Chapter 101

Raphtalia rode Tetsu back to Lurolona. After Ost had returned the souls to her former body, or in this case, the heart of the tree growing out of it, the little timer in the corner of her Status changed. It took her a moment or two and a bit of counting on her fingers, but she figured it out.

Three and a half months. Three and a half months before the next Wave. Or... something? The icon was blue, not red, so maybe something else was going to happen? Ost had only said that since the Tortoise had only taken in part of what it needed, the Waves would only be delayed.

What to do in that time?

"Big sister?" Under her, the steady thumping of feet slowed. "Hey..."

"Hmm? Tetsu?" Raphtalia aborted the imminent spiral into a bad mood, "What's wrong?"

Tetsu didn't reply, but motioned for her to dismount. Once off her back, she turned, changed into her child form, and wrapped Raphtalia up in a hug. Raphtalia blinked down at the dragon girl for a moment, then returned the hug. "What's wrong?" She repeated. Knowing the answer, but prompting one of Kodori's 'rules'. To fix a problem, you had to admit there was one.

"Why did she leave?" Tetsu sniffled, "Gaelion tells me its because she has other things to do... but why leave us behind?"

For some reason, the first thought on her mind was 'I'm glad I put that outfit from Glass's world in storage'. Followed quickly by, 'oh great, dragon snot'. But her attempt to keep her own dark mood away failed. "I don't know. I really don't. Everyone is telling me that we don't need her now. That we're strong enough. But..."

She did her best to move Tetsu's face to one side so, and tried to comfort the girl. "But... Does that mean we can't help her? Why not? That's... That's why I was born!"

For all her adult size, she was not experienced with this. And on the surface, she was right. The entire purpose of Tetsu, was to help Kodori do her job. She had bought Clive, Usa and herself, to help her. And now...

"No." She started, gathering bits of an idea, to make it into something closer to truth, then saying it to comfort a crying child... two of them. "You were born to help save this world." She had to kneel, to turn the one sided hug to a proper one. "She doesn't need you to help her. But you are still needed to help the world. To help me."

Another sniffle, "Really? She didn't just... throw me away?"

Again, words that were far too close to what she felt. "No. She doesn't do that. You know that. She just needs us to take care of things while she does... what ever it is she's doing." Raphtalia sighed. "I hope... I hope she comes back."

Tetsu's arms slackened a little, letting Raphtalia stand up, "Do you think... we're strong enough?"

"If that's why she left us behind, then it means she thinks we are." Raphtalia said, hoping it was true. "Come on. We have to keep going."

Tetsu stood back from her, then stopped, "Can we eat first?"

"Of course."

The massive landmark growing near Lurolona was just as vibrant as they remembered. As they got closer, they could both see Kunshu and Tenno's family busy at work in its branches. That wasn't all. Several kilometres away, the plain grass of half familiar fields around Raphtalia's village had become dotted with flowers.

As much as she wanted to finally get home, maybe sleep in the wagon despite having an actual home to sleep in, they stopped to investigate.

"It's so... pretty." Tetsu said, leaning her big dragon face down towards a flower, "Oh! Medicine smell!"

Raphtalia stood beside her, crouching to look as well. "Yes... she used this to help with growing pains." She smiled, "Oh!"

As she stood, a giant bee (about the size of her forearm) hovered in front of her. It shifted in the air, left and right, then backed up to do the same to Tetsu. Then, it landed on Tetsu's forehead. "That tickles!" Then, "Oh hi! You're doing that weird talking thing!"

"What is it saying?" Raphtalia asked, looking through the half familiar 'inventory' tab in her Status, "I don't have my metal headband anymore..."

"Mostly just 'hi, hello', and 'not food'." Tetsu shook her head a little, the bee lifting off, then flying away. "Now my head feels dusty."

"Let me." Raphtalia gave Tetsu's head a pat, then an actual headpat, just because, "Well, we'll be expected... I think?"

