Companion Chronicles [Jumpchain/Multicross SI] [Currently visiting: INTERMISSION]
- Thread starter Tempestuous
- Start date
Tempestuous
Words are wind, so I write.
- Location
- CA
I'll paste the full text for reference (the source is a PDF that doesn't play perfectly well with ctrl-c, so apologies for the wonky formatting; it's on page 16 of the linked PDF):
Article: Slot-o-matic [+200]: While you gain the normal amount of CP in each jump, you only gain 250 JP per jump (awarded at the start of the Jump). JP can be used to buy slots of a specific size, and can be banked. If you buy a 200 JP Slot, you can stick a 200 CP perk into it.Only perks you've boughtin the currentjump or perksin slotscan be used in your current jump, all other perks are considered inactive and have no effect. You can swap out the contents of slots no more than once a week and it requires an hour's meditation per slot being swapped.Once a slot has been bought, its size is fixed permanently. The size ofthe perk is determined by how much you paid forit (including discounts), but Freebies require a Freebie Slot which always costs 50 JP to buy and can hold 1 Freebie with value no higher than 400 CP (before discounts). Big Freebie Slotscost100 JP and can hold any size freebies. In Jumps like Dishonored, where you gain access to a non-CP ability like the Outsider's Mark, or Harry Potter where you gain magicjustfor being there,treatthose as 200 CP Perks.Alt-formsrequire Freebie Slots. Perksthat grant you a skill and have no other effect are exempt from the need to slot them. Drawbacks can be taken for 50% of their CP value in JP instead (These Drawbacks still count at full value for Drawback Limits). You automatically start with Two Freebie Slots,One 100 CP Slot, andOne 200 CP Slot. Chain-Only.NoHiatus.
Unemployment [Another +100]: Did I say you get 250 JP per jump… I'm sorry… you get none. If you wantJP you'll have to takeDrawbacksto getthem. Requires Slot-o-matic.NoHiatus. Chain-Only.
Slot-Locker [Another +250 JP]: You can no longerswap the contents of a slot except atthe beginning of a new Jump. Requires Slot-o-matic.
Slot-o-Matic Jr. [100]: All your Companions gain the effect of Slot-O-matic, plus Unemployment and or Slot-Locker if you have them. They gain all the benefits and drawbacks of each. What? No, you don't get any points for this! This is giving your Companions bonus points. They gain JP from any Drawbacks you take for JP that affect them. They gain the CP every jump into which they are imported, and the JP at the end of any jump they were important to the events of that jump, even if they didn't import. No Hiatus. Chain-Only. Does not require you to have Slot-o-Matic.
The TL;DR is that keeping perks isn't automatic, you only have so much space to allocate, and some elements of that allocation are permanent, BUT you get more space as you Jump.
- Location
- Book Fort
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I think that Examine is a nerfed version of "observe" from GAMER fanfics.
Tempestuous
Words are wind, so I write.
- Location
- CA
It's actually a direct 'port' of a game mechanic.
Article: Examine is a command in Breath of Fire III. It can only be used in battle.
Examine allows characters to learn abilities from enemies, known as Skills. If the character examines an enemy whilst the targeted enemy uses a Skill, the character has a possibility of learning said ability. However, not every enemy ability can be learned.
There is also the possibility that if one of the characters have failed to learn the Skill (a blue question mark will appear above the character's head instead of a gold exclamation mark if the character have failed to learn an ability of an enemy the character examined), one can check the journal while camping and use a Skill Ink to give it to one of the characters. Keep in mind, however, that even if a character fail to learn an ability, it does not guarantee that it will be available in the journal.
All Playable Characters in Breath of Fire III have Examine, though they can only learn one copy of any Skill between them—including PCs who aren't in the party, so the player can lose Skills if a character leaves with them. Thankfully, there's a mechanic (Skill Ink) for shuffling Skills between characters.
- Location
- Actually pretty lost
That's a pretty nifty ability, and I can see why everyone wanted to take it.
Maromar
Crafter of Fiction
- Location
- SpaceTime
Currently on Chp 5:
I like this.
The writing is polished, the internal monologue is done well enough to give us a clear window into the SI's head and heart. That's a massive step up from fics that read like a constant grocery list of actions and reactions with a little sensory input for flavor.
The first few chapters are a bit rough to get through, I feel like there's too much time spent in The Warehouse especially when the first jump is teased and then not gone into before heading right back (but I do understand the decision to not chronicle the SI's journey into that fetid land from an author's perspective).
It does feel like things are picking up, and I am still very much interested in seeing where things go. You're writing is sufficiently awesome. You have my eyes.
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Why? Why would you subject someone to that?!
I like this.
The writing is polished, the internal monologue is done well enough to give us a clear window into the SI's head and heart. That's a massive step up from fics that read like a constant grocery list of actions and reactions with a little sensory input for flavor.
The first few chapters are a bit rough to get through, I feel like there's too much time spent in The Warehouse especially when the first jump is teased and then not gone into before heading right back (but I do understand the decision to not chronicle the SI's journey into that fetid land from an author's perspective).
It does feel like things are picking up, and I am still very much interested in seeing where things go. You're writing is sufficiently awesome. You have my eyes.
Edit:
Why? Why would you subject someone to that?!
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- Location
- Academy City
- Pronouns
- They
I had very low expectations when I read this fic due it's premises, reccomendation or no. And then this hit like a freight train. Some of it is that Cassandra is so relatable it hurts (including, apparently, specific taste in fiction, as I found out when she whips out a casual WtC reference), but the writing isn't shabby either . I think an antagonistic (or somewhat, at least) management was definitely the right pick from a story perspective, and it works quite well with both max as a character and the varyign companions that have just accrued over time. I may not be familiar with breath of fire, but I'm quite excited to see where this goes.
Chapter 64: Setting the Stage
Tempestuous
Words are wind, so I write.
- Location
- CA
AN: Beta-read by Carbohydratos, Did I?, Gaia, Linedoffice, Zephyrosis, Mizu, and Misty Raven-chan.
Where have I ended up now?
I blinked a couple times, feeling as though I was coming out of a stupor, and took a look around. I was currently sitting in a finely upholstered carriage of some sort; what little wood was visible under the plush fabrics was some sort of rich dark wood. The other occupant was a bald older man in heavy plate armor, his helmet resting on his lap. That would be Captain Rupert, the man currently in charge of my guard.
I? I was Princess Lina; twelve years old (had I gotten lucky, or was Management actually worried about that shin-kicking threat?) and next in line for the throne of Wyndia. So much for being 'minor and unimportant'. Management had probably laughed their ass off when they saw my build… hell, they'd probably laughed their ass off in real time. It would explain why they'd railroaded me into the younger age bracket.
That covered who I was. As for where I was and what I was doing, I was currently traveling across Wyndia on my way to seek out an apprenticeship in magic, since I'd long since exhausted my beleaguered tutors in the capital. One of the guards who had recently returned from a post in the west had spoken of a skilled wizard in the area, and I had insisted I be allowed to seek him out.
Father—the King—had stubbornly refused to allow me to go… until my 'enthusiasm' had gotten the better of me. The results of that mess had gotten me bundled off in a hurry. It's not like I'd hurt anyone! I made sure to seek out an empty part of the castle, and walls can't be that expensive to replace, right? They were just rock.
No, actually, they were very expensive to replace, my older self informed me. It was pure luck no one had been on the other side of the ones I'd blown down, as well. Damn, now I was feeling terribly embarrassed for being foolish enough to experiment with black magic inside the castle.
I was twelve, I reminded myself, properly twelve, without all this extra experience. I would forgive another kid the same thing, so I had to give past-me the same benefit. Even if 'past-me' was barely a week ago. Or fifty years' experience ago, subjectively.
Speaking of 'time' and 'experience': if this world ran on a reasonable timescale for 'training'—not a guarantee, since Star Trek had demonstrated how hard it was to predict how tropes could warp logic—then I'd probably miss most of the pre-time-skip plot. I didn't mind too much; I wasn't sure how much I wanted to interact with the canon party anyway. Being Nina's sister meant I was going to have to face the problem sooner or later, but I was fine with 'later'.
Reviewing my memories over the next few minutes informed me that the world ran on reasonable timescales for travel. The wagon we were in was comfortable, but terribly slow; it had taken us three days to reach the mountain that marked the border between Central Wyndia and the hinterland province of Yraall, and another two to cross said mountain; the road went straight over the thing for some reason.
Lina had already been growing impatient with the pace, and that frustration combined with Cass's simple desire to see the world before I spent the next who-knows-how-long apprenticed to a wizardly hermit led me to an action that would end up defining the next several years of my life.
I cleared my throat. "How close are we to McNeil Village, Captain?"
"We'll be passing the village shortly before noon, Princess," Rupert replied promptly.
"I would like to visit the village before we pass."
Rupert's brow lowered in an expression I recognized far too well as that of a beleaguered babysitter. "Are you sure, Princess? If you are tired, I am sure the Mayor could provide more comfortable arrangements."
"Perhaps, but I wish to see the village all the same." Lina's voice took over as I continued, "I rarely have an excuse to leave the capital, and would like to meet the people here."
I could see Rupert was planning to argue, so I added, "I am sure you and your men are more than a match for anyone who may mean me harm." He was in charge of the full dozen Knights Father had sent with me. I'd have said it was overkill, but there were monsters everywhere; we'd been forced to stop several times over the past five days while they cleared the road ahead.
"Yes, your highness," he said reluctantly, before turning and opening the slit behind his head to talk to the driver. I paid no mind to their conversation, distracted by trying and failing to scratch an itch behind my shoulder blades. My wings would be coming in soon.
Sure enough, I felt the wagon turn off the road towards the village shortly before noon, and about an hour later, Rupert stood and opened the door, hopping down to the ground and extending the step. I took a moment to ensure my dress and hair had not been put out of place by the hours of travel, then took Rupert's offered hand and stepped down into the center of McNeil Village.
It was a quaint little place, all wooden walls and thatched roofs—much larger than the village shown in the game, which had only the bare minimum number of buildings to visually communicate its village-ness. We'd stopped somewhere near the middle, which made it hard to get a sense of the layout, but I could clearly see signs advertising a general store, an apothecary, and an inn.
It was also deserted, except for the few brave souls who dared peer at us through curtains or cracked doors. I could call out a greeting, or… no, announcing myself wasn't the way I wanted to start this little tour. With Rupert in tow, I walked over towards the general store, only for the inhabitants to shutter their windows at my approach. The apothecary did the same. I was a small girl in a lacy dress and bow… with seven towering men in heavy plate trailing after me. Of course people were going to run and hide.
I'd wanted to see the village, but it seemed the village didn't want to see me. I should really pack up and continue on my way; leave McNeil alone until the protagonists stumbled into the Mayor's corrupt schemes…
Or I could do something about those schemes myself. It was my duty as a member of the royal family to ensure that the appointed rulers were fulfilling their duties honorably, was it not? All I needed was a reason to know about those schemes, and I'd be off.
"I am going to the inn," I told Rupert quietly. "It has the best chance to not turn me away, and I want to speak to at least one of the villagers. You may accompany me, but leave the rest with the wagon. You're more than intimidating enough on your own."
The captain huffed at my mention of his being 'intimidating'; he knew it was a complaint, not a compliment. I was a little surprised he didn't argue. Apparently, as long as I wasn't going to do anything as undignified as purchase a room like a commoner, he wouldn't stoop to arguing with me in public.
The inn, like the village itself, was larger than it had been rendered. The matronly woman behind the desk may have been scared, but she headed over to greet us all the same. "Hello miss… my lady?" she corrected uncertainly, glancing from my fine clothing to the large, menacing knight behind me. "Many apologies, my lady, but we are humble farmers. I'm afraid our rooms are beneath you." She followed her apology by bowing so deeply that her head nearly touched the floor.
"You do not need to apologize, madam innkeeper," I said, trying my best to sound friendly and non-frightening. "I am just passing through, and do not require your services."
The innkeeper relaxed slightly as she straightened, though she kept her gaze fixed on the floor in front of my feet. "Then how can I help you, my lady?"
"I wished to speak to someone here, since I have never visited your town before," I explained. "How is the town faring?"
"It… it fares well," she said nervously. I shot a glance at Rupert and nodded my head towards the door. He shook his head. I nodded more forcefully. He shook his head. I turned away from the innkeeper to look him in the eyes as best I could, resenting both the helmet and the fact that I was still more than a foot shorter than him. Finally, he bowed and retreated, perhaps because he knew the next step would have been a verbal rebuke.
He left the door ajar in case I were suddenly ambushed by the threadbare rug.
"Please, ma'am. You may speak freely." I put on my best childlike smile, which was probably not as childlike as a twelve-year-old's should be. "I am terribly curious about your town."
The innkeeper fidgeted nervously. "It… has been a lean year, my lady," she said. "A hard year. The taxes left us little, and the monsters and thieves only made it worse." She quailed at the expression on my face, but I wasn't frowning at her. The monsters primarily included the Nue, and the thieves were our protagonists. Max had a plan there that I didn't want to interfere with, so there wasn't much to be done about that. But the taxes, perhaps…
"Captain?" I said, fully aware that he'd be listening.
"Yes, your highness?" he replied, opening the door at once.
The poor innkeeper had gone white at the form of address, so I gave her an attempt at an 'encouraging' smile before turning to face him. "Has Mayor McNeil said anything on the state of the harvest?" Generally, the Knights wouldn't be involved with the bureaucracy of taxation unless something went wrong, but Rupert had Father's confidence in many things—my safety among them.
"He reported a low harvest," he said at once, "but nothing out of the ordinary."
I glanced back at the innkeeper. "Ma'am, was this year's harvest worse than the year before?"
"Yes, my—err, your highness," she squeaked. "It was far worse. We are very sorry for our meager crops!" She bent double at the waist again, as though fearful of a reprimand for the fickleness of nature.
Lina knew it would be inappropriate for me to protest her innocence and above her station to receive a formal acceptance of her apology, so I bit back my instinctive desire to sooth her worries. I'd played a little loose with the rules of feudal ranks before, but with my title out in the open, the poor woman would likely be less uncomfortable if I stuck to my role as someone so high above her as to be unreachable. At least she'd know how to react.
"Captain… how were the taxes compared to last year?"
"Almost the same, your highness," he said immediately. "You believe something is amiss?"
"You don't?"
Rupert paused, and for a moment I feared he would call the woman a liar to her face. "I will investigate," he said crisply. "It should not be hard to determine the appropriate amount of tax the Mayor should have submitted to the capital."
That was exactly what I wanted to hear. I drew myself up as far as I could—which was still woefully short, given that I hadn't hit my growth spurt yet—and announced, "Excellent idea, Captain. Perhaps we will visit the mansion after all."
I could tell from the way Rupert clanked up to me half an hour later that he hadn't liked what he found.
"Your suspicions were correct, your highness," he said, taking off his helmet and actually letting me look at the scowl on his face. "If the villagers are being truthful… McNeil Village has overpaid on taxes this year by about one quarter."
"And the most likely reason for that?" I asked, wanting him to say it.
"I believe," he said slowly, "that this was most likely done to prevent the Kingdom from sending an inspector. Had he paid the proper amount… we would have sent someone to verify such a poor harvest."
"So it seems the McNeils are eager to avoid attention." I turned away for a moment to look out at the village, before turning back to the Captain. "What of the prior harvests?"
"We cannot get an accurate count, now," he said. "I mean, I apologize, your highness, but we can only guess."
"Then I would have you guess, Captain."
It was his turn to look away, out at the fields to the south. "I believe… the previous years' taxes were paid properly."
"But?"
"But, if the townsfolk are being truthful… they were not collected properly, then or now. It seems he taxes them without regard to the harvest, and keeps the difference."
"So the good Mayor has been embezzling… and was willing to exaggerate the amount he owed this year to avoid anyone asking questions." I nodded to myself. "We should go to the mansion and inspect his ledgers immediately."
"Respectfully, your highness," Captain Rupert said, returning his attention to me, "my duty is to escort you to the magus of Dauna Hills. I can send a pair of men back to the capital to report the offense; the King will send someone to take care of it." He put his helmet back on—the act suggesting that he had taken that course of action as a given, and was only waiting for confirmation before doing exactly that.
Normally, I would have jumped at the opportunity to reduce my escort by even a single guard, so Rupert doubtlessly expected immediate agreement. I wanted to be involved, however, so I shook my head. "I must see this through to its conclusion, Captain. Besides, our presence will have been noted; I will not give the Mayor time to correct or destroy his records." I had a great deal of practice reading the Captain's body language even through his all-encompassing platemail, so it was obvious he was trying to find a way to argue without ever directly contradicting me. I decided to offer a compromise. "I am not a practiced inspector, so I will follow your judgment on the investigation itself, but I will not be satisfied until I see the matter resolved."
"Very well, your highness," he relented. "Your wagon is waiting." I nodded primly and climbed back aboard, seating myself on the plush velvet bench. Rupert paused to exchange a few words with the driver before he climbed in and pulled the door shut, took up his seat across from me, and knocked twice on the hatch to the driver's seat. The ride was smooth, despite the poor road; some magic of the wagon, perhaps, or just suspension.
I spent the ride reviewing what I knew of the world, now that I was in it as a person rather than just watching the game. The literacy rate was extremely high for the societal level, with even the poorest peasants able to read and write. The feudal system was largely unremarkable, with local appointed officials collecting taxes by royal decree and sending the food and money along to the capital. The King then spent that money on soldiers (and Knights) to defend the towns and cities from the omnipresent monsters, and they did a damn good job if I do say so myself. Traveling the roads was extremely dangerous, but a peasant farmer could go their entire life without seeing a monster if they stayed on their land.
Of course, McNeil was so stingy that he wasn't willing to spend money on quality. The guards he hired were layabouts, unwilling or unable to properly keep the monsters away from the fields and town. Which brought me to my current mission: where did all the money go? Syn City, probably… which was pronounced "Sine City", so at least it wasn't blatantly a hive of scum and villainy.
"Rupert," I said, using his name now that we were privately sequestered in the wagon. "How should we approach McNeil? If we demand to see his ledgers and cannot find proof of wrongdoing, he will surely complain to the King."
"You seemed quite certain he was guilty," the Captain said.
"We seemed quite certain," I corrected him. "But we cannot assume he has not covered his tracks."
We spent a few moments in silence before Rupert spoke again. "He will invite us in. If you make polite conversation about the state of the village and the manor… complement his decorations and taste… he may reveal something if you stroke his ego. I will send some of our men to investigate quietly while he entertains you."
So I will be the distraction. I nodded. "You should query the guardsmen around the estate. If the Mayor is as corrupt as I think, they are unlikely to be particularly loyal."
"Really?" he asked. "Wouldn't they be in on his embezzling?"
"Perhaps," I allowed, "but I don't think so. That would require sharing his wealth and secrets with too many people… if he is greedy enough to steal from his people, he is likely stingy with their pay."
"You would know his mind better than me," he said neutrally. I doubt it, but if you insist, I will try, was the message. That was one of the reasons Father liked Rupert: his ability to mouth off to people while sounding like a sycophant to anyone who may overhear.
"From the way the innkeeper spoke, they have not been doing a good job of keeping the town safe."
"True enough."
The mansion was about an hour's ride from the town, so it was still mid-afternoon when we arrived. I made a mental note to leave before sunset; the detour had already put us behind schedule, and the place was haunted as shit. Damn, my internal monologue was weird; it flew back and forth between 'Prim and Proper Princess' and 'Foulmouthed New-Englander' at a moments notice. Oh, well, as long as my speech wasn't affected, it didn't matter too much.
I did need to resist the very un-princess-like urge to stick my head out the window as we approached, but that was Lina, Kasey, and Cassandra—and I did resist it, thank you very much.
Once again, Rupert hopped out and helped me down, giving me my first glimpse of the mansion. Holy fuck the place was huge. Or, switching mental gears, the mansion was extravagant in the extreme, a monstrous construction with wings jutting every which way at seeming random. I was willing to allow that the manor may have had an architectural style at some point, but whatever it may have been had been swallowed by additions and expansions until all that was left was sheer size. The individual parts had their aesthetic merits, some sporting flying buttresses, elegant columns, or beautifully carved stone facades, but as a whole it was an ugly, jumbled mess of conflicting design. And, I repeat, haunted as shit.
McNeil had come out to greet us at the steps up to the front door, perhaps hoping we wouldn't want to actually set foot inside his gargantuan fun-house of horror. He was even more odious in person, an overfed butterball of a man, sweating profusely under his fine woolens. "P-princess Lina!" he said, stuttering only slightly at his nervousness. "What a delightful surprise! To what do we owe the honor?"
"I was passing through on my way to Dauna, and wished to see your manor while I passed. I rarely have the opportunity to leave the capital." That was certainly true, and if McNeil paid any attention to the royal family at all, he'd likely have heard of my propensity for… adventure. "Your mansion is certainly… grand in scale."
"This house has been passed down through my family for generations!" the Mayor said proudly. He turned to regard the hideous structure, waving his arms at its vast bulk. "Each of my ancestors has left their mark on our family home, adding their own history and personal touch." With no regard whatsoever for style or sense, I thought to myself. With the Mayor facing away from me, I checked the state of my guard; five men surrounded the wagon, the driver still at his post. With Rupert besides me, that left six of his men free to investigate the guards outside. The plan seemed to be going well enough, but I wanted to get Rupert inside, where he could work on the serving staff for access to the ledgers themselves.
"The inside must surely be equally beautiful," I said. As in, not at all.
McNeil started slightly, turning back to me with a pensive expressive. "I am sure it is nothing compared to the glory of Wyndia itself," he said, sweating more intensely.
"I have never seen its like in the capital," I said. Father would have it torn down overnight, if anyone had the poor sense to pollute our city with such a thing. "I can only imagine how the interior must look."
He got the hint immediately, and his sweating only intensified further. Was he concerned that I was after his ledgers, or afraid that I would discover that the place was haunted? "Err…" he stammered, visibly resisting the urge to do something so unbecoming as mopping his glistening brow in front of the Crown Princess. "I… I suppose you would like to see it?" Please say no, his face said.
"I would be delighted!" I replied with all the childish joy I could fit into the phrase.
McNeil did an admirable job of concealing his dismay, although his sweat was beginning to stain his clothes by now, and led us up the steps in his home. Three more of my guards joined us, though they and Captain Rupert quietly slipped away while McNeil was busy worrying about me. "I… I am honored that you… consider my home worthy of a visit!" he said as he led me through the massive foyer. "It has taken generations to grow to such a… a glorious state."
'Glorious' was overstating things. I would admit the interior was… less offensive, but it was still somewhat tasteless and more than a little reminiscent of the Winchester Mystery House.
"I am sure it has. Your family has ruled this town since its inception. It even bears your name." I followed him up the stairs, then deliberately ignored him and began wandering, forcing him to hurry after me. It didn't take me long to hit a door that wouldn't open. "Why is the door boarded shut?"
The Mayor guided me away as quickly as he could manage. "You see, ah… the manor is so large… ah, not that it is too large, of course, but… the construction… yes, the manor is under construction." He nodded, as though trying to convince himself. Oh my god, people in JRPGs suck at lying.
"You are adding your own…" what were his words again? "…personal touch?"
"Err, yes, quite!" he said quickly, hurrying me along into a long hallway.
