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Chapter 50: Scene of a Disappearance (Now With More Crows)

Slimantha stepped out into the front yard of Tabitha’s Apartments. Her black shoes lightly tapped against the gray paving stones as she walked. Warm sunlight cascaded down from overhead and kissed her face. Her long brown locks of hair gently swayed in the soft breeze. Samuel walked at her left, taking occasional glances at her.

A crow cawed, its beady black eyes on Slimantha and Samuel. Then it turned away, opting to pay the slime summoner and the not-so-useful hero no mind. It hopped about, its talons tapping upon gray paving stone. It glanced down between two of the stones. It was not alone. Other crows were scattered about the yard. Occasionally, one crow or another would glance at Slimantha and Samuel before looking away.

Slimantha’s footfalls fell silent as she and Samuel came to a stop. She closed her brown eyes and stretched her arms. She tilted her head upward and smiled. The sun’s rays felt absolutely amazing today. She tilted her head back down to a neutral position. Her beautiful eyes re-opened.

A can—a pink can—lay in front of Slimantha. The can’s contents had spilled out, coloring gray stone red. Her brown eyes locked upon that can—that spilled out-of-place can. She blinked and then nudged Samuel. She pointed at the spilled can before walking over to it.

She stopped at the edge of the dried pool of red. Her brown eyes were still on the can—the can that had pretty much bled out upon the gray paving stones. What a way to go? RIP, can. She bent over, hinging at her hips. Then she gingerly plucked the dead can up from its resting place. She straightened back up, her eyes on the can she now held.

“You think that is a clue?” Samuel said, stepping up to Slimantha’s right. His blue eyes went to the pink can in Slimantha’s hands. “Mind if I take a look?” Slimantha held the can out to him, and he took it. His eyes went back to the can. “Mimic Up?” His eyes went to the very buxom mimic on the Mimic-Up can. He glanced at Slimantha. “You think Mimi was drinking this?”

Slimantha gave a nod of affirmation. “Yes,” she said and then took a step back. “I think Mimi walked out here last night, enjoying her can of Mimic Up.” She brought her right hand to her chin. “Something must have happened when she reached this point though.” She closed her eyes for a moment. When she re-opened them, her eyes displayed a distinct sparkle. She lowered her hand. “Yes, something must have happened when she reached this point. That something led to the dead can and a missing Mimi.” She clenched her right fist in front of herself, her eyes still sparkling. “Yes, I have done it. I have cracked the case of the dead can. RIP, can.”

“Case of the dead can?” Samuel deadpanned. “What about Mimi? Isn’t this about Mimi?”

Slimantha blinked, and then a slight blush came to her cheeks. “Oh, right.” She gave a nervous laugh. “This was about Mimi, wasn’t it?” More nervous laughter emanated from her. “I’m still working on the Mimi thing.”

“I see.” Samuel turned his attention back to the pink can he held. His eyes went back to the likeness of the very buxom mimic on the can. “Why would Mimi even be drinking this stuff though? I mean hers are already pretty big.”

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“Maybe”—Slimantha brought her right hand back to her chin—“she seeks to become a goddess of big ones.”

Samuel glared at Slimantha for a moment, and then he blinked. His blue eyes quickly swept over the slime summoner’s body. “She pretty much has your figure. She doesn’t need to be curvier.” He glanced over Slimantha’s body again and then gave the slime summoner a smile. “Actually, I prefer the curves on you though.” A slight red tinge came to his cheeks.

Slimantha smiled back Samuel. “Thanks for the compliment,” she said.

A caw cut through the air. Slimantha blinked and then looked in the direction the caw had emanated from. Her brown eyes fell upon a crow that had hopped up to her and Samuel. The crow’s beady black eyes locked onto her. Then it cawed again.

“Please tell me it isn’t giving a ransom message,” Samuel said, his blue eyes on the crow.

“Actually”—Slimantha watched the crow caw once again—“it is talking about a scream last night.” She leaned over, putting her face closer to the black-feathered bird. She had her hands at her back. “Tell me more about this scream.” The crow cawed yet again. Then Slimantha pouted. She straightened back up and looked at Samuel. “The crow didn’t actually hear the scream itself.” She sighed and then glanced at the other crows wandering about. “Hey, guys, any of you hear a scream last night?!” She got a few caws in response and then puffed her cheeks out. Her eyes went back to Samuel. “The others didn’t hear the scream either.” She blinked. “You didn’t hear the scream, did you?”

“Me?” Samuel thought back, bringing his right hand to his chin. After a moment, he lowered his right hand. “Sorry, but I don’t recall a scream.”

“Me neither.” Slimantha sighed, slouching over. Then she straightened back up. Her eyes went back to the crow that had hopped up to her and Samuel—the crow that had alerted her to the scream. “Thanks for the info.” She gave the crow a curt bow. The crow bowed back and then hopped away. Slimantha’s eyes returned to Samuel. “Maybe we should ask Latril about this. She does have a lot of crows under her command.”

“Pardon me, but may I borrow that hero,” another voice—another familiar voice—said. The voice sounded a tad too perfect to belong to an actual person. Slimantha and Samuel both turned to the owner of the voice, a petite red-eyed woman with long black hair and a porcelain complexion. The oddly flawless woman wore a black lacy dress and black shoes.

“Oh, hi, Tabitha,” Slimantha said, her brown eyes meeting the red eyes of the strangely flawless Tabitha. “I guess you followed us out.” Slimantha glanced at Samuel before returning her eyes to Tabitha. “What did you need Samuel for?”

“Training,” Tabitha said before flashing Slimantha and Samuel her perfect smile. Her lovely red eyes focused in upon Samuel. She held her right hand out to him. “Come. The wooden swords await.”

“Well, I guess I could use some training,” Samuel said before giving a bit of a laugh. He glanced at Slimantha, meeting her beautiful brown eyes with his blue eyes. “I’ll go train with Tabitha. I’ll catch up with you later.” He gave Slimantha a smile before turning back to Tabitha. Holding the Mimic-Up can in his right hand, he met the oddly flawless woman’s offered hand with his left hand. She then began leading him back toward the interior of the apartment complex, holding his left hand with her right hand.

Slimantha smiled, watching Samuel and Tabitha’s departing figures for a moment. Then she glanced at the crows wandering about the yard. Perhaps Latril was at her lair. With that thought, Slimantha turned to head to the big tree in Spider-Lily Park—turned to head to the big tree that served as the front door to Latril’s lair.