Refugee(4)

*20 minutes later*

"Damn it..." Lara states head first on the table

I turn my head and look at her casually but never the less concerned

"Something wrong?"

"I ate too much..." she states

"Aww...Someone ate too much. Their little tummy a little achy?"

She turns her head slowly not lifting her head off the table and scowls at me with eyes of fury. I am enjoying this.

"Need to burp?" I say taking my right hand and padding her back and bit as if she is a baby needing one.

"Don't touch me you-" *BURP!* "Ack!" she suddenly burps and gags on it.

I didn't expect that to work on her but I guess things just happen regardless of age.

"I will kill you at some point..." Lara states our load

"Mhm. Good luck with that. Anyways it seems all of you finished eating. I can go pay for the food so give me a moment." I stand up and pull out a pouch of copper and silver coins.

"Hey kid, nice to see you back. Got any new scars?"

"Er...Likely, but that's another story. How much for the meals?" I ask ready to sort out the money.

"Nah, it is fine. We are so busy that your payment won't change much. Besides," he says leaning forward and gesturing me to as well, "I think it is the least I can do since I heard you are an Adventurer and you might get sent into service. The woman, Ariel came here about a week ago or something seeking a job. At first, I was wary but the Uchidas seemed to have recommended her to me as a hard worker. So I took them by that offer." he leans fully back on the other side of the counter and continues where he was with the other customers in the bar.

"Thank you for your patronage," Mr. Hazen says nodding

"Thank you for the service. See you around." I say gesturing for my group to walk out the door.

As they walk out I lead them on the path toward the Uchida's household which is about 20 ish minutes of walking.

*20 minutes later*

As we walk up a slight hill I can now see the Uchida house. I turn around and open my arms.

"Here's the Uchida's property. Very homie I would say."

"It seems that way..." Lula states. She turns her head to Simba who is looking around. not a single word again. At this point, he is either mute. Or he just doesn't know many words. But he did make a sentence before we met so.

As we all walk up to the door I knock on it and wait for a response.

*30 seconds later*

"Huh...Wonder if they are asleep this late in the day, or if they are just not here. Wish I phones were a thing."

"What a phone Lara asks behind me"

"It's a thin flat-sided device capable of communicating long distances. Miles. Hundreds of miles actually within seconds."

"That sounds absurd. No way something existed." Lara states

"Well, then gain...I am not even from here so. Plus it took like 100 years until a 'phone' was able to do that consistently and the ease of use, and eventually ease availability."

"Huh...A thin device able to communicate hundreds of miles away within seconds..."

"Yep...Made communication easy for those who were not within walking distance."

*Clicks*

I turn my head straight at the door and see it open fully showing Mr. Uchida in all his glory. Being half naked...

"Hey, kid nice to" *YAWN* "Holy shit...I am tired as shit...Hey, kid you finally had the guts to ask my daughter for marriage yet hehe."

"No, but is that an option?" I ask jokingly

"No, it's not!" Lara states

"Sure we'll talk about an arranged marriage when Lara is not around," I announce enthusiastically

"But anyways, I have a big favor to ask you and your wife...Please hear me out."

*Sigh* Fine...If you want a piece of my wife all you had to do was-" I cut him off right there not sure if he is joking or serious.

"Nope, not what I was going to ask. I wanted to ask if you and your wife would be willing to take in a woman and her now-adopted child in your household."

"That is a big thing to ask. So why should I bring in two mouths to feed in this house? I already had to deal with 2 kids beforehand."

"First off, I was in a coma for a while...Second of all the reason you would do it is that you are a good person with a heart of gold but the strength of iron?" I say suggesting

"Hmm...Where are these 2 people?"

"Literally behind me. You are taller than me I don't know how you didn't see the two strangers behind us."

"Never really pay attention to whom you walk around with."

"Well this is Lula...." I forgot her last name and pull out a piece of paper to look at the last name, "Her name is Lula Halmar. This is Simba whatever his last name was or is."

