Chapter 86: Book 2, Chapter 27: A Long Lost Friend, and Some New Ones

They lay together for a good while as the sun worked its way across the sky, its light crawling slowly along the bedroom wall. Jack had long since ceased to be comfortable as various bodily functions began to intrude on his repose with their annoying calls. It wasn’t until his stomach growled like a squalling tomcat that Chi’s head shot up from where she’d been resting it against his chest. “Oh!” she gasped. “I’m sorry! I didn’t—”

“It’s okay,” he told her. “If I’d wanted you to move, I’d have asked.”

“But you must be starving!” she worried. “You didn’t even get a chance to finish dinner last night.”

“I had more important things to do,” He grinned. “Remember?”

She blushed, although it was difficult to catch. “Still,” she said, swinging her legs clear of the bed, pausing only long enough to lean down and kiss him soundly. “I’ll whip something up.”

He held his tongue before the quip escaped. “Where’s the privy around here?” he asked instead.

Chi really was a very good cook as it turned out. She’d never gotten around to showing him this particular talent during their previous relationship. She did so in earnest now, much to Jack’s pleasure.

She finished eating first, mainly because she only had a single helping. Jack was on thirds, packing it away as she leaned on her elbows, chin in her hands and a smile on her face, watching him eat.

“OOH!” she suddenly bolted upright, nearly causing him to stab himself with a forkful of fried potatoes. “I have something for you!”

He put the fork down and raised an eyebrow. “Already?” he smiled wryly.

“What?” her eyes went round. “No, you jerk! Well, yes, but no!” she jumped up from the table and raced into the bedroom, returning with her wizard’s bag.

“I was supposed to give this to you when I first saw you in Mokkelton,” she explained, rummaging around inside. “But... well, you know. Things got hectic, and I completely forgot about it. Ah hah!”

She hauled a tightly wrapped package clear and laid it out on the table, unwrapping it proudly.

Jack’s eyes went hard and his smile vanished. “How long have you had that?” his voice was harsh. “And how’d you get it?”

She flinched, but her smile only faltered a little. “Rosaluna,” she told him. “Once we’d made peace, she gave it to me to give to you. But, as I said—”

“She tell you why she held it back?” he demanded.

She was frowning in her own stead now. “Simmer down, Cowboy,” she warned. “You sure you’re mad at me? Or are you just taking it out on me?”

Jack closed his eyes, squeezing the lids together like he was trying to crack walnut shells. He took a few measured breaths and struggled to get ahold of himself. It wasn’t easy. The appearance of the G20 out of the blue after a full year had shocked him more than he cared to admit. It had hit him in the gut with the force of betrayal. “She tell you why?” he repeated in a much more measured tone.

“She did,” Chi couldn’t hold the hint of mirth from her voice. “She was afraid of it.”

“What?” he asked. “Why would she be afraid of a handgun?”

Now the laughter was open in her voice. “She thought it shot nukes,”

He opened one eye and stared up at her. “What?”

“Serious,” she laughed.

“That’s ridiculous,” he opened the other eye, although his frown remained.

“Nevertheless,” she assured him. “She heard about the nukes from World War Two, and figured that, in eighty or so years, your people would surely have come up with far more devastating weapons.”

He rested his elbows on the table on either side of his plate and put his face in his hands. “You don’t carry nukes around on your belt,” he gritted.

“That’s what I told her,” Chi affirmed. “And, to be fair, once I assured her that it was only a personal defense weapon, she did give it back.”

“That old woman...” he grumbled into his hands. “Why didn’t she ask me about it?”

“I asked her that, too,” Chi smiled. “It seems she didn’t exactly trust you in the beginning. And by the time she did, you were gone. Or, at least, you weren’t where she could speak directly to you.”

Jack heaved a great breath and let it out slowly. “You check it over yet?” he asked as he raised his head and took up his fork.

“Yep,” she acknowledged. “Just like you taught me. Looks fine. She was so afraid of it that she never even tried to unload it. There’s some dust, and you’ll probably have to figure out how to properly lube it with local materials, but other than that, it looks good.”

He paused, fork halfway to his mouth before laying it back onto his plate and pushing the whole mess away. “This is the woman who faced down dragons?” he shook his head.

“One and the same,” Chi confirmed. “I don’t know exactly what her Kenji told her about you yanks, but it sure seems to have put the fear of the gods into her.”

He reached across the table and slid the cloth towards him, lifting the holstered pistol free. He buttoned out the magazine, racked the slide and lay the round from the chamber beside the loaded magazine on the table. There wasn’t even that much dust. He’d often collected more just carrying the thing around inside his belt.

“You’ve made some changes since I saw it last,” Chi commented.

