They had run through the forest for what felt like an eternity. Sweat mixed with the remnants of Project SKUNK for hours and hours. Early on, Fritz and Ada were handed a pair of healing potions. Gagging only slightly they downed the cherry red liquid. Nearly instantly, Fritz's wound healed without leaving a single scar. Ada, on the other hand, finally became cognizant. Only after bathing for what felt like an eternity did the party stop and finally make camp. Now, Fritz had to deal with a new enemy surrounding him.

"Please, forgive me." Fritz said blandly, as he handed Neva a bottle of whiskey alongside a long fat cigar. Neva grunted as she accepted the bribe. Fritz was on his knees. Ada, Neva and Marcelle were standing over him. They loomed over him like an annoyed trio of disappointed parents.

"Look, I'm sorry." Fritz said with an exasperated sigh. "I just didn't want to get arrested. What if they detained us for weeks?"

"Meat." Ada replied. Her hand motioned for Fritz to hurry up. A beautifully marbled raw steak appeared in his hands instantly. Handing it over like a sacred artifact, Fritz watched the blonde beastkin start tearing into it immediately.

"Can't you cook it first?" Fritz whined.

"Hungry." Ada replied. Opening the bottle, Neva reared back and started draining the bottle.

"Make these." Marcelle demanded as she shoved a bundle of strange purple leafy stalks into Fritz's hands.

"What is it?" Fritz asked as he inspected the herb.

"A herb that will remove the smell. Make it quick. You can do that can't you?" Marcelle huffed. Underneath her long black hair, her face flared with open hatred. Her tail whipped around with impatience as she waited.

"Thanks, Marcelle." Neva replied. A slight red flush was on her face, as she sniffed the cigar. Lighting it with a bit of magic, she started puffing it. A brief look of satisfaction filled her before she locked eyes with Fritz. Fritz stood up, as he handed Marcelle a newly conjured set of herbs.

"I told you not to do that. Yet you did it anyway." Neva chastised Fritz.

"It was our best option. I had to do it. It was the quickest way to get rid of the guards! They wanted to kill us!" Fritz lamented.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Because you didn't want to surrender!"

"Exactly!" Marcelle seethed, as she moved away to the small campfire. "We could have handled that far differently!"

"Come on, girls. It wasn't that bad." Ada said

"Thank you, Ada. And it was better than last time!" Fritz said confidently. Neva's brow twitched, as her cigar wiggled in her mouth.

"Not that bad?" Stepping forward, Neva moved with frightening speed. She bent Fritz forward in a standing arm lock, Fritz felt burning pain radiate through his joints. "I don't care! I told you never to do it again! Not to mention, you promised to!"

"Break it, Neva." Marcelle urged from the campfire, as she set up her alchemical equipment. "I've more healing potions."

"Neva!" Ada whined. "You're hurting him!"

"Stop! Please! I'll never use Project SKUNK again!"

"Break it!" Marcelle urged.

"Champion, my ass." Neva said, clicking her tongue. Releasing him, she readjusted her cigar.

"I'm sorry. Jesus." Fritz said while rubbing his arm.

"Who?"

"Forget it. I'll make it up to you! All of you! I swear!" Fritz pleaded.

"Good. Let's start now."

"Neva, you're being mean." Ada whined.

"He deserves it. Personally, I think it was worse than last time." Marcelle said. "You were too concussed to notice, Ada."

"Was I?" Ada asked, nibbling on the raw meat. Neva nodded.

"Fritz, owes us. It's bad enough he can't defend himself. He should at least compensate us, for our troubles."

"I'm working on that." Fritz said with a sigh. "It's hard without a proper workshop or tools. It's not like I can create an army of suicide drones to defend myself yet." The three beastkin looked at him with utter confusion. Neva was the first to recover.

"Doesn't matter." Neva said confidently. "Fritz, you're gonna make me whatever I ask until I don't hate you."

"Fine! Fine! Just no more arm locks!" Fritz rubbed his elbow urging the pain to vanish.

Turning around towards Marcelle and Ada, Neva saw the dissatisfied looks of Marcelle as the lamia started preparing her alchemical concoction.

"Not just me, Fritz. All of us. Anything Marcelle wants, you make. Same for Ada." A smug smile wormed its way across Marcelle's lips.

"Fine!" Fritz replied.

"Does that mean I can get my sword back?"

"I'm not making you a plain wooden sword." Fritz replied.

"It was enchanted." Ada whined.

"No it wasn't." Marcelle and Neva said in unison.

"Don't make her the wooden sword, Fritz. It's a bad idea. She might keep using it in combat."

"But you said anything!" Ada whined.

"We'll get you a real sword in Hueryss." Neva said.

Snapping her fingers towards Fritz, Marcelle got Fritz attention.

"Minion, come here. I need to restock." Her purple eyes sparkled with satisfied superiority as she rooted through her bag of holding.

"But I'm still hungry." Ada whined. "How long is it gonna take?"

"I'm gonna need more firewater, and whatever these are." Neva said, pointing towards her cigar.

"Cigar. They are called cigars. Please, everyone take a number." Holding up his hands, Fritz tried his best to satisfy his companions.