I can't remember the last time I slept so well, nice plush pillows and the bed is heated, like something you see in a movie. Drinking was great, even if I don't remember finding a hotel…
"Oi! Wake up Dumshit! Juz' cuz' boss wont'z ya don' mean ya can nezzle all up on 'er!"
I scramble off of….Aneki!? She got drunk and crawled in with me? No. Wait. Who the heck said that?
The screechy bitching came from a little goblin, some kinda pervert trying to eyeball Aneki while she's passed out I bet!
"You little green shit, come here!"
The little bastard barely weighs anything, slapping at me and crying when I pick him up by his shitty leather vest.
"H-h-h-hey! B-bozz! Bozz! Help!"
He squeals like a pig and a pair of big green hands pull us apart, Aneki smiles at me and yawns, stretching out as she lifts the goblin into the air like he was dirty laundry.
I toss a nearby blanket over her, better no one can see then let that little fuck have a free look.
"This little green bastard was spying on us. I bet he's another little shifty piece of shit like the one that tried taking Lirien."
Aneki just walks outside with the blanket draped over her like a toga, tossing the goblin toward the little firewood tent.
"Na…uggggahhhh…Dat's Zik'z, says I'm da' new boss cuz I kilt 'ez ol' one. Didn' 'e 'elp ya git 'ere yesta'day? Ah well…don' matta'. Zik'z! breffist! "
"Ye'zz bozz!"
The goblin salutes her and she wanders over to the campfire and finds a spot, motioning for me to follow. I don't wanna try and argue, maybe it's normal to have a pet goblin…maybe he's just weird…whatever.
Weird or not, he can cook meat and serve drinks, I should get him a little butler costume or something. He gives me shitty looks the whole time but does the job either way.
Between mouthfuls of food, Aneki tells me all about the town we're headed to. She says it ain't special, just lots of easy money for folks who like fighting. It's not crazy far just a few days, but once we're there she knows some guys who will have work for us.
"Got sum coin fo' ya, go on 'an git a few tings, need ta' git ready fo' sum real foightin'.
She passes me a sack full of more cash than I've made the whole time I've been here.
"Ya need ah good weap'n, an' wot'eva ya' won't for da' trip. We leave in 'ah week, I won'nah git workin' afore it starts gittin chilly."
We finish the meal and she starts getting dressed, clinking and clanging back into the Aneki I know best before walking with me back to Pine's Breath.
Zik'z glares at me but manages the brown nosiest smile I've ever seen when wishing his 'bozz' a 'gud time'.
We chat for a while on the way back about weapons, what I like, what shape it should be. At first I thought about a sword, but being all stabby makes it feel like I'm just streetfighting with guys holding butterfly knives still.
I need something with a crunch, like one of those aluminum bats…shit aluminum is hard to make isn't it? No one here knows what baseball is either…
Aneki got all excited when I described it, said she knew exactly what I meant and ran off to the blacksmith as soon as we got to the tavern.
The fancy new jacket got some whistles and cheers from the folks eating lunch. I waved Trav over and went into Merriks office, he has a bigger chair then gralkus but has taken over the role more or less, even has the busted shield hung up.
Trav and Merrik seemed hyped up about the idea of a big trip. Merrik told me about survival tools, and what scams to look out for in town. Trav has a big heap of dry food and all kinds of tips for keeping it tasty on the road.
It was a fun chat, made me feel like a kid planning a trip, Lyria just looked at us while she worked. She's been quiet since Ferra died, I give her a little wave but she just looks miserable.
Faela was all smiles when she saw me in the jacket and was very happy that I'd be able to 'get back to normal'. She put together a cute little sewing kit, telling me how Drashka would fix things for me, giving a little wink. The longer we talked the more it felt real…I'll be saying goodbye…
She must have seen me getting misty eyed though, passing me a snack and chatting about some story the neighbors told her.
I never got the chance before, I don't know if I'll be back or what will happen, better not mess up twice.
"I really…-ughm-...Thank you, for everything…for the food, for letting me stay here, I'll miss you Fae-...no….I'll miss you Mom."
Making her cry wasn't something I planned, she gave me a hug and a smile. I'm glad I already said goodbye…It would have been hard after this.
Helped out around the house a little while we waited for Lirien. He's always busy but manages to make it home for dinner at least, god I hope he doesn't cry too…
I can hear his staff clicking on the ground for a while before he manages to shoulder his way through the door. He was awkward for a bit, but now he moves like he was born with one arm.
Maybe dinner being a little bigger than usual tipped him off to something, or my new fancy fur coat gave him a hint, all through dinner he's been giving me the side eye.
Faela looks at me, something in her eyes keeps urging me to make the first move on this like it's so easy. Just go for it!
"I'm leaving soon with Aneki to go to the city."
Lirien drops his spoon.
"Who? Wait what?"
Faela sighs and looks at me like I'm lost.
"He's going to leave with that nice orc Drashka Lirien."
The save is embarrassing but Lirien seems to get it, his energy slips away all at once. He picks up his spoon and slowly starts to eat again, speaking between bites.
"S-so…You'll be back in like…a week? L-like a vacation? Sounds like fun…I wish I could join you but I'm-"
"No Lirien, I'm leaving Pine's Breath, I Can't be here anymore…And Aneki invited me to go somewhere, anywhere…"
No one says anything for a long while, just eating. Lirien doesn't look away from his food, Faela looks sad, crying would have been better than this bullshit.
"Lirien. You know we'll still-"
He stops eating and stands from the table, quickly walking to the door.
"I need to take care of a few things…And Lyria needs someone to make sure she gets home safe…I'll be home late…Love you mom…see you…Gōki."
No point trying to stop him, what would I even say. Faela puts her hand on mine and I realize how bent the spoon I'm holding has gotten. It wasn't supposed to be complicated.
Lirien came back sometime later that night, but he was gone again before I woke up. I don't have time to try and follow him around, there's plans to make, shopping to do…I need supplies…clothes…important stuff.
All the excitement for the adventure boiled away during the planning, again and again having to tell people where I'm going. Saying goodbye to Miss Rina…The kids…That lady I saved during the attack…The only people who didn't make it harder were Gralkus and Ferra. They always had my back in their own way.
Aneki decided drinking the night before the big day would be a fun idea, and she decided to pay for it which made everyone else agree how good an idea it was. The first time in a long time Trav's place felt right, everyone drinking, shouting, singing and dancing.
Getting drunks to settle down is difficult, but when Aneki roars over everyone she makes it look easy enough. She's holding a rolled up rug over her head.
"Tonoight! Is da' las' nought me ahn Gōki will be 'ere drinkin' wit ya'. Gōki I'z a warrior! An' ah warrior's gotta 'ave ah gud weap'n!"
She rips the rug open and hoists up a slab of black studded metal, like something an Oni would use in old stories. A nice leather wrap around the handle, just like…
"It's my bat! Ahhhh hahahaha! It's baseball time!"
Everyone cheers while I stumble my way up to Aneki, she tosses the bat to me and I tumble to the floor trying to catch it. It's heavy, god I could fuck that ogre up with this any day of the week, it's awesome.
Aneki grabs me and helps me stand back up, the bat makes a good walking stick on nights like this, just keeps getting better and better.
Lirien never showed up to the party, Merrik said Lyria was talking with him earlier but I never saw him…Lyria still looks so awkward whenever I'm around her. Doesn't matter…I'll drink…I'll dance…I'll sing…Everything else can wait till tomorrow.