An ominous letter, how thoughtful. As if Sir Manuscript couldn’t be even more difficult.

Based on the context, I had assumed that we would be seeing each other some time before, or after the patrol. I was pretty much required to be there, and if he was the one employing us, then we would have to meet at some point in order to properly do the job. It made sense.

What didn’t make sense was Sir Manuscript waiting at the edge of the forest for us to arrive. Nor did it make any sense that he would be accompanying us on the job.

This guy was a borderline clean freak, I think. If my previous escapades in his dwelling were anything to go by, he didn’t like to get things dirty. So why was he willing to venture into the forest for hours on end just to observe a gem deposit?

Though… I could think of something else that he would want to observe.

“Glad to see you made it.” Sir Manuscript announced, stepping down from a carriage.

He was wearing a much simpler getup than last time, just a shirt and some boots, though they were still in pristine condition.

“Likewise.” Captain Morningstar responded,

With a single wave of his hoof, Maul stopped the cart, and the rest of the mercenaries formed up behind him.

“I trust that everyone is here?” Sir Manuscript asked,

I took that as my cue to stand up and carefully climb out of the cart. I then walked over to join the rest of the group and crossed my arms, though I avoided making direct eye contact with Sir Manuscript.

His attention immediately focused on my gait: I was walking with a limp. Technically, I shouldn’t even be walking, I could feel the shards in my hip shifting with every step, but it was getting better… I hope. The grinding noise had subsided a bit over the course of the morning, which was probably the crystals getting worn down until they fit together better. At least that’s what I think was happening, nothing was breaking, but I had yet to actually stress test it yet, and I would prefer to keep it that way until after it fully healed.

“Did something happen?” Sir Manuscript asked with a raised eyebrow.

Captain Morningstar just grunted in my general direction.

“Oh, um…” I clutched my stump harder and averted my gaze, “I uh… had a wild night yesterday.”

“Mm, and what, pray tell, constitutes a ‘wild night?’”

“Uh…” I glanced around a bit, “Overzealous teammates.”

Sir Manuscript inhaled sharply, while several of the mercenaries choked. I just looked at them in confusion.

What? It was just a training exercise gone wrong. Why were they reacting like that?

Indigo prodded me in the back, “You’re clueless.”

And now I’m being insulted again.

“Moving on.” Sir Manuscript awkwardly cleared his throat, “Will this be impacting the mission at all?”

“No.” Captain Morningstar answered, “Only that Phos will be spending most of the time in the cart.”

A sly smirk suddenly found its way onto his face again, “Then by all means.” Sir Manuscript stepped to the side, “Perhaps I can help lighten the load.”

He gestured to his carriage, which was a bit smaller than the mercenaries’ cart, but it was fully encased. It had a roof, a door on its side, windows, and everything else you might expect. Though it wasn’t one of those ridiculously fancy ones, we were heading into the forest after all, it was still pretty high quality.

That didn’t mean I wanted to sit in it though.

“I… Uh…” I looked over at Captain Morningstar.

He just sat there contemplating.

“Besides,” Sir Manuscript continued, “We have important matters to discuss.”

“Hm… Verywell.” Captain Morningstar nodded,

I grimaced, then looked towards Fletch and Indigo instead.

“Can uh… Can we join?” Fletch asked hesitantly,

“No.” Sir Manuscript said, smiling.

“Welp,” Indigo patted me on the back, “You’re on your own for this one. Good luck!”

“Bu- I… Aww…” I whined, before slowly stepping forward,

With a smug look, Sir Manuscript turned back towards the rest of the group, “Is everything else ready then?”

“Yes sir.” Captain Morningstar said,

“Then let us depart.”

Sir Manuscript walked back to his carriage and opened the door, beckoning me forward. I took another hesitant step, looked back at all the mercenaries one more time, then climbed inside.

♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦ ♥ ♦

One might think: ‘If you can get to the gem deposit by cart through the forest, then why does a road even need to be built in the first place?’

To that I raise you: Terrain difficulty.

