The McPuffin Part 12

The McPuffin Part 12

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"What, eager to see your girlfriends nerd?"

I rolled my eyes as I leaned against the railing of the Patch, looking back at Yermak, "They're not my girlfriends. They're friends who are girls. I mean, come on, I'm eight. How would I have girlfriends yet?"

"Feh. So you say nerd."

"You're just jealous because he's got more game than you Yermak!"

"Shut up Barley!"

I grinned and shook my head, looking back out over the rail at the port as we approached. I couldn't see Ami's distinctive blue hair, or the surprisingly tall Makoto on the dock, but that wasn't saying much. My eyesight was better in this life, but not amazing. Even if they weren't there, it wasn't a huge surprise, I'd go check Ami's place. Even if Makoto had been moved somewhere else in the few months since the Eyepatch Pirates had been here, Ami would know where she'd moved to.

---​

Jogging up towards the small complex that was Ami's home, I looked about. Despite Ami's mother wearing outfits of middling quality, they had a pretty good sized home in a slightly richer end of the town. It was the home of a doctor, straddling the line between mansion and house. It and all of the surrounding houses were either walled or fenced off with decent sized yards, all old timey Japanese homes. Ami's house was outright walled off, with little ponds and a pavilion in the yard.

Last I was here, Makoto was staying in Ami's room with her still, though that could have changed. Ami's mother had been looking for a foster family for her, but had been taking care of her until then.

I went up to the front gate… which was closed and locked. Hrm.

I scratched my chin briefly before walking around the compound. Ami's mother might yell at me some for hopping the wall, but eh, whatever, Ami wouldn't get in trouble.

The streets in this section of the town were pretty quiet, the kids usually were either playing in the houses or elsewhere. Now, I couldn't jump the fifteen foot wall yet, I wasn't absurdly superhuman. Buuuuuuuut…

Standing across the street from the back of the compound, I assumed a runners stance, a grin flitting across my face. Launching off I mimicked a ninja and just ran straight up the wall, grabbing the tiled lip of the wall and hauling myself up and over in a single smooth motion, thank you bad environment! And this one was actually past life knowledge, yay ghetto.

My knees bent as I landed on the grass on the other side of the wall and I landed in a crouch.

'… huh, now that's a fancy carriage…'

The yard looked the same, little pavilion on this side, koi pond and a bridge because reasons, it was so Japanese it hurt. It was also rather serene and nice, but oh god so Japanese. Ami's house was two stories, with the second story smaller than the upper and with a porch out the back. Ami's room was on the second floor to the back of the house, her window facing out over the tile roof of the overhang over the porch.

But unusually, I could see a fancy carriage around the corner of the house proper, not far from the gate.

Ami's mom was doing a reverse house call? Or meeting guests…? Regardless, it's not a concern of mine since I'm here to check on the girls.

Straightening out, I dusted off my shirt and shorts, shaking a bit of dirt out of my sandals before I jogged up to the porch and with a soft grunt launched myself up, catching the edge of the tiles and hauling my runt ass up. An eight foot vertical for someone who barely topped out at three foot is a bit ridiculous but very useful.

And now I could hear Ami's mother…?

A curious look crossed my face and I crept up to Ami's window and peeked over the windowsill.

There was Ami's mother in a demure stance and talking to a noble… like a legit noble. He was a bit on the chubby side, in that kimono and with that little hat, but… was he from both the long-arm tribe and long-leg tribe…? He had unusually long arms and legs… he also had a few wrinkles on his face and a long black fu-man-chu mustache to compliment his tied back hair– "-and my daughter has been mastering the arts of medicine since she was able to walk."

I frowned as the noble used the cane he had to move some of the books on Ami's desk about. It was a simple room with her bed, a few bookshelves, and her desk and drawers. There were only three people in the room, Ami's mother, the noble, and another middle aged man. The noble asked, "You truly believe that your daughter is a worthy match for my son?"

"What?!"

Let it be said, I could be really stupid sometimes.

Despite being absurd for a little kid, I didn't really have much of a chance to react before I was hauled in through the window by the non-noble man I hadn't recognized. A knife being held at me threateningly as I was held at arms length and off of the ground as I struggled.

"And who are you?" Props to the nobleman in that he was still quite calm and unruffled, walking over to look at me in curiosity as he leaned on his cane.

"Ami's friend!" I said, still struggling as I was held up by the collar of my shirt at least two feet off the ground and my brain rushed, trying to process this mess.

