- The Journey Home -

Taro looks at the tear shaped jewel as it glimmers in his hands. It was hard to believe that the life of his dear friend lies in such a small thing, only the size of a golf ball. It appears as clear as glass, to the light it glows in a soapy rainbow like glimmer. He returns the tear to pouch he fashioned to hang around his neck.

Aoi escorts Taro, Akari and their slime which sits atop Taro’s head. The tension was palpable.

“... So…” Aoi mentions, “How is father?...”

“He’s lost.” Akari says sadly, “The whole village was, last I saw.”

“...”

“He’s looking for me now too…” she continues,

“(This sounds pretty serious,)” Taro thinks to himself,”(Should I say something?)”

“... I’m sorry.” Aoi says.

“Mh.” Akari responds.

For the rest of the journey to the dungeon’s entrance, the girls remained in this deep silence.

Reaching the entrance, Taro and Akari waves to Aoi and the pink slime.

“Take care of yourself, Aoi.” Akari finally says

“You too.” Aoi nods,

The doors shut and the pair began their arduous journey home.

……

They were making their way through the marshes. They notice the fog was starting to rise.

“Akari, put this on,” Taro says as he tosses a warding bell to her.

“Huh, what’s this?” she asks,

“A warding bell, keeps banshees away -“

“THERE YOU ARE! THE DEMONS THAT ROBBED US!" a voice from afar shouts.

Looking over, Taro saw the elf, dwarf and halfling party.

“We should kill them again,” Akari says determined,

“No! We’re not, let's go!” Taro orders,

They both ran and the adventurers gave chase. As they run, the fog continues to thicken. They delve deeper into the fog. Unfortunately the distance doesn’t seem to reduce much even though visibility became more arduous.

“What’s going on?” Taro complains, “Why aren’t we losing them? Did we not make enough turns?”

“They hear these dumb bells!” Akari answers, “Can’t we just ditch 'em somewhere?”

A monstrous scream is heard somewhere in the fog. The banshees were on the hunt.

“We can’t, but we should hide for a bit and wait for them to pass.” Taro suggests.

… …

“Hahh, hahh...” the dwarf comes to a clearing out of breath,

“Where’d they go?” asks the halfling, ”Elf, do you hear them?”

“Let me see…” the elf puts her ear up to the air, it wiggles a few times “I don’t hear the bells any longer…”

“..But I hear some ragged breath nearby,” she adds, “They’re close,”

The elf follows the sound and the party follows her.

She comes very close to her destination and looks up. A dark hooded figure was there, underneath its hood an emancipated corpse longed to feast on flesh.

*GYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

….

The screams of adventurers and banshees rung throughout the marshes.

“Ah. there they go.” Taro remarks, “We’re close to the town now Akari, take the elixir,”

Akari grumbles but she takes the potion as they come up on the village.

Though it appeared far more different, than when the first arrived. The charming little hamlet now had towering castle walls, various buildings were rebuilt far tall, and roads were paved marvelously. The pair was only gone for a day.

“W-What happened here?” Akari asks curiously,

And as though on cue, a troupe of burly men carrying a palanquin comes around the corner. Atop it sat Amata who was cackling to no one in particular.

“Gyahahaha!” she shrills,

A guard stops the pair as they watch.

“Excuse me, will you be residing in the town?” he asks,

“Ah- no. Just passing through,” Taro explains,

“Very well, however may I interest you in a refreshing cool beverage of Amata’s miracle juice?" the guard reads off a tiny card in his hands,

“I really think we should be going,” Taro urges, though undeterred, the guard continues the slogan,

“It offers a refreshing banquet of flavor but none of the calories, it is a drink to kill over.” he finishes in a deadpan delivery.

For the first time Taro wonders if his meddling has disrupted the natural order of this world.

They continue through the gates to resupply for the trek home, as they shop around they notice placards and shelves stocked with Amata’s miracle juice all over each facet of the town. This may become the birthplace of mass marketing in this world. Akari asked for one, but she didn’t really like it.

Three long days of walking finds them in front of the small village that sits just outside the dungeon. The trek became far quicker now they possess proper maps. Again Akari was asked to take the potion to maintain a human form.

When not foaming at the mouth to kill them it was a charming place. Children ran through the streets chasing each other, mothers dry laundry over clothes lines, fathers toil in hearty labor and the market place never comes over a low buzz. Taro purchased some sweets for Shion when she’ll awaken. After which they headed straight for the dungeon.

They reach the entrance of the dungeon where the cave-in was created... There surly dwarves pick away at the rubble.

“What are you doing?” inquires Taro,

“'Aye boy,” a dusty eyed dwarf answers, “This is an abandoned dungeon! Who knows what treasures lie within!”

“Haha…” Taro weakly laughs,

Taro could feel Akari getting prepped for combat but he holds a hand in front of her. Akari looks at him and he gives her a wink. With a puff she decides to wait and see what Taro is planning.

The dwarves work diligently towards uncovering the entrance, occasionally getting help from Akari in some of the more arduous tasks despite protests at first.

“What can this little girl even do?!” they’d laugh, “She can fetch me a refreshing can of Amata’s miracle juice if you want to be useful! Bahahaha!”

However, their mouths hung agape when she shoulders large boulders out of the way.

After a day’s work they complete the task.

“Gahaha! Good job kids!” they cackle, the dusty eyed one, noogies Taro,

“Haha… right about now,” Taro says,

“Hm? What do you mean?” another dwarf asks,

*Poof!

Akari’s potion ran out and she was reverted to her original form.

“ACK! An oni!” they all panic,

Taro pushes up his glasses, “Akari… get rid of em,”

“Heh,” she smirks as though she was waiting for this moment all day.

The short tussle was a trivial matter for the young oni.

The pair then stacked the dwarfs atop each other like a morbid totem and continued into the dungeon. The slimes danced and rejoiced at the travelers’ return.

Lil Taro and Akari made long cooing noises at lil’ shion as they thought they lost him.

And the moment was upon them. Taro, Akari and all of the residents of the dungeon stood before the altar where Shion sleeps.

“Please work.” Taro says under his breath.