There wasn’t a straight shot path through the forest that a cart could manage. Even someone on their own couldn’t walk in a straight line all the way there. When travelling via a cart, you had to find a path wide enough to fit amongst thousands of randomly placed trees. Not to mention things like uneven ground, streams, exposed roots, and general slopes of the landscape, it would take several hours, and quite possibly cause some serious damage just to get through the forest.

I knew this because I had experienced it on the way back to town. Though it wasn’t the focus of the trip, I remember being jostled quite a bit as the mercenaries struggled to get the cart through some places. There were times when I was worried I was going to crack from the violent movements, which made me glad I could no longer get carsick.

Cart-sick.

I was even more damaged than I was back then, but right now I was sitting on a cushioned seat in a carriage with an actual suspension. I guess that was one thing I could be thankful for, though the usual intense vibrations were replaced with a rough swaying.

I still wanted to go back to sitting in the cart though, because at least then I wouldn’t have to deal with Sir Manuscript by myself in a closed environment.

“Why don’t you take off your cloak? We’re not in town anymore.” He suggested,

He had long since taken off his boots, and was sitting opposite to me in the carriage. I was almost glad he was speaking now, because the way he had been staring at me for the last few minutes was making me extremely uncomfortable. Now I actually had to speak with him though…

I just stuck a finger out, and swiped it across the fabric of my seat, leaving behind a slight brown smear.

Sir Manuscript’s eye twitched, before he sighed and nodded, “I see, thank you for your consideration.”

Looks like he really was uptight about that sort of thing after all. I wasn’t going to take my cloak off regardless though, my disguise was pretty much ruined. Unfortunately, either from the damage, the amount of time it spent in pieces, my general lack of care for it, or a combination of all three, the plants that were around my hips were dead, meaning the only thing covering my crystal there was my cloak. That wasn't something I was going to expose, but I suppose I could pull my hood down, I was going to have to speak with him face to face eventually.

“Would you care for something to eat? Drink?” Sir Manuscript pulled open a drawer to the side, the sound of glass and silverware clinking within.

What was up with this guy? He looks down on me like I’m the scum of the earth one day, then the next he treats me like some sort of esteemed guest. Was he trying to curry favor with me? As if I would tell him all my secrets just because he treated me nicely. He was supposedly Lord Tungsten’s right hand man, and by proxy I didn’t want to be anywhere near him.

Was it something I did? What was different about this meeting than the last one? Well, we were on a job, and I actually sent a letter of request to him. Was it that? I was being official with him, so he was being official with me? Treat others how you want to be treated, I guess.

I don’t think he would go that far. In fact, he seemed to revel in exerting his authority, seeing how he can put others below him. Catching me in a lie, demanding I show proof, and forcing me to ride in a carriage with him, definitely someone I didn’t want to be around. He was the type to try and manipulate you in ways you wouldn’t even notice, to make you slip up, then push you further down when you do.

Which made me really not want to share a carriage with him.

“N-No thanks…” I began, “I don’t-” I stopped myself, “I’m not hungry.”

Ugh… I don’t want to have to think like this. Monitoring my words, dodging around questions, and looking out for traps, it was nerve wracking. I didn’t want to have to worry about messing up just by saying the wrong thing.

Besides, how would we even eat in this roller coaster of a carriage ride?

Sir Manuscript raised an eyebrow.

…And I’ve probably messed up already. I leaned my head back against the wall of the carriage and stared ahead blankly.

“So.” Sir Manuscript continued, “Where is this proof you have acquired for me? Or would you rather we talk for the time being?”

I did not want to talk. I was meeting with him to show the proof, and that was it, but now I was actually hesitant to do so. Indigo said my proof was ‘too good’, and now I had to expose Shinsha to Sir Manuscript as well.

How did things turn out this way?

My uncertainty was doing wonders for Sir Manuscript’s mood. His smug smile was growing smugger every second I failed to respond.

Alright, I’ve had about enough of that. So what if my proof is too good? I had something that would knock his socks off, not that he wore any, but I couldn’t wait to wipe that look off his face.

That determination didn’t really translate well into action however.

“Proof…” I nodded slowly, “The proof.”

“Well?” Sir Manuscript demanded, “Where is it?

“R-Right,” I reached up into my hood.

