Chapter Text
My legs were beginning to hum, and I felt like, if I do at least one more step, I'll just fall into the nearest leaves pile.
Unfortunately, I am strictly forbidden to do that. Not only because if I fall somewhere, I, considering my current state, can and will fall asleep right on the spot. But if I fall asleep, then my new purple friend will leave without me. Speaking of which.
I looked back on my «legally obligated» guide. He was quietly standing beside me. Suspiciously quietly for someone who was able to talk about all kinds of topics with an almost complete stranger in the past… half an hour(it's been only half an hour?). Was it because we finally reached our destination? Were we lost? I wasn't sure. But something was really and really wrong.
«Um… Ey? You're fine, buddy?»
The minion flinched and jump-turned to me with the most furious look, person with an eye instead of face could give.
«Quiet!»
«Heh?»
«sh-h.»
«Okay, but wh-?»
«SHUSH!»
I raised my hands, shook them, trying to speak in signs.
W-h-a-t h-a-pp-e-n-e-d?
He looked at me in pure confusion, also raising his hands in the same position as me.
I opened my mouth, closed it and opened again, mimicking the words I wanted to say.
«What are you-?»
«Hey? Who is here?» Before he could finish speaking, there another voice came.
We both shuddered, I looked around, trying to understand where the voice was coming from, should I hide, and if yes, where to…
A-and then, the ground went out from under my feet as the minion pushed me into the nearest bushes. I yelped, covering my face from the thorns and sticks.
There was a crack, and then I finally facepalmed on the ground. All sounds suddenly started to seem so far, so quiet, compared to all-consuming ringing. For a minute I laid still, unable to understand anything, staring into the darkness, into nowhere. Am I-?
«Kye?!»
Nope. Here are the sounds. I sighed in relief, as carefully as I could rolled over from the ground, trying to get more comfortable(plus, safer for my eyes), and focused on the voices.
«How did you even get here?» — I could've sworn at the first time this voice sounded differently. — «Aren't you supposed to patrol the east side of the forest?»
«U-uh w-well yes. I've already finished that. Everything was quiet and empty, and… all that.»
I got up a little and looked between the leaves at the talkers. There were three of them, all looked almost identical to each other.
«Aw, that's so boring.» — said the shortest among them.
«Patrolling is always boring, Sven. You should've got used to it.» — the one, standing on the right from the shortie, shook his head, folding his arms, before turning to my «guide». — «So, nothing out of the ordinary?»
«Y-yep. Even the traps were empty.»
Shortie took a couple of steps to my guide and patted him on the shoulder. The tall one only snorted at this scene.
«S-so, and, what about you guys?» — my matey asked, his voice felt warmer, as if he was smiling. — «Did you patrol together?»
«Everything as always, there were a couple of birds in traps, — the taller one responded. — and yes, for now, we do patrol together.»
«O-OH! And there's a deer on the borderline! Well, more precisely, was, probably. We weren't the ones who founded it, I just got to hear the news, when we came across the village.»
«A deer? — my buddy snickered. — I thought the Boss already got all of them.»
«Well, of course, he didn't. It is impractical to eat all the animal souls at once, what if She… Uh, you know the reasons.»
«Why do I feel that you were the one explaining him this stuff?»
«Because he is a smartass.» Shortie clanged into conversation with the most smug look someone like him could have. Not expecting this part of the conversation, I almost chortled.
«Seventy-seventh!» — the taller one shuddered, his voice sounded offended, almost betrayed. While my guide on the other hand couldn't hold himself.
«And, you, — the taller one punched my contractor in the shoulder, — stop laughing, you blockhead!»
I twitched from hold laughter, covering my mouth, trying to carefully crawl a little further away, when suddenly I realised that I couldn't move my foot. I looked down, but couldn't see anything because of the branches and leaves. Pulled it, and…
Crrr-ru-u-unch
Oh.
And in the next moment I was hanging in the air, pulled by some kind of rope up by the leg. Facing three frozen in one position purple figures glowing with their yellow eyes on me.
Shit.
«Uh…» I scoffed, trying to blink the dizziness and colourful dots away. — Hello?»
The shorty jumped.
«Woah! Hello-hello, you… What are you even doing here? Are you from the south side of the forest?»
«I-…»
«A-a human!» — the taller one takes a step back. — «A human.»
«They're human?! But-but the coat…» — shorty looks back at me. «Ah. But-! How did a human even get here?»
«That doesn't matter, we must call Boss immediately.»
«No!» — I felt warmth in my chest, realizing that my guide was also against my immediate death, but this warmth quickly disappeared as soon as he continued talking: — No. This is my prey! I was the one to make a contract with them, not you!»
«Take this as a punishment for your lie. Sven, summon the Boss!»
Erk-! Excuse me, but I'm not ready to die!
«Objection! — all the minions immediately fell silent and stared at me with pure confusion. — It's impractical! For you I am a very, very useful specimen and I can… I can do a lot of things! For you.»
«For example?» — taller one drawls, squinting at me.
«W-For example, I–I am a mailman! I can bring you a lot of different good things and-and all… that.»
«And for what?»
«Wait, wait, wait, they got a point!» — shortie waved his hands as if to attract attention. — «Imagine the stuff we can get from them! For free! No need to do extra tasks!»
«Hm… Okay-»
«Hey! Actually they are my-!»
«Shut it, Kye. — taller threw his hand right in front of… Kye's face. — What else can you offer, human?»
«A-erm… A lot of things, actually! I know lots of stuff! Knitting, — only a scarf but it is still pretty neat tho! — sewing, how to bake… Erm… and other stuff…»
«And thats all?»
«Wait. Did they say sewing? Do you know what can it mean?»
«Yes. That they sew stuff, with needles and threads.»
