"Kiki…"

 

"Yes'm?"

 

"..."

 

"What?"

 

Avery held out a signed voucher, marking quest completion. Her expression was stern.

 

"You've been timing these hunts awfully close to your volunteer time as of late."

 

Her words were filled with disappointment, as if she expected better.

 

"We've been taking on more hunts."

 

I shrugged awkwardly, mumbling through a mouthful of chicken.

 

I really don't want to get into this right now.

 

"Aye, and conveniently, the recovery requirement for them lines up. Every. Single. Time."

 

Avery tapped the table with emphasis as she spoke. Sighing while rubbing her temple before glaring at me once more.

 

"You didn't line anything up this time?"

 

I slowly shook my head, in truth I was putting this off. At some point or another, something had to give. It was strange not wanting to do something I should have already had experience with.

 

"I'm just really… anxious for some reason."

 

I continued my subdued mumbling, receiving a prod with the voucher.

 

"Kiki, you can't put it off. We had this talk when you were ten. Someday you would have to volunteer with the recovery team. It puts real perspective on what could happen if you screw up."

 

The arachne's uncharacteristic scolding turned to a plea.

 

"I need you to be here this month, and I know that this hunt puts you in the positive."

 

I grimaced, turning my head away from Avery.

 

I'm in no rush to repeat the same bad memories.

 

As of late, the nightmares have been getting worse. The mental fog that troubled me these past five to six years was clearing. So much so to the point that it was one of my leading reasons I had been begging mom for another room.

 

What if I see something like before? Or, will it make me cold to it again? To death?

 

I shivered before tossing the cleaned chicken bones to my plate.

 

What if I imagined Beryl or Vaughn like that? The anxiety would take over in the nightmares.

 

They grew vivid with age, both from myself and Kiyomi. It verified my theory from before; where in the development of our brain limited our ability to comprehend our trauma. Now that the cage holding us both together has developed, it's worsening.

 

It's been getting worse since then…

 

The marker of the intensity growing was when I unlocked her memories. The ones of her father dying.

 

"Kiyomi!"

 

Avery grabbed my arm, bringing me back to the moment.

 

"I'll be joining you. If it's too bad, I'll be sure to send you away. Deal?"

 

We locked eyes for a moment before I averted my gaze. I knew what she meant years ago, monster recovery for teams that couldn't transport; and body recovery for teams that failed. It was easy to say 'sure' and roll with it then, but with the time approaching…

 

"Deal…but I have some stuff I need to do over the next week. See you then?"

 

I awkwardly smiled, knowing I couldn't dodge it anymore with this conversation. Thankfully, Avery left it at that.

 

"Go get yourself payed, and get something a little more filling than chicken. You're eating three damn birds every day now, and eating one source of protein isn't gonna help you grow! You need some variety in your diet!"

 

"Auntieee."

 

I groaned.

 

"Love ya Kiki, see ya next Monday."

 

Avery snorted through her grin. I took my ticket and left the carving counter, the day's tedium from here following a set pattern I'd formed over the last three years or so. Lorn and Avery were right in their initial assessment, I'm slightly a better organizer than the others. Though, that's possibly thanks to my experience.

 

"Bounty ticket 83, Gorgonopsid."

 

I placed the ticket on the next available clerk. It was the same tedium as usual. Punch the ticket, get paid, hand out the shares to Vaughn and Beryl, repeat. In this though, I brought the gold to the safe in my room first.

 

"Mama, uncle Cal? Stan?

… Anyone?"

 

I walked through the house, looking each way and listening for an answer.

 

They're all out again. Oh well, I'll see them when I'm back from feeding Plashka.

 

The door to my room swung open, an additional room that Mother paid to have added on. It wasn't the greatest, but it was still pricey considering the lengths they took to make it look like it was an original room. It even had its own integrated fireplace for winter. Furs, hides, and an occasional skull lined the walls, both from monster's and traditional hunts alike.

 

"Fifty gold pieces should be enough, that's a goat's worth."

 

Ugh, but I'll have to kill it. Should I wait till I get it to Plashka? He eats everything, so there won't be a mess. But I don't want to have him eat something alive.

 

I sighed.

 

"That's what you get, it is a slime."

 

I dropped my field bag and sword on the bed before setting the gold aside.

