Sergeant Snips woke beneath the water.
She stretched out her limbs, shuddering as each muscle loosened.
Blinking her lone eye, she peered at her surroundings with blurred vision.
Pre-dawn light filtered down from above, bathing the pool in orange and pink light.
Her missing eye, which was still a minor annoyance at tis, itched beneath her prized eye-patch. She scratched the top of the patch absentmindedly while her thoughts slowly churned into motion.
I slept for the entire day and night...?
No awakening had co from her slumber, but she felt renewed, her body filled with vigor.
Scuttling out of the pool, she headed for the scheduled eting.
***
"G'day, Theo!"
"Fischer!"
He strode toward , and we clasped hands.
"Did you sleep well?"
"I always sleep well here, mate. Tropica is a little slice of paradise."
He looked up at the sky and its blend of colors, letting out a content sigh.
"I can see that. Being so close to the ocean is a blessing—I'm beyond jealous."
"Hey, you could always move here. Bring your fishing club down and set up a little clubhouse."
"If only—I have commitnts in the capital, unfortunately."
"Well, there's always a spare bed available in my house if you co visit. You're welco anyti."
He shook his head with a laugh.
“You're too good to , Fischer.” He quirked an eyebrow. “You're sure there's no ulterior motives?”
I held up my hands.
“You got , mate—I'm trying to lure you into a life of fishing and heresy.”
“Jokes on you—I'm already well past that line.” He yawned. “Before we get started on this selfless hook-crafting lesson... are you a coffee drinker? I want to try out that new coffee machine.”
I grinned.
"I was gonna ask you the sa thing."
***
"Good morning, Fischer!" Sue yelled, a bead of sweat on her brow as she rushed to keep up with the coffee orders.
"Mornin', Sue!" I called from the back of the line.
So people in line turned, giving smiles, which I happily returned.
"Is it always this busy?" Theo asked.
"Not usually, but I think it's only gonna get busier when people get a taste for the liquid of the gods."
"Understandable. I still can't believe George organized affordable coffee for the masses—in retrospect, it's a genius idea, but I've never seen it implented in any of the other towns or villages I've visited."
I grinned at Theo's assumption, but was happy to give George the credit—he'd been having a tough crack of it lately.
“Do you travel much?” I asked. “You never did tell what you did for work...”
"I travel around a lot. It cos with the territory, unfortunately. Not every place I visit is as idyllic as Tropica."
He pursed his lips.
"I suppose I can tell you what I do for work, but can you promise to keep it to yourself?"
"You're not so cri lord's muscle, are you?" I asked with a laugh. "You seem a little too wholeso to be a hired thug..."
He gave an askew glance, smirking at my words.
"I'm sorry to get serious for a second, but I need your word that you'll keep it to yourself. If you share what I do, there may be... consequences."
"Wait, you aren't really a cri lord's enforcer, are you?"
I kept the smile on my face, showing him I was still joking.
"Mate, I wouldn't tell anyone even if there weren't consequences—that's not what friends do."
Theo nodded at my words, accepting them as the truth.
"Alright."
He leaned in, speaking softly.
"I'm a crown auditor. Do you know what that ans?"
"I don't," I whispered back, "but I can sort of guess just by the job title. You check up on villages and businesses to make sure they're playing by the rules, yeah?"
He nodded.
"That's right."
"Well, that certainly explains the clothes—why the mystery, though? Is it that important to protect your identity?"
"It is. If people knew who we were, every ti we were spotted on the road, soone could run ahead and warn other villages of our impending arrival. We tend to operate by going on long excursions, hitting every stop on the way."
"Ah, got ya. That makes sense."
I snapped my fingers.
"That's why you ca with the rchant! You can just slip into the caravan, becoming just one more of the workers, right?"
He grinned.
"Exactly right. I have one more thing to ntion, though."
"Yeah? What's that, mate?"
"I tell you this in the spirit of friendship, so there isn't an imbalance—well, as little an imbalance as possible. I need your word you won't speak of it."
"Of course, mate. I'd never share anyone's secret they wanted to keep, let alone a friend." I leaned in closer, filling my whispered words with exaggeration. "Or even worse, a dreaded crown auditor! I've heard those blokes can be ruthless!"
He gave a flat stare, but couldn't keep his face straight for long.
"Alright, what I wanted to tell you is this: we have the ability to detect lies when people speak to us."
Both my eyebrows shot up.
"Wait, for real? How?"
"Years of training. So nobles speculate that we're hidden cultivators, harnessing the power of the long-dormant System, but it's sothing much more simple. We can read body language and hear the truth of words after years of painstaking study."
"Er—is it okay to tell all of this?"
"It is—you promised you wouldn't speak of it, right?"
“Oh my god, you read when I promised that?”
He grimaced.
"I did. I see you as a friend, Fischer, which is why I told you this. I understand if you don't want to associate with anymore, but I'll need your word again that you won't tell a soul."
"Mate, that sounds exhausting for you. Knowing the truth all the ti can't be easy, right?"
He gave a sad smile.
"It has its drawbacks..."
"Well, it doesn't bother , my man!" I put an arm around his shoulder. "And, to set your mind at ease, after learning about your psychic-power shenanigans, I still won't ever tell a soul. Your secrets are just that—yours."
"Sorry about the wait!" Sue called.
We'd reached the front of the line without even realizing.
"Two coffees?" she asked.
"And two of your finest croissants, please!" I said.
"Coming right up!"
***
"Damn. This is good," Theo said, appraising the coffee's crema with a practiced eye.
