Mason spent most of the run back to Nassau pouring over his patron options. He tried to figure out the most efficient choices with the points he had, leaving at least a little left for Blake, or a rainy day.

The Temple of Gaia seemed the first most logical choice just based on cost. It seemed to suggest it produced a wide array of herbs, plants, and food. It was also massive, which seemed a positive indication of quantity. Things got trickier after that.

Well, maybe not exactly. Mason was obviously biased towards buying the 'natural theme' package for the town. It might have been hard to justify if it was just for him, but first of all it was cheap, and second it opened up other options in a kind of 'specialty' line and sounded like it boosted all the nature-oriented buildings. He suspected there were other such themes to select from, but they currently didn’t have any. And they were in the middle of a damn forest, after all, it just made sense.

After that? He just wasn’t sure. They already had infinite drinking water as far as he could tell. So did they really need the fountain? He could take the Flora Preserve, but best to see the temple first and see how much food they had. Then there was some kind of animal menagerie. Some nature-themed defences to add to the walls and outside.

Frankly he wanted everything. But he knew he had to prioritize. He hesitated when he saw a currently red, in other words unavailable thing that looked like a tree under the specialty list…a ‘Wyrd Tree’? Did that mean if he could 'Tree walk', he could use that thing to teleport from town?

That decided it for certain. It was time to cleanse the remaining great trees before anything else got in the way. Excitement shot through him, because maybe he could even take others. God only knew how much time that would save, and how much it might help to explore the rest of the world…

He gave Rosa a short break, then picked her back up and carried her at full speed, feeling her clutching him in mild panic.

"Mason! If I hit a branch I'm going to break my neck!" she shouted, and he tried to slow a little. He just had so bloody much to do!

The rest of the trip back went by in a blur. When he finally reached Nassau he dropped Rosa off at the gate, where she sagged and managed not to collapse this time. He reminded himself one last time that things with Rosa were fresh and not altogether worked out. That she was new to all this and he should be gentle.

He stopped and pulled her into his arms again, giving her the genuine smile he didn't need to force.

"I'm glad you came."

"I think you're glad you came," she muttered, grinning as she met his eyes.

He laughed and kissed her, giving her incredible ass a solid groping as the kiss got considerably more passionate. Then he smelled leather and soap somewhere behind him, and blinked as he turned to find Rebecca watching from inside the gate.

He slowly eased himself free from Rosa, trying not to appear as if he felt guilty, but also not trying to appear too pleased…

Oh God this was getting complicated.

"Hello Rebecca," Rosa said politely.

"Hi Rosa. Can I borrow Mason a minute?"

Mason looked between them and found words not very helpful. He really wished Haley were there.

"Sure." Rosa turned and gave Mason a last closed mouth kiss on the lips. "I'll see you later?"

"Yep," he said lamely, pretty close to running back into the trees with Streak. Then Rosa walked towards her house swaying her hips, and Rebecca came closer with her hands on hers.

"We've got a problem. If you’re not too busy."

Mason met her very jealous eyes, then thought ah to hell with it. He grabbed her hand and pulled her in, encouraged when she turned her face from his lips but at least didn't resist.

"I'm not too busy,” he said, then lowered his voice. "And considering you and I have shared at least two girls together, I wouldn't expect to see you jealous."

"I liked the other girls," Rebecca grumbled, “or at least I didn’t dislike them.” Mason chuckled as he kissed her neck and ear and cheek until she gave him a little moan. Then he turned her face and kissed her lips.

"You'll like Rosa, too. Now what's the problem?"

"The problem is we spent a day hunting and caught shit all. Hank says the main river has no fish to speak of. Oh, and folks are hoarding every scrap of food, so there ain't nothing left but rice, potatoes, and bread by about noon every day. So, welcome back, I guess."

Mason frowned, flicking his eyes one last time over the options in the patron menu. He knew what he wanted, frankly, it was just time to pull the trigger. Meat would still be an issue but they'd sort that later. He clicked the four choices he wanted for sure, lingered only a moment on the accept button, then clicked it without regret. The robotic voice boomed over Nassau.

[Settlement modification scheduled in 1 hour. Please return to your homes to avoid injury and/or death. Thank you for your co-operation.]

"That should help." Mason grinned. "Now let's go get inside."

* * *

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Mason took Rebecca's hand and they walked to the chief's hall. They weren't the only ones with the idea, and a small crowd of players and civilians gathered at the front entrance asking what the hell was going on. Then asking about food. Then about what the plan was. Then complaining about the houses getting crowded...

"I'm spending patron points," Mason shouted over the growing din of the crowd. "It's going to be a big change and I don't know how half of it works. So we're all going to need to figure it out together. Alright?"

That quieted them down a little.

"Where is Blake?" asked the Spanish leader of a small group of civilians, whose name totally escaped Mason, his tone polite but strained.

Mason hated this. He truly did.

"Blake…is stuck in a dungeon. We don't know how long he'll be in there. But we have to carry on like it’ll be awhile."

Lots of muttering followed that, and a few shouted questions, the most important seeming to be: "Are you the permanent patron now?"

"No.” Mason probably said it too loudly and quickly. “Blake's coming back. I just don't know when." He shrugged helplessly. "In the meantime I'm trying to solve problems. Food, housing, being trapped in these walls. I get it. But I don't pretend to know more than you do. All we can do is try and fix it together. OK? If you have things to say, talk to Haley, and we'll get to it. Er, where is Haley?"

"Here, Mason." She waved at him from Blake's office, Silvie standing next to her. She gestured that he should come and talk, and he did his best to fight the frustrated sigh. He looked at Rebecca, who he was pretty sure wanted him to take her to their room and bang in a kind of angry, urgent, jealous frenzy.

