The building was noisy. Loud. Although they were all shouting and yapping words and complaints, I instead only heard the chorus of quacks and honks.

It was funny that I could somehow hear such things amongst their voices. They weren’t actually honking or quacking but it felt as if they were all the same.

A bunch of ducks, crying fowl.

“I thought he was our protector! Why is he becoming friends with them?” one of the women shouted.

“We just heard why, you idiot! He’s saying they might not all be our enemies!” another shouted back.

For a few moments the room debated. Some weren’t even arguing over what I’d done, or hadn’t done, but instead other things. Stupid things.

“Why does Nasba get the boat! She’s not even of age!” one of the older men raised his voice, to be heard over the rest.

I sighed as I closed my eyes, and went to rubbing them.

“Get over the stupid boats, you blind fool! What use is there boats if we can’t even venture out into the lake anymore!” another argued.

“The lake? More like the water itself. You all love to shout and argue, but when it comes time to haul the nets I never see any of you out there anymore! I say we stop sharing fish with those who don’t work!” another yelled.

Sitting back, I stopped rubbing my eyes as I glanced around me.

I sat in the center of the large room, in the same circle as the elders of this village. Three women and two men were all that were left, thanks to them losing two elders before Lilly and I had arrived. To the fish.

All around us, standing and pointing at each other, with their tail feathers all shaking wildly in frustration was the rest of the village. Yelling and arguing over everything.

The elders at least were calm. Rational. To a point. They were, like me, sitting quietly and with looks of disappointment. One of the women even looked embarrassed. She was covering her face with a small fan, made of what looked to be her own feathers based off their colors. They were a little dull, likely thanks to her age.

“My apologize Vim,” the man to my right said gently. His soft voice was barely audible through the shouting.

“I’m used to it,” I said.

Honestly I wasn’t yet. But I was trying to be.

It wasn’t their fault that life was so hectic and wild. It wasn’t their fault I couldn’t just… fix everything just by showing up.

Even though so many thought I could, for some reason.

I wasn’t sure why yet, honestly. As far as I was aware Celine’s been sending out letters to all of our members, informing them of me. My title. My job… but something told me she was doing more than that. Maybe her letters were more propaganda than not.

Typical of a Saint to rely on such lies.

“Move over already!”

Some of the shouting and noise died down, and I turned to watch Lilly push herself through the crowd. She opened up her wings, bumping into everyone as if to make a point. The crowd separated, and most cowed even though they glared at her as she pushed past.

She huffed as she reached the center of the room, and stepped past me. Her wing brushed against me, and fluttered as she folded them. “Jeez Vim. I almost didn’t want to come in here,” she complained.

“You could have waited,” I told her.

She scowled at me, and glanced around at the now demure and quiet crowd.

Were they quiet because they were scared of her, or because they wanted to hear what she had to say though, I wonder?

“I followed her. But she dived down deeper once she reached the lake. I flew around for a bit, but I have no idea where she went to. I didn’t see her emerge anywhere,” Lilly told me.

Nodding, I sighed. “My suspicion is they live in the lake. Deep down. I’m not sure how… even with gills, they’re not actually fish. Maybe their village is just elsewhere, and they go through the underground rivers or something to reach it,” I said.

“They’re beasts! They don’t even wear clothes!” one of the men outside the circle shouted.

Several others voiced their agreements, but I disregarded them.

That girl a beast? Hardly.

“Even beasts have nests,” one of the elders mentioned calmly. Her even tone somehow quieted the crowd before they grew louder.

Lilly nodded and crossed her arms, and stepped closer to me… as if she didn’t want to stand in the center of the crowd. Once closer, I noticed the way she glared at the ducks around us. Her wings were tightly folded, and she looked on edge.

Angry, even.

“Are we even sure he’s one of us? What if he’s on their side?” someone then asked.

The room grew quiet, as suddenly I was the center of everyone’s attention.

“Oh. Me?” I sat up a little, as I realized they had been talking about me.

“If any of you knew what he was capable of you’d not be so vocal of your foolish assumptions,” Lilly said stiffly.

“They have a right to question it Lilly, I look human,” I said to remind her.

This wasn’t the first time I’d been doubted by those in the Society. Something told me I’d be dealing with such doubts for years to come.

“But Vim…” Lilly groaned as she glanced at me.

“Even you doubted me at first, Lilly,” I reminded her.

Actually she hadn’t. Not anywhere near enough, honestly. But that had been because of Celine. The panda had told Lilly all about me before I even arrived to her village. She had known I was coming even before I had.

