Very Scary kept watch from within the messenger bag. The scorpion had left with the healer hours earlier. Now the snake had left to go after her, after barely taking a moment to check in and get a heading from the spider. She had waved a leg in the direction where she could still feel the scorpion, alive and seemingly well, and the snake had shot off beyond the door faster than she had ever seen him move.

I hope they both do well. I hope they find what they’re looking for.

Very Scary had opted to stay behind and watch over the new one, the tall human who slept in the hospital bed. She felt someone should be there. Everyone else had left him alone.

He’s caught in some sort of web. I can feel it around his foot, on his hand, and still lingering around his head and shoulder. Or maybe it’s a cocoon. Or an egg?

The thin strands of magic that wove around the boy were different from her own silk. They felt distinctly like the artonan healer, who was currently working on the… the whatever it was that had previously looked like the tall human’s other four limbs. The ones he’d held so stiffly for the hours they’d been travelling, and which he had somehow dropped and revealed to be hiding an entire second person.

Clearly I don’t understand human molting. But whatever it was, I do know it pained him to let go. And I know it hurts to be alone, injured and missing a limb. I don’t need to understand exactly what happened to know that I should be here for him.

And so she listened.

******

Tiny Long was fast. Strong! Completely amazing!

Yes, the building was large and full of inconvenient walls, doors, and elevators, all of which were not designed to be friendly to snakes. But the powers that had suddenly come upon the tiny snake allowed him to make friends out of doors, using his strength and small size to squeeze under and around them.

I am awesome! Behold, your most handsome and capable leader!

The building was largely empty, of both objects and people. There wasn’t a lot to hide behind, but there was almost no one to hide from. There were a few tense moments where he heroically posed behind an obstacle while waiting for someone to pass by, but eventually his flickering tongue caught the scent of fresh earth, non-human sweat, and an unfamiliar smoke.

The scent led him to a sound, and the sound led him to a door. Through the glass he saw the scorpion, trapped in the clutches of her kidnapper, waving her claws.

Haha! I’ve found her! I’m sure she never doubted me for a second!

The snake put on his best smile and prepared to make a heroic entrance. He would scoot under the door, declare his leadership, and spit in the eye of the kidnapper if he had to. He took in the sight of his enemy, judging the height and angle, so that once he was in the room he could act without hesitation.

He had never seen anything quite like the hooting artonan, prancing around the collection of potted plants, scorpion in hand.

…She is waving her claws for help, right?

Tiny Long had set out with certainty that his many-legged friend had been kidnapped and needed rescuing. But watching her now, she looked… happy.

Perhaps a trick, to fool this dastardly foe! Our princess in peril is cleverly playing along, biding her time to make her escape.

The snake’s smile drooped a fraction. “Clever” was not a word he would generally use to describe his scorpion friend. Direct, action-oriented, and true to her nature, were just a few of her many virtues. But “clever?”

He ducked as the artonan danced his way in Tiny’s direction. When he bravely poked his nose up again, he saw that the scorpion was sitting on top of a leaf, still waving her claws to the hooting.

Tiny waggled his head back and forth, trying to get her attention. The scorpion didn’t have very good eyesight, despite having many eyes, but tapping the glass risked alerting the artonan.

Now is the time to make a break for it! I will lead you back, and the two of us shall make a glorious escape! Just look… this… way!

His waggling had turned into flopping strength-aided jumps by the time she turned to look at him through the glass.

She waved happily.

She turned back to the artonan, who was coming around again, and held out her claws like a child asking to be picked up. Tiny Long risked just the tip of his face showing at the corner of the window, so that he could watch as the artonan came around and grabbed her back up off of the plant.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

The scorpion immediately stung the man.

Ah! The trap is sprung! I’d better…

Huh.

Tiny Long had been coiled to spring to her rescue, anticipating that the hooting man would angrily shake the scorpion off of his hand and onto the floor. But the grinning man hadn’t so much as flinched at the sting, only smiling even wider than before. Tiny Long stared slack-jawed as the man continued his hooting, waving his arms as happily as the scorpion, seemingly delighted to have been stung.

Well. Am I even needed here?

At first, the snake thought it to himself sarcastically. Because surely, surely he still needed to bring her back to the bag and the tarantula so they could all escape together. He yearned for true freedom, among real grass and real trees!

But looking at the scorpion, he couldn’t deny her joy.

