A warm breeze blew from the ocean and washed over , the sand beneath my bare feet frosty by comparison. It was a reminder of the shifting seasons, making my thoughts turn toward spring and the new species it might bring to our shores. I imagined fishes of all different shapes and sizes, and just as I was picturing a colorful grouper with the head of a shark, the ground before us exploded.
I took a step forward. I had to put myself between the ambush and Maria.
Sand sprayed up in a gout, the air in my lungs quivering with the boom that shook the world. Our attackers had concealed their position, using long-forgotten thods to hide their presence from even the most powerful of cultivators. In a fraction of a second, they were flying from a hole in the earth. More limbs than should be possible, razor-sharp teeth and claws, and iron-hard exoskeletons descended upon us. The quickest of them flew directly for , screeching a war cry that was loud enough to pierce the heavens.
I tensed my body, bellowed for Maria to get back, and plucked Corporal Claws out of the air. “Just kidding,” I said, using one finger to tap Claws on the nose. “Boop. I knew you were there.”
She whirled on the rest of the attackers—a rather impressive feat considering I still held her by the scruff of the neck—and unleashed a mighty chirp, demanding to know who had betrayed her.
“Nobody warned , Claws. I can literally teleport people across the world anywhere our Domain touches. What makes you think I couldn’t feel you there? I can sll the smoke the alchemists use to hide their chi, but I’m immune to it.”
“For what it’s worth,” Maria said, “you would have scared and Teddy if Fischer hadn’t warned us.”
A look of utter betrayal ca to Claws’s face as she turned back toward , which only made laugh. “I’m not going to apologize for warning them, Claws. You might have given poor Teddy a heart attack.” I looked up, slightly narrowing my eyes at the arrayed animal pals. “I’m surprised you all went along with it, to be honest.”
Claws had sohow convinced literally every single spirit beast to join in.
Sergeant Snips blew a hiss of happy bubbles and waved at . Rocky gave a nod, one of his claws resting on Snips’s, er, lower back?
Private Pistachio also dipped his head, the movent a little slower and more respectful than Rocky’s.
Cinnamon leaped toward Maria, who giggled as she scooped her up into a hug. I reached over and scratched behind her ear, making her rear leg thump against Maria’s arm.
Brigadier Borks, as a Golden Retriever, sprinted over and wound around our legs. His tongue lolled as he sat and stared up at , his tail swishing back and forth.
Queen Bee and Bumblebro crawled out from his fur and waved up at us, as did a few of their progeny, the Buzzy Boys. Most of them were off patrolling Tropica’s surroundings, but they’d ensured that so of their representatives were present to take part in the attempted prank.
Private Pelly and Warrant Officer Williams, aka Bill, unleashed honks of greeting as they swooped down toward the sand. The forr landed on Maria’s shoulder, and the latter on mine. We both reached up to give them scritches.
Last but far from least, Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket made her move. She’d likely been the one that dug the hole they had hidden in, because her roots covered its walls. A thick limb rose from the ground to wrap around everyone present, pulling us into a group hug. No one protested. I noticed the other tree spirit there too, but it remained in the periphery, not physically joining the way Lemon had.
Between Maria and , Claws cooed and purred, writhing around in delight. Feeling the pure joy washing from her core, I realized that this cuddle puddle was her true goal, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Happy, Claws?” I whispered, earning a wide grin and a feverish nod. “Okay, gang, I’m enjoying this as much as the rest of you, but George and Geraldine are waiting back in town. Plus, we have to visit the prisoners first.”
Lemon squeezed us tighter, holding us there for a few seconds before finally letting go. I was going to ask what everyone was up to for the day, but I didn’t get a chance. The mont they were released from Lemon’s grip, they waved, chirped, buzzed, or grinned before dashing off, going about their business. Even Lemon and her tree-spirit pal retreated, their roots and awareness retracting.
In a matter of seconds, only Maria, Teddy, Pistachio, and I remained. There was so hesitation on Pistachio's face, which might be as much emotion as I’d ever seen him express. He was a master at hiding his feelings, and even with my godlike instincts, he was a blank slate. I could have pushed through the facade, broken through his walls to comprehend what he was thinking. But that wasn’t what friends do.
“You okay, mate?” I asked, kneeling down so I was eye level with him.
His antennae shifted in thought, the movents small enough to be almost imperceptible. Finally, he gave a nod of thanks, and turned away. With sweeps of his gigantic claw, he started filling in the hole. Maria, Teddy and I exchanged a look before heading off, leaving him to it.
“Is he okay?” Maria asked when we were far enough away to not be heard.
I didn’t need to fake the reassuring smile I gave her. “He will be. If and when he’s ready to reach out, he will.”
Teddy stared back at Pistachio long after Maria and I had turned our attention toward Tropica.
I tickled one of his ears to get his attention. “Co on, mate. Let’s have so trust in him.” Teddy stared a second longer before turning to face us. He shook his head, and the worry wrought clear in his eyes faded away.
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“Do you think there will be any changes today?” I asked, shifting the topic.
“You know what?” Maria replied. “I have a good feeling about today. I bet we’ll see so improvent.”
“I hope you’re right.” I stared up at the new architecture of Tropica as we stepped onto the System-made street. “This world has kind of spoiled when it cos to breakthroughs. I’m used to people just...” I snapped my fingers. “Transforming like that, you know?”
She blew air from her nose, making tear my eyes from the ornate rooftop of a three-story house. Her eyes sparkled with glee. “It’s been like five days. Talk about impatient.”
“Right?” I asked exaggeratedly. “Can you believe the absolute audacity of these new arrivals? Making wait the better half of a week for so change? If they weren’t already in prison, they should be locked up.”
