Book 4: Chapter 31: Unilateral and Never-Ending

    The sun that rose over the horizon to greet me was the entirely wrong color. Blue, I mused. Odd. It came from the wrong direction, too, peeking its head over the southern mountains. I didn’t let either of these facts bother me, though. Every morning that I woke up in Tropica was something to be celebrated.

    Gratitude, after all, was the key to happiness, and it served the world around me to be as happy as—Neptunes glistening shaft! I ducked as the gods-damned sun shot directly toward me, shrinking and rolling over the ocean like a cracked-out Sonic the Hedgehog. Though I stood, my back thumped into something solid, soft, cold, and...

    I opened my eyes, finding a sky that was indicative of anything but a sunrise.

    “Neptunes glistening what?” Theo asked, his head blocking out the stars above. He raised an eyebrow and glanced to the side. “Maria, I’m not one to question what people do in their pre-marital bed, but just what do you two get up to when the lights—”

    My senses, which were evidently still dull, were plenty aware enough to catch the deadly threat of Roger’s chi.

    “Kidding, kidding, sorry!” Theo yelped, backing away with his hands raised.

    I considered doubling down on the bit, but decided against it—he might actually kill me with how weak I felt. Besides, Maria had already experienced a lot today. As if I could summon her by thought alone, she appeared above me, her hair swaying side to side as she smiled. She was even more beautiful than the dreamscape sunrise from only moments ago.

    “Hi,” she said.

    “H—”

    “Hiiiiii!” a certain familiar interrupted, jiggling over Maria’s shoulder.

    “Wassup, Slimes. I’m surprised you’re already back in action after Rocky Two hit you for six.”

    Maria’s smile vanished, and she covered her companion’s mouth before he could respond. “No. You are not calling the raccoon Rocky Two.”

    “Awww, c’mon! Rocky is the perfect name for a raccoon, but we already have Rocky One!”

    “And he’s more than enough. I forbid it.” She lowered her hand and helped me to my feet. “Besides, Claws probably has a name picked out already.”@@@@

    “You never let me have any fun.”

    “Does it make you feel better to know that she’ll probably pick a name as bad as the ones you choose?”

    “Yes, actually. That does make me feel better.”

    “Good.” A dangerous gleam entered her eyes. “Because as happy as I am that you’re awake, we still need to discuss you teasing me before you passed out...”

    I took a step back, pressing a finger to one temple. “I’d love to chat about that, but my head, you see—it’s very, uhhh, bruised. And sore. Did I say bruised already? I think my brain might be scrambled.”

    She followed, denying my attempted retreat. “See, that’s really weird, because we’re connected, you and I.” She took another step, getting so close that I could feel the heat of her breath. “And given that I know you better in some ways that I know myself... I know that you’re full of shit!”

    Expecting the attack, I slid to the side of her well-placed shove—which left me right in the path of her roundhouse kick. It hit me on the shoulder and I sprawled in the sand.

    Yeahhh! Cinnamon screamed from somewhere to my right as the kick landed—she’d clearly shown Maria that move. Get him!

    “Oh-ho!” I said, hopping back to my feet. “A surprise attack, is it? You dare challenge the lord of these lands, junior?”

    Her response was concise—she threw a left jab right at my face.

    “Hey! No aiming for the money-maker!”

    “What’s mine is yours!” She launched a right hook this time.

    “That makes no sense!”

    “Good! Now you know how we all feel every. Time. You. Open. Your. Mouth!” The last six words were each punctuated with a strike, and I danced backwards across the sand, dodging.

    Despite what we were saying—and the fact that Maria just tried to hit me with a haymaker—a grin split both of our faces. A few minutes later, our fake fight had devolved into a budget Brazilian jiu jitsu demonstration. We both froze as someone came to a stop beside us.

    Sharon’s face held a smile that was the exact opposite of the scowl her husband was leveling our way. “The food is almost ready, you two. Why don’t you save your fighting for later? Perhaps when the lights are out?”

    It had been an extremely long day, filled with ridiculous situations and multiple breakthroughs. I’d passed out more than once, which was a new record for me. Through all that, Sharon’s comments had the most visceral effect on my ability to function. The pang of embarrassment that washed through me was reflected in Maria, but even stronger.

    I rubbed my temples, willing the cotton wool within my head to disappear. “I reckon I’ll feel better tomorrow. Just need to sleep it off.”

