Jon was having a nice dinner surrounded by his friends and family. Just a few hours before, he had a major fight with several villainous figures before he also helped fight a giant monster that was summoned from the depths of the forest and had been put back into the ground, while also defending his new friend Mercy from a kidnapping attempt and saving the farm.

Now, he was silently eating his soup, after just confirming out loud that he wanted to go along with the journey to make sure his friend Mercy got home safe and sound; however far away she had lived from the Farm, Jon’s home.

With that said, Jon watched what the others around his table were doing.

Jassiter and Vel, his father and mother, had sat across the table from him, silently communicating with looks that Jon was unable to decipher.

He figured that if they really wanted him to know what they were saying, they would tell him.

Hector and Mallory, two of the mercenaries that had helped Jon save the town, were quietly going back and forth about something involving Hector’s sister and the council. Jon couldn’t hear them very well, but he knew that it was always very serious when they had a conversation.

Meanwhile, Genevieve and Hestatham, two more of the mercenaries, had talked about the battle and how much information they would have to convey to the rest of the King's Guard in such a short amount of time.

And right next to Jon, Mercy had been wiping her tears while eating her food.

Since he saw that her first napkin had been completely dampened, he handed her another one.

“Thank you, Jon…” She blew into the tissue. “Why am I like this?”

Jon didn’t know. He wanted to comfort her, but she seemed happy behind the tears, so he decided just to let things be for now.

Hector finally stood up in front of the table dramatically, drawing everyone’s attention.

“If you would excuse me,” Hector said, “I would like to excuse myself from the table.

“Aren't you tired from fighting that giant lizard?” Vel asked.

“I am,” Hector said, “but I made an appointment today, and I should do my best to keep it.”

“Appointment, or date?” Vel teased.

Hector blushed.

“It isn’t of that nature… I’m just meeting up… that’s it.”

“Honey, why don’t you let him go?” Jassiter asked.

“Oh, now you’re the cool dad,” Vel responded.

Jassiter shrugged. “I don’t understand why I get all of this passive-aggressiveness? I agreed with you!”

“You may be excused, Hector,” Vel said, “but you don’t have to ask us every time you go on a date with a girl.”

“I… I… uh…” Hector turned red.

“Just go, Hect,” Mallory said, patting him on the back.

“I won’t be too late,” Hector said. “I assure you.”

He bowed to Jon’s parents, then made his way clumsily out through the door. Jon thought it was curious that Hector wore his armor all the time, even when he was sitting, but it never seemed to make any noise or cause any inconvenience to him.

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It was also curious to see his parents talk to Hector in such a casual way. Hector was much more flustered than Jon normally was when speaking to his parents, and Jon was always at a loss for words.

“I think I’m going to turn in for the night,” Genevieve said, standing up. “Thank you for the food.”

She bowed.

Hestataham stood up and bowed too.

“Me as well,” he added.

Vel waved the comment away. “Oh, please, it’s fine.”

“I quite like the bowing,” Jassiter said. “We should let them if they want to.”

“Jassiter! They’re guests!” She pushed him in the shoulder. “Treat’em nice!”

“Good night, guys,” Genevieve said. She and Hestatham went off to Ben’s room.

“I hope they're actually going to sleep,” Jassiter muttered.

This time, Vel slapped Jassiter hard on the arm.

“Ow!” He rubbed his shoulder.

“Really?” Vel sighed. “And you wonder why we never have company.”

“I’m just saying,” Jassiter commented.

“No!” Vel turned to Mercy.

“I apologize for my husband's vulgar nature,” she said. “I think he’s forgotten how to act around people since it’s been only us for a while.”

Jon appreciated seeing his father in a more vulnerable place, so he was quite fine with this.

There was a knocking on the door.

“You still alive in there, Jass?” Dan had yelled through the door.

“Dan!” Jassiter yelled.

Dan, a friend of the family, had walked into the house. He looked as if he had avoided the whole crisis.

“Where were you!” Jassiter stood up and ran to his friend.

“I was locked up with the council,” Dan said. “We had the best protection on the farm, but we also trapped ourselves inside. We had all the ammo to defend ourselves, but man, I was starving. I mean, if the caiman didn’t disappear in those damn clouds of smoke, I supposed we could have had us a meal or two during this whole crisis.”

Jassiter patted Dan on the shoulder. “Good man.”

“I heard about what Jon did,” Dan said. “Hi, Jon!”

Jon waved back at Dan.

“Well, Jon’s tired,” Jassiter said. “We’ll talk outside.”

Jassiter brought Dan out of the house.

“I’m awake,” Jon said.

“Yeah, your Dad is probably just being nosy about the council,” Vel said. “I suppose it’s fine.”

“I’m going to go write down everything that’s happened,” Mallory said, standing up. “Your dinner was delicious, ma'am.”

Mallory bowed.

“Keep talking like that, and you can have as much as you want,” Vel responded. "Just don't call me ma'am."

“Jon, Mercy... Vel... see ya guys.” Mallory went off to Susan’s old room.

Now, it was Jon, Mercy, and Vel.

Jon was still eating. He didn’t realize how hungry he had been.

“You guys can share Jon’s bunk upstairs,” Vel said. “Is that fine?”

Mercy nodded. “Yeah. I wouldn’t mind that.”

Vel smiled. She stood up and collected all of the dishes.

“I can help,” Mercy said, standing up.”

“It’s fine,” Vel continued to grab plates off the table. “You guys should take some time to talk,” she continued.

“...About what?” Jon asked.

“Like, I don’t know…” Vel had put all the dishes away. “About the farm?”

Jon didn’t want to speak about the farm at all.

“Actually, could we go around outside?” Mercy asked him.

“...Sure," Jon said.

He followed her and the two of them went outside.

Up ahead, they walked through the field.

“It’s amazing,” Mercy said. “It’s so quiet here.”

Jon didn’t think it was quiet. He heard noises all of the time. The grass, the wind, the bugs, the occasional creaks from within the house, and things that he never knew the source for. If he focused on it, he supposed it was a different sort of noise than at the Townsend.

“When I left home,” Mercy explained, “it was for two reasons. To get away from my family… and to explore the world. But as a person, you know? And not as someone on a mission.”

She sighed. “I never just get to… enjoy things. And now, I might not ever get to do that again.”

Jon didn’t know what to say. They continued to walk through the field. He could see the little bits of damage that the caiman had done. Surprisingly, many of the above-ground crops were still standing high. Multiple people did say that the caiman had used to be part of the farm, so maybe that explained it.

They walked endlessly until Mercy finally stopped.

“I think I’m ready,” Mercy said. “Are you?”

Jon nodded.

They walked back home silently. In the house, Vel had disappeared to who knew where.

Jon led the way to his room. He was grateful that it was still intact.

Now they just had to choose who would sleep in what bunk.

“Where do you sleep?” Mercy asked.

“Top," Jon said.

“Okay. I’ll sleep down here.”

Jon climbed up to the top bunk. Mercy went to the bottom.

After several quiet minutes of laying down, Mercy spoke up again.

“I’ve never slept in a top bunk,” she said. “Could I sleep there?”

Jon nodded.

“...Sure,” he said, once he realized she couldn't see his answer.

Jon climbed down from his top bunk. As he laid down at the bottom, he saw Mercy make an incredible leap onto the top.

“This is so cool,” Mercy said. “Thanks, Jon.”

“You’re welcome,” Jon said.

“Good night, Jon,” she said, her voice becoming quiet again.

“Good night, Mercy,” he responded.