“Yeah,” he replied, taking a good grip and twisting his body to line the red dot up against a small vase sitting atop the stone mantle. It was bright and clear. “I picked up a new slide with an RMR cut and mounted a red dot. New threaded barrel, too.”

He swiped the switch of the light/laser alight and arched his head up to see the red laser dot painting the wall from the center of a bright pool of light, visible even in the sunshine coming in through the windows. This close in, the dot hadn’t been visible through the irons or red dot, nor should it have been. Height over bore and all that. He’d zeroed it for twenty-five yards when he’d set it up back home.

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So, he thought. Whatever he and the pistol had gone through on their way here, and wherever the old woman had hidden it in the time since, none of it had damaged either the electronics or batteries. He wasn’t sure whether that was important or not, but he filed it away.

Laying the G20 down on the table, he took up the magazine, thumbing out the cartridges. Then he held it up to his ear, pressing down on the follower while listening for strange noises. The recoil spring on the pistol had still felt right to his hands, but he wasn’t taking any chances. Given decent steel wire, he could forge new springs, but it was always nice to know he’d need to before they failed in a fight.

Leaning back with a sigh, he eyed the hybrid Kydex holster. That would have to be replaced. Its retention system, fit for carrying concealed in a relatively peaceful clime, wouldn’t do for what he was looking at in his future. He’d need to come up with something he could carry on the outside of his belt, with some sort of positive retention system. Something like the issue Serpa he’d worn in the ‘stan.

The mag pouches would still work. And they had snaps on them he could use as examples to duplicate for the pistol holster. And for a number of other things while he was at it.

“What’re our plans for the rest of the day?” he wondered aloud as he was examining one of the 10mm cartridges for discoloration.

“I thought we’d pay a visit to Tumblebrook so that I could show you around,” Chi grinned. “I can’t wait to introduce you to my apprentice.”

He looked up, eyebrows arching. “You have an apprentice?”

She nodded. “And wait until you meet her,” she exclaimed. “She’s the cutest thing you’ve ever seen!”

He half nodded at that, reloading the pistol and wrapping it back up in the cloth before shoving the package into his belt pouch. “You going like that?” he asked. “I’m not complaining, understand. I could look at you all day like that, but are you sure you want to go out in public in your current state?”

She frowned for a moment before looking down and realizing she was still naked. Her face darkened, and she surged to her feet, hurrying back to the bedroom.

Chuckling, Jack stood and gathered up the dishes, carrying them to the sink. Looking around, he didn’t see any obvious way to clean them, so he left them there. That done, he headed for the door. He hadn’t gotten ‘round to taking care of Ebon last night, and he was feeling a bit guilty. Not worried, particularly, but guilty.

The spirit horse was waiting directly outside the door, somehow managing to look disapproving. “Sorry,” Jack told him. You need water?”

The horse trotted to the trough, which Jack took to mean yes, so he headed for the well.

Chi came out twenty or thirty minutes later, fully clothed, freshly scrubbed, and smiling.

“How are we going to do this?” Jack wondered when she approached.

“Hmm?” she returned. “Oh, I suppose I’ll fly while you ride. Just like yesterday, except hopefully this time you won’t get distracted and wander off chasing goblins. I’ll ground before we get there, and we’ll walk in together. Sound good?”

“Sounds good,” he nodded. Ebon was already saddled, so he simply climbed aboard. Once in the saddle, he shrugged down at her. “Can’t promise anything if I see a mob of goblins, though.”

She snorted, but turned and took a step northward before launching herself into the air. She hovered fifty feet or so above for a moment while he maneuvered Ebon out onto the road, and then took off at a brisk pace.

The five miles flew by in a few minutes, and before Jack knew it, he was bringing the spirit horse to a halt beside her before a log wall and a reasonably imposing double gate. There was a guy on a parapet above the gate, holding a crossbow and staring down at them like he wasn’t quite sure what he was looking at.

“Parnet?” Chi called up to him after a moment. “Are you alright?”

“Huh?” he gasped. “Oh, Lady Chi! I wasn’t expecting you back so soon. And who is that with you?”

She wrapped both arms around one of jack’s and squeezed herself against him. “He’s my boy toy!” she laughed. “I bought him in town for twenty coppers! Did I get a deal, or what?”

The man’s face went white as a sheet for a moment before he caught on. “Pshaw!” he waved an arm. “I suppose you think you’re funny, don’t you?”

“Are you going to let us in?” Chi asked, face pouty.

He ducked his head. “Half a shake,” he called down, humor coloring his voice. He disappeared, and after a moment, one of the gates swung slowly open. “Really,” the man, Parnet, asked. “Who is your friend? The mayor’ll want to know.”

