ALL NOVEL Chapter 1564 Small Problems
--- Kamiko --- (Morning Day 3)
After getting back from the snow bubble and crying a bit, the group decided to just break for the night. It was already late when Kamiko returned and there was no real point in trying to get moving again. So the group settled down for the night in short order, ate a bunch of leftovers and then went to sleep.
The next morning when they set off found Kamiko holding Hunter's arm tightly against her chest. Kamiko had no desire to be separated again, and when she subtly tried to bring up the idea of using rope Meg shut it down… so holding onto Hunter was Kamiko's solution to this. It did mean it was very awkward to move at speed.
Even limiting themselves to Bower's maximum meant they were covering a good deal of distance.
It required Kamiko to bounce around a bunch because Hunter wasn't slithering along the ground, she was bouncing between trees and constantly launching herself. It meant Kamiko wasn't so much running as she was jumping after Hunter.
At the beginning it was a lot more like Hunter was pulling Kamiko along and the added weight didn't make enough of a difference for Hunter to complain but Kamiko didn't want to just be dead weight. Eventually she managed to get into a bouncy rhythm and follow along… for the most part. Hunter was still very much directing them.
This continued until they took a break to rehydrate and Meg said, "You two have been getting close I see. Makes me feel a bit lonely…"
Kamiko glanced at Hunter and saw the lamia was planning to just ignore Meg's accusation. Kamiko glanced between the two of them a few times before thinking it over and deciding on what seemed to be the safest course of action. "I have found that I am much more scared of being alone in a bubble again then I am of any other issues. It was… terrifying.
Maybe if it wasn't such a creepy bubble I would've been fine but…
"But I could hardly see. The snow fell down so thick at the start that if I held my hand out far enough it disappeared into the hail. The only reason I was able to pull myself together is because I've trained enough in combat that I can push all my other issues away. It makes sense, I mean if you're in combat you have a pretty immediate issue to deal with after all.
So… yeah it was scary, I didn't know how to leave and I've decided to not deal with that,"
"Hmmm… well I suppose that's a cute enough answer. I could let you hold onto me if your so scared," said Meg with a teasing grin.
Kamiko wasted literally no time in taking her up on her offer. Kamiko practically teleported to Meg's side and hugged her tightly. Meg's eyes widened in surprise, not having expected Kamiko to take her up on the offer at all. "Why?"
"I got permission! Plus Hunter's eye kept twitching while I was holding her and it was clear I was making her uncomfortable… but if you're willing to offer instead…" answered Kamiko.
Meg let out a long sigh. "You know what? You're lucky your adorable. Fine, whatever I'll let you hug me…"
Things were quiet after that throughout the rest of the third day. Kamiko remained firmly affixed to Meg, Hutner smiled slightly as Meg couldn't bother her with Kamiko attached like a barnacle and this meant she didn't have to deal with it. It wasn't as if Hunter was completely unsympathetic but this really was the best of both worlds for her.
Kamiko got to calm down, and she wasn't bothering her about it.
Bower just kept quiet while all this was happening. Things went smoothly enough… so it was probably best to just let it continue.
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--- Kamiko --- (Morning Day 4)
Meg sighed as Kamiko attached herself once again. "Ok, look I get that I agreed to this but it's awkward moving around with you like that so I'm going to…" Meg was originally going to retract her offer but Kamiko gazed up at her with slightly teary puppy dog eyes while gripping tighter to her torso and Meg felt something in her heart crack slightly. "… need you to change positions.
Would riding on my shoulders be acceptable?"
Hunter grinned at this in the background but looked away quickly lest Meg notice her smile. Kamiko of course nodded rapidly at the offer and hopped up onto Meg's shoulder before the greed demon could protest. Meg sighed again, "How do you even manage to act like that? You act more like a little sister then my Lil Sis,"
"Oh… um… well… it's because I have a bunch of older sisters and one younger system but the younger sister bullied my for years and I ended up with no confidence. So… despite technically being an older sister I never got into any of the habits and a lot of people think I'm the youngest in the family…" answered Kamiko with a bit of hesitation.
"Hmm… whatever. I guess I can carry you around like that. Just don't complain to me if you hit your head, I won't be thinking about things too much so that's all up to you!" insisted Meg. Kamiko just nodded and folded herself forward to rest on Meg's head. Meg sighed again as she accepted that this is just how things are going to go now…
After Meg accepted her new fate as Kamiko's minder they continued on and made it to the first new bubble since Kamiko went missing., Bower was very clear in putting out where it was, letting them stop before the bubble claimed them. "So, we going in?" asked Bower after marking out the rough line between 'bubble space' and not.
"I… I don't mind as long as I stay with someone…" said Kamiko from Meg's shoulders.
"You shouldn't have been separated the first time. It's only because the bubble just barely caught you. Sitting on Meg like that should mean it's fine. I've never heard of people getting separated while holding hands…" explained Bower.
Meg shrugged, "Whatever is faster,"
"I am with Meg. Whatever you recommend as faster," agreed Kamiko.
Bower nodded, "Well it's probably worth going inside then,"
And with that they marched in. The bubble turned out to be a crystal forest biome with lovely glimmering trees and… normal grass. That meant they didn't need to worry about cutting themselves on the crystals too much. A few crystal golems needed to be destroyed but with the four of them it was easy and they made good progress for the rest of the day.
--- Kamiko --- (Morning Day 7)
Meg seemed to be frowning pretty hard at the compass in her hands. Kamiko carefully walked over and stood to the side, waiting to be noticed… but a few minutes of nothing had Kamiko deciding to just ask. "Hey Meg? What's wrong?"
"There's something up with the compass… or more accurately I think there's something up with the woods. I trust the compass to steer us correctly… and it's not pointing the same way it was last night," explained Meg.
"Um… ok… but couldn't that mean the piece is moving? Like… someone has it or something?" asked Kamiko.
Meg nodded along, "Yes that's what I thought originally. This isn't the first time I noticed something strange with the compass. It was mostly when we left bubbles though so I didn't think too much of it… but I've kept an eye out and this time? The compass has done a complete one eighty… or so it seems. Look around us what do you see?"
Kamiko glanced awkwardly around, "Um… trees? A lot of mist?"
Meg sighed, "Suppose I shouldn't be expecting you to notice. What concerns me is that!" Meg pointed over to a muddy patch with a footprint on it near the trees. Kamiko glanced down at Meg's feet and then back again and… couldn't really work anything out while Meg had her feet firmly on the ground.
"I still don't get it," announced Kamiko.
"That footprint is us coming in for a break. I remember it because I had to be a bit careful not to slip… but the compass is pointing us back in that direction. I remember checking to see we were on the right path before, but now? If we'd just headed off the way we thought we were going we would've been sent away…" explained Meg.
"So… so what does that mean?" asked Kamiko.
"I think the forest is playing tricks on us. I don't know of the clearing moved or our destination did… but it means I'm going to be watching this compass like a hawk from now on," said Meg firmly.
"Oh… um… maybe we should ask Bower?" offered Kamiko.
Meg didn't seem pleased with the thought but it did look like she was considering it.