Knocking on Lilly's door, I stepped back a bit and waited.

It didn't take her long at all to open the door, and when she did she gave me a smile… one that died after a moment after she glanced around a bit.

"Yes, I know. Just me. So terrible," I said as I entered the temporary house.

Lilly giggled at me. "I didn't mean that, Vim," she said as she shut the door behind me.

Sure you didn't. "Ready to leave?" I asked.

Lilly's happy smirk immediately turned into a huge, happy grin. "Finally!" she shouted.

I nodded. "Renn's took up a quest. She's to go pick up the young girl I saved. The plan is to pick her up, bring her back here, and then head back west," I said.

"What…? You saved a girl?" she asked with a frown.

Ah. Right. I'd not told any of them. Renn had been kind of upset over that fact… "One of the monarchs I encountered on my way back here had attacked a small homestead. The only survivor had been a young girl, Mistle. I asked Brandy and Gerald to help her out, since I had felt the family members I had left her with had been… not too excited over the fact of another mouth to feed. Well, Renn got wrapped up in it," I said.

Lilly nodded and sighed. "Right. I'll never understand her love for humans. Oh well, least it gets me out of here even if for only a few days!" Lilly said happily.

"I don't plan on sticking around when we come back. In fact I plan to just hand the girl off and leave, if I can get away with it," I said.

"Even better!" Lilly said happily as she hurried down the only hallway in the house. I knew she was going to pack up what little luggage she had.

Stepping over to the balcony window, I sighed as I stared out into the city. It was midday, which meant we'd likely not get to that port city until after nightfall, but it was fine.

Really. What was I going to do with her? I mean… it was to be expected. I should have foreseen Renn getting involved, but I had not thought Brandy would have been the one to force the matter. Maybe Renn and Merit were onto something. Maybe this was indeed one of Brandy's many schemes… though it seemed like such a farfetched idea… Luring Renn into staying by making her feel even more obligated than she already was? With lingering attachments via humans…?

It made sense. And in a way, might work, but… wouldn't Lamp and Roslyn, and their people, be enough then if it did? Or maybe it was just one extra straw upon the camel's back, one they'd add to as many times as needed to get the results they wanted…

Unluckily for Brandy, and maybe Gerald, I don't think they realize how it would backfire on them. They were hoping Renn sticking around would keep Light and the rest of them at a distance, as if Renn could act as a buffer. Or maybe me, too. But that was utterly foolish. Renn had… much to my despair, taken a liking to Light and the others who served her. There were a few who she found odd, such as Glasses and Mono, but that oddness was not odd enough for Renn to want to distance herself from them. In fact it did the opposite…

"I'm ready, Vim."

I turned to find Lilly fully outfitted. She had a relieved smile on her face as she nodded at me, ready to go.

"Want the house, Lilly?" I asked with a gesture around us.

"Gods no. Let the Society have it or whatever," she said.

I nodded. Figured.

Maybe I should request it… a part of me, in the recess of my mind, expected to stay on as protector. Or some form of it. So I expected to return here, if not at least eventually… many times over, and soon. With Light's return, and her making this place her headquarters, there will likely be a lot to do and very soon. Having this place, this house, away from the Animalia Guild and Light's Cathedral would be…

I put a stop to such thoughts. Even though it'd make me happy to have a place I could go here, to be alone, I knew it was pointless. Renn wouldn't stay here. She would want to stay where her friends were, where the rest of the Society was. So there was no point. This home would just be empty, whether we weren't here or not.

"I'll go pick up Renn. Shall we meet at the eastern gate? We'll be heading southward, along the coast," I said.

"Got it. We're traveling on foot, right?" she asked.

"Yes. Renn asked too, thinking the girl would have a bunch of stuff to bring and thus our need for a wagon, but no. The girl barely has enough for a single bag on her back, and I doubt the family she's with will be willing to part with anything extra," I said.

"Such are humans," Lilly said simply as she stepped over to me. She handed me a metal key, one that looked recently made. "The key," she said.

"Mhm. Need anything before we depart? Any supplies?" I asked.

She scoffed at me. "Please, Vim."

Right… "Well, an hour then. Renn is supposed to be getting ready… but well… you know her," I said.

Lilly laughed at that as she nodded. "I do indeed!" she said as she headed for the door. I could see the pip in her step; she was more than ready to leave.

I left the house with her and turned to lock it from the outside. Once it was, I gave Lilly a small nod and patted her shoulder as we both headed for the street. "Hope you're ready to go home," I said.

"Honestly? I am. I'm scared to go back and find it empty, but at the same time I really want to hurry all the same," Lilly said.

