"Let me reiterate," Judy said, tapping her foot here and there. Sandy stood by her side, covering his face and limping, while Morio, Jyuzou, Chyuuichi, Atomu, the demons and the Paladians waited with awkward expressions. "You said that, and I quote, you're going to create the Guardian Demons for the people that pass."

"We have the demon seed," he muttered quietly.

"Then, you inclined that with the power of friendship and EVERYONE involved, you'd be able to not only forge great weapons but do all the other unspoken stuff that involves people with ACTUAL GREAT EXPERIENCE."

Sandy gave her a thumbs-up.

"DESPITE NOT KNOWING A SINGLE THING ABOUT HOW IT WORKS?!"

"I'm deeply sorry and I intend to make up for my mistake in the form of-" Sandy laid on the ground.

"The more ridiculous part is expecting everyone here to be involved." Ranpa shook his head. "You were right with me not going back home as soon."

"No! I knew Sam was going to participate!" Judy yelled as Sam rubbed the back of his head, smiling at the distraught Ranpa. "Though, we're going to have our hands busy because of his ridiculousness!"

"Fret not, dear companion!" a voice echoed, as someone trod the staircase from the top. Sandy dared to look up, spotting a beautiful, hopeful shine flailing his way as if it was the most magnificent of beings in the form of a Mirillian that he had never seen.

Judy's brow twitched in anger, while Chyuuichi opened his mouth in great shock. Atomu scratched his head. "Isn't that-"

"For I, dearest of Tenors, have come to aid my new Manto in his troublesome quest!"

Morio gasped. "Weren't you the idiot that almost got himself killed in-"

"That's way past me, for I have become the bravest of Mirillians!" he chuckled. "With the great knowledge of everything at the tip of my fingers!"

Judy put her hand over her face, sighing out. "I forgot about him."

"Who's this?" Sandy pointed, standing up.

"Your new friend." Tenor chuckled, confidently.

"Where did you find him?" Jyuzou whispered to Chyuuichi.

"He found himself here!" he replied.

"Bold claim! I don't even know you, foo!" Sandy reiterated.

Tenor chuckled, in a disciplined manner. He pulled something out of his thousands of bags and passed it into Sandy's hands.

"Page thirteen. Fourteen, actually." he tapped its cover a few times.

Sandy scrolled through, as his eyes lit up accordingly. He glanced back at Tenor with a great, grand gulp.

"I KNOW, RIGHT?" the Mirillian yelled.

"Oh! Oh, shucks!"

In the span of the next few seconds, off they were, sprinting into the basement with joyous screams.

Judy moved back, sighing out. "A problem solves another. How... amusing."

"So, you're going to participate?" Atomu asked, glancing back and forth between Sam and Ranpa.

"At least a good chunk here enthusiastically yelled that out when it was announced. I had my prediction, and so I came prepared. I'm all for Sandy's victory, but damn that man, I'm not letting him be the only Demonear in this house." Judy added.

"Likewise!" Sam raised his voice. "Prope Portam will find itself a new fighter."

"Please don't tell me you'll quit your job." Ranpa shook his head.

"Yer not going to participate?" Chyuuichi pointed.

"I can try. Doubt it'll lead to anything, but-" Ranpa chuckled. "-I already crossed far too many lines of comfort."

Atomu chortled, albeit awkwardly, with Judy raising a brow.

"What about the two of you?" Jyuzou asked as he and Morio trod over to Ronpi and Katha sitting by the bookshelves.

"It'd be a little ridiculous, wouldn't it?" she chuckled. "A demon with a Guardian Demon."

Everyone in the room pointed towards Atomu who gasped and closed his eyes in shame.

"Okay, okay!" she waved her hands back and forth. "I mean, I don't want to take too much of what was given to us, ya know?" she scratched her forehead. "I already have my strengths, and damn, is life worth living now! Right, Ronpi?" she bumped him with her shoulder.