"Very encouraging..." he states poking fun at the fact I can barely remember the last names.

"Hello sir, this is my...I now adopted son Simba"

The kid looks straight up at the man and he looks blankly at the child. They don't break eye contact for maybe about 30 seconds. I have no idea why Uchida is doing this. Competitive?

I then look between the kid who is just looking at Uchida's eyes and when glancing at his face I notice a slight twitch in his right eye. Wait have they both not blinked for 30 seconds?

"Uhh are you-" I raise a hand close to Lara's face and silence her. I want to see who loses this staring contest of will.

*40 seconds later*

Mr. Uchida's eye is twitching heavily to the point he is going to blink soon. Simba still has no expression or behavior.

"GAH!" Mr. Uchida finally blinks and rubs both of his eyes with the ball of both hands and groans in annoyance.

"The kid has eyes that are fake for all I know. I like this kid. I got a lot of things to teach him HA!"

"You're not the father..." stating the obvious

"I am not I don't look like the kid. BUT! Think of me as their uncle. Anyways come in I am sure all of you dislike standing there for a couple of minutes."

He allows us in and we all walk into the living room which has been refurbished since I have last been here I think. Last time I remember. Seems to be a couch that can fit maybe 4 people and 2 other individual chairs on the other side of a table which is between them. Enough for us I guess.

"So kid, why was your first idea 'bring the mother and son to the Uchida luxury" household"

"Well...Long story short"

*50 minutes later*

"That's how you define a short story?" Uchida says slouching on his couch next to Lara

"Well I just shortened about a week, so yes," I respond

"So let me get this straight...My daughter," he states glancing at her who seems to be ashamed, "attempt to kill you."

"Yep..."

"Then you were in a healing stage for a week which should've taken at least a month to heal. But you are a caiman so your natural healing capabilities sped up the process..."

"Yep...."

"So then after a bit of time, you found out since you are a part of the Adventurers Guild you would be drafted into the military if war does break out..."

"Yep..."

"And at some point, you ran into these two and now want to help them out by sending them my way."

"Yep..."

"Oh boy," he says while rubbing his right temple.

He takes a glance at Lula and Simba who are just sitting there waiting for a response. Or Lula is. Simba is looking at the house plant over by the kitchen.

"You see, I was a mercenary so I have seen families in displaced locations. Sometimes I was the reason for them at times. I have seen the suffering of civilians Very well then, I will speak with my wife about this. But this might take some convincing."

"That's all I can ask. If not, I might be willing to assist them in finding a place to stay somewhere here in Burmington." I respond glancing briefly at the two

"Well even if my wife doesn't allow them to be here, let's just say I keep an extra amount of coin somewhere in case things ever went south if you know what I mean heh," he says leaning in the backhand slap my knee.

"Uh...Sure...Well, I will leave them in your hands."

I stand up and bow to Lula and the child who is just looking at the plant still. Kids got something weird about him.

"Alright, we're going to head out back to New Arcadia. If you need anything send us a letter to the Guild and it will likely get back to us."

"Thank you for everything. All three of you. And also. All three of you seem like good kids. With the rumors of war going around I pray to the Sun that harm does not come to any of you three." she states bowing a second time.

"Yeah well. We will see. Besides these two aren't even in the guild. So I would be the only one to be drafted in. But that's for another day or hopefully never" I say without much hesitation

"Well, nevertheless, thank you. Honey, what has your mother told you to say when someone does something nice for you?" she asks changing her direction to Simba.

Simba turns his head to Lula and just looks between me for about 10 seconds and to be honest I wonder if he might have some kind of social issue. In my previous world, there are so many studies of things that never were even considered. PTSD, Autism, Schizophrenia, depression, and other mental effects.

But I don't know anything about that damn science, nor do I believe the advancements for the body are that advanced to be trusted or reliable.

"No need for thanks. Just stay safe"

*Hours later*