They weren't expected. At least, not because of the bee. Instead, the two of them were spotted by someone in a newly built guard tower. Still unique in the world, it was easy to deduce who Tetsu was, and thus the one on her back. Still about a kilometre away, the two of them spotted Aki, or one of his knights, riding up on a filolial.

About half way there, she saw that yes, it was the knight-captain in charge of Lurolona's security. "Lady Raphtalia! Tetsu!" He waved, putting the butt of his spear in a leather loop by a stirrup. He let his shield dangle from his forearm and put up his visor. "Welcome home."

"Sir Aki." Raphtalia greeted, though she didn't tell Tetsu to stop.

The well disciplined bird under him did a neat 180 and the two walked side by side. "We've missed you around here. We've gotten a lot done since you and..."

"She left us behind." Raphtalia said, "She left the job to us."

He wasn't so crude as to ask if she was sure. "If you want to tell that story, should I get people together?"

"I think I know why she tried to avoid people right after coming home." Raphtalia tried to smile, maybe to take some of the sting from her words.

"Tomorrow then." Aki nodded, understanding.

"What about the others? Clive and Usa? Sadeena? Keel?" Raphtalia asked, her attempt at a smile failing, but she was pretty sure her grateful look got across. "Atla and Fohl? Lady Ragnarok? Rishia?"

"Sadeena went to the port town. The tiger siblings, and Lady Rishia might still be out training. Keel was overseeing some collection efforts to the forests a little northwest of here. And I have no idea where Usa and Clive have gone. But if they don't want to be found, you don't find them." He laughed, "Probably out hunting though."

"Good." She sighed, "I'm... I don't want to really talk with them just yet."

"Well, if that's the case, maybe head towards the tree first? I mean, people already know you're home, but..." He shrugged, then tried to divert topics again, "Tetsu? Any luck?"

Tetsu, of course, was trying to come to an understanding with Aki's mount, but it didn't even look at her no matter how much she waved or mumbled to it. "Aww... no." Tetsu sighed, "But he hasn't tried to peck me! That's a start!"

Leaving Aki to deal with 'the people' at least until tomorrow, let Raphtalia and Tetsu head to the tree in peace. The wagon was right where they'd left it, and the myriad of vines and flowers covering it had a small collection of bees tending it. It was obvious it had been used at least once since they'd travelled across worlds, but it was an amazing wagon.

"This reminds me." Raphtalia sighed as she drew the Katana from its transforming scabbard. "Mark portal..." She mumbled, drawing a line in the dirt exactly where Kodori had put the line for her own portal. "Home is important." She nodded, "Right Tetsu?"

"Yup! Oh! Everyone is saying hello!" Of course, proximity to the wagon prompted investigation. "Uh oh... gonna sneeze!"

They were clearly smarter than an average bee. Tetsu's declaration had them scatter instantly.

"Raphtalia?"

Tetsu's sneeze stopped Raphtalia's first reply, but after the dragon sniffled and changed back into her child form, Raphtalia answered, "Rifana." The wagon was just outside the shade of the tree, but that put it close enough for the ghost of her friend to come talk to her. "We're back."

It didn't even strike Raphtalia as odd that Rifana was able to make tea for her. It wasn't until she'd finished her tea, and the retelling of what happened in Glass's world, that she realized how odd it was that she didn't find it odd at all.

Tetsu had decided that it was time to nap someplace in the middle of the story, and was curled up inside a literal wooden bowl Rifana had 'grown' from the wall of the tree's interior for the dragon girl to curl up in, and at some point, Tenno had descended, interrupted the story to give Raphtalia a friendly headbutt/antenna wiggle against her ears.

After the story was done, Rifana sighed, "I see."

Tenno's response was a little louder, but he just jumped upwards and vanished.

"Yeah." Raphtalia replied, "I'll admit, I'm... at a bit of a loss."

"You relied on her for direction." the spirit replied, "But, do you need it now?"