"I wanna participate!" he added, with a clueless smile.

"That's...!" she sucked in air through her teeth. "Not very humble!"

"Sandy won't be needing any of our help, then. What about you four?" Judy continued.

"We're setting out to Malikan in a few days," Morio spoke up.

"What for?" Ranpa asked.

"I don't know if it's any secret, but we'll be doing the other push with the Demonear business!" the Morian reassured.

"To put it bluntly, we're trying to find a good chunk of those who went into hiding," Jyuzou explained.

"I see. It makes sense, kinda. If the whole world is in their favour again, why not peek your head out?" she asked.

"Great thinking, and it should've always stayed that way!" Morio raised his voice, and such perfectly coincided with the two storming back upstairs with hopeful expressions.

"I heard!" Sandy added, breathing heavily. "You're leaving soon, right?!"

"Yeah," Atomu added, unsurely.

"Tenor here showed me the best of his works! I'm sure if we put our hands on board we'll have some proof of our AMAZING teamwork!"

The two high-fived.

"Ya don't need much to start a friendship!" Chyuuichi pointed, while Sandy quickly grabbed Atomu by the shoulder.

"Let me see 'em!" he grinned.

"My... huh?" he made a very strange expression.

"Your Guardian Demons! Before you set out, I promise I'll give them a few upgrades here and there so they're fancy enough to carry you further in. I'll also learn a few things firsthand, right, Tenor!?"

"Enough liquid seed will be the solution!" the Mirillian fixed his goggles, which now covered his eyes.

"Please...!" Sandy begged on their knees.

"Well, can't say no! Morgana's broken in half!"

"WHAT?!" Jyuzou yelled. "What did you do?!"

"Ya'd say it's a lie." both Mirillians replied before Sandy snatched the weapon from Chyuuichi's hands.

"The rest of ya, too, please!" Sandy continued, tapping their shoulders. "If I break something I'll stab myself with my own arrows to prove my wrongdoings!"

"That's way too extreme!" Sam yelled.

"Gah! Okay, okay!" Atomu gulped, taking Knrhum's Blade out of its sheath and placing it on the table. "I t-trust you, then."

Jyuzou took a deep breath, before passing his spear forth.

"Ooh, it's a little rusty." Sandy tapped the edges.

"R-Really?" the Morian asked.

"White-haired, tick-tock!" Tenor pointed.

Morio took a step back, a little unsure. "C-Considering it was my Mama who forged it, I'd rather not." he shook his head.

"He?" Tenor seemed confused.

Sandy scratched his head, awkwardly.

"You get it, right?" Morio breathed out. "I have something else I want to find out about the blade in the meantime. So... that'd be the best decision."

Sandy blinked a couple of times, before flashing a smile. "Alright, I guess."

"Although, I do have one dull sword. You think you could do it a little justice?" Morio pulled Victis out of its sheath.

"O-Of course! Four is enough, then!"

The two quickly ran away, dragging Knrhum's Blade on the floor, much to Judy's absent anger.

"I'm starting to regret my decision." Jyuzou shook his head.

"Don't fret, y'all!" Chyuuichi put his hand over the other three. "If the Great Weapon wasn't proof enough already, I can vouch for my Mirillian brethren."

Atomu sighed, before smiling a little. Chyuuichi's grin grew even wider. Jyuzou fixed his glasses, before meeting Morio's gaze.

The other Morian smiled, despite the uncertainties he had just mentioned.

***

"You reckon they'll have them done by tomorrow?" Jyuzou asked, taking his glasses off and placing them on an adjacent shelf in the bedroom of their modest, wooden Eggre house.

"We're not setting out just yet!" Morio added, scouring over to the hammock near the ceiling and wrapping himself with a few blankets.

"It's a little strange for me, though. Not to sound like a creep, but the weapon's presence helps me fall asleep a little faster." he shuffled through his hair, raising his leg to do the same thing Morio did.

