6 - Crumble

The three of us travelled for two more days to get to Great City Linna.

Toast and Kana became fast friends. Now she cuddled and cooed over him just like I did in the privacy of our apartment. I'd gotten it in my head that obsessing over your dog that much in front of others wasn't manly, but now I found myself growing increasingly jealous of her brazen shows of affection. Partly because I wished she'd show me the same attention, and partly because I wanted to shove my face in that mane of fur too!

We arrived at the large gates of Great City Linna. Kanna had suggested I still try to pass off Toast as a Spirit Partner, and let him follow along on his own so as not to raise suspicion. I agreed with the first part, but the second would be troublesome. Without his leash he'd definitely wander off to sniff every little thing, and people would notice right away that he wasn't under my control. He also would get tired of walking pretty quickly and it might be even more suspicious to have people see us carrying him like a baby. 

Eventually we decided our plan was to try and get to an inn as quickly as possible so he wouldn't have a chance to get tired, and Kana would run defense and block him every time he tried to leave my side. She could keep his attention by making a squeak every so often. Kana had a strange talent for making the same noise as a squeaky toy, but I just found her all the more endearing for it.

We entered the city and made a beeline for the inn. Some heads turned as we expected, Spirits were a rare sight after all. Kana acting bizarrely with her jerky movements and squeaks must have been quite the sight too.

We booked the cheapest room available and headed up to make a game plan. The door to our room swung open and we saw a rustic setup. And a single bed. I think we both realized the implication at the same time as a pink hue filled our cheeks and we avoided looking at each other. Toast as usual failed to read the room and bounded inside, jumping up on the bed and doing some spins. 

"I'll sleep on the floor Kana, don't worry."

She nodded furiously.

We began to settle in and discuss what we were going to do for money when Toast suddenly jumped down from the bed and started spinning again, but this time taking interludes to wander the room.

"What's up buddy?"

He was acting strangely. Like he was looking for something or unsure of where to go. My worry grew. He paused spinning and squatted. Before I could react to pick him up, he pooped a box. I was relieved it was just that, but then he pooped another, and another, and another. Kana was confused and mortified. He kept going like this, and before long there was a small mound of boxes. I expected him to start his kicking dance, but instead he wheezed and fell on his side, panting heavily.

I rushed to him and gently scooped up his small body. He was burning up. Kana came to us and placed her hand on his head, but recoiled quickly with a gasp.

"What's wrong with him? Is this normal for dogs?"

"No, something is wrong. We need help."

My mind went fuzzy. I was in a foreign world that didn't have pets, didn't have vets. I didn't know who to turn to for this. My world started turning dark. What if something happens to Toast? What if something happens to my best friend? I can't-

"Mitsuta!"

Her voice called me back to reality. She leaned in and hugged my shoulders and pressed her head against mine. If I wasn't in a state of dread I might have jumped for joy.

"He'll be okay, we can take him to the church. They have the most experience with Spirits and they always have healers. It will be okay. Let's go."

I ran after Kana through the streets, holding Toasts body close to my chest as he struggled to breathe. 

We burst through the doors of the church, and Kana pleaded for a healer to come and help us. Some healers gathered around, but when they saw Toast they became wary, and murmured amongst themselves.

"I have never seen a Spirit like this before..."

"Can Spirits get sick?"

"I wouldn't dare."

Kana began to cry.

"Why?! Why won't you heal him?!"

A man in a white robe and a gold scarf put his hand on her shoulder.

"I am sorry my child, but we couldn't possibly try to use our magic on a Spirit. Should we fail to heal it, it may direct it's wrath upon the whole city."

Kana had explained to me before that on top of Spirits giving status buffs, most people feared them as reincarnations of the God-Tier Boss Monsters they looked like. They were revered almost as gods themselves.

"Please!"

Kana pleaded with them to no avail, and they solemnly turned their backs on us.

I couldn't concentrate. I staggered back out the doors.

"Healer. I need a healer. I need a healer. I need a healer."

Kana followed me and said we could try somewhere else, but I couldn't hear her at the time.

My vision went blurry from tears welling up as I looked down at this pitiful creature in my arms. My only friend for years and I was failing him. As I hated myself and spiraled further into my turmoil, a meek voice called out.

"Wait!"

A tall and slender woman jogged after us. She had mousey flax coloured hair, and was wearing the same white robe as the man before, but with a green frock over it. A plain looking girl by any definition, except for the tall white rounded ears growing from the top of her head, and the long thin tail poking out from under her robe.

She closed the distance between us and wrestled Toast from my arms. I wept and pleaded for her not to hurt him. She placed him on the ground and began to chant in a language I didn't understand. A steady green aura grew around Toast. I didn't know what else to do so I just fell to my hands and knees and pressed my forehead into the dirt. I cried and prayed. I prayed to the gods of my old world, I prayed to that Goddess I hated from this world, I prayed to whoever might listen to me.

We sat in the yard of the church for what felt like an eternity, huddled around my poor dog. The woman trying to heal him was covered in sweat, but kept a serious face the entire time. Then, without warning, she stopped and smiled. The green aura faded and Toast...started snoring.

"He will be okay."

I lifted my head which was now covered in wet and dirt and pulled Toast into me, smearing it all over his whiteish fur. He kept snoozing. I kissed his head over and over and stifled my whimpering.

Kana spoke with the woman while I fawned over my son.

Once I had calmed down enough to listen, Kana started to introduce me, but we were quickly cut off by the same man in white we'd spoken with earlier. He moved towards us with vexation on his face.

"What have you done?!"

The animal eared woman winced at his explosive tone.

"Master I am sorry, he needed-"

"Enough of this! Impudence! Who knows what misfortune you'll bring us next!"

"Please forgive me! I-"

"I don't care to hear it! I won't make excuses for you any longer! Take your leave of this place, you cursed child!"

He stormed off just as quickly as he came, and the woman grew despondent. Kana took her hand.

"Come with us, let's go have a rest."

Kana led us both back to the inn, kindly, carefully. I hugged Toast in my arms as if hiding him from the world, and we ignored the looks and whispers.

Once we settled back in our room, Toast resting peacefully on the bed, the three of us sat at the table. I ignored the pile of poo-boxes for now. 

Kana had brought us some tea from the innkeeper downstairs, and we listened to the animal eared woman recount her tale.