That certainly sounded a hell of a lot better and more needed than talking about nothing. He squeezed her hand, and whispered.

"Wait for me in our rooms?"

He could see she was upset and horny and wanted to tell him to go screw himself and also her, but she also understood the situation.

"I'll see y'all later," she said, then paced off angrily, swaying her hips like Rosa but without even trying to look sexy. Mason sighed and walked to the office. Haley waited until he was inside, then closed the door.

"We need to talk about Blake," said Silvie, and Mason tossed his hands.

"I just told you everything I know. He's trapped in a dungeon. So you'll have to put up with me until he's out."

"That's not what I mean." Silvie shifted uncomfortably. "Now that he's away..." she took a deep breath. "Some of the players and civilians have come to me with...concerns."

He looked between them but couldn’t read simple women, nevermind ones like Haley or Silvie.

"Jesus just spit it out. What concerns?"

The women exchanged a look, but Haley seemed to nod with encouragement until Silvie spoke.

"That he's...controlling their minds. It seems some of it sort of wears off, especially if he's far away. And people have noticed."

Fucking Blake, Mason thought, I warned him. I bloody warned him.

"Look," Mason shrugged, "he's..some kind of mentalist class. It probably happens as much by accident as anything. He's not doing it to hurt anyone."

"I understand," Silvie didn't look at all pacified. "But you can see how the thought terrifies people. I mean, someone who can control how they think? How they feel? I mean...I get the shivers just thinking about it. Some of the players have talked about what he did...out there with the orcs. Making them turn on each other like that. Can he do that to us?"

You have no bloody idea, Mason thought, running a hand through his hair and looking at Haley. She looked surprisingly neutral, he realized, which sure wasn't a good sign. And Mason was starting to get a little pissed off, if he was honest. Time for a little reality check. He leaned across the table.

"You think we're running a quaint little American town, Silvie? You think housing and food problems are the real concerns? You've no God damn idea what I've seen out there. A giant fucking worm that could swallow this place. Orc armies. The dead rising out of the ground. You're scared of Blake? You need him. You need his dangerous mind powers because whatever you think he's at least on your side."

"Are you sure?" she said quietly, and Mason felt his face getting hot.

"You think all this was my idea? I didn't want a bloody settlement. Blake saved this place, these people. He sent me to get you and yours. I'd have left you to the fucking worms and wolves Silvie."

The former mayor got quiet after that, but she didn't look away. "I don't think that's true," she said quietly. "When it came down it, you risked your life for us. Every time. And at least you tell us the truth. I trust you, Mason. So does everyone else in this town. But I don't trust your brother."

“Well I don't give a shit!” Mason shouted in her face, then he felt Haley's hand on his shoulder and took several long, deep breaths. But he wasn’t pacified. “Whatever you think of me, Silvie, you just remember this: there’s no Blake, or Mason. There’s just Blake and Mason. If you ever make me choose, you lose, always, every time. Get it? You lose.”

He saw some fear in her eyes, then, but probably not enough. He took another deep breath and hoped the walls of the office were relatively sound proof.

"Is that it?"

"Yes." Silvie stood to leave but stopped at the door. "Carl feels terrible about leaving him, you know. None of this comes from him, he likes Blake. He didn't say a word."

Mason refrained from saying anything else he might regret, just waiting as Haley ushered Silvie out the door then closed it.

“You agree with this nonsense? That Blake’s some kind of…problem?” Mason said, surprised how much he cared about the answer.

Haley shook her head and sat beside him, taking his hand. “I make sure everyone feels they can talk to me. And Silvie isn’t the only one whose been thinking like this. I just thought you should know.”

"I'm starting to see why he mind controls people," Mason muttered, and Haley smiled. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to explain but for some reason he did. "Blake...he's a liar," he said because it was true. "He's manipulative and cold and selfish." He shrugged helplessly.

"But he's disciplined and clever and thinks three steps ahead. And he really does care about this place. About building something. Maybe it's partly for his own ego but all these people will be the ones who benefit. You don't get choir boys who want to be emperor. That's not how this works."

Haley squeezed his hand and put her head on his shoulder. "I know. And if you weren't here, my love, they would accept Blake without a word."

"What? What are you saying?" Mason met her eyes.

"I'm saying they don't want the eager, ruthless emperor,” she gave him an apologetic smile. “They want the reluctant, noble king."

"I'm not..." Mason practically felt himself deflate. "Jesus Christ." He looked out the window and shook his head, pulling Haley into his lap. "All I wanted was to save my brother. And then to spend the apocalypse with you in bed."

Haley chuckled and kissed his forehead, holding his face with her hands.

"That's why they want you, my love. You’re a simpler man, and they understand you."

"There's worse things coming, Haley.” He shook his head. “That's how this game works. Phase two, phase three, phase fuck you. All this is just...nonsense. We'll need every weapon we have, and even then it might not be enough."

"Then you'll convince them." Haley hugged him. "Just like you'll go convince Rebecca she doesn't have to worry about losing you to some new girl."

Mason sighed. Right. That. He glanced at the digital clock on the wall. "Not sure I have time before the settlement transforms into...whatever it's about to transform into."

"Want me to come?" Haley asked.

"No." He gave her a squeeze. "Go tell Silvie everything will be fine. Go talk with people and say you've got Mason under control. You probably do."

Haley giggled. "Not likely, master. But I'll do as you ask."

He pulled her in and kissed her slowly, wishing he had a little extra time...he met her eyes and intended to tell her how amazing she was. But the way she looked at him he knew he didn't have to.

"Rebecca," she said.

"Right. See you in a bit. Probably in a giant flower temple." She gave him a curious look, but he didn't bother trying to explain.