Everybody managed to do their part after that. All supplies that can be found were placed at the room for each of us to split the loot. The agreement was for us to split on food and supplies but the weapons found stayed with us. However there weren't many weapons to begin with. The only weapons that were found were kitchen knives and a revolver. It looked as if Rebecca's prediction was right. But even with a gun at hand it didn't look as if anybody from Richard's group was impressed. "So what was this location before?" Richard asked me. "East LA." I answered.
All the man can do was a big sigh. He scratched his head and examined the firearm. Again a even more disappointed look at his face. "The guys at this apartment barely had a chance from a start." He says, "It's practically a miracle for you guys to survive." Richard then tosses the gun at the pile. Tyrell then grabbed the gun. He looked at it himself and was rather confused. "What's wrong with it?" Tyrell asked. Richard then started to laugh. It reached to the point he was choking on his own saliva. He regains composure and takes the gun. "This is a .22LR revolver. You can use this for self defense but the bullets can barely kill anything." He says, "You would need to empty the entire cylinder if you would want to kill something of you are at Laputa." The man then tosses it back to us. He claps his hands and looks at the supplies. He looks outside to look at the sun. "We might as well eat, it's almost sundown." He tells us, "We might need to talk about what happens next after a bite."
All of us agreed as we were pretty tired. But after being with my group, it looked that Mr. Williams was the most worn out amongst us. Sure I used magic for most of the day but it looked as if the man's mind was worn out. It was then I noticed a box full of pipe bombs with some fuses on top. To be fair, Rebecca always wanted to make these but didn't have the time. It's not like there's some random location in California for you to set off a few bombs without a license or something. You can really tell he was really stressed by the look at his face. But a few moments later the man speaks after stuttering a little. "Maybe we should check what we got at the nets. I would go for some fresh meat right about now." He told us.
The man went for a head start and we followed. The four of us were checking out the roof and were wondering what we caught at the bird nets. This time however we were kinda alarmed. Snagged on the nets happened to be a bald eagle with its wings and neck stuck between the gaps. I didn't know what to make of it myself. An endangered species happened was at our trap and we somehow felt conflicted. Rebecca then started to mutter a bit, trying to figure out what to say. The words then started to flow but how I expected it to be. "Is it considered treason or poaching if you eat an endangered species that happens to be a national bird?" She asked. "Beats me." Tyrell replied.
The four of us then constantly looked at it as it kept on struggling. Our heads were actually tilted upwards as the net was on top of the entrance to the roof. It made others wonder what the hell we were doing. But after awhile I decided to try to go up the ladder. But before I can even hold the ladder, Rebecca pulled my shirt and stopped me. "What are you doing?" She asked me. "Well… since we caught it, we might as well eat it." I told her. Her face then turned into rage as she forcefully pulled me back. "Are you an idiot?!" She exclaims, "This is an endangered species. Don't forget to mention there's a patriot right behind you!"
"Don't really mind… I can do with or without the eagle." Mr. Williams told us. He gave a smile that he was alright with it. But somehow I can tell this was fake. From what I can tell the man's right side of his lip tended to react a little. Somehow he tended to feel jittery about this.
"I do! I did a few volunteer work on animal shelter and I still can't get over that!" Tyrell told us. This was true actually but I didn't think that was the reason. Honestly I think it had to deal with his personal phobia of big birds. I never talked about this towards the rest for the group. Personally this was actually the main reason why I didn't take Tyrell out on patrols. One of these days we might encounter a colossal bird the size of a car and I don't want to be the one lifting him on my shoulder when he's paralyzed in fear. But to be fair...it's not like I wanted to see a debate between politics and survival.
But before I knew it we heard a sudden crackle from above. It turned out to be Richard with snapping the neck off the bald eagle. I was shocked at first but it faded after a millisecond when I soon realized this was normal. However the rest of my party's jaws dropped and frozen. All the more they were mortified as he untangles the bird and drops it right in front of us. "Honestly, you have no tact!" I told him off. "It's not like anybody is gonna find out. Besides… isn't it at Japan you guys eat dolphins?" He asked.
"That is an entirely different question all together."
"Really…? Back when you were Hijikata and went to Nagoya...you didn't seem to mind eating that and seal cutlets."
