A little note!
I know a vassal weapon will clear a slave mark. But just for story purpose, I'm going to say 'a vassal weapon that doesn't like you' won't. You'll understand in about two minutes or so.
Chapter 60
Erhard was, in his own way, over the nonexistent moon happy to see me again. He had been at 'the big reveal' of true shape, and after a bit of apologizing for what ever imagined impropriety he might have inflicted on me, I showed him I didn't give a damn about that and tried my very best to crush him in a hug.
That done, I gave him a 'this is why I'm here', and once we turned the 'open' sign of his shop around, we got into the workshop and got to work. While we worked, I told him the rest of the news. Starting with 'why the disguise', all the way to nearly getting killed by the Pope. He already knew about my (near) immunity to fire, and was at least understanding of my sudden need to replace my equipment.
But, since 'the plan' was to leave tomorrow, the best we could do was processing some of the metal and monster bits into something I could hammer on while we travelled. A couple hours in, probably around dinner time, I felt a wave of Big Sister Energy as the little bell on Erhard's shop door rang.
"We're clo-, oh, welcome back kiddo." Erhard said as he opened the workshop/storefront door, ready to glare at whomever had ignored his 'closed' sign.
"Kodori!" Yup, Raphtalia. "I figured you'd be here."
She looked a little out of breath, "I forgot to tell someone where I was going to be, didn't I?"
"Yes."
"Someone's in trouble." Erhard nudged me with his elbow.
"Problem then?"
"Not... exactly..." She sighed, "Politics."
"Crap." I nodded, both my tails swatting the back of my head. "How bad?"
"Well, Motoyasu was cornered by the Queen, and he told her how far the four of you managed to get before getting distracted. She wants to sit in on a discussion with the four of you, while our parties 'mingle'." Raphtalia explained, "And I think Melty spoke to her as well."
"I'm going to have to bake cookies for her or something." I scratched at an ear, "Okay, this gives us a tiny bit more time to get ready, instead of rushing things out the door and maybe getting it wrong." I turned to Erhard, but my tails warned me of potential danger.
"No skipping dinner!"
Raphtalia was a little disappointed at 'dinner', since I just had some nourishing beverage and a bit of cheese. But then Erhard came to my rescue, and convinced Raphtalia to help us with material processing. With her helping, I was able to do some side tasks to help upgrade Kuro's new carriage. This made Erhard curious, and he made a quick trip outside to contact the same group who had helped overhaul my party's mobile home. If we were going to be here another day, then they had time.
And before Raphtalia could reach up and pull me out of the workshop by my ear, I gave Erhard a bunch of the Tyrant Dragon Rex's materials, and since he had yet to sell the Shield of Marius we'd made, I gave him one last thing to do before he went to bed.
On the way back, just before the bridge between 'the outer ring' of the Castle Town, and the 'middle class' area, a lump of canvas called out to me.
"Cursed Shield..." Said the lump of canvas.
Raphtalia made a surprised noise, but I knew that voice, "Aultcray." I greeted, feeling just a little twinge of anger, but that faded like a burnt our matchstick. I took a closer look at the lump of canvas, and saw that he also had a staff with him. "The Vassal Staff?"
"The Queen let me take it with me." He said, slowly standing, using the staff to pull himself to his feet.
Raphtalia's hand went to her sword, but my hand dropped down to rest on the pommel before her hand got there. "You can carry it, thus you can keep it." I shrugged, "I have to ask, now that there is no one around to whisper in your ear. Why do you hate me so much?"
In the dim light, my eyes were having a little trouble focusing between 'light' and 'dark' spectra. It made his face look almost skeletal. "Who were they?" His voice, too. It sounded just as haunted as his face.
"W..." I thought back to his distracted look in the middle of his 'execution'. "You were looking at my party..." They? "Fohl and Atla." I put things together. "Fayon, if I remember their last name right."
He slumped back down, and for a moment I thought he'd fainted. But it seemed a day for tears, and his exhausted seeming slump turned into a bout of quiet sobs. "You damned demi-humans... taking everything from me."
