I'v'e been preparing for this day for weeks now. Mwahahahaaah~!
Enjoy...
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Briar's plan had been perfect from its planning to its execution. The whole time they rode to the next town, hidden in the barrel, Briar did her best to cause Laura's eyes to spin with moral implications and brain twisters.
The trip to town had been completely uneventful, as expected.
There were no bandits or wild animal attacks upon the lonesome cart, carrying its small load.
Perhaps the bandits thought that, due to its small load this time, it would have an amount worth stealing the next time it passed by. Who knows?
After the cart arrived at the town gate, the soldiers had checked one of the dummy barrels that had actual cider inside it, then sent the cart on inside after they paid the toll.
Helen indicated where the barrels were meant to be dropped off, leaving the heavy lifting to the cart driver. After Laura got over her motion sickness, Briar thought it was the perfect time to get out.
Then she realized that she had made a terrible mistake.
It was easy enough getting into the barrel, but after sitting for several hours side by side inside a rather cramped space, her legs had become stiff.
...in other words: she couldn't move.
"What's the matter, Briar? Just open the barrel, already, I need some fresh air!" Laura said, nudging Briar a bit.
"What's the rush? Don't you want to stay and savor this moment of accomplishment?" Briar asked.
"I would rather 'savor' this moment outside where I can have some fresh air." Laura replied honestly. "What's wrong? Have your arms turned to noodles?"
"...Okay. If you want out so much, then how about you get up first? You're the one who wants the fresh air so much. I'd rather smell the refreshing scent of cider that lingers here." Briar said, acting as if Laura was being unreasonable.
Then, Laura suddenly realized something.
"...Briar?" She asked, slowly.
"...Yes? What is it?"
"Is it possible that your legs are numb right now?"
Briar felt sweat starting to collect on her brow.
"What gave you that idea? Even though we've arrived in town like smuggled goods, and are uncertain of whether or not someone is watching, you're the one who wants to get some fresh air. What if someone sees you climbing out of the barrel? How are you going to explain that to the town guards?"
A knock came from above, and Helen said. "No one's watching anymore. You can come out, now."
Laura's smile spread into a grin.
"Did you hear that? No one's watching~ Isn't that great? Now we can finish this oh-so-brilliant plan of yours with the final step."
Briar said nothing.
"Oh well, if you're going to be a stick about it, then I'll go first~!" Laura said as she pushed her hands against the bottom of the barrel, slowly standing up like a four legged cat. then, she reached up and popped the top off the barrel in one fluid motion.
"There! Isn't that fresh air good against your face?" Laura took a deep breath.
Briar remained sitting, and didn't look up.
Laura hopped out of the barrel, and began doing some stretches to get the ache out of her limbs from the bumpy ride.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Why isn't he getting out?" Helen pointed to Briar. who was still inside the barrel.
"Oh him? Actually, come here, I have something to tell you." Laura pulled Helen to a spot far enough that even Thera's hearing couldn't catch what she was saying, especially with the surrounding noises of a busy city life. Briar began to have a sense of foreboding.
Briar heard Their footsteps when they returned a little while later, standing outside the barrel without saying anything.
Just when she was about to ask what they were doing, a stick came through a small hole in the bottom of the barrel, poking her leg.
"ASDFGHJKLZXCVBNM!!!" Briar cried out, as her leg started tingling something awful.
Laura's laughter could be heard from the outside.
"Good! Now get the other leg!"
Helen dutifully poked at a different angle, managing to land a hit on the aforementioned leg, because Briar couldn't move at the time.
"AUGH! L-Laura, I'll get you for this!" Briar warned, but the poking came through all the more.
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After ten minutes, Briar was able to move enough to tip the barrel over so that she could roll out of it, and get enough room to stretch her legs and massage them.
"It's getting hot." Helen complained, fanning herself with her hands.
"Yes, it is." Laura replied, looking up at the sun that was getting closer to the horizon. Then she blinked and rubbed her eyes, looking back at the sun.
"...two suns?" Laura asked, confused. It really did seem like there were two suns in the sky, but one of the suns was slowly getting bigger and bigger and bigger.
Briar looked up at the two suns and her face went white.
Then the colossal sized comet blasted the planet they were on into smithereens.
"Oh darling! Look at what you've done! You ruined my perfectly good planet! Now I have to make a new one all over again!" A woman scolded from within the dark breadth of space, shining in the darkness like a star. "You couldn't have just used a meteor to take care of it?"
"You and your darned pet planets! I swear the next time I see such a ridiculous and nonsensical plot, I'll tear up the whole garden of them!" A bishounen huffed a little distance away, frowning. "I'm serious this time!"
The woman frowned. "You don't understand the depth of how wonderful they can be! All you care about is your stupid strength and your bragging games with the others whom you call friends!"
""Humph!"" The two turned away from each other, unreconciled.
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The cart rolled on, slightly jostling the two girls asleep, side by side in the barrel.
"Come on, you two, make up.." Laura muttered in her sleep.
"I'll get you for that, Laura, just you wait..." Briar mumbled by her side.
Helen continued chatting with the cartsman as the scenery slowly passed by.
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This was the April Fools chapter that I had written, but I decided to leave it be. Thus, the next chapter will be called part 2.