“You’ve said before that ghosts aren’t real, Vim… so what is it you think?” I asked as I lowered Sharp’s letter.

Vim didn’t answer right away. He scraped another chunk off the wood piece he was working on, and then sighed. “Honestly? At any other moment I’d just consider it something to deal with later… but right now?” Vim shook his head as he stepped back from the large log he’d been shaving, as he called it, and stepped over to me.

I sat up a bit straighter with his approach, for a small moment I was glad to be his focus. He hadn’t been ignoring me of course, ever since I sat down here on a log to talk to him about my letters, but this was one of the first times he’s actually even looked my way. He’s been too focused on his work, though I couldn’t fault him for it… a lot of those here were excitedly waiting for him to finish this next building, a place where we’d be able to sleep.

We were alone at the moment at the construction area in the late afternoon of the day. I had come to talk to him about my letters, because Sap planned on leaving at dusk, and was going to deliver a letter for me. Or well, several letters. I had written ones not just for Lellip but several members of the parliament, even one for Root. Of course the main reason I was dealing with letters at all was because I needed to respond to Lilly’s letter, but I had wanted to talk to Vim about it and others first before doing so.

“You mean… the god stuff,” I said as studied his eyes. They were a tad heavy, though I didn’t think he seemed tired or anything.

Vim nodded as he brushed his hands off on his pants. “Their descriptions are odd, and make me think of divine abilities. There’s nothing in the natural order to explain their problems, at least none that I know of. Now to what degree is there divine intervention? Is it a monarch? A god causing ruckus in an effort to draw me away from you? Or is it all just simple group psychosis? I want to believe it’s nothing worth concerning myself over, but… that’s not the case.”

“Psychosis…?” I asked.

Vim smiled at me and pointed at his head. “Basically a form of insanity. Some might call it mass hysteria, but they’re not passing out or having any physical symptoms so technically that’d be the wrong term to use. Occasionally there are times that large groups can all believe in something, even if it’s not real, and they believe in it so strongly they hallucinate or mistake what they’re actually seeing for something else. Though usually it’s not dozens of people but a small group at best… like a small family or something,” he explained.

“Are you… saying they’re all imagining it? Even those like Sharp?” I asked as I lifted her letter to show it off to him.

His smile faltered a little. “Yeah… doesn’t sound very believable does it?” he said with a sigh.

“And it’s not just her, but Abel and the rest…? They might be very religious Vim but I had felt they were all very grounded and wise people. I can’t see them mistaking a gust of wind or something for a ghost so readily,” I said. Most of the people in these letters, claiming they too have seen this supposed ghost, were people as old if not older than me. People who were well respected in the community.

“I know. But…” Vim glanced around for a moment, and then looked back to me once he confirmed we were still alone. “Back during the wars… the real ones, my enemies focused more on distracting me than they did anything else. Such a tactic would be very up their alley,” he explained.

My eyes narrowed and my ears under my hat shifted wildly, to the point I felt one of my pins dislodge from the movement. “For what purpose Vim…? To get to me? Why would they need to go to such lengths? And if that was the case, why didn’t they just kill me earlier before you showed up? These letters are from months ago,” I said. Two and a half to be exact.

Vim sighed as he nodded. “Thus the conundrum. Personally, and I don’t honestly know if this is a conclusion reached by reason or mere hope… I think they want to keep you alive,” he said.

“Huh…?”

He gestured lightly at me with a frown. “If they killed you… yes, I’d be devastated. But all that would do is enrage me further. I’m already enraged by their mere existence. It makes no sense. They’d only do it to spite me, which yes… a god would do, but not if they have alternative goals. Havoc claimed they…” Vim suddenly shut his mouth, his eyes went a tad wide… and he groaned as he covered his face.

Uh oh… he had just been about to bring up something he had obviously not wanted me to hear! “Vim…” I groaned at him. Not so much for keeping secrets, again, but to fail so spectacularly at doing so. Usually he wasn’t so careless! We hadn’t even been yelling at each other, or flirting or anything!

“I know…!” he groaned.

For a small moment Vim seemed to squirm a bit as he squeezed his face, loud enough that I heard skin even tear. Although still a bit upset he was still trying so hard to keep secrets from me, I couldn’t help but enjoy the sight and moment all the more. He was growing so comfortable with me that he wasn’t even aware half the time of what he was saying!

I gave him some time to collect himself and went ahead and returned my focus to my letters. I put aside the one from Sharp and returned to the one from Lilly, the main reason I was here to talk to him about them.

