their own in a physical contest."

"Sounds like even their fancypants dorm leader knows he wouldn't last five seconds if he ran into the monster team," the first student threw in, meeting Vil's glare with a cocky smirk. "Why don't you find a nice tree to cower behind and stay there, Your Majesty."

Vil's scowl shifted into a look of disgusted contempt. "Unbelievable. Why am I not surprised that your handler has once again proven himself utterly incompetent? The least he could do is train you pups not to bark without just cause."

"What?!" the Savanaclaw boys growled in unison.

"If you're this lacking in basic manners, I suppose it falls to me to give you a Pomefiore-style lesson in how to "lie down"." Vil smirked. "You should know that you're in the presence of royalty. So kneel."

The two Savanaclows charged at Vil without a second thought. Unfortunately for them, that was about how long it took for Vil to grab one by the arm and throw him effortlessly over his shoulder and into a nearby tree before gracefully pivoting and delivering a flawless punch to the second one's solar plexus, effectively taking the wind out of both of them. The pair were motionless on the ground for a moment, trying to reorient themselves before looking up at Vil with wide eyes.

"Hmph. Pitiful. Seems you really are more bark than bite," Vil sniffed.

The first student looked over at his friend. "Dude… He's got some serious moves."

"No kiddin'," the second agreed. "He's half our size at best, but he hits like a freight train."

"As should be expected. My personal trainer is a former kickboxing world champion," Vil told them.

"S-Sorry for disrespecting you, sir!" the first student apologized, bowing his head respectfully.

"We'd be honored to be part of your group today," the second added.

Vil gave the pair an appraising look. "Judging from that last display, a pair of Chihuahuas would make better guards than the two of you. However, since you've demonstrated that you can be trained, I will allow you to accompany me today."

"You got it, Boss!" the Savanaclaw pair chorused.

Just then, the starting bell began to toll through the campus.

"There's the start signal," Vil said before turning back to his new teammates/lackeys with a smirk. "Listen up, you two. The key to Beanfest is staying on the offensive. They say the best defense is a good offense, after all. Much like in the fashion world, you lose the moment you back down. You'd both do well to remember that."

The Savanaclaw boys nodded. "Right!"

"To that end, I propose we set up an ambush near a monster team supply crate. We'll be able to pick them off before they can arm themselves," Vil suggested.

Another simultaneous nod. "You got it, boss-man!"

"And do not call me boss-man!" Vil scolded.

"Phew…," Cater panted, leaning against a tree as the adrenaline from the ambush wore off. "We were able to fend those monster team goons off, thanks to Dev-Dev." He grinned over at Devon, who looked like she'd barely broken a sweat. "Told you you'd be the one to beat, hon~! Those acrobatics were nothin' to sneeze at."

"Mraaah, I don't get how you were able to hit 'em like that, Dev," Grim grumbled. "I tossed my half of our beans but couldn't land a hit on either of 'em." He sighed before sniffing on the ground. "Guess I'd better pick 'em back up so we don't run out…"

"To the victors go the spoils, my friends. Let's see what this supply crate's got for us," Cater said, carefully opening the crate and rooting around inside. "Looks like we've got some more bean bags, one of the smaller bean blasters, two magic camo jackets… Oooh, and a magic potion!" He held the potion up to read the label. "This says it can shrink someone for thirty seconds. All things considered, this is a pretty good haul! We might as well put these camo jackets on while we have a second." He handed one to Devon. "Here, Dev-Dev, you take one too."

"Erm…" Devon looked uncertainly at the jacket, it's brilliant white color with loud bright orange, red, and yellow bean designs making her wonder how effective it would be. She looked up at Cater, only to see that he'd already slipped his jacket on and was now sporting goggles, fingerless gloves, and matching orange boots. 'Welp. I guess that's where the "magic" part comes in.'

"Soooo? How do I look?" Cater asked, striking a pose. "Totally rad? Totally bad? Both? You can be honest."

Grim tilted his head. "I don't get it. How're all those loud colors supposed to keep you hidden?"

