The sun was barely up when the children stirred.
In the boys' room, bags were zipped, boots clicked, and armor clanked. Yetsan obsessively polished his breastplate for the third time in a row. Kyle was humming a random tune while juggling two mana bullets and narrowly avoiding Sinryo's dagger practice.
"You're going to blow your face off, you moron," Sinryo muttered, catching a knife mid-air.
"Not if I aim it sideways," Kyle grinned.
In the girls' room, a different kind of chaos was brewing. Sakura stuffed dried meat, fruit tarts, hard bread, chocolate bars, and suspiciously wiggling pudding into her food magic bag.
Gabyola sat cross-legged on her bed, her silver hair neatly tied back as she performed a meticulous inspection of her arrows. One by one, she checked the shafts for cracks, adjusted the fletching, and polished the tips before sliding them into her quiver. Once satisfied, she gently placed the quiver inside her magic bag, which had been carefully arranged to hold her bow, backup string, and flower-scented parchment for notes. She paused, then added a tiny bottle of herbal perfume, just in case.
Orchid was kneeling by her bed, trying her best to compress several oversized chocolate bars into the spatial confines of her magic bag. She had already packed three different flavors, milk, dark, and something suspiciously labeled "experimental mint surprise." Her long blonde braid swayed as she leaned forward, tucking in a clean tunic, her whetstone, and an emergency holy sword polish. Despite her cheery face, she double-checked that her snacks were sealed tight, after last time's melted disaster.
"You know we're traveling, not migrating," Yuuna said, adjusting her wand in her sash.
"I don't want to starve like last time!" Sakura said.
"We didn't starve. We had Gigih's explosive stew," Jessica muttered.
"That was worse than starving," Yuuna corrected.
By the time the whole party gathered in the inn lobby, the sun had only begun to stretch its rays over the cobbled streets. The old inn owner stood near the door, wrapped in a thick shawl and cradling a steaming mug. Her hair was a mess of white curls, and her eyes blinked heavily, still half-dreaming.
"Safe travels, children. May the road be kind and the skies gentle," she said, voice hoarse but warm.
Fuhiken bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your hospitality. We'll travel with care."
Just then, Fahleena stepped forward, planting her boots dramatically and raising her Keyblade of Destiny into the air.
"We march, not merely to journey, but to inscribe our saga upon the chronicles of fate itself! For the world shall tremble beneath our righteous footsteps!"
The inn owner blinked slowly. "Huh?"
Gabyola sighed and gently stepped in. "She means thank you, and we'll be going now."
Fahleena beamed. "Exactly!"
The old woman chuckled, her mug shaking slightly. "Adorable. Just don't cause too much chaos, alright?"
"No promises!" Fahleena chirped, twirling her Keyblade with theatrical flair as the front door opened to the morning chill.
---
Viqce was already waiting outside the inn, her small figure tucked neatly against the stone wall beneath the wooden awning. The morning light cast a faint golden sheen over her black coat, and with her hood down, her short black hair fluttered lightly in the breeze. Her sharp cat ears twitched with every passing sound, footsteps, a distant cartwheel, the flutter of pigeons overhead. Despite the chill in the air, she looked relaxed, almost statuesque, one boot propped against the wall, a toothpick lazily in her mouth. Her tail swayed slowly behind her, curling slightly at the tip like a question mark.
The moment she spotted the party emerging from the inn, her posture straightened in an instant. Her ears flicked forward, eyes brightening. The lazy scout was gone, replaced by the alert guide, ready for duty.p.
"Nyanmorning, nyan! Ready to misty-move?"
"She's adorable!" Sakura squealed, launching herself like a pink cannonball. Viqce was scooped into a hug, her feet no longer touching the ground. Sakura nuzzled her like a hugging pillow. Gabyola's eyes locked on the fluffy ears like a hawk spotting prey.
"...Nyan-help," Viqce managed to say.
"Everyone ready?" Fuhiken asked, already slipping into his leadership tone.
Yuuna held up a small cube from her bag. She gently set it on the ground, poured a few drops of mana onto it, and a luminous circle formed beneath. The cube unfolded with mechanical precision, unfolding into their glorious golden-trimmed, 6-wheeled magic carriage: Stormrider Supreme Express IV.
Viqce's jaw dropped. "Nyan-HOLY whiskers! What kind of noble madness is this!?"
Fuhiken nodded proudly. "She's our ride."
"It's cube-sized! Then this, it's noble sorcery! Compression magic, mana-reconstruction!"
Kyle whispered to Sinryo, "I think we broke her."
"Or evolved her." Sinryo muttered, eyeing her sideways.
Fuhiken glanced at the group. "Alright, riding arrangement. I'll take the driver seat. I want Viqce with me to navigate."
"No." Gabyola stepped forward, arms crossed. "Fluffy belongs in the cabin."
"She's the scout, Gabyola. She has to..."
"She has to sit with us. Girls' cabin rule. We need guidance, too."
"She's the guide."
"And fluffy! Your point?"
"We're not running a daycare for plush toys!"
The boys lined up like it was a stage show, arms crossed and smirks ready. Without a word, Sakura, still hugging Viqce with one arm, reached into her food magic bag and casually pulled out a paper cone of buttered popcorn. She tossed it backward with uncanny precision, and Kyle caught it mid-air with both hands like a practiced snack receiver. With exaggerated reverence, he offered handfuls to Sinryo and Adiw as if distributing sacred rations before a grand performance.
"Front-row seats to a Gabyola vs. Fuhiken classic," Kyle whispered.
"Popcorn improves all diplomacy," Sinryo muttered.
"Especially when fluff is involved," Adiw added, munching.
"Drama level: nine out of ten," Kyle whispered.