The bodyguard (I guessed?) had a Marine tattoo on the side of his neck and had drawn the shorter of the two swords at his hip and was a good seven foot. However, he was merely threatening with the blade and not actively pressing it against me, and the noble seemed more amused than annoyed as he leaned against his cane. He turned towards Ami's mother, "Quite the friends your daughter seems to keep."

I grunted as I found a position at least less uncomfortable as I hung by my collar, holding onto the bodyguard's wrist, scowling at him.

Ami's mother was too 'refined' to make a face like she'd just sucked on a lemon. But you could certainly tell that she wanted to, "She's taken on the task of tutoring this poor child, and every lady should have their charity cause."

"Quite true, though the lady of the house has a certain image to maintain." The tall nobleman said genially.

"Are you crazy?!" I snapped, and both of the adults in the room that weren't holding me up by my collar gave me 'refined' little scowls, and I made sure to clarify. Swiveling myself some I looked at the nobleman, "Not you, actually. You've actually been reasonable from what little I've seen so far. But if you'd give me a moment to yell here?"

He blinked in confusion for a few seconds and I took that as acceptance and swiveled back around to glare at Ami's mother, "Are you seriously crazy? Trying to get Ami betrothed at this stage?! What the hell happened to looking out for what's best for her?!"

Ami's mother blinked once before scowling even as she tilted her head up to look down her nose at me, snapping her fan shut, "Don't your parents care about you? You poor child."

"Yes! She does! By ensuring that I'm as well informed as I can be to make that choice when the time comes and not making the choice about my future happiness for me!"

She obviously twitched at that one before smiling at the nobleman, "Isn't it precious how he believes he understands the complexities of being an adult?"

"Oh don't try that!" I snapped, pointing a finger at her from the somewhat awkward angle, "Ami's brilliant, easily the smartest person I know! If you really care you'd let her achievements and capabilities speak for themselves! By the time marriage is an active concern she'll have suitors clamoring for her attention! You're limiting her choices!"

And for just a moment, she lost her cool, taking a half step forward as she gestured with her fan, "I'm planning for her future!"

"You're planning for yours by using hers!" I half snarled, "You're trying to improve your position by paying for it with her hand in marriage!"

"How dare you?!" she hissed, giving me a cold glare.

"I dare question your insistence at doing this as quickly as you are when you'd be better served letting them come to her!"

"Why you–!"

"Miss Mizuno, if I may?" The nobleman said, and like a switch had been flipped, Ami's mother smoothed out her expression as well as her kimono in a quick little motion.

"Yes, of course my lord." She said, stepping back and swiping a strand of hair that had escaped her bun back behind her ear in a small motion as she got herself back under control.

The nobleman gave a little bob of his head as he approached, his long legs making him nearly tower over me as he looked down at me curiously, "Child, you said you were a friend of little Ami's, correct?" I nodded, a bit surprised he didn't seem to be looming over me, "You really believe that she would have her pick of suitors as she got older?"

"Yes," I affirmed, "She's brilliant and I fully believe she'll prove herself to not only be capable but innovative. Given time, she'll prove herself capable enough that suitors will be clamoring for her attention and she'll have her pick of them." I pointedly said the last part at Ami's mother.

"Do you believe my family are insufficient?" he asked mildly.

"I actually don't know who you are," I admitted, before honestly apologizing, "Sorry, but I'm usually on a ship out at sea so I don't recognize local nobility very often. So I don't have enough information to actually make a judgement one way or another. I mostly object to betrothals on principle, especially ones without a political purpose."

A small smile crossed the noble's face, "And because you are interested in her yourself?"

I gave a little snort at that, "I'm eight, so no. But her being my friend is a large part of it, yes."

The nobleman smiled subtly in amusement, lifting his cane to gently tap it against the bodyguard's arm who obligingly let me down. There was no hostility from the bodyguard, though he kept a wary eye on me and his sword out at his side. The nobleman leaned against his cane, "You're just looking out for your friend aren't you?"

I dusted myself off and reminded myself to bow, especially since this guy actually seemed to have some sorts of brains and sense, "Yes sir, as best I can sir."

The middle aged noble surprised me as I stood, ruffling my spiky brown hair with a hand, "You do well by her, child, may I ask your name?"

"Jacob, sir." I said, still a bit stunned, most nobles I'd seen didn't want anything to do with touching commoners in such a fashion, though I was a bit biased.

"Well, Jacob, I am Taira Carl, head of my family." He said, pressing a hand to his chest and giving a small leaning of his upper body in a bow, "While I cannot promise that your friend won't be betrothed, I can certainly promise that it won't be rushed into."