"Yes!" She blurted, making Tetsu's head lift a little, eyes not quite closed, "We relied on her for everything! Training, survival, food, shelter, even... recovering your remains." She moved over to the edge of Tetsu's 'bed' and applied headpats until the sleepy dragon put her head down again. "Now..."

"Now." Rifana smiled, joining her in putting Tetsu back to sleep. "Now, you've found yourself at home again. Why not help rebuild? You trusted them all to get along without you for a while, but now you're back."

"We have to fight the Waves though."

"You said you had a long time before the next one. So use that time to recover. I'm sure there are all kinds of things you can help with." Rifana took Raphtalia's hand in hers, "You've never needed someone's help, to help others."

It was true. When the first Wave nearly wiped out Lurolona and killed Lord Seatto, it was Raphtalia who had rallied the villagers into action again. She might only have been ten years old, but she had still managed to inspire everyone to action again, to start rebuilding.

At least, until the traitor knights had come back to enslave them all. And now, she was back. Stronger, fully grown, and actually in charge thanks to the Queen and the Shield Hero.

"You're wrong." Raphtalia said, "I needed help to get back here. But... I guess that means I have to succeed, so I don't waste the time they spent getting me here."

"Only after you get some sleep." Rifana smiled, her ghostly body unable to do more than ruffle Raphtalia's hair.

(Hickwaal)

For someone as incredibly rich as he was, Hickwaal travelled mostly without fear. The villages he dealt with knew him and loved him. He was a man who had built his empire with money, sure, but every coin in the walls of his trading empire was held together by the mortar of good will and trust.

But, it also helped that he was very good at enchanting. Only during a Wave did he need to care about monsters. The only reason he'd been caught by bandits that one time, was because he had to take a different road due to bad weather.

Among his many rings, gem studded buttons, bracelets and an amulet or two, were monster repellent enchantments, obscuring illusions too!

So imagine his surprise, when a fox twice the size of his knight dragon just... walked out of the forest and onto the road. He was just about to get something from under the driver's bench (something he called a 'blasting wand') when he noticed his dragon's lack of response. The beast was very smart, and could be just as dangerous as any military beast. But he was just... standing there.

Then the fox changed, and he figured out why. "Lady Kodori!"

"Master Hickwaal." She replied, her voice weary, "I need your help with something. Urgently enough that you'll probably want to get back to Zeltobe as soon as we are done talking."

"For you? Anything." He said seriously, "Trouble? Where is..."

"My former party is hopefully taking a vacation." She said, "I have far too much to do, and this world does not have the time for delay."

He was about to get off the bench and step off the wagon, when he felt... something. "What's wrong? What is that around your neck?"

"A prison." She said simply, "No, you may not see it."

He stepped off the wagon, "And your horns..."

"I will tell you the story after business." She reached behind her, paused while something, likely the Shield, flashed, and when her hand came around again, she was holding a handful of neat little crystals. "The first part I can tell you. Some of these came from the world on the other side of the Waves." She paused, "Ah, Kotetsu?"

Something wiggled under her 'combat kimono' and with a little gasp of air, an arm length fluffy dragon appeared from her collar, "Ah! Warm! Yes mom? Was napping on shiny thing."

"Make a new friend." Kodori said, offering her hand to Hickwaal's knight dragon, getting a sniff, then having the dragon-noodle zip along her arm to get another sniff. Then the big dragon knelt on the ground, and Kotetsu played around its big front limbs.

Companions kept busy for the moment, the two of them got closer and Hickwaal looked at the gems in Kodori's palm. "Oh... Wait..." He took out his little appraisal lens, "Oh... oh my! They have these in another world?"

"They do." She said, "These combine the inventory gem and the retrieval gem together. This one combines the 'teleport to hourglass' and 'teleport to Wave' gems. And this one, combines all four. Four of the major functions of a Holy or Vassal weapon."