I saw the attack long before it could get any momentum, the former king starting to lunge at me, the staff falling to the ground as his hands came up to try and grab my throat. But it took more effort to hold Raphtalia back, than it did to place my hand against his sternum and just push a little to flop him onto his back.
"She was my SISTER!" He cried, his hands coming up to cover his face. "Not only did they take my son, but my sister..."
I looked to Raphtalia sharply and she backed off with a huff, her hand no longer going for her blade. The slave make on his chest hadn't lit up... That wasn't anger, but grief that fuelled his attack on me. I knelt next to the fallen king. "I will tell you what I know."
He sat up sharply, the slave mark glowing as he started to raise his hands again. "I... don't want... to hear it!" Now it was anger.
"Fohl and Atla's mother, and father, loved them, cared for them, and eventually died for them. One died defending them, the other spent her last breath trying to keep them alive in the years after until her sickness finally caught up with her."
"NO!" He shouted, using his heels to push himself backwards, his back pressing against the short stone wall that prevented people from falling into the river below. "She was taken! Taken from our home! Blood... so much blood..." He held his head with one hand, the other pointing at me accusingly. "I thought her dead, but no, it was worse! Captured! Those damned Hakuko! Polluting her like that!"
I was tempted to use the slave mark to... to... what? It couldn't change an opinion like that, just punish you for having one.
"Atla has the same sickness as your sister did." I said, "But I am part way through curing it. What ever opinion you have about demi-humans, your sister still loved one, and loved her children."
He was about to speak, but I locked my eyes onto his and he couldn't find his voice.
"Your sister, before she died, and her children now, were happy. While you, are a miserable broken man who's directionless hate has reduced him to rags." I shifted my legs a little, knee-walking closer to him and putting my palm over his heart, "I am going to give you a chance to have this lifted. If you want to know the truth, if you want to meet your sister's children, if you want to know the truth about what really happened to her. Go to Lurolona. That's where they will be."
I sifted through the Shield's inventory, and took out a spare pouch, then some of our emergency rations.
"I heard you were a soldier once, Aultcray of the Staff. This should get you there, or keep you fed while you wallow in self pity here on this bridge." I set the filled pouch in his lap.
Finally, he broke eye contact with me, "I don't need your pity, Cursed Shield."
"I've already punished you. Where I'm from, that puts the scales between us as even. Now? Now I'm trying to help someone who has lost their family, to find them again. It's not pity, it's duty." I stood up, paused, and took out a small water-skin as well, adding it to the pouch on his lap. "Let's go."
I didn't look back, nor did Raphtalia. About half way over the bridge, with a low whisper that was almost lost in the noise of the river under us, she asked, "Do you think he'll... Are you sure it's a good idea?"
"Raphtalia..." I sighed, putting a hand on her shoulder, "To me, helping someone find their family is always a good idea. Even if I have to be that family." I shook my head, smiling a little when her tail swished happily, "I'll make sure Fohl and Atla know he might show up though, and to be careful... I think I might need another drink again..."
The next morning, bright and early, we (the four heroes) and our parties were back in the throne room. This time however, the Queen had turned out the kitchens and set up a bit of a feast. Similar to what Aultcray had done after the second wave.
This time however, there was much less hate being sent my way. Sadly, 'much less' was not 'zero'.
But, through some miracle, though it was more likely the absence of Myne, it was really just general animosity. "Boss... I can hear them mumbling..." Usa... Sir Usa said, his recovering hand actually holding a fork and carefully moving food to his mouth.
Kunshu was still by his side though, even as she held the egg with her middle arms, her upper arms were ready to help in case Usa needed it.
"I don't blame them." I said with a shrug, "Not only have we done well for ourselves, well, we're kind of weird as far as parties go."
No humans now that Melty had returned. Two 'animals', four different demi-humans...
"Ah... it's more about you..." He replied, his eyes flicking down then back up again to very clearly look me in the eyes.