This really put a foot up my mouth once he said that. It made me recall a memory of that. Sometimes Kondo would tag me along whenever he needed bodyguards for his vacations. He would sometimes brag about his trips. Sometimes they were getting hammered with alcohol. The memory of him bragging about eating dolphins and seal as a donburi happened to be one of those memories. I guess his life as Sakamoto caught word of this. But I wouldn't be surprised by this. Sometimes Kondo and Sakamoto would get so drunk to the point they forget they were drinking next to each other and get into word spouts. It was mostly who has it bigger.
The memories cemented in my head. I looked away embarrassed and say, "Now you tell me." He then pokes my cheek with his pipe. My eyes were directed at him rather confused. "You also did it at this life too, didn't you?" Richard asked me. Another memory came, I didn't know what it was but it was recent. My cheeks turned red as a memory came into mind. I didn't know how to feel… this sudden gave me mixed memories. "I knew it." He said in Japanese.
Rebecca and Tyrell looked at me suspiciously. Their gaze pierced through my soul. It felt like they were trying to pry my inner thoughts with a jackhammer. "I lost a bet with some of my students at the dojo." I told them. "What was it?" Richard asked with amusement. Words didn't want to come out of my mouth. But the intensity flowed towards me. I was too shy to even say anything. Richard put his alcohol smelly arm around me. "You might as well tell us, Hijikata-kun." He insisted. I gave out a big sigh. There was no choice but to spill the beans. "I messed up my first kiss while doing the Pocky kiss game with one of the adult students in my class during a training camp seminar." I told them.
All of them were speechless. They didn't know what to say. Mr. Williams was confused on what it was. But Tyrell had to say something out the silence. "So… does that mean you never been kissed?" The black man asked. All I can do was nod my head in shame. There Richard then slapped my head and started to shake me furiously. "You idiot! Not only you are still a virgin but you haven't been kissed either?!" He reacts angrily in Japanese, "Your looks are a waste! You are a disgrace to all men everywhere!" The way the man treated me made me more embarrassed. Tyrell and Mr. Williams' reaction had mixed signals. They didn't know if they should feel ashamed or sorry for me. "Kondo even wanted you to have a family! He wanted to be a grandpa!" Richard overreacted. "Alright! Quit embarrassing me in front of both of our parties, you jackass!" I exclaim, "What am I? The witch ready to burn at the stake?!"
The man let's go of me and drops at the floor. He's on his knees at all fours. "I should have taken my drunk ass to drag you to some hookers when I had the chances." Richard mumbled. "Quit making me look at the bad guy!" I shouted.
"Sure I had Oryō but you had a bigger shot with getting laid than I did."
"Can you quit making my virginity a problem?!"
"It is a problem! For all I know you would have been a virgin from your other past lives!"
"Shut up, you ex-westaboo!"
Fast forward a few moments later it was already sundown as food was cooking up. Tyrell didn't have the urge to cook this time so Mr. Williams took over. All of us ate at the roof with Richard's group for the time being. Our group was having eagle stew while they had giga tortoise soup. Me and Mr. Williams managed to gulp it down fine but our remaining two kept on staring at their lukewarm food. Richard was just next to us and he had a distasteful look at his face. He was cooking with a very large pot with a diameter of a wheel of a truck. "Quit staring already and eat ." He says, "At least you got the easy one, giga tortoise meat is hard to handle."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Undercook it the meat ends up a smelly, jelly mush; overcook it and it's like eating a bowl full of sweaty socks."
"Then how about if it's just right?"
"It still smells but it's doable."
The man continues to cook. He was already hot under the collar for cooking. But I barely noticed Mr. Williams go for a second helping of eagle stew. "How can you eat that stuff?" Rebecca asked. "Back at when I was still Captain at the Marines...a couple of times the enemy would cut off our supply lines and we had to live off the land." He tells us, "We didn't have time to be picky on food so sometimes we would fry some of the scorpions and desert spiders just for extra protein. Pretty much would be the same here."
"He's right, you know. Once you run out of the supplies you got, you'll be saying goodbye to normal food before you know it." Richard agreed. He then tasted the soup with a small soup spoon. As the soup goes at mouth he forms a bland look at his face. "How can something taste good but smell so bad?" He asked himself. The man then taps the pot and calls the rest of his crew out. One by one Richard's crew falls in line. They all got a bowl from their pack and they almost finished half the pot. All looked happy to even get any food down their stomach. Richard then passes me a mug of the soup for me. "You need it more. The more magic you use, the more energy you need." He said.
