“Hello everyone,” the girl greeted in somewhat of a British-like accent as she made her way over to Lucas, eyes shining as if she’d met a long-lost brother or the love of her life. “You’ve never answered my question.”
“I told you, I don’t know,” Lucas said. “It’s—”
“Don’t know what?” Harmony asked, interrupting the half-dwarf before he got the chance to finish his sentence. “Are you asking about shop secrets? What’s your name?”
The blonde girl gave Harmony a dubious look. “Secrets? Favorite food isn’t something I’d consider much of a secret, unless it is really unsettling. Like how pandas eat just bamboo.”
We all stared at the girl. When Milia scrutinized her, she flinched and gave the dryad a sheepish smile.
“Your name?” Milia asked, voice dry, though she seemed to have concluded something already.
“Muiy,” she replied, suddenly nervous.
“Muiy, we’re closing shop for lunch. Would you like to join us?” I asked the teenager. Or at least, I assumed she was. Harmony shot me a suspicious glare. Alexander narrowed his eyes, likely attempting to scan her.
I did but received a surprising prompt.
[Analysis blocked.]
Before I could say something, the muffled voice of the twerp conversing with someone pulled my attention. A second later, Ronica popped in, followed by Maxus, Iris, and Nuwa.
“We were hoping to talk to you,” Iris said. “Are we interrupting something?”
“We’re actually about to go out for some lunch,” I said. “I’m treating the brats for a job well done and invited Lucas’s friend to go with us. You are coming along, Miss Unscannable, right?”
Alexander’s eyes widened, but he also seemed relieved that I finally noticed. Muiy still held her nervous look and, for some reason, Milia scrutinized her.
“Ooo, this feels just like a stage drama,” Ronica cheered as she twirled her way past Iris. “A girl who comes in here a few times in attempt to gobble Lucas up, but is never in town. And believe me, I’ve talked to everyone. I love people. Well, not love people, but you know what I mean.”
I couldn’t stop the laughter from coming out of my mouth. Chenzu also laughed.
“Out with it, Milia,” I said. “You nailed the mystery, right?”
“Oh my, look at the time, I have to—”
“Halt,” Milia interrupted Muiy. The fleeing girl stopped, nervous smile across her face. “She’s harmless. Her reasoning is also fair. If I left the forest…” She inspected the girl, nodding approvingly. “Her disguise is so powerful, it fooled even me. She’s an anthousai. Or a flower nymph.”
I looked around for my wolf, but he was outside with the kitten, making we wonder if Muiy chose to appear specifically when they were away.
Muiy’s disguise suddenly vanished, but she didn’t look much different. Her hair shifted from blonde to pink, and her eyes became a lighter yellow, almost similar to the dryad’s. Flowers popped on her head like a wreath. She also grew a pair of translucent butterfly-like wings.
Other than that, her clothing, and shoes, as well as the necklace across her neck remained untouched.
Given that blue, white, green, and really red hair was a normal thing in this world, pink didn’t seem out of place. In fact, people dyed their hair these colors on Earth all the time.
“You know, I was wondering when someone from your forest would show up at the shop,” Chenzu said.
“They’re here more often than you know,” I said. “Whether flying by or above us, picking berries, or hunting with Beakwing. They rarely approach humans, though.”
“Is she in love with Lucas?” Ronica whispered poorly to Iris.
“I was wondering when you’d show yourself,” Opal said as she entered the building. I looked at her, but she was… actually reading a tiny book out loud. “Now, accept my…” She froze to stare at the flower nymph wide-eyed. “I thought you were afraid of humans.”
Muiy pouted. “I’m not. Why would I be here otherwise?” She gestured at Mandi and Harmony as if reminding the pixie that they were human. “I only came to chat with a… What’s the human world for…? Oh yeah, friend. He has real dwarf blood and crafts things, kind of like you, except not filled with unruly electricity.”
I turned back to the hero’s party. “So what happened? Don’t worry about Muiy, she’s a resident of Milia’s forest. Good people.”
The hero’s party somewhat relaxed, but the tension raged in their gazes.