"What will your touch be?" I asked innocently. "What are you adding to your family history?"
"Ah…" McNeil gave up and mopped his brow with his sleeve, dampening the fabric considerably. "Why… I suppose… just… my own touch."
"Of course." I give him a moment to relax, turning away to look at the rest of the hall, before returning my attention to the man himself. "How fares the town?"
"Ah, uh… it fares… fairly." The sweat was streaming down his face, now. "It… grows crops?"
"And the villagers?"
"They… uh… they farm? That is, the farmers farm. The other villagers… village?"
I frowned. I had expected more of a blowhard, not the simpering idiot I was faced with. Why was he so damn nervous? Was it simply a guilty conscience? Nothing spooky had manifested thus far, so that probably wasn't the problem.
A pounding at the front door interrupted my musing, and would soon provide an answer to my question. "McNeil!" someone yelled. "What's with the extra goons? You best not be planning anything the boss wouldn't like!"
I raced back over to the balcony overlooking the foyer and… oh, for the love of God. Balio and Sunder—the goddamn recurring miniboss squad—had just walked in. The two horsemen—anthropomorphic unicorns, really—were carrying the bodies of the guards we'd left with the wagon over their shoulders. Please be unconscious, I prayed; if my meddling had already gotten people killed, I wasn't sure how I would cope. I was relieved to see them stir fitfully when they were dumped onto the tasteless purple rug.
"Hey!" one of the brothers, the brown one, yelled. "Who's the kid?"
"Uh," McNeil stammered, "Uh, that is…"
"It's the Princess!" the white horseman yelled. I really needed to learn which was which. "Princess what's her name!"
"McNeil sold us out!"
"No, no! I would never!" the Mayor yelled. "I didn't! She was… she was just passing through!"
The Horse Brothers exchanged a glance. "So we beat up her guards?" the brown one asked.
"Say, bro, since we already got her guards…" the white brother turned back and leered up at me. "…why not grab the Princess, too?"
"Don't you dare!" I yelled, putting every bit of command I could muster into my voice. I'd left my staff in the wagon, but I could still manage quite a bit of damage without it. Not enough to blow through a wall, but certainly enough to summon the rest of my guard. "Take one step forward, and I'll start casting! Every guard in the building will come running!"
The two horsemen hesitated, glancing at each other. I started to cast anyway, charging up a nice big explosion that would bring everyone running and wreck the staircase in McNeil's foyer, leaving the two goons without a way up to me. And perhaps that was my mistake, because with my attention firmly on my spell, McNeil finally did something assertive: he shoved me over the balcony. I was too surprised to scream before I hit the floor.
God damn it.
I woke up with a pounding headache. It took me a moment to make sense of the world; I was in a cage—because I guess Balio and Sunder just keep them on hand in case of spontaneous kidnapping opportunities? They certainly always seem to have one ready to go—which had been wrapped in a cloth, obscuring my vision. I couldn't see out, but from the rocking motion and the smell, I guessed that one of them was carrying me on his back. At least I was otherwise uninjured, because the tropes of the world declared that one could be knocked unconscious without suffering any physical harm. I tried to move my arms to my head anyway, because I had landed on it, but they were bound to my sides with a length of thick rope. Well, this was just undignified!
I could probably kiss my apprenticeship goodbye, as well, because there was no chance I'd be leaving the castle again after something like this. Mother had already disapproved of the journey, feeling that I was neglecting my duties at home; now that I'd managed to get myself kidnapped, she wouldn't let me out of her sight.
"Sir," I said, still acting the proper princess, even in distress. "To whom do I owe thanks for my transportation?"
The rocking stopped. "Uh… my name's Sunder," the one carrying me said, letting me at least put a name to a voice.
"Sunder, bro!" the other horseman yelled from somewhere ahead. "What are you doing?"
"Just talking, bro!"
"To who?"
"The princess!"
"Don't waste your breath, bro! She's just gonna start whining for her Daddy!"
"A princess does not whine," I whined. They ignored me, and the journey continued.
What did I have to work with? I could repeat my 'magic trick' from the palace and just blow the side of the cage clean off, but the in-context power was probably the worst option. Even if I could get my hands free to cast, I risked hurting myself in the cramped space. I could try to break the cage with raw strength, since I still had 'the strength of ten men' from Generic Fantasy RPG… but if that was the strength of ten little girls, even this shoddy piece of junk might hold. I hadn't managed to break the ropes thus far, which boded ill for my ability to do anything with physical strength. And getting out of the cage was only the start of my problems, because Balio and Sunder were still here, maybe alone, maybe with friends. My bangles and magic staff—more of a wand, given my current size—were in my luggage, stored on the wagon. Wait, my luggage! "Did you take my luggage?" I asked.
"What luggage?" Sunder asked.
"My luggage from the wagon… it had all my jewelry."
The rocking stopped again. "Hey, bro!" he yelled. "Did we search the wagon?"
"Why would we search a wagon?" Balio asked.
"The princess had all her jewelry in her luggage!"
"She's trying to trick you, bro!" he said. "If we go back now, they'll be able to find us, easy!"
"Ah, right! You're smart, bro!"
"'Course I am. Let's go, bro!"
God fucking damn it.
Sunder finally removed the cloth after hours of extremely uncomfortable jostling, revealing a small clearing dominated by a single tent. The sun had already set, leaving the embers of the campfire the brightest light around. "Sleep well, Princess," Balio—the white one—said. "We'll be on the road to Syn City early tomorrow." There was something odd about the way he'd said the name, but I didn't have time to waste dwelling on it.
They immediately headed into the tent, leaving me outside, alone and unsupervised, like idiots. Ah, JRPG tropes. This would clearly be the bit where I escape. After they fall asleep… which didn't take long at all, from the sounds of snoring that were already coming from the tent.
I gave it another two minutes before I started trying to escape in earnest. The cage was a piece of crap, the most egregious flaw being the presence of a sharp metal bit sticking out from a badly welded bar. I quickly got to work sawing through the ropes… only for the cage to give first, spilling me out onto the ground with a crash. The snoring stopped… then started up again, even louder than before. JRPG tropes, natch.
I was still bound… but I'd managed to fray the rope enough to give me some wiggle room, and Tools of the Trade were potential items rather than ones I'd need to equip. One small pocketknife and a bit of work later, I grabbed the ropes from around my ankles and tossed them back into the empty cage. Okay, that was easy enough. Now I could escape into the forest!
The massive, monster-infested forest. In the middle of the night. Without a weapon, because the two idiots currently snoring away in the tent hadn't thought to loot the obviously expensive wagon guarded by two men in full plate. Idiots! If they had two braincells to rub together between them, I could be making my escape with a full set of gear, a map, the portable campsite—no, scratch the campsite, I'd loaned that out. But I could have had the rest of it, at least!
Instead, I had… a large stick I found at the edge of the clearing, thanks to the dim light given off the coals.
This was going to suck.
This sucked!
Fuck fuck fuck fuck! Only my governess's insistence on proper decorum kept me from cursing out loud as I fled through the underbrush.
It was bad enough that I'd had no way to know where I'd started except that it was less than half a day's travel from McNeil's mansion. I'd started to follow the trail they'd left in the underbrush, hoping it would lead me to a road, but I hadn't made it fifty feet from the camp before I'd had my first random encounter: a pair of rippers, freakish turkey-sized toothy parrots with beaks as large as their whole bodies.
I'd spent the last few minutes trying to lose them in the darkness rather than stand and fight, because the last thing I wanted was for my idiot kidnappers to wake up from the noise and notice I was gone, but the damn birds did not fucking quit. I was getting tired; Martial Training or not, I was twelve, with a twelve-year-old's strength and stamina. Sooner or later I'd have to stop and risk the fight.
The decision was made for me when one of the rippers managed to dive-bomb me, slamming its hideously oversized face into my back and sending me tumbling through branches and brambles, twigs shredding my dress and tearing at my hair. The second ripper took the opportunity to go straight for the throat; I'd held on to my stick, and managed to get it in front of me before I lost my head, but the fucking bird simply bit straight through it and almost got a few fingers as well.
At least the fact that the damn thing was currently choking on wood splinters gave me a moment to act. I raised my hands, the familiar glow of magic filling me as a swirling orb appeared between them. I let it build, power swelling until I couldn't manage any more, and then let it loose. Hopefully, I'd made it far enough that I wouldn't immediately summon my kidnappers, but even that was preferable to dying on the first fucking day.
I'd not yet found a school of magic I didn't excel in—thanks, Magical Powerhouse—but I did have my favorites. As a member of the Wing Clan, was it any wonder I had a fondness for storm-based magic?
Cyclone.
The glowing sphere in my hands surged forth, turning into a swirling vortex of air that tore the gagging bird apart into motes of light, as well as the tree behind it. I leapt to my feet and whooped in triumph, then screamed as the second ripper raked my back with his claws. Stupid! How had I forgotten that there were two rippers after me? I summoned up a second Cyclone and shredded that one as well, then staggered over to the nearest tree to catch my breath.
Before long, the throbbing pain from my back demanded my attention. Experimentally changing forms told me three things: one, I wasn't any less tired as an adult; two, injuries persisted across alt-forms; and three, changing into noticeably older alt-form while I was still adjusting to my new life was weird and distracting. With a sigh, I changed back to Lina and carefully cast a healing spell, not wanting to risk a miscast when my skin was literally on the line.
The spell stopped the pain and bleeding, but only wore me out more. Damn it, I didn't have my watch, or even my Map and Journal! Stupid items-aren't-equipped-by-default rule! No, I had no one to blame but myself; I should have known that would happen from the previous jumps, but I'd forgotten.
I shook myself out of my stupor, picked up another, thicker stick from the tree I'd accidentally wood-chippered, and headed off again. The guards would be looking for me, so staying still was tempting; at least I wouldn't be heading deeper into the woods. On the other hand, my kidnappers would be looking for me as well, the moment they noticed I was gone. I was pretty sure I'd been running in a roughly straight line, so as long as I kept heading that way I would at least be putting more forest between myself and the horsemen.
The next ripper to pop up ate another cyclone; the goos, I found I could simply out-pace. The forest canopy blocked my view of the sky, so I couldn't judge how long I'd been walking, or the direction I was walking in. I went from holding the stick at the ready, to carrying it over one shoulder, to leaning on it like a walking stick. My dress was torn and stained with my own blood, and I'd lost my hair ribbon at some point, probably during the scuffle. Cyclone! I missed, but the ripper fled anyway. I let it go; I had neither the inclination nor energy to kill every monster I came across.
The sky lightened so gradually I didn't realize it was day until a sunbeam hit me in the face through a gap in the tree cover. I blinked, holding up my hand to shield myself from the bright light to my right. Well, now I had a compass direction. If the sun rose in the east, then the way I'd been walking was… north. North! If I was in the Cedar Woods, as I suspected, then I'd been traveling deeper into the forest for an entire night. That was… unfortunate. I'd been heading directly away from safety.
What was the best course of action now? I could retrace my steps… and likely run right back into the pair of criminals I was fleeing. They wouldn't recognize me if I kept the other form on, and maybe I could even charm my way into a meal… I hated that thought the moment I had it, and discarded it immediately. Of course, even being captured again would be better than starving to death or being eaten by monsters… but I wasn't willing to give up yet.
East or west, then? Wyndia was to the east, but there was a small chance—based mostly on how far Sunder had carried me, as I didn't expect I'd made that much distance on my own—that heading due east would take me north of the city entirely. More pressingly, it was a long distance to travel on foot through rough terrain; we'd spent nearly a week on well-worn roads to get this far, and since Balio had said we'd been bound for Syn City, which was in the opposite direction, we'd likely traveled even farther after my abduction. West would thus get me out of the forest much faster, and once I reached Dauna River, I could follow it south back to the road.
West it was, then. I put the sun at my back and traveled on, trying to ignore the ache in my stomach. There would be plenty of food for me when I made it back to safety. Another ripper appeared, but throwing a rock at it was enough to convince it I wasn't worth pursuing. I shouldn't have been wasting magic on lone monsters; it was only in packs that they were brave or foolish enough to not take a hint.
I tripped over a root and didn't get back up. Stupid. I should have stopped while I had energy to make a fire and gather some food. Not that there was much food to be had, but if I fell asleep now, I likely wouldn't wake for eight hours, and then I'd have been without food for almost an entire day. Being weak from hunger would make it even harder to survive, and without a fire, I couldn't boil any water I managed to find, either. I groaned. I had the skills to survive in the woods, if I'd used them, but I'd been so concerned with getting away that I'd gotten myself into an even worse situation. I should have swapped into the older form just for the sake of decision-making.
A rustling in the bushes to my right had me back on my feet in a hurry, adrenaline giving me a second wind I would surely pay for later. I leveled my staff-slash-walking stick at the noise, waiting. If I was in better shape, I'd be tempted to just start casting, but the last thing I wanted to do was waste my energy blasting apart a deer. Although… if I killed it without blasting it apart, maybe I could eat it?
It wasn't a deer: when the bushes finally parted, I found myself looking into the eyes of a tiger. A Woren, in fact—though his striped fur and feline face made the resemblance impossible to ignore—wearing a long, sleeveless green coat that flapped around his ankles and left his chest bare, ratty fingerless gloves, and brown pants tucked into gray foot-wraps.
I blinked in surprise. "Rei?"
The Woren cocked his head curiously. "Cass?"
I laughed, then collapsed into Max's arms.
Chapter 64: Setting the Stage
Where have I ended up now?
I blinked a couple times, feeling as though I was coming out of a stupor, and took a look around. I was currently sitting in a finely upholstered carriage of some sort; what little wood was visible under the plush fabrics was some sort of rich dark wood. The other occupant was a bald older man in heavy plate armor, his helmet resting on his lap. That would be Captain Rupert, the man currently in charge of my guard.
I? I was Princess Lina; twelve years old (had I gotten lucky, or was Management actually worried about that shin-kicking threat?) and next in line for the throne of Wyndia. So much for being 'minor and unimportant'. Management had probably laughed their ass off when they saw my build… hell, they'd probably laughed their ass off in real time. It would explain why they'd railroaded me into the younger age bracket.
That covered who I was. As for where I was and what I was doing, I was currently traveling across Wyndia on my way to seek out an apprenticeship in magic, since I'd long since exhausted my beleaguered tutors in the capital. One of the guards who had recently returned from a post in the west had spoken of a skilled wizard in the area, and I had insisted I be allowed to seek him out.
Father—the King—had stubbornly refused to allow me to go… until my 'enthusiasm' had gotten the better of me. The results of that mess had gotten me bundled off in a hurry. It's not like I'd hurt anyone! I made sure to seek out an empty part of the castle, and walls can't be that expensive to replace, right? They were just rock.
No, actually, they were very expensive to replace, my older self informed me. It was pure luck no one had been on the other side of the ones I'd blown down, as well. Damn, now I was feeling terribly embarrassed for being foolish enough to experiment with black magic inside the castle.
I was twelve, I reminded myself, properly twelve, without all this extra experience. I would forgive another kid the same thing, so I had to give past-me the same benefit. Even if 'past-me' was barely a week ago. Or fifty years' experience ago, subjectively.
Speaking of 'time' and 'experience': if this world ran on a reasonable timescale for 'training'—not a guarantee, since Star Trek had demonstrated how hard it was to predict how tropes could warp logic—then I'd probably miss most of the pre-time-skip plot. I didn't mind too much; I wasn't sure how much I wanted to interact with the canon party anyway. Being Nina's sister meant I was going to have to face the problem sooner or later, but I was fine with 'later'.
———X==X==X———
Reviewing my memories over the next few minutes informed me that the world ran on reasonable timescales for travel. The wagon we were in was comfortable, but terribly slow; it had taken us three days to reach the mountain that marked the border between Central Wyndia and the hinterland province of Yraall, and another two to cross said mountain; the road went straight over the thing for some reason.
Lina had already been growing impatient with the pace, and that frustration combined with Cass's simple desire to see the world before I spent the next who-knows-how-long apprenticed to a wizardly hermit led me to an action that would end up defining the next several years of my life.
I cleared my throat. "How close are we to McNeil Village, Captain?"
"We'll be passing the village shortly before noon, Princess," Rupert replied promptly.
"I would like to visit the village before we pass."
Rupert's brow lowered in an expression I recognized far too well as that of a beleaguered babysitter. "Are you sure, Princess? If you are tired, I am sure the Mayor could provide more comfortable arrangements."
"Perhaps, but I wish to see the village all the same." Lina's voice took over as I continued, "I rarely have an excuse to leave the capital, and would like to meet the people here."
I could see Rupert was planning to argue, so I added, "I am sure you and your men are more than a match for anyone who may mean me harm." He was in charge of the full dozen Knights Father had sent with me. I'd have said it was overkill, but there were monsters everywhere; we'd been forced to stop several times over the past five days while they cleared the road ahead.
"Yes, your highness," he said reluctantly, before turning and opening the slit behind his head to talk to the driver. I paid no mind to their conversation, distracted by trying and failing to scratch an itch behind my shoulder blades. My wings would be coming in soon.
Sure enough, I felt the wagon turn off the road towards the village shortly before noon, and about an hour later, Rupert stood and opened the door, hopping down to the ground and extending the step. I took a moment to ensure my dress and hair had not been put out of place by the hours of travel, then took Rupert's offered hand and stepped down into the center of McNeil Village.
It was a quaint little place, all wooden walls and thatched roofs—much larger than the village shown in the game, which had only the bare minimum number of buildings to visually communicate its village-ness. We'd stopped somewhere near the middle, which made it hard to get a sense of the layout, but I could clearly see signs advertising a general store, an apothecary, and an inn.
It was also deserted, except for the few brave souls who dared peer at us through curtains or cracked doors. I could call out a greeting, or… no, announcing myself wasn't the way I wanted to start this little tour. With Rupert in tow, I walked over towards the general store, only for the inhabitants to shutter their windows at my approach. The apothecary did the same. I was a small girl in a lacy dress and bow… with seven towering men in heavy plate trailing after me. Of course people were going to run and hide.
I'd wanted to see the village, but it seemed the village didn't want to see me. I should really pack up and continue on my way; leave McNeil alone until the protagonists stumbled into the Mayor's corrupt schemes…
Or I could do something about those schemes myself. It was my duty as a member of the royal family to ensure that the appointed rulers were fulfilling their duties honorably, was it not? All I needed was a reason to know about those schemes, and I'd be off.
"I am going to the inn," I told Rupert quietly. "It has the best chance to not turn me away, and I want to speak to at least one of the villagers. You may accompany me, but leave the rest with the wagon. You're more than intimidating enough on your own."
The captain huffed at my mention of his being 'intimidating'; he knew it was a complaint, not a compliment. I was a little surprised he didn't argue. Apparently, as long as I wasn't going to do anything as undignified as purchase a room like a commoner, he wouldn't stoop to arguing with me in public.
The inn, like the village itself, was larger than it had been rendered. The matronly woman behind the desk may have been scared, but she headed over to greet us all the same. "Hello miss… my lady?" she corrected uncertainly, glancing from my fine clothing to the large, menacing knight behind me. "Many apologies, my lady, but we are humble farmers. I'm afraid our rooms are beneath you." She followed her apology by bowing so deeply that her head nearly touched the floor.
"You do not need to apologize, madam innkeeper," I said, trying my best to sound friendly and non-frightening. "I am just passing through, and do not require your services."
The innkeeper relaxed slightly as she straightened, though she kept her gaze fixed on the floor in front of my feet. "Then how can I help you, my lady?"
"I wished to speak to someone here, since I have never visited your town before," I explained. "How is the town faring?"
"It… it fares well," she said nervously. I shot a glance at Rupert and nodded my head towards the door. He shook his head. I nodded more forcefully. He shook his head. I turned away from the innkeeper to look him in the eyes as best I could, resenting both the helmet and the fact that I was still more than a foot shorter than him. Finally, he bowed and retreated, perhaps because he knew the next step would have been a verbal rebuke.
He left the door ajar in case I were suddenly ambushed by the threadbare rug.
"Please, ma'am. You may speak freely." I put on my best childlike smile, which was probably not as childlike as a twelve-year-old's should be. "I am terribly curious about your town."
The innkeeper fidgeted nervously. "It… has been a lean year, my lady," she said. "A hard year. The taxes left us little, and the monsters and thieves only made it worse." She quailed at the expression on my face, but I wasn't frowning at her. The monsters primarily included the Nue, and the thieves were our protagonists. Max had a plan there that I didn't want to interfere with, so there wasn't much to be done about that. But the taxes, perhaps…
"Captain?" I said, fully aware that he'd be listening.
"Yes, your highness?" he replied, opening the door at once.
The poor innkeeper had gone white at the form of address, so I gave her an attempt at an 'encouraging' smile before turning to face him. "Has Mayor McNeil said anything on the state of the harvest?" Generally, the Knights wouldn't be involved with the bureaucracy of taxation unless something went wrong, but Rupert had Father's confidence in many things—my safety among them.
"He reported a low harvest," he said at once, "but nothing out of the ordinary."
I glanced back at the innkeeper. "Ma'am, was this year's harvest worse than the year before?"
"Yes, my—err, your highness," she squeaked. "It was far worse. We are very sorry for our meager crops!" She bent double at the waist again, as though fearful of a reprimand for the fickleness of nature.
Lina knew it would be inappropriate for me to protest her innocence and above her station to receive a formal acceptance of her apology, so I bit back my instinctive desire to sooth her worries. I'd played a little loose with the rules of feudal ranks before, but with my title out in the open, the poor woman would likely be less uncomfortable if I stuck to my role as someone so high above her as to be unreachable. At least she'd know how to react.
"Captain… how were the taxes compared to last year?"
"Almost the same, your highness," he said immediately. "You believe something is amiss?"
"You don't?"
Rupert paused, and for a moment I feared he would call the woman a liar to her face. "I will investigate," he said crisply. "It should not be hard to determine the appropriate amount of tax the Mayor should have submitted to the capital."
That was exactly what I wanted to hear. I drew myself up as far as I could—which was still woefully short, given that I hadn't hit my growth spurt yet—and announced, "Excellent idea, Captain. Perhaps we will visit the mansion after all."
———X==X==X———
I could tell from the way Rupert clanked up to me half an hour later that he hadn't liked what he found.
"Your suspicions were correct, your highness," he said, taking off his helmet and actually letting me look at the scowl on his face. "If the villagers are being truthful… McNeil Village has overpaid on taxes this year by about one quarter."
"And the most likely reason for that?" I asked, wanting him to say it.
"I believe," he said slowly, "that this was most likely done to prevent the Kingdom from sending an inspector. Had he paid the proper amount… we would have sent someone to verify such a poor harvest."
"So it seems the McNeils are eager to avoid attention." I turned away for a moment to look out at the village, before turning back to the Captain. "What of the prior harvests?"
"We cannot get an accurate count, now," he said. "I mean, I apologize, your highness, but we can only guess."
"Then I would have you guess, Captain."
It was his turn to look away, out at the fields to the south. "I believe… the previous years' taxes were paid properly."
"But?"
"But, if the townsfolk are being truthful… they were not collected properly, then or now. It seems he taxes them without regard to the harvest, and keeps the difference."
"So the good Mayor has been embezzling… and was willing to exaggerate the amount he owed this year to avoid anyone asking questions." I nodded to myself. "We should go to the mansion and inspect his ledgers immediately."
