Slime Girl

- Shari -

Now that we got the information I came for, it's time to leave again.

Although, strangely enough, not everyone holds the same opinion.

"We were in the middle of something. These people need help." (Zeon)

Argh, I don't have time for this!

"I get that, but we are the wrong people for that task. We should focus on what we can do. Mostly to make sure something like this won't happen again." (Shari)

I mean, those are my people, yet I know handing out our supplies won't do much for them.

From what I could see, the attackers didn't bother razing the fields.

Therefore, I'm confident they will make it some time longer.

At least till they receive word back from the capitol.

"Hah, now you are going to act all dutiful?" (Balion)

He does have a point.

Even now, I'm doing this for my own sake.

The mission we were tasked with is so far off my current interests.

Yet it's exactly for this very interest that I can't have this.

"You know what? Stay here, come along, I don't care. I will go now anyway. That's already decided." (Shari)

I mean that the way I said it.

I will go now, whether they join me or not.

Yet, as expected, the two come.

Zeon, in particular, is quite prone to follow his duty.

Meanwhile, Balion will follow, as Vela is already prepared to leave with me wherever I drag her.

Therefore, I turn west and get moving.

But as always, my decision gets questioned.

"Where are you heading?! Directly through the hills, underbrush, and fields? Not back on the path? What about the carriage? Abandoning it won't spare us time, but slow us!" (Vela)

"I know how to traverse this area. That won't be an issue." (Shari)

"If you say so. You are the leader." (Vela)

Then why don't I feel like one?

At least not accepted.

Still, this won't keep me.

If there's one thing I have experience in, then it's traversing the landscape of my homeland.

If we were to go all the way back to the road that connects Siras and Ekoras, we would have to take a great detour.

And I'm not gonna take any more detours!

Eventually, I intend to get back on the road, but there's little sense in taking the detour back on the path.

However, I'm not sure if we can cross the river other than by the bridge.

Despite just being a sidearm, it's a fairly big one, and at this time of the year, the water should run fairly fast through it.

"Liqu, do you think we can cross the river directly?" (Shari)

"Well, it depends." (Liqu)

"Depends on what?" (Shari)

"Well, slimes can drift through water. But water still dilutes our matter quite a bit. So running water could brush off quite a bit of our slime. Depending on how badly and how long, it could take quite a significant mass from us." (Liqu)

Damnit, seems like I can't take the direct path, through the river, but will have to head to the bridge that leads over it.

I can't risk reaching the enemy territory weakened like this.

Neither can I afford Liqu to be in this state.

Reaching that river and finding out that it's uncrossable would rather claim time instead of making up for those slavers' lead.

Therefore, the aforementioned bridge poses the only reasonable connection to Siras.

Yet it also means that this is the part that is the most likely to be surveilled.

Although, maybe I shouldn't try figuring this out by myself in the first place.

"Vela." (Shari)

"What is the issue?" (Vela)

Seems like she can read me pretty well.

"The side channel of the Dimés, the Nreva, is in our way. Do you know who controls the bridge there currently?" (Shari)

I've already got my suspicions in that regard.

Especially, as my village was raided by them.

"The northern crossing is controlled by us, as to prevent any incursions like this. The southern route, however, was apparently abandoned. I gathered that we had a bit of a presence there, but since Ekoras was settled, our forces were redirected to that stronghold. There's little reason to fortify the remote wilderness around the Evergrove. There's nothing here worth defending after all." (Vela)

Aside from my home village, that is.

But I guess that my birthplace has little strategic relevance.

We’re now about to leave the fields behind us, reaching the final border, in the form of piles of stones built into crude barriers.

While we could bypass those without too much difficulty, the land beyond them is treacherous, with brush, saplings, boulders, and trenches.

Simply as wild and rough as land is, if it doesn't get cultivated.

As from here on out, the number of obstacles will increase by a hefty margin, I turn to Liqu.

"Liqu, you can remove your clothes. However-" (Shari)

"Yay!" (Liqu)

She's out before I can even finish that sentence.

I should've used linking.

"However, you are supposed to walk in front of us and dissolve any obstacles in your way." (Shari)

"Oh. Sure, I can do that." (Liqu)

I noticed that the others had a hard time following us through merely the fields.