After meditating in the spiritual room in accordance with Best Buddy’s instructions and then running away from Lady Feathers as a training exercise—yes, it was a training exercise—Wolverine joined Cheetara and Mazu in the cow’s pasture.
“Disciple Cheetara Cutie, I saw your form earlier. Great work!” Wolverine said. He bowed to the golden fox. “Well met, Elder Mazu.”
The fox returned the bow. “Well met, my little soul brother. Disciple Wolverine Woofy.”
The kitten giggled. “Thank you, Big Brother Woofy. I’ve practiced hunting with Wingy too.”
A familiar calf raced from the other side of the pasture, stopping to bow in greeting.
“You will not believe the kind of grass I just…” He sighed at the blank stares. “Never mind. Only flora eaters will understand what is like to be granted a new sensation of taste.”
“We’ve all eaten vegetables,” Wolverine said. “It’s sometimes mixed in with our food, but Mistress Milia makes them taste like meat somehow.”
Elder Mazu cleared his throat… the best a fox could. Wolverine knew he attempted to imitate Best Buddy to get everyone’s attention.
“The instructions by Master Magician Nate are clear to me,” Elder Mazu said. “He is preparing Wolverine for something, perhaps special training or evolution preparation.”
A shadow covered a good bit of the area briefly before Beakwing landed.
“Well met, Disciple Beakwing Wingy,” Wolverine greeted.
“Great beast of wisdom and power,” Mazu greeted. “Welcome. I take it you overheard my theory?”
“Indeed,” Beakwing said. “And I believe you are correct, Elder Mazu. We evolve on our own, but there are known times among us griffins that master magicians assisted with training magical and spirit beasts for various sub-evolutions, new abilities, and often guidance. This guidance is taking a step into form evolution. But form evolution isn’t the case here, especially with holy sunlight wolves. You’re much too young.”
“Will Big Brother Woofy turn into a dragon?”
They all turned to stare at the kitten.
“I’d love to be a dragon,” Little Moo said.
Mazu laughed. “Speaking of which. Master Magician Nate is indeed like a dragon among men.”
“Father is Father,” Cheetara said. “He’s better than a dragon.” She sighed. “I’m glad he’s not mad at me. I didn’t mean to…”
“He’s not mad,” Wolverine assured. “It’d take way more than a big cup to make Best Buddy mad. He knows you didn’t mean it.”
Cheetara nestled against Wolverine. “Mother laughed, but she removed the big cup.”
“It’s probably a lovers thing,” Wolverine said. “Don’t get involved in it. Trust me. They’re on the brink of… Well, have you ever seen two cows…? Never mind. It’s time to train!”
Cheetara looked confused, then shrugged, having no clue of Wolverine’s unfortunate implications.
“I hope you are ready to practice your new mighty attack, little kitten,” Mazu said.
Wolverine chuckled. “She’s already ready.”
“I sure am,” Cheetara said. “Little Moo. Did you finish making yours? Or would you like to be my target?”
“No way, I’m ready to show it!” Little Moo protested.
“Hey, Woofy,” Mazu said.
Wolverine turned to him, tilting his head questioningly.
“The coyote will soon return. He could be ordered to attack those whom you love. Your upgrade will probably surprise him. Remember, do not allow the Axem’s puppet to return to its master. This is important, Disciple Wolverine Woofy Nate’s Best Buddy.”
“He’s still not back? Fuck! Did he drink the masking potion?” I asked, taking a seat, tired. “Do you think he got himself captured?”
“If he did, we’ll be finding out soon,” Maxus said, flipping a copper repeatedly into the air.
“We probably should go after him,” Ronica said.
“Which is clearly a trap,” I said. “To lure out the real Raider, or the Cheat Force.”
I glanced at the blighted steam potions in my inventory. “Welp, they forced my hand. Now it’s time we go in, guns blazing.”
“A what blazing?” Nuwa asked, but I didn’t answer, pulling my Raider outfit from the storage ring. “We’re going out for a bit, Milia. You guys have lunch without me. Ronica, Maxus, Nuwa. In your Cheat Force clothes.”