"Suppose I do look different now." I smiled, "Finish that, and we'll go introduce ourselves properly to them."
Itsuki's party was... weird. I'd met a couple already, when he'd been complaining about me apparently 'stealing' his quest rewards. Thankfully, he'd gotten rid of the sword he had at his hip, but that was about all.
"We are Master Itsuki's bodyguards!" One of them said after I'd formally introduced myself, "The five of us make sure he is protected from all harm!"
Ren and I looked at the lead man of the five, that guy who I told needed to check his armour for wear, "Bodyguards?" I raised an eyebrow.
Then a pair of legs with a tray of food so high the body and head of those legs was obscured came over, "Ah sorry for taking so long!"
I saw the accident just as it started, her being in a rush and unable to see a little snag in the carpet causing her to stumble. Thankfully, I was able to grab the tray before it spilled, and Ren managed to stop the girl from flopping to the floor on her face.
"You took too long again, Rishia!" The guy in the armour scowled, though he did take the platter from me so he could set it down.
Out of all of them, she seemed the most out of place. Aside from being young, maybe a teenager, she was dressed similar to how I'd had Melty dress (armour over nice clothes), but had a manner similar to Usa. Nervous, eyes looking to her party, to Itsuki... She didn't seem like a warrior at all. She had none of the confident look the others had.
"Now introduce yourself properly!" Mr. Armour demanded.
"Fu... fueeeee..." Rishia shied away but then looked to Ren and I and bowed.
"We SIX are Master Itsuki's bodyguards!"
I tried not to sigh, but Ren couldn't stop himself. "Strange way to introduce yourselves." He said, "But they look capable."
To me, they looked like a cheerleader squad. But I kept my mouth shut. Not just that, but one of them had even switched from Ren's party, to Itsuki's. "Still trying to be mysterious?" I asked Itsuki.
"No more than you, lady Kodori." He frowned.
Ren joined in on the 'sideways looks' Itsuki's party was giving me. "Just holding the Shield was giving me enough trouble. And considering the former King tried to have me sold as a slave, it was a good idea."
"Melromarc is a Matriarchy though." Someone said.
"You were there in the throne room when people were dividing up for parties." I looked towards the voice, "Tell me exactly how many women were around the former king? I saw three, and two of them were maids."
When no reply was forthcoming, Itsuki spoke up again, "It was still quite dishonest of you."
I didn't feel like getting into an argument, so I just shrugged, "So what's it like working for him?" I asked his party.
The reply surprised me, but it really shouldn't have. "Master Itsuki is the greatest of the four heroes!" The guy in armour declared, the others (except the nervous looking Rishia) nodding emphatically. Though, 'sycophantic' would probably have been more accurate.
Ren however couldn't resist poking the bear, so to speak, "But aside from the one thing he's told me about, I haven't heard about anything that he's done."
"Master Itsuki's Justice does not need to be advertised! It only needs to happen!"
Again, the others looked resolute, and this time Rishia joined in, though silently, with that look. Curious...
"Well, we've already spoken about what little I have heard about." I shrugged again, "I should check up on that town... Had to replace the guy in charge."
"What? The fort between Zeltobe and Siltvelt?" Itsuki perked up, "You replaced the one I helped put in charge?"
"Him? About this tall, beard, bit of a belly? Yeah. The town had become so poor they were almost falling over themselves to get in line for soup, and when I went to visit him, he had all kinds of money in his room, as well as two prostitutes in his bed." I smiled, "Tossed him out the nearest window, and put someone who actually knew basic math and logistics in charge, as well as got a merchant to visit since that other guy had made the people so poor that merchants wouldn't visit at all."
Silence.
"Anyhow!" I smiled, "Nice meeting you all. Hope you can all swim. Oh, and my party would love to meet you, though two of them can't speak, they can understand you just fine."
Ren's party was... distant. Oh, they seemed confident enough. But they were 'strong silent types'. Just like Ren wanted to be, they seemed more like solo players, than party members. Maybe that's why the armour guy left for Itsuki? They were basically forgettable, and gave off the vibe of 'leave me alone I'm getting drunk'.