Empty…? Oh… right. Her issues with her kids. Right… "Let's hope for the best, Lilly," I said gently.

She nodded and sighed. "I am. I think. We'll be stopping at the Smithy right? To pick up Lellip?" she asked.

I nodded. "That's the plan. Then Telmik, to pick up Randle… and whoever is joining him," I said. Lilly and Lellip could head north and go straight home if they wanted to, but we hadn't talked about that yet.

"Busy, busy. Light's back, we're escorting a bunch of people to and fro… it's just like old times," she said, and somehow actually sounded happy over it.

"For now, at least."

We reached a street that diverted, and decided to part ways for now. Lilly headed for the eastern gate and I headed back to the Animalia Guild building, and thankfully found Renn who was packed and ready.

I found her in our room, sitting with Merit and surprisingly Tosh too.

"Hey Vim!" Tosh greeted me first with a grin, and I could tell by that grin that they'd just been talking about me.

"Tosh," I greeted him back, and felt a little bad. I had spent time with him while we were here, of course, but honestly not enough. But it wasn't entirely my fault… I had left to Berri's rather quickly when we first got here, and upon my return I'd been busy a bit. And when I wasn't, it was usually because everyone else was too busy to have time for me instead. Tosh particularly. He had regained his old work ethic, the one that kept him working long hours happily.

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Glancing at the bed, and the bags readied upon it, I noted a distinct lack of anything… not ours.

"Was hoping to have had another long night of drinking with you two, but oh well, next time!" Tosh said as he stood from the chair he had been sitting in. He walked over to shake my hand, and then after a firm nod he left the room.

"I'm never drinking again," Renn mumbled as she went to the bed, to start gathering up the few bags she herself carried.

"That's what everyone says after their first time," Merit said happily.

Renn's tail twitched a bit as she turned to look at me. "We ready, Vim?" she asked.

I nodded… and then glanced at Merit once more. The small woman noticed my look… held my eyes for a moment, and then nodded gently.

I see. So she didn't plan on leaving with us here and now. I wonder if that meant she planned to do so when we returned with the girl? Or had she changed her mind, perhaps? Or maybe she hadn't meant she wanted to leave here and now, but instead once Renn and I had finished building a place for us up north?

No matter.

"Are you ready?" I asked my wife as I walked over to the bed and went to picking up the bags I carried.

"Yep! I look forward to meeting this girl and especially her cat!" Renn said happily.

"Cat…?" Merit asked.

"Vim said she had a cat. Named Beetles," Renn said with a happy smile.

Merit sighed. "Beetles."

"Renn's jealous her name isn't something so neat," I said.

As I picked up the last bag and placed it upon my shoulder, Renn hit me with her tail as she laughed at me.

Once we were ready Renn turned to say goodbye to her dear friend. I ignored the two as they hugged and whispered in each other's ear, not just saying their partings but teasing me as well. Although I tried not to listen into their whispers, I still noticed the way Renn and Merit spoke to one another.

Renn still didn't know that Merit wanted to come with us. Which meant Merit hadn't brought it up yet. Or maybe she had changed her mind…?

As I pondered that, Renn handed me my spear. I frowned at it, since I'd nearly forgotten all about it… and because it seemed she planned to let me carry it for now. She was odd sometimes, but maybe it was because she planned to hug and say goodbye to more people and simply didn't want it in the way as she did.

"Take care of her Vim," Merit said to me as we all left the room. We left the door open, since Renn was basically relinquishing it with us departing.

"I'll try," I promised.

Renn and I left the Society's housing area, and then the Animalia Company building, without any fanfare. Not very surprising, but a relief all the same. My coming and going was seen as normal, so it was to be expected… but usually Renn's departure wasn't treated so simply. Though maybe everyone has finally started placing her in the same mindset as they did me, what with her being my wife and partner.

"Just a couple days, right?" Renn asked as we left the building and headed for the eastern gate, to meet up with Lilly.

I nodded. "Remember though, we'll not be returning to stay."

Renn knew, but didn't nod. "I'm still not sure if I should be happy or sad that we've got so much to do, yet all the things we need to do are so…" she went quiet as she searched for a word to describe our tasks.

"Simple?" I suggested.

She shook her head. "They're not simple. They're important. Maybe I should say life threatening? But yet at the same time maybe they are all the same?" she wondered.

"Escorting people to a new home can indeed be difficult, yes. I've had it end badly several times," I said.

Renn groaned at that. "Let's avoid such a thing, please."

"I always try, Renn."