Lilly ignored my comment, and glared at someone behind me. Likely the man who had doubted me.

I ignored her temper and instead peered around her wings, to the oldest of the elders. The woman sitting across from me.

“I would like to open a discussion between your people and the fishes. As to try and find a common ground, maybe even a friendship,” I said to her.

She nodded, without caring of those who suddenly looked aghast. “It may be possible. After all, there is no telling how many of them have actually harmed us. What if it’s only been one or two, acting on their own?” she wondered.

“Does anyone actually believe that?” one of ducks in the crowd asked.

“How would you know? You hide away the moment you hear a splash!” another shouted.

“I lost my wife to them! Don’t you try and call me a coward!” the man shouted back.

Lilly’s wings unfurled a little as the crowd grew rowdy. Not a single person stepped into our small circle, but all around us chaos began. People began to push each other, shouting grievances and other insults.

While the village bickered, I studied the elders. They looked tired. Weathered.

Old.

Too old to handle this.

I sighed as I stood up, causing Lilly to startle and step away. Her wings folded up tight again, as she blinked at me.

“I promise you all. If at any point I believe negotiations have failed, or cannot be had at all, I will begin handling this in a different manner. I’m not Celine, and even though she’s bound me by certain rules…” I shifted, and hesitated a moment. What to say? How to phrase it, without sounding like a tyrant, or just as bad as those they feared?

“Rules?” one asked, before I could find the proper words.

I nodded. “Her rules are the standard of the Society. Just as they bound all of you, so too do they bind me. If an avenue is available, that can be used without bloodshed or death, I am supposed to take it before all others,” I told them.

“They’ve already shed blood, though!” one argued. I noticed the woman’s voice. She’s voiced such complaints before, loudly.

Nodding again, I ignored Lilly’s glare. “I know they have. I do. I really do. But it is as I’ve, and your elders, have said. We don’t know yet if it is just a few bad actors, or their entire village. If it’s just a few who are violent, do the rest of them deserve death? One does not punish the village for a single man’s mistakes,” I said.

“Sure feels like it, sometimes!” one of the men said, and others laughed.

“That may be so. But I’ve proven I can talk to them. The girl who was here has spoken to me twice now, without showing any signs of violence or intent to do harm… I’d like to give them a chance, at least. Otherwise I, otherwise we, would be no better than any of those who have hunted and tormented us throughout history,” I said.

The room settled a little, as people nodded. They listened intently, and seemed serious. Even the children were focused completely, as if transfixed.

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“The entire reason the Society exists is for this purpose. To prove we can be better. Let’s try to do so. If not… well… that’s why I exist. I promise you, if they… no matter how many there are… if they need to be eliminated… they will be. Every last one. I’ll see to it,” I told them.

“What if you fail?” one of the younger girls asked. She was holding a small stuffed animal. It looked worn and torn, as if old, but it was likely just something she carried around all the time.

“I won’t,” I told her. Before anyone could say more, I nodded to them all. “I won’t fail. I may not be the best negotiator or peacekeeper… but when it comes to war, I promise you. I’ll not fail,” I said.

“War…” they whispered the word, and I realized I should have chosen another to describe what was happening.

They all looked at each other, for comfort. Those they had just been arguing with were now their comrades. Their surety. Their pillars.

I turned to the elders and nodded. “I’ll check again. Lilly and I will keep watch… but don’t be shocked if we disappear for a moment. If I can track them to their home, I’ll do so,” I told them.

“We understand, Vim. Thank you,” the oldest said with a nod.

“Hm…” I nodded again, and then nodded to Lilly.

She nodded back quickly, and hurried to follow me. The crowd parted for us, giving us more than enough room to pass.

Leaving the village center, I slowed my pace as Lilly flapped her wings and brought herself to my side. She landed back on the ground, and her wings fluttered behind her. “Do you really think we can just talk to them Vim? Or are you just trying to keep Celine from yelling at you?” she asked me.

“Both. The girl had no intention of fighting me, Lilly. But at the same time I didn’t sense any regret or worry from her. She knows we’re at odds with each other, and didn’t pay it any heed. I’m hoping it was just the innocence of a child, not knowing better… but…” I went quiet, since I didn’t want to say the quiet part aloud.

“But she could be older than she looks,” Lilly though went and said it.

I nodded.

She sighed at me. “I don’t like how you let them talk down to you Vim. Who are they to say we don’t know what we’re doing?” Lilly said.