"It does kinda seem like we'll be painting targets on our backs if we wear these," Devon agreed.

"Ah, but these are magic camo jackets, remember? These colors'll look loud to friendlies but from the monster team's POV, they'll make us blend in with our surroundings, optic camo-style," Cater explained.

Devon looked at the jacket in her hands for a moment before shrugging and putting it on. In an instant, her PE uniform was replaced with a black thermal top and pants underneath the jacket, orange boots that matched Cater's, black gloves, and a black beret-style cap with a farmer team crest. She reached back to make sure that the braided bun Vil had tied her curls into that morning was still in place. "Huh. Stylish and comfy. Not bad at all."

"Aww, you look great~!" Cater said. "And now that we look so 'cammable…" He grabbed Devon and Grim, pulling them close as he took out his phone. "Let the selfies begin!" He snapped a few selfies with Devon and Grim before putting the final touches on. "Hashtag #NRC #Beanfest #SupplyCrateLewt #RIPDeucey" He tapped his phone screen again and the selfie was posted. "There we go. Now that we've geared up, what do you guys say we head to the coliseum?"

"Sounds good to me!" Grim agreed.

Before Devon could reply, a familiar rustling sound signaled the approach of two more students from the monster team.

"Look! We've got some farmers over there!" the first exclaimed.

"Get 'em!" the second shouted.

"There must be more monsters in this area than I thought!" Cater said. "I figured most of 'em would be closer to the coliseum." He, Devon, and Grim tried to book it into the trees so their jackets' cloaking abilities would be more effective, but two more monsters emerged from the direction they were headed.

"Not so fast, farmers! Nobody's getting to that harp on our watch!" a third monster declared.

"A pincer attack?!" Devon exclaimed. She listened carefully, picking up the sound of more rustling around them. "I think we might have more monsters incoming!"

"Then we have no choice but to fight our way out," Cater replied as he reached for his beans. "Let's rock it, Dev-Dev!"

Vil and his group had made their way stealthily from the coliseum to the woods near Main Street, avoiding confrontation with the monster team if they could and evading capture and taking out the opposition when they couldn't. The two Savanaclaw students had proven themselves more than a little efficient and readily executed any command Vil gave them. Despite their initial rudeness, Vil supposed he had to give Leona credit-his dorm members had a respect for the pecking order, at least.

"Over there, boss-man!" one of the Savanaclaw boys whispered to Vil, pointing to a crate with a purple monster team logo on it. "I see one of the monster team's supply crates!"

Vil shot him a glare. "I distinctly remember telling you not to call me that. If you must address me, try "Sir". Moving on…it doesn't appear that anyone has found this crate yet. We should conceal ourselves at a discreet distance and wait." The trio moved to a nearby spot among the trees where they were out of sight of almost any passerby but still had a good view of the crate. It wasn't long until they picked up the sound of footsteps. "Hmm. That was quicker than I thought." He craned his head to see who was approaching, only to see a familiar head of white hair with matching ears and a fluffy tail.

"Hmm… The map says there should be a supply crate around here somewhere," Jack muttered to himself as he looked around, out in the open as if daring someone to try and bean him.

'This could be a problem,' Vil thought. 'His sense of smell is even better than Rook's. I'm not certain I can get behind him before he notices me…'

At that exact moment, Jack lifted his head up to sniff the air. "Fresh beans…" He lowered himself into a fighting stance and glared into the trees. "Come out and face me, farmer team! I know you're there!"

Seeing no point in staying put now that they'd been discovered, Vil stepped out from his hiding spot with a confident smirk, his lackeys flanking him on either side. "I have to hand it to you, Jack. That keen nose of yours never fails to impress."

"Listen, wise guy. I'm gonna- Oh, erm, hello Vil," Jack fumbled, wanting to pay Vil the respect he was due as both a dorm leader and upperclassman, but not wanting to just roll over and let himself be caught.

"You really went on a supply run without any backup, hm? I can't decide if that makes you bold or foolhardy," Vil teased. He gestured to his two lackeys. "Come, my compatriots. Let the monster hunt begin."

