(3rd-Person Narrator: Rufus)

Rufus looked in awe at the merchandise on the now paved streets. Everything seemed somewhat clean and merchants promised cheap prices. But Rufus had not even a Copper Coin to his name, not that he cared about the purchases. He kept scanning the crowds of people for someone he knew.

Suddenly, he bumped into a girl and caught her before she fell under a wagon pulled by Horses. She wore a Guards' Uniform that consisted of a white leather tunic, studded with iron. But she also was wearing a leather bracelet, with a small carved horseman hanging off a well-worn strap. It was much like the one he gave to Sammy all those years ago...

(Rufus) "Sorry about that. I just came back here after being gone for some years. Doki Doki Village has changed a lot since then."

Rufus said, embarrassingly rubbing the back of his head. His hood fell off when he grabbed her. When the girl got closer and stared him in the face, he blushed even more. Suddenly, she shouted at him.

(???) "Rufus! It is you! Why were you gone for so long!"

Rufus got a fist to the face and was dragged over to a nearby house.

(Rufus) "Gah... So it is you, Sammy."

(Sammy) "Who else could it be you Dumbass?"

(Rufus) "I was hoping that it would be a charming girl... but it seems my fate is a disappointment."

(Sammy) "Hey, take that back!"

The two began some friendly chatter as Sammy brought him home. Rufus informed her of his training which she pouted at.

(Sammy) "Doesn't mean you fucking disappear out of nowhere. You didn't even tell me anything!"

(Rufus) "Hey, I'm sorry alright."

(Sammy) "No, that's not okay. I never knew if you were safe. Every day, I searched for you but found nothing."

Sammy began crying on his chest, and his leather armor's waterproof surface had her tears stream down the front. She suffered for so long while he fought for his life and selfish ambitions.

(Rufus) "Forgive me. It was necessary."

Rufus said, to excuse his actions. He hugged her tight, with the two of them now standing inside the privacy of her home. Her sobbing stopped, and she wiped her snot and tears on his sleeves.

(Sammy) "You always were a kissass, weren't you? A fat, useless boy."

(Rufus) "Hey, hold on now!"

(Sammy) "Stop being a stubborn Asshole and show me you care."

Rufus chuckled at her teasing. Her fists playfully smacked on his shoulders.

(Rufus) "Our mammaries beg to differ. When we were younger, we always competed who was bigger."

Rufus harassed back, as he stuck out his chest.

(Rufus) "I'm still about 0.1m bigger!"

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Sammy kneed him right in the dick for screwing around.

(Sammy) "It seems you barely grew here from before."

She smirked at him. He clutched at his broken eggs and murdered cock.

(Rufus) "Why do you always do this?"

He wheezed.

(Sammy) "It's because you can only win by that much."

Sammy went to the kitchen to get both of them a drink as Rufus was recovering from her ruthless attack. He forgot Sammy was so vicious in his loneliness. It seemed her sneak attacks were his weakness and even more now that she was stronger. A horny young man always needs some "affection" during the night... but his chances with his grown childhood friend seemed to decrease as time passed.

10 minutes later, both of them were drinking a strong whiskey made from corn. Currently, Sammy was filling Rufus in on why everything changed so much.

(Sammy) "About 4 years ago, a merchant's caravan found Doki Doki Village. They were trying to find Auream Regulam but instead found us. So they settled down for trading and we've been growing ever since then."

(Sammy) "Caravans came regularly, every few months. We gave them wood, meat, and booze, and they gave us weapons and people. A year later, we had to rename the Village to Doki Doki Town and started on building the walls. We had lots of help from the merchants and even got Coins to trade for goods."

(Rufus) "So that's what they were. I was confused why we had them."

(Sammy) "Yep. And 2 years ago, scouts from several Nations came by and asked for information. Just last year, they built a road from the Dry Desert to here. They were funded by the Merchants' Caravans."

Sammy swigged the bottle and passed it over to Rufus.

(Sammy) "They're supposed to bring their militaries and build an Outpost close by any day now. Apparently, monsters in the Badlands are becoming worse, and they just finished subjugating the Dry Desert. The source of it is rumored to come from the Jungle of Death. Something must have happened to the Aurea."

Rufus wasn't surprised at the mention of militaries. Actually, they were doing construction right now because he saw them only a few hours back. Their Outpost would be done very soon, but it seemed too large to serve only that purpose.

(Rufus) "Hey, can I room with you again?"

Rufus unabashedly asked. His straight face and serious question made Sammy feel extremely shy and self-conscious. Rufus did not know she was assigned to watch over him because of his suspicious mannerism and looks. He also didn't know that she lost him somehow in the crowds several times over and smacked right into him when she panicked that he disappeared.

If he walked into her one of her rooms right now, he would see her clothing scattered everywhere with some half-polished equipment. No way would he need to see her tastes in underwear. This would be the finisher in killing her from embarrassment.

(Sammy) "Find your own place!"

She said, coyly.

(Sammy) "You're a 'Big' Boy now, aren't you?"

Rufus grunted in dissatisfaction. However, Sammy came up with a replacement solution for him.

(Sammy) "Hey, I could get you enlisted in the Towns Guard if you want. You could bunk in one of the Barracks if you're good enough."

His face immediately brightened up, and Rufus became excited at testing his skill against new targets.

(Rufus) "How do they assess skill? It won't be some boorish measurement, would it?"

Rufus knew well that it would rate him as trash, despite his growth by vast experience and strength in combat. Sammy, on the other hand, giggled at him.

(Sammy) "No. You spar with an Instructor. If you're lucky, your Dumbass can fight the Chief of the Guard, because they train at the Recruiting Center every so often. It's to show discipline and inspire Rookies. We're an honest organization, full of just people."

She stuck out her barely satisfying chest out and huffed in pride. If she was just bigger- a D-Cup maybe... Rufus dangerously thought.

(Sammy) "Let's go now. I want to see your ass handed to you. You're even weaker than before."

Sammy teased.

(Rufus) "Don't be so surprised. Tell you what, if I beat the Instructor, I get to stay here."

Her happy mood mellowed out at his words.

(Sammy) "And what do I get in return?"

She suspiciously asked.

(Rufus) "Don't we get money? How else would you be buying anything if all you did was work for free? I'll give you my year's pay if I lose."

Sammy jumped at the bait. It was practically free money.

She didn't tell him this, but the Chief of the Guard usually processed new recruits at this time every week. He was a monster so strong that even she couldn't compare to him. His skill was perfected on the battlefield. The Chief only barely managed to arrive in Doki Doki Town to get away from all the bloodshed. But he also retired as a Colonel. And that was when he refused any further promotions his superiors wanted to give him for most of his career. Rufus would definitely lose.