Chapter 91: Mending

Drake and Claire walked in silence as he brooded about what to do to further enforce the rules in the camp.

He couldn't constantly be at the wall fighting, and making sure everything was going smoothly in here. He needed people to delegate to. Or possibly Hudson's robots may be able to help.

"Shot..?" Claire asked, speaking up to break the silence.

"Hmm?" he hummed, turning to her.

"What exactly happened? With that man and the other… two?" she asked pensively.

Drake mulled over how much to tell her as he didn't want to openly discuss someone else's trauma if they hadn't consented to it. So he tried his best to step around it.

"They did something I forbade in the camp, and it was so severe that I couldn't let them leave. People like that, like them… They would do it again I'm sure. I just want you to possibly talk to the girl. I don't think I would be the best person to help her with what she needs," Drake said gingerly, coming to a stop in front of the tent in question.

Claire's eyes thinned as she processed Drake's words but were also drawn to the blood stain on the ground next to the tent.

Drake opened the tent and walked inside, "I'm back, I brought a friend who might be a better conversation partner."

The woman had not moved from the bed, and looked up her eyes slightly puffy and red, but she looked to have ceased crying.

"W-who?" the woman asked.

"This is my friend Claire. She's very sweet when she wants to be, but also very mean when she needs to be," Drake said, earning him a glare from his side.

Drake dropped his head down to whisper to Claire, "She was assaulted by those men. If you are comfortable with it I just want you to help her how you can."

Claire's eyes widened and she looked pensively from the woman to Drake. Eventually nodding.

Claire walked over and took a seat at the end of the bed hesitantly as Drake just observed from the entrance of the tent.

"No snappy comment this time?" Natto asked.

Even I have some tact when it's needed. I don't think it needs to be said I'm out of my depth when dealing with something like this. He thought.

Claire continued to sit at the end of the bed as both women sat silently for a time.

"Yes well, it does not look like the girl is able to swim in the deep end either," Natto interjected.

Just give her some time. This is as much therapy for her as it is for the other woman. Drake chided.

After a few more minutes of silence, the woman on the other side of the bed broke down in tears again, her head in her hands. Claire also began to tear up as she moved closer on the bed, her hand hesitantly moving to the woman's back.

There it is. Alright time for us to go. Drake said wordlessly exiting the tent.

"What just happened?" Natto asked, confused.

Women's special ability to observe and understand. That's what. My mom used to know somehow all the time when I did something wrong, or school didn't go well. Didn't matter how well I tried to hide it. It was almost like a second superpower. Drake thought.

"What was the first then?"

Her ability to use everyday objects as a way to punish you… Drake chuckled, rubbing his butt from remembering the random beatings he used to get. Never underestimate an angry Pinoy Mother surrounded by anything she can get her hands on…

Drake shook his head and scanned the surroundings with his aura and eyes.

It's beside the point though. My point is mothers, sisters, even my ex's, women in general seem to be way more in touch with their emotions and can somehow empathize with others better than I certainly can. Especially now when my mind is all funky. Drake thought.

"That is… rather observant yourself is it not?" Natto asked slight impress in her voice.

Knowing what you are good at and what you have no shot in the dark at doing is a good skill to have. And I was way off from that back in there. Claire, on the other hand, has unfortunately been through something similar and I don't think she ever had a chance to talk it out or grieve about the experience. I was hoping she would open up to me with at least her brother but she just wasn't ready. This… this was a good chance for her to vent while helping someone else.

"You truly are just a big softy. Or possibly you have feelings for Claire?"

Drake scoffed and began walking towards Hudson's tent once more, satisfied that everything was calm in the surroundings.

Don't get me wrong, she is actually surprisingly beautiful. But, I'm not looking for anything right now. I need to focus on the task at hand, maybe after the tutorial if we miraculously meet up again I would consider giving dating a try again, but that is a BIG maybe.

"Who are you and what have you done with the weeby immature ape I know as Drake? Why do you actually sound like an adult for once," Natto snickered.

I am an adult… Drake chuckled, But-

"Only when it suits you?" Natto finished.

Spot on. Or when the situation calls for it.

Drake had looked around at the camp on his way to Hudson. Eyes followed here and there unsurprisingly as he had just dragged a man through the camp. He was honestly astonished that he didn't mind it, but he was more confused on how to deal with it.

I need to find someone to handle this camp or get to Shigure's faster. The speech earlier might have been how I really feel but swaying the hearts of a mass of scared and disgruntled people is another. He thought, reaching Hudson's tent.

"You could always just threaten them into submission," Natto said.

What is wrong with you? You can't just go around threatening people. Drake scoffed.

"Certainly you can. I threaten you and your party members on a regular basis now," she said with glee.

That is not helping. Drake sighed.

Looking to the cage on the left of the tent, Drake spotted a metal menace in front of the door. It turned back and forth with its 4 barrel muzzle spinning every few seconds.

