Chapter Forty-Four: A Favor to Ask

"Who exactly is this tall oa-," Natto looked Bear up and down, "Gentleman?"

Drake snickered as he put some of the stew into Bear's unusually large bowl, filling it to the brim, "That's Bear, I met him in the forest. He was nice enough to not just let me die in a ditch," Drake chuckled.

"Ah," Natto again gave Bear a once over, "He does indeed seem… nice."

"And tall, don't forget tall," Drake grinned, looking over at the still slightly gaping construct on his shoulder.

Drake pulled a bowl for himself and Natto as she looked on in wonder at Bear.

"I bet he ticks a lot of boxes for the ladies, eh big man?" Drake prodded as he wiggled his eyebrows back and forth, scooping up some stew into one bowl after the other.

Bear surprisingly agreed without embarrassment. Deflating Drake's attempt to poke fun at the larger man, "Yeah, I was pretty popular when I went through life, and when I went into Shigure's camp? Oh man, whew hang it up," Bear smiled.

Drake frowned his brows going straight, as he plopped the last scoop of the stew into a final bowl for Theodore with an audible smack, "Yeah yeah, must be nice to be able 6 foot. Fuck you too bro," Drake grumbled.

"Natto can you wake up Theodore. I think he's still taking a dirt nap right now," urged Drake.

Natto looked over from Drake's shoulder at the hapless man spread eagle on the ground, "Ah! What have you brutes done to my poor dear Theodore!?" she yelled, "Also where are the cores he was supposed to get for me?" she added.

Drake sighed, "I've said it before but 'susmaryosep'. It's a cruel world we live in," Drake then pointed to a tub with a small overflowing hill of cores inside it off to the side, "There. I'll clean them up after dinner."

Natto squealed in delight at the sight of the mountain of cores. Soon hopping down onto the table Drake had set the bowls on, grabbing one for Theodore. Raising the bowl overhead she deftly dropped to the ground and trotted over to the incapacitated man, each step bouncing the stew out above the bowl and back into it.

"Oi! Theo! You better not be dead yet! You still have many cores to retrieve for me!" she shouted the bowl still above her head, as she nudged him with her geta.

Both Drake and Bear looked on amused, as Theodore quickly startled awake with a gasp, clearly unaware of his surroundings and what had happened, his head turning which way as his monocle chain barely kept pace with his movements.

"What foul hooligan doth put this shining knight to sleep?! By what underhanded means was used to subdue thee?!" Theodore quickly yelled.

Natto looked back towards Drake, as if she had had enough already.

Drake just shrugged, not giving an answer and Bear just chuckled, as he brought another spoonful of stew to his mouth.

"What did you two apes do to poor Theodore?" Natto finally said, "He was already on the fence of being broken, but now I fear he will not even be able to retrieve cores…"

Bear looked from his seat at the trunk over to Drake, mouthing the words 'apes?'

Drake just shook his head, as if to say, 'Don't ask.'

Finally Drake spoke up, becoming weary from the comedy gag, "Bear used some sort of aura and knocked out Theo there for a good 30 minutes."

Natto suddenly had a look of surprise, turning back to Theodore. Who was now straightening out his clothes, parting his hair, and twirling his handlebar mustache.

"Ah yes… This one does faintly recall being hit with a rather unpleasant," Theodore coughed, "bout of.. Well something before I could not withstand it. Truly fearing for this one's life my liege, tis felteth like something was crushing us underfoot!"

Natto and Drake both shook their heads at the same time, giving up. Bear chuckling softly between bits of his 3rd bowl of stew already.

Natto having noticed the big lug scooping up yet another helping of her food gave out a yelp, "Ah! Take your damned bowl already Theodore! Quickly before that hulking animal eats all of my well deserved victory meal!!"

Bouncing from foot to foot as she shoved the bowl in her hands towards Theodore. Immediately sprinting to her own bowl on the table when he finally took it.

"Food.. Sweet sweet food!" she murmured blissfully, staring starry-eyed at the steaming bowl, not even waiting for Drake to set down the spoon for her to begin eating.

Everyone present looked on as the small construct no taller than a foot, lifted a bowl the size of her head comically with both hands taking large pulls of the venison concoction.

"It ish, shoowww, guud," she said as she chewed the food, her cheeks puffing up like a chipmunk rather than a squirrel, her hands now on her cheeks as she shimmied back and forth from the utter pleasure of every bite.