Finally, the Queen came to collect us. It was a little more flowery than just commanding us to join her. But after a few standard flowery phrases, you know, things like 'I hope you're all enjoying yourselves', 'well rested for the voyage', 'get along for the sake of the world'... She said, "I will now have the four heroes join me, so we can better coordinate for the upcoming trials."
"Now then, good heroes." She started, a nice fan she had added to her usual regal dress opening and covering her mouth, "I would like to hear some of what you discussed yesterday. I had trusted you to organize yourselves..." She looked directly at me, and I gave her a half second of a 'helpless' look.
"I don't think we have much to discuss." Ren shrugged.
"We tried to share power up methods, but..." Itsuki looked at me, "You didn't have anything to add, did you?"
I thought about it, "No actually." I admitted, "We were distracted by the empty library. My method is similar to Ren's. But instead of a 'stacking mastery' system where I can repeatedly power up the longer I use a single Shield form, I have a 'single' mastery system." I changed my nice Hagane Red Shield to its basic boring silver small shield. "For example, after about twelve hours of having this equipped, I got a flat defence bonus." I switched again, "Eight hours of this one gave me another flat bonus. And so on."
"And those bonuses are always active?" Motoyasu asked.
"Permanently added to my numbers." I nodded, "Some shields need to be equipped for secondary abilities though, while mastering others give a skill, if not a stat bonus." I switched to the Rope Shield, and demonstrated by pulling a bit of rope out of the edge, then changing shields only to have the rope vanish with it. Motoyasu suppressed a shiver at the action, and I pretended not to notice.
While I could only see the Queen's eyes, they at least didn't look upset. Just very carefully passive. So far so good?
"It still doesn't explain how you and your party are so strong." Ren frowned.
Or not... He couldn't seem to get past being second best it seemed.
"You just aren't accepting my explanation." I replied.
"All you have to do is be honest." He shot back.
"Maybe you should tell them?" Motoyasu said.
That got the other two's attention. "I knew it! You do have a secret!" Itsuki accused.
"I have many secrets." I sighed, "But, while its true you three played a game that resembles this world, and I only had a book. That doesn't mean I don't know about video games in general."
"You said-" Ren half stood up...
But I cut him off, "YOU assumed. You all did! Oh look, this child with animal ears can't possibly know what a VRMMO is! This kid can't possibly do better than us because we already know everything!"
Motoyasu facepalmed, the queen snapped her fan closed, her mouth in a frown, and the other two shrank back in their chairs as I stood up, slammed my palms to the table, and continued.
"I've played more video games than the three of you put together. I've also got two master degrees, a PhD and half a bloody doctorate! I've spent the last eight years of my life, on average eight hours a day or more, fighting monsters to put food on my table! It's been almost physically painful to watch the three of you-"
"Hey... I got better..."
One of my tails swished at Motoyasu, "Keep thinking this is just a game! The last wave nearly got us all killed!"
Itsuki shot to his feet, staring right into my face over the table, "That was a fight we were supposed to lose! We wouldn't die, just end up in the hospital! That's exactly what happened to us!"
Ren joined Itsuki in his attempt to stare me down, "Except you! When we came to, you were already gone from the scene! And don't even try to lie about being so smart! The only reason you aren't still a little child is because Demi-human's grow with levels!"
"Cease this arguing." The Queen said, not standing, but straightening her back meaningfully, that simple act making her seem much taller.
"Ren." I said, smiling, "Think about exactly what you just said."
"Wha-"
"In this world. Demi-humans grow with age, or with levelling. It is a 'rule'. Just like the status screen. Just like impossible balloons with teeth and no actual anatomy."
"What does that have to do with this?" Itsuki asked, still angry.
"I can pick up Motoyasu with one arm, yet if I were to punch him, he'd hardly feel it. Why?"
"The Shield has no attack power." Ren said, the implied 'duh' left out.