"Yessir!" the pair chorused as they readied their beans.

"Rrgh… I hate to say it, but I'd better bail," Jack growled. He normally wouldn't be opposed to a three-to-one fight, but he knew perfectly well how strong Vil was. He'd have a hard enough time facing him down, let alone worrying about his backup. He couldn't risk getting eliminated so soon after the start of the game, so he put his track training to use and bolted.

"After him!" Vil ordered. "Jack's a serious contender in this game. We should finish him off before he has a chance to get his hands on any weapons."

"Right!" the lackeys replied. They both hurled a few beans toward Jack, but he dodged all of their attempts.

"Grrr… How can someone so big be so nimble?! Just let me bean you already!" the first Savanaclaw student growled.

"In your dreams, buddy!" Jack called back over his shoulder before putting on a burst of speed and pulling even further away.

"He's so fast!" the second lackey exclaimed. "I can't keep up…"

"Don't let him draw you any further out!" Vil warned, prompting the two to slow down and allow Jack to escape as they returned to Vil.

"Sorry, sir. We lost him," the first said.

Vil shook his head. "It's no matter. I wasn't anticipating how hard it would be to hit a moving target while slinging beans by hand." He pulled out his map to take a look. "It seems there's a farmer supply point not too far from here. Arming ourselves should make dispatching the monster team much easier."

His companions nodded. "Lead the way, sir!"

After a few minutes' walk, the trio finally came upon a farmer team supply crate. "Ah, that must be it there," Vil said. He carefully opened the crate and looked over what was inside. "Let's see… A bean blaster, a magic camo jacket, and several bean bags… Yes, a passable selection."

"Go ahead and put the gear on, sir," one of his lackeys offered. "We'll stand watch for you."

"My, how generous," Vil replied. "How could I possibly turn down such an offer?" He slid the jacket on, admiring the rest of the outfit that was conjured along with it. "Yes, I think this will do quite nicely." He turned to face his two followers. "Look alive, boys. It's the Beans Camo collection-a bold, modern camouflage design based on a traditional motif. It draws inspiration from the farmers who slew the monster plaguing the Valley of Happiness, bringing peace back to their land. The centerpiece is the vibrant combat jacket that leaves a powerful visual impression." He gestured to the belt at his waist. "A waist belt gives the comically baggy fit a certain chic flair while the use of minimalist black as an accent color on the pants and accessories pulls the look together." He gestured to the beret on his head. "But the real killing stroke is this updo offset by a classic beret. Effortless, by all appearances, yet meticulously styled to perfection!"

The two Savanaclaw students gaped at Vil. "Wow… I guess it's true that nobody knows beauty like the dorm head of Pomefiore, huh?" the first commented.

"Honestly, I could barely follow what he was sayin', but even I could tell that it's a big deal," the second replied.

"Then try to internalize this much: Accessorize outerwear with a small handbag. That's all you need to evoke this season's fashion trends," Vil told them. "That's a styling tip even the two of you could manage and I will be expecting as much in the future."

"Yessir! Thank you for the tip!" the first student replied eagerly.

"We'll pass this information along to our dorm leader," the second promised. "I'm sure he'll appreciate it!"

A lone figure watched the trio with an amused chuckle from his perch in a nearby tree, his years of hunting experience making masking his presence a trivial task and his blond hair tucked into a camo-patterned cap. "Leave it to Vil to stop at nothing in his pursuit of beauty, even in the middle of the game," Rook mused softly, shaking his head. The smile dropped off his face as he continued to observe. "He certainly wasted no time securing both equipment and allies. Were I to challenge him now, no doubt I would go from hunter to hunted in mere moments." He smiled to himself again. "One must never rush when hunting dangerous game. I should see about securing some equipment and allies of my own."

"Nice save, Dev-Dev!" Cater praised as Devon felled a member of the monster trying to sneak up behind Cater to tag him out. "I wasn't expecting you to run partway up a tree to pull off that flip!"

