The past two days have been staggering boring for the three on their return trip. Ave was dead silent refusing any form of communication even when Yoona would pester him, and she would have tried talking to Bounty, but she swore his hair was standing up in anger everytime she looked in his direction. "Yoona wants to ask Bounty what's wrong, but he just looks so scary!" She thought.
Bounty however was swimming circles in his own thoughts the whole return trip. "What was the reason for that massacre? Why's there a changeling about wearing the General? Who the hells is Blue Bird? What was Color doing there, and what did she do to me? I saw a memory of my mother that wasn't quite my own, but why was I crying? Why was I so angry afterwards? None of this shit makes sense!"
Finally their wagon reached the peak of the hill road giving them an amazing very of the miles upon miles of farmland before the city proper. As they broke from the forest road and passing farmland Ave let out a sigh of release. "It finally stopped following us..."
"What? What was following us?" Bounty turned back startled by the lizard's sudden chattiness.
"A small creature has been tracking us since we left that town. It even watched us sleep. If it ever seemed like a danger I would have dealt with it, but it never made a move so I've been observing it instead."
"The hells are you talking about? I've been keeping a constant watch and I didn't see anything." Bounty did his best to defend his pride.
"You don't have divination magic to help you see what you shouldn't. I do. Even then I had trouble keeping track of it. Whatever it is, it's a natural born predator." Ave lent back into his seat to relax.
An uneasy silence surrounded the wagon with the exception of the trotting horses and the trundle of the wheels.
XXXXX
"GUESS WHO'S BACK, BITCHES!!!" Bounty shouted as he slammed open the front doors of the Platinum Palace as he was met by... no one.
"Alright what the fuck? Where's my welcome back ceremony? We need to celebrate my return from a triumphant victory!" Bounty pleaded out loud.
"It would take a fool to spend time celebrating your existence." Ave said in his usual spiteful monotone as he left the other two behind.
"Ugh, well screw you too then..." Bounty said seething quietly.
"Don't worry Bounty! Yoona will celebrate with you!" Yoona cheered as she grabbed on to his shoulders.
"No, nope. The moment's ruined. I'm going to go lay in an actual bed." Bounty sighed brushing her hands away. "I wonder how available the alcohol in this place it." Bounty resigned himself to defeat and went to find his room; leaving Yoona by herself.
She felt a vibration at her hip. Looking down she pulled at the satchel bag on her hip and took her master out. The old leather cover had writing carved into it.
"Are you doing okay, Yoona?" Read the title.
"Yoona is a little sad, master." She then opened the book to the first page.
"How is that? You're away from your dreadful birthplace, and you've already experienced many thing most of your kind have not." The words seems to simply write themselves in a fancy quilled font upon the page.
"Yoona knows this, but all her new friends are sometimes rude and don't listen to her. Yoona doesn't think they want to be friends." The poor hyena girl had a sad look on her face as she quietly spoke to the book. She had started to wonder the halls of the palace just to have something to do.
"From what you've said, yes I agree that your team is very abrasive, but you should still try to be their friends even when they reject you. They aren't like your family Yoona. You can do this. I know you can."
"Yoona knows Master... It's just very hard."
"I already teach you magic. Must I show poor Yoona how to make friends as well?" This prompted Yoona to giggle a bit, her mood improving.
"And what would a book know about making friends."
"I am a magic collection of near infinite knowledge. I'm sure I can think of something."
"If Master has near infinite knowledge, tell Yoona what's 9 + 10!" Yoona commanded excitedly.
"It's 19 Yoona. It always has been, and it always will be." Yoona took on a disappointed look.
"Master was supposed to say the wrong answer..."
"Why? Would it have made you feel better if I had gotten it wrong?"
"Maybe a little... You're always so perfect. It makes Yoona feel more flawed..."
"But I am not perfect Yoona. I still have my own failings to overcome."
"Oh yeah? How so?" Yoona got a little snarky with her tone.
"Yoona... You are actively conversing with a mostly immobile sentient book. Please take some time to think about all that I am incapable of doing." Yoona stopped in the hall for a moment.
"Yoona's sorry... Of course a book can't do everything Yoona can."
"Thank you. It seems I've used up most of my time Yoona. We may speak again in the morning. Yes?"
"Sure thing Master!"
"And Yoona..."
"What, Master?"
"I'll get the answer wrong next time. Just for you. Good night."
"Good night!" Yoona closed the book and gave it a heavy hug, a warm smile across her hyena snout.