As we headed for the gate we left the warehouse distract and entered a market. It was slightly busy, but thanks to being near one of the main entrances to the city also a place with many travelers. Renn and I looked at place here, with our gear and bags.

Renn focused on the stores and market stalls as we passed them by, but luckily she didn't see anything that caught her eye. We made our way to the eastern gate, showed our Animalia Guild stamp that allowed us to leave without having to pay exit fees, and found Lilly about half a mile from the gate, standing on the side of the road.

As we approached the owl, Renn hurried away from me to rush over to her friend. Renn made Lilly reach her hand out, as the two shook hands happily as if meeting each other for the first time. "Thanks for coming, Lilly!" Renn happily said.

Lilly smiled gently at Renn, in a way that reminded me of a tired mother. "I'd do nearly everything to get out of that town, Renn, this isn't that weird for me to do."

"Still!"

Resting my spear against my shoulder, I approached the two and glanced down the road we were about to travel. It looked busy, almost too busy. It was a good thing we didn't need a cart or wagon, because there was actually enough traffic that it would have slowed us down far more than usual. Maybe it was because winter was ending, and people were in a hurry to get their last bit of profit from the winter goods and trends.

"You look tired Vim," Lilly said to me as I went to stand near them.

"I do?" I asked. I mean, I felt fine? As I'd said to Renn, I've actually felt rather good lately. I didn't want to outright admit it, but it was likely thanks to my slaying of Stance. It had felt weird, and I still wasn't sure if it was the right move or not, but I had no other choice but to admit it was mighty relieving to slay a god again after so long.

"He's probably just a tad annoyed over what we're doing," Renn said.

"Can you blame him? Not only is this something that Brandy and the rest should have handled, they're only pushing it off onto you two because they're hoping it'll affect your decisions, Renn," Lilly pointed out.

Renn sighed at that. "I know…" she groaned.

"It's only a couple days at most. I'm annoyed over it, but no more than I usually am when having to handle such things," I told them honestly.

The two studied me for a moment, and then glanced at one another with looks of obvious disbelief.

Did I really look that annoyed right now…? I mean, yes. I was annoyed. I had asked Brandy and Gerald to handle this for me on purpose. And now they were just using it as a way to try and manipulate Renn and me without even hiding it. It was not just insulting it was annoying.

But… I wasn't actually upset over this. I had already decided to help that little girl out if I could. As I always did, and would do, for those who suffer at the things beyond their natural world. So was my agreement with my mother, to always do such a thing. Was nearly the same reason I was the protector of the Society, and…

"See? Now he's all lost in his thoughts," Renn whispered.

"Want to let him be, or should we drag the truth out of him?" Lilly whispered back.

"I'm not ignoring you. Come on. Let's get this handled before I actually do get annoyed over it," I said as I stepped past them, as to join the many hundreds of others along the road.

The two followed dutifully, and I was a little surprised to find them taking their places beside me. Usually they walked a bit ahead, or behind, as to talk to one another. And even more so, usually, Renn liked walking right next to her friend's… so she could really focus on them, or even hold their hand as they walked. Instead though they had taken their positions on either side of me, putting me in the middle.

It made me feel oddly uncomfortable though I had no reason for such a feeling. "What if this girl just says no?" Lilly asked.

"We give her the money and a letter of invitation, for if she ever changes her mind," Renn happily answered.

"Within reason, Renn. That letter won't be to join the Society, but instead just become an employee of it. You only get the offer to join the Society once," I said.

"Oh…? You know I've been meaning to ask, why is it we don't outright ask other non-humans to join, but will ask humans?" Renn asked.

Lilly scoffed at that. "That's one of Celine's old rules. Back in the beginning she invited people without hesitation and it got many people hurt. Enough so that she had no choice but to enact a new rule, one for her own self to follow. Our kind have to request entry, basically, now. Though there are many like Vim who basically see all of us as members, whether we're a real member or not," Lilly said.

I nodded. "Just as when I first met you Renn, or Fly and her people. I see all of you as members… at least, until you break one of our rules and then become enemies," I said.

"Right… you had indeed said that, back then. You just looked at me and nodded, as if you had been able to tell with a glance that I wasn't a threat," Renn said happily.

"Had it really happened that quickly Vim?" Lilly asked.

I shrugged. "Yes and no. I watched her for a few weeks, remember? But I realized rather quickly she was fine. She's more threat to herself than she is anyone else, really," I said.

Lilly laughed at that. "Right!?"

"I'd say you're the one in most danger, myself," Renn said.

Lilly laughed even harder at that.

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