"You sleep with the spear? Gaha!" Morio chuckled.

"I know you're not talking with that stuffed bear I can see even without my glasses!"

"Gah!" Morio stuffed it with a pillow. "Jyuzou, bastard!"

Then, the two shared a small chuckle, before Jyuzou sighed, staring into the ceiling.

"Whatever makes you sleep better at night, I guess." he scratched his nose.

"Yeah," Morio muttered. "...and lets you have all those vivid dreams."

The other Morian turned, as Morio sat up, glancing around.

"Did you get to ask anyone about the flowers?"

"No, though, I'm starting to think it might have been nothing more than that. The King kind of said so. At the same time, them mentioning Shi Hon's name reminded me of something." he scratched his head.

"I'm scared if you put it that way. Curious, though." Jyuzou flipped to the side.

"The dream with the flowers was just as vivid as something else I dreamt of a few weeks before, you know? There was one place I saw in Morta when I was all alone with that wretched Daress." Morio put his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. "It was a prison cell in the ruins, with all the numbers in Old Manjuno scratched right into the wall."

"A prisoner's been counting days?"

"Probably, and there was also a tunnel that led from there right to Mount Aria." he gulped. "Honestly, recalling that in itself was a bad memory, but the dream was even weirder." he shook his head. "I was... Shi Hon."

"What?" Jyuzou made a strange expression.

"Not kidding! The demon himself, for Shin's sake. Right in that cell, scratching away at the walls and trying to tell the guards there that I'm stronger. Talking about power itself would make sense in my eyes, but... I don't know Shi Hon well enough to tell myself if it was just that or some other thing."

"Like, the connection Shi Hon made and cursed your Guardian Demon?"

"Maybe. Since we met that man in Taigase I try to keep Gloria a little further away when I sleep. U-Unlike you."

"Morio!" Jyuzou pushed the hammock, almost falling off.

"Sorry, sorry." he chuckled. "Let's hope it stays just a dream, then."

Jyuzou sighed. "You got me worried for a second."

Morio breathed out. "You have all those witchtales of dreams seeping into reality and... we proved that some of them aren't just myths, right?"

"If it makes you sleep better, but I'd assume it wouldn't." Jyuzou sighed. "The less you ponder, the better. If we're to reach the Kabun Clan with that cursed weapon of yours, we might get the answer. Is that also why you didn't give Gloria to Sandy?"

Morio nodded, before laying back down.

"I could tell, back then, too," Jyuzou muttered. "Whatever is that we're dealing with, I'm sure we'll find a way to push through."

"Silent in strength!" Morio added.

"That's why I'm trying to fall asleep."

***

Rowan fixed up a few baby-prepared meals. They tried any food fit for toddlers and alike since they weren't exactly sure what would work out in the end. The baby smiled and moved around in its bed and blankets, with the Tributal sighing out in accordance.

They moved to the circular window, leaving it open to wash away the cacophony of smells present. Soon, they sat again, with a bottle of milk heading the baby's way.

"There, there," they muttered, as the child grabbed the two rope-like ends and drank, with lit-up eyes meeting Rowan's.

The Tributal couldn't help but flash a small smile, before adjusting their glasses. They turned to the open window, seeing as raindrops intruded, once more. They weren't as loud this time, and in turn, he glanced at Ambrosia.

Raising the blankets revealed many of the Úgau leaves placed atop their hands and chest, with the mix of the Devil's Leaf and Angel's Twig inside two layers like a dumpling. They flipped some of them over before the downpour strengthened.

They were louder again, and the baby finished its bottle, before smiling, as Rowan put it to the side and adjusted the blankets. Then, turning back to Ambrosia, wishing to do the same, a sound permeated through the tight walls of the apartment.

A small groan followed, with the other Tributal's face making a strange expression for a split second.

As soon as it appeared though, it left, leaving Rowan frozen in shock.