"First thing she's said that's made any sense," barked Bear, a grin on his face, "The food is fire, Shot. I might have to trouble you to make some more for the road."

Natto looked over at Bear indignantly, but only long enough for her to swallow her current mouthful of the food. Before long she forgot he was there entirely, her face head deep in the bowl.

Drake pulled Natto from falling into her food by the scruff of her priestess kisode. Her looking like an annoyed cat that's meal was just interrupted but it hardly stopped her from chewing her food as she glared up at him.

Ignoring the piercing gaze of the little troublemaker as he pulled the bowl from under her to go fill it up again, dropping her to the table and wiping her mouth with his sleeve, "That shouldn't be a problem, it doesn't take too long. I'm just sadly out of venison now, I saw the goblins with boars so pork could work just as well, but there's more fat on them so it would take just a smidge longer," Drake said pondering as he scooped another helping into Natto's bowl.

Drake brought the bowl over to a Natto whose lips were puckered as she looked to be on the verge of tears, "What do you mean you are out of delicious food?!" she wailed, her hands up in rebellion.

"I said we're out of venison. We still have some food from the Squad Commanders you little glutton," Drake responded, giving her a quick flick to the forehead.

Natto huffed, rubbing her forehead and turning away from Drake. Her attention obviously needed elsewhere. Namely the fresh bowl of food that had just been placed in front of her.

"That's no problem," Bear answered, "Picked up a good amount of stuff from Shigure's camp and I've killed a few riders along the way so, I'm stacked for food if you don't mind cooking."

"Naw, long as I get to keep some for my trouble. Cooking is a hobby of mine so," Drake said, raising his arm to dribble salt down his forearm into his own bowl of stew.

"I do have a favor to ask though," Drake added.

Bear raised his head from his 5th bowl of food, a brow raised, "Oh what's that? I can't help you with rizz if that's what you're asking. Have to be born with it man, can't teach this."

Drake's eye twitched in annoyance, "No.. I do just fine in that department. Thank you…" he said, crossing his arms, his expression turning serious, "I want to test my strength against you. Against the strongest person in the tutorial."

Drake had Bear's full attention now, the bowl in his hands set down as he stood up to meet Drake's eyes.

"I don't think that's a good idea man," Bear said with a slow shake of his head.

Drake grew irritated, his jaw clenching slightly, "What do you mean? Do you think you're so much stronger than I am that I can't even compete?!" he shouted.

"Yes," Bear said solemnly.

"Don't patronize me! You just got finished saying you respected my hard work then you go around and tell me I'm not up to snuff?" Drake countered, his arms now at his side, balled into slightly shaking fists.

The atmosphere turned tense at their exchange. Both Natto, and the unusually quiet Theodore, stopping their meals to look on with trepidation.

"Putting in the work, and having the results are two different things Shot," Bear grumbled, his aura starting to leak out.

Drake braced against the pressure but didn't back down. He had come so far from the person he was at the grave, he could measure up, he had to for himself more than anything.

"I need to know Bear. This isn't just a dick measuring contest. I can fight just fine against the current monsters here, it's hardly a challenge with my stats. But that isn't the point! If what you are telling me is true, I have a bounty on my head worthy of rivaling the human typhoon! And I have to know how I stand up to people like you, because you and I both know they will come eventually…" Drake explained, trailing off.

Bear took some time before he answered, obviously mulling over the question.

After a few moments he crossed his arm, a single finger popping up from his hand, "I don't think you should compare yourself to thee legendary gunman like that but, I have 1 condition. Well actually," He popped another two fingers from his hand, "I have 3 conditions."

Drake's face brightened, "Sure, what are they?"

"One, you have to take some potions as a precaution," Bear said, bringing out some vials of red liquid from his inventory into his now extended hand, "Two, you have to make absolutely sure inside this outpost is safe, and you are completely prepared."

Drake nodded, taking the vials and placing them into his garbs above his obi, like he had with the Fire Oil, "And the last?"

Bear grabbed the impossibly large claymore from his back with one hand, the full force of his aura cascading down on the surroundings like a thick fog. The large blade bringing a gust when it was swung in front of Bear, it's point stopping just millimeters from Drake's face, "I'll only be swinging once."