    “Perfect!” called Peter, lifting the biggest fryer strainer I’d ever seen. “You can go to bed after the feast!” With one deft scoop, he collected every bit of now-golden fish from the oil. Beef tallow flowed from the chunks, slowing to a steady drip within seconds. Peter held them there, extending his will and chi into the food. I almost extended tendrils toward it, curious what he was doing, but caught myself.

    Instead, I chose to focus on the outside world. There was plenty to look at. While I’d been passed out, helpers had arrived with what I requested earlier—the items that Tropica’s woodworkers had been toiling over. The trove of furniture currently lining the sands proved just how busy they’d been.

    Dozens and dozens of wooden tables, their angled legs elegant yet thick enough that they might last decades without maintenance. The tabletops were single slabs with a vanish-like sheen that enhanced their beautiful grains. Twice as many long benches sat beneath them, constructed of the same materials and ready to be used.

    There were seats for all of them—literally every cultivator, human, and animal pal in Tropica. When I started imagining the feast and all of their happy faces, Maria squeezed my hand, telling me she was just as excited.

    And yet, despite all these distractions, Peter’s will was like a magnet for my senses. I furrowed my brow, taking slow, conscious breaths in an attempt at mindfulness.

    “Let us help,” Maria whispered, leaning against my arm and mentally pushing something my way. Unable to contain my curiosity at her use of us, I glanced at her. She just smiled back.

    I suppose it’s better than getting sucked in by Peter’s will and passing out again, I thought, an almost-physical connection forming between us.

    It iiiiiis better! Slimes agreed from within my head. Some would say much better, in fact! The best, even! I—

    Maria sent a mental chiding her familiar’s way.

    Sorrrryyyyy... he trailed off, reminding me of Rocky’s voice each time Snips launched him clear over the horizon.

    With that metaphorical distance came peace. Slimes, despite dwelling in Maria’s core, shielded me from the sledgehammer that was Peter’s will. I could still see him, but without the weight of his will drawing me in, I had more room to focus on the sensations of my body. It was...

    “Wonderful, isn’t it?” Maria asked. “He can shield me from the System entirely, and any other unwanted intrusions.”

    “Where do I get one?”

    A pulse of joy came from Slimes, which made both Maria and me smile.

    “I’m sure he’d be happy to assist whenever needed.”

    Yeeees! came a faint yell—basically a scream—from far away.

    “Appreciate it, Slimes.” I nodded toward Peter, who was absolutely surrounded by the world’s chi. “Looks like he’s gonna succeed.”

    “It does, doesn’t it?” Maria said. “Do you regret not being able to take part?”

    I shook my head, delighting in the way my core resonated with that truth. “Not even a bit. I’m the leader, right? I have to be okay with delegating tasks. Besides, Peter is as capable as they come.”

    The world agreed. Its essence exploded forward, rushing into the still-cooling fish. They became too bright to look at, their crispy skins shining with overwhelming incandescence. From there, the chi spread, washing over the other food we’d cooked earlier. It should have happened in less than a second, only an instant needed for the transformation to finish, but... something was wrong. I sent a strand of awareness out, which Slimes let pass through his protective barrier.

    Lightning chi, I realized. The flesh was partially suffused with an aspect, so the world’s essence couldn’t take hold. There was enough to transform a portion of the different dishes. Or the entirety of one. But the chi lacked intelligent thought. It slammed its head against every dish equally, gaining zero ground.

    Again, I considered intervening, but let it go. Even if doing so didn’t put me in any danger, I still would have allowed Peter’s attempt to fail. Defeat was sometimes the best lesson one could receive, and it would only stunt everyone’s growth if I was always there to brute-force whatever task they were trying to undertake.

    I felt something ping my noggin, only the faintest of touches that had a different feel to it than the System’s usual incessance.

    Several levels in leadership, came Slimes’s voice in my head. Didn’t want to block them without your consent.

    “You have my unilateral and never-ending permission to keep them from me,” I replied, knowing I could always just check later if needed.

    Okaaaay!

    Despite Peter’s impending failure, a soft smile curled my lip. I was content with my choice. If it meant he could one day grow, letting Peter succeed or fail on his own was the kindest thing I could do for him. And kindness aside, it was what a leader would do, which, for better or worse, I’d become.

    But not everyone agreed. Twin roots burst from the ground to either side of us, climbing toward the sky and forming trees with incredible speed. Evidently, Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket and her yet-unnamed tree-spirit pal held no such reservations about helping out. They poured pure essence across the sand—the world’s chi latched on.

    Light shone from everywhere all at once, and the transformation began.