 

He hasn't eaten in a week, so I can't put this off. He's liable to eat everything in the pond otherwise.

"I'll take this one, he ain't too young is he?"

 

"Kiyomi, what have you even been doing with livestock as of late? I know it's for slaughter but a whole goat now?"

 

The old lady scratched her head before shaking it.

 

"Y'know what? Don't answer that. And no, he's had plenty of doe to make babes with. He's getting up there so his meat is liable to be tough."

 

I nodded, placing my head beneath the goat and heaving him onto my shoulders. To her it must have been comical, seeing a teen girl carrying a goat as if it were a pack. Especially when it weighed near as much as myself.

 

"See ya next week."

 

I pulled two rolls of gold coins from my coat pocket, dropping them into her hands.

 

Left. Right. Left. Righ- for fucks sake this walk never gets faster.

 

"Haaaagh."

 

I groaned, trudging through the woods. I was walking to the church, the same one where we fought the Bulette. The same one Vaughn and I first found Lapsha.

 

"S-stop kicking damnit!"

 

The goat was getting frd up with the treck, especially when I was using its legs as immediately purchase point as it sat on my shoulders.

 

I really should put it out of its misery here, but I didn't want to carry it whith it's body locked up.

 

Animal butchering came naturally the more we gutted monster's in the field, considering they were animals all the same. It made what came next easier.

 

"Down ya go!"

 

I slowly placed the goat on the ground, holding its legs in my grip as I placed a knee over its neck.

 

Sorry bud, it was an eventuality.

 

It only took a small jab. For a normal person it would have been a mess, but with my strength it was like braining a fish; fluid and fast. I stood up, stretching as I looked around the clearing. The lake was unperturbed, meaning Lapsha took refuge in the church or underground.

 

Welp, dinner time.

 

Srwwwt!

 

I whistled, air passing between tongue and teeth. It was some time already, over a year, Lapsha could respond to my whistles already. Which, in all fairness, I never expected the level of intelligence Lapsha held in a slime.

 

Gurgle-fwish

 

The sound of pressurized water and a grumbling container emitted from within the church, the simplest form of vocalization Lapsha could emit. It sounded strangely like an alligator if I could compare it to anything.

 

In the church today?

 

Red slime pressed through the bottom of the churches door. It was repaired, but let with gaps to allow this exact thing. Lapsha could come and go as he pleased with that.

 

"Hey boy, Mama's got food for ya!"

 

Fwish-tweet-Fwish-tweet!

 

The mass of red slime pushed forward, taking on the rough shape of a snake as it got closer. The slime was able to do so more effectively over time as it grew.

 

"Come on boy."

 

I held my arms outstretched, Lapsha speeding up until he came in contact with my leg.

 

"Easy boy!"

 

He slowed, wrapping around the leg I had posted forward as I kneeled. Moving around my waist, up my back, and over my should, he settled in place and rubbed his slowly forming head against my own.

 

"Haha, I know, I know! I missed you too!"

 

I wrapped my hands around his head, rubbing under his lower 'jaw' and behind 'eyes' that began to form.

 

"Mama brought you a juicy goat ya little danger noodle! You little hungry bastard you!"

 

I petted faster, recieving an affirmative response as all six of the small glowing white eyes 'squinted'. It was fun having something to be this affectionate to again, especially when I kept everyone but mom at arms reach. Even more so with the stress of growing in this body getting to me.

 

Chiiir-chiiir

 

"Yeah-yeah, you're a lil attention whore, I know. Who my boy? Whose a gummy bear? You! Yeah, thats right! You!"

 

I nuzzled his snout before loosening my grip, allowing him to slide off of my body. It was odd but as time passed, with each meal he could differentiate between clothes and food more and more. Now he pretty much cleaned any surface of my gear of grime without eating the gear itself.

 

His texture when interacting was strange too, like touching play dough. It would give after time, but you couldn't break his surface unless he wanted to do so to grab you. It was especially a pain when he doesn't want to part.

 

"Go on, eat."

 

I stood, pointing to the goat while placing the other hand on my hip.

 

Fwwwsh

 

Lapsha slowly curled around the dead goat before placing its head in his mouth. It was almost dead similar to a snake eating its prey save the almost effortless enveloping of the food. The goat disintegrated almost as quickly as it was taken in, pointing to Lapsha's potency.

