Slimantha’s black shoes lightly tapped upon the wooden floor as the slime summoner walked into the lobby of Tabitha’s Apartments. She stopped in front of the wooden counter and stretched her arms. She yawned and then glanced about. No one manned the counter currently. The lobby was vacant. She stood alone.

The tan-skinned woman yawned again and then leaned over the counter. Her elbows rested upon the counter’s top. Her brown eyes went to the silver bell sitting on the counter. She blinked and then straightened up. The long brown locks of her hair swayed with the motion. She reached her right hand out and rang the bell. Then she rang it again. She kept ringing the bell in rapid fashion.

“Ah, Slimantha, how can I be of assistance?” a second woman, Tabitha, said, entering the lobby. She stepped behind the counter, her red eyes meeting Slimantha’s brown eyes. Samuel had entered the lobby with Tabitha and now stood beside Slimantha.

Slimantha rang the bell once more and then sweatdropped at the look she got from Tabitha. She laughed awkwardly as she pulled her hand away from the bell. “Sorry about that,” she said. “I guess I got a little too into the whole bell thing.” She glanced to Samuel. “What’s the deal with him?”

Sweat glistened on Samuel’s flushed face. His breaths came out in soft pants. Slimantha’s eyes returned to Tabitha. Tabitha, in contrast to Samuel, looked absolutely pristine. Not one strand of her beautiful long black hair looked to be out of place. Samuel, on the other hand, looked like he just got back from running a marathon.

“Him?” Tabitha said. She looked at Samuel. Her red eyes met his blue eyes. “We were sparring.” Her eyes went back to Slimantha.

“Sparring?” Slimantha cocked her head to the side. Her long brown hair swayed.

“Yes, we were sparring.” Tabitha glanced at Samuel. “I wanted to see what this hero was capable of. We sparred with wooden swords.”

“I see.” Slimantha looked at Samuel. “Did you win?”

Samuel finally caught his breath. He wiped some sweat from his brow. “Did I win?” he said. He glanced at Tabitha. Then his blue eyes went back to Slimantha. “Well, Tabitha is pretty good with a wooden sword.”

“But did you win?” Slimantha pressed closer to Samuel. Her face neared his. She blinked.

“I-It was a difficult fight,” Samuel said, a fresh drop of sweat rolling down his right cheek. Slimantha’s face pressed even closer to his. “Tabitha is really hard to read.”

“But did you win?” Slimantha’s nose almost touched his at this point. That is how close she had gotten to him.

“He lost,” Tabitha said, her red eyes on Slimantha and Samuel. “I wasn’t impressed.”

Slimantha straightened up and turned to Tabitha. “You don’t say,” she said. The two women smiled at each other.

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“It was a close match,” Samuel said.

Tabitha crossed her arms. “It was not a close match, not by a long shot.”

“You,” Samuel deflated, “did not have to tell her that, did you?”

Tabitha giggled, her right hand going up to her lips. “There is no shame in losing a sparring match, is there? You could stand to cultivate your sword skills though.” She leaned over the counter, her red eyes on Samuel. “I can help with that.” She straightened back up and then looked at Slimantha. “So what did you want me for?”

“Well,” Slimantha glanced at Samuel and then returned her eyes to Tabitha, “you kind of already helped me. I just wanted to ask if you knew where Samuel was.” She giggled, her right hand going to her lips.

Tabitha blinked and then looked at Samuel. Her red eyes went back to Slimantha. “Glad to be of assistance,” she said. She smiled at Slimantha.

Slimantha turned to Samuel, a big smile lighting up her face. “Guess what,” she said, stepping closer to Samuel. Her glistening brown eyes locked with his blue eyes.

“What?” Samuel took a step back. She met his step by taking another toward him.

“I have a lead on your sword!” Slimantha leaned toward him, her face getting kind of close to his. “Isn’t that great?!”

“M-My sword?!” Samuel’s blue eyes widened. “You mean my magic sword, the one that bird pilfered?!” His eyes traveled down Slimantha’s face and stopped at her lips. A soft flush came to his cheeks.

“Yes, that sword!” Slimantha pulled away from Samuel. She reached into her right pocket and fished out a folded map, the map she had gotten from Black. She manically unfolded it and then thrust it toward Samuel’s face. She gestured to the marked location. “Black said your sword might be here.”

“There?” Samuel snatched the map away from Slimantha. His blue eyes fixated upon the marked location on the map. He looked up from the map, his eyes going to Slimantha. “Let’s go.”

“Actually,” Slimantha snatched the map back, “let’s wait. I sent a slime to scout that area. It should be getting back in time.” She smiled and then returned the map to her right pocket.

“I-I guess that makes sense.” Samuel sighed, his gaze momentarily going to the wooden floor. He looked back up at Slimantha. “What should we do while we wait?”

“You could have another sparring match with me,” Tabitha said from the other side of the counter. Her beautiful red eyes were on Samuel. “Should I fetch the wooden swords?”

“I-I’m good.” Samuel stumbled back. “No need for us to have another sparring match right now.”

Slimantha stepped in front of Samuel, her black shoes tapping upon the wooden floor. She leaned toward him. “Have you seen the park yet?” She cocked her head to the side, and her long brown hair swayed. She straightened up.

“I don’t think so,” Samuel said, his blue eyes on Slimantha. A soft flush came to his cheeks again.

“In that case, why don’t I show you the park?” Slimantha flashed a friendly smile at Samuel.

“Sure,” Samuel’s blue eyes were still on Slimantha, “I’d like that.”

“Great.” Slimantha took Samuel’s left hand in her right. Her soft tan skin pressed against his cream skin. “Let’s go.” She waved goodbye to Tabitha with her free hand and then led Samuel out of Tabitha’s Apartments.