"That answers only half the question." I sighed, "If my attack power is so low, how can I be strong enough to lift someone who weighs more than I do? How can I be strong enough to hammer metal, yet not damage someone when I punch them?"
"It's part of the game." Itsuki shrugged.
I sat back down with a sigh. "As for my education, I can list the periodic table, though I'd get some of the atomic weights wrong, tell you the melting point for every metal commonly used in industry, the distance between the Earth and the sun, and if you gave me a moment to measure, exactly how much liquid that fancy vase over there can hold." I looked to the Queen, "I don't know how to convince them."
It actually felt good to get a genuine look of understanding from her, even if it was for maybe a half second. "The fact stands, however, that the other countries are not confident in the four heroes. Regardless of what you might think, the continent considers the third Wave a total loss on the hero's part."
Motoyasu, now that his head was out of his ass, and I, nodded in agreement, while Ren and Itsuki shook their heads, "The wave still ended! Whomever that person was fled!" Itsuki countered.
"Only after Lady Kodori's party wounded her." The Queen said, "At great personal cost, if I am to understand."
All eyes went to my horns, then back to the queen.
"While it is clear you all share different views, and abilities when it comes to your weapons, you must still work together during the Waves." The Queen opened her fan again, "My world depends on you all cooperating. This activation event in Cal Mira only occurs once every ten years. I suggest you all use it to become stronger, and perhaps overcome some of your differences so the next Wave doesn't have most of you waking up in our hospitals."
"Now I'm really curious." Motoyasu said as we returned to the throne room to find our parties. He was trying to cheer me up, putting a hand on my shoulder.
And honestly, it was working. Now that I'd seen how far the other two were in their delusion... "Be more specific."
"You really know all that stuff?"
"They were correspondence classes, but yeah." I motioned to my ears, "Easier to hide my ears through a video feed than in person." We both chuckled, "Yeah. Chemistry, metallurgy, high speed physics, mechanical engineering, flunked out of psychology part way though..."
"Damn... I was only part way through electrical engineering..."
We both sighed.
Then, "Say... What did you mean 'rule'. I keep thinking about how you said it."
"On Earth, we don't have a status screen. On Earth, me being strong enough to pick you up, would mean I could also punch a hole in a wall. No matter what you are, on Earth you only grow with age." I explained. "Here? It's like... we have basic reality." I tapped the wall with my knuckles, "Then the rest is kind of layered over it."
"Huh... I think I get it?"
"You're doing better than those two." I sighed, "Anyhow. Tell Kuro she owes me. Your new and improved wagon should be done by now."
"Old man Erhard?"
"Yeah. See you at the port. I gotta make a little detour, but we'll be travelling quickly I think."
"Sure." And the two of us shared a fist bump, splitting off at the bottom of the stairs to get ready for the trip.
There was a little fanfare as we left. Motoyasu, with Kuro and her new and improved wagon carried a few of the other party members from Ren and Itsuki's groups. The other two heroes, and whomever didn't want to ride in the nice new wagon, flanked us with nicely groomed filolials (none of which wanted to come to an understanding with Tetsu).
The Queen wished us luck of course, and spoke a few words of encouragement, mostly for show. I didn't blame her, and 'pleasing the masses' was one of the reasons I hated being 'the strongest' back home.
On the way out of town however, I had one last thing to do.
"On the way out then?" Erhard greeted us as my entire party filed into his shop.
It amused me to watch most of Tetsu's girly head vanish under Erhard's big hand, or Usa giving him a handshake with his... less functional hand. "Yeah. Oh, just cause you haven't met them yet. Fohl, Atla? This is Erhard. If it weren't for him, I'm honestly not sure how we would have made it."
Atla was capable of walking now, mostly, but she was still in the chair for now. This didn't bother Erhard of course, and he knelt down so he could shake her hand. Fohl got the more 'manly' handshake, you know, with a shoulder clap, the appraising look, that kind of thing.
"You'll do well with these people here." He said with a grin. "So, I think I did what you needed. But do you think it will work?"