"Respectfully, your highness," Captain Rupert said, returning his attention to me, "my duty is to escort you to the magus of Dauna Hills. I can send a pair of men back to the capital to report the offense; the King will send someone to take care of it." He put his helmet back on—the act suggesting that he had taken that course of action as a given, and was only waiting for confirmation before doing exactly that.
Normally, I would have jumped at the opportunity to reduce my escort by even a single guard, so Rupert doubtlessly expected immediate agreement. I wanted to be involved, however, so I shook my head. "I must see this through to its conclusion, Captain. Besides, our presence will have been noted; I will not give the Mayor time to correct or destroy his records." I had a great deal of practice reading the Captain's body language even through his all-encompassing platemail, so it was obvious he was trying to find a way to argue without ever directly contradicting me. I decided to offer a compromise. "I am not a practiced inspector, so I will follow your judgment on the investigation itself, but I will not be satisfied until I see the matter resolved."
"Very well, your highness," he relented. "Your wagon is waiting." I nodded primly and climbed back aboard, seating myself on the plush velvet bench. Rupert paused to exchange a few words with the driver before he climbed in and pulled the door shut, took up his seat across from me, and knocked twice on the hatch to the driver's seat. The ride was smooth, despite the poor road; some magic of the wagon, perhaps, or just suspension.
I spent the ride reviewing what I knew of the world, now that I was in it as a person rather than just watching the game. The literacy rate was extremely high for the societal level, with even the poorest peasants able to read and write. The feudal system was largely unremarkable, with local appointed officials collecting taxes by royal decree and sending the food and money along to the capital. The King then spent that money on soldiers (and Knights) to defend the towns and cities from the omnipresent monsters, and they did a damn good job if I do say so myself. Traveling the roads was extremely dangerous, but a peasant farmer could go their entire life without seeing a monster if they stayed on their land.
Of course, McNeil was so stingy that he wasn't willing to spend money on quality. The guards he hired were layabouts, unwilling or unable to properly keep the monsters away from the fields and town. Which brought me to my current mission: where did all the money go? Syn City, probably… which was pronounced "Sine City", so at least it wasn't blatantly a hive of scum and villainy.
"Rupert," I said, using his name now that we were privately sequestered in the wagon. "How should we approach McNeil? If we demand to see his ledgers and cannot find proof of wrongdoing, he will surely complain to the King."
"You seemed quite certain he was guilty," the Captain said.
"We seemed quite certain," I corrected him. "But we cannot assume he has not covered his tracks."
We spent a few moments in silence before Rupert spoke again. "He will invite us in. If you make polite conversation about the state of the village and the manor… complement his decorations and taste… he may reveal something if you stroke his ego. I will send some of our men to investigate quietly while he entertains you."
So I will be the distraction. I nodded. "You should query the guardsmen around the estate. If the Mayor is as corrupt as I think, they are unlikely to be particularly loyal."
"Really?" he asked. "Wouldn't they be in on his embezzling?"
"Perhaps," I allowed, "but I don't think so. That would require sharing his wealth and secrets with too many people… if he is greedy enough to steal from his people, he is likely stingy with their pay."
"You would know his mind better than me," he said neutrally. I doubt it, but if you insist, I will try, was the message. That was one of the reasons Father liked Rupert: his ability to mouth off to people while sounding like a sycophant to anyone who may overhear.
"From the way the innkeeper spoke, they have not been doing a good job of keeping the town safe."
"True enough."
The mansion was about an hour's ride from the town, so it was still mid-afternoon when we arrived. I made a mental note to leave before sunset; the detour had already put us behind schedule, and the place was haunted as shit. Damn, my internal monologue was weird; it flew back and forth between 'Prim and Proper Princess' and 'Foulmouthed New-Englander' at a moments notice. Oh, well, as long as my speech wasn't affected, it didn't matter too much.
I did need to resist the very un-princess-like urge to stick my head out the window as we approached, but that was Lina, Kasey, and Cassandra—and I did resist it, thank you very much.
Once again, Rupert hopped out and helped me down, giving me my first glimpse of the mansion. Holy fuck the place was huge. Or, switching mental gears, the mansion was extravagant in the extreme, a monstrous construction with wings jutting every which way at seeming random. I was willing to allow that the manor may have had an architectural style at some point, but whatever it may have been had been swallowed by additions and expansions until all that was left was sheer size. The individual parts had their aesthetic merits, some sporting flying buttresses, elegant columns, or beautifully carved stone facades, but as a whole it was an ugly, jumbled mess of conflicting design. And, I repeat, haunted as shit.
McNeil had come out to greet us at the steps up to the front door, perhaps hoping we wouldn't want to actually set foot inside his gargantuan fun-house of horror. He was even more odious in person, an overfed butterball of a man, sweating profusely under his fine woolens. "P-princess Lina!" he said, stuttering only slightly at his nervousness. "What a delightful surprise! To what do we owe the honor?"
"I was passing through on my way to Dauna, and wished to see your manor while I passed. I rarely have the opportunity to leave the capital." That was certainly true, and if McNeil paid any attention to the royal family at all, he'd likely have heard of my propensity for… adventure. "Your mansion is certainly… grand in scale."
"This house has been passed down through my family for generations!" the Mayor said proudly. He turned to regard the hideous structure, waving his arms at its vast bulk. "Each of my ancestors has left their mark on our family home, adding their own history and personal touch." With no regard whatsoever for style or sense, I thought to myself. With the Mayor facing away from me, I checked the state of my guard; five men surrounded the wagon, the driver still at his post. With Rupert besides me, that left six of his men free to investigate the guards outside. The plan seemed to be going well enough, but I wanted to get Rupert inside, where he could work on the serving staff for access to the ledgers themselves.
"The inside must surely be equally beautiful," I said. As in, not at all.
McNeil started slightly, turning back to me with a pensive expressive. "I am sure it is nothing compared to the glory of Wyndia itself," he said, sweating more intensely.
"I have never seen its like in the capital," I said. Father would have it torn down overnight, if anyone had the poor sense to pollute our city with such a thing. "I can only imagine how the interior must look."
He got the hint immediately, and his sweating only intensified further. Was he concerned that I was after his ledgers, or afraid that I would discover that the place was haunted? "Err…" he stammered, visibly resisting the urge to do something so unbecoming as mopping his glistening brow in front of the Crown Princess. "I… I suppose you would like to see it?" Please say no, his face said.
"I would be delighted!" I replied with all the childish joy I could fit into the phrase.
McNeil did an admirable job of concealing his dismay, although his sweat was beginning to stain his clothes by now, and led us up the steps in his home. Three more of my guards joined us, though they and Captain Rupert quietly slipped away while McNeil was busy worrying about me. "I… I am honored that you… consider my home worthy of a visit!" he said as he led me through the massive foyer. "It has taken generations to grow to such a… a glorious state."
'Glorious' was overstating things. I would admit the interior was… less offensive, but it was still somewhat tasteless and more than a little reminiscent of the Winchester Mystery House.
"I am sure it has. Your family has ruled this town since its inception. It even bears your name." I followed him up the stairs, then deliberately ignored him and began wandering, forcing him to hurry after me. It didn't take me long to hit a door that wouldn't open. "Why is the door boarded shut?"
The Mayor guided me away as quickly as he could manage. "You see, ah… the manor is so large… ah, not that it is too large, of course, but… the construction… yes, the manor is under construction." He nodded, as though trying to convince himself. Oh my god, people in JRPGs suck at lying.
"You are adding your own…" what were his words again? "…personal touch?"
"Err, yes, quite!" he said quickly, hurrying me along into a long hallway.
"What will your touch be?" I asked innocently. "What are you adding to your family history?"
"Ah…" McNeil gave up and mopped his brow with his sleeve, dampening the fabric considerably. "Why… I suppose… just… my own touch."
"Of course." I give him a moment to relax, turning away to look at the rest of the hall, before returning my attention to the man himself. "How fares the town?"
"Ah, uh… it fares… fairly." The sweat was streaming down his face, now. "It… grows crops?"
"And the villagers?"
"They… uh… they farm? That is, the farmers farm. The other villagers… village?"
I frowned. I had expected more of a blowhard, not the simpering idiot I was faced with. Why was he so damn nervous? Was it simply a guilty conscience? Nothing spooky had manifested thus far, so that probably wasn't the problem.
A pounding at the front door interrupted my musing, and would soon provide an answer to my question. "McNeil!" someone yelled. "What's with the extra goons? You best not be planning anything the boss wouldn't like!"
I raced back over to the balcony overlooking the foyer and… oh, for the love of God. Balio and Sunder—the goddamn recurring miniboss squad—had just walked in. The two horsemen—anthropomorphic unicorns, really—were carrying the bodies of the guards we'd left with the wagon over their shoulders. Please be unconscious, I prayed; if my meddling had already gotten people killed, I wasn't sure how I would cope. I was relieved to see them stir fitfully when they were dumped onto the tasteless purple rug.
"Hey!" one of the brothers, the brown one, yelled. "Who's the kid?"
"Uh," McNeil stammered, "Uh, that is…"
"It's the Princess!" the white horseman yelled. I really needed to learn which was which. "Princess what's her name!"
"McNeil sold us out!"
"No, no! I would never!" the Mayor yelled. "I didn't! She was… she was just passing through!"
The Horse Brothers exchanged a glance. "So we beat up her guards?" the brown one asked.
"Say, bro, since we already got her guards…" the white brother turned back and leered up at me. "…why not grab the Princess, too?"
"Don't you dare!" I yelled, putting every bit of command I could muster into my voice. I'd left my staff in the wagon, but I could still manage quite a bit of damage without it. Not enough to blow through a wall, but certainly enough to summon the rest of my guard. "Take one step forward, and I'll start casting! Every guard in the building will come running!"
The two horsemen hesitated, glancing at each other. I started to cast anyway, charging up a nice big explosion that would bring everyone running and wreck the staircase in McNeil's foyer, leaving the two goons without a way up to me. And perhaps that was my mistake, because with my attention firmly on my spell, McNeil finally did something assertive: he shoved me over the balcony. I was too surprised to scream before I hit the floor.
———X==X==X———
God damn it.
I woke up with a pounding headache. It took me a moment to make sense of the world; I was in a cage—because I guess Balio and Sunder just keep them on hand in case of spontaneous kidnapping opportunities? They certainly always seem to have one ready to go—which had been wrapped in a cloth, obscuring my vision. I couldn't see out, but from the rocking motion and the smell, I guessed that one of them was carrying me on his back. At least I was otherwise uninjured, because the tropes of the world declared that one could be knocked unconscious without suffering any physical harm. I tried to move my arms to my head anyway, because I had landed on it, but they were bound to my sides with a length of thick rope. Well, this was just undignified!
I could probably kiss my apprenticeship goodbye, as well, because there was no chance I'd be leaving the castle again after something like this. Mother had already disapproved of the journey, feeling that I was neglecting my duties at home; now that I'd managed to get myself kidnapped, she wouldn't let me out of her sight.
"Sir," I said, still acting the proper princess, even in distress. "To whom do I owe thanks for my transportation?"
The rocking stopped. "Uh… my name's Sunder," the one carrying me said, letting me at least put a name to a voice.
"Sunder, bro!" the other horseman yelled from somewhere ahead. "What are you doing?"
"Just talking, bro!"
"To who?"
"The princess!"
"Don't waste your breath, bro! She's just gonna start whining for her Daddy!"
"A princess does not whine," I whined. They ignored me, and the journey continued.
What did I have to work with? I could repeat my 'magic trick' from the palace and just blow the side of the cage clean off, but the in-context power was probably the worst option. Even if I could get my hands free to cast, I risked hurting myself in the cramped space. I could try to break the cage with raw strength, since I still had 'the strength of ten men' from Generic Fantasy RPG… but if that was the strength of ten little girls, even this shoddy piece of junk might hold. I hadn't managed to break the ropes thus far, which boded ill for my ability to do anything with physical strength. And getting out of the cage was only the start of my problems, because Balio and Sunder were still here, maybe alone, maybe with friends. My bangles and magic staff—more of a wand, given my current size—were in my luggage, stored on the wagon. Wait, my luggage! "Did you take my luggage?" I asked.
"What luggage?" Sunder asked.
"My luggage from the wagon… it had all my jewelry."
The rocking stopped again. "Hey, bro!" he yelled. "Did we search the wagon?"
"Why would we search a wagon?" Balio asked.
"The princess had all her jewelry in her luggage!"
"She's trying to trick you, bro!" he said. "If we go back now, they'll be able to find us, easy!"
"Ah, right! You're smart, bro!"
"'Course I am. Let's go, bro!"
God fucking damn it.
Sunder finally removed the cloth after hours of extremely uncomfortable jostling, revealing a small clearing dominated by a single tent. The sun had already set, leaving the embers of the campfire the brightest light around. "Sleep well, Princess," Balio—the white one—said. "We'll be on the road to Syn City early tomorrow." There was something odd about the way he'd said the name, but I didn't have time to waste dwelling on it.
They immediately headed into the tent, leaving me outside, alone and unsupervised, like idiots. Ah, JRPG tropes. This would clearly be the bit where I escape. After they fall asleep… which didn't take long at all, from the sounds of snoring that were already coming from the tent.
I gave it another two minutes before I started trying to escape in earnest. The cage was a piece of crap, the most egregious flaw being the presence of a sharp metal bit sticking out from a badly welded bar. I quickly got to work sawing through the ropes… only for the cage to give first, spilling me out onto the ground with a crash. The snoring stopped… then started up again, even louder than before. JRPG tropes, natch.
I was still bound… but I'd managed to fray the rope enough to give me some wiggle room, and Tools of the Trade were potential items rather than ones I'd need to equip. One small pocketknife and a bit of work later, I grabbed the ropes from around my ankles and tossed them back into the empty cage. Okay, that was easy enough. Now I could escape into the forest!
The massive, monster-infested forest. In the middle of the night. Without a weapon, because the two idiots currently snoring away in the tent hadn't thought to loot the obviously expensive wagon guarded by two men in full plate. Idiots! If they had two braincells to rub together between them, I could be making my escape with a full set of gear, a map, the portable campsite—no, scratch the campsite, I'd loaned that out. But I could have had the rest of it, at least!
Instead, I had… a large stick I found at the edge of the clearing, thanks to the dim light given off the coals.
This was going to suck.
———X==X==X———
This sucked!
Fuck fuck fuck fuck! Only my governess's insistence on proper decorum kept me from cursing out loud as I fled through the underbrush.
It was bad enough that I'd had no way to know where I'd started except that it was less than half a day's travel from McNeil's mansion. I'd started to follow the trail they'd left in the underbrush, hoping it would lead me to a road, but I hadn't made it fifty feet from the camp before I'd had my first random encounter: a pair of rippers, freakish turkey-sized toothy parrots with beaks as large as their whole bodies.
I'd spent the last few minutes trying to lose them in the darkness rather than stand and fight, because the last thing I wanted was for my idiot kidnappers to wake up from the noise and notice I was gone, but the damn birds did not fucking quit. I was getting tired; Martial Training or not, I was twelve, with a twelve-year-old's strength and stamina. Sooner or later I'd have to stop and risk the fight.
The decision was made for me when one of the rippers managed to dive-bomb me, slamming its hideously oversized face into my back and sending me tumbling through branches and brambles, twigs shredding my dress and tearing at my hair. The second ripper took the opportunity to go straight for the throat; I'd held on to my stick, and managed to get it in front of me before I lost my head, but the fucking bird simply bit straight through it and almost got a few fingers as well.
At least the fact that the damn thing was currently choking on wood splinters gave me a moment to act. I raised my hands, the familiar glow of magic filling me as a swirling orb appeared between them. I let it build, power swelling until I couldn't manage any more, and then let it loose. Hopefully, I'd made it far enough that I wouldn't immediately summon my kidnappers, but even that was preferable to dying on the first fucking day.
I'd not yet found a school of magic I didn't excel in—thanks, Magical Powerhouse—but I did have my favorites. As a member of the Wing Clan, was it any wonder I had a fondness for storm-based magic?
Cyclone.
The glowing sphere in my hands surged forth, turning into a swirling vortex of air that tore the gagging bird apart into motes of light, as well as the tree behind it. I leapt to my feet and whooped in triumph, then screamed as the second ripper raked my back with his claws. Stupid! How had I forgotten that there were two rippers after me? I summoned up a second Cyclone and shredded that one as well, then staggered over to the nearest tree to catch my breath.
Before long, the throbbing pain from my back demanded my attention. Experimentally changing forms told me three things: one, I wasn't any less tired as an adult; two, injuries persisted across alt-forms; and three, changing into noticeably older alt-form while I was still adjusting to my new life was weird and distracting. With a sigh, I changed back to Lina and carefully cast a healing spell, not wanting to risk a miscast when my skin was literally on the line.
The spell stopped the pain and bleeding, but only wore me out more. Damn it, I didn't have my watch, or even my Map and Journal! Stupid items-aren't-equipped-by-default rule! No, I had no one to blame but myself; I should have known that would happen from the previous jumps, but I'd forgotten.
I shook myself out of my stupor, picked up another, thicker stick from the tree I'd accidentally wood-chippered, and headed off again. The guards would be looking for me, so staying still was tempting; at least I wouldn't be heading deeper into the woods. On the other hand, my kidnappers would be looking for me as well, the moment they noticed I was gone. I was pretty sure I'd been running in a roughly straight line, so as long as I kept heading that way I would at least be putting more forest between myself and the horsemen.
The next ripper to pop up ate another cyclone; the goos, I found I could simply out-pace. The forest canopy blocked my view of the sky, so I couldn't judge how long I'd been walking, or the direction I was walking in. I went from holding the stick at the ready, to carrying it over one shoulder, to leaning on it like a walking stick. My dress was torn and stained with my own blood, and I'd lost my hair ribbon at some point, probably during the scuffle. Cyclone! I missed, but the ripper fled anyway. I let it go; I had neither the inclination nor energy to kill every monster I came across.
The sky lightened so gradually I didn't realize it was day until a sunbeam hit me in the face through a gap in the tree cover. I blinked, holding up my hand to shield myself from the bright light to my right. Well, now I had a compass direction. If the sun rose in the east, then the way I'd been walking was… north. North! If I was in the Cedar Woods, as I suspected, then I'd been traveling deeper into the forest for an entire night. That was… unfortunate. I'd been heading directly away from safety.
What was the best course of action now? I could retrace my steps… and likely run right back into the pair of criminals I was fleeing. They wouldn't recognize me if I kept the other form on, and maybe I could even charm my way into a meal… I hated that thought the moment I had it, and discarded it immediately. Of course, even being captured again would be better than starving to death or being eaten by monsters… but I wasn't willing to give up yet.
East or west, then? Wyndia was to the east, but there was a small chance—based mostly on how far Sunder had carried me, as I didn't expect I'd made that much distance on my own—that heading due east would take me north of the city entirely. More pressingly, it was a long distance to travel on foot through rough terrain; we'd spent nearly a week on well-worn roads to get this far, and since Balio had said we'd been bound for Syn City, which was in the opposite direction, we'd likely traveled even farther after my abduction. West would thus get me out of the forest much faster, and once I reached Dauna River, I could follow it south back to the road.
West it was, then. I put the sun at my back and traveled on, trying to ignore the ache in my stomach. There would be plenty of food for me when I made it back to safety. Another ripper appeared, but throwing a rock at it was enough to convince it I wasn't worth pursuing. I shouldn't have been wasting magic on lone monsters; it was only in packs that they were brave or foolish enough to not take a hint.
I tripped over a root and didn't get back up. Stupid. I should have stopped while I had energy to make a fire and gather some food. Not that there was much food to be had, but if I fell asleep now, I likely wouldn't wake for eight hours, and then I'd have been without food for almost an entire day. Being weak from hunger would make it even harder to survive, and without a fire, I couldn't boil any water I managed to find, either. I groaned. I had the skills to survive in the woods, if I'd used them, but I'd been so concerned with getting away that I'd gotten myself into an even worse situation. I should have swapped into the older form just for the sake of decision-making.
A rustling in the bushes to my right had me back on my feet in a hurry, adrenaline giving me a second wind I would surely pay for later. I leveled my staff-slash-walking stick at the noise, waiting. If I was in better shape, I'd be tempted to just start casting, but the last thing I wanted to do was waste my energy blasting apart a deer. Although… if I killed it without blasting it apart, maybe I could eat it?
It wasn't a deer: when the bushes finally parted, I found myself looking into the eyes of a tiger. A Woren, in fact—though his striped fur and feline face made the resemblance impossible to ignore—wearing a long, sleeveless green coat that flapped around his ankles and left his chest bare, ratty fingerless gloves, and brown pants tucked into gray foot-wraps.
I blinked in surprise. "Rei?"
The Woren cocked his head curiously. "Cass?"
I laughed, then collapsed into Max's arms.
———X==X==X———
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Tempestuous
Words are wind, so I write.
- Location
- CA
AN: Kept you waiting, didn't I?
I had a lot of fun with writing 'in the style' of BoF3, especially the dialogue, where they use ellipses in place of nearly every other punctuation mark. Plus, I feel perfectly justified having someone nod, shake their head, shrug, or otherwise fidget between every line of dialogue! Can you picture the little PlayStation-1-era sprites emoting? I can.
And yes, the recurring villains really do say 'Bro' almost every other sentence.
I had a lot of fun with writing 'in the style' of BoF3, especially the dialogue, where they use ellipses in place of nearly every other punctuation mark. Plus, I feel perfectly justified having someone nod, shake their head, shrug, or otherwise fidget between every line of dialogue! Can you picture the little PlayStation-1-era sprites emoting? I can.
And yes, the recurring villains really do say 'Bro' almost every other sentence.
- Location
- Michigan, USA
I quite enjoyed this chapter, thank you for posting it.
Spectrum
Tell me a secret~
- Location
- Behind you~
It was...okay to me. Felt like another instance of "wow Cass is not very good at this for being someone who actually has a few decades of experience". You seem to love putting her in instances where her body is affecting her performance in various negative ways (vs the other jumpers, experienced or otherwise, don't appear to run into the same scenario ever or at least with any regularity). I can't complain about each specific occasion, because it makes sense that a 12 year old is going to fumble alot for example, but more on the meta-aspect that you've chosen to keep setting up the board that way.
- Location
- Book Fort
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I think that it's just that she's still unaccustomed to changing bodies --and thus, changing neruchemistry, bodily endorphins, etc --and thus, it has more sway on her character than the other Companions. Given the "mind over matter," I'd say that as she goes on in this Jump, she'll fight it off more easily, as she adjusts to this particular body's quirks.
Tempestuous
Words are wind, so I write.
- Location
- CA
Well, for the meta-aspect, things tend to be more interesting when plans go awry. From a Doylist perspective, there is going to be some bias towards putting Cass in situations she doesn't handle perfectly because that's what makes the story go.
It's not a condition unique to Cass; she's just not used to... "mitigating" it, I guess I'd call it. Homura was extremely out of sorts (and Out Of Character) the first day of Worm, and dealt with it by not leaving the house for 48 hours. Cass herself is already starting to 'settle' by the end of the last chapter, so it's not going to be All Childish Errors All The Time or anything.