“You’ve been the leader for all of two minutes. Are you already going mad with power? Do I need to worry?”
“Yeah, don’t get wrong, this world is nice and all, but I think introducing a prison-industrial complex would really take it to the next level. You feel ?”
She stopped mid-step, raising an eyebrow. “Do I want to know what any of that is?”
“Not even a little. Lucky for you, it looks like Sue won’t give a chance to explain.”
“I can hear you, Fischer!” Sue’s voice absolutely bood over the street separating us. More than one non-cultivator flinched at the sound and covered their ears. “Oh, my.” She winced, then continued in a much-softer voice, “Sorry, everyone.”
To say that the last five days had been an adjustnt period would be an understatent of grand proportions. Dozens of faces stared back at us from the line to Sue’s new bakery, so cultivators, and so regular townsfolk. Along with the layout of the village, the composition of its denizens had also changed dramatically. All things considered, I thought the non-cultivators were adjusting pretty well.
“It still feels weird not having to suppress or hide our abilities,” I said to Maria as we closed the distance to Sue.
“I don’t know,” she whispered back. “Feels liberating to , if that makes sense. It was as if I was lying about my true self before.”
“Agreed,” Sue added, coughing the word into her hand.
All eyes tracked us as Maria and I continued walking, taking our position at the end of Sue’s line. I gazed up at the transford bakery, and despite having seen it scores of tis by now, it still took my breath away. Its fra was made up of a deep-brown wood, entire logs having appeared from nowhere during the creation of the new village. Gray bricks comprised most of the walls, with high glass windows surrounded by intricately carved wooden trim. The shop front was similar to before, but having seen the new kitchen, I was all too aware of how significant the changes to the inside were. It was practically incomparable.
As the line got shorter and shorter, the sun peeked over the surrounding buildings, having to travel higher in the sky to find the street now that the village had grown. It bead down onto Sue’s face, who took a mont to close her eyes and enjoy its touch. Maria and I turned toward it and did the sa.
A mont later, Sue cleared her throat, arresting my attention. “Can I help you?” she asked, a glint in her eye. “There are custors waiting.”
“I apologize on behalf of my betrothed.” Maria stepped up to the counter and adopted a mask of faux sadness. “He has an affliction, you see. Every morning, he is grumpy, selfish, and uncouth.” She leaned forward, arching a conspiratorial eyebrow. “But there is a cure, you see.”
“There is?” Sue leaned all the way forward, feigning intrigue.
“Oi, woman!” Sturgill, Sue’s husband, barked, peering around the dividing wall. “Would you stop ssing with Fischer?” He shot an apologetic look.
But I held up a hand to stall him. “Not to worry, mate. It’s Maria ssing with .”
“Oh.” He pursed his lips. “Carry on then.” Sturgill disappeared from sight as quick he’d co, leaving alone with the wolves.
“You were saying?” Sue continued. “There’s a cure for this horrific curse that Fischer has?”
“Aye,” Maria replied, sounding half pirate, half... I don’t know. Gno, maybe? “There be a cure, though it be hard to find. Only the finest of pastries and the smoothest of coffees will fix this malady.”
Sue opened her mouth to continue the mumry, her wit razor-sharp even before ascending, but I cut in with a dramatic sigh. “That’s a sha. If we want the finest of pastries, we’ll have to go elsewhere. I hear there’s a good bakery on the northside of Tropica. Lena’s—” I cut off mid sentence, ducking the coffee bean sent sailing toward my head with the speed of a bullet.
“Hey!” I laughed, hopping around the square as a barrage of beans flew my way. “You’re wasting good coffee!”
“I’m defending my honor!” she yelled back, pausing with a bean pinched between thumb and forefinger, ready to be unleashed at a mont’s notice. “Now take it back.”
With an easy grin, I took a step and appeared before her in a flash of light. “I’m sorry. I only said such a hurtful thing on account of the malady, you see. Only your pastry and coffee can fix . No other will suffice.”
“Make it two of each,” Maria added. “Just in case the first doesn’t take. He’s very uncouth today, as you can see.”
Sue rubbed her chin. “Ah, it’s all coming together now. You poor thing.” She patted on the shoulder, leaving a slight flour-dust outline of her hand. “I’ll prepare the dicine this instant.”
I appeared on the other side of the counter beside Maria as Sue moved with lightning-fast speed to retrieve and hold out two croissants.
“That was our best show yet,” I whispered as I grabbed the pastries.
Maria gave the slightest of nods. “I counted twelve smiles on non-cultivator faces. The plan to disarm them is working.”
“Wait,” Sue said, turning to stare at us from the coffee machine. “You guys were acting?”
There was a beat of silence before we all broke into laughter.
Less than a minute later, Sue was handing over two coffees, which we accepted with a smile.
“Enjoy the dicine.” She shot us a wink. “And do co back if it doesn’t fix him, Maria.”
She bead a smile back at Sue. “Thank you. I will.”
As we walked down the street, I couldn’t wait a mont longer. I took a sip of coffee, a bite of croissant, then washed it all down with another mouthful of the golden liquid. The switch from coffee to warm buttery goodness and back again was everything I needed, and neither Maria nor I said a word as we strode along, finishing our breakfast.
Just as I was about to verbalize how enjoyable an experience it had been, a pulse of power ca from ahead of us. It took a fraction of a second for to pinpoint the location.
The prison.
Fire followed the exertion of power, flowing around the corner and into sight.l I let go of my cup, leaving it and Maria behind as I appeared within the prison in a flash of light.
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