He went back behind the counter, vanished into his workshop for a moment, then returned with the 'original' Shield of Marius. The face of it hadn't changed at all. But he stood the shield up in front of us, then spun it around.
On the back, carefully carved out of the metal, were slots. They were the exact size of the 'metal tabs' I'd hammered out for enchantment practice. About the size of a military 'dog tag'. Six in all, it was my hope that I was right, and if I was...
"Well, here's the thing. The other heroes and I got together and tried to describe how our weapons worked. No secret they are special, and have some really weird abilities." I paced around Erhard, not touching the shield yet, "The one that caught my attention the most was the Bow. He said he could attach metal to some of his bow forms, and those imparted abilities."
I reached out a hand, almost feeling expectant, almost hopeful that this would work.
"So, I'm going to copy this... And if I'm right, I won't get another shield..."
Shield of Marius updated: six function slots added
"Brother? Is she sparkling?" Atla asked.
"She won't admit it." Usa said seriously.
I ignored them, and switched over to my own Shield of Marius, and yes, the little slots had been copied over. "Well then..." I went into the inventory, and took out one of the original 'learning project's, and slipped it into the slot, almost like an SD card.
Earth resistance up (small)
Then removed it.
Earth resistance down (small)
"I think." I said, feeling my cheeks start to hurt with how wide my smile had gotten. Or with how out of practise I'd gotten with smiling... "The Shield and I have finally come to an understanding."
"So... you don't want to eat it now?" Tetsu asked.
"Congratulations kiddo." Erhard grinned with me. "But was that the only way? What about the other two?"
"Well... I mean sure, it might work for them. But it doesn't make sense to me. Motoyasu uses either raw metal, or small ingots, and gambles them away for power ups. The more he succeeds, the greater chance of failure. Ren's sword has this weird stacking mastery thing... But I've already got my version of that. But this? This makes sense. And the Shield is actually working with me on it."
"Are you going to make copies of all your shields now?" Raphtalia asked.
"No. That's impractical. But for some of the common ones? Yeah. Trick will be making it close enough that the Shield accepts it. Since I made this one, it was easy to 'update'. But I'm not sure I could physically copy say, the two headed black dog shield." I waved it off, "It's a later thing. Erhard, thank you. Really."
We shook, and for a moment he looked conflicted, but I drew him in for one of those 'hugs while shaking hands'. We clapped each other on the back, let go, and everyone took a turn giving Papa Erhard some kind of farewell gesture.
"Be careful out there. I expect you to come back."
"We'll do our best to keep each other out of trouble, if not danger." Usa said, all of us nodding agreement.
We passed through Riyute getting a few friendly waves, some fresh bread, headpats for Tetsu, and a heap of tough twine at the leather worker's shop. This was important, since I had to hand out one last gift from Melty to everyone.
"This." I said, measuring out some string, cutting it, then tying it to a nice looking silver coin with a hole on top, "Is water breathing token. I know not everyone here can swim, but this should let you flail around in the water trying to keep afloat, while not needing to worry about breathing."
Everyone got one, even Atla and Fohl. Tetsu too! Melty had made a heap of them, so many I still has spares.
"Now... My appraising skill only tells me that's what they will do for sure. But I'm hoping they will also stop you from sinking like a rock if you're wearing heavy armour. We can test it later. Speaking of... who can swim?"
Raphtalia raised her hand of course. So did Fohl and Clive. That was expected honestly... "I can give lessons, if we ever have time." Raphtalia offered.
"Now that I have both arms... I might be able to swim a little?" Usa thought out loud.
"We'll do as we always do, and share our skills with those who don't have them." I nodded, "Clive. For you. I dunno how your eyes will deal with the salt water, so this one is a bit different that the others. Kind of... an invisible air helmet."
He hung the little silver token around his neck, and with a little twitch of his eyes he reached up and tried to touch his bald head. There seemed to be a slight resistance as he did so. "click." The sound was a little distorted as well.
