Should Have Let Me Die

I followed the gaggle of women around to the far end of our wagon train. I hadn't really taken a good look at them all last night since it was almost dark by the time we got back with Marly; I wonder how she was doing? I would have to check up on her soon as well.

The wagon that I was being pulled a pair of large and weird-looking creatures. There is no way to describe them except as hippos with elephant noses, but twice as big as a hippo... Like an elephant... I don't know, Elephantumus. The next thing I noticed was that it was made from plates welded like patchwork and a stack pumping out smoke.

"Is this a smith on wheels? What was I gone for? Ten, maybe twelve hours? Where the hell did this come from?"

I was stunned; this had to of been a crazy operation while the rest were traveling. All the welding on the plates and making the stuff; we didn't have a forge yesterday, maybe some tools... Well, let's stop dreaming and get in!

I ran to catch up to the girls because they had just left staring. Arrentia did stop when she noticed me running to catch up, and once I got to her, I took her arm in mine.

"Want to go for a walk?"

"... Ummm, arent we going in the new wagon?"

"Yeah, but do you want to walk with me there, silly?"

Arrentia put a hand to her mouth, and she giggled, starting to blush. I pulled her hand away while smiling and leaned in to kiss her. Arrentia pressed into me, and we shared a kiss and then rubbed noses; I kissed her forehead and started to walk with her to the steel box on wheels.

I walked with Arrentia up to the end and opened the steel door. Inside, I expected the girls to be waiting impatiently for me, but they were all busy watching people work or helping. There were five stations set up around the room, doing different things, all of them making me very excited!

One human girl was taking metal parts she was given and sticking them together, and she had a very large Tiger-kin helping her. The Tiger got the parts and helped the heavy ones while the girl worked. They looked like a good team, and that kind of fearless partnership was the kind of thing I wanted to see, but my hopes were almost shattered when Tigger dropped apart.

"You stupid good for nothing! Are you stupid or something?" The small woman yelled up at the man cat that was cowering back now.

Great, I jinxed it, but then I started laughing after the Tiger-Kins next words.

"Babe, I am really sorry. I'll tickle your feet later, okay? Just stop making such a big scene; great Master Hyde is here."

"Oh, you will, will you? I like the sound... Wait, you said..."

The small woman was wearing an apron and had brown hair tied back in a ponytail. Her eyes went big and then bowed to me, apologizing for her rude behavior. I put my hand over my face and sighed before speaking out loud so everyone could hear.

I gave them the, call me what you won't speak, and everyone relaxed, but then went back to work. I wasn't that important, it was fine. Arrentia giggled and then leaned up to kiss my cheek and went to talk to the metal binder girl, and I decided to look around.

The next thing I noticed was a table full of glass beakers and flasks, each filled with a different liquid. At the far end of the table, the woman was wearing a white lab coat, but very wide on the sides. I walked over to her and noticed she was touching one of the beakers with a clear liquid in it.

"Whatcha' doin'?"

"Making stronger acid."

"Oh? For?"

"Death Pots."

"Hmm, that sounds good, I'm Hyde, and you are?"

She slowly turned on me with a scowl that was replaced with a shocked look. I was also a bit shocked; This woman had four eyes and little antennas coming from her forehead. Her cheek glittered with a rainbow of colors, and then I looked at the bell-shaped coat she was wearing again. Butterfly-Kin?!

"Oh, umm, sorry, I... am, uh... Xelios... That's my name!"

The words were a mess coming out, and it made her look cute, so I pretend to ignore her babbling and smiled.

"Well, Xelios, what kind of magic do you have? I can see it some kind of alteration magic, but what kind?"

"Umm, I can, uh, add or take away from how strong it a liquid is, I think. Before, I could only really effect booze

so this is all new to me."

"That's a cool ability you have there, Xelios; I hope your research goes well! I check up on you and your death bombs in the future, okay?"

Xelios's cheeks flashed glowing rainbow colors, and she let out a squeaking noise, throwing her hands up to cover her cheeks. Suddenly the room went quiet, and Xelios started to flash brightly, but I could see tears forming in her eyes. Everyone was staring at her, and she obviously didn't enjoy the attention, but I could fix that; Xelios had bright cheeks, but...

I scoured my mind with intensity and a burning desire to stop those tears. I watched my skin turn black as my clothes lit on fire. Instantly, everyone's eyes were on me as my skin started to crack, the red fire inside of me glowing from below the surface. I stepped forward and walked over to Xelios.

She stepped back at first, and then after either remembering who I was or gained some courage, Xelios held her ground. I wrapped blacked arms around her as waves of heat rolled off my body.

Usually, this would be enough to fry any person to a crisp, but she wasn't any person. She was just like everyone else that I cared about here—part of the family and under my protection.

"I think your bright cheeks look a lot better than my burnt and black ones, hehe!"