Therefore, Liqu going in front of us and removing any scrubs and rocks, as well as revealing pits and trenches, is pretty convenient.

And she serves that task very well, as she expands her form and dissolves anything that enters her wide frame.

Truly, she can be quite helpful at times.

Yet the exchange for this help is going to be slightly drenched boots from her residue.

Well, you can't have everything.

"I can't help but be disturbed." (Balion)

"I know what you mean, but having a being like this as our path clearer has something to it." (Zeon)

"Yeah, as long as she doesn't suddenly turn around and roll over us." (Balion)

"Stop that, Balion. You’ve known her long enough already to know she wouldn't do that." (Vela)

It's probably a good thing that they are truly adapting to her presence.

As unusual as we are, exposure to us seems to help even people like Balion to eventually overcome their prejudices.

Also, they called Liqu "her".

That’s a start.

Therefore, it all looks good, and I can focus on setting one foot after the other.

As fast as my slime body allows me to without collapsing.

Next step.

Next step.

Next step.

Next step.

Next step.

"I'm fine!" (Liqu)

I barely register what they said.

I need to move on!

I need to reach them in time!

"Shari!!!" (Vela)

"Goddamnit! What?!" (Shari)

"Damnit! Would you just stop a second! We need a break! At least long enough so we don't keel over and can catch our breath!!" (Vela)

No, I won't stop.

Not even for this!

"No! I cannot afford to wait." (Shari)

"Look, I see that you're agitated, but you need to-" (Vela)

"No!!! I won't stop! For nothing!" (Shari)

"But see! Those two behind me are already at their last breaths! The others already gave up ages ago. We need to stop!" (Vela)

"You heard my answer." (Shari)

"Okay. Zeon. Balion. Wait here for the others. I'll try to stick with our problem child here." (Vela)

"Hah, I would object, but I feel like I spent the last bit of energy an hour ago, and am only running on the minor shocks I use on my muscles." (Zeon)

Is that a thing?

He truly looks like he's about to keel over.

"But Vela..." (Balion)

"Someone has to keep a cool head in this part of the troop. You only focus on keeping up." (Vela)

So Vela hands over any equipment she deems she can let go of, and proceeds marching at our side.

As she keeps up for quite a while, I need to admit, she manages to hold out a lot longer than I would have given her credit for.

Maybe her smaller body means less weight to carry.

However, eventually, she tires out as well.

"Please. Just a short break. Only enough to get a bit of feeling back into my legs. They lost it already minutes ago." (Vela)

I see her from my exposed head, but something keeps me from complying.

A feeling like something terrible may happen if I waste just another second.

That every bit I give in, will later on be just the fraction of a moment that I might be too late to save them.

"Seriously?!" (Vela)

I can't engage with her.

That would come down to the same stalling.

"Oh, fuck it!" (Vela)

At this, she throws off her backpack and leaves everything behind, aside from a few things she puts into her pocket.

Does she believe the weight is gonna make a difference?

But she seems to muster every bit of energy left in her and sprints past me.

"Liqu! You can stop! There's no one to walk behind you anymore. Change of plan!" (Vela)

What?

Is she going to tell her to stop me?

Or what would be her game?

She can't honestly believe that Liqu would ever go against me.

"What do you want?" (Liqu)

"Carry me!" (Vela)

"Huh!? Me?" (Liqu)

"Who else? The one making regularly hissing sounds due to her literally acidic agitation? I simply can't keep up with you two. My legs are killing me, and my sides hurt. So either you carry me, or I'll get left behind. And I tell you, ditching us altogether won't look good for Ms. Vengeance over there." (Vela)

"Okay. It's just a very unusual request for me." (Liqu)

That's something I believe without question.

"Please, do it. I can't walk any further. Just... don't dissolve me." (Vela)

"Okay!" (Liqu)

And so she does.

She piles her stuff on Vela, in particular, her clothes, and grows to her full size.

Next, a tendril lifts the little officer up and seizes her, together with the equipment she held on to.

She certainly doesn't seem comfortable, but Liqu starts moving and carrying the new load with her.

Well, if it works, I won't complain.

I have a goal.