"Needs more absurdity," Adiw added, munching.
"Fahleena! Help me out!" Fuhiken called.
Fahleena leapt between them with a flourish. "Silence, mortals! This is a matter of destiny! Only the voice of justice may prevail!"
"Why are you here again?" Yuuna asked.
"To serve the narrative!" Fahleena struck a pose. "As Supreme Judge of Spatial Fluff Allocation..."
"Who gave you that title?"
"Destiny did!"
The argument spiraled. Gabyola declared Viqce's ear fluff had high morale-restoration potential. Fuhiken insisted practicality should overrule fluffiness. Viqce just sat awkwardly while Sakura kept hugging her and Fahleena continued inventing laws.
Kyle leaned back. "This is why I love this party."
"The chaos?" Sinryo asked.
"The commitment."
Eventually, Viqce raised a paw, hand. "Nyan-suggestion: I sit in the cabin now, then swap later when near mist forest. Route from city to forest is plain, nyan."
"Reasonable," Fuhiken admitted.
"Acceptable," Gabyola conceded, hugging Viqce again.
"Hug suffocation... pending... nyan..."
---
With everything settled, the crew boarded. Fuhiken drove. Yetsan, finally done polishing, took the co-driver seat. In the back wagon: Kyle, Sinryo, Adiw, and Gigih. Cabin: Orchid, Sakura, Jessica, Yuuna, Fahleena, Gabyola, and Viqce, trapped between the twin cuddle powers of Gabyola and Sakura.
"And so!" Fahleena declared dramatically, standing at the cabin doorway, wind catching her capelet. "Let the Quest for the Mistbound Horizon begin! Stormrider Supreme Express IV, engage destiny drive!"
Jessica quickly turned her head toward the window, shoulders shaking slightly as she tried to suppress a laugh. Her hand covered her mouth, but her eyes sparkled with amusement.
Orchid tilted her head, eyes wide with dreamy awe. "Ooooh... does that mean we're flying now?"
Fahleena pointed forward with righteous flair. "In spirit, yes!"
Fuhiken sighed, tapping the mana ignition. The carriage purred to life and rolled toward the city gates.
The guards waved them through without a second glance.
"They didn't even ask for documents," Jessica said, eyes narrowed.
"They probably saw the golden crest and assumed nobility," Yuuna replied. "No guard wants to get tangled in that."
---
Once on the open road, Viqce perked up. Her ears flicked at the breeze, and she leaned forward, tail lazily swaying behind her. "So nyan-curious about guilds, nyan?"
"Yes," Yuuna said, pulling out a small notebook and a quill from her magic bag. "Please explain thoroughly."
Viqce cleared her throat with theatrical flair. "Then let this humble scout guide your minds, nyan! There are six big-time guilds across the region, each with their own specialties."
She held up a clawed finger. "First, the Adventurer Guild. They're the most flexible bunch. You need a job done, anything from monster hunting to lost cat retrieval, they'll take it. They're like... the all-rounder toolbox. Dangerous? Sometimes. Wild? Often. But dependable when it counts."
She raised a second finger. "Next, the Mercenary Guild. These folks fight for coin, plain and simple. Guard duty, military contracts, even warzones. They don't ask why. They ask how much. Dangerous work with high pay. Don't expect tea and biscuits from them, unless the biscuits are exploding."
"Sounds like Adiw's kind of people," Kyle called from the back wagon.
"Tch. Too many rules," Adiw muttered.
Viqce chuckled and raised a third finger. "Hunter Guild. They specialize in harvesting materials from monsters. You want a wyvern scale, mimic slime, or hornet venom, they're your supplier. Most alchemists and blacksmiths rely on them. They even have quotas for rare beast parts. You'll spot them in forests and caves with tracking crystals and bug cages."
"Do they... gather pudding too?" Sakura asked, wide-eyed.
Viqce blinked. "Maybe... if a pudding monster exists, nyan."
Yuuna scribbled: Research pudding-type mobs: priority low.
"Fourth, Alchemy Guild," Viqce continued. "Potion-makers, brewers, and mad experimenters. They craft everything from healing elixirs to temporary invisibility philters. Some branch into enchantments. They're helpful, but... their labs usually smell like something exploded. Which it probably did."
"Sounds like Gigih's true calling," Fahleena whispered.
"I'm right here," Gigih grumbled.
"Fifth, Merchant Guild. Masters of trade. They buy low, sell high, and always, always know how much everything is worth, even you. They run most shops and caravans. Their paperwork is terrifying. They're not evil, but they are terrifyingly good at profit."
"Economy overlords," Sinryo mumbled.
"And finally~" Viqce lowered her voice slightly, ears twitching. "Thief Guild."
The cabin went quiet.
"Ours isn't about crime," Viqce said calmly. "Thief Guilds gather intel, guide travelers, smuggle rare items through black-market channels, and run information networks. We do surveillance, escort, infiltration... but we don't pickpocket. That's bandit work. We've got taverns, bars, and..." she grinned, "the best cooked omelets on this side of the continent."
"So you're more like info brokers?" Jessica asked.
"Exactly, nyan! Scouts with style," Viqce said proudly, brushing nonexistent dust off her coat.
"And fluff," Gabyola added softly, stroking Viqce's tail again.
Viqce purred involuntarily, cheeks pink. "Nyan-control... slipping..."
The group shared stories and jokes as the golden wheels turned steadily toward the misty horizon. The sun climbed high, but it did little to pierce the far-off silhouette of Mist Forest, whose towering trees and creeping fog loomed like the edge of another world.
Yet, even as the path darkened ahead, the laughter inside the carriage continued, anchored by popcorn debates, exaggerated declarations, and the very important decision of who was allowed to hug Viqce next.
---