"Be impressed with Dev later! I can hear more of those monster guys comin'!" Grim chided, his ears flicking this way and that as he tried to listen for their opponents.

"Tch. Figures. These guys are beyond pushy," Cater replied.

"I'm also runnin' dangerously low on beans now!" Grim wailed.

"Uh, yeah, Grimmy. Because you keep throwing them without bothering to aim," Cater pointed out.

"My, my. It seems the three of you are in a bit of trouble. Might I offer you some assistance?" asked someone in the trees above them. There was a slight rustling in the tree and beans were tossed at the two remaining pursuers, hitting them both in the forehead.

"Ow!" the first exclaimed as the bean hit him.

"What the- An attack from above?!" the second asked in disbelief.

Cater's group's mysterious savior dropped down from the tree branches, revealing himself to be none other than Jade Leech, decked out in a magic camo jacket of his own. "Hello, monster team. And goodbye-you've just been eliminated."

"Rrgh… We almost had 'em," the first student grumbled.

"I wasn't anticipating someone with a camo jacket hiding up in the trees. I guess I should've," mused the second as he and his buddy headed toward the gym to join the rest of the eliminated students.

"You're one of the Leech twins," Grim said once their would-be captors had gone. "Erm…which one are you again?"

"That's Jade, Grim," Devon supplied.

"Thanks for the assist, Jade! You totally saved our butts back there," Cater said before pulling out his phone. "I'd say that epic rescue deserves a survival selfie!"

"Certainly. Cheese," Jade replied with his usual polite smile as Cater pulled Devon and Grim into the frame before snapping the picture. "I see your group happened upon a supply crate as well."

Cater sighed. "Yeah, but Grimmy's squandering all our ammo with those potshots of his. If we don't find another crate soon, we're gonna run out of beans."

"I see… Would your group happen to have room for one more?" Jade asked.

"For the guy that just kept all of us in the game? Absolutely!" Cater replied.

Jade nodded grateful. "Thank you. I'm glad to hear that. The supply crate I found only contained this magic camo jacket and some bean bags. I didn't get a bean blaster. I had no desire to face the monster team unarmed, so I opted to hide in the treetops instead. Thank you all for having me."

'Once again, there's somethin' behind that smile. At least with Jade, I kinda know what I'm dealin' with by now…,' Devon thought.

"We're glad you're with us, bud," Cater said. "I'm a little surprised not to see Floyd or Azul with you, though."

"Beanfest has a rule about that, as it happens-dorm leaders and vice dorm leaders are always on separate teams," Jade explained. "They want to preserve at least a little balance between the teams."

"Oh, that's right. Trey mentioned something about that last night," Cater recalled. "Guess that means Azul'll be on the monster team."

"Indeed. Floyd drew the farmer team this year, same as me, but as soon as the game started he said, quote, "I'm not really feelin' it," and promptly made himself scarce," Jade explained. "Conversely, Azul has been planning for this event for quite a while now. I imagine he'll be pulling out all the stops to hunt us."

Jack huffed and puffed as he raced down one of the main school building hallways. He imagined he'd left Vil and his group behind a while ago, but he wanted to put as much distance between himself and Vil as he could. He ducked quickly into a nearby alcove and leaned against the wall as he caught his breath. "Okay… I think I lost 'em for good…"

The sound of someone clapping put him on alert again, as did the voice that came with it. "Most impressive. You have the speed and stamina needed to shake off an entire band of farmers. I suppose that shouldn't come as a surprise, given that you're a wolf beastman."

"Who there?!" Jack growled as he stepped out of the alcove, only to see Azul standing there, decked out head to toe in monster team gear.

"Now, now, there's no need to go baring your fangs at me," Azul said with a smarmy grin. "We're on the same side, after all."

"You're that double-dealing dorm leader from Octavinelle," Jack replied.

Azul rolled his eyes. "Please. Your own dorm leader is every bit as duplicitous as I am. Not that it's relevant at the moment. I actually sought you out to thank you."