I tested it as well, holding up my hands and conjuring up my (sacrilegious) spray bottle effect, watching as the mist of cold water slid off of an invisible barrier around his head. "You'll have to take that off to wash your face. Or eat. But it should keep your eyes from drying out in the salt water."
A day past Riyute, and we were still in high spirits. Not only that, just as we were getting ready for sleep, my Occulus went off. It took a moment to find the right one, but it was the one for Ake and his knights.
"Ma'am." He greeted, "I've joined the caravan from Van's territory, and everything is going according to plan."
"Excellent. Everything?" I felt my tails wrap around something, then Raphtalia sat next to me.
"Everything. We've got enough wagons and filolial, and even extra space on the wagons for the filolial to sleep on, that we might actually beat you to the coast, or at the very least, join you by morning." He looked to the side for a moment, nodded, then back to me, "Lord Van and the Queen have spared no expense helping us get them home."
My tails felt Raphtalia's tail flailing about happily at the news, but her voice was calm when she replied, "That's incredible news. Is Sadeena there too?"
"And lady Ragnarok. They're both helping with monster patrols, along with my squads. We even have some of the demi-humans here using magic to help out. At least, with the little things."
"We look forward to joining up with you then. Don't risk the filolial on any bad roads if you can help it. Sadly, we won't have much time to help start the rebuilding. But we will have time for one thing, if nothing goes wrong."
"Oh?"
I nodded, but couldn't help myself and replied, "You'll see." Yes, mysterious Kitsune stuff. "See you soon."
"Yes Ma'am." And his side of the Occulus went dark.
"There you have it." I said with a smile, "If nothing goes wrong, we'll even have Hickwaal show up with some supplies to help get started on building homes."
Since I was no longer as strong as I used to be, Raphtalia's sudden hug (and squee!) made my ribs feel like they were grinding together. But that was okay. It was part of her past being set right again, as well as all the others who survived the first Wave.
"ow ow ow..." I attempted to headpat her, but only managed to flail my free arm a little, "Okay okay. Lets get some sleep..."
The next morning, about an hour before Ake showed up with the long column of soon to be returned home villagers, I was giving Atla an exam.
Well, kind of. Truth be told, she was showing off.
"I feel... everything." She said, slowly walking forward as I walked backwards, the two of us doing slow orbits of the limited space in the wagon. "The tingling is gone. There are no patches of missing feeling on my legs. And look!" She let go of my hands, and did a careful little spin in place.
I had to reach out to steady her, but otherwise she was recovering at a meteoric pace.
"Easy. You'll need some time to really get some strength back. But you're doing really well." We resumed walking/walking backwards. "When we get back from Cal Mira, maybe I can teach you Tai Chi." I frowned thoughtfully, "I wonder though..."
"My blindness? It's... I do not know how to describe it, but... I see..." We paused again, and she reached up towards my face. Her hands got close to my cheeks, paused, then touched them. "I don't know if that makes sense?"
I held out my hand, "Take my hand again." And once again, her hand went for mine, paused as it got maybe a centimetre or two away, then closed the gap and made contact. "Now try and poke my nose?"
This time, her fingertip stopped just under my eye.
"Okay. I think I get it." I nodded, "Objects?"
"A little harder, but..." Her head did a slow look around, and she reached for, missed, then corrected her aim, and picked up jar. "Living things are easier to pick out, but being close to me lets helps me to perceive it?"
"Okay." I gave her ears a pat, "It will be a challenge, but if you're willing, I think I can teach you." She smiled up at me, her newly restored legs trying to push into my hand to encourage more ear pats. "But later. Too much, too soon, and you'll do more harm than good."
She nodded, "I would very much like to learn then."
NOTES!
Yes indeed. There is one more big thing to do before we get into the Cal Mira L'arc, and the next wave. :)
Thank you for reading! And if you want to see any full colour art, join the discord!
aKAQg4bnYu for the discord!
And my actual book, Were Too? is on Inkitt.
And! I'm looking into getting some story themed merchandise made. Join the Discord to find out more!
