The morning ca in, painting the grassy plains. Maddy walked with a light bounce in her step, her Senses and Awareness Traits pulsing outward to ensure no predators, human or otherwise, lurked in the tall grass.
Beside her, Hoppy looked like a completely different child. The gri had been washed away with a splash of Hygiene Sli secretion, and her orange hair caught the light like polished copper. She was currently occupied with a large bag of Crispy Blade Chips that Maddy had prepared from thin sliced Blade Bunny at.
"Miss Maddy! These are amazing! They’re so salty and... and they make my tongue tingle! How do you make at stay this crunchy?"
Maddy bead at her, adjusting the strap of her bag.
"It’s all about the temperature control, sweetie. You have to sear the edges instantly to lock in the juices, and then let the air do the rest. I’m glad you like them!"
As they walked, Hoppy suddenly reached into her tattered bag and pulled out a large, well kept notebook. Even while moving and munching on her snack, her pencil flew across the page with purpose. She was deeply focused, sketching a detailed Blade Bunny.
She did more than just draw the creature; she mapped it out with the precision of an artist. She labeled the powerful legs, the sharp ears, and the different cuts of at. Beside the drawing, she scribbled neat notes about which parts were the most tender and the specific ways they should be cooked to get the best flavor.
Maddy leaned over, her eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Wow, look at you! That’s so professional level drawing, Hoppy. Where did you learn to keep a book like that?"
Hoppy didn’t look up, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth while she concentrated.
"It’s just a hobby, Miss Maddy. Back in Oozewell, everyone had to know their ingredients. Our daily life was all about producing things. We didn’t just live near the slis and the monsters; we lived with them."
She flipped to a new page, showing Maddy a drawing of how a Hygiene Sli worked.
"We used the slis to clean the water and the monsters to give us food," Hoppy explained, her voice sounding proud. "If you didn’t know which part of a Sludge Sli was poisonous and which part could be made into soap, you weren’t very useful. My mom taught that every creature has a purpose. You just have to be smart enough to find the right recipe."
Maddy felt a lot of respect for the girl. This wasn’t just a scared kid; this was soone who really understood how the world worked. Hoppy had a natural talent for "ingredients" that matched Maddy’s own love for cooking.
"I think you and I are going to get along just fine," Maddy said, laughing. "A girl who knows her monsters is a girl who can take care of herself. Keep that book close!"
She added,
"You know, I have sothing just like that. I call it my Monsterpedia. It’s where I record every creature I see, but your version is special. It’s like a ’Monster Recipe’ book!"
Maddy was truly impressed. Hoppy wasn’t just drawing pictures; she was understanding the soul of the ingredients. It made Maddy feel even closer to the girl. She wasn’t just a child she had saved anymore; she was like a talented little apprentice who saw the world exactly the way Maddy did.
"You’ve got a real gift, Hoppy... Most people just see a scary monster and run. But you? You see a al, a tool, and a way to survive. That’s what makes you a survivor."
Hoppy giggled, hugging her notebook to her chest. The bond between them grew stronger with every step they took toward the city. As the sun climbed higher, the massive stone walls of the Capital finally appeared in the distance. The towers were so tall they seed to poke holes in the clouds.
"There it is... The Capital. Let’s go find your dad first."
They both walked through the massive city gates and the overwhelming roar of the Capital instantly filled their ears.
[New Map Acquired: Capital City: Protha]
Maddy stood frozen for a second. The sheer scale of Protha took her breath away. It felt as though she had been dropped into a living, breathing painting.
She felt like a total tourist. She walked with her head tilted back, her eyes darting from the intricate carvings on the buildings to the people dressed in edgy fashion. It reminded her so much of a grand, fantasy version of dieval London—cleaner, louder, and infinitely more magical.
"Wow... Lucy, look at this. It’s... it’s actually beautiful. I didn’t think these Protheans could build sothing this coordinated."
She pointed toward the center of the main thoroughfare. Even though the sun was high and bright, massive wooden pillars lined the streets, topped with roaring, eternal flas that cast no smoke.
"Woah... this city really is sothing. Look at that golden fire! Even the wood isn’t burning against it. What in the world!"
The flas glowed with a warm, golden, and comforting light that made the entire city feel alive.
[Response: Identifying energy source. These are ’Eternal Embers.’ They are a tribute to the primordial Protheus. He is famously known in this world’s lore for the fire he stole from the—]
"The marketplace is this way."
Hoppy whispered suddenly, tugging on Maddy’s hand and cutting Lucy’s history lesson short. Maddy blinked, snapping out of her trance. She looked down at Hoppy, who was leading her toward a huge open square. The area was a sea of colorful tents, shouting traders, and the clatter of wagon wheels.
"My papa... he’s a rchant... He should be right there, in the central trade hub."
Maddy smiled, squeezing the girl’s hand back.
"Lead the way, Hoppy. Let’s go find him."
As they got closer to the heart of the market, Maddy noticed Hoppy’s pace slowing down. The girl’s hand was shaking, and she kept biting her lip. She wasn’t looking at the stalls anymore; she was looking at her feet.
"Hey, Hoppy. You’re acting a bit different. Is everything okay?"
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