Spectrum
Tell me a secret~
- Location
- Behind you~
I don't really agree. Personally, I think it's a bit of a crutch to need to constantly have bad things happen to your MC for the sake of something (more) interesting happening.
Beyond that, I also never said 'handle perfectly', but again maybe with not seeming to always stumble into fairly basic mistakes or put up with nonsense for the sake of it.
I'll wait and see, as always, but I think the question to pose is:
Have Dinah or Dragon (the loopers newer than Cass, nevermind Scion) run into similar issues were they seem to botch everything repeatedly? Has it been depicted at all, onscreen or otherwise?
If no, then see my point about it just happening to the MC only and can't be handwaved as 'new looper syndrome'.
- Location
- Book Fort
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I wonder how common it is for Companions to choose to "stay" in a Jump? Whether they fall in love, get tired of the constant change, or find something worth staying in? Because for as long Max seems to imply his Jumpchain's been going on, there've got to be at least a handful of Companions who've done that. If they've already visited Mistborn, maybe a few decided to stay and help them rebuild, for example.
Tempestuous
Words are wind, so I write.
- Location
- CA
Yes, but we haven't seen them because Cass is the viewpoint character.
Max has about as many Jumps done as companions, but isn't averse to taking 3+ from a single setting, which would imply that there are a lot of companions who've opted to leave the team in one way or the other. Sometimes it's for love. Sometimes it's for humanitarian reasons. Sometimes it's a particular fondness for a world. And sometimes they're just tired of jumping.
That said, most of the companions who've left the chain, either to Stay or Go Home, did so within a few jumps of joining. The way I see it, some people are "long haul" companions, and some aren't, and there's not a lot of middle ground. The "Number of jumps before departure" graph would peak sharply around 3-5 jumps (Max alludes to this in a previous dialogue), then trail off to basically nothing sans a few outliers.
No, I do not have a canonical list of everyone who's ever joined and left, or where they went.
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Chapter 65: Call to Adventure
Tempestuous
Words are wind, so I write.
- Location
- CA
AN: Beta-read by Carbohydratos, Did I?, Gaia, Linedoffice, Zephyrosis, Mizu, and Misty Raven-chan.
Max had a picnic basket—the Picnic Basket, in fact—and when I awoke, hours later, I'd dug straight in. He'd told me his story while I ate, such as it was, and then it had been my turn. "… … … so that's been my first twenty-four hours," I finished.
"Wow," he said. "You really jumped in with both feet, didn't you?"
"Yeah…" I looked away guiltily. I'd made a complete fool of myself. "So… you're just hoping to run into Rei and Teepo if you roam around the woods enough?" Why did I ask… oh, parrot exposition. Even I was running on tropes this jump.
He nodded. "More or less. I know where they live… but showing up on their doorstep sends the wrong message."
Rei and Teepo—two of the three main characters of the 'prologue', petty thieves who stole just enough food to get by from McNeil Village. Rei was a Woren, like Max—the only one seen in the game, to my knowledge. Teepo was a human kid as far as anyone (including he himself) knew, but he was actually one of the Brood—a human/dragon shapeshifter like Ryu. The game implied he'd come to Cedar Woods from the mine the same way Ryu had, where he'd been adopted by Rei—again, the same way Ryu had.
Max grinned, which looked a bit odd on his catlike face. "That's one of the reasons I wasn't being quiet. If Rei spots me… well… I'll likely be the second Woren he's ever met. He'd approach me for sure."
I nodded; it made sense. Still… "I'm surprised you didn't go in as a dragon."
"Ah, yeah, about that…" Now Max looked away guiltily. "I was arguing with Management, because it seemed like such a mean-spirited tease to drag Tess out here and not let her be a dragon, and they finally relented and let her be one of the Brood as long as I didn't take the race myself. Apparently they have a strict one-dragon limit."
"Huh. If Tess is Brood, is she going to end up with the other two kids?" It was hard to imagine Tess as a ten-year-old.
"I have no idea. Guess we'll see, won't we?" He chuckled nervously. "I know you wanted to be a dragon…"
"But I wouldn't want to take it away from anyone else!" I insisted.
"Good. Good!" Max relaxed, turning back to me. "I was worried there would be, you know, hard feelings, or whatever."
I shook my head. "No, no, it's fine. Besides, once I actually thought about it, I realized I wasn't sure how well I'd deal with something that… different. Wings should be plenty weird enough."
"It's pretty easy if you have the memories to go with the body."
"So I've heard. Still, it's probably best to ease into these things. 'Human with wings' is a safer start."
"Totally fair," Max said. "I'm a little surprised you didn't go Woren. Isn't that the stereotype?"
I stuck my hands on my hips. "Okay, now I'm a little upset."
"Really? Sorry."
"No, not really." I rolled my eyes. "I am surprised you made that joke at all."
"Hah. Well, as long as I didn't put my foot in my mouth again, I suppose." He threw his arms back in a stretch that was downright feline before flopping onto his back on the leaf-strewn forest floor. "Man, the Warehouse thing is a real drag in fantasy worlds. I can't exactly go out and buy a stretch of forest to use as a portal point."
"It was a lot easier in the cities," I agreed. "At least you can teleport."
"Yeah. Still a bother."
"What happened to all your property wealth this jump?" Max had gone Thief, unless I missed my guess.
"I told Management to distribute it among you guys in the way that made the most sense… so I think you got all of it."
I laughed awkwardly. "Haha… maybe…"
He sat back up. "Hey, Cass… err, what is your name this jump?"
"Lina."
"Huh, that doesn't follow your pattern at all… anyway, Lina, I have an idea…" I raised an eyebrow. "You're missing, now, right? So, if I lead you over to Rei and Teepo's house… they could 'find' you…"
"And I would be their ticket to Wyndia?" I asked. He shot me a thumbs up. "I don't know. Isn't that the same sort of manipulative plotting that made me such a disaster in Worm?"
"It's the opposite," he argued. "This is what you regret not doing, right? You're stepping in to stop something terrible from happening to people."
"And creating a 'less trauma-fueled adventure'?"
"Exactly. Rather than the call to adventure being the old Doomed Hometown trope, it's the opportunity to help someone—and help themselves in the process."
The gang's hideout wasn't exactly a 'Hometown', but the trope fit. Sometime in the spring, the gang would have decided to rob McNeil, and in doing so attract the ire of his 'business partners'. The Syndicate would have sent a couple of enforcers—the idiots who'd captured me, in fact—to kill the trio and burn down their home, leaving Ryu orphaned again. Then he'd go to Wyndia to look for his friends, not willing to accept that they were very likely dead, where he'd meet Nina… all of which I'd derailed by my impulse, bullheaded visit.
"I'm… not sure," I said slowly. "It sounds good when you phrase it like that, but it's still manipulative." Not that I haven't gotten myself neck-deep already with that stunt at the village.
"It is, in a way, but it's also not. Usually, 'manipulation' means leaning on someone to do something they wouldn't; here, we're giving them an opportunity to do something they want to do."
"Like the difference between 'bait' and 'entrapment'."
"You're being very negative today."
"Fine. Assuming I were to go along with this… what's the plan?"
Max smiled like I'd already agreed. "Well, you'll have to avoid the soldiers… you could claim you're scared the Mayor controls them or something…"
"Right back to manipulation," I grumbled. That would be more or less the opposite of what I'd told Captain Rupert when we'd approached the manor: I doubted any of the guards were loyal to McNeil, even in the unlikely case Rupert hadn't arrested—or simply executed—the corrupt Mayor following my disappearance.
"Would you be so confident they weren't if you didn't have any extra knowledge?"
I wouldn't be in this situation at all! But I was in it, now, so I conceded the point. "Fine… but even if I ignore that issue, given the genre, that seems like the sort of thing that's going to get me 'in the party', so to speak, and I'm not sure I want to get that close to everyone."
He paused as he studied my face. "You're still thinking about Worm."
"Of course I am."
Max stood up and walked around to sit down next to me before putting a fuzzy arm over my shoulders like an old friend sharing secrets. "You said I didn't give you enough guidance before Worm, and you're right, so get ready to be guided. The best advice I can give you is that you shouldn't try to keep Cass and Lina separate. You're both. The less you worry about which is which, the more naturally—and honestly—you'll act. Just let Cass be 'Lina' and everything will be fine."
"But what about—"
"People whose stories you know?" he finished for me. "That's simple: you treat them as people. Don't worry about what you know about their past or their future; just treat them respectfully in the moment, the way Lina would, and you won't have anything to worry about. Remember your 'answer'?"
It took me a second to realize he was talking about our conversation shortly after we left Worm. "Right the wrongs in front of me, and help the people I consider friends," I recited. "That's it?"
"That's all there is to it. Besides, it's not like you have the massive depth of intrusive knowledge you get from a long-running character-focused narrative, and you're already going to be 'involved' just by virtue of being in the family."
"Right." I was a little nervous about being 'in the family', now that he mentioned it, but the same advice applied. Be Lina. Simple.
Max smiled, then asked, "So… the plan?"
"It's an interesting idea," I admitted. "Do you know if Ryu's been released yet?"
"No clue," he said with a sigh. "Then there's the Nue, and that's after Ryu's been asleep for who knows how long… how do you feel about camping for a few days?"
"I don't want to give Ru…err, the Captain of my guard more trouble than I have already… but I do like the idea…" I nodded, then frowned when a thought struck me. "Although I don't want Ryu to notice me instead of Nina. That would be a mess."
Max shook his head. "I wouldn't worry about that too much. Judging by the nature of the eternal recurrence, they're practically soul mates."
"Hmm… this would be so much more convenient if it had happened on my way back to the capital in spring."
"You're far too precocious for that," he said with a grin. I scowled at him, which only amused him further. I'm sure I was an adorable little mess, at the moment, and I resented it immensely.
"Well… I have the skills to survive in the wilderness," I said. "I made the mistake of exhausting myself before I had prepared any of the things I would need to survive, but now that I've recovered… I should be able to spend a few days in the woods."
Max nodded. "I'll come by with the picnic basket again—"
"If I need it," I insisted "It may be more… authentic if I really am forced to fend for myself."
"If you're sure…" He stood up and collected the basket. "I should be able to find you again, even if you need to roam. I'll check up on you tomorrow, let you know when the plot kicks off."
I stood up as well, nodding confidently. "It's a plan."
"See you tomorrow, then." Max turned to leave, but something occurred to him, and he turned back for a bit of parting advice. "Be careful, Lina. There wasn't one in Three, but Nina's sisters have a bad pattern of dying for the sake of drama." He reached out and further rustled my hopelessly tangled hair. "Stay safe, all right?"
"I only look twelve," I grumbled. And make decisions like I'm twelve, apparently, a traitorous part of me whispered. My experience in Worm had given me a harsh lesson in how jump identities could affect me, so I could tell that this was at least partially Lina's tweenage stubbornness in play.
That didn't mean I needed to override it, though. I was already a capable combat mage, and there was something to be said for practicing survival skills I'd never actually used.
"Don't worry," I told him. "I'm not going to starve to death in one day!"
It didn't even take one day for me to regret my bravado. Wilderness survival was hard. Wilderness survival during a famine in a forest full of monsters was much, much harder. I couldn't even eat the monsters, since they disappeared into motes of light when killed.
When Max came back the next day, I was sorely tempted to insist he lead me out of the woods immediately. Instead, I settled for having him lead me to a good fishing spot; I'd almost made it to the river, so the main challenge was finding somewhere the bank wasn't too high or steep. A bit of work with a whittling knife turned a branch into a passable fishing rod; Tools of the Trade provided the line, reel, and hook. It wasn't exactly a reliable source of food in winter, but the occasional out-of-season trout meant that I was no longer starving.
Asking Max to retrieve my magic watch would have made the entire experience much more bearable—even easy, since it reduced both food and sleep requirements to merely one tenth of normal—but at that point I might as well have just had him cater me with the Picnic Basket. It was silly, stubborn tweenage pride, but it wasn't harming me, so I let it be. I was trying to 'be Lina', after all.
Max stopped by to give me the go-ahead about an hour after noon on my fifth day in the woods, and we set out towards Rei's house. Southwest—I had wandered very deep into the forest indeed.
"Say, Ca—Lina," Max corrected himself, "how would you feel about a moderate case of severe injury?"
"That's an oxymoron."
"It's a Portal reference, you philistine," he shot back. "Anyway… I was thinking it would be a convenient icebreaker for me to show up carrying a wounded girl, looking for help…"
Which would require me to let a bunch of monsters use me a chew toy for a bit. I was not enthused. "You'd need an explanation for why you didn't head to the village instead," I pointed out. "I am a poor, lost little girl who doesn't know her way around the woods. You are nowhere near disheveled enough to sell that."
"I could be."
I shook my head at his antics. "I'd rather not go out of my way to be injured."
"That's fair."
We walked on.
"So they've killed the Nue already?" I asked, changing the topic to something more practical.
"Yeah…" Max nodded. "Management dropped us in a little late. Ryu woke up a week before we arrived, then fell off the train and got adopted the same day. The boys going into town—and then getting run out of town—happened the day we got here—"
"That would be the same day I got into town," I pointed out.
"Yup. Well, from there, the whole mess with Bunyan beating the trio senseless and putting them to work was the same day. They killed the Nue three days ago, got back the day before yesterday, and got the standing ovation in town yesterday—which was the last event in the prologue I didn't want to interrupt."
He gave another catlike stretch, resting his hands on the back of his head, elbows out. "I was thinking about running into them during their trek up the mountain to hunt the Nue, but I didn't want to be a distraction that got them injured… and on the way back, well…" Max shrugged. "They weren't in such high spirits, you know? I did make sure they came out all right, but they didn't need my help, so I kept to the shadows."
"Any sign of Tess?"
"Nope. She's probably up in Dragnier."
"She's going to miss the whole plot, then."
"Not if she can get the teleporter working," he said. "That would save a lot of time in the late game… and skip a few adventures that might be worth having… we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right, I think we're close enough. You know the way from here?"
"I can walk in a straight line, yes." Being stuck in the woods for several days had made me snippy. Ah, well, best get it out of my system before I needed to start being diplomatic again. Max was inured to that sort of thing, and seemed to find it funny.
"Great. Good luck!" He turned away and vanished into the forest within a few steps. I was impressed; he was incredibly stealthy when he wanted to be. Max was probably still shadowing me to keep an eye on things, but I had to take that on faith because there was no sign of him.
I squared my shoulders and marched on. I still had my walking stick… I mean, my casting focus, which was good, because random encounters had never stopped being an annoyance. Any monsters too stupid to flee were blasted apart as I pressed on, trying to silence the worry that I had strayed from my course and missed the house. I was just about to stop and double back when I finally left the forest and stumbled into the clearing around the base of the odd little hill.
Higher up the slope, I could see the wooden fence surrounding the house; the gang's hideout was a cabin built into a massive, long-dead tree perched at the top of the mound. I'd approached from the east, however, so I still had to walk around the miniature mountain before I found the protagonists on the path up the south of the hill.
Ryu and Teepo were actually on the hard-beaten path that passed for a road, sparring—or perhaps merely playing—with a pair of sticks that were approximately sword-sized. They were a few years younger than I, if I had to guess, which would make them right around Nina's age of ten. Ryu had his trademark short blue hair, the stray 'ahoge' hair sticking straight up, while Teepo's hair was purple and down to his waist. They wore similar sets of armor, each sporting a breastplate and pauldrons over rough-spun tunics and trousers; Teepo actually had a sword belted on in addition to his stick, while Ryu didn't appear to be armed. Neither of them had noticed me; they were too focused on their stickmanship.
Rei had been watching from the sidelines, but he had certainly noticed me, and seemed to be trying to decide if he should say something or just hope I'd wander away again. His vest and pants were purple, rather than the brown I associated with him—ah, right, he'd changed his style after the timeskip. Like Max's new form, he looked like an anthropomorphic tiger: covered in black-striped yellow fur, the long blond hair on his head pulled back into a ponytail. His inhuman features made his age harder to judge. He was definitely older than I was, but probably not by much: sixteen or so if the fuzz wasn't completely ruining my estimate.
I cleared my throat. "Pardon me, sirs," I said. "I am very lost, and in need of assistance."
"You must be," Rei said. "Who are you? You don't look like one of the villagers."
Ah, right, introductions. I drew myself up to my full, still unimpressive height. "I am her highness, Crown Princess Lina of Wyndia."
Rei stared at me for a moment before laughing softly to himself, one hand nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, doesn't this just beat all? What's a Princess doing lost in the woods?"
"I was kidnapped," I said. "I managed to escape while my captors were asleep, but I was chased into the woods by monsters and lost my way. I've been roaming the forest for several days."
"Days?" he asked. A quick glance at the state of my clothes and hair were all it took to confirm that part of the story. "Uh, well, Princess… how about we take you to the village? I'm sure the Mayor can—"
"The Mayor is in league with the people who kidnapped me!" I yelped, shaking my head vigorously. "Please, sirs, if I could impose upon you…" I sent a meaningful glance at the two boys, who had stopped to listen to the conversation, sticks still in hand. Laying the manipulation on thick, aren't we? I did my best to ignore the thought—I was helping, right? "If you could escort me to Wyndia… I am sure Father would be most grateful."
That got their attention. "Wyndia, Rei!" Teepo cried. "This is it! Our opportunity to visit the city!"
"I don't know," Rei said. "I mean… this is strange, isn't it? What kind'a princess wanders about without any guards?"
"Rei…!" the boy whined. "You're always saying we'd go to Wyndia some day. Now's our chance! It's practically a royal invitation!"
"A royal invitation," Ryu whispered, eyes shining with wonder.
Rei sighed, his reasonable but unfounded suspicion no match for the boys' enthusiasm, then turned to face me and sketched a bow. "Well, your highness, it would seem that we, the bandits of Cedar Woods, are at your disposal."
"Don't introduce us like that!" Teepo yelled. "You'll scare her off!" He tossed his stick aside and hurried forward. "We're the heroes of Cedar Woods!" he said, shoving Rei out of the way. "I'm Teepo, that's Rei, and that's Ryu. Rescuing Princesses is hero work, right?" The other boy nodded eagerly, still clutching his practice weapon.
I bowed. "Thank you very much, good heroes of Cedar Woods. I am in your care."
I stayed the rest of the day at the house, given that I was not in the best of health despite my efforts at woodsmanship. It also gave me a chance to wash myself and my clothes; Rei loaned me one of his shirts while I laundered and repaired my ruined dress as best I could. It occurred to me, when I went to hand it back, that it was likely the same shirt Ryu used as pajamas his first night. Why the perennially bare-chested Woren even had a shirt like this was a mystery; it was certainly too large for Teepo or Ryu.
I also got to sleep in a bed for the first time since I'd arrived, which was just heavenly. All too soon, however, it was time to head back into the monster-infested wilds of Yraall. It wasn't as bad as it had been on my own; as a mage, I cannot overstate how much easier it is to fight when you actually have a pair of meat-shields in front of you.
Flare!
Rei could take care of most things by himself, but I wasn't going to slack off just because I had someone to carry me. I may be a princess, but that didn't mean I would lay around while others did all the work. The royal family had a job, and if that job allowed them to live in more comfort than anyone else, it was merely a perk of the intense responsibility we had to bear…
Oh, look, I was a monarchist this jump. Why did that surprise me?
Well, the royal family of Wyndia were no idle rich, and I had no intention of riding the coattails of my guide. As for the other two, Ryu 'flailed' rather than 'swung' at the various creatures we fought; it was more effective than it ought to be considering he often did so with his eyes closed. Teepo, meanwhile, was quite content to watch the three of us handle the monsters who got in our way. I wasn't sure if that was some echo of the game's three-person party limit or just him being lazy. I kept expecting Max to wander out of the brush, now that he knew where we were and where we were going, but he never appeared, and if he was still shadowing us, I saw no sign of it.
We crept around the village and farm, making sure to avoid the guards patrolling the area in force. Yraall Road was similarly crawling with guards, forcing us to push through the underbrush and slowing us down, so we camped out in the forest off the road that night. Rei pitched the tent—a large stretch of canvas he'd pulled from under one of the beds—while Ryu and Teepo gathered firewood. The boys had been fine allowing me to fight, but the three of them had unanimously agreed that it wouldn't do for a princess to help out around camp, so I was left to twiddle my thumbs while they started the fire and cooked a few potatoes and onions Rei had found somewhere… or perhaps stolen, I didn't ask. It wasn't a great meal, but it filled my stomach better than water. Then we sat, watching the fire burn down to embers as the last traces of light left the western horizon.
"Hey, princess," Teepo said. "How'd you get so powerful at magic, anyway?"
'I cheated', while true, was not the appropriate response here. "I am naturally skilled, I am told, and have had many tutors. In fact, I was traveling west to seek out a powerful wizard said to live in the Dauna Hills to further my training when I was abducted."
"Oh…" He shook his head. "I thought I was real good at magic… I'm loads better than Rei! But when I see you go… I worry I'd just slow you down."
"Is that why you haven't been fighting with us?" I asked.
"Well, I can use a sword real good, too, but three people swinging swords is too many, right?" He sighed again. "And you don't need any help with magic, so I thought if I watched you, I could learn how you cast so well!" Teepo paused, then asked, "Why are you so good at fighting, anyway? Shouldn't you have guards or something?"
I nodded. "I was traveling with a group of soldiers, but when we let our guard down, Mayor McNeil had two thugs overpower me and whisked me away."
"The Mayor?" Ryu asked.
"Yes, the Mayor," I agreed.
"Is that why we're avoiding all the soldiers on the road?" Rei asked.
I nodded. "It is. If the Mayor himself is involved in a conspiracy against the Crown, how could we be sure which were loyal?" Once again, I had to push down the unpleasant feeling that I was stringing the party along. It's barely a lie. If not for my metaknowledge, I wouldn't know they were trustworthy. Of course, if not for my meta-knowledge, I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place, but that wasn't worth worrying about now.
The three boys exchanged glances. "Well, doesn't this just beat all?" Rei muttered, then shook his head. "You know we're a bunch of bandits, right?"
"Rei!" Teepo whined.
I nodded. "I approached you because I was desperate… but I trust you because of that, not in spite of it. You are too far away from the village to be working with the Mayor, and bandits are easily motivated… I offered you a reward, and you agreed. Simple." I paused, then added, "…and I have already been robbed, so I have nothing further for you to steal except my… 'staff'." I hefted the tree branch I'd continued to use as a focus for emphasis. "Besides, royal favor is a far better offer than ransom and the King's wrath."
"We wouldn't do that!" Ryu said quickly.
"We're not kidnappers!" Teepo agreed. "We steal, but we don't hurt people! We gotta eat like everyone else, right?" Rei nodded agreement, though Ryu didn't look sure at all.
"I believe you," I said. "You are earnest folk, although perhaps not honest, exactly…" The boys ducked their heads. "Perhaps you should ask Father for a pardon. Then, there would be no reason to introduce you as anything other than the Heroes of Cedar Woods!"
Teepo practically preened at that; he seemed like a sweet kid, chip on his shoulder aside.
After a few more minutes of relaxation around the fire, it was time to sleep. I was not asked to keep watch, and didn't offer; I still wasn't used to needing eight hours of sleep, and it showed.