Her letter was short and sweet, telling me basically of the status of not just Lellip and Branches… but the rest of her children. Fly included. She was glad they were all still there, to the point it was an utter shock, but at the same time there were new concerns now. Such as Branches and his brothers getting into arguments, or Crown looking as if she was going to waste away and die in her sleep at any moment.

She asked me to visit as soon as I safely could… and asked me to tell Vim, when I saw him, to visit and check on her too. Though she did say it was not urgent, at least.

“Renn.”

I blinked and looked up from Lilly’s letter and smiled at my dearest friend. He had stepped forward another step, and was now close enough that my tail could reach him if I was able to let it free out here.

Vim looked tired all of a sudden, the kind that made me worry that the heavy eyes I’d noticed early and dismissed had indeed been because of exhaustion and not something else.

“Have you gotten any sleep recently, Vim?” I asked. As far as I was aware he hadn’t, but…

He blinked, as if startled I’d interrupt his train of thought… then he smiled gently at me. “Not really. But I am fine. I’m not tired anymore, in fact I’ve been feeling rather good physically,” he said.

“Bruises and all?”

“Yeah. To be honest my body gets… better, when it’s wounded. I know that sounds odd, but it’s just how I was made,” he said.

“I’ll withhold the offer to wound you occasionally then for now… but only if you agree to do something for me,” I said, teasing him as I did.

He frowned and nodded. “Hm?”

“Take a nap, please,” I said.

His frown turned back into a smile. “With you…?”

“I mean… If that’s what it takes, I guess?” I said. I had not meant it that way, but I’d not mind it. Especially since it was nice and warm lately, since I was sure he’d not sleep during the night with the rest of us but instead sometime in the day when no one was using my tent. Typically taking a nap under a hot sun was annoying, but inside my tent it would feel good… especially if we left open the front flap or side window flap things for a breeze.

He gave me a smirk and nodded. “Okay… and going back to the less important topic, I think the gods are trying to do something. And that something most likely includes me, in one form or another. I… can’t explain it properly yet, at least I mean… I can try but…” Vim began to hesitate and he flinched, and I debated which action to take.

Do I take it easy on him? Let him grow comfortable enough to tell me on his own…? Or do I stand my ground and get upset, again, and force him to speak of it? I knew Vim well enough to know he sometimes wanted both from me, but…

Before I could make a decision however, Vim sighed and with a small scratch at the back of his head he nodded. “They need me for something. And I think… I think they’ve been waiting. For a moment like this. To get me to agree to it,” he said.

Studying his eyes… and how heavy they looked again, I wondered just what it was these gods wanted from him. It was obviously something he didn’t want to do, but… was that because if he did it something bad would happen… or was it simply his hatred and spite that kept him from agreeing? “You think that they’ll keep me alive, possibly, as to threaten my life in hopes of forcing your hand,” I said as I understood.

He nodded.

For a tiny moment my head itched, rather the base of my ears… and then I realized I had crumpled Lilly’s letter a little. I spent a moment to flatten it a bit on my thigh, as to try and stop it from getting even more damaged. I wanted to keep it. I had been saving many of the letters I’ve been getting, since each were so precious to me, and this was the first one from Lilly I’d ever gotten… so… It was special.

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“Basically Renn… Your life is in danger, but I think at the same time it won’t be. Because they’ll want to use you against me. As to get what they want from me,” he said after a moment.

I breathed in, and held my breath for a moment… and then sighed it out. “Which you won’t give them or do, even if my life is threatened. So in the end my life is in danger, right?” I asked.

He nodded slowly.

“What is it Vim…? What is it they want from you?” I asked softly.

Vim held my gaze… and after a few heartbeats he slowly shook his head. “Something I can’t give, Renn,” he whispered.

Although hearing such a thing kind of hurt, not so much that he’d sacrifice me for it… but the fact he still hadn’t outright said what it was… I went ahead and decided to be a little underhanded as to see what he’d say. Before I could say it though, I had to take a small breath and collect my nerve… and then…

“What of Nory?” I asked.

He didn’t move for a moment. Not even a blink… and then his eyes narrowed. “I too have considered that. I… don’t know,” he said with a deep tone. Something akin to a whisper, but… not. It had been deep enough to almost be a growl. I’d actually never heard his voice like that before, it was a tad surprising.

“Well… it’s something to consider deeper then, isn’t it,” I whispered. I now kind of felt bad for bringing it up, since he suddenly looked hurt. The kind of hurt he rarely showed, if ever… since it wasn’t a physical pain but something much deeper. In fact it might be the only pain he even registered anymore, considering.

“It is… and… I’m trying Renn. I really, really am,” he said softly.

“I know… want to switch topics for a bit?” I offered.