“Do we though?” I asked her.

Lilly hesitated, her wings shuffling. “Well…”

“Exactly. They can sense it. I should really start treating this more seriously… maybe I should create an army,” I said as I thought about it.

“An army? To wage war?” Lilly grew excited, her wings flapping uncontrollably. She lifted off the ground for a few feet, only to land again.

Slowing some more, I groaned as I realized what I had just said.

But…

Was it wrong…?

I tried to think of the Society. As a whole. My mental map of it formed quickly, and I didn’t like how easily I slid pieces into place. Locations, and people, all shuffled and moved… to where I thought they’d be best used.

Right now it was a mess. Disorganized at best. We were scattered, and those with specific talents weren’t being put to use. The strong were in hiding. The intelligent not dedicating their efforts correctly. The weak weren’t properly supporting their fellows. Half the villages were like this one. Being attacked and besieged, or having issues feeding themselves. Like a bunch of children, unable to take care of themselves.

And what was I doing?

Just traveling around per Celine’s orders. Fixing whatever issue was the most important at the moment. Without any rhyme or reason. There was no triage set in place. No rules of conduct. I went from one location to another, half the time without a real goal.

This village was a perfect example. They were being harassed by an unknown family. A foe. An enemy. And I had been sent here to fix it, or to find a way to avoid it. To take them elsewhere, where they’d not be in so much danger.

This kind of problem shouldn’t even exist. There should have been a system in place already to handle this kind of problem.

Me being sent to fix issues, only when they became too serious to ignore, was not the solution.

I was basically just a walking bandage more than anything.

Yes. I was treating this as if some common job. But the reality was different.

I wasn’t just some handyman. I was more than just a common soldier. More than a simple bandage.

I should be amassing soldiers. Restructuring entire nations. Forming battlements, defensive lines, supply routes, and so much more. Most of the problems lately that Celine has pushed onto me could have been solved long ago thanks to simple divisions of labor. A better structure in the Society would have avoided most of this.

Plus it wasn’t as if I was alone. I had those like Lilly, even if they were few and far in-between. It wouldn’t be hard at all to raise up a few well trained divisions. I could use them to handle the small issues, and for the dire issues that required my strength… they would only need to hold out until I arrived.

My stomach churned and knotted, as if about to be sick, as I realized how similar my situation now was. Compared to the me before.

I had run away once. From this very thing.

Yet here I was. About to do it again.

“Let’s do it, Vim! Why didn’t you say so earlier? How long have you been thinking of it?” Lilly grew even more excited, and actually grabbed my arm.

“Hold on…” I groaned as I waved the excited owl down.

“But Vim! It’d work! You can train us all and then we’d not need to worry anymore, not about the humans or the non-humans…!” Lilly grinned happily, as if she had just been handed a mighty present.

“Let’s focus on the task at hand, Lilly,” I said, doing my best to not let my sick feeling show on my face.

“Huh…? Oh. Right. Yes. Sorry. We’ll talk about it later,” she nodded quickly, not realizing at all why I had wanted to stop this conversation from going further.

She giggled as she let me go, and flapped into the air. She flew upward, but only to just right above me. She flew around me, excitedly. Her giggling was oddly loud in my ears, even though soft and quiet.

Just great. Why did I have to go and say that? Why’d I even have to think it?

What the hell was I going to do?

Walking towards the river, I did my best to get my nerves under control. I felt queasy all of a sudden. Which was hilarious, since I never got sick.

The only thing I ever got sick from was myself. I sickened myself.

Fitting.

After a moment, once she was done giggling, Lilly landed on my shoulder. I tilted my head as she sat down, sitting on my shoulders. She patted my head happily, as if I some puppy to praise. “I knew you were special, Vim! No one believed me, but I knew it!” she said happily.

“Special…?” I frowned at her. What the hell was she on about now?

“Everyone thought you were like Celine. All saintly and stupid. I told them you weren’t. I can’t wait to see their faces when we have a whole army behind us,” she said excitedly.

Damn. Damn me.

Taking a deep breath, I released it slowly as I walked up to the boat I had been working on a few hours ago. It was the same as I had left it.

“Though I don’t know why I’m surprised. Celine knows too huh? It’s why she’s always worried you’re going to break those stupid rules, isn’t it? This is why she made all those rules. Ha!” Lilly giggled as she spoke, and her wings fluttered behind us. They smacked my back as they did.

“Please Lilly. Put it aside for now,” I said stiffly.