Even with the delays, it still only took us two days to reach Myrneg. We camped out at the base of the mountain on the second day of travel, and on the third, we went mountain climbing. The climb marked our first change of 'party members'; Teepo took over fighting duties from Ryu, who was huffing and puffing from making the climb in his armor.
Climbing Mt. Myrneg was faster than riding up it, since we didn't need to stick to the wide, looping track the wagon had been forced to follow, but it still took most of the day for us to reach the summit. The sun was well into its descent when we finally reached the peak, and that was when we ran into real trouble. JRPG tropes remained in full effect: Balio and Sunder were standing on the path, loudly arguing about what to do now that their payday had escaped.
"We can still find her!" Balio said. "If the guards are still looking for her, we still have a chance!"
"We gotta focus on the Contest!" Sunder argued. "If we don't get started, people aren't going to show!"
"Forget the Contest, bro! We nab the princess, we won't need to run that scam ever again!"
"And how are we gonna do that? She could be anywhere!"
"That's why we're here!" Balio said, waving at the mountain. "She's gotta come through here if she wants to go back to Wyndia! Then… bam!"
"Ah! You're amazing, bro!"
These idiots were either weirdly meta-genre-savvy or just plain lucky, because by all rights I should have just walked right back to my guards and carried on my way.
I turned to look at Rei and Ryu. "We can probably sneak past once they fall asleep… where'd Teepo go?" I asked, cuing the dramatic irony.
"Villains!" Teepo yelled, brandishing his rapier at the pair. Oh, no. He'd left our hiding spot and approached them, the fool! "You're the ones responsible for the princess's kidnapping!" The brothers exchanged a glance, then began laughing uproariously, which only made Teepo more angry.
"Well, doesn't this just beat all?" Rei groaned. Ryu simply hid his face in his hands, and I was strongly tempted to imitate him.
"Who are you, kid?" Balio asked.
"I'm Teepo, one of the heroes of Cedar Woods!" he yelled. "And you kidnapped the princess, didn't you?"
Balio and Sunder shared a glance. "Yeah, we did," Sunder said.
"What are you going to do about it, huh?" Balio asked.
"I'm going to make you pay for your crimes!" He rushed forwards, sword streaking towards Balio's throat, only for Sunder to kick him hard enough to send him flying back the way he'd come. He rolled to a stop twenty feet away and lay there, clutching what was surely a shattered ribcage.
"Say… bro…" Sunder said. "You figure he knew the princess?"
"He knew an awful lot," Balio agreed. The two of them turned to look at the bush we were hiding in; it wasn't a hard guess, given that it was the only shrubbery for a hundred feet in any direction. I was pretty sure I felt the single, massive cartoon sweat-drop form on my head as they slowly approached our hiding spot.
Running would require us to leave Teepo behind, so we stepped out of the bush while we still had time to prepare, and the boss fight began. It did not go well. The monsters we'd fought to this point hadn't prepared us to face people as strong or stronger than we were, and Rei was the only 'real' fighter among us. Less than a minute after the fight started, Ryu ate dirt—he was still alive, but he stayed down even when I cast a healing spell on him. I guess that was what zero hit points looked like. At that point, the pair turned their attention to Rei, and he went down as well.
Myself? I was still on my feet, but I was leaning heavily on my branch, panting with exertion. I could probably manage one or two more spells, at most, not that it would help. The brothers weren't even winded. Sunder laughed as he stepped over the boys, pausing to kick Rei in the ribs just out of spite.
"Not. Another. Step."
We three currently on our feet turned towards the voice… Max's voice. The Woren had appeared behind me, a massive ōdachi in its sheath in his left hand. He stepped forward menacingly, striding past me; Sunder retreated a step for each step Max took until he bumped into Balio, having not taken his eyes off the newcomer.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Balio asked, shoving his brother out of the way. "You best get out of our way, or we'll handle you the same way we did those three."
"I don't think so." Max raised the ōdachi, putting his main hand on the hilt. He crouched into a ready stance like a runner, weapon held at his side, ready to draw—some sort of iaidō stance. "You two should run."
"Uh… bro?" Sunder said. "I think we might want to go..."
"No!" Balio snapped. "We're so close! Kill the cat and we're home fr—"
Max moved. One moment he was in front of them; the next he was past, already sheathing the ōdachi. There was a shnick of a blade leaving (or entering?) a sheath, a crack of a small body breaking the sound barrier, and then silence. The two brothers blinked in bewilderment for a moment before a comically-timed gust of wind left them stripped to their small-clothes and shaved bald.
"Run," Max snarled, punctuating the threat with the shnick of the ōdachi sliding back out of its sheath. He didn't need to tell them twice; they fled west down the mountain yelling threats and obscenities over their shoulders, leaving the five of us alone on the summit. Max tossed me a mana restorative and a revive—some sort of smelling salt—and left me to handle Rei while he tended to Ryu. The acorn was tough and bitter, but I could already feel it working while I waved the salts under Rei's nose, prodding him with my other hand. I healed him as soon as he came around—I wasn't sure exactly how 'fainting' worked, but the last thing I wanted to do was waste energy—then sat down and looked him over, checking to make sure the spell had done its work.
A few feet away, Ryu got to his feet with a groan; Max had already turned back down the mountain, towards where Teepo lay where he'd landed a few minutes earlier.
"Wow…" Ryu said. He walked over and offered us a hand up.
"Wow is right…" I let him pull me to my feet; Rei waved him off. "Are you all right?"
"Right as rain!" Rei said. "But that guy…" He sat up to look at me, then over at Ryu, then down the path towards where Max was shoving vitamins down Teepo's throat. Rei lay back down, facing the darkening sky. "Well, doesn't this just beat all?"
"Who was that?" Ryu asked.
"The stranger? I haven't a clue," Rei said, finally letting us help him up. "Maybe you can ask him," he added, and I turned to see that Max and Teepo were indeed on their way back.
I pushed my lingering spellcasting fatigue away and stormed down the path to glower at Teepo. "You brave, headstrong idiot!" I seethed. "What were you thinking?"
"I just…" Teepo hung his head for a moment before he straightened up. "I was trying to help!" he yelled, the fire coming back as he met my scowl with his own. "At least I did something! You guys were all hiding!"
"Of course we were! We could have stayed hidden and snuck past when they were asleep! Instead, you almost got yourself killed!"
Max thwacked me on the forehead with his tail as he walked by. «Your tsundere is showing, Princess,» he sent.
"What? Hey!" But he had already passed us. I rubbed the spot he'd hit irritably. I am not tsundere… oh dear, I was. I totally was. Talk about cringe-worthy! "Not that I like you or anything," I told Teepo hurriedly, then cringed harder. Why have you betrayed me, my tropes!?
I left Teepo to puzzle over my strange behavior and snuck off to eavesdrop on Max and Rei instead. The two Woren were facing off a couple feet away from each other, looking nervous. Max's ōdachi was still in his hands, while Rei was conspicuously keeping his hands away from the daggers at his belt.
Max broke the silence. "Marco," he said, taking his right hand off his weapon and holding it out to shake.
"Rei."
Marco broke into a wide grin as the other Woren took his hand. "I guess we owe you one…" Rei said.
"Think nothing of it." Marco slipped the ōdachi's carrying strap back over his shoulder. "Where are you folks headed? Wyndia? What are a bunch of woodsmen going to the capital for?"
"Oh, you know…" Rei trailed off, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Where are you headed?"
"Genmel Arena," Marco said. "There's a tournament there that I want to compete in. They call it the Contest of Champions."
So that's what it sounded like when someone spoke in a different color.
"The Contest of Champions, huh?" Rei turned to look west down the mountain, in the direction the horsemen had fled. "Say, uh… Marco… where are you from?" He turned back to face the other Woren. "Are there more like… like us?"
"I grew up west of Mt. Levette… and no… not there, anyway. You're only the second Woren I've ever met."
"Second? Who's the first?"
Marco coughed awkwardly. "Uh… me?"
"Oh… heh…" Rei sighed. "I guess… if there's one, there must be more, right?"
"Maybe…" Marco tugged on his coat. "Say, if we're both heading east… do you mind if I travel with you for a time? At least till Eygnock Road? It's been a lonely journey."
Teepo had followed me while I wasn't paying attention, and chose that moment to speak up. "We don't need…"
"Sure!" Rei said.
Ryu nodded. "We'd be happy to have you along," he added.
"Wait a minute!" Teepo said. "We can barely feed ourselves and the pri… I mean… and… uh…" He looked at me nervously, having realized slightly too late that identifying me as the Princess might be a bad idea.
Marco, of course, knew everything there was to know about the situation, and quickly smoothed things over the best way possible: with food. "It's no problem," he said, producing the picnic basket from somewhere within his coat, which wasn't nearly loose enough to conceal such a thing. "I travel prepared." The 'heroes' began salivating at the enticing smells of cheese and sausage wafting from the basket—I lied to myself by imagining I was far too dignified for such a thing—and looked extremely disappointed when it vanished back into his coat. "But let's get off the mountain first, yeah?"
The four of us couldn't agree fast enough.
Chapter 65: Call to Adventure
Max had a picnic basket—the Picnic Basket, in fact—and when I awoke, hours later, I'd dug straight in. He'd told me his story while I ate, such as it was, and then it had been my turn. "… … … so that's been my first twenty-four hours," I finished.
"Wow," he said. "You really jumped in with both feet, didn't you?"
"Yeah…" I looked away guiltily. I'd made a complete fool of myself. "So… you're just hoping to run into Rei and Teepo if you roam around the woods enough?" Why did I ask… oh, parrot exposition. Even I was running on tropes this jump.
He nodded. "More or less. I know where they live… but showing up on their doorstep sends the wrong message."
Rei and Teepo—two of the three main characters of the 'prologue', petty thieves who stole just enough food to get by from McNeil Village. Rei was a Woren, like Max—the only one seen in the game, to my knowledge. Teepo was a human kid as far as anyone (including he himself) knew, but he was actually one of the Brood—a human/dragon shapeshifter like Ryu. The game implied he'd come to Cedar Woods from the mine the same way Ryu had, where he'd been adopted by Rei—again, the same way Ryu had.
Max grinned, which looked a bit odd on his catlike face. "That's one of the reasons I wasn't being quiet. If Rei spots me… well… I'll likely be the second Woren he's ever met. He'd approach me for sure."
I nodded; it made sense. Still… "I'm surprised you didn't go in as a dragon."
"Ah, yeah, about that…" Now Max looked away guiltily. "I was arguing with Management, because it seemed like such a mean-spirited tease to drag Tess out here and not let her be a dragon, and they finally relented and let her be one of the Brood as long as I didn't take the race myself. Apparently they have a strict one-dragon limit."
"Huh. If Tess is Brood, is she going to end up with the other two kids?" It was hard to imagine Tess as a ten-year-old.
"I have no idea. Guess we'll see, won't we?" He chuckled nervously. "I know you wanted to be a dragon…"
"But I wouldn't want to take it away from anyone else!" I insisted.
"Good. Good!" Max relaxed, turning back to me. "I was worried there would be, you know, hard feelings, or whatever."
I shook my head. "No, no, it's fine. Besides, once I actually thought about it, I realized I wasn't sure how well I'd deal with something that… different. Wings should be plenty weird enough."
"It's pretty easy if you have the memories to go with the body."
"So I've heard. Still, it's probably best to ease into these things. 'Human with wings' is a safer start."
"Totally fair," Max said. "I'm a little surprised you didn't go Woren. Isn't that the stereotype?"
I stuck my hands on my hips. "Okay, now I'm a little upset."
"Really? Sorry."
"No, not really." I rolled my eyes. "I am surprised you made that joke at all."
"Hah. Well, as long as I didn't put my foot in my mouth again, I suppose." He threw his arms back in a stretch that was downright feline before flopping onto his back on the leaf-strewn forest floor. "Man, the Warehouse thing is a real drag in fantasy worlds. I can't exactly go out and buy a stretch of forest to use as a portal point."
"It was a lot easier in the cities," I agreed. "At least you can teleport."
"Yeah. Still a bother."
"What happened to all your property wealth this jump?" Max had gone Thief, unless I missed my guess.
"I told Management to distribute it among you guys in the way that made the most sense… so I think you got all of it."
I laughed awkwardly. "Haha… maybe…"
He sat back up. "Hey, Cass… err, what is your name this jump?"
"Lina."
"Huh, that doesn't follow your pattern at all… anyway, Lina, I have an idea…" I raised an eyebrow. "You're missing, now, right? So, if I lead you over to Rei and Teepo's house… they could 'find' you…"
"And I would be their ticket to Wyndia?" I asked. He shot me a thumbs up. "I don't know. Isn't that the same sort of manipulative plotting that made me such a disaster in Worm?"
"It's the opposite," he argued. "This is what you regret not doing, right? You're stepping in to stop something terrible from happening to people."
"And creating a 'less trauma-fueled adventure'?"
"Exactly. Rather than the call to adventure being the old Doomed Hometown trope, it's the opportunity to help someone—and help themselves in the process."
The gang's hideout wasn't exactly a 'Hometown', but the trope fit. Sometime in the spring, the gang would have decided to rob McNeil, and in doing so attract the ire of his 'business partners'. The Syndicate would have sent a couple of enforcers—the idiots who'd captured me, in fact—to kill the trio and burn down their home, leaving Ryu orphaned again. Then he'd go to Wyndia to look for his friends, not willing to accept that they were very likely dead, where he'd meet Nina… all of which I'd derailed by my impulse, bullheaded visit.
"I'm… not sure," I said slowly. "It sounds good when you phrase it like that, but it's still manipulative." Not that I haven't gotten myself neck-deep already with that stunt at the village.
"It is, in a way, but it's also not. Usually, 'manipulation' means leaning on someone to do something they wouldn't; here, we're giving them an opportunity to do something they want to do."
"Like the difference between 'bait' and 'entrapment'."
"You're being very negative today."
"Fine. Assuming I were to go along with this… what's the plan?"
Max smiled like I'd already agreed. "Well, you'll have to avoid the soldiers… you could claim you're scared the Mayor controls them or something…"
"Right back to manipulation," I grumbled. That would be more or less the opposite of what I'd told Captain Rupert when we'd approached the manor: I doubted any of the guards were loyal to McNeil, even in the unlikely case Rupert hadn't arrested—or simply executed—the corrupt Mayor following my disappearance.
"Would you be so confident they weren't if you didn't have any extra knowledge?"
I wouldn't be in this situation at all! But I was in it, now, so I conceded the point. "Fine… but even if I ignore that issue, given the genre, that seems like the sort of thing that's going to get me 'in the party', so to speak, and I'm not sure I want to get that close to everyone."
He paused as he studied my face. "You're still thinking about Worm."
"Of course I am."
Max stood up and walked around to sit down next to me before putting a fuzzy arm over my shoulders like an old friend sharing secrets. "You said I didn't give you enough guidance before Worm, and you're right, so get ready to be guided. The best advice I can give you is that you shouldn't try to keep Cass and Lina separate. You're both. The less you worry about which is which, the more naturally—and honestly—you'll act. Just let Cass be 'Lina' and everything will be fine."
"But what about—"
"People whose stories you know?" he finished for me. "That's simple: you treat them as people. Don't worry about what you know about their past or their future; just treat them respectfully in the moment, the way Lina would, and you won't have anything to worry about. Remember your 'answer'?"
It took me a second to realize he was talking about our conversation shortly after we left Worm. "Right the wrongs in front of me, and help the people I consider friends," I recited. "That's it?"
"That's all there is to it. Besides, it's not like you have the massive depth of intrusive knowledge you get from a long-running character-focused narrative, and you're already going to be 'involved' just by virtue of being in the family."
"Right." I was a little nervous about being 'in the family', now that he mentioned it, but the same advice applied. Be Lina. Simple.
Max smiled, then asked, "So… the plan?"
"It's an interesting idea," I admitted. "Do you know if Ryu's been released yet?"
"No clue," he said with a sigh. "Then there's the Nue, and that's after Ryu's been asleep for who knows how long… how do you feel about camping for a few days?"
"I don't want to give Ru…err, the Captain of my guard more trouble than I have already… but I do like the idea…" I nodded, then frowned when a thought struck me. "Although I don't want Ryu to notice me instead of Nina. That would be a mess."
Max shook his head. "I wouldn't worry about that too much. Judging by the nature of the eternal recurrence, they're practically soul mates."
"Hmm… this would be so much more convenient if it had happened on my way back to the capital in spring."
"You're far too precocious for that," he said with a grin. I scowled at him, which only amused him further. I'm sure I was an adorable little mess, at the moment, and I resented it immensely.
"Well… I have the skills to survive in the wilderness," I said. "I made the mistake of exhausting myself before I had prepared any of the things I would need to survive, but now that I've recovered… I should be able to spend a few days in the woods."
Max nodded. "I'll come by with the picnic basket again—"
"If I need it," I insisted "It may be more… authentic if I really am forced to fend for myself."
"If you're sure…" He stood up and collected the basket. "I should be able to find you again, even if you need to roam. I'll check up on you tomorrow, let you know when the plot kicks off."
I stood up as well, nodding confidently. "It's a plan."
"See you tomorrow, then." Max turned to leave, but something occurred to him, and he turned back for a bit of parting advice. "Be careful, Lina. There wasn't one in Three, but Nina's sisters have a bad pattern of dying for the sake of drama." He reached out and further rustled my hopelessly tangled hair. "Stay safe, all right?"
"I only look twelve," I grumbled. And make decisions like I'm twelve, apparently, a traitorous part of me whispered. My experience in Worm had given me a harsh lesson in how jump identities could affect me, so I could tell that this was at least partially Lina's tweenage stubbornness in play.
That didn't mean I needed to override it, though. I was already a capable combat mage, and there was something to be said for practicing survival skills I'd never actually used.
"Don't worry," I told him. "I'm not going to starve to death in one day!"
———X==X==X———
It didn't even take one day for me to regret my bravado. Wilderness survival was hard. Wilderness survival during a famine in a forest full of monsters was much, much harder. I couldn't even eat the monsters, since they disappeared into motes of light when killed.
When Max came back the next day, I was sorely tempted to insist he lead me out of the woods immediately. Instead, I settled for having him lead me to a good fishing spot; I'd almost made it to the river, so the main challenge was finding somewhere the bank wasn't too high or steep. A bit of work with a whittling knife turned a branch into a passable fishing rod; Tools of the Trade provided the line, reel, and hook. It wasn't exactly a reliable source of food in winter, but the occasional out-of-season trout meant that I was no longer starving.
Asking Max to retrieve my magic watch would have made the entire experience much more bearable—even easy, since it reduced both food and sleep requirements to merely one tenth of normal—but at that point I might as well have just had him cater me with the Picnic Basket. It was silly, stubborn tweenage pride, but it wasn't harming me, so I let it be. I was trying to 'be Lina', after all.
Max stopped by to give me the go-ahead about an hour after noon on my fifth day in the woods, and we set out towards Rei's house. Southwest—I had wandered very deep into the forest indeed.
"Say, Ca—Lina," Max corrected himself, "how would you feel about a moderate case of severe injury?"
"That's an oxymoron."
"It's a Portal reference, you philistine," he shot back. "Anyway… I was thinking it would be a convenient icebreaker for me to show up carrying a wounded girl, looking for help…"
Which would require me to let a bunch of monsters use me a chew toy for a bit. I was not enthused. "You'd need an explanation for why you didn't head to the village instead," I pointed out. "I am a poor, lost little girl who doesn't know her way around the woods. You are nowhere near disheveled enough to sell that."
"I could be."
I shook my head at his antics. "I'd rather not go out of my way to be injured."
"That's fair."
We walked on.
"So they've killed the Nue already?" I asked, changing the topic to something more practical.
"Yeah…" Max nodded. "Management dropped us in a little late. Ryu woke up a week before we arrived, then fell off the train and got adopted the same day. The boys going into town—and then getting run out of town—happened the day we got here—"
"That would be the same day I got into town," I pointed out.
"Yup. Well, from there, the whole mess with Bunyan beating the trio senseless and putting them to work was the same day. They killed the Nue three days ago, got back the day before yesterday, and got the standing ovation in town yesterday—which was the last event in the prologue I didn't want to interrupt."
He gave another catlike stretch, resting his hands on the back of his head, elbows out. "I was thinking about running into them during their trek up the mountain to hunt the Nue, but I didn't want to be a distraction that got them injured… and on the way back, well…" Max shrugged. "They weren't in such high spirits, you know? I did make sure they came out all right, but they didn't need my help, so I kept to the shadows."
"Any sign of Tess?"
"Nope. She's probably up in Dragnier."
"She's going to miss the whole plot, then."
"Not if she can get the teleporter working," he said. "That would save a lot of time in the late game… and skip a few adventures that might be worth having… we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right, I think we're close enough. You know the way from here?"
"I can walk in a straight line, yes." Being stuck in the woods for several days had made me snippy. Ah, well, best get it out of my system before I needed to start being diplomatic again. Max was inured to that sort of thing, and seemed to find it funny.
"Great. Good luck!" He turned away and vanished into the forest within a few steps. I was impressed; he was incredibly stealthy when he wanted to be. Max was probably still shadowing me to keep an eye on things, but I had to take that on faith because there was no sign of him.
I squared my shoulders and marched on. I still had my walking stick… I mean, my casting focus, which was good, because random encounters had never stopped being an annoyance. Any monsters too stupid to flee were blasted apart as I pressed on, trying to silence the worry that I had strayed from my course and missed the house. I was just about to stop and double back when I finally left the forest and stumbled into the clearing around the base of the odd little hill.
Higher up the slope, I could see the wooden fence surrounding the house; the gang's hideout was a cabin built into a massive, long-dead tree perched at the top of the mound. I'd approached from the east, however, so I still had to walk around the miniature mountain before I found the protagonists on the path up the south of the hill.
Ryu and Teepo were actually on the hard-beaten path that passed for a road, sparring—or perhaps merely playing—with a pair of sticks that were approximately sword-sized. They were a few years younger than I, if I had to guess, which would make them right around Nina's age of ten. Ryu had his trademark short blue hair, the stray 'ahoge' hair sticking straight up, while Teepo's hair was purple and down to his waist. They wore similar sets of armor, each sporting a breastplate and pauldrons over rough-spun tunics and trousers; Teepo actually had a sword belted on in addition to his stick, while Ryu didn't appear to be armed. Neither of them had noticed me; they were too focused on their stickmanship.
Rei had been watching from the sidelines, but he had certainly noticed me, and seemed to be trying to decide if he should say something or just hope I'd wander away again. His vest and pants were purple, rather than the brown I associated with him—ah, right, he'd changed his style after the timeskip. Like Max's new form, he looked like an anthropomorphic tiger: covered in black-striped yellow fur, the long blond hair on his head pulled back into a ponytail. His inhuman features made his age harder to judge. He was definitely older than I was, but probably not by much: sixteen or so if the fuzz wasn't completely ruining my estimate.
I cleared my throat. "Pardon me, sirs," I said. "I am very lost, and in need of assistance."
"You must be," Rei said. "Who are you? You don't look like one of the villagers."
Ah, right, introductions. I drew myself up to my full, still unimpressive height. "I am her highness, Crown Princess Lina of Wyndia."
Rei stared at me for a moment before laughing softly to himself, one hand nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, doesn't this just beat all? What's a Princess doing lost in the woods?"
