The Systems Challenge

In the end, Elwin, who wasn't happy for the job, had assigned Kim, himself, and Heather to sell the flower's teeth for cash, Jonas, Elin, Patricia, and Owen to acquire food supplies, and everyone else to make sure their campsite doesn't get ransacked and that Blot wouldn't disappear on them.

At least that's the way Elwin had put it, but for Kim, that wasn't the biggest problem. Why she had been chosen with Elwin and Heather she couldn't say. Just that as Jonas had suggested that Elwin decide who was in which group had seemed like a good idea at the time.

Now, it hardly seemed like it would have been the best choice. Not only did he separate everyone who was in a relationship, of sorts, with each other, but he seemed pleased with himself about it as well. As if he accomplished something difficult.

However, Kim couldn't find anything wrong with the groups that Elwin had made, aside from the fact that she was in the same group as him. Not that she could think of how to complain against that fact, she just wondered if maybe they'd have other issues while trying to see what they could get for the teeth.

Owen might have been a better choice on this task, given he'd have been able to get the bets value of the teeth, with his mind-reading ability, but Kim was sure others had thought that themselves but didn't say anything about it. So, she couldn't think of how she'd be able to succeed if she was the only one bringing it up.

As they entered the city, Kim couldn't help but feel like she'd returned home from a long journey. Not that she considered this city 'home' but rather it was the most familiar place that she'd encountered for a while, and so it felt like it was the closest to home she probably would be able to get in this world.

Not only did she somehow recognize where the streets were, even though she'd hardly spent any time in the city, but she even felt like she somehow knew what the signs handing outside the various businesses meant. Like the 'Singing Needle' was in fact a tailor's shop where the business next to it was called the 'Bent Needle' which was a brothel.

It certainly felt weird, but she wasn't sure if she should say anything about it. Especially since Jonas, Elin, and Elmo weren't there. Maybe if Elwin wasn't present, she'd say something to Heather, but with Elwin, she felt like she'd be admitting to a weakness if she did.

Heather, however, was looking at everything with wide eyes. Like she hadn't seen so much at once. Though, given what Kim could remember about what had happened in her life before she got pulled into this competition. Which meant that even if Heather had lived in a city, she probably hadn't gone out much beyond going to school. As such, places like this would probably be places she wasn't used to being at all.