"These... these are priceless." He said after a moment, "This one, not so much, but we've relied on the heroes for the Waves..."

"The other world doesn't rely on them. These are common over there, and anyone who isn't working a trade or farming can become almost as strong as a hero." Kodori said with a sigh, "Honestly, they are almost everything this world is not."

"Yet you don't sound worried!" Hickwaal attempted a laugh.

"No. I worked with them, and our worlds are no longer fighting each other. Just the Waves. So, to help the people here, and honestly, make my job easier, I need to get these out to the people." She said, stone serious. "I'm going to show you how to make them. Then I'll need you to start production."

Hickwaal stood up straight, "I'm... honestly not sure how to go about this." He held up a hand, "No no, my duty is clear, and as a resident of this world, of course I can try. But..." He started to pace a little.

"The man I sold the gun to. He will have materials, certainly, and love to help. As for production... are the Frost Ragers still in control of that little town?"

"Yes. They've cleaned it up nice too! To be fair, anything but a raging fire would have improved that place."

"Here." Another reach behind her back, a spark of light, then a sack of coin was put in Hickwaal's hand, "Work with them, have a workshop set up. The area around there has everything you need to make glass, Frost's people will help with security, and the townsfolk will be eager for some kind of work."

"That takes care of production... Hmm, but getting them to people..."

"I have business in Siltvelt. And Queen Mirellia will accept your trade without issue. Once I show you how to make these, you won't need a wagon to move goods." The knight dragon perked its head up, "He'll still need you, don't worry." And lowered its head again to watch Kotetsu.

"Very well." Hickwaal smiled, "Have any other treasures you want to share?"

"Once I've dealt with some things, of course." She smiled.

(Later)

After showing him how to move the enchantments from the gems to plain glass, quartz and even a spare gemstone (a polished dome of hematite), she opened a portal to Zeltobe. Understanding that he was still a merchant, and made a promise to deliver goods, all he did was hold his newly enchanted (and personal) 'Hourglass teleport' stone, touch the hourglass, and step back through the portal Kodori had made.

But she had already left, the only sign she'd been here at all was a single paw print that led off the road towards Siltvelt.

(Dragon Apostle)

The Elder and high priest of the Aotatsu (dragon faith) walked down one of the halls of the one and only church of the Dragon. Long ago, at the founding of their faith, it had been converted from the founder of the Aotatsu bloodline itself.

They had little chapter houses dotted over the world, but they were not 'public'. Here in Siltvelt they were only tolerated because of their connection to the forth great beast, the Dragon. As for why they worshipped them?

Well, why bother praying to a bit of metal that might choose one person every other generation, when you could actually talk to some of the dragons. At least, the sane ones... Or even ride a lesser one to work every morning? He had nothing against filolial, but would rather use them to stuff his pillows and fill his belly than ride them.

With a slow, methodical 'tap tap-click' of his soft boots and cane of office, he walked until he came to a closed double door. It was just a little before one of the others would open the doors of the church itself to the public. And while they didn't get many visitors (more since the trees had started appearing, but still not many) he still liked to pray right after breakfast. Just in case someone wanted to ask questions about the Church, or any number of just barely relevant things he had to deal with as one of the Four Factions of Siltvelt.

He turned the latch of the double door, and with hardly a sound the doors swung open.

"Honoured Elder." Greeted Kodori, her back to him as she stood in front of the altar made of dragon bones, with its rib cage holding a long 'dead' dragon core. They never truly died, but this one had long since lost any voice it had.

The Elder put a hand to his chest, taking a moment to gather his wits. "I feel my age gives me leave to ask that you don't surprise me like that." He resumed his slow tap tap-click walk, stopped, closed the doors, and continued, his eyes drawn to the slowly swaying dance of her tails that made the faint glow of the Shield on her back cast serpentine shadows over the walls. "I heard a small amount of what went on with the Spirit Tortoise. It is calmed now?"

