Lugo took the neatly rolled parchment from Jenene and unrolled it.

-Request: Exterminate greers dwelling in Mogden Mines. Meet at the entrance of the mine on the first day of the fifth month. A team is already put together, but bring anyone you wish.

"Greers?" Lugo raises an arched brow at Jenene. "Do they know how many?"

"I only know what's provided in that letter darlin. It's up to you two if you want it or not, but I'd advise you to proceed with caution and preferably to not go by yourselves."

Lugo scoffs. "Do I look that dumb to walk into something like this unprepared?”

"Yes." Tsugi replied, leaning in to take a look at the parchment.

He gawked at her. "Are you calling me stupid?"

"All I said was yes, but if that's what you heard then it's what you heard." She smirked. He stood domineering over her and she ducked a little. "Okay, okay." She chuckled. "I was just kidding…sheesh. Don't get your breeches all twisted in a knot."

He sighed. "Well I wouldn't want you in another fit anyway." He grumbled under his breath. “We can ask Ellie to join us. She’s a powerful healer, so she would be of great use.”

“Hey!” Tsugi pouted.

Lugo waved his hands in defense. “Not that you aren’t. I’m just saying, I’m sure you’ll want to fight too and she’ll be the sole healer. So it’ll be good…you know, to have her as a main healer.” Lugo cleared his throat and glanced away.

"Is there no specific date it needs to be completed by?" Tsugi took the paper and looked it over.

"No, but I'm sure they wouldn't want you taking all year to do it." Jenene said as she filed some parchments away.

"I wonder how many they have in the team. I wish they would've given us more information." Tsugi mumbled and kept turning the paper like words would somehow appear on it.

"We have a few days to prepare." Lugo said.

"No.” Tsugi furrowed her brows and turned to stare at Lugo. “We only have today. We still have to travel there."

Lugo cleared his throat. "Did you forget what I can do?" He held his chin up proudly.

"You made a door by the mine?" Tsugi said in disbelief.

"No, but I can get us close enough, so we only need a day's worth of travel." He smiled.

"Okay." Tsugi shrugged. They signed the request and handed the parchment back to Jenene. With a flick of her hand it went up in bright green flames and disappeared. She's seen Jenene do it many times before but it never ceases to amaze her. "I've been wanting to ask…why is it that you do that?" Tsugi tilted her head at Jenene.

"Oh, I'm just filing it away darlin."

"To…where?" Tsugi furrowed her brows.

"It's a binding contract. Once you've signed it I file it away somewhere where no one can tamper with it."

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"It's just a simple request, what's so important about it. You act like we are selling our soul or something." Lugo chuckled nervously. "Wait…we're not signing our soul away right?"

Jenene chuckled. "No my dear." She leaned over the counter. "Only your life." Lugo and Tsugi blanched and Jenene burst into a thunderous laughter. "I'm only kidding darlin's. My goodness, so gullible." She leaned her temple onto her finger and shook her head. "I'm just sending the contract to the boss." Tsugi and Lugo tilted their heads. "Yes, even I answer to someone. Just like everyone else." She chuckled and shook her head. "Here.” She handed them each a pouch of coins. “For your expenses on the journey. Now run along dears. I'm sure you have much to prepare before your departure." She waved a dismissive hand and turned to talk to what looked like a group of adventurers.

“They must be looking for jobs too.” Lugo mumbled when they got outside.

“People have to eat.” Tsugi said as she recalled Yamo’s statement. “So where is this door that you placed?”

“Right outside of Quihaul. It’s a really big city and I thought it would be a good place to return to one day.”

“Can you place an infinite number of doors?”

He chuckled amusedly. “I wish. It would make things so much easier. I can only do a max of ten.” He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers. “One for each finger.”

“So you’re saying your doors are connected to your fingers?” Tsugi tilted her head in confusion.

He chuckled again. “Not exactly, but I guess you could put it that way. Think of it like each finger has a key to each door. I can pick and choose which key I want to use and when to switch that door to another place.”

“What if your finger gets cut off? Will you lose that door?”

He gave her a bewildered look. “No. It’s just a reference. Even if I lose the finger, it’s the energy that’s attached to it like an imaginary string.”

“Oh! I see.” Tsugi nodded. “How do you keep track of which door is where?”

“Just like how you can keep track of your energy and your weapon. I just…know, like I can feel where the door is placed…I guess.” He shrugged his shoulders and scratched at his head. “I don’t know how to explain it.” He chuckled. “Anyway, I want us to go there a little earlier and relax in the town for a night or two. Jenene says that they have a moonlight festival every month on the full moon. And judging by the constellation it looks like the full moon will be in a few days.”

“It’s just a festival, what’s so interesting about it?” Tsugi groaned at the thought of being surrounded by people.

Lugo leaned in to Tsugi and whispered, “I heard that the women will all choose a man to dance with.”

Tsugi shot a glance at Lugo, “And you’re hoping that they will pick you?” Tsugi snorted.

“Hey! I’m handsome and strong, I am sure women will fall head over heels for me.” He puffed up his chest.

“Then how come there aren’t women groveling at your feet this instant?” Tsugi rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Is it possible for his ego to get any bigger?

“Only because I haven’t turned on my charm yet.”

“Really? You have charm?” Tsugi laughed loudly in disbelief.

“Just you wait. When I turn on my charm, even men will fall in love with me, including you.” He laughed thunderously.

“HA! You are hilarious. The day I fall in love with you, meteors will rain across the sky and rain will fall on a clear sunny day.”

Lugo glared down at her and pouted. “We will see about that.” He stormed into the house and to his room.

Tsugi laughed at his childishness and pulled Ruzo out of the backyard for some exercise.

“Down.” Tsugi commanded as soon as they got outside of the gates. Tsugi climbed onto Ruzo’s back and held onto his fur. “Let’s go for a swim.” Ruzo sprinted forward and a grin split Tsugi’s face showing the whites of her teeth. Once Ruzo got to a steady pace, Tsugi sat up straight and closed her eyes, feeling the wind in her face and through each strand of her hair. She felt like she was flying and free. Her heart lifted along with all of her worries and she felt as light as a feather, soaking in the sun that was still high in the sky as it beamed down on her. Slowly opening her eyes she gazed into the beautiful lush green rolling hills that were covered in little white and yellow specks of flowers. Far off in the distance was a giant lake that was closing in. The sun gleamed off the rippling surface and into her eyes, making her squint.

It was too risky to undress, so she kept her loose tunic and trousers on with her tightly bound chest. Taking off her boots she stuffed them into her bag while Ruzo was still running. As they reached the edge of the waters, Tsugi tossed the bag into the grass and Ruzo lept high into the air, aiming for the middle of the lake. Tsugi stood on Ruzo’s back with her hands up like a gymnast. Reaching the apex of the jump, Tsugi lept off, higher into the air and flipped, twirling and tumbling.

With an enormous splash, Ruzo hit the water and sent a monstrous wave rippling through to the shores. Following him, Tsugi’s landing was elegant and quiet, it was but a pebble tossed into the water compared to Ruzo’s boulder-sized splash.

The aftershock of Ruzo’s splash still waved through the water and the current pulled Tsugi under. Upon reaching the surface, Tsugi gulped for air and flung her hair through the air and out of her face. Treading water, she could see Ruzo heading for shore again. She quickly tried to swim to shore before Ruzo could make another attempt at drowning her, but she wasn’t quick enough. Ruzo had already finished his round of the zoomies and launched himself into the air, blocking the sun from her.

“Crap.” She mumbled and held her breath, bracing for the impact.