"I was kidnapped," I said. "I managed to escape while my captors were asleep, but I was chased into the woods by monsters and lost my way. I've been roaming the forest for several days."
"Days?" he asked. A quick glance at the state of my clothes and hair were all it took to confirm that part of the story. "Uh, well, Princess… how about we take you to the village? I'm sure the Mayor can—"
"The Mayor is in league with the people who kidnapped me!" I yelped, shaking my head vigorously. "Please, sirs, if I could impose upon you…" I sent a meaningful glance at the two boys, who had stopped to listen to the conversation, sticks still in hand. Laying the manipulation on thick, aren't we? I did my best to ignore the thought—I was helping, right? "If you could escort me to Wyndia… I am sure Father would be most grateful."
That got their attention. "Wyndia, Rei!" Teepo cried. "This is it! Our opportunity to visit the city!"
"I don't know," Rei said. "I mean… this is strange, isn't it? What kind'a princess wanders about without any guards?"
"Rei…!" the boy whined. "You're always saying we'd go to Wyndia some day. Now's our chance! It's practically a royal invitation!"
"A royal invitation," Ryu whispered, eyes shining with wonder.
Rei sighed, his reasonable but unfounded suspicion no match for the boys' enthusiasm, then turned to face me and sketched a bow. "Well, your highness, it would seem that we, the bandits of Cedar Woods, are at your disposal."
"Don't introduce us like that!" Teepo yelled. "You'll scare her off!" He tossed his stick aside and hurried forward. "We're the heroes of Cedar Woods!" he said, shoving Rei out of the way. "I'm Teepo, that's Rei, and that's Ryu. Rescuing Princesses is hero work, right?" The other boy nodded eagerly, still clutching his practice weapon.
I bowed. "Thank you very much, good heroes of Cedar Woods. I am in your care."
———X==X==X———
I stayed the rest of the day at the house, given that I was not in the best of health despite my efforts at woodsmanship. It also gave me a chance to wash myself and my clothes; Rei loaned me one of his shirts while I laundered and repaired my ruined dress as best I could. It occurred to me, when I went to hand it back, that it was likely the same shirt Ryu used as pajamas his first night. Why the perennially bare-chested Woren even had a shirt like this was a mystery; it was certainly too large for Teepo or Ryu.
I also got to sleep in a bed for the first time since I'd arrived, which was just heavenly. All too soon, however, it was time to head back into the monster-infested wilds of Yraall. It wasn't as bad as it had been on my own; as a mage, I cannot overstate how much easier it is to fight when you actually have a pair of meat-shields in front of you.
Flare!
Rei could take care of most things by himself, but I wasn't going to slack off just because I had someone to carry me. I may be a princess, but that didn't mean I would lay around while others did all the work. The royal family had a job, and if that job allowed them to live in more comfort than anyone else, it was merely a perk of the intense responsibility we had to bear…
Oh, look, I was a monarchist this jump. Why did that surprise me?
Well, the royal family of Wyndia were no idle rich, and I had no intention of riding the coattails of my guide. As for the other two, Ryu 'flailed' rather than 'swung' at the various creatures we fought; it was more effective than it ought to be considering he often did so with his eyes closed. Teepo, meanwhile, was quite content to watch the three of us handle the monsters who got in our way. I wasn't sure if that was some echo of the game's three-person party limit or just him being lazy. I kept expecting Max to wander out of the brush, now that he knew where we were and where we were going, but he never appeared, and if he was still shadowing us, I saw no sign of it.
We crept around the village and farm, making sure to avoid the guards patrolling the area in force. Yraall Road was similarly crawling with guards, forcing us to push through the underbrush and slowing us down, so we camped out in the forest off the road that night. Rei pitched the tent—a large stretch of canvas he'd pulled from under one of the beds—while Ryu and Teepo gathered firewood. The boys had been fine allowing me to fight, but the three of them had unanimously agreed that it wouldn't do for a princess to help out around camp, so I was left to twiddle my thumbs while they started the fire and cooked a few potatoes and onions Rei had found somewhere… or perhaps stolen, I didn't ask. It wasn't a great meal, but it filled my stomach better than water. Then we sat, watching the fire burn down to embers as the last traces of light left the western horizon.
"Hey, princess," Teepo said. "How'd you get so powerful at magic, anyway?"
'I cheated', while true, was not the appropriate response here. "I am naturally skilled, I am told, and have had many tutors. In fact, I was traveling west to seek out a powerful wizard said to live in the Dauna Hills to further my training when I was abducted."
"Oh…" He shook his head. "I thought I was real good at magic… I'm loads better than Rei! But when I see you go… I worry I'd just slow you down."
"Is that why you haven't been fighting with us?" I asked.
"Well, I can use a sword real good, too, but three people swinging swords is too many, right?" He sighed again. "And you don't need any help with magic, so I thought if I watched you, I could learn how you cast so well!" Teepo paused, then asked, "Why are you so good at fighting, anyway? Shouldn't you have guards or something?"
I nodded. "I was traveling with a group of soldiers, but when we let our guard down, Mayor McNeil had two thugs overpower me and whisked me away."
"The Mayor?" Ryu asked.
"Yes, the Mayor," I agreed.
"Is that why we're avoiding all the soldiers on the road?" Rei asked.
I nodded. "It is. If the Mayor himself is involved in a conspiracy against the Crown, how could we be sure which were loyal?" Once again, I had to push down the unpleasant feeling that I was stringing the party along. It's barely a lie. If not for my metaknowledge, I wouldn't know they were trustworthy. Of course, if not for my meta-knowledge, I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place, but that wasn't worth worrying about now.
The three boys exchanged glances. "Well, doesn't this just beat all?" Rei muttered, then shook his head. "You know we're a bunch of bandits, right?"
"Rei!" Teepo whined.
I nodded. "I approached you because I was desperate… but I trust you because of that, not in spite of it. You are too far away from the village to be working with the Mayor, and bandits are easily motivated… I offered you a reward, and you agreed. Simple." I paused, then added, "…and I have already been robbed, so I have nothing further for you to steal except my… 'staff'." I hefted the tree branch I'd continued to use as a focus for emphasis. "Besides, royal favor is a far better offer than ransom and the King's wrath."
"We wouldn't do that!" Ryu said quickly.
"We're not kidnappers!" Teepo agreed. "We steal, but we don't hurt people! We gotta eat like everyone else, right?" Rei nodded agreement, though Ryu didn't look sure at all.
"I believe you," I said. "You are earnest folk, although perhaps not honest, exactly…" The boys ducked their heads. "Perhaps you should ask Father for a pardon. Then, there would be no reason to introduce you as anything other than the Heroes of Cedar Woods!"
Teepo practically preened at that; he seemed like a sweet kid, chip on his shoulder aside.
After a few more minutes of relaxation around the fire, it was time to sleep. I was not asked to keep watch, and didn't offer; I still wasn't used to needing eight hours of sleep, and it showed.
———X==X==X———
Even with the delays, it still only took us two days to reach Myrneg. We camped out at the base of the mountain on the second day of travel, and on the third, we went mountain climbing. The climb marked our first change of 'party members'; Teepo took over fighting duties from Ryu, who was huffing and puffing from making the climb in his armor.
Climbing Mt. Myrneg was faster than riding up it, since we didn't need to stick to the wide, looping track the wagon had been forced to follow, but it still took most of the day for us to reach the summit. The sun was well into its descent when we finally reached the peak, and that was when we ran into real trouble. JRPG tropes remained in full effect: Balio and Sunder were standing on the path, loudly arguing about what to do now that their payday had escaped.
"We can still find her!" Balio said. "If the guards are still looking for her, we still have a chance!"
"We gotta focus on the Contest!" Sunder argued. "If we don't get started, people aren't going to show!"
"Forget the Contest, bro! We nab the princess, we won't need to run that scam ever again!"
"And how are we gonna do that? She could be anywhere!"
"That's why we're here!" Balio said, waving at the mountain. "She's gotta come through here if she wants to go back to Wyndia! Then… bam!"
"Ah! You're amazing, bro!"
These idiots were either weirdly meta-genre-savvy or just plain lucky, because by all rights I should have just walked right back to my guards and carried on my way.
I turned to look at Rei and Ryu. "We can probably sneak past once they fall asleep… where'd Teepo go?" I asked, cuing the dramatic irony.
"Villains!" Teepo yelled, brandishing his rapier at the pair. Oh, no. He'd left our hiding spot and approached them, the fool! "You're the ones responsible for the princess's kidnapping!" The brothers exchanged a glance, then began laughing uproariously, which only made Teepo more angry.
"Well, doesn't this just beat all?" Rei groaned. Ryu simply hid his face in his hands, and I was strongly tempted to imitate him.
"Who are you, kid?" Balio asked.
"I'm Teepo, one of the heroes of Cedar Woods!" he yelled. "And you kidnapped the princess, didn't you?"
Balio and Sunder shared a glance. "Yeah, we did," Sunder said.
"What are you going to do about it, huh?" Balio asked.
"I'm going to make you pay for your crimes!" He rushed forwards, sword streaking towards Balio's throat, only for Sunder to kick him hard enough to send him flying back the way he'd come. He rolled to a stop twenty feet away and lay there, clutching what was surely a shattered ribcage.
"Say… bro…" Sunder said. "You figure he knew the princess?"
"He knew an awful lot," Balio agreed. The two of them turned to look at the bush we were hiding in; it wasn't a hard guess, given that it was the only shrubbery for a hundred feet in any direction. I was pretty sure I felt the single, massive cartoon sweat-drop form on my head as they slowly approached our hiding spot.
Running would require us to leave Teepo behind, so we stepped out of the bush while we still had time to prepare, and the boss fight began. It did not go well. The monsters we'd fought to this point hadn't prepared us to face people as strong or stronger than we were, and Rei was the only 'real' fighter among us. Less than a minute after the fight started, Ryu ate dirt—he was still alive, but he stayed down even when I cast a healing spell on him. I guess that was what zero hit points looked like. At that point, the pair turned their attention to Rei, and he went down as well.
Myself? I was still on my feet, but I was leaning heavily on my branch, panting with exertion. I could probably manage one or two more spells, at most, not that it would help. The brothers weren't even winded. Sunder laughed as he stepped over the boys, pausing to kick Rei in the ribs just out of spite.
"Not. Another. Step."
We three currently on our feet turned towards the voice… Max's voice. The Woren had appeared behind me, a massive ōdachi in its sheath in his left hand. He stepped forward menacingly, striding past me; Sunder retreated a step for each step Max took until he bumped into Balio, having not taken his eyes off the newcomer.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Balio asked, shoving his brother out of the way. "You best get out of our way, or we'll handle you the same way we did those three."
"I don't think so." Max raised the ōdachi, putting his main hand on the hilt. He crouched into a ready stance like a runner, weapon held at his side, ready to draw—some sort of iaidō stance. "You two should run."
"Uh… bro?" Sunder said. "I think we might want to go..."
"No!" Balio snapped. "We're so close! Kill the cat and we're home fr—"
Max moved. One moment he was in front of them; the next he was past, already sheathing the ōdachi. There was a shnick of a blade leaving (or entering?) a sheath, a crack of a small body breaking the sound barrier, and then silence. The two brothers blinked in bewilderment for a moment before a comically-timed gust of wind left them stripped to their small-clothes and shaved bald.
"Run," Max snarled, punctuating the threat with the shnick of the ōdachi sliding back out of its sheath. He didn't need to tell them twice; they fled west down the mountain yelling threats and obscenities over their shoulders, leaving the five of us alone on the summit. Max tossed me a mana restorative and a revive—some sort of smelling salt—and left me to handle Rei while he tended to Ryu. The acorn was tough and bitter, but I could already feel it working while I waved the salts under Rei's nose, prodding him with my other hand. I healed him as soon as he came around—I wasn't sure exactly how 'fainting' worked, but the last thing I wanted to do was waste energy—then sat down and looked him over, checking to make sure the spell had done its work.
A few feet away, Ryu got to his feet with a groan; Max had already turned back down the mountain, towards where Teepo lay where he'd landed a few minutes earlier.
"Wow…" Ryu said. He walked over and offered us a hand up.
"Wow is right…" I let him pull me to my feet; Rei waved him off. "Are you all right?"
"Right as rain!" Rei said. "But that guy…" He sat up to look at me, then over at Ryu, then down the path towards where Max was shoving vitamins down Teepo's throat. Rei lay back down, facing the darkening sky. "Well, doesn't this just beat all?"
"Who was that?" Ryu asked.
"The stranger? I haven't a clue," Rei said, finally letting us help him up. "Maybe you can ask him," he added, and I turned to see that Max and Teepo were indeed on their way back.
I pushed my lingering spellcasting fatigue away and stormed down the path to glower at Teepo. "You brave, headstrong idiot!" I seethed. "What were you thinking?"
"I just…" Teepo hung his head for a moment before he straightened up. "I was trying to help!" he yelled, the fire coming back as he met my scowl with his own. "At least I did something! You guys were all hiding!"
"Of course we were! We could have stayed hidden and snuck past when they were asleep! Instead, you almost got yourself killed!"
Max thwacked me on the forehead with his tail as he walked by. «Your tsundere is showing, Princess,» he sent.
"What? Hey!" But he had already passed us. I rubbed the spot he'd hit irritably. I am not tsundere… oh dear, I was. I totally was. Talk about cringe-worthy! "Not that I like you or anything," I told Teepo hurriedly, then cringed harder. Why have you betrayed me, my tropes!?
I left Teepo to puzzle over my strange behavior and snuck off to eavesdrop on Max and Rei instead. The two Woren were facing off a couple feet away from each other, looking nervous. Max's ōdachi was still in his hands, while Rei was conspicuously keeping his hands away from the daggers at his belt.
Max broke the silence. "Marco," he said, taking his right hand off his weapon and holding it out to shake.
"Rei."
Marco broke into a wide grin as the other Woren took his hand. "I guess we owe you one…" Rei said.
"Think nothing of it." Marco slipped the ōdachi's carrying strap back over his shoulder. "Where are you folks headed? Wyndia? What are a bunch of woodsmen going to the capital for?"
"Oh, you know…" Rei trailed off, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Where are you headed?"
"Genmel Arena," Marco said. "There's a tournament there that I want to compete in. They call it the Contest of Champions."
So that's what it sounded like when someone spoke in a different color.
"The Contest of Champions, huh?" Rei turned to look west down the mountain, in the direction the horsemen had fled. "Say, uh… Marco… where are you from?" He turned back to face the other Woren. "Are there more like… like us?"
"I grew up west of Mt. Levette… and no… not there, anyway. You're only the second Woren I've ever met."
"Second? Who's the first?"
Marco coughed awkwardly. "Uh… me?"
"Oh… heh…" Rei sighed. "I guess… if there's one, there must be more, right?"
"Maybe…" Marco tugged on his coat. "Say, if we're both heading east… do you mind if I travel with you for a time? At least till Eygnock Road? It's been a lonely journey."
Teepo had followed me while I wasn't paying attention, and chose that moment to speak up. "We don't need…"
"Sure!" Rei said.
Ryu nodded. "We'd be happy to have you along," he added.
"Wait a minute!" Teepo said. "We can barely feed ourselves and the pri… I mean… and… uh…" He looked at me nervously, having realized slightly too late that identifying me as the Princess might be a bad idea.
Marco, of course, knew everything there was to know about the situation, and quickly smoothed things over the best way possible: with food. "It's no problem," he said, producing the picnic basket from somewhere within his coat, which wasn't nearly loose enough to conceal such a thing. "I travel prepared." The 'heroes' began salivating at the enticing smells of cheese and sausage wafting from the basket—I lied to myself by imagining I was far too dignified for such a thing—and looked extremely disappointed when it vanished back into his coat. "But let's get off the mountain first, yeah?"
The four of us couldn't agree fast enough.
———X==X==X———
Tempestuous
Words are wind, so I write.
- Location
- CA
AN: In Breath of Fire, Ryu is a silent Protagonist. Here, he talks. I think the game implies that he does, the player just never 'hears' it.
Even then, I've written the dialog such that I, at least, can easily imagine the lines omitted in a 'game' version of the events. I think you could replace most of his words with one of the game's various emotes and still have it work... mostly because everyone is mysteriously compelled to repeat what he says if it's not obvious from context. TROPES!
Even then, I've written the dialog such that I, at least, can easily imagine the lines omitted in a 'game' version of the events. I think you could replace most of his words with one of the game's various emotes and still have it work... mostly because everyone is mysteriously compelled to repeat what he says if it's not obvious from context. TROPES!
Chapter 66: Where the Heart Is
Tempestuous
Words are wind, so I write.
- Location
- CA
AN: Beta-read by Carbohydratos, Did I?, Gaia, Linedoffice, Zephyrosis, Mizu, and Misty Raven-chan.
I swallowed my pride and allowed Marco to carry me down the mountain; my stubbornness would only have slowed us down. I'd spent every bit of energy I had on my spells, and the wisdom fruit had only done so much; I was tired in a way I hadn't been since Bet.
We'd followed Yraall Road from McNeil Village to the base of Mt. Myrneg; on the other side of the mountain, the Road continued east across the rest of Wyndia—the kingdom, that is, not the city. The road ran parallel to the two major rivers of Wyndia, the Dauna River flowing from the west and the Eygnock River flowing from the east, which met head-on just south of Myrneg before continuing on into the South Sea. We camped at the foot of Mt. Myrneg again that night, this time on the eastern side.
Teepo was uncharacteristically quiet following his swift defeat at the summit, and barely spoke as the five of us gathered around the campfire to enjoy the bounty of the picnic basket. He certainly hadn't let his humiliation affect his appetite, but I was a little worried about the sudden change; even the normally taciturn Ryu was less subdued. I need not have worried, however; Teepo was noticeably more lively the following day, and contributed to the destruction of the monsters in our way with great enthusiasm. Marco didn't fight at all; he probably didn't want to soak up all the experience, if such a system even applied here. It was good practice for the three boys, regardless, and I hung back while they handily dispatched the various goblins, goos, and a strange type of creature Marco called a gonghead that looked like a naval mine with an eagle's face on it. JRPG enemies, I don't know.
The roads were clear, the soldiers having concentrated their search on the western side of the Kingdom, so we made much better time; we arrived at the Eygnock Crossroads in late afternoon, and decided to make camp there. It was just over a single day's journey to Wyndia from the eastern side of Myrneg; if we'd left at the break of dawn, we might have been able to arrive shortly after sunset but before the last light of day. That said, the sense of urgency had faded somewhat, so I was perfectly content to camp out at the Crossroads. Yraall Road led east and west, while the north road led straight to Wyndia City, and the south road led to a bridge over Eygnock River, and then to Maekyss Gorge, the canyon the united rivers surged through on their way to the sea. Personally, I was delighted to have three square meals in the same day, since Marco would be sticking with us until it was time to head south over the Gorge to Genmel the following morning.
"I don't suppose I could convince you to accompany us to Wyndia, Master Marco?" I asked—because etiquette (and my stomach) demanded it, not because I expected Max to agree. "You did us a great favor."
He laughed. "I suppose I could… but you kids are plenty tough, right? You didn't have any trouble making it to the top of the mountain, and I haven't needed to lift a finger since. Besides, I don't think those two will be showing themselves any time soon, and I'm still on my way to the Contest."
"When is that?" Ryu asked.
"The Contest? It's in the spring." Marco nodded to himself. "They say the same man wins the Contest every time. I would like to meet him before I face him in the Arena."
"That's why you set out in winter?" Rei asked. Marco nodded. "The same guy every time, huh? Must be a hell of a fighter."
"Must be… that's why I want to meet him. If he's really good, then I don't want to waste my time fighting when I know I'm going to lose." 'Marco' was being humble; I don't think Max would lose to anyone if he really tried.
"You're really good, though," Ryu said.
"Sure, I'm good… but am I good enough?" Marco stretched and lay back on the grass, gazing up at the night sky. Hey, that's the same animation he used back in the woods! It was weird seeing that in the flesh. "It's called the Contest of Champions for a reason," he continued. "They say the best fighter gets to demand anything he wants."
"Anything?" Ryu repeated.
"Well… that's what they say. It's probably just to get people excited. It's not like they can make you a king. What would you ask for, Ryu?"
"Hmm…" Ryu paused, his adorable little face scrunched up in thought. "I'd want to make sure Rei and Teepo never went hungry." That is precious. "What do you want, mister Marco?"
"Taking care of your family? That's a fine thing to want. As for me, well…" Marco sighed. "That is a very good question indeed."
The conversation ended there, and I fell asleep wondering how much of that answer was Marco, and how much was Max.
We bid Marco goodbye the following morning. He headed south, across the river, while we turned north towards the capital.The towers and windmills were already visible over the horizon—it was called 'the city of windmills' for a reason—and grew steadily larger throughout the day, until it felt like they filled the whole world. I remembered Wyndia City, but experiencing something post-import for the first time is different in a way that's hard to describe to anyone who hasn't had to deal with 'novel' memories. Why is simple—it was the difference between pre-insert Lina's experience of the sight and post-insert Cass-as-Lina's experience of the same thing—but the feeling itself wasn't something English had good words for.
As the crossroads were slightly closer to Wyndia than Mt. Myrneg, we managed to arrive at the city gates in mid-afternoon, and found the way barred. "What purpose do you ruffians have in approaching the capital?" one of the gate guards asked, his halberd helping his partner's block the road.
Did I want to say it?
I very much did.
"Do you have any idea who you are speaking to?" I asked, standing as straight and tall as my childish body would go. "You challenge her highness, the Crown Princess Lina herself, and the heroes who have rescued her from her captors and conveyed her home at great personal risk!"
"Uh… we did that?" Rei whispered. I wanted to elbow him—hard—but it wouldn't be proper behavior for a princess. Teepo took care of it for me. Good man, Teepo.
The guards exchanged a glance. "She… looks kinda like the princess, I guess…" Guard Two said, not moving from his position against the wall. His voice was breathy and slightly nasal, perhaps because his nose had clearly been broken and improperly set at some point in the past.
"The princess is blonde, though," Guard One said stubbornly, picking at the acne scars on his chin.
"The princess has not had a bath in over a week," I snapped, "and will have you both thrown into a cell if you do not take me to Father immediately!"
Alas, the guards were not impressed. "Threatening an officer of the law is a crime, isn't it?" Guard One asked.
"Impersonating a member of the royal family is a crime, too," Guard Two said.
And that's how we ended up in the dungeons.
I actually felt sorry for the poor guards who'd had the misfortune to haul us away: they'd displayed an impressive amount of distrust towards random, unwashed strangers turning up at their door. It was still damnably inconvenient, and I had little doubt their lives would be very unpleasant indeed once Father sorted everything out, but their incredulity was preferable to McNeil's paper-thin 'security'.
Unfortunately, my family was far from idle, and it was not until near sundown—as best I could reckon it in the underground cells we found ourselves in—that Father finally decided to investigate the impostor. His reaction to seeing me in the cell, several days' travel worth of dirt marring my dress and person, was one of absolute fury, concealed behind the kind of tranquility that precedes someone shoving a belt knife through another man's eye.
"You arrested the impostor yourselves?" he asked the guards accompanying him.
"Yes, your majesty," a voice I recognized as Guard Two said. "She claimed to be Princess Lina."
"She must have heard of the Princess's disappearance somehow," Guard One added.