A whip of the soup's smell was putrid. It smelt like rotten fish with wet dog. Drinking down the soup tasted creamy and fluffy but the smell kinda triggered my gag reflex. Richard then hands me a jar full of herbs. "It helps with the smell." He told me
I sprinkle the herbs into my soup. Surprisingly I could barely smell anything. It easier to gulp down but it was still good. Richard then gets a hold of the pot and goes towards the door. "Where you going?" Mr. Williams asked. "I need to feed the group downstairs. They need a break too." Richard told him. Richard was having a hard time lifting the pot. All the more with the door. The door was metal construction and it was kinda hard to open from the outside. The man didn't even bother to ask help from his party. Mr. Williams then gets his rifle rather displeased. "We better help him out. He might fall down the stairs." He told me.
Later on we were at the staircase with the soup. Richard wasn't doing anything anymore since I used doll shikigami to lift the pot. Our guest had a pouty look at his face. "I had it all under control." He told us.
"Really? Looks to me that you were struggling." Mr. Williams put out.
"As always, showing off no matter what time." I added in Japanese.
Eventually we made it to the third floor where we find a couple of people resting near our room. I dropped the pot there and Richard called for everybody to fall in line. While serving everyone their meals, Richard noticed something off. "Where's Mika and Luka?" He asked one of the party members. "They're guarding the entrance from the emergency exit." The individual replied. Richard then looked a bit worried. He then tapped me on the shoulder. "Can you call them for me? I'm a bit tied up here." He asked.
"Is it alright?" I asked Mr. Williams.
"Yeah, I'll just keep guard here." Mr. Williams told me with a ready rifle.
I then go on ahead and walk towards the emergency exit. At first I wondered where they were but I soon heard a Russian tongue. It turned out to be the mage and the archer for earlier. It was only now that I managed to get a good look of them. The mage had short blonde hair and carried a long staff with a clear gem inside the upper half. The archer however had red hair with it braided at the side with a hand carved recurve bow. They were remaining vigilant as they watched the alley for anything suspicious. I whistled to them to call their attention. "Your leader's calling you." I told them.
The two of them noticed me and barely batted an eye. They walked down the stairs and entered the apartment. Once they came in, the two of them filled their bowls and went on their way back inside. But Richard tugged them back from the collar before the two of them can even go outside. "Mika, Luka...we talked about this." He told them off. "Two of us has to keep in guard." The archer told him. Richard then flicked their noses. "I mean by joining our hosts in eating." He says, "If you won't follow that then at least apologize by keeping them company."
"What about orders?"
"I'll take it from here. Besides you guys deserve more than a meal."
"What's the point? Most of these newbies die at the first few days." The mage replied.
"I don't care how people treat the races and standing in the capital! You will get along with the other refugees." Richard demands, "Whether you like it or not our guilds have to follow the same rules under the alliance! So play nice and get your head out of your ass!"
Richard and the mage then started to argue. The both of them were flaring up were up each others necks. The archer tried to stop them but they didn't listen. "The government here pays top dollar for new refugees." Richard points out. "It ain't worth the coin especially the monsters here are as OP as fuck!" The mage shouted. Richard then became infuriated. Their argument kept on getting more intense. However it looked as if the archer was more worried about the entrance. There again another memory resurrected. It was at that dark cave again. I was running away with some others. To block the exit I took out a large paper charm. 'Try this spell…you know what to do…' A voice from my head said. But the memory stopped there after I wrote the glyphs and kanji. I felt hypnotized to follow the memory through and through. The charm was large and was the size of any page of bond paper. In front of the fire escape window I decided to replicate the glyphs and kanji. After a few seconds I was done. There I raised my two fingers in front of my face and focused on the charm. The paper charm glowed blue and levitated upwards. With my mind I made it float towards the exit. I then took my other hand and gripped the two fingers I had pointing horizontally. The charm glowed and created a light blue, luminescent barrier. All were quite amazed on what they saw. It was nothing I can describe myself. But unfortunately I used too much magic and fainted.