Eventually, I think Sis was able to tell that I was getting bored. She didn't expressly mention it, but I doubt it's a coincidence that she decided to finish up about 5 minutes after she noticed I was watching my little impromptu reality show. Well, I'm not gonna complain.

We ended up just walking through Bashenholm. I figured once we got to the end of that, I'd warp us back to Starsford and we'd aimlessly walk around there. Oh, or maybe the city, where S and I got fast food that one time. What was that place called? 'The Adjective Noun'? What a stupid name. Food wasn't bad, though. Well, it was, but it wasn't... It was fast food. Anyways, surely there's something fun going on in the city. Like crime. Can't go wrong with a little crime to spice up your day. Actually, speaking of, when I was people watching earlier, I saw someone try to pickpocket some chick in broad daylight. BIG mistake, the guards were on his rear in SECONDS, since there were, like, a dozen of 'em within earshot. Bet they were as bored as I was, and that was the best entertainment they'd get all week. It was pretty funny, honestly. 

Though, actually, I couldn't help but find that ordeal a little odd. The girl didn't really seem all that distraught. She just slowly walked away, into the crowd. Actually, I'm pretty sure I saw her nod to herself, just slightly, before she left. 

But I'm probably just imagining it. I was pretty far away, after all.  

Anyways, it didn't take long to reach town. Green guy didn't seem to be around at the moment, which was good. Not that I particularly dislike the guy, but I have no idea how I'd be expected to interact with him. Are we at, like, simply nodding at each other when we pass levels, or is a greeting expected? Should we even acknowledge each other? I'm very bad at this stuff. Anyways, he wasn't out. 

The only people who were out were Michaus and Zramazos, who seemed to be working on the farm, along with a third, much older dude I didn't recognize. Probably their dad, I wager. Also, those 2 weird guards that are always walking shoulder to shoulder were out, pacing around town. One seemed to whisper something to the other as Sis and I came into town. 

After a moment, Michaus looked up, and noticed us, as well. Immediately, he raised his arm far above his head, and started waving. "HHEEEEYY!" He shouted.

"Oh God, this guy..." Sis said, quietly, to herself. I guess she's seen him from Up There or whatever.

I just waved at him. Not even gonna try to do that with my voice.

"GAH, MICHAUS, YOU SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH, YOU-" The older man shouted angrily. His voice was gruff, and clearly aged. Man, his voice also carries freakishly well. Guess I know where Michaus got that from. He paused, abruptly, and seemed to take a deep breath before continuing. "GO TALK TO THEM FACE TO FACE, IF YOU MUST." 

"OKAY!" Michaus shouted, before running up to us. He was still wearing that armor of his, even while working, and his spikey, dark green hair was just as odd as ever.

Wait, green? Was that... Eh, must be. Oh, and, also, he didn't seem to have that greatsword of his on hand at the moment.  

"HEY!" Michaus shouted a good deal quieter as he came into normal talking distance. 

"Yo." I returned. 

Sis didn't say anything.

"I couldn't find you guys after the ruins yesterday! Where did you guys go?" He asked, as enthusiastic as ever.

"Oh, uh, we went... Out. That way." I sort of explained, gesturing back towards the bridge. It's not technically a lie. Starsford is, roughly, that way. 

"I see!" Michaus said, somehow content with that explanation. "Say, where's S? And who're you?" He said, energetically looking over at Sis.

"I'm his sister." Sis said. "I happened to-... Never mind." I think she was about to create an elaborate lie to clear up any questions before they came up, but...

"Okay!" He said. Yeah, he wasn't gonna question anything. "What's your name?" he asked. 

Sis looked like she didn't know how to respond to that. 

"Uh, S is off training." I said, changing the subject. "For about a week, or so."

"Oh! That's disappointing, I was hoping to chat with him about hunting. Oh well!" 

 Hunting, huh... I wonder what he's 'hunting', up there in the mountains... 

Hope it's nothing too dangerous... 

"Ah! I see you've got your wounds dealt with! That's good! Always best to be in peak fighting condition!" 

"Oh, uh, yeah, I guess."

He turned over to Sis once again, "Anyways, what's your-"

"Hey, fellas!" I heard Charolette shout from a little ways down the road. 

"Oh, Hi Charolette!" Michaus shouted, turning around and waving as Charolette walked over to us. She was carrying a large sack of flour, for some reason. 

"Hey, Michaus, and..." She paused, and squinted as she looked over at me. "...Beyes, right?." She said. 

I nodded. My name's pretty hard to forget.

"And you?" She said, gesturing to Sis.

"His sister." She said, quickly and simply, lightly gesturing over to me. 

"Nice. I'm Charolette. Anyways, I made a thing. Problem is, I have no idea what to do with it. Are you guys free?" Charolette said, quickly getting to the point. Didn't she just make a thing yesterday?