"Mate, I'm offended! Did you think we would make a bad coffee?"
"We?" he asked, smiling sidelong and raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, mate! Sue and I are best friends! You insult her coffee, I might just co out swinging!"
I mid a few punches toward him with my freehand, and he snorted.
"I thought you and I were best friends?" He pulled a hand back to his chest, the very picture of indignation. "Fischer—have you been seeing other friends?"
"Frack , you're so controlling. I can't do this anymore, Theo." I took a breath, exhaling it with a dramatic sigh as I put my head in my hands. "It might be ti we see other people."
Theo made a choking noise, so I looked up, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Mate...?"
He was choking back a laugh, and as the confusion on my face grew, he pointed over my shoulder.
Maria stood behind , her eyes wide and jaw slightly open, darting looks between us.
Heat rose to my face, and I could tell a furious blush was overcoming .
"Er—it's not what it sounds like…"
Theo couldn't contain it any longer. The laugh burst from him, loud and full of elation. He buckled, leaning on his knee with one hand, the other pointed at .
"Y-your face!"
"This is why it'll never work between us, Theo! You never take seriously!"
He crumpled onto the ground as his laughter grew, the coffee placed on the street so it wouldn't spill.
My composure dissolved, and I soon joined him on the cobbled street.
Wiping tears from my eyes, I glanced at Maria. She still looked flummoxed, but the corner of her mouth was curled up in a smile.
"Ah, I needed that," I said, standing. "This is my friend, Theo. Theo, this is Maria."
"A—a pleasure," Theo said, his voice high and strained as he fought off his mirth.
He approached and extended a hand, which Maria shook in a firm grip.
"You two had worried there for a second." Realizing what she'd said, she raised both hands. "N-not that there's anything wrong if you guys were... you know..."
Theo wiped his eyes.
"While I admit Fischer is quite a catch, he's just not my type, sadly."
"Playing hard to get, huh?" I asked.
"... is it working?"
"Sorry, mate—I think we should just be friends."
"Ahhh," Theo lanted as he stood. "Unrequited love."
"Uh..." Maria said. "Are you sure you guys aren't...? It’s fine if you are."
"No," I blurted, realizing we'd taken it too far.
"W-we're only joking," Theo said at the sa ti, coming to a similar conclusion.
Maria was trying to hide a smile, but failed spectacularly.
Theo shook his head.
"Young lady! I have never!"
"Sorry," she said, her laugh finally escaping. "I couldn't help myself."
I took a deep breath, exulting as I stretched and let it out.
When I finished, I turned to Maria.
"How's Sharon doing?"
She bead.
"Mom is doing really well, Fischer. I ca to get a coffee for dad and I. He stayed up all night, refusing to leave her unwatched for a mont—despite her protests."
"Well, we'll leave you to it, then. We wouldn't want to keep your poor dad waiting."
She nodded, her hair flowing with the movent.
"I might see you later, then. I'm sure mom would love to et you at so point."
She turned to Theo.
"It was nice eting you."
"Likewise, young lady. It was a pleasure."
After Maria was long gone, Theo raised an eyebrow at .
"Her mother was unwell?"
"Yeah, mate. Really sick. Even elixirs from the Cult of the Alchemist weren't working, but another villager perford a miracle with so herbal concoction."
"Really? Alchemist elixirs didn't work, but a herbal redy did?"
"Yeah. I have no doubt she'd still be unwell if it weren't for Barry's intervention."
"Fascinating..."
***
"Have at it, Fischer!" Fergus called from the back of the smithy. "You need a hand? I'll be busy back here a while, but if you're not ready to do it yourself..."
"Nah, mate! I've got it!"
Fergus flicked his goggles back on and returned his attention to the molten slag before him.
"Give a yell if you get stuck!"
Theo gave an odd look.
"You do it yourself? I thought you said the smith helped you make them...?"
"Well, yeah! He helped make the castings and showed how to do, well... everything. It's super simple though, so I can fly solo now. Here, I'll show you."
***
Theo watched with growing amazent at Fischer's aptitude.
I know he said the smith showed him how, but his hand is so steady, his movents so exact. I'd think he'd been a blacksmith for years if he didn't tell otherwise.
Thep shook his head, returning his attention to Fischer and the tal he was currently lting in the forge.
Thick muscles bulged from Fischer's forearms as he gripped the tongs.
Even his body looks like he's been a blacksmith for years...
Fischer withdrew the crucible, and in a single flowing movent, swept it to the molding and began to pour. A thin line of molten tal poured directly into the hole, and at what looked like the perfect mont, he moved the crucible to the next casing, not losing a single drop of tal to the table.
When the last casing was poured, he set tongs and crucible down, scooped up all the molds, and carried them toward the bucket of... oil?
Theo's knowledge of smithing was rudintary at best, but he was pretty sure they used oil in the forging process.
"Are you alright if I step outside for a mont, Fischer? I just need to go speak to Marcus about the departing ti."
"No worries, mate," Fischer replied, still focusing on the casings.
No worries...? Theo thought. He has such an odd way of speaking sotis...
"I'll be back in a mont, then."
***
I barely heard Theo's words, completely focused as I was.
A state of flow had overtaken , my work all-consuming.
I dropped the molds into the oil, then reached in and flicked the latches open. The oil getting on my skin didn't bother in the least, and as the tal swiftly cooled, I reached into the bottom and plucked up the hooks.
I pulled them up just in ti for all four hooks to transform as one.
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