He blinked a few times and then nodded. “Please.”

Smiling softly, I decided to take it easy on him as I lifted Lilly’s letter. “Should I invite Crown now, or wait until we’re more settled? Sap says she doesn’t have wings, and is very good at living amongst humans but…”

Vim frowned as he leaned back a bit, shifting his weight as he studied me and the letter. “Did Lilly ask you to summon her?” he asked.

“No… but nearly half the letter is her showing concern for her. And based off what Sap has said, Lilly’s underplaying Crown’s state,” I said.

He nodded. “Yes… she’s not doing well at all, supposedly. Well… that’s up to you Renn. As you know I try to stay out of personal affairs, and although the girl is obviously distressed this is a personal matter. Not one I typically get involved with…” Vim spoke calmly, almost uncaringly, and I was about to say something to argue against his statement but he raised a hand and gently smiled at me and continued. “That being said, Lilly had also asked me for help concerning her too. And, usually, I’d argue Crown spending time with her family would be the best medicine… but she’s already been there what, months now?” he asked.

“Three and then some,” I said, basing it off what Sap had told me.

He nodded again. “A long time, but not… I don’t know. A part of me says to let her just… heal slowly. She’s not like Lilly, she’s more like Windle and her other ancestors. Fainthearted, soft inside. She might be like that for years, Renn. However… coming here might give her something to do. Sap had said she’s just been curling up in her bed, not even getting out of it to eat… being here might at least make her active. And activity helps, it really does. It’s one of the reasons we all had left Tosh at Lumen, and not somewhere more quiet and safe such as the Crypt or something. Activity helps the brain and soul,” he said.

I nodded quickly, glad to hear his line of thought matched not just my own but Sap’s as well. “Yes…! I think if she came here, it might do her good too. Plus we could always just send her back after a bit if it doesn’t work out, couldn’t we?” I asked.

“Right… are you asking me to go get her? She has no wings, it’ll take her a few days to get here,” he said.

Ah… “Actually Sap said she’d be willing to bring her back, and then just fly home again after. That or Lilly would, she said,” I told him.

He slowly nodded. “Well… that’s up to you Renn. You’ll have a free tent with Sap and Oplar leaving, so she’ll have privacy. And we’re far enough from town that you won’t have to worry over her causing an issue with the humans or anything…” he said as he glanced at the nearby encampment of tents we all lived in currently. Since it was about to be sundown there were now smoke stacks coming from it, people were readying to make dinner.

“Then I’ll invite her. She might not come right away anyway,” I said as I decided to do so, now that I basically had his permission.

“Hm… She likes children too, and we now have several. So that might help too,” he said.

“But she has Root there, doesn’t she?” I said. Root was so adorable I couldn’t imagine not being cheery around her, just by mere presence alone.

“A baby is indeed a good healing object… but Crown likes to teach. Which would actually be useful, since you now have two kids here who need such guidance,” he said.

I nodded slowly. Liora and Celine both. Right now Randle and the old human woman, Krass, were taking turns spending a few hours a day teaching them. I had joined in a few of the lessons myself out of interest. They taught basic things, such as the local laws and Society rules, but also more detailed topics too. Celine for instance couldn’t read, and as such was being taught how to do so. Angie was a kid too, at least I considered her as one, but as far as I was aware she hadn’t joined the lessons nor planned to.

Having someone here to take over their education would be very helpful. “Plus it’d really give her something to focus on!” I said excitedly.

“Quite… Also, has Randle brought up his request with you yet?” he asked.

My happy heart, excited at the prospect of both meeting another member of my family and also helping Lilly and her parliament out… settled down a bit at the mention of something that was sad. “Yes… he has. At least, I hope we’re speaking of the same thing and you’re not bringing up another entirely. You mean my painting of her, yes?”

He nodded.

Good. Or well, as good as it could be, I guess… “Then yes. He has. I guess Folz can make paint, and as such has been getting the resources needed. I’ve been told in a few days I should be able to have enough to start painting,” I said.

“Folz… you know I’ve not dealt with him much. Not since he lost his tongue, at least,” Vim said

Oh! Glad for the opportunity, I smiled as I got up off the log and brushed my bum off. As I did I also tugged at my pants as to free my tail a little, to let it shift under them. I couldn’t bring it out until I got back into the encampment, and it was itchy at the moment. “I’ve been actually planning to talk to you about him,” I said.

“Hm…? Did he do something?” he asked, suddenly a bit more focused on me. Though if he was focused on what I’d just said, or my rear, I couldn’t tell.

“No… not really. I just wanted to let you know I feel odd around him.”

“Odd…? How so?” he asked.