I pouted with all the grace and flair an eight year old could manage. Damnit, it was easy to be angry at Ami's mother for being a piece of shit sometimes, but this guy was being reasonable-ish. Especially given the apparent class difference. I didn't have enough information to be reasonably angry with him... but still, "I honestly still don't like it, though I appreciate the assurance."

Carl nodded in acknowledgement before asking, "And you were looking for Ami weren't you?"

'Oh no you aren't…' "Yes sir?"

"She's at the library at the moment with her friend, why don't you head along to see her?" He said, sending a meaningful glance over my head.

A hand was settled on my shoulder. 'God damnit he is.' "Of course sir."

-oOo-​

"It could totally sprout wings and fly!"

"But doing that would be hard, why would it do that when it can already breathe fire and eat anything in the water?"

"Because it would be cool!"

"Yeah, but if you're struggling day by day to live, you don't want 'cool', you want easy."

"What… are you doing?"

Little Oluchi in my lap and I looked up at the young woman who'd spoken, "Figuring out Fire Hippo biology?"

"Yep!" The young girl had taken up residence in my lap as we'd talked, I really hadn't gotten any work done, but it'd been fun to talk and try to teach the little girl.

The young warrior woman standing over us shook her head some, "Anyways, Katlego is here, I thought you should know."

My notebook snapped shut and I stood, easing Oluchi to the ground, "Alright, where at?"

---​

Katlego was a pretty big dude. Not enormous or anything silly, but he stood a solid seven foot… hell, he looked more like a professional basketball player than anything else, just with one of those really short mohawk looking hairstyles. He had some white facepaint of lines radiating outwards from his nose, he wore a grass skirt with woven grass circlets on his ankles and wrists and a little breastplate, something that only loosely covered his pecs and back.

Also, dem eyes.

His eyes were almost bubbling, even from this distance I could see blue eyes with little flecks that radiated outwards, they were pretty intense as he stood on the outskirts of the village with his arms crossed, "Where is this challenger?!"

"Speaking!" I shouted back as I walked up, crossing the line between the village and the hard packed dirt right around it. The village had basically already gathered, just outside of the ring of the huts, Malaika herself standing out by herself off in what was probably supposed to be a 'referee' position, "I'm kind of the only guy out here!"

"You-!" An angry finger was pointed at me as I stood across the way, "You're the one trying to take my Enitan away from me!"

"Damnit! I'm not yours yet Katlego! Don't go around claiming people!"

"A-Ah! Enitan… I-I didn't know you were there…" Katlego flushed as his entire body language changed, from confident and dynamic to shy and quiet, pressing the tips of his index fingers together.

"Oi, Katlego!" I shouted, cutting off anything further with an eyeroll, "I don't want her, you can have her!"

"Hey!" said woman shouted in indignation.

"Are you insulting her?!" her betrothed echoed her sentiment.

"No! Just don't want to take her from you!"

My honesty seemed to give him pause, "I-… what?"

"I beat her in a fight that apparently had meaning, didn't know it meant some sort of marriage." I shrugged, "'M not interested, already got a girl." Who I may or may not marry… not sure really but hell, I was only 18 in this life. I'd see where it went. But first I had to get out of the Grand Line and deal with this mess, "So I forfeit."

That definitely threw Katlego for a loop, his pointing arm falling slowly, "… I… um… seriously?"

"No."

I frowned and turned to glare at Malaika, the woman who'd spoken having stamped the butt of her re-built spear into the hardpacked dirt. I reiterated, "Yes. Yes I am."

"Challenges to Marriages of Conquest can only be settled through combat–"

"And I fucking forfeit." I reminded her tersely.

"But the challenge is not valid unless there is blood drawn on both sides," she soldiered on, "Otherwise it is considered a slaughter and not a duel."

That got an eyeroll out of me, "Bitch please, do you really think I'm just going to accept this bull? I told you I won't just go along with traditions I feel are pointless."

"No, you've made that abundantly clear," there was a bit of sarcastic mirth in Malaika's voice before she jerked her head back towards the only other man present "But he? Does."

I turned to meet Katlego's unusual but intense gaze, and found it almost… apologetic. But at the same time, determined. I sighed and facepalmed, muttering, "Oh are you fucking kidding me…"

"I won't allow something to jeopardize my betrothal," he said at a more 'normal' volume.

"K-Kat-!" To my mild surprise, Enitan rushed from her place beside her mother to stand in front of Katlego-… huh, with her long neck her head came up to just beneath his, "I… be careful! He's strong…"

The seven foot tall man frowned, the white facepaint distorting, "You don't think I can beat him?"