"Hmm… maybe…" Father said, scratching his beard in thought, "… or maybe… THAT! IS! MY! DAUGHTER!" he bellowed, rounding on the two guardsmen, who leapt nearly a foot into the air. "You imbeciles arrested the Crown Princess!"
"What!?"
"But… but surely…"
"Get her out of there!" he yelled. "And lock yourselves in, while you're at it!"
"Yes, your majesty!" the guardsmen wailed, hurrying to comply. I was practically tossed out of the cell, the hapless guardsmen locking themselves in before Father could change his mind and order their execution instead.
The King rushed to embrace me, and I let Lina's reactions take center stage, which meant sobbing into his shirt. I had perks to handle fear, perks to keep me from freezing, perks to keep me going in times of stress… but ignoring fear didn't mean I didn't feel it, and once I stopped and let myself—my twelve-year-old self—experience all the fear I'd been pushing away, I was inconsolable.
It was several minutes before I managed to pull myself together enough to wipe my eyes and straighten my horribly messy hair, putting on the bare minimum of noble propriety. "F-Father," I said, voice hitching. "I… I'm back."
"Yes, you are," he said. "Come, let us get you cleaned up." He took my hand and pulled me towards the stairs.
"Wait!" I yelled. "My friends!" I pulled him back the other way, to where Rei, Teepo, and Ryu were sitting in their cell. "These heroes saved me and brought me home!"
The King looked over the three boys. They didn't look particularly reputable… but then, we'd all been living rough the last few days, and if my own state was this bad, surely they could clean up just as well. "Is this true?" he asked.
Rei decided to try to answer. "Uh… that is… I guess we did do those things, your… tall… highness?"
Father looked to me as though he was waiting for me to admit to a prank. I just nodded.
"Very well. Guards!" he yelled, looking around for the men on duty… who he'd just locked up. "Ah, one moment…" He walked back to the other cell and returned with the keys, letting the Cedar Woods gang out of their cell. "I must hear all about your journey. But first… I believe you could all use a bath…"
Bathing.
Was.
Heavenly.
It took five buckets of blissfully hot water and half a bar of soap before the bathwater stopped turning black at my touch. The attendants worked overtime scrubbing under my nails, teasing knots and debris out of my hair, and generally restoring me to a 'princess-ly' state. Some part of me was feeling decidedly uncomfortable with the level of classicism on display, but I reminded myself that I could very well have chosen not to be a spoiled child and had no right to feel weird about it now. Focusing on Lina's memories over Cassandra's let me ignore the nagging feeling of strangeness and just enjoy the bath. In fact, it ended far too soon, in my opinion; I would have been content to be soaked and scrubbed for hours.
Nevertheless, duty called, and I was toweled dry and passed along to another set of attendants, who clipped my ragged nails and hair. Then it was time to be dressed in a Disney-Princess style gown and have my hair styled. I scowled when I saw myself in the mirror and pulled the ribbons out of my hair, commanding the hairdressers to give me a single braid. Twin-tails, really? I could only put up with so much.
Ryu, Teepo, and Rei had all endured similar grooming, with varying degrees of grace; I held out hope the younger boys had borne it with dignity, but I'd heard Rei's yelling through the walls. The poor guy embodied the cats-hate-water stereotype.
Still, despite the indignities the universe seemed intent on forcing on me, I was feeling lovely as Dora—my governess, a lady in her seventies with a mind like a steel trap and a manner to match—led me towards the dining hall. I had my Moon Tear in my pocket, my Bangles on my wrists, my Journal and Map in hammerspace, and my watch in a purse at my belt, where it wouldn't attract questions. I was equipped, and would be damned sure to keep all my items on hand going forward.
At my insistence, Nina and Ryu were seated next to each other across from me, paying almost as much attention to each other as they did the food; they were so cute. Teepo was next to me for symmetry, while Rei was at the far end of the table, where his manners—or lack thereof—would cause the least offense.
Of course, we were called on to tell the tale of my rescue, and I immediately rose to the challenge: I made sure to emphasize the help I'd received from the three boys, starting with them hosting me for a night after I'd dragged myself out of the woods, sharing their meager food supplies, and then putting their lives on the line when my kidnappers attempted to recaptured me. I glossed over their ineffectiveness in the last part, making it sound like they'd had the situation under control the entire time. Marco received only a single mention as a 'friendly stranger' who stopped to offer aid after the fight at the summit, and accompanied us until we parted ways at the Eygnock Crossroads.
"… … … and then we were thrown in the dungeons," I concluded.
"Those fools," Father said, shaking his head. "They are lucky to keep their heads."
"Perhaps we should encourage them," I said. "After all, they would not be fooled by an impostor, no matter how skilled."
"Or perhaps they would be fooled by anyone who was properly clean," he countered. "No, don't worry, dear, I won't be punishing them too terribly… thought they'll be stuck guarding some distant checkpoint for the next decade. Speaking of the guards, the Captain was livid when he returned to find you and McNeil gone. Not nearly as much as I was when I learned he'd lost you, though… I had a half a mind to strip him of his post the moment I heard. I relented; he had the best chance of finding you, after all. He's been scouring the countryside for any sign of you or the former Mayor ever since."
McNeil was gone? That was… not actually that surprising, really. "I heard one of the kidnappers mention Syn City," I said, slightly weirded out by the way I emphasized the name without meaning to. "McNeil may have fled there, to get as far away from the capital as possible."
"Of course… Syn City… hardly surprising. There are only so many places McNeil could be smuggling goods to…" Father sighed. "You are sure?"
"The kidnappers said they were taking me to Syn… ahem… to Syn City, before I escaped."
"Then we will prepare a force to capture the treacherous McNeil as soon as possible… and perhaps the kidnappers, as well." The King nodded to himself, before turning to Ryu and Teepo. "You boys have my sincerest thanks for returning my daughter to me. Tell me, young man," he said to Ryu. "What is it you wish for most?"
Marco had asked the same question, so Ryu didn't hesitate. "I would like my friends to never go hungry again," he said solemnly, pointing at Teepo and Rei.
The King stared at him for a moment, then let out another hearty laugh. "A true gentleman! I can hardly think of a finer thing to ask for than the care of ones' friends and family! You are all my guests for as long as you wish to stay, and evermore, should you return. Please, enjoy yourselves!"
"Thank you, your highness," Ryu said, bowing his head.
Father turned to Teepo next. "And you? What can I help you with, my young friend?"
"Uh, well…" Teepo fidgeted for a moment, looked to me, then said, "A pardon?"
Father blinked in confusion. "A pardon?"
"We didn't have any money, so… we had to steal, sometimes… we had to eat!" Teepo leapt to his own defense. "We didn't hurt anyone! We just needed to eat, like anyone else…"
"I see… you say you came from Cedar Woods?" Father asked. "North of McNeil Village?" Teepo nodded. "Then perhaps your need to steal was partially the fault of the disgraced Mayor. You will have your pardon."
"Great," Teepo said.
"Say thank you," I whispered.
"Thanks," he added.
"And what about you?" The King asked Rei. "What would you ask for, sir?"
"Mph," Rei said around a mouthful of pork. He swallowed, took a deep drink from his goblet, then paused to think the question through. "We've got food and a pardon… I don't think we need anything else," he said.
"How humble! Well, should you think of anything, you have but to ask!"
Rei laughed nervously, hand on the back of his neck. He didn't say it out loud, but I could read his face easily enough.
Well, doesn't this just beat all?
After the days I'd just endured, I wanted nothing more than to head straight to bed after the feast, but my duties both as a hostess and a friend compelled me to seek out the boys and make sure they would be comfortable. I summoned one of the servants to show us to their rooms. Teepo followed close behind the man, Rei and Ryu trailing after him. Nina and I brought up the rear. "The food was worth the bath, I hope?" I asked Rei as we climbed the castle stairs.
"Heh… I suppose so. I've never eaten so well in my life."
"I'll say!" Teepo agreed. "I'd bathe every day if it let me eat like that!"
"Please do," I told him. "It would be wise not to stretch Father's tolerance too far."
"Do I have to?" he whined.
I rolled my eyes. "You did volunteer."
"Your room, sirs," the servant said, opening a door to the large space they'd spent the last few hours preparing. I'd advised Father that the group would likely wish to remain together, so an entire team of servants had spent hours manhandling furniture into place to turn a parlor into a triple bedroom. Ryu immediately headed over to the nearest bed and laid his head on it, stroking the fine linens. The servant continued, "If you wish, we can prepare separate rooms…" All three boys shook their heads vigorously. "Very well. If there is anything else we can offer, you need only ask." He shuffled off, and Ryu put his head back on the soft bedding. Poor guy looked as tired as I felt.
"I'll leave you to your rest," I said.
I turned to leave as well, but paused when Nina pushed past me to address the boys. "Thank you very much for helping my sister," she said with a dainty curtsy.
Rei chuckled nervously. "We didn't do all that much…" he said.
"You were very brave," Nina argued. "And then the guards were mean enough to put you in jail…"
"It was only a few hours," he said. "To be honest, when they arrested us… I was worried we HAD been helping an impostor…"
"Really?" I asked.
He laughed again. "I mean…"
"We thought we'd been tricked!" Teepo piped up. "That you'd fooled us, and gotten us all in loads of trouble! We were real mad!"
Rei shook his head. "I was really surprised when the King started yelling… and relieved, too…"
I smiled. "Well, I hope you're not angry anymore…"
"Of course not!" he said. "This is…" he trailed off, looking around the lavish room at the four-poster beds, fluffy rugs, and throw pillows. "It's… something."
"I… we are very grateful for all you've done for me," I said. "If there is anything you need… food, clothes, anything at all… please, just ask, and one of the servants will handle it with haste."
"They're probably tired," Nina said.
I know, sis, that's why I was leaving before you started talking. "Of course. Goodnight, friends." We curtsied and headed back into the hall, closing the door behind us.
We'd only walked a few steps down the hall before Nina latched onto me, hugging me tightly. "I was so scared," she whispered. "When we heard you were gone… I thought I'd never see you again."
"I was scared, too," I admitted, holding her close. "I'm glad to be home."
I'd slotted an alt-form this jump mostly for the simple fact that I didn't want to spent several uninterrupted years as a teenager again, especially if fate conspired to stick me somewhere I really needed emotional maturity on tap—something that seemed to have been borne out already, given how childish my-slash-Lina's decision making was in hindsight. I could have slotted my 'Kasey' form, which I'd gotten used to using as a matter of habit, but I'd decided to use the Generic-RPG 'Cassandra' form instead on a whim.
A feature I hadn't expected to need was that it was a convenient way to sneak around. I found a maid's uniform that mostly fit 'Cassandra' (tight in the bust, of course) and slipped through the palace gates shortly after sunset without anyone batting an eye—well, a few guardsmen may have stared, but no one would ever connect the pint-sized Crown Princess to some comely maid on her way out of a feudal society's concept of marriageable age.
Even with the horizon still aglow, the streets were nearly deserted. Most of the people I passed were similarly attired; maids and menservants running late trying to get their masters' bidding done before the last light of day faded. The streetlamps were chrysm lights, but most windows were lit with candles or not at all.
My destination was a modest home high in the city that I could immediately pick out by the steady glow of chrysm lamps from behind the curtains. A sharp knock at the door summoned a matronly woman in an apron and bonnet who smiled happily as she let me in. "Hello, Cass," Deanna said. "I heard you had a bit of an adventure already." She'd pulled her straight brown hair into a loose ponytail, which ran forward over her left shoulder by necessity due to her choice of head-wear reaching the back of her neck.
"That's putting it lightly." I followed her into a simple sitting room containing a few old but well-cared-for armchairs and a dining table setup, with two doors leading farther into the house. Thick curtains were drawn over the windows, and most of the floor was covered by a large quilted rug. Homura was dusting the furniture on one side of the room, dressed like a maid of all things. "Hello, Homura."
"Hello, Cass," she said.
"Hey, Cass," Ace said. I turned, having missed the fact that he was sitting at the table.
"Oh, hi, Ace. What are you doing here?"
"I own the building," Ace explained. "We were thinking about making ourselves a proper orphanage, and we might still do it in a few years, but at the moment it didn't seem fair to put him in with other children. Instead, we ended up as a weird little nuclear family."
"Fair to the other kids, or to him?"
"Both. Come on, sit down," he added, motioning to the chair opposite his. Deanna had already taken the chair to his left.
I sat.
"So," I said cautiously, "how is he?"
"See for yourself." Ace flipped a thumb over his shoulder, prompting me to lean to my right to see around him. I only managed to glimpse a shock of blond hair before the owner hid behind the doorway.
"He's skittish," Homura said.
"He's shy," Ace countered. "Come on, Zeke, it's just Cassandra."
The hair slowly returned, followed by a pair of bright blue eyes that scanned the whole room before Zeke finally straightened and stepped out from behind the door frame. He was somewhere in his early-to-mid teens, a year or two older than Lina. "Hello," he said quietly.
"Hello, Zeke," I said. "Remember me?"
"I do," he confirmed. "You were Kasey."
"I was."
"Come sit down?" Ace asked.
Zeke hesitated, perhaps looking for a way to avoid additional social interaction, but he eventually joined us at the table.
"So, Zeke, how is being human?" I asked.
"It's terribly confusing," he said. "All the sensations are so cluttered and imprecise, and emotions are even worse. How do chemicals and voltage potentials create so much feeling?" He lay his arms flat on the table and slumped down to rest his chin on them. "I can't believe you live like this all the time."
"You're doing very well," Deanna said gently. She turned to me and explained, "He's still adjusting. It's rough, sometimes, but he's shown steady improvement."
"He's still having trouble dealing with how intense certain feelings are," Homura added, speaking up for the first time since I'd sat down.
"Ah." I glanced at Zeke, who hadn't reacted at all to being discussed like he wasn't here. "What do you do all day?" I asked him.
"Exist," Zeke said without a hint of irony.
"Do you read, or play, or study, or practice a skill?"
"I don't need to."
"Sure, but… do you want to?"
"No."
"Have you tried?"
"No."
"You did that drawing of us," Ace reminded him. "Why don't you go get it? Show Cass what you made?"
"Do I have to?"
Ace put on a look that fathers everywhere used to say, "I'm not going to order you to do it but you're damned well going to do it," and Zeke sighed like the sullen teenager he was before heading out of the room.
"What are you grinning at?" Ace asked me.
"Just… that," I said. "That whole exchange was so 'normal family' it wrapped all the way back around to weird." He chuckled, but any response was cut off by Zeke returning and laying a large, heavy sheet of paper down on the table for my viewing.
I'd expected some sort of childish crayon scribble—uncharitable, perhaps, but he was only a couple weeks into his human life. What he'd actually created was incredible. It was a pencil drawing of some sort—charcoal, maybe—of not just the local 'family' but the entire Jumpchain crew. Max's portrait was in the center, with the Companions arranged around him in a spiral based on the order they'd been recruited. I spotted Homura near the center; Tess, Dinah, Zeke, and I were the last four, each in our own corner. The true genius was that every person was done in a different style, running the gamut from photorealism to impressionism without ever clashing with the neighboring drawings. It was, without a doubt, an absolute work of art.
"That's… incredible," I said, staring at the picture. "You're an amazing artist."
"No, I'm not," Zeke protested.
"You're not?"
"Is a printer an artist?" he argued. "I didn't create this, I reproduced it. All it took was cross-referencing all known styles of drawing with their emotional and sensory-experience associations, optimizing the graph of stylistic juxtapositions to ensure the contrasts achieved maximum aesthetic value, sorting the subjects of the image, and then rendering a portrait in that style for each. There was no creativity in it."
"'Optimizing the graph of stylistic juxtapositions' sounds pretty creative to me," I argued. "You had to judge how to arrange things—"
"I solved how to arrange things," he corrected me.
"Well, you decided it would be best to use a different style for each person—"
"I asked how to choose the most pleasing style and was told that I should try several and decide for myself," Zeke explained, frustration leaking into his voice. "I've come to suspect that that answer was intended to be deliberately unhelpful, because I am no closer to understanding why I would have chosen any of them."
"Which one was the most fun to… uh… render?"
"I do not see what my experience of 'fun' has to do with the aesthetic value of the finished product."
I looked to Deanna for help, and in return got a look that amounted to, 'This is what I deal with all day.'
Homura walked me out to the porch, then shut the door.
"What do you think?" I asked.
There was a long pause. "He's… strange," she decided. "There's more to him than I expected. I didn't think he was 'anyone' back on Bet, not really." Another pause. "He's… not a blank slate, exactly, but I don't think he's the same… being, either. I'm not sure how to treat him."
I nodded. "I probably don't need to remind you, but how you treat him will change who he becomes. He's probably very impressionable at this point, blank slate or no."
"I know. That's part of what makes it so difficult. I want to…" She hesitated. "I want to shake him. Interrogate him. But until he's able to defend himself—verbally and emotionally, I mean—it would just be abuse, and that would make everything worse."
"Yeah."
The sun had fully set, and the glow from the occasional streetlight barely held the darkness at bay. There were fewer stars overhead than I'd expected—comparable to a modern city, even with far less light pollution. A product of how the game's creators visualized the night sky? I shook my head slightly to dismiss the thought; that wasn't a road I wanted to start down again.
"What do you think?" Homura asked, breaking the silence.
I hesitated.
"He seems like a sweet kid," I admitted.
To my surprise, she nodded. "He does," she agreed. "I still hate… who he was, I guess, but Zeke as he is now is… likable."
"Bad case of Impostor Syndrome, though," I noted.
"You noticed that?"
"It was hard to miss."
"I suppose so."
Silence fell once more. It was time for me to head home… after I addressed the elephant in the room.
"Do you think Max's plan is going to work?"
Homura took her time answering this question, as well.
"That depends on who he is at the end of the jump," she said. "He's still… growing into his humanity. Ace and Deanna are good influences, I think, but I don't know how his nature will affect him."
"Then there's nothing to do but wait and see."
"You'll stop by again, right?"
"Of course." I pulled her into a quick hug. "I'm going to be busy, but I'll sneak away whenever I can."
"You don't have to…" Homura trailed off, then simply said, "Thank you."
I was, indeed, busy.
Lina was too young to do any actual governing, of course, but that just meant I had so, so much to learn. I could cheat on some things—I didn't need to relearn basic algebra, for example—but there was also a lot of new information mixed in, like how taxes were collected, accounted for, and spent. The logistics of employing and equipping enough guards to defend a settlement of a given size. The realities of corruption, and how much graft you had to stomach because trying to lower it further would cost more than it saved. Court Etiquette, which wasn't as grueling as I'd have expected—probably because there simply weren't that many people we had to impress.
And, of course, there were magic lessons, which were almost disappointingly easy. In hindsight, it shouldn't have surprised me; the whole reason I'd been heading west in the first place was because Lina had already learned everything her tutors had to teach. Father tried to make up for the missed opportunity by sending messengers to the various towns, cities, and hamlets of Wyndia, calling for wizards to tutor the princess, so at least I had a great many teachers to reject for various reasons.
It was unfortunate, but the vast majority of them cared more about the prestige of a royal position than actually teaching. Some of them believed I could be impressed by a few magic tricks, or tried to disguise their lack of knowledge as mysterious wisdom; the ones who actually tried to teach were uniformly worse wizards than I was already. The sad truth of the matter was that we'd already found the good teachers—my original tutors—and I'd outgrown them anyway.
Of course, I still attended the lessons anyway, but they were more 'structured practice' than instruction, and I didn't need that practice anyway—probably because the magic perk I'd taken made me both better at magic in general and a much quicker study. Compared to the struggle to learn Potterverse magic, picking things up so easily left me feeling a bit cheated.
Chapter 66: Where the Heart Is
I swallowed my pride and allowed Marco to carry me down the mountain; my stubbornness would only have slowed us down. I'd spent every bit of energy I had on my spells, and the wisdom fruit had only done so much; I was tired in a way I hadn't been since Bet.
We'd followed Yraall Road from McNeil Village to the base of Mt. Myrneg; on the other side of the mountain, the Road continued east across the rest of Wyndia—the kingdom, that is, not the city. The road ran parallel to the two major rivers of Wyndia, the Dauna River flowing from the west and the Eygnock River flowing from the east, which met head-on just south of Myrneg before continuing on into the South Sea. We camped at the foot of Mt. Myrneg again that night, this time on the eastern side.
Teepo was uncharacteristically quiet following his swift defeat at the summit, and barely spoke as the five of us gathered around the campfire to enjoy the bounty of the picnic basket. He certainly hadn't let his humiliation affect his appetite, but I was a little worried about the sudden change; even the normally taciturn Ryu was less subdued. I need not have worried, however; Teepo was noticeably more lively the following day, and contributed to the destruction of the monsters in our way with great enthusiasm. Marco didn't fight at all; he probably didn't want to soak up all the experience, if such a system even applied here. It was good practice for the three boys, regardless, and I hung back while they handily dispatched the various goblins, goos, and a strange type of creature Marco called a gonghead that looked like a naval mine with an eagle's face on it. JRPG enemies, I don't know.
The roads were clear, the soldiers having concentrated their search on the western side of the Kingdom, so we made much better time; we arrived at the Eygnock Crossroads in late afternoon, and decided to make camp there. It was just over a single day's journey to Wyndia from the eastern side of Myrneg; if we'd left at the break of dawn, we might have been able to arrive shortly after sunset but before the last light of day. That said, the sense of urgency had faded somewhat, so I was perfectly content to camp out at the Crossroads. Yraall Road led east and west, while the north road led straight to Wyndia City, and the south road led to a bridge over Eygnock River, and then to Maekyss Gorge, the canyon the united rivers surged through on their way to the sea. Personally, I was delighted to have three square meals in the same day, since Marco would be sticking with us until it was time to head south over the Gorge to Genmel the following morning.
"I don't suppose I could convince you to accompany us to Wyndia, Master Marco?" I asked—because etiquette (and my stomach) demanded it, not because I expected Max to agree. "You did us a great favor."
He laughed. "I suppose I could… but you kids are plenty tough, right? You didn't have any trouble making it to the top of the mountain, and I haven't needed to lift a finger since. Besides, I don't think those two will be showing themselves any time soon, and I'm still on my way to the Contest."
"When is that?" Ryu asked.
"The Contest? It's in the spring." Marco nodded to himself. "They say the same man wins the Contest every time. I would like to meet him before I face him in the Arena."
"That's why you set out in winter?" Rei asked. Marco nodded. "The same guy every time, huh? Must be a hell of a fighter."
"Must be… that's why I want to meet him. If he's really good, then I don't want to waste my time fighting when I know I'm going to lose." 'Marco' was being humble; I don't think Max would lose to anyone if he really tried.
"You're really good, though," Ryu said.
"Sure, I'm good… but am I good enough?" Marco stretched and lay back on the grass, gazing up at the night sky. Hey, that's the same animation he used back in the woods! It was weird seeing that in the flesh. "It's called the Contest of Champions for a reason," he continued. "They say the best fighter gets to demand anything he wants."
"Anything?" Ryu repeated.
"Well… that's what they say. It's probably just to get people excited. It's not like they can make you a king. What would you ask for, Ryu?"
"Hmm…" Ryu paused, his adorable little face scrunched up in thought. "I'd want to make sure Rei and Teepo never went hungry." That is precious. "What do you want, mister Marco?"