I had already pulled it back, but just because it was down didn’t mean there wasn’t anything inside. Shinsha was waiting in the folds, and as soon as my hand came near, they climbed on. They had been briefed on the situation, and we decided it was best for them to act like how Breezies were commonly thought to act.

To put it simply, they wouldn’t be speaking, and they wouldn’t be letting Sir Manuscript touch them in any way.

When my hand pulled back with a green glow atop it, Sir Manuscript’s eyes widened slightly.

That also meant I would have to treat Shinsha as if they had no agency, like a magical wisp.

“This is a Breezie from the forest.” I began,

As soon as I uttered that word, Sir Manuscript’s eyes practically bugged out of his head.

This was already worth it.

“Ahem,” I tried to stop myself from smiling, “I have been entrusted with it for the time being, or until the issue with the road has been resolved.”

Shinsha took off from my hand, and Sir Manuscript scrambled back in his seat. I could understand why; Breezies were thought to be unpredictable, and have the power to literally kill somebody. To be trapped in an enclosed space with one, it would be hard to stay calm and collected.

I’ve had my fun though, so I guess it was time to reign it in. I could not tell you how glad I was to see someone like Sir Manuscript get shaken like that though. Gesturing with my finger, Shinsha fluttered back to my hand, where I then placed them on my shoulder. Sir Manuscript watched the display for a moment, then blinked a few times before sitting back up and brushing himself off.

“Y-You have a Breezie?!” He was aghast.

“Yes,” I nodded, “One of many.”

His wide eyed look turned even wider as he thought about my words.

“They are the protectors of the forest, and they will not hesitate to defend it against any harm.”

An empty threat, the most the Breezies could probably do was be a nuisance to the workers, maybe blinding them. Sir Manuscript didn’t need to know that, he just needed to think that the forest posed an overwhelming threat.

He remained silent for a moment, ruminating. His expression slowly soured, and he looked up at me with a frown, “Fine, I believe you that there are spirits in this forest. The road plans will be altered accordingly.”

I let out a sigh of relief, “Thank you.”

“Which brings me to my next question…” His scowl deepened,

I don’t think this guy liked admitting defeat. Either that or he hated the idea of losing to me.

“Where is this new road supposed to go?”

Oh.

Right.

We still needed to figure that out.

But wait, Lycus’s mother already made the preparations, so there should be someplace for the road to go. I just didn’t know where it was, and obviously Sir Manuscript didn’t either.

“Uh…” I began, “I’ll… have to get back to you on that.”

Sir Manuscript's gaze lightened slightly, but now he looked more annoyed than furious. “How soon? I cannot delay construction indefinitely.”

Let’s see. After this job, I would have to go back into the forest, get the information, possibly send another letter to Sir Manuscript, wait for the reply, then meet when possible. That totals to about three to four days.

We were already in the forest though. If Sir Manuscript was willing to wait, I could probably dip in and out and be back before the end of the day. Before the end of the job even, I don’t know how long a patrol typically lasts, but Captain Morningstar said it like it would take almost the entire day, and we left early in the morning too.

It would take several hours just to make it through the forest, plus however many hours the patrol needed, then the return trip. That was a lot of time to spend travelling, especially if it was in a carriage, and especially if it was with Sir Manuscript.

“If… you’ll let me…” I began slowly, “I can get you that information by the end of today… possibly even earlier.”

Sir Manuscript narrowed his eyes at me, taking in every feature of my face. Though his focus seemed to turn to Shinsha more often than not.

He eventually exhaled through his nostrils, “Verywell.” He turned and knocked on the wall of the carriage behind him, a second later a wooden slit opened up. “Stop the caravan, there is something we need to discuss.” He commanded,

There were a couple of muted shouts from outside, and the carriage slowed to a halt, teetering slightly as it settled down. Sir Manuscript then nodded to the door, and I fiddled with the handle a bit before pushing it open.

We were definitely in the forest alright. How far in I couldn’t tell, the result of being crammed in a carriage the entire time. I mean it did have windows, but they were small and had blinds, all I could see was the passing of trees. It should go without saying that I did not recognize the area we were in.

The mercenaries’ cart was stopped a bit ahead of the carriage, most likely acting as a guide. They have made the trip before after all, and the cart was slightly larger, meaning they had to find a path that both vehicles could fit.