Enitan hesitated, not wanting to say that but apparently believing it, "I… just… be careful… please…" she pleaded.

"Eni…" he said, his face softening.

But that seemed to be Enitan's cue to clam up, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head away from him. "You're a pain but he's far more of one and… he doesn't look as good… just…" she started with a firey passion but had trailed off as she went, looking down at the ground before she asked, "Be safe, okay?"

"I… okay…" with a nod, Katlego's arms raised, obviously intending to hug her but hesitating. The smaller woman taking the initiative and wrapping her arms tightly around his torso in a hug, burying her face against his neck, making the face beneath his facepaint turn a bright red, "Ah-! … ah…" slowly he wrapped his arms around her, "… I will."

I shot a withering glare over at Malaika, making her cringe away slightly as I tried to convey, 'And you want to get in the way of this?'

After a long moment, the two pulled apart and Katlego stepped around his betrothed, walking towards me. I sighed just a bit, "You're determined to do this?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"Alright," Another sigh escaped me, I couldn't just tell him to fuck off if I wanted the information on the McPuffins. I could let him miss to judge his strength before just tanking it 'enough' to allow it to draw blood, it wouldn't be too much of a strain or sacrifice to do that… I met his gaze and deliberately crossed my arms over my chest, "Draw blood then so I can forfeit. I have no desire to stand in the way of your betrothal."

"I am sorry, I cannot let something get between me and Eni!" the young woman behind him practically swooned before catching herself, and I had to resist rolling my eyes and smiling. He was being serious and passionate, at least give him a bit of courtesy, "Brace yourself!"

He lowered his head and began to charge, his body starting to expand–

'Of course he's got a Devil Fruit… at least it's 'merely' a Zoan…' I thought to myself as Katlego expanded outwards into what I will always think of as the 'were-whatever' mode… of a zebra. '… huh… I wonder if the facepaint came before, or after he got the fruit…'

His body expanded out into that almost comical body-builder V with bulging muscles, black and white stripes across his entire body in bands, his legs turning into those of a zebra with hooves and all. His hands were still hands, but the back of his knuckles became black and hard looking… likely a deliberate partial transformation into hooves. His face elongated into the muzzle of a zebra and his short hair became a true Mohawk of a mane down his now even longer neck. Oh, and his speed increased some.

I sidestepped the straight jab at my head, giving myself six inches of clearance just in case, my right arm coming up to deflect it upwards not out of necessity, but to gauge the raw power behind his blow.

I knew a lot of things in that instant.

The flexing of his muscles beneath my hand and the difficulty I had pushing his arm up indicated that his hybrid strength exceeded my baseline, but not my metallic strength. The distance he'd covered in that time compared to the comparative tension of his muscles indicated that he had gone full tilt and that he was comparatively slow, unable to keep up with me in agility, though his baseline movement speed was comparable. The slight tremble of his musculature beneath my palm, the shift of his stance and the tilt of his torso… they indicated that he'd pulled his punch at the last moment. I'd sensed that he'd intended to take my head off through my Observation Haki, that initial attempt, that first movement… he'd been going full force, but he'd restrained himself, he'd hesitated at the last moment. The way his eyes widened and his muzzle wrinkled indicated his response time and emotional reaction, slower than mine by a significant margin and a combination of surprise and an instant of fear followed by immediate determination. This all indicated that without my powers I should avoid close combat, his hardened knuckles and kicks could be tanked but would be painful even through my tekkai and with his speed and size there was an unacceptably high risk of him catching me with a blow in close quarters. Preferred serious engagement method would be at range from his blind spots using Hardened bullets, but between my Ability and my Tekkai I was more worried about him being able to draw blood than meaningfully injuring me.

Mind you, my actual thought processes in that instant was more like, 'Eh… I can tank that.'

With good form, Katlego's left arm snapped back and his right came forward as he twisted his hips, a textbook right hook at my head, he wasn't going to pull this one. Nor was I going to dodge, I let my arms fall to my sides as Katlego shouted, "Bucking Fist!"

Every single muscle in my body flexed as one as everything beneath my skin turned to steel, "Tekkai."

*WHAM!*

My head turned with a metallic groan, following the blow in spite of everything, my feet lifting off of the ground several inches before I dropped back to the hard packed dirt with a resounding thud! The momentum forcing me to skid back several inches, my shoulders bunching up as I reflexively readied myself to counterattack.