"Dead." She said, "While I didn't have another artifact to seal inside its heart, well... It is nothing but crumbling bone and rock now. Sit, please Honoured Elder, I will light the candles for you?"

He was just about to light one of the many times many scented candles around the room, but stopped, "Could you? The weather is making my knees hurt something fierce." He tottered over to the altar itself, and finally got a good look at Kodori as she helped him sit on the stone dais before the skeleton. "You're looking a little ragged yourself."

Her eyes had darkening circles under them, and there was a certain lack of... joy about her. "I am trying to set some very critical things in motion. Then I can sleep." One she'd helped him sit, she stood, and looked at the nearest candle. With a little spark of foxfire, it lit up, emitting a gentle blue glow. It wasn't a 'warm' glow, but it was gentle on the eyes and symbolic of the blue gas flame at the heart of a dragon's breath.

"Tell me? And what of your companions?" He asked, taking a slow deep breath, the room gradually getting brighter as the foxfire sparkled and danced from candle to candle.

"Raphtalia has her people to care for, and the ordeal with the Spirit Tortoise has bought this world a little over a season of time before the next Wave. Let me give you the short form of what went on."

"Ah, a story from someone younger than I." the Elder laughed, feeling a little bit of pride when Kodori pulled a smile from someplace deep down to ease the look on her face.

"I see." He mused, "I was born after the last Waves of Catastrophe, so I can only say our world survived. I do not know anything about moving between worlds. But I hardly think this idea of yours and the Hunting Hero is a bad one."

"Yes, something so dire should have at least some record of it, yet... I can't find any here. Over there, there is a little more, but only a little. But, this still puts us far behind them in terms of ability." She sighed, that burdened look returning.

"This brings you to why you're here then?"

"One of the reasons." She nodded, "I need a small favour. You are familiar with the Hickwaal Trading group?"

"He's got a good reputation around here, though, the man himself usually sends one of his other caravan workers here. Quite popular in the lower tier of the city."

"He, or a representative, will be bringing a set of new items here soon. What he's bringing is part of why the other world is so well equipped to deal with the Waves. If he needs help convincing the other three-"

"Two. The Hakuko are currently without a leader." The Elder said without a hint of concern. "Jaralis was last seen at the Hakuko holdings, but has since vanished. So, for the moment, their house is silent."

"Vanished?"

"Indeed. Some of his closest followers are gone as well. We suspect they went to Faubrey, but honestly, good riddance." He smiled slightly, "Makes your job easier, no?"

"Suppose I'll only need to convince the Genmu and-"

"You played a naughty trick on her." The Elder smiled as Kodori's weary face started to go red.

"Ah well... um..."

"To be young again..." He laughed at her discomfort, "Go see her. If she forgives you for the deception, you'll have majority vote on helping Master Hickwaal."

"Suppose I might then." She sighed. "I have two more things then..." She reached behind her, and for an instant the glow of the candles had competition. Then she was holding a metal vial and offering it to him. "For your knees. Medicine made from my tree's sap."

"Ah, the delightful young lady and your fierce rabbit companion are cured then?" He reached for the vial, hesitated, but then curled his fingers around it when Kodori touched the vial to his palm.

"They are. And I couldn't have asked for better people to adopt."

"And second?"

Another vial appeared in her hand, "Could you fill this with a little blood, and a strand or two of hair?"

"You're lucky I have a little of both to spare. Why?" He drew a knife from his belt and carefully cut one of the few bits of hair he had left, then poked his finger.

She waited until he'd almost filled the vial, put the hair in with it, and applied a cork to the top. "Drink that before two days have passed, and you'll find out."

(Two days later)

The Aotatsu Elder walked at a relaxed pace down the hall towards the church's altar hall. Rumours had been zipping through the air about a mysterious guest that had visited the three family heads. That insufferable but certainly competent Shusaku leader had only said, "I have so much more paperwork now!" But was smiling when he said it.

