Book 4: Chapter 72: Patch 13.0: Operation: Operation

Later that day, the girls have gathered and are ready for their night together.

“It’s still suspicious,” Tabitha says as she checks all around The Shoebill to make sure that there are no stowaways. Not even Shogun is around from what she can see. “For all of them to be missin’ on our night… somethin’ isn’t right.”

“I’m – I’m sorry,” Azalabulia whimpers.

“It ain’t your fault. That dog just played ya is all,” Tabitha says. “Shouldn’t have trusted him around ya. To think he’d go after his newest girlfriend for information! This is why we need a girls’ night – to get away from men like him.”

“Could we not have simply chosen a new night since they know about this one?” Nell asks.

“Eh, there isn’t a reason to. It’s not like we couldn’t just kick them off if they were trying to hide anywhere. Can ya feel him around anywhere with that stalker ability of yours?”

“It – it is not a ‘stalker ability.’ It is a gift given to me by—”

“Yeah, yeah, giant serpent gift. So, can ya feel him?”

“No,” Nell answers with a pout and turned head.

“Huh. Think he might’ve woke somewhere?”

“It is possible. I can never sense him whenever he is not immersed.”

“Too bad we can’t get trackers like that on the rest of them. We need to chip them.”

“If anybody could create such a device, it would be you, Tabitha.”

“So, how much longer are we going to stand around looking for them?” Cassiel asks.

“Yeah, boring,” Serra agrees.

“Alright, alright, we’ll get the show on the road!” Tabitha declares. “Wait, there’s somebody we haven’t interrogated yet.”

“Who would that be?” Nell asks.

Tabitha looks over at Rock.

Rock notices she’s being stared at by everybody, rolls onto her side, and looks away.

“You’re not going to get anything out of her if you’re not Fenny or Shogun,” Cassiel says.

“Rock is loyal,” Serra says, nodding.

“Too loyal,” Tabitha says. “Maybe we should… nah, I’d feel bad not includin’ her. Alright, Rock, ya can stay with us for girls’ night.”

Rock wags her tail a single time to express just how excited she is. She isn’t the only one lacking excitement, either. Azalabulia may not be around her new boyfriend, but she’s sticking to herself even more than usual. Serra and Cassiel just look and sound as if they’re going with the flow rather than actually being excited about this and enjoying themselves. Nell is hopeful and eager but is nowhere near as abundantly excited as Tabitha is.

With the ship clear of all men, the fluffy sheeps secured inside of their temporary pen, and all girls onboard, Tabitha takes the helm and sets sail from the dock.

“What are going to do?” Serra asks Cassiel.

“I’m… not sure. Girl stuff?” Cassiel answers.

“Like what?”

“Like… stuff girls do when they’re together without any men? I guess?”

“Oh. So we’re going to do lewd things to each other? I’m okay wi—”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Serra sighs and pouts.

“I have no idea,” Cassiel says before joining in on the sighing. “All we’ve done is worry about guy-proofing the night, and we didn’t really plan anything to do other than… talking, I guess.”

“There’s not even any food,” Serra says.

“Or drinks.”

“Or games.”

“Maybe we can,” Cassiel looks to the side of the ship before sighing, “never mind. The fishing rods are gone.”

“I’m bored.”

“Shhh. Tabs is excited about this, so let’s try to have fun.”

“Dick is fun.”

Cassiel sighs one more time before placing her face into her palm.

Nell, having seen the looks of boredom, walks over to them with her hands behind her back.

“Hiding something?” Cassiel asks Nell.

Serra’s eyes light up at the thought of potentially having something to do.

“It would not be a girls’ night without these!” Nell says, bringing her hands out from behind her back to show the girls what she’s holding.

All she has is a box with hair ties and clips, some makeup, and other “girl” items that the girls already spend more than enough time with back in reality.

“Whether it’s in real life or in-game, you really like this stuff, don’t you?” Cassiel asks.

Serra goes back to sighing.

“Of course!” Nell answers. “We are ladies. It is only natural for us to be interested in such,” she notices how unimpressed the others look, “…things. A-are you not interested?”

“It’s fine,” Cassiel says. “I was expecting as much.”

“Neither of you look too interested in any of this.”

“I just don’t really see how a girls’ night is necessary at all, I guess. Maybe I’m just used to mainly hanging out with guys before this game, so… yeah, I just think it’s kind of – I don’t know, petty?”

“Oh! Of course. While I do agree that the concept is silly, I thought it could be fun! Besides, Tabitha is going to let me do her hair and makeup however I want! She even said she would teach us about techniques to defend ourselves against sexual harassment, but… I believe that would simply make it worse as Serra would know the techniques and to expect them.”

Serra crosses her arms over her chests and nods, proud of herself.

“We can… talk, about… things,” Azalabulia says.

“Whatever we’re going to do, let’s just try to have fun and enjoy it,” Cassiel says. “I’m sure we can have fun if we tell ourselves that we will.”

“You’re the one who said it sounds like fun in the first place,” Serra says.

“Yeah… I know, so that’s why we just have to try and have fun.”

While Tabitha happily sails out to open waters where she believes they will be totally safe from any potential plans that the missing men might have, the rest of the girls on board, even Rock, find themselves struggling even more to stay motivated about having a fun time.

They aren’t the only ones.

“I miss my girlfriends,” Fenrir says, lying back against the serpent’s scales.

Shogun barks as he thinks about cuddling up together with Rock.

“You know we’re going to see them soon, right?” Oleander asks. “You can handle being separated for a little bit, Fenny.”

“I don’t know about that. The more time I spend with them, the harder it is to be away from them.”

“Which is exactly why you need a guys’ night.”

“Isn’t fishing and drinking on the back of a serpent way too dangerous?” Rao asks. “And I’m not sure these seats are that sturdy…”

“We followed your instructions precisely, Rao,” Corwin says.

“What’d you expect when we’re supposed to follow your handwriting with a bunch of scrap materials?” Oleander asks.

“Yeah, yeah. At least they’re holding sturdy,” Rao says right before his seat tied around the serpent’s body loses one of its straps. “I uh… I’m not a good swimmer, by the way.”