Fuck that actually hurt-!

My head snapped back, locking gazes with Katlego, who'd hesitated in a follow-up attack, clutching his right wrist with his left hand, the larger man freezing as his eyes met mine.

Right, dial it back… did he draw blood so we can stop this bullshit–?

*Drip… drip…*

The small sound made me glance down at the reddish dirt. There was a speckling of silver on the ground that was slowly fading into dark red. I raised my hand and wiped the corner of my mouth with my thumb, looking down at my hand as I slowly straightened into a more relaxed stance. My thumb was a dull gray silver… huh… slowly I rubbed my fingers together… it seemed almost like mercury… fascinating… but the faint ache in my jaw told the truth, "Well then…"

I'm… legit a little surprised that hurt… then again, there had been his love and passion behind that blow, a precursor to the usage of Armament Haki.

I looked past Katlego at Malaika, declaring, "I forfeit."

"B-Blood must be drawn from both sides–"

"Oh for the love of-! Ugh! Fine!" I turned back to him, and Katlego immediately and reflexively brought his forearms up in front of his zebra-shaped face, "Rankyaku!"

My arm snapped out with a whip-crack as I threw out a vacuum blade, the blue crescent flashing across the short distance between us. A horizontal cut burst into existence across his forearms and on the outside of his shoulders, a small splash of blood spurting out as he blocked the weak vacuum blade.

I turned back to Malaika, and did my best to convey exactly how I would react if she kept trying this bullshit. She would be down a limb in some fashion. "I. Forfeit."

Hesitantly, Katlego peeked out from behind his boxing stance, his eyes wide in surprise.

Malaika nodded, almost hesitantly, "R-Right."

"Good." I turned back to Katlego, looking up at the even taller man. Originally he was just 'tall' at seven foot or so, but in his hybrid form he was nearly ten feet tall with the muscle mass of a professional body builder. Eh, I'd seen bigger. Now actively wiping the blood from my split lip away with the back of my hand, I asked, "Katlego, would you mind answering a few questions of mine? Since I'm not in contention for Enitan's hand my friend and I aren't allowed in the village anymore and I was hoping to get some information on McPuffins."

"The… McPuffins…? You're here looking for them…?" He asked in surprise, obviously hesitant to transform back just yet, probably still coming down from the adrenaline he'd gotten going.

A quick check confirming that my hand was coming away with no more additional dark gray silver on the back, so I put my hands on my hips, "Yes, my captain–" still not used to calling her that, "–wants to catch some to cook. She really likes food. No one in the town could tell us much so she sent out a few groups to search. We're one of those groups and I was told you'd know more than the tribe."

Katlego shook his head, his hands slowly drifting to hang at his sides, "No one knows where they nest–"

"Are you okay-?!" Enitan cut him off, rushing up to his side, the long necked woman reaching up to check on the honestly small cuts on his forearms, the good-sized-man getting manhandled by the much smaller woman, "Let me see!"

I snorted in amusement and watched as Enitan berated her husband-to-be into shifting back into pure human so she could properly check and clean the little cuts on his forearms and shoulders. I hadn't packed a whole lot into that Rankyaku beyond the bare minimum to make the vacuum blade work, it was really just a cutting edge meant to draw blood. The effect had been more surprise than anything else.

"Eni… I'm okay…" he said almost hesitantly, "You don't have to worry…"

The long necked woman blushed, almost recoiling as she sputtered, "I-I'm not worried! You're too stupid to get seriously hurt!"

"Enitan?" I prompted, getting the young woman's attention.

She turned to look at me, "Ah, yes?"

"You might want to go get something to wrap those up so they don't get infected," I said with a bit of a smirk, nodding at the bigger man, "And you know he won't do it himself."

"Ugh, you're right," she rolled her eyes before spinning back around and jabbing a finger up at Katlego's face, "I'll be right back, don't you go anywhere!"

"Yes ma'am."

I couldn't help but smile a bit as she rushed off to the village, excuse in hand to tend to her betrothed. Still, I was here for a reason, and ignoring the crowd at the village I turned back to the taller man, "Anyways, you were saying?"

"The McPuffins are very dangerous, they can punch a hole straight through an earth buffalo. While a lone McPuffin can be taken out by a skilled hunter, their nest must be an absolute horror. There's only one man that has found it and survived the event, and he refuses to tell others where it resides for fear that people will get themselves killed visiting the nest."

"Who?" I prompted.

"My king, Shaka," Katlego said with a solemn respect.