“Change of plans, Captain.” Sir Manuscript announced,

“Sir?” Captain Morningstar replied,

“We’ll be splitting our forces,” Sir Manuscript ordered, “One will continue to the deposit, while the other will accompany Phos into the forest to get information required for the road.”

“Oh, um…” I stepped forward, “They don’t let outsiders in, I’m the only one allowed inside.”

Sir Manuscript glowered at me.

“It’s true,” Indigo spoke up, “We couldn’t get in last time, and had to be left behind.”

Sir Manuscript turned his scowl towards her instead, then his eyes suddenly widened. He then looked at me with a slight smile.

“Do not think you can escape from me so easily, but fine.” He turned to address the group again, “Phos will go alone while the rest of you continue with reconnaissance.”

Captain Morningstar’s head shot towards me with a glare. “Are you abandoning your job?” He demanded,

“I… uh…” I shrank back,

“I am the employer here.” Sir Manuscript stepped in front of me, “I get to decide what my employees do. Phos will be working on this ‘side mission’ for me.”

Having him stand up for me like that felt wrong, really wrong, but I’ll take what I can get.

Captain Morningstar backed off with a snort, “This no longer counts as a real job then.”

Oh shoot. Was that what this was supposed to be? I kind of regret skipping out on it now.

“How soon can you meet with these… ‘forest spirits?’” Sir Manuscript asked,

“Um… It depends on where we are in the forest.” I said,

There were a few moments of silence as everyone looked around.

“So…” Sir Manuscript continued,

“I don’t know,” I shook my head, “Probably within the hour.”

“Verywell,” he sighed, “See if you can meet back up with us at the deposit before we leave. And if not, return to my estate by the end of the day at least, or else I may have to rethink our deal, understand?”

“Ye-Yes sir.” I saluted,

Sir Manuscript just stared at me for a few moments, then shook his head and turned back to his carriage. “We’ll be off now.”

“Good luck, Phos!” Fletch called out from the back of the cart.

Rusty nodded slightly, “I don’t blame ya, patrol jobs are usually really boring.”

“I don’t blame you either,” Indigo walked up close to whisper, “Having to ride with him.” She glanced over to Sir Manuscript as he entered the carriage.

“Have fun.” Dr. Duck concluded,

None of the others said anything, just a curt nod and a grunt from Captain Morningstar, absolutely no reaction from Dagger, and what I think was a look of longing from Maul. Nevertheless, he started pulling the cart again, and after a few minutes they disappeared into the treeline, leaving me on my own in the forest.

“Okay,” I sighed, “He’s gone.”

Shinsha took flight from my shoulder, buzzing up in front of my face.

“Don’t like, don’t like.” They humphed, “Manuscurpht… Manushit!”

I burst out laughing, causing Shinsha to jump back a bit. I doubted they even realized what they just said, but that didn’t make it any less funny to me. Maybe I actually should teach them a few curse words, something that foul coming from something that tiny would always be a laugh.

I kid, of course. Besides, I don’t even know if the swears I knew would apply here.

“Sorry to put you through that.” I began, “But thank you for helping me.”

“Phos, Phos. Help, help.” Shinsha fluttered up and down,

“And now…” I put my hand on my hip and gazed out into the forest. “I need to talk with Lycus’s mom. Can you take me to her?”

Shinsha bobbed up and down again, then let out a loud chirp. Almost like a cricket, but it sounded more like a phone ringing. Almost immediately, several other Breezies floated into view, and Shinsha rushed over to converse with them.

Again, it was something I couldn’t really understand, but it sounded like it was starting to get heated. Shinsha and the other Breezies were arguing with each other, and the only thing that I could make out was that Shinsha’s name came up. Several times actually.

Eventually, things started to cool back down, and with a couple of hugs and kisses, at least that’s what I think they were doing when they touched up against each other, the Breezies fanned out, and Shinsha flew back over to me.

“Follow, follow.”

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

Phos does NOT know what sex is. They might have a pretty good idea, but as you might guess, they've never seen it, nor have they ever had it.

It's probably going to stay that way, and if you're disappointed from that, why?