I wake up on my small cot. The place they had me stay in didn’t have anything like a bed, but they were able to set up me with a makeshift cot. I say they, but it was actually all Alver, apparently he has skills beyond threatening me.

This is the third time I have awoken in this world, and my situation still hasn’t totally set in. I don’t even know what my situation is, have I been summoned? reincarnated? become comatose? At this point I really don’t know.

Hopefully some investigation will help with my understanding of the situation, maybe I’ll become friends with these two adventurers and then can rely on them for support. Only time will tell.

Anyway, I still haven’t thought much on the necklace incident. What was that anyway? It entered my body I think, but then caused me to pass out?

The pain radiated from my right ear…

I touch my right ear and feel some type of piercing and earring there. That definitely wasn’t there when I first felt my ears.

Did the necklace become an earring? If so, why didn’t I notice the change before? Is it because the different stimuli wouldn’t feel much different in terms of changes to my ears before?

So many questions, and so few answers.

Last night during dinner, Ellie and Alver didn’t really explain much more to me. And after, we essentially went to bed without going over stuff.

Time to fully get up and see if Ellie and Alver are here yet.

I get up and look around, the room is dark, but somehow I can see still. I wonder if I gained some type of night vision. To continue, the room still has a glass of water from last night, a couple interrogating chairs at a table, and some paper scattered around.

I wait for a couple of minutes, and when there is no one entering this room, I open the door.

I am met with a taller elf, he’s familiar. He has a small brown beard, brown hair, and wears a brown tunic and pants. I don’t immediately place him, but after a couple seconds I remember.

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Malfer, that was his name, he was one of the people that the cat interacted with. I think he was some type of mentor for the group, as he was a good bit older than the rest.

I had been staring at him for a couple minutes when he spots me.

He gives me a small wave and asks, “Might you be Eleanor and Alver’s friend? I’m Malfer, and they told me that you would be here.”

He looks me up and down, he gets a bit of a glint in his eyes when he spots my ears. “They told me the situation, and they weren’t lying. You certainly are a cat… well person.”

I did not expect them to tell him the situation. Weren’t they worried about how to convince him of my relation to the cat? Maybe they told him a snippet of the truth, like how I got here weirdly? Did I even tell them that?

Whatever the case, I have to talk to Malfer it seems, “Why are you here?” He chuckles at my question, he seems to find it amusing.

“I’m here to help you get acquainted with the town of clearwater, and answer any other questions you may have. I will also be getting you something to help hide your appearance.”

That might actually be useful. No, it would be extremely beneficial. I need to understand where I am, and why, so that I can… survive? go back home?

What do I even need to do? I don’t know exactly, but I hope that this adventure might be a little fun, even if that might be a bit of a selfish ask.

I have a couple questions for Malfer, the main one being the where abouts of any bathroom.

“Is there a bathroom here?”

Malfer looked at me, and then shook his head, “there aren’t any bathrooms in this building, I can take you to one outside, but I first will have to go get a cloak. Can you wait here for a bit?”

I reply “Sure”, as I don’t really have much of a choice.

——————

Malfer is probably one of the worst liars I have ever met. He said “Wait here for a bit”, but apparently a bit means 30+ minutes. I probably shouldn’t be so harsh, but I feel like my bladder is going to explode.

I don’t know, could half an hour be a short time for them? Do elves live long, or is my impatience due to the fast-paced society of my past?

Either way, this is torture.

——————

When he finally got back, I felt like I had been waiting an hour. It was probably closer to 30 minutes, but my mind was clouded by the needs of bodily functions.

I had to wear a cloak to walk outside, but that wasn’t the worst part. My tail was frantic before we left, and I had to spend the whole walk keeping it under control.

I didn’t even have time to look at the buildings and people again, all I could focus on was the task at hand.

We stopped a couple times when Malfer talked to some people, but eventually got to some type of bar, a tavern, and I immediately bolted for the bathroom when directed to it. Malfer, meanwhile, went to talk to some people in the tavern, in particular the tavern owner or manager.

—————————

Malfer walks up to the tavern keeper, an older grey haired human by the name Bailen. He has olive skin and smile lines from his years. As Malfer sits down, Bailen asks what he’ll have, to which Malfer gives some generic answer of fantasy alcoholic beverage, like winetoad juice or something more creative.

After Malfer has fully settled into his seat, Bailen asks “Who did you bring here?”, which Malfer responds “He is friend of Alfer and Eleanor”.

Bailen gives a glance in the direction of where the catboy went, and asks “What’s his name?”

Malfer thinks for a second and then answers “He didn’t say, neither did his friends.”

Bailen tells Malfer that he should have the boy sit and have some beer and talk, maybe he could get to know the boy better.

Malfer says that that’d be a wonderful idea, before realizing that that would be terrible, and then changing his mind, saying “maybe another time.”

It is at this time that the catboy exits the bathroom, and Malfer joins him as they both leave the tavern, Bailen waving at them goodbye.