“Right…! Right. Sorry,” She patted my head again, and I wondered how I was going to deal with her later.

It was going to be impossibly hard to argue and convince her she was wrong… when she was in fact, right.

We needed an army. The Society needed one. Or at least something akin to it.

Yet was it honestly the right call?

After all I had tried that once before. It had only resulted in disaster.

But had that been because of them, or me?

Once could argue the last one had been built from hate. But… would it honestly make a difference? Even if I built this one without a speck of hate, the rest would supply more than enough for my lack of it.

Like the owl on my shoulders right now, happily swaying to the thought of amassing an army to face all those she despised.

Lilly giggled, reminding me she was on my shoulders.

Glancing up at her, I wondered how long it has been since she’d done this. She used to always ride my shoulders… but as she grew older, had slowly stopped. I had simply assumed it was because she could now fly, and as such took to the skies when not simply walking next to me. But maybe it had been something more. Something deeper.

Maybe she had been disappointed me. For not being more.

Lilly noticed my stare, and smiled down at me. “Who should we recruit first Vim? I think we need a cook,” she said.

I couldn’t help it, I laughed at her serious expectations.

Maybe I shouldn’t worry too much just yet… if the first thing Lilly wanted for war was a cook, then… well…

I probably didn’t need to worry just yet.

“What? Vim I love you but some of the stuff you cook is just downright disgusting,” Lilly groaned at me.

“Hey! Big words for someone who scarfs it down and never leaves any leftovers!” I argued back.

Her wings fluttered, and her thighs tightened on my head. I half-closed an eye as she squeezed my head, and I realized she was growing much stronger than I thought. Any other man would have likely died from such pressure.

“I was raised to not waste food!” she shouted back.

“That’s because you had good parents! I hope they also taught you to respect people who work hard for that food you so boldly keep insulting!” I said.

“Don’t make me go get more eggs, Vim. Serra said she was going to lay one tonight, I bet you’d like it fresh,” Lilly said.

“That’s kind of gross.”

Lilly went absolutely still, her thighs suddenly squeezing much harder as I looked down and nodded to the tiny fish.

“It is, isn’t it?” I agreed with the small girl standing near the almost finished boat.

The white haired girl tilted her head up at me, and Lilly. “I meant the fact she’s sitting on you. Do you lay eggs? Are they actually tasty?” the girl asked Lilly.

“Um. No. I don’t. But the ducks do,” Lilly said evenly to her.

Lilly stopped squeezing me, and relaxed. I felt her wings behind us fold up, and become less tense. Yet although relaxing, Lilly was now holding onto my hair. Clutching it as if for support.

She was worried. I wonder why. Lilly shouldn’t be scared for her life, especially since I was right here… so maybe she was just worried about saying the wrong thing, or something like it.

“They lay eggs…?” the girl asked, glancing to the village.

“Strange isn’t it? But yes, it turns out they do,” I told her.

“Huh…” the girl frowned, but didn’t seem too shocked.

“Want to try one?” Lilly then asked.

The girl shifted as she glanced up at Lilly… and then her eyes slid down to my own.

Smiling gently at her, I waited for her response.

“Sure,” she then said.

“Hm. I’ll be right back then,” Lilly said happily. I held out my palms, flat open and upward. She stepped up onto them, and then jumped up into the air as I pushed her off. She went to the skies, flying off towards the village.

A few feathers fell from her wings as she did, twirling in the air as they fell.

The naked fish watched one of the feathers as they fell, and then reached out to grab it. She snatched it out of the air with ease, even though the feather had been twirling haphazardly.

She had good reflexes.

Watching her study the feather, I sighed as I realized I would need to start a fire.

“Hopefully she’ll not mention why she wants the eggs,” I mumbled as I went to doing so.

Even if the ducks seemed more than okay with us eating their eggs… I wasn’t sure if they’d be happy to hear we were going to be feeding them to one of the people who right now… was essentially their enemy. Someone who was known for eating them whole. People normally didn’t appreciate someone else feeding those who hunted and ate their family and friends.

But at the same time maybe they wouldn’t mind. Non-humans were weird that way, sometimes.

As I went to make a small fire, and a tiny camp where we could sit and talk as she ate, I did my best to ignore the stare of the girl as I worked.

She had gathered up all the feathers Lilly had dropped, and was holding them closely. As if they were precious. It gave her already youthful appearance a more shocking one, somehow.

“Do you lay eggs too?” the girl then asked.

Lighting the fire, I sighed as I realized this was going to be a long night.