“We’re on our way to see the mayor,” Chi told him with a wide grin. Then she relented. “Parnet Glownem,” she indicated the gate guard. “Jackson Thomas Grenell.” indicating Jack. “Jack? Parnet Glownem.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Jack stuck out his hand.

“Likewise,” Parnet took Jack’s hand. “Grenell?” he wondered. “Wait! Ain’t you that new hero I been hearing about? The sentinel?”

“Guilty as charged,” Jack admitted.

Parnet looked back to Chi accusingly. “Worth more’n twenty coppers I’ll wager, Lady.” his voice lowered. “You taken to cheatin’ folk since you left? Oughtn’t t’be givin’ us Tumblebrookers a bad name now.” He favored Jack with a broad wink.

Chi laughed aloud, slapping his shoulder. “Parnet, me lad,” she chuckled. “I lied about the twenty coppers. Truth is,” She leaned in and placed a hand beside her mouth conspiratorially. “I stole him outright.”

Jack, meanwhile, just stood there watching as they had their fun. Even knowing her as he did, he still found it incongruous to see what was basically a mediaeval peasant laughing and joking with a demon. More, the villager seemed not the least troubled or surprised that a human hero might have a relationship with said demon.

Mund, it would seem, wasn’t finished with surprising him yet.

Chi kept hold of his arm as they entered the village, sauntering up the center of the main street. Each and every citizen they encountered took the time to greet the devil girl and inquire as to Jack’s identity and their relationship. The trek across the square took awhile.

Mayor Longhan met them about three-quarters of the way across, greeting both effusively.

Samus and her mother showed up a couple of minutes later, Sam charging forward and into Chi’s arms to be lifted skyward as Chi whirled in a circle, the pair of them laughing like maniacs.

“Sam,” Chi held the girl in one arm once she’d finished spinning. “I’d like to introduce you to my hero.” she gestured to Jack. “This is Jackson Thomas Grenell. Jack,” she gave Sam a bounce. “I’d like you to meet my apprentice, Samus Oaks, who will someday be the greatest wizard in the land. Right Sam?”

Sam nodded, but was having some trouble with her bravado in the presence of the strange man. “‘lo,” she said hesitantly.

“And hello to you, great future wizard,” Jack held out his hand.

With a look at Chi, Sam took the offered hand and Jack leant over it, every bit the gallant knight. Sam blushed furiously and drew her hand back, eliciting a chuckle from her mentor.

Mayor Longhan was still hovering, so Chi shooed him away with a promise to find him when they were done here.

“Sam,” Chi addressed the little girl seriously once the mayor had cleared their immediate area. “I can only stay for a little bit this time. We’re supposed to be in Mokkelton tomorrow evening. But I wanted to tell you that the Lady Rosaluna Galbradia has agreed to teach you while I’m away.”

Sam’s eyes got very round. “But Chi!,” she protested. “She’s scary! Can’t I just wait until you come back?”

Chi sighed. “I’m not sure when that’ll be, pumpkin,” she confessed. “There are many things I must do, some of them far away. Trust me, though, Rosaluna isn’t all that scary once you get to know her. And she’s very, very smart. She can teach you things about Mund it will take me a hundred years to discover, and she’s already had other apprentices, so she’ll know the best ways for you to learn.”

“You already know that,” the little girl insisted. “I’m already lots better than I was ‘cause you’re the best teacher.”

Chi gave her another bounce, grinning. “You say that because you haven’t had another teacher, Sam,” she said. “Give Rosaluna a chance. I’m not going to be gone forever. And when I get back, you can show me all the new things you’ve learned.”

Sam’s lower lip was jutting, and her face had clouded up, but she nodded grudgingly. “Alright, sensei,” she grudged. “I’ll listen to her. But please come back soon.”

Chi gave her a final bounce, kissed her on the forehead, and set her down, belatedly greeting Cleary and introducing Jack.

“Now,” Chi addressed Sam one last time. “We have to go talk to the mayor now, okay? You make sure you do your practice repetitions even though I’m not here. Tell the Lady Rosaluna what I’ve been having you do when she comes to train you. Now, you go with your mother. I’ll see you soon.”

Samus nodded and waved as she and her mother turned for their house. Chi and Jack headed for the mayor’s place with the news that there might be some strange things going on in the near future, but that there would be watchers keeping an eye on the village, even though they might not see them.

The sun was already setting by the time they bid their farewells to the denizens of Tumblebrook village, and headed back to Chi’s farm.

The plan had been to get a good night’s sleep and head out for Mokkelton first thing in the morning. Of course, while their night was indeed good, there wasn’t much sleep. And the following day found them so blissfully absorbed in one another that they were already due ere they’d managed to depart.