 

Given it was a red slime, it wasn't a surprise. From the ranges you could encounter, they were the most dangerous in the wild. Even more so when used by mercenaries or army's. Just like dogs, Drake's, wyverns, and horses; slimes too were bred and developed for benefit. It made me wonder how exactly he came to be in the church.

 

"Mama's can't stay much longer, okay boy?"

 

I crouched next to Lapsha and pet him. He was nearly done with his goat and growing in as much size.

 

He should shrink back down to the size of a dog by next week. Maybe just a chicken then? Can't let him get too large… I don't wanna go.

 

I continued to petting him, his chirping continuing.

 

I figure he's my pet too, so of course I want to spend time with him. I can't risk bringing him to town thought.

 

I sighed.

 

"I still don't know if you can be safely stabled. Atleast here you can find food. We've already assessed you won't eat people, but livestock is still an issue."

 

I looked into Lapsha's eyes.

 

"Maybe I should bring pre-butchered food. It's more expensive but you won't confuse people's animals for your food then, will you?"

 

Lapsha tilted his head before hissing and settling on my lap. It was difficult to balance with him, so I tilted forward onto my knees.

 

"I'll try it next week for ya. Mama's going back home for now."

 

It was harder than I expected every time. And this time it was myself to blame solely. From what Kiyomi's dreams showed me, the closest pet she ever had was Goro. That was at a stretch given she only saw him marginally. Lapsha, though, reminded me of my dog on earth.

 

When am I gonna get over that shit? It's long over and gone.

 

I patted Lapsha once more, standing and turning for the woodline.

 

"Stay."

 

I low toned gurgle was all that sounded off as I left.

 

He's obedient and lax at least. Makes for an easy pet.

"I'm hooome!"

 

I yelled out slamming the door behind me with my foot.

 

"Welcome home!"

 

Mother yelled, leaning her head out from the kitchen entranceway.

 

"Hey, Mama. Helping Miss Maria with supper?"

 

"Making supper myself, it's going to be smaller than usual. It's just me, you, and Cal."

 

Hatsumi's voice echoed through the house as she slinked back into the kitchen. The sound of meat sizzling on iron and water boiling, the symphony that followed the variety of smells that flooded every room.

 

Aaah, gotta love the perks of Slayer. Food smells even better.

 

Peaking into the Kitchen, Mother was fast at work. Boiling river crawler and grilling venison steaks.

 

"It's flank so it'll be a bit chewy, not that you'll have any issues with it. Y'know, like us non-gorilla strength havers."

 

Mother smiled over her shoulder.

 

"It was a pain getting the River-crawler though. Cal likes fishing, not wrestling dog sized shellfish. If he wasn't such a good blacksmith the axe he used wouldn't have sundered the tail like it did."

 

"Oh, so Cal managed to actually get one himself? I said I'd pay for a fisherman to catch us one."

 

"Mnmm, as long as you live under OUR roof you will NOT pay for food young lady."

 

Mother waved the pair of wooden tongs she was using in the air. Ever since Kiyomi's dreams came in force, I'd been craving shellfish more and more. Odd to me considering it was never part of my original taste. If anything my original taste could be called one of 'southern comfort'. Cajun was nice from time to time, but never a mainstay.

 

I took a seat at the small table, my chair turned to the side to partially face the counter.

 

"How's your pet doing? Didn't ruin another pair of clothes I take it?"

 

I shook my head even though she wasn't looking at me.

 

"Mnmm, Lapsha's doing well. He still responds to my whistling, so he's got the call part down. Also didn't have to peel him off of me to come home like last time."

 

Mother turned around with a cup in hand, pouring the contents of a small pot into it.

 

"You know the drill, yarrow tea. Your cycles around this time, right?"

 

"Yeaaaah."

 

I clenched my teeth while looking the other way.

 

I know it helps but come on, right now?

 

Mother placed the cup on the table in front of me.

 

"It's good Lapsha's growing well, a good and trained monster goes a long way in the field. If you need emergency back up, or a specific kind of target killed, they make a world or a difference. You could wipe out insectoid infestations with a slime like that… gods forbid, if it gets bigger? Maybe even spider-tortoise."

 

Mother moved back to the counter.

 

"Stick around, foods almost done and Callum should be back soon."

 

"Kay, kay, Mama."