I nodded, "Would it be possible for him to release the information to me or my crew? I could go there and not die." I'd like to see these things punch a hole through a mass of metal enhanced by my jury-rigged Tekkai Kenpo.

But Katlego shook his head, "He would not want to give out such information. Though he would not object to others knowing it."

"So find it on your own."

"That is correct," he agreed with a nod, "Though I am reasonably certain that it is not on this side of the island."

I crossed my arms with a small sigh, looking away in thought. Less than I'd hoped, but more than I was afraid of. I turned back to him, "Is there anything you can tell me about the McPuffins?"

A small nod, "They like water, and congregate near lakes as well as rivers. But there's no real areas of the island that are truly forbidden or too dangerous for others to go, so their nest has not been stumbled upon in such a manner. My only suggestions are the rainforest or the rocky crags, which are inhospitable enough to deter casual travel or exploration."

I gave a slight bow, "Thank you."

Katlego thumped a hand against his chest in a sort of salute, "Thank you, for not competing for Enitan's hand and accepting my adherence to tradition… I… thank you."

"It's no problem," a smile found its place on my face before I turned, "I shall leave y'all to it then." Facing the small crowd that had gathered at the edges of the village to watch the 'duel', my eyes scanned the women's faces. Not seeing my companion, I shouted, "Oi! Jaime! We're heading out!"

Silence greeted me.

Frowning slightly, I began to walk towards the village, looking about even as Enitan, laden with honestly far too many bandages, rushed past in the other direction, "Oi! Jaime!"

Again, nothing…? I swept my gaze across the crowd again, "Hey, anyone know where Jaime is?"

There were some shrugs as the long-necked women glanced amongst themselves, getting a frown from me… because there was honest confusion from them, I could feel it in their 'auras'. So where had he…

… they weren't confused.

My eyes snapped over towards the source of the tickle in my Observation Haki and I began moving in that direction, prompting again, "Where'd my friend go?"

The same way I'd feel the intention of an enemy before they attacked, I **felt** the confusion of the crowd… but in that confusion was a spark of something else- there, right there, fear and something else.

"You." I pointed, and the small crowd hesitated before slowly parting, revealing one of their own. Generally unassuming, in the same leopard-skin bikini as her fellow tribeswomen, her neck-bands were mostly copper with some silver interspersed, and she didn't try to get away from my pointing, "You know. Where is he?"

Her feet shuffled back and forth briefly as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, her gaze going around at the rest of the crowd and finding no help there… so her gaze returned to mine, "He… he went out into the savannah."

I let my hand drop, "Why?"

"To kill Snugglewumps."

"Explain."

"H-He was arrogant!" she shouted defensively, her hands balling into fists at her sides, "He said his style was so good! I told him that if his style was that good then he could prove it by killing the King of the Savannah!" There were gasps from the crowd around us, "He's probably dead by now!"

There was dread and anger in my chest, "Where?"

She started to gesture, "Somewhere out that way–URK-!"

The metal bands around her neck bent slowly inwards as I pulled the long necked woman down to my level, meeting her suddenly terrified gaze unflinchingly, "Pray. Pray that his style is that good and that he isn't dead… because if he is, you will suffer for your part in the death of someone close to me."

She whimpered, and I tossed her aside. I needed to check on Jaime. I hoped he was fine but that was not a risk I was willing to take. Malaika stepped in front of me as I started to walk, and met my glare unflinchingly, "What?"

"Hunting Snugglewumps is not a task that any outsider should be tasked with. You may use my Makena to search for him," her mount had trotted up at some point, standing beside her, "She will be able to sniff him out quickly."

Slightly surprised and honeslty a bit touched, I gave a small bow, "Thank you."

Walking up to the large hyena, I held my hand out towards her muzzle, letting her sniff me, "Did you understand all of that?"

A nod.

"Do you know who we're looking for?"

Another nod.

"May I?"

The hyena bumped her muzzle against my palm, rubbing against it briefly, getting a smile from me. Malaika asked, "Do you require a saddle?"

"No." I'd ridden horses bareback in my past life at my little sister's insistence, a fuzzy and intelligent hyena when I was a lot more superhuman was more than doable. Stepping up beside the saddle-less hyena, I grabbed the scruff of her neck before vaulting up onto her back, patting the side of Makena's neck, "Thank you."

A little laughter from Makena who ran in a little circle, sniffing the ground quickly. And I took the opportunity to glance at Malaika, "I'll be back."

As the matriarch of the village nodded, her mount's head shot up and the hyena took off into the savannah in search of my friend.

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