Chapter 42: The Step That Smushed

Regardless the two of us carried the ring and monster parts back to the town and auction house. After talking to our foremen from yesterday, we were led up to a friendly office with a wooden desk. Behind that desk was a large man wearing a black suit, and he motioned for us to set our things down and come and sit.

"So, you're the pair my daughter has been going on about, eh? My name's Tamarin, and it looks like you two are quite the pair indeed. Getting that ring back was no small feat, and I would like to reward you. Let's have it then. What do ya want?"

The man was leaning over the desk now staring at me, but his eyes would occasionally flick the pile of parts.

"Let me take your daughter with me, and you can keep the monster parts as a gift!" I announced.

"Hmm? Ya get right to the point, don't ya? Well, hard to say no to a man of your passion and resolve. Plus, ya killed the damn old scorp down there."

"You knew about it?" I asked incredulously.

"Ye, me and the Miss, put that ring down there before she passed away, bless her soul, and we put a baby giant scorpion down there with the ring. That way, we knew the man who got that ring could care for our little baby girl. So, you gonna take care of my little baby girl Mr. Dave?"

"Yes, I will, Sir."

"Well, hehe, let's get this shindig goin'!"

A maid led Sasha and me to Maxine's room, but I was kicked out and told to get changed into something lovely. Tamarin supplied me with an excellent fitting black suit, a change from the leather armor, and underclothes I usually wore. When I finished getting dressed, I was led over to a spot next to Tamarin and told to stay put by a motherly old maid.

The next thing I knew, Both girls in white dresses walked into the room, and everyone started to cheer like it was a football game. As the girls were getting closer, Tamarin whispered something about have two wives and being such a lucky man. I didn't buy it, but I could not deny the pair of beautiful smiling faces. The rest was a blur until Sasha, and I danced later that night.

"So? How does it feel to have two wives?" Sasha teased.

"I'm still trying to figure out what to say to Jill when we finally meet up."

"I'll talk to her, and she will understand. Besides, you have other things you should be worrying about right now."

I followed her line of sight, and it landed on Maxine standing by an open bedroom door. Some of the guests must have seen our lines of sight, and the hooting and hollering began in earnest. Sasha pulled me close and whispered into my ear while smiling.

"I'll let her have you tonight, only because we consummated our marriage last night."

Giving me a long passionate kiss, Sasha then shoveled me towards to open arms of Maxine. She caught me, and we spun into the room, kicking the door closed behind us. The loud cheers continued on all night, and I was sure Tamarin was cheering the loudest.

"Why are you so riled up and blushing, Dave?"

Maxine's voice brought me back to the present, but she was no longer beside me. Instead, she was pressed into the front of me, and her comment clicked as I felt her pushing into me. Before either of us could enjoy the moment anymore, Jill crashed into us with a complaining Mikota.

They had been joking around, and Jill had slipped while dodging Mikota's advances and crashed into us. Mikota was the first to get up, but she didn't watch where she stepped and planted her foot between my legs.

I let out a gasp as my once excited parts were smushed into my body. I felt my eyes roll around the inside of my head as I gasp for air. I moved to the side, clutching myself while trying to catch my breath. Still panting, the girls helped me up.

"Sorry, Dave. I should have watched what it was doing," Mikota apologized to me.

"It's ok!" I gave her a thumbs up with all the smile I could muster to accompany it.

We all walked back to the inn. Jill and Maxine supported me part of the way. Even though it was Mikota's fault I needed the support, she had the gull to stare daggers at me when Jill offered me help. I almost stuck out my tongue at her but refrained, trying to remember who the adult was supposed to be here.

When we reached the inn, Sasha was inside already and had a feast waiting for us. Kyrina was there too, this time in an alluring black dress that showed off her more feminine side. The rest of us grabbed seats and plates and began to eat and talk.

"You should have seen the two were-boar! I had to go and take them down alone! They tried to get away, but I was to fast," Sasha was bragging about the job she had got, and I told myself that the weed picking was an honest day's work.

When everyone had finished, the cook brought out an apple pie, but when she served it, Mikota and my piece got a scoop of pure white ice cream, each the size of the pie piece. We both gaped, practically drooling as the cook handed us our pieces.

When the cook left, Maxine and Sasha came and got really close to me and ended up taking one third each of the ice cream. I was left with my portion when I noticed Kyrina sitting more or less alone at the table with us, so I slipped out from between the girls and went to move beside Kyrina. She was pushing the piece she had broken off the central pie around, and I transplanted my remaining icecream onto her pie.