"Yeah! Sounds fun!" Michaus said, ever enthusiastic.

I looked over at Sis, who nodded. I then looked up, and nodded. Lotta nodding going on here. 

"Nice. Door's unlocked, you guys sit around the table. I'm gonna grab Zram'." Charolette said, gesturing towards her house, before running off towards the farm, where Zramazos was. 

"NEED ANY HELP WITH THAT?" Michaus shouted as she ran off. Charolette was still carrying the bag of flour as she ran, by the way.

She shook her head quickly as she ran. 

"OKAY!" Michaus shouted. "Then, let's go!" 

"Y-yeah." I said. A lot of stuff just happened really fast, think I need a second to process.

Anyways, we began making our way to Charolette's house. I thought it was a little weird that she was okay with leaving her door unlocked and letting near perfect strangers in without her supervision, but, I dunno, maybe it's a small town thing.

"Kind of a shame we're just gonna be around the table. I'm curious what her room looks like from this angle." Sis said, quietly, as we made our way there.

"Were you watching when we were here yesterday?" I quietly responded, not paying any mind to how stalker-y that sounded.

"Well, yeah, but I've actually been watching her for a while. Lot longer than I've known you existed. Guess you could say I'm a fan of hers." She explained.

"Huh. Neat." I said, paying just a little mind to how stalker-y that sounded. 

Regardless, we quickly arrived at Charolette's place. On the table inside, there were 2 bowls. One that was empty, and one that was full of oranges, and there was a written note next to them. No idea what the note said, but it had some arrows pointing to the bowls. I understood those, at least. 

Did she prepare this? Or is this just some weird decoration? Is that a thing? People decorate with fruit, right? 

"Feel free to eat the oranges. Dispose of peels in this bowl. I will collect them later." Michaus said in a sort of robotic voice, staring at the note as we neared the table "Cool! I love oranges!" He grabbed an orange, and reached at his back, presumably for a greatsword that wasn't there, and once he realized it wasn't there, he began peeling it like a normal person. I couldn't help but wonder what he would have done, had he actually brought his greatsword."

Part of me wants to question why Charolette's collecting orange peels, and another part of me really, really doesn't.

Michaus peeked over at Sis as he peeled an orange. "Anyways, you, what's your n-" Michaus began.

And then Charolette and a rather flustered Zramazos burst in and ran up the stairs. She was still carrying the bag of flour. When they came down the stairs, she wasn't carrying the flour anymore, but they were both carrying small handfuls of some brightly colored somethings of various sizes. 

They quickly made their way to the table, sat down, and dropped them on the table, and they kind of scattered and rolled a bit.

The objects looked weird, yet, strangely, just a little familiar. They almost looked like toy cars, what with the little wheels and the brightly colored-

Oh

Oh, they're... These are toy cars. Well, the sizes are a little weird, but, otherwise, they're exactly the same as the things I grew up with. 

She invented toy cars. In a world without cars. 

Kinda skipping a few steps there, ain't ya? 

I couldn't help but stare at them, in silence.  

Michaus munched on an orange. Kinda like an apple.

Sis didn't seem to care all that much, and Zramazos was eyeing them curiously and cautiously.

"Oh. I thought it was gonna be food related." Michaus said. Which was fair, given the oranges and the massive bag of flour. 

"Oh, no. That was for something else. Related, though. See, I've been on a home defense kick lately." Charolette explained, though, raising far more questions than answers. I guess that explains the bow, at least.

"Cool! But what are these?" Michaus asked, as he grabbed an oddly shaped green and yellow car, and began rolling it around. 

"Rejects. I'm trying to figure out what to do with them."

We all rolled them around for a bit, but... Yeah, what do you do with toy cars? I have the blurriest memories of spending entire days playing with these, but today... I have no idea what to make of this. 

Also, what do they have to do with home defense? What, you got, like, little turrets on 'em? Little, drivin' around 'pew pew', all cartoony... That'd be kinda cool, actually. I hope that's the case.  

"W-well, what do the successful ones do?" Zramazos asked. 

"It's a thrown weapon!" Michaus suggested, mimicking throwing one of them.

"Nah. Tripping hazard." Charolette explained.

What? That's... fair, actually. I can think of several times... Still, there had to have been an easier way.

"Why not use fishing line as tripwire?" Sis suggested. 

Yeah! Like that!  

"Yeah, I was thinking tripwire, too." Michaus said. "But for completely unrelated reasons." He noted, for some reason.

That's weird!

"Yeah, but then I'd have to tie it to something. Besides, what else would I do with all these wheels?"

Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Everyone agreed.

"Why'd you have all these wheels, anyway?" I couldn't help but ask.

There was a pause, for a brief moment.

"That's... A good question, actually." She said.

. . . 

Michaus took a bite out of an orange.