«Not like that, idiot. That means that we won't have to go to the Boss if something happens! Sooo, no shame board pin, no punishment contracts.»
Kye started up, looking at one of the minions with some new look (this statement was rather metaphoric. It was difficult to understand the expressions of those who had one big yellow spot instead of a face) and before taller one was able to say something, got into the conversation:
«Hey, he got a point.»
«Are you saying that because it is supposed to be your «prey»?»
«Are you really deciding between a small reward and constant goods delivery?»
Taller one didn't respond and they end up staring at each other for a whole minute or two. It almost looked like a silent competition. And of course, I hoped Kye will win.
Finally, he nodded:
«In that case we shall sign a contract.» — he said slowly and even made a pause in the end, as if giving more weight to his words. No wonder why little one didn’t wait to speak after he ends his speech:
«But how do we lay a contract without magic?» — in the expressions with which both minions turned to him, I saw a pure, obvious confusion. — Well, remember, Boss's contacts are just doing «poof» — he waved his hands, explaining himself, — and they appear. We can't do that.»
«Contracts can be sign without magic, Sven.»
«They can?! Why didn’t I know about it?» — little one huffed. — «Ah, guess it doesn’t matter now. How do we lay them?»
«Eh, well, firstly we need a paper. And something that can write. Then we write — Kye twitched, silently groaning to himself, as he heard that, — what we obliged to do on the said paper and sign it. That is the contract.»
«Oooh. That's actually makes sense now. — shortie rustled, before taking out crumpled paper and a sharpened stick(which apparently was a pencil). — Here you go! So, what shall we write now?»
«That they, — I blinked, as the taller one pointed at me, — are obliged to deliver us stuff and also do what we are asking them for.»
«U-huh. And?»
«And you three are supposed to keep me safe in this place!»
Taller one gestured Sven to stop writing, while turning to me:
«We can't guarantee you safety, this is Subcon.»
«But you can keep me alive and away from the traps. Y’know it’d be like a little help in orienteering here. It will be worse for you if I get lost or die.»
Tall one remained silent, rethinking my words.
«You’re quite negotiative for a person with no choice. — Kye folded his arms, taking a step closer to me. — But, I guess we can do that.? However, I must clarify that if Boss catches you, we won't help.»
The taller one pondered Kye's words for a while, then nodded, turning his gaze back to us.
«So… — shortie broke the silence. — What should I write? All you've said, or what?»
«Ye-…»
«No, — taller one raised his hand. — just that they obliged to deliver us stuff we asked for and we in our turn obliged to keep them… Alive and secret. From Boss. That's all, now write it down.»
I nodded.
And the place fell silent again. Very unpleasant silent. Mostly because there already were some big dark spots, floating before my eyes.
«Um. So, as we laid our contract, can you get me down on the ground?»
Kye gave me a smug look, I could feel it from his voice:
«Well, we havent signed it. So basically contract isn't laid. Yet.»
«But I cant sign it while hanging upside down.»
«Sounds like your prob-..»
«Its not a problem at all! You can say your name, I'll just write it down and then we'll help you down. Easy!»
I blinked at Sven.
«U-uh. Right. Great idea actually.»
I can’t just say my name to them! It’s such a reckless thing to do, especially in a magical spooky forest!
I need to come up with something real quick. Okay, think, think. A Random Name. Random Name. RaNe. Rane, yep, that’ll do it.
God I am a mastermind of combining!
«Call me Rane.»
«Ooh nice name, can you spell it please? I don‘t want to get it wrong.»
«R-a-n-e.»
«And done! Now you two.»
Shortie haded the others our improvised contract, they signed it and after another five-or-ten minutes my feet(after the face) finally touched the ground.
I sighed with relief, leaning against the tree and almost falling back down on the ground from dizzieness.
Minions, luckily, waited for me to recover. Finally, my headache calmed down. I stood straight and looked at three minions, when suddenly I realised one absolutely terrifying thing. I didnt agree with them to walk me to the village.
«Uh. Okay, so, after we laid the contract I- um, can you please walk me to my village?»
«To yours? Where is it?»
«South-east side.» - surprisingly, Kye answered instead of me.
«How did you even know it!?»
«When I said that I walked all the Subcon, I meant it, y'know.» - he almost seemed offended. I opened my mouth to assure him that I was listening his talks, but taller one got ahead:
«Okay, okay, Kye, walk our Contractor to their village and come back, problem is solved.»
Kye huffed but said nothing. I turned to taller one:
«Thank you... - crap, how should I call him? Its not like shortie and my once-again guide mentioned his name. - Umm, what's your... What should I call you?»
«Subcon dweller. - taller one shuddered his shoulders. - Or subconite.»
«Erm… no, I get that. But what should I call you?»
«What do you mean?»
«What are y’all names? Like, you three. What should I call you?»
They went silent. Even the little one.
«We don’t have a-..»
«Call me Karl! — the Sven one exclaimed, interrupting his friend. — Always wanted to be Karl.»
«Karl? Seriously?»
«Yes, I think, it sounds neat!»
Kye snorted and seeing Karl's enthusiasm droop give me a strong feeling like it was my personal duty to stand up for name.
«Karl is a nice name. And what about you two?»
«Kye.»
«I'd go by Fourth.»
«Fourth? Eh, alright, as you wish. So as we now know each other... I think its time for me to go back.»
I looked at Kye and he nodded, before starting walking to path, among the bushes. I followed him, nodding to my new... To my contractors. Shortie, or I mean, Karl waved at me:
«Bye, Rane! Make sure to come back with needles and threads soon!»
«I will! - I waved back to him and quickly walked towards my once-again guide. - Goodbye, you two.»
Two subconites continued watching us, until they disappeared behind another thickets we turned next to.
I closely watched my once-again guide, at the same time trying to watch my steps.
Once again.