“Boo, I’ll just have to tell him later.” I stuck my tongue out at Vel’s back as he turn around and left. He seemed like he wandered off more recently… muttering something about how the sedative plants in the area were gone…

          I just had my energy back, was that so bad?

          “Oh, oh, oh, that reminds me! Your hair was beautiful! Enough colors to paint the sunset and they blended so well!” I reached over and gently pulled a fluffy lock of hair. Though I wonder why his head came with it… His eyes were just as green as my memory, though they felt calmer, if that made any sense.

          “I like my hair attached to my head.”

          “And your teeth were so pointy! That was why I had my own filed if you must know.”

          “I don’t.”

          “A dashing young demon, actually you would have been middle aged, wouldn’t you?” I tilted my head thoughtfully at him.

          “I was only-”

          “So, a middle-aged old man peaking on a young girl bathing…” I covered my mouth with the tips of my fingers, though I’m sure my smirk peered out from each side.

          “You were wearing a robe.” His face turned a bit blue as he angled his face into a glower.

          “Was I? Well, you turned such an unnatural shade I almost though you were to fall down dead from shock before you ran as if you just realized that you left the explosives near the fireplace.”

          “…speaking from experience?”

          “…Well, we got the room for the attachment we wanted to add to the house, but that’s far, far beyond the point. Isn’t that so cool?! We met as children, well, when I was a child and you were an adult lurking around the baths. Did you get arrested? Caught? Killed?”

          “Yes, they killed me very dead.”

          “Good, anywhomst, I win!” I stood up and slammed the chess piece I was holding, Ritzy, down next to the mysterious demon queen that was holding a long oddly shaped weapon. 

          “What?” He looked at the board, clearly confused. It was understandable that he failed to recognize my brilliant tactics and the overall strategy that I employed.

          “…I didn’t even play?” He looked at the scattered pieces that showed an epic battle, as I was diverting his attention, I did move a couple of his pieces to make it a tad bit more fair.

          “Exactly! I won before you could even make a move!”

          “No, I…you?”

          “Win! Did you make candy yet? Sweets? Wait, I hate overly sweet things, do you have anything tart? I like lemons, but for some reason no one likes it when I eat them… Lemon tart? I could really go for a steak; I’ll go hunt a cow!”

          He stared at me for a moment, baffled by my brilliance that rivaled the sun. Well, the one in the human realm, not the one in heaven. He’d go “fuwoosh” into flames if that were the case. Best to tone it down and let him live another day. He sighed, slumping his shoulders.

          “Fine, but the hour of silence does not count if you aren’t here.”

          “Drat.” I snapped my fingers, glaring at the board.

          Blackie raised an eyebrow at me, “An old tactic?”

          “My mother never fell for it either.” I squished my face in annoyance. “I’ll take the dear child with me to ensure I don’t accidently steal some poor farmer of his prized cow that was set to win the best in show prize, saving his family from starvation and ensuring that they will continue to survive the coming winter-” I held my fist to my chest.

          “It’s spring, first of all-”

          “for the crop is not as it once was, and they can no longer live off of the fruit and grains of their harvest as, with the great generosity of their hearts, they shared what little they had around with their neighbors that were even less fortunate than themselves-” My hand glided gently in the air.

          “weren’t you going some-”

          “But it mattered not, for they had warmth in their hearts and knew that they would be full if they had each other to rely on and trust-” Moving back to my heart, I clenched it.

          “I wouldn’t trust family that traded away our only means of survival.”

          “and though it would be hard, true satisfaction comes from-”

          “A full belly”

          “Family!” I wiped away the tears from my eyes.

          After a moment, I turned to Blackie to find him resting his head on one hand with a flat stare that was directed at me.

          “…what was I just going to do again?” I tilted my head to line it up with the angle of his own.

          “Is this enough wood?” Vel came in with another load, this one with a strap to hold it more or less together.

          “Ah, right! We’re going to go get dinner!”

          “Lunch” Babaris shot Vel-boy a look that I didn’t quite see.

          “Right lunch, come on Vel, my dear!”

          The child dropped the wood and tried to make a break for the door, so excited to get moving! Babaris started chuckling behind us as we left. I caught Vel right under his arms and lifted him up.

          “Steak is first! Then we find lemons!”

          “Lemons? Are those real?” He was limp in my arms, like my pet cat Slaughter used to do whenever the children got ahold of her.

          “Haha ah, you’re starting to joke! I couldn’t be happier to see you grow comfortable with us!” I patted his head gently as I dragged him along, he made such a fuss if I tried to fly with him, it was easier and faster just to carry him around while walking or running as I found.

          “…where do you think lemons come from?”

          “Trees?”

          “Where?”

          “Trees are all over the place, there must be lemon trees somewhere around here!”

          “I’ve never seen some traveling around.”

          “Lemons don’t travel!” I patted his head again, trying not to laugh.

          He thrashed violently for a moment to give me a glare. “Never seen any while I was traveling.”

          “What never saw any while you were traveling?” I grinned.

          “So, this is why matricide is a word.”