"Now that is a real babysitter," Drake thought then looked at the cage, "I mean bastard sitter."

Natto made a gagging sound in his head that was far more unpleasant than Drake cared to comment.

"That joke hurt me," she said.

"Maybe it was intended to get you to gag, you did eat a whole barrel of stew," Drake mused.

"Are you trying to say something intelligent or funny? Because I believe you are but it is certainly failing," Natto said pointedly.

Drake rolled his eyes and opened the tent, pushing past the flaps of the entrance.

"Honey, I'm home!" Drake said dramatically, his arms spread wide.

"Shut up you git, don't you knock?" Hudson snapped.

Drake laughed, "That's not very nice to say to your fearless leader. How is the robot coming? And where is everyone else?"

"Amir and Harley both went to rest they said, the other idjit I got no idea," Hudson answered, crossing his arms.

Did he just say idjit? Drake thought.

"He certainly did," Natto confirmed.

I knew I liked him. Maybe we can convince him to change his last name to Singer. Drake chuckled.

"I see you have a deadly metal bastard sitter outside, nice touch. Hope the bigger ones are better, need someone to help control this place until we get to Shigure's," Drake said in quandary.

"It does seem a bit rowdy lately, specially after you pulled that sad sac through the place. Big guy here is ganna to take a bit longer than expected. And I'll have to get more materials from the Mines for the next one," Hudson answered.

"Hmmm," Drake thought putting his hand to his chin, "I think I'll go walk around, maybe showing I'm an actual person and not just a big scary murderer might help. Also I haven't seen Sherry in a minute, any ideas?" Drake asked.

Hudson quickly shrugged his shoulders and stayed silent, closing both his eyes.

"Very helpful.." Natto sighed.

He can't help being emotionally exhausted. It's in his nature, remember? Drake chuckled. He must be tired as well, I don't know what kind of stats he has but I've been running him pretty ragged since yesterday.

Drake turned and exited the tent, taking in the surroundings and the sun that was now beginning to move past its apex.

Not wanting to lax after using up so much time for other things and somehow not being attacked by the Goblins for some time now, he began snapping his fingers, rotating his spells in his hand as they circled around him.

Drake walked through the camp, going to the section he had placed all the food in hoping to find a certain someone.

"Ah, there she is. Where in the world does she fit it all… Is she taking lessons from you Natto?" Drake said under his breath.

Natto scoffed in Drake's head, not dignifying the question with a real response.

"Touchy today are we…" Drake laughed.

Walking past some of the sparsely remaining people picking at the leftovers of the cauldrons and roasted boars, he stopped in front of a short woman with glasses like a certain Wizard. Her face halfway in a bowl of stew.

"Sherry. You aren't going to rest aren't you tired?" Drake asked.

"I-hum ghod," she responded through a full mouth.

She's a life-size you… Drake cringed.

"She is nothing like me! I eat with dignity and grace, she is but a sleepy-eyed barbarian," Natto shouted back.

Drake contained a laugh as she was a pot calling the kettle black.

"Are you sure? We don't know when the Goblins might be back," Drake asked again, concerned for the girl.

Sherry waved her spoon, "It's alright dude. I'm used to long nights, I used to work at a company that did graveyards. A little bit of noise and sitting around eating food is a godsend compared to those days," she giggled, a piece of food stuck to the side of her mouth as she smiled widely.

"You should make more of this stuff, it's really good!" she added.

"I can do much better. If onl-" Drake tried to say but was interrupted by a crazy-eyed Sherry grabbing him by the arms, her face uncomfortably close and her breath smelling of spices and meat.

"Only what! What do you need, tell me who to hurt!" she screamed.

"Whoa! Whoa! I don't think I can get it in the tutorial anyway. I need tamarind and some other things to make a proper stew. Or… Yeah, I'd kill from some soy sauce or some fucking rice… I miss my rice cooker…" Drake said suddenly downhearted.

Sherry slumped down to her knees her eyes watering as she nearly began to silently sob.

"M-my only reason for being! And y-you tell me I can't have it!! Wahh!!" she howled.

"Hey! Stop that! People are going to think I did something," Drake said, shifting his weight to his side as he crossed his arms.

"I understand her pain. You did hurt her, more than you know," Natto said sympathetically.

What are you, kindred spirits now? Jesus… Drake thought.

"Look if you can somehow find me after the tutorial, I promise to make you some, and anything else I can cook up, alright? So stop crying already," he said.

Sherry stood up immediately, suddenly no worse for wear.

"Sounds good dude!" she said cheerily as she walked back over to her seat by the cauldron of food.

"Well she recovers fast…" Drake scoffed, "Hey Sherry do you know if Jacqueline is up or where Tom is?"

Sherry shook her head at the first question, then had to point with her spoon in a direction as she chewed vigorously.

"Thanks…" Drake said, sighing the words.

Turning in the direction Drake saw Tom through the break of tents. The man was trying to make something on the ground that looked like?

"Oh? What is he doing…" Drake mused.