The Genmu family head had said nothing, but was positively glowing after telling her servants to 'find someplace else to be for the night' two nights ago.

And he... He felt amazing. Nothing hurt, the spots on his 'human' skin were gone, patches of dry scales had become healthy and young again, and his hair was coming back!

People knew something had happened. But not what. And he was sure that it would remain thus, since the only person who didn't respect the current Shield Hero was absent.

Once again, he opened the doors. It had been two days, so he was ready to see the brooding presence of the four tailed fox woman. But she wasn't there. Instead, there was a small thing resting in front of the silent dragon heart on the altar.

Getting closer, he saw it was two somethings. First, was a rectangular slip of metal. On its polished silver (maybe iron? he was no metallurgist) surface, both front and back, were a multitude of strange drawings. Ignorant of their meaning, he was old enough to know it was magic of some kind.

Under that, was a small bit of folded paper, a drawing of a fox curled up around a flaming cup in the middle. So, he picked it up and read it.

"Honoured Elder. This is one of the greatest things I learned in the other world. In your hand is the foundation for what they called a Shikigami. To bring it into the world, hold it with both hands, and call its name. Congratulations, on the birth of your son."

He puzzled over that for a moment, unfamiliar with what a Shikigami was. But the last line implied it was some kind of summoning or creation. So, he set his cane down, and took hold of both corners of the metal tag. Like most people being put on the spot, he needed a moment longer to think of a name. And like most people, he took inspiration from the first thing that caught his eye.

"Come forth, Silver."

The silvery metal rectangle glowed brightly, almost too bright to look at. But with a weird warping twist, the palm length strip of metal elongated, grew, and was suddenly...

"By the ancient..." The Elder gasped as an arm length, four legged, dull silver scaled dragon finished coiling around his arm. Bright intelligent eyes the same as his own peered at him as it rested its head on his palm. Tiny antlers and black feathery 'hair' rimmed the back of its head, while the fuzzy hair ran the length of its spine to terminate in a frizzy 'flare' at the tip of its tail (which was swishing back and forth in what most would call the 'pet me' motion of small cute animals everywhere). "What... oh... what's this..."

Then his Status Magic lit up with two new menus. While his eyes roamed the new additions, he caught a strange sparkle on the sleeping dragon core. A tiny chip was missing from the top. He made to reach for it with his free hand, but Silver put its head against his palm, demanding headpats.

(Usa)

News of Kodori's 'abandonment' of the cause hit the core of her former party pretty hard. Clive, as usual, kept his silence. But his chromatic skin hadn't been able to settle on a colour since the news. Fohl and Atla, were less distraught. But Elrasla had more or less taken over the 'parent role' for the two of them.

Elrasla was dismissive, but she started training her students, not just Atla and Fohl but all the villagers who wanted to learn from her, just a little bit harder than before.

This would have included Rishia, but once she heard Itsuki had returned, she borrowed a Filolial and left to look for him.

The villagers were... not indifferent, but something close enough to it that Raphtalia's frustration grew. Most of them had seen her create two titanic trees out of almost nothing, and all of them had been freed almost without cost. About the only thing it cost any of them was the fact they were an 'enforced' honest community. So 'the people' were of the opinion that if Kodori wanted some space, then she was entitled to it. She was a Holy Hero after all.

Sadeena laughed. It was a mildly bitter laugh, but her only words to the news were, "Suppose I'm back on the job." This just left Raphtalia puzzled, but she appreciated the headpat from her long time friend.

Then there was Usa.

He woke. This wasn't uncommon. Unless he used the 'volume control' icon Kodori had made him, he rarely got a full night's sleep. Here in the village though, he slept in the wagon. Far enough away from the people, yet close enough to hear a cry for help or alarm, it was almost perfect. Even the bees helped! Kunshu had taught her children to not 'work' near the wagon after sun down.