I gestured lightly with a shrug. “I don’t know…! That’s just it. Lilly and Merit think I’m just unnerved by his lack of talking. And I just can’t believe it myself, but I can’t imagine what else it could be. I feel… on guard, I guess, near him,” I said.

He frowned at that and crossed his arms. “Odd. He’s harmless… he’s been around for a long time, and I’ve never heard anyone ever complain about him. As in… no one at all, ever. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ignore your instincts. Do you feel in danger around him? Or if others are near him?” he asked.

Others…? “You mean… do I feel uneasy when he’s near someone else…?” I asked as I thought of it.

“Yeah? Such as Merit, or something?”

I frowned as I thought of the last few weeks and shook my head. “I don’t think so… the feeling arrives even when we’re alone… like the other day I’d woken up early and went into the main tent to get a drink. He had been in there, praying silently, and we didn’t even look at one another yet I still felt weird. The hairs on my tail even stood up a bit when I realized he was in there as I entered,” I said.

Vim smirked at me. “Do you fancy him maybe?”

What…? I couldn’t believe his question, or the rather real smirk on his face he wore as he made it. That hadn’t been him teasing me, at least not in full. He was genuinely asking me such a thing. “No…! Not at all! He gives me the creeps, Vim, why would I feel attracted to him?” I asked, a bit offended he’d even think such a thing.

The wry smirk slowly died as he nodded at me. “I see… well, I guess I can talk to him if you’d like?”

“I… I don’t know. He seems fine around me. It’s probably just me being weird. Maybe I really don’t like the fact that he doesn’t talk that much…? You know, when Frett had took her vow of silence I had felt really weird back then too. It had upset me,” I said.

Vim gave me an odd, almost knowing, look. “Right… you had, hadn’t you? Maybe that’s really all it is? Maybe I should not speak for a few months to see if it bothers you too,” he said.

“Huh…? Don’t you dare!” I nearly shouted at him. What a terrible idea! I knew he could likely do it with ease, too, which made it only all the more terrifying a thought!

Vim though smiled at me, and said nothing. My heart fluttered as I realized he was going to tease me now… and I nearly panicked as I growled at him.

“Vim, don’t!” I said as I stepped towards him.

For a few heavy heartbeats, he said nothing… and I felt a terrible whine start to claw its way up my throat, as I realized he’d likely tease me by going silent for a few hours or days, but instead he ended his teasing abruptly and nodded. “Either way… you told this to anyone else? Merit and Lilly you said?” he asked.

A huge wave of relief washed through me, running all the way down my tail as I nodded. Thank goodness he hadn’t teased me too long over that, I think I would have actually cried over it. Our little talks were so few and far in-between lately as it was! “Yes… I’ve not told anyone else, since I don’t want to be rude,” I said.

“Right… well, I’ll talk to him a bit just to see if I can figure it out. It might very well just be the fact he doesn’t talk. You might not have noticed, Renn, but your senses have become very astute. They had been good even before you absorbed any hearts, and now they’re far better than ever. It might sound silly, but him not talking might make your instincts go wonky and raise flags because they expect him to. It’s like when I sneak up on you, and you jump and yelp so strongly. It’s not that you’re a jumpy person, at all, it’s just when your senses are tricked your whole body goes into a defensive mode. Maybe that’s what’s happening, or at least a type of it,” he reasoned.

My tail curled and coiled beneath my pants along my thigh as I smiled at him. I loved it when he talked about things like this, since it showed just how well he knew me. “Even though I still hear him normally? I hear him breathing, and walking and stuff. He’s not silent like you. He simply doesn’t talk.”

Vim slowly nodded. “Yes. Because it’s expected. You expect people to talk, or hum, even if only occasionally. And over the course of days, weeks and whatnot, and yet you still don’t hear it…? Basically it’s a combination of your acute senses and your stellar memory. You remember each and every detail, and as such every moment that goes by that you expect to hear him speak and yet don’t only adds up over and over again… until it piles up into such a streak that it unnerves you, since it makes no sense instinctively,” he reasoned some more.

“Seems like a stretch Vim,” I said.

“Yes. My money is still on you fancying him. And if so that’s funny, considering I’ve been told on good authority by many people that he’s ugly,” Vim said with a smirk.

Gah! I nearly threw my letters at him as I huffed and stepped away. “I’m going to go finish writing my letters!” I shouted. Although I honestly didn’t want to leave yet, since I was utterly enjoying our conversation and time together, it was about to be dusk. Sap would be leaving any moment, and I needed to get her the letter for Lilly before she did.

“Don’t go writing one to him now,” Vim teased as I left.

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