"Hey! No! I can't take your ice cream," Kyrina tried to object, but I put a hand on her arm and used my other to put a finger to her lips.

"Don't worry, I know you have been training, so you deserve this too. Everyone is doing their part, their way right now, so don't be shy with the girls or with this ice cream, or it will melt!"

I pinched Kyrina's cheeks and leaned back as she began to eat more freely and relaxed. Memories started to drift in again, and I felt myself get carried back to that place.

The one that I first met Kyrin and then Kyrina.

After long traveling and following more rumors then should be mentioned, we finally got wind of Jill and Mikota's location. Maxine, Sasha, and I all traveled to a mountain village and found them living among the people. After a short reunion, introduction, and heavy mediation from Sasha, Jill was able to greet Maxine properly.

Once I had explained the situation to Jill, she relaxed. While she seemed to understand the meaning, she appeared to be holding something back, but I wasn't about to push at this point. Jill also talked about a particular person here that could be the final puzzle piece to our project. According to what she said, though, recruiting the person would not be an easy task. On top of that, I was the only one that could do it, according to Jill and Mikota.

After we sat down to eat and finished, Jill and Mikota took us to see the Fire user. We had to travel to a cave just outside the mountain top village. Once there, we walked into a cave that was covered in scratches and soot marks. It looked like a large scale battle had gone on inside this cave, but Jill motioned for us to follow her in deeper.

I was starting to get a bad feeling about this.

After only a short walk, the cave closed into a single door. Jill approached the door quietly and called out a name, Kyrina while knocking softly. Nothing happened at first, but then a pretty face stuck out of the door and quietly conversed with Jill.

Soon, we were invited inside, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the place was very well kept. From the burn marks and scratches, It was like walking between movie sets. There were two red velvet sofa's with curling wooden legs and a reading chair of the same design. On a coffee table in the middle sat a teapot and some water.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce Kyrina. They are a Dragon-Kin and protect the area up here in the mountains," Jill introduced the shy woman, and she gave an awkward curtsy.

"Hey, It's nice to meet you all," Kyrina was almost shaking with nervousness as she spoke, so Jill put her arm around the girl and led her back into what seemed to be the kitchen area.

I looked to Sasha and then mouthed "they?" as a question, but a sound from the kitchen interrupted our wordless exchange. SWIWHP! A sound similar to something getting sucked into a small hole. In a moment, Jill came back out, but she was followed by a man this time.

The man looked very similar to Kyrina, except the hair was tied back and, well, he was missing the chest enhancements. This person had a very different air about them, more confidence and surety about himself, then the woman showed. The man stepped forward and struck a pose, but when he spoke, even though the tone was drastically different, I could still hear the similarities.

"Well, it seems some new guests have arrived! My name is Kyrin. What brings you all to my cave on this day? I hope you haven't come to stir up trouble on my mountainside, have you? We might come to blows! Haha!"

The difference was Bipolar. Even in the short time that I saw Kyrina, I figured out what was going on here. I knew there wasn't anyone else but Kyrina here when we arrived, I could sense her with my earth magic, but the total amount of people here hasn't changed. Before I could react to this information, something started to happen with Kyrin.

"Why are you so mean to these new people and acting like this?" Half of Kyrin's face changed into Kyrina's face, giving them a confusing and disturbing visage.

"I told you to stay back, and I would deal with these interlopers. They will bring ruin to us! You know what the others were like! Why do you think these will be different?"

"You can't keep acting like this. I'm tired of always being locked away!"

"Don't try to take over!" Kyrin began to scream, and trails of smoke rose from his mouth.

"Get out now!" Jill and Mikota both yelled, scrambling to the door.

"Let's go! Crystal wall Maxine so we don't get cooked!" I took Maxine's hand and poured magic into her.

Crystal walls rose behind us as we tried to escape the dragon fire. The walls began to melt, but Jill came back and lent Maxine her power to fuse the walls with ice. When the flames stopped, I had to catch Maxine as she passed out from overexertion.

Jill led us back to the village in silence. Maxine was snuggled into my chest now as I carried her. She had woken up along the way back but pretend she was still sleeping. I didn't mind lifting her small petite frame, considering how she had saved all their lives back there.

Jill was going to have some explaining during the bath tonight!