Now that’s what it’s all about, my many-legged friend. That’s the feeling I want. I was going to lead us all there, but perhaps you’ve been looking for a different kind of freedom all along.

The snake pondered the nature of freedom as he watched the dancing artonan add another layer of blood to his face. He smudged a bit on the scorpion too, to include her, and their matching markings drove the truth home to Tiny Long at last.

I’m actually not needed here. How’s that for leadership?

The new thought was interrupted by a ping.

“Normal system functionality restored,” the Earth system told him. “Accept connection from Contract Bag?”

Tiny Long graciously agreed, as he was apparently not busy with anything important.

Bag! Yes! How are you, my good fellow! Greetings and salutations!

[Congratulations Tiny Long! You’re my first Avowed, now! I didn’t have time to congratulate you before because we were so rushed. I’m sorry! We did it just in time! But Contract Earth let me call you now! Wow! We’re so official!]

My congratulations to you as well, oh Great Bag. I knew you could do it!

The snake continued to watch the scorpion, glad to have someone to talk to who actually needed him, even if what the bag seemed to need right now was mostly encouragement.

[Look! I made these buttons you can tap to use your hibernation skill. Or you can just say which one you want to push.]

I see them. How delightful! Who knew I could experience such adventurous new things all alone in an empty hallway!

[Do you like it? Did I do good?]

You’re the best bag I’ve ever met, and I’m glad to have you on the team. We’re going to find freedom and do what’s honorable and right together!

[Yeah! Also, if something bad is trying to get in and I say you have to fight it and make it go away, you have to do that. That’s the rule.]

No need for such rules, my vast and thoughtful friend. If we find any such bad guys, I’ll be the first to show the rest of you how it’s done.

[Okay! I’m glad you’re not mad about it! It is a <>]

Leaders are not afraid of obligation. Leaders thrive off of it. Sounds like we’re in this together, my good bag.

[That’s good! It’s better to know everything is okay with my first avowed. That way I can do things even better with my second avowed!]

That’s the spirit! I’ll show you the ropes, you can count on me. There’s no rush to go adding more avowed before you’re really confident. Just stick with me and anything is possible!

[I’m worried about your scorpion friend! Did you find stabby? Very Scary Long says you feel close to each other but the Earth Contract says it’s not allowed to give me your location information!]

The snake watched the scorpion and the artonan do their work, with a wistful feeling, and sighed a gentle hissy sigh before answering simply.

Yes, I did.

[Oh good! Bring stabby back! I want to make stabby an avowed as quick as possible so that stabby will not be hurt by chaos and then I will have two avowed!]

Ah, my good bag, my most helpful associate and newest friend, I do admire your ambition and compassion. I set out to do just that. However—and no one is as surprised as I—the lady does not require rescuing.

[What do you mean? Is stabby coming back without help? Is… hold on one moment, I’m practicing multitasking and having a conversation with Mother. She says she has “insights.”]

Ah? Who is Mother? I’d be delighted to make her acquaintance.

[Mother is the best Mother! She Mothers Artona 1, and, hold on, I’ll explain more after I am done multitasking. I am trying to understand these “insights.” I don’t yet understand why our scorpion isn’t coming home.]

I think…

Through the glass, the snake saw his oldest friend wave to him once more. He wagged his head in response, and when the scorpion turned back toward the artonan his heart broke just a little.

I think she may have already found home.

The stabbing motions of the scorpion’s tail, which for so long had been a sign of danger or impulsivity, were now simply one small and precious part of a sacred dance that made the universe move.

[Mother thinks the healer will protect stabby from chaos. But I think maybe I could probably do it better? And I had such a good idea for a skill for stabs that could heal people! Healing Stab! Stabby could be the healer on our avowed team! It would be so cool!]

Yes, that would be cool.

[Your thoughts sound… sad?]

Sad, and also happy.

[Mother said there’s something the humans on this planet say. Something for this kind of situation. She says it’s good to understand the wisdom that exists in the places our avowed come from. I don’t know if it applies to me though.]

Tiny Long waited silently for Bag to continue, feeling quite a bit older and wiser himself than he had felt earlier that night.

[“If you love something, let it go.”]

I’d like to meet this Mother, someday. She’s right about this one.

[But… but…]

The snake took one last look. The scorpion hadn’t turned toward him again.

Come on, my dear Bag! We’ve won a great victory here. Onward, to the next challenge!

He put on his bravest smile, turned away from the window, and slithered on.