Out of habit, he buried his discomfort. Raphtalia's news hit him hard. And he was sure the others noticed. But he kept it to himself, and now the wagon was as much for isolation as it was for sleep. The bees wouldn't judge him for self pity. And when the others had asked if he was alright, he... well he didn't lie. He couldn't. So to cover up his self isolation, he worked on the wagon. Trimming plants from the weird vine. Dusting. Touching up paint. Greasing the wheels. That kind of thing.

But in the middle of the night, even with the volume control icon 'on' (but on a low setting, just to filter out little things), he woke. Full alertness, not quite panic, hands reaching for his whip...

"Usa." Kodori said from someplace... "Usa." Outside... "Usa." Ah, the flower field.

Her voice repeated itself over and over again, once every five seconds or so. By the forth time, he'd gotten his boots on. By the sixth, he'd exited the wagon. And by the eighth, he spotted two pairs of gold eyes, hovering about hip high in the field, just over the tallest of the plants. As he got closer, the starlight allowed him to pick out more details, and the second pair of eyes was from a small... dragon?

"Lady..." Usa started, eyes tearing up.

"Shh." Kodori said, "Come, sit."

He wanted to resist, but his head and heart had suddenly stopped speaking to one another. So he knelt in front of her, just out of arms reach. She looked tired, almost haunted, but the smile on her face was warm, even if he could detect the faint smell of those 'instant coffee' pills. When he finished kneeling, she switched from sitting cross legged, knelt, and leaned forward.

Then she gave him a hug. "I'm very sorry Usa." She said.

He closed his eyes, chin on her shoulder. A moment later, he wrapped his arms around her as well, feeling a little irritated that the Shield was in the way. They stayed that way for a moment, then when he opened his eyes...

"Hi! I'm Kotetsu!" He found himself looking into the friendly face of the dragon.

"Ah-mmph." Kodori put her hand over his mouth before he could cry out, but sadly the embrace was over.

She seemed just as disappointed as he felt about that, sighing as the two parted and she held her arm out. Kotetsu coiled around, her head resting on her upraised palm, "Sorry. I haven't had her around too many people."

"I like him. Soft. Feels sparkly!"

"Hush." Kodori said, using her other hand to apply headpats. "Usa, I'm sorry." She repeated. "I'm not sure how much Raphtalia has told you about what went on. But things have changed a little."

Even whispering, she was using her 'combat' voice, and even now, it brought him into focus. "We are no longer at war with them, but now just fighting the Waves?"

"That's the important part. Good." She nodded. "In the mean time. I am getting things ready. And I have to move quickly."

Usa took a deep breath to cover up a yawn, then his head spoke over his heart, "So you can't have us with you? I thought you helped us grow stronger, so we could help you." He wasn't angry, just... frustrated, uncertain.

"Not exactly. You all could be by my side, but you would essentially be sitting idle. And I helped you all get stronger, so you could help yourselves after you've helped me. You know the legends, and I intend on returning home the instant I can." She shook her head, "Help Raphtalia lead her people."

"She's... very upset." Usa couldn't stop himself from yawning this time.

"Being fully grown doesn't make you an adult in this world. She's an incredible girl, but is still young. Keep being her friend." She looked to the side, "You too Clive."

"click." came from someplace to Usa's left.

"You should really come back with us." Usa said, yawning again.

"I have work to do. So much work. And I only have one more thing to do before I can start." She smiled, "And you two need to remember my first lessons."

Usa yawned again, unable to resist when Kodori pushed his shoulder lightly and put him flat on his back. "wha..."

"These are the same flowers that I made the numbing agent with. The bees will wake you both in the morning."

The two of them woke just after the first rays of dawn tickled the skies. They were both covered with familiar canvas sheets, the only difference being they were perfectly clean. Oh, and friendly bees that were asking if they were/had food.

NOTES!

Yes, Kodori moving through the world, getting things done, and not bothering with all the mundane 'adventure' now that she doesn't have to.

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