"Taking care of your family? That's a fine thing to want. As for me, well…" Marco sighed. "That is a very good question indeed."
The conversation ended there, and I fell asleep wondering how much of that answer was Marco, and how much was Max.
———X==X==X———
We bid Marco goodbye the following morning. He headed south, across the river, while we turned north towards the capital.The towers and windmills were already visible over the horizon—it was called 'the city of windmills' for a reason—and grew steadily larger throughout the day, until it felt like they filled the whole world. I remembered Wyndia City, but experiencing something post-import for the first time is different in a way that's hard to describe to anyone who hasn't had to deal with 'novel' memories. Why is simple—it was the difference between pre-insert Lina's experience of the sight and post-insert Cass-as-Lina's experience of the same thing—but the feeling itself wasn't something English had good words for.
As the crossroads were slightly closer to Wyndia than Mt. Myrneg, we managed to arrive at the city gates in mid-afternoon, and found the way barred. "What purpose do you ruffians have in approaching the capital?" one of the gate guards asked, his halberd helping his partner's block the road.
Did I want to say it?
I very much did.
"Do you have any idea who you are speaking to?" I asked, standing as straight and tall as my childish body would go. "You challenge her highness, the Crown Princess Lina herself, and the heroes who have rescued her from her captors and conveyed her home at great personal risk!"
"Uh… we did that?" Rei whispered. I wanted to elbow him—hard—but it wouldn't be proper behavior for a princess. Teepo took care of it for me. Good man, Teepo.
The guards exchanged a glance. "She… looks kinda like the princess, I guess…" Guard Two said, not moving from his position against the wall. His voice was breathy and slightly nasal, perhaps because his nose had clearly been broken and improperly set at some point in the past.
"The princess is blonde, though," Guard One said stubbornly, picking at the acne scars on his chin.
"The princess has not had a bath in over a week," I snapped, "and will have you both thrown into a cell if you do not take me to Father immediately!"
Alas, the guards were not impressed. "Threatening an officer of the law is a crime, isn't it?" Guard One asked.
"Impersonating a member of the royal family is a crime, too," Guard Two said.
And that's how we ended up in the dungeons.
———X==X==X———
I actually felt sorry for the poor guards who'd had the misfortune to haul us away: they'd displayed an impressive amount of distrust towards random, unwashed strangers turning up at their door. It was still damnably inconvenient, and I had little doubt their lives would be very unpleasant indeed once Father sorted everything out, but their incredulity was preferable to McNeil's paper-thin 'security'.
Unfortunately, my family was far from idle, and it was not until near sundown—as best I could reckon it in the underground cells we found ourselves in—that Father finally decided to investigate the impostor. His reaction to seeing me in the cell, several days' travel worth of dirt marring my dress and person, was one of absolute fury, concealed behind the kind of tranquility that precedes someone shoving a belt knife through another man's eye.
"You arrested the impostor yourselves?" he asked the guards accompanying him.
"Yes, your majesty," a voice I recognized as Guard Two said. "She claimed to be Princess Lina."
"She must have heard of the Princess's disappearance somehow," Guard One added.
"Hmm… maybe…" Father said, scratching his beard in thought, "… or maybe… THAT! IS! MY! DAUGHTER!" he bellowed, rounding on the two guardsmen, who leapt nearly a foot into the air. "You imbeciles arrested the Crown Princess!"
"What!?"
"But… but surely…"
"Get her out of there!" he yelled. "And lock yourselves in, while you're at it!"
"Yes, your majesty!" the guardsmen wailed, hurrying to comply. I was practically tossed out of the cell, the hapless guardsmen locking themselves in before Father could change his mind and order their execution instead.
The King rushed to embrace me, and I let Lina's reactions take center stage, which meant sobbing into his shirt. I had perks to handle fear, perks to keep me from freezing, perks to keep me going in times of stress… but ignoring fear didn't mean I didn't feel it, and once I stopped and let myself—my twelve-year-old self—experience all the fear I'd been pushing away, I was inconsolable.
It was several minutes before I managed to pull myself together enough to wipe my eyes and straighten my horribly messy hair, putting on the bare minimum of noble propriety. "F-Father," I said, voice hitching. "I… I'm back."
"Yes, you are," he said. "Come, let us get you cleaned up." He took my hand and pulled me towards the stairs.
"Wait!" I yelled. "My friends!" I pulled him back the other way, to where Rei, Teepo, and Ryu were sitting in their cell. "These heroes saved me and brought me home!"
The King looked over the three boys. They didn't look particularly reputable… but then, we'd all been living rough the last few days, and if my own state was this bad, surely they could clean up just as well. "Is this true?" he asked.
Rei decided to try to answer. "Uh… that is… I guess we did do those things, your… tall… highness?"
Father looked to me as though he was waiting for me to admit to a prank. I just nodded.
"Very well. Guards!" he yelled, looking around for the men on duty… who he'd just locked up. "Ah, one moment…" He walked back to the other cell and returned with the keys, letting the Cedar Woods gang out of their cell. "I must hear all about your journey. But first… I believe you could all use a bath…"
———X==X==X———
Bathing.
Was.
Heavenly.
It took five buckets of blissfully hot water and half a bar of soap before the bathwater stopped turning black at my touch. The attendants worked overtime scrubbing under my nails, teasing knots and debris out of my hair, and generally restoring me to a 'princess-ly' state. Some part of me was feeling decidedly uncomfortable with the level of classicism on display, but I reminded myself that I could very well have chosen not to be a spoiled child and had no right to feel weird about it now. Focusing on Lina's memories over Cassandra's let me ignore the nagging feeling of strangeness and just enjoy the bath. In fact, it ended far too soon, in my opinion; I would have been content to be soaked and scrubbed for hours.
Nevertheless, duty called, and I was toweled dry and passed along to another set of attendants, who clipped my ragged nails and hair. Then it was time to be dressed in a Disney-Princess style gown and have my hair styled. I scowled when I saw myself in the mirror and pulled the ribbons out of my hair, commanding the hairdressers to give me a single braid. Twin-tails, really? I could only put up with so much.
Ryu, Teepo, and Rei had all endured similar grooming, with varying degrees of grace; I held out hope the younger boys had borne it with dignity, but I'd heard Rei's yelling through the walls. The poor guy embodied the cats-hate-water stereotype.
Still, despite the indignities the universe seemed intent on forcing on me, I was feeling lovely as Dora—my governess, a lady in her seventies with a mind like a steel trap and a manner to match—led me towards the dining hall. I had my Moon Tear in my pocket, my Bangles on my wrists, my Journal and Map in hammerspace, and my watch in a purse at my belt, where it wouldn't attract questions. I was equipped, and would be damned sure to keep all my items on hand going forward.
At my insistence, Nina and Ryu were seated next to each other across from me, paying almost as much attention to each other as they did the food; they were so cute. Teepo was next to me for symmetry, while Rei was at the far end of the table, where his manners—or lack thereof—would cause the least offense.
Of course, we were called on to tell the tale of my rescue, and I immediately rose to the challenge: I made sure to emphasize the help I'd received from the three boys, starting with them hosting me for a night after I'd dragged myself out of the woods, sharing their meager food supplies, and then putting their lives on the line when my kidnappers attempted to recaptured me. I glossed over their ineffectiveness in the last part, making it sound like they'd had the situation under control the entire time. Marco received only a single mention as a 'friendly stranger' who stopped to offer aid after the fight at the summit, and accompanied us until we parted ways at the Eygnock Crossroads.
"… … … and then we were thrown in the dungeons," I concluded.
"Those fools," Father said, shaking his head. "They are lucky to keep their heads."
"Perhaps we should encourage them," I said. "After all, they would not be fooled by an impostor, no matter how skilled."
"Or perhaps they would be fooled by anyone who was properly clean," he countered. "No, don't worry, dear, I won't be punishing them too terribly… thought they'll be stuck guarding some distant checkpoint for the next decade. Speaking of the guards, the Captain was livid when he returned to find you and McNeil gone. Not nearly as much as I was when I learned he'd lost you, though… I had a half a mind to strip him of his post the moment I heard. I relented; he had the best chance of finding you, after all. He's been scouring the countryside for any sign of you or the former Mayor ever since."
McNeil was gone? That was… not actually that surprising, really. "I heard one of the kidnappers mention Syn City," I said, slightly weirded out by the way I emphasized the name without meaning to. "McNeil may have fled there, to get as far away from the capital as possible."
"Of course… Syn City… hardly surprising. There are only so many places McNeil could be smuggling goods to…" Father sighed. "You are sure?"
"The kidnappers said they were taking me to Syn… ahem… to Syn City, before I escaped."
"Then we will prepare a force to capture the treacherous McNeil as soon as possible… and perhaps the kidnappers, as well." The King nodded to himself, before turning to Ryu and Teepo. "You boys have my sincerest thanks for returning my daughter to me. Tell me, young man," he said to Ryu. "What is it you wish for most?"
Marco had asked the same question, so Ryu didn't hesitate. "I would like my friends to never go hungry again," he said solemnly, pointing at Teepo and Rei.
The King stared at him for a moment, then let out another hearty laugh. "A true gentleman! I can hardly think of a finer thing to ask for than the care of ones' friends and family! You are all my guests for as long as you wish to stay, and evermore, should you return. Please, enjoy yourselves!"
"Thank you, your highness," Ryu said, bowing his head.
Father turned to Teepo next. "And you? What can I help you with, my young friend?"
"Uh, well…" Teepo fidgeted for a moment, looked to me, then said, "A pardon?"
Father blinked in confusion. "A pardon?"
"We didn't have any money, so… we had to steal, sometimes… we had to eat!" Teepo leapt to his own defense. "We didn't hurt anyone! We just needed to eat, like anyone else…"
"I see… you say you came from Cedar Woods?" Father asked. "North of McNeil Village?" Teepo nodded. "Then perhaps your need to steal was partially the fault of the disgraced Mayor. You will have your pardon."
"Great," Teepo said.
"Say thank you," I whispered.
"Thanks," he added.
"And what about you?" The King asked Rei. "What would you ask for, sir?"
"Mph," Rei said around a mouthful of pork. He swallowed, took a deep drink from his goblet, then paused to think the question through. "We've got food and a pardon… I don't think we need anything else," he said.
"How humble! Well, should you think of anything, you have but to ask!"
Rei laughed nervously, hand on the back of his neck. He didn't say it out loud, but I could read his face easily enough.
Well, doesn't this just beat all?
———X==X==X———
After the days I'd just endured, I wanted nothing more than to head straight to bed after the feast, but my duties both as a hostess and a friend compelled me to seek out the boys and make sure they would be comfortable. I summoned one of the servants to show us to their rooms. Teepo followed close behind the man, Rei and Ryu trailing after him. Nina and I brought up the rear. "The food was worth the bath, I hope?" I asked Rei as we climbed the castle stairs.
"Heh… I suppose so. I've never eaten so well in my life."
"I'll say!" Teepo agreed. "I'd bathe every day if it let me eat like that!"
"Please do," I told him. "It would be wise not to stretch Father's tolerance too far."
"Do I have to?" he whined.
I rolled my eyes. "You did volunteer."
"Your room, sirs," the servant said, opening a door to the large space they'd spent the last few hours preparing. I'd advised Father that the group would likely wish to remain together, so an entire team of servants had spent hours manhandling furniture into place to turn a parlor into a triple bedroom. Ryu immediately headed over to the nearest bed and laid his head on it, stroking the fine linens. The servant continued, "If you wish, we can prepare separate rooms…" All three boys shook their heads vigorously. "Very well. If there is anything else we can offer, you need only ask." He shuffled off, and Ryu put his head back on the soft bedding. Poor guy looked as tired as I felt.
"I'll leave you to your rest," I said.
I turned to leave as well, but paused when Nina pushed past me to address the boys. "Thank you very much for helping my sister," she said with a dainty curtsy.
Rei chuckled nervously. "We didn't do all that much…" he said.
"You were very brave," Nina argued. "And then the guards were mean enough to put you in jail…"
"It was only a few hours," he said. "To be honest, when they arrested us… I was worried we HAD been helping an impostor…"
"Really?" I asked.
He laughed again. "I mean…"
"We thought we'd been tricked!" Teepo piped up. "That you'd fooled us, and gotten us all in loads of trouble! We were real mad!"
Rei shook his head. "I was really surprised when the King started yelling… and relieved, too…"
I smiled. "Well, I hope you're not angry anymore…"
"Of course not!" he said. "This is…" he trailed off, looking around the lavish room at the four-poster beds, fluffy rugs, and throw pillows. "It's… something."
"I… we are very grateful for all you've done for me," I said. "If there is anything you need… food, clothes, anything at all… please, just ask, and one of the servants will handle it with haste."
"They're probably tired," Nina said.
I know, sis, that's why I was leaving before you started talking. "Of course. Goodnight, friends." We curtsied and headed back into the hall, closing the door behind us.
We'd only walked a few steps down the hall before Nina latched onto me, hugging me tightly. "I was so scared," she whispered. "When we heard you were gone… I thought I'd never see you again."
"I was scared, too," I admitted, holding her close. "I'm glad to be home."
———X==X==X———
I'd slotted an alt-form this jump mostly for the simple fact that I didn't want to spent several uninterrupted years as a teenager again, especially if fate conspired to stick me somewhere I really needed emotional maturity on tap—something that seemed to have been borne out already, given how childish my-slash-Lina's decision making was in hindsight. I could have slotted my 'Kasey' form, which I'd gotten used to using as a matter of habit, but I'd decided to use the Generic-RPG 'Cassandra' form instead on a whim.
A feature I hadn't expected to need was that it was a convenient way to sneak around. I found a maid's uniform that mostly fit 'Cassandra' (tight in the bust, of course) and slipped through the palace gates shortly after sunset without anyone batting an eye—well, a few guardsmen may have stared, but no one would ever connect the pint-sized Crown Princess to some comely maid on her way out of a feudal society's concept of marriageable age.
Even with the horizon still aglow, the streets were nearly deserted. Most of the people I passed were similarly attired; maids and menservants running late trying to get their masters' bidding done before the last light of day faded. The streetlamps were chrysm lights, but most windows were lit with candles or not at all.
My destination was a modest home high in the city that I could immediately pick out by the steady glow of chrysm lamps from behind the curtains. A sharp knock at the door summoned a matronly woman in an apron and bonnet who smiled happily as she let me in. "Hello, Cass," Deanna said. "I heard you had a bit of an adventure already." She'd pulled her straight brown hair into a loose ponytail, which ran forward over her left shoulder by necessity due to her choice of head-wear reaching the back of her neck.
"That's putting it lightly." I followed her into a simple sitting room containing a few old but well-cared-for armchairs and a dining table setup, with two doors leading farther into the house. Thick curtains were drawn over the windows, and most of the floor was covered by a large quilted rug. Homura was dusting the furniture on one side of the room, dressed like a maid of all things. "Hello, Homura."
"Hello, Cass," she said.
"Hey, Cass," Ace said. I turned, having missed the fact that he was sitting at the table.
"Oh, hi, Ace. What are you doing here?"
"I own the building," Ace explained. "We were thinking about making ourselves a proper orphanage, and we might still do it in a few years, but at the moment it didn't seem fair to put him in with other children. Instead, we ended up as a weird little nuclear family."
"Fair to the other kids, or to him?"
"Both. Come on, sit down," he added, motioning to the chair opposite his. Deanna had already taken the chair to his left.
I sat.
"So," I said cautiously, "how is he?"
"See for yourself." Ace flipped a thumb over his shoulder, prompting me to lean to my right to see around him. I only managed to glimpse a shock of blond hair before the owner hid behind the doorway.
"He's skittish," Homura said.
"He's shy," Ace countered. "Come on, Zeke, it's just Cassandra."
The hair slowly returned, followed by a pair of bright blue eyes that scanned the whole room before Zeke finally straightened and stepped out from behind the door frame. He was somewhere in his early-to-mid teens, a year or two older than Lina. "Hello," he said quietly.
"Hello, Zeke," I said. "Remember me?"
"I do," he confirmed. "You were Kasey."
"I was."
"Come sit down?" Ace asked.
Zeke hesitated, perhaps looking for a way to avoid additional social interaction, but he eventually joined us at the table.
"So, Zeke, how is being human?" I asked.
"It's terribly confusing," he said. "All the sensations are so cluttered and imprecise, and emotions are even worse. How do chemicals and voltage potentials create so much feeling?" He lay his arms flat on the table and slumped down to rest his chin on them. "I can't believe you live like this all the time."
"You're doing very well," Deanna said gently. She turned to me and explained, "He's still adjusting. It's rough, sometimes, but he's shown steady improvement."
"He's still having trouble dealing with how intense certain feelings are," Homura added, speaking up for the first time since I'd sat down.
"Ah." I glanced at Zeke, who hadn't reacted at all to being discussed like he wasn't here. "What do you do all day?" I asked him.
"Exist," Zeke said without a hint of irony.
"Do you read, or play, or study, or practice a skill?"
"I don't need to."
"Sure, but… do you want to?"
"No."
"Have you tried?"
"No."
"You did that drawing of us," Ace reminded him. "Why don't you go get it? Show Cass what you made?"
"Do I have to?"
Ace put on a look that fathers everywhere used to say, "I'm not going to order you to do it but you're damned well going to do it," and Zeke sighed like the sullen teenager he was before heading out of the room.
"What are you grinning at?" Ace asked me.
"Just… that," I said. "That whole exchange was so 'normal family' it wrapped all the way back around to weird." He chuckled, but any response was cut off by Zeke returning and laying a large, heavy sheet of paper down on the table for my viewing.
I'd expected some sort of childish crayon scribble—uncharitable, perhaps, but he was only a couple weeks into his human life. What he'd actually created was incredible. It was a pencil drawing of some sort—charcoal, maybe—of not just the local 'family' but the entire Jumpchain crew. Max's portrait was in the center, with the Companions arranged around him in a spiral based on the order they'd been recruited. I spotted Homura near the center; Tess, Dinah, Zeke, and I were the last four, each in our own corner. The true genius was that every person was done in a different style, running the gamut from photorealism to impressionism without ever clashing with the neighboring drawings. It was, without a doubt, an absolute work of art.
"That's… incredible," I said, staring at the picture. "You're an amazing artist."
"No, I'm not," Zeke protested.
"You're not?"
"Is a printer an artist?" he argued. "I didn't create this, I reproduced it. All it took was cross-referencing all known styles of drawing with their emotional and sensory-experience associations, optimizing the graph of stylistic juxtapositions to ensure the contrasts achieved maximum aesthetic value, sorting the subjects of the image, and then rendering a portrait in that style for each. There was no creativity in it."
"'Optimizing the graph of stylistic juxtapositions' sounds pretty creative to me," I argued. "You had to judge how to arrange things—"
"I solved how to arrange things," he corrected me.
"Well, you decided it would be best to use a different style for each person—"
"I asked how to choose the most pleasing style and was told that I should try several and decide for myself," Zeke explained, frustration leaking into his voice. "I've come to suspect that that answer was intended to be deliberately unhelpful, because I am no closer to understanding why I would have chosen any of them."
"Which one was the most fun to… uh… render?"
"I do not see what my experience of 'fun' has to do with the aesthetic value of the finished product."
I looked to Deanna for help, and in return got a look that amounted to, 'This is what I deal with all day.'
———X==X==X———
Homura walked me out to the porch, then shut the door.
"What do you think?" I asked.
There was a long pause. "He's… strange," she decided. "There's more to him than I expected. I didn't think he was 'anyone' back on Bet, not really." Another pause. "He's… not a blank slate, exactly, but I don't think he's the same… being, either. I'm not sure how to treat him."
I nodded. "I probably don't need to remind you, but how you treat him will change who he becomes. He's probably very impressionable at this point, blank slate or no."
"I know. That's part of what makes it so difficult. I want to…" She hesitated. "I want to shake him. Interrogate him. But until he's able to defend himself—verbally and emotionally, I mean—it would just be abuse, and that would make everything worse."
"Yeah."
The sun had fully set, and the glow from the occasional streetlight barely held the darkness at bay. There were fewer stars overhead than I'd expected—comparable to a modern city, even with far less light pollution. A product of how the game's creators visualized the night sky? I shook my head slightly to dismiss the thought; that wasn't a road I wanted to start down again.
"What do you think?" Homura asked, breaking the silence.
I hesitated.
"He seems like a sweet kid," I admitted.
To my surprise, she nodded. "He does," she agreed. "I still hate… who he was, I guess, but Zeke as he is now is… likable."
"Bad case of Impostor Syndrome, though," I noted.
"You noticed that?"
"It was hard to miss."
"I suppose so."
Silence fell once more. It was time for me to head home… after I addressed the elephant in the room.
"Do you think Max's plan is going to work?"
Homura took her time answering this question, as well.
"That depends on who he is at the end of the jump," she said. "He's still… growing into his humanity. Ace and Deanna are good influences, I think, but I don't know how his nature will affect him."
"Then there's nothing to do but wait and see."
"You'll stop by again, right?"
"Of course." I pulled her into a quick hug. "I'm going to be busy, but I'll sneak away whenever I can."
"You don't have to…" Homura trailed off, then simply said, "Thank you."
———X==X==X———
I was, indeed, busy.
Lina was too young to do any actual governing, of course, but that just meant I had so, so much to learn. I could cheat on some things—I didn't need to relearn basic algebra, for example—but there was also a lot of new information mixed in, like how taxes were collected, accounted for, and spent. The logistics of employing and equipping enough guards to defend a settlement of a given size. The realities of corruption, and how much graft you had to stomach because trying to lower it further would cost more than it saved. Court Etiquette, which wasn't as grueling as I'd have expected—probably because there simply weren't that many people we had to impress.
And, of course, there were magic lessons, which were almost disappointingly easy. In hindsight, it shouldn't have surprised me; the whole reason I'd been heading west in the first place was because Lina had already learned everything her tutors had to teach. Father tried to make up for the missed opportunity by sending messengers to the various towns, cities, and hamlets of Wyndia, calling for wizards to tutor the princess, so at least I had a great many teachers to reject for various reasons.
It was unfortunate, but the vast majority of them cared more about the prestige of a royal position than actually teaching. Some of them believed I could be impressed by a few magic tricks, or tried to disguise their lack of knowledge as mysterious wisdom; the ones who actually tried to teach were uniformly worse wizards than I was already. The sad truth of the matter was that we'd already found the good teachers—my original tutors—and I'd outgrown them anyway.
Of course, I still attended the lessons anyway, but they were more 'structured practice' than instruction, and I didn't need that practice anyway—probably because the magic perk I'd taken made me both better at magic in general and a much quicker study. Compared to the struggle to learn Potterverse magic, picking things up so easily left me feeling a bit cheated.
———X==X==X———
Tempestuous
Words are wind, so I write.
- Location
- CA
AN: I went through three versions of 'Zeke' before settling on this one, and I love it. He's like a toddler with the vocabulary of an English professor, and that's an absolute joy to write.
ThatGazzer
Minds Eye Bind
- Location
- PNW
- Pronouns
- They/Them
"Zeke eat the aspergrass."
"Why should I, its smell and texture are deplorable. it's unpleasant to the extreme."
"You haven't even tasted it!"
"I preformed a basic analysis, I do not want it."