Reaching Salvation: Post-Acer Part 9

"That there might be. chance ya found yerself someone special," Neo answered. "Kidnapping was abouta month ago. Good thing there isn't panic yet here. Other two leaders are kinda indisposed right now."

"How bad a state is the village in then?" Luke asked curiously.

"I'd wager, decently bad. Nathans threat didn't help, I'm worried about wat will happen once they realise no leaders are able to help oit." Neo said and sighed.

"I knew the people here were slow, but bloody hell, how long will it take?" Luke asked. Jokes were his preferred way of desensitizing himself to any surprising news he heard.

"A few mofe days at the most," Neo responded. "They're getting suspicuous, even though I'm doing my best to cover for them. The second they see no Erika or Joey, we're going down the shitter."

"You ever need a hand, I'll give you one, within possibility," the Irishman offered, figuring the guy could do with a little bit of relief.

"Thanks," Neo said with a grateful nod. "I don't even know what to do right now..."

"Let 'em find out themselves, tell 'em to man up and stop being sheep," Luke offered. He wasn't a fan of the villagers after the abuse he had gotten off them during his time there.

"Don't thonk it'll be easy," Neo said with a sigh again.

"I-I'm sorry, I'll try n-not to bother you, th-then... A-Are the f-fields okay? I c-can help with th-the plants..." Kira offered, though she already kept an eye on the fields, keeping them healthy and what not. Maybe she wasn't doing a good enough job, though.

"Nononono. I don't mean it like that!" Neo said quickly, hearing Kira. "Feel free to come and bug me all you want. I'll welcome ya both with open arms!"

"Uh...Uh...but..." Kira stammered, obviously a bit confused.

Once they were at the front of the line, Paul asked, "So how hungry are you?"

"Don't worry you're pretty head about a thing," Neo added in, giving her a smile. "Everything always seems to find a way of working itself out. Only thing is this time, it's probably gonna be me having to work it out."

...If that's the case...we're all fucked...

Heidi shrugged indifferently. "I'll eat what y' put in front of me."

---

Kira's face flushed red, and she held onto the corner of Luke's shirt a bit tighter. Plants started growing at her feet as she felt a very strong urge to run back into the forest. "Ah...u-um...w-well, I w-was wondering i-if...um...y-you had s-some extra s-seeds..." she mumbled.

"Alright," Paul nodded, getting her a plate of pancakes and toast. "You want some eggs?"

"Hmmm," Neo thought, folding his arms. "What kinda seeds are ya looking for?"

Luke couldn't help but smile at the man's welcoming attitude, something Luke rarely got in villages. The optimism would be good for Kira, even if it wasn't in his nature to be optimistic himself.

"If you have any spare clothes, too, I have some stuff I could trade..." Luke trailed off, thinking. "I've outgrown most of my old stuff."

"U-Um...pl-planted late spring, h-harvested in fall? I-I don't kn-know i-if the village h-has anything like th-that..." Kira explained.

---

Heidi wrinkled her nose in disgust. "No. No eggs."

"Clothes, I'm sure we could find something ta fit yer big ass," Neo said in a joking tone to Luke, before thinking at Kira's request. "I'm not a plant expert, so I wouldn't know. Yer more than welcome to look around the storage. Or anywhere else there might be them seeds."

"Good thing I didn't get you some then," Paul chuckled, "Pancakes and toast okay with you?"

"Should be some seeds in a storage shed out near the fields," Tom called from his nest.

"Be good to get out of these rags anyway," Luke replied, his clothes rather battered and worn at that stage. Everything was vaguely dust-coloured.

"That's fine. Just no eggs," Heidi responded.

---

"Th-Thank y-y-you..." Kira stuttered, nodding gratefully.

Paul handed Heidi her plate, grabbing one of his own. "Breakfast is on me~"

"Alright. Thank you," Heidi responded.