Jack blinked, confused. "What? Why?"

"Thanks to you making yourself such a tempting target for Vil and his group, I was able to make off with a king's ransom of supplies," Azul explained, gesturing at all the purple, green, and black gear he had on."

Jack's eyes narrowed into a glare. "You slimy little… So I did all the work and you get the reward?"

Azul smirked. "You're a freshman, so I suppose I can forgive you for ignoring the bigger picture here. You see, the Beanfest games are not an athletic competition. What truly decides the game…is smarts! The winners will be the ones that are best able to anticipate their opponents' moves and plan accordingly. Approaching a supply crate without any backup is the very heart of folly. Since they make for such wonderful bait for the enemy team, they're always prime locations for an ambush. But using your head to predict such maneuvers will keep you one step ahead of your opponents."

"Grrrr… So what're you scheming then, Mr. Know-It-All?" Jack demanded.

"Hmph. My "scheme" was to get my hands on some supplies and it went swimmingly," Azul replied. "You did a wonderful job of keeping the farmers occupied. But now that that's done, how would you like to team up? I'll split the supplies evenly with you."

Jack eyed Azul suspiciously. "Why should I?"

"Allow me to go over what the supply crate contained: a set of field scanner goggles that share the locations of all players at set intervals and this grabbing arm here." He held something that looked like a glove out for Jack to see. "It looks like a glove, right? Don't be fooled-it's actually a magic item. It grows to several times this size when activated, making it a simple task to capture multiple farmers at once. A perfect complement to someone as dexterous as you are, wouldn't you agree?"

Jack crossed his arms over his chest. "You really think you can win me over with a few shiny toys? Thanks, but no thanks. I'll handle this on my own."

"Ah, my apologies. Perhaps my approach was too off-putting. I know you're a logical man, Jack, so just think about it for a moment," Azul pressed. "If you keep operating alone, you're eventually going to get cornered by farmers working as a team. And the only that will end is with you falling in a hail of beanfire. You do realize that if I were to shout out and call attention to your location right now, you'd be as good as finished, don't you?"

"What'd you say?!" Jack growled.

Azul's smirk never wavered. "As I mentioned a moment ago, I have a scanner that periodically updates me on the positions of both allies and enemies. I also have a weapon as well as a magic camo jacket to conceal myself. I could make it out of here without any trouble. You, on the other hand…"

"You tryin' to blackmail me or somethin'?" Jack asked, still not sure why Azul was so insistent on teaming up with him.

"Let's just say that for…personal…reasons, I am very motivated to win Beanfest this year," Azul explained. "I'm not above resorting to drastic measure if it means making that happen."

Jack stared at Azul for a long moment before heaving a sigh. "…Fine. I'll team up with you, but let's get two things straight here upfront: I am not your minion and I will not be taking orders from you."

Azul nodded with a grin. "Then we have a deal. Ah, what a relief it is to get a dumb jock-ahem, pardon, I mean a dependable athlete-on my side. Now that we've got that settled, it's time for a little game of tag. Heh heh heh…"

"I can already tell I'm gonna regret this…," Jack muttered under his breath.

Ending Notes: I hope these jumpcuts to different groups aren't too awkward. I've said before that battle scenes aren't really my strong suit and while I do have a couple that I plan to write out, we'd be here forever if I did that with all of them.

On another note, I've been playing Dreamlight Valley recently and I absolutely love it! My avatar's as close a match to Devon as I could get and I've been going nuts with the clothes customization feature to make her dresses based on the seven dorms. She's made companions out of almost all the little animal buddies and I've made it my mission to get her all the pretty gowns and dresses because a queen has got to slay. I just bought the expansion pack (since I finished almost all the quests in the main game so far) and I am bound and determined to get her a cobra companion and name it Jamil. I also really like having her annoy the crap out of Jafar. Mans looks so offended when you pick the "Sooo we're besties, right?" (or something like that; I don't remember exactly) dialogue option.

Thank you all so much for reading! As always, feedback and constructive criticism are welcome. Geekinthepink, out!