Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Techno huffed as he stood outside the doors of an inn. With all of his travels, he had gotten used to how loud the inns could get despite how small the town may be. He had no qualms about it, all he wanted to do was relax with a strong ale in hand after a particularly difficult job.  

Techno didn’t grab anyone's attention when he opened the door. No one was paying attention to the door. It wasn’t until he took his second step inside. His foot landed on a creaky floorboard and as his weight was applied, the wood alerted everyone of his arrival. Heads turned and voices died down to a murmur. 

He wasn’t surprised, he was bound to get their attention eventually. He was an outsider clad in bulky leather armor and furs, armed with a sword, an axe, and a crossbow. Though that wasn’t the thing that stood out. What gained everyone’s attention was the glow of his yellow eyes and the silver medallion that hung from his neck. 

“ Witcher .” The people whispered. 

Techno gave it no thought and continued to an empty table. After a few minutes of him sitting there, the noise slowly began to increase. He glanced up as a hesitant barmaid approached him. Her fingers nervously fidgeted as she clutched a serving tray close to her chest. 

“I’ll have an ale.” His quiet deep tone seemed to surprise the girl as she flinched and straightened her posture. 

“Oh! Ah, yes sir, right away.” 

He grunted in response and the girl quickly hurried away. It didn’t take long for her to come back with a mug full of the amber liquid that foamed at the top. Just as soon as she came, she scurried away. 

Techno was used to this kind of treatment, disgust, fear, ridicule, and contempt. There wasn't a day in his life where he didn’t receive their animosity. He was only a child when the flowers of hatred first blossomed, just a baby witcher fresh from surviving the mutation. It all happened when whispers of Deglan from the House of Wolf creating monsters to keep the Witcher profession alive were just rumors on the wind. The same rumored wind turned into a tornado and everything spiraled out of control. Kaer Morhen was raided, many witchers died, but he and the other children escaped. 

Then when he got old enough, he went out on his own, studying and training under all of the other witcher schools. Most of those schools were gone when he got there or were on the verge of collapsing, but he always managed to pick up on what they left behind. This was why he carried weapons of all kinds. The crossbow coming from the School of Bear and Cat. 

Now witchers were hard to come by. Few and far between. The only time he sees another is when he and his brothers make their annual trek back to Kaer Morhen. Every Time they arrive, it is always a question of did everyone survive another year? Every once in a while, their numbers will drop. The witchers will go extinct eventually, all that’s left is a matter of time. No one is making more witchers, afterall.

Techno took a long gulp. It’s for the best, really. As he drank his ale, he ignored the hand that slammed down on the table he sat at. 

“Whatr’ ya doing here. There’s no jobs for yer kind around these parts.” The man spat. 

Techno gave the man a glance. Barkeep, “Here for a drink, perhaps a room if there is one available.”

“Well, that’s too bad. There’r no rooms open and we just ran out of drinks. So, I think it’s time for you to leave.”

Techno let out a heavy sigh through his nose. There probably wasn’t any place that he would be able to rest, and one of the last things he wanted to do was spend the night outside. Sure, he would be able to survive a night of roughing it out in the cold wilderness. Sure, he survived worse. But he just crawled out of the belly of a kikimore queen and proceeded to exterminate the nest. He was exhausted and covered in the day's work that he just wanted to wash off. 

Luckily for him, he didn’t know anyone who couldn’t be persuaded by coin. He reached down to his coin bag and raised it, “I can pay extra if needed.”

The man’s eyes widened with surprise, then they narrowed on the bag. He could tell that the barkeep was interested in taking up the offer. Though one look to the young barmaid who was most likely his daughter, was all it took for him to straighten up again. 

“Us humans aren’t easily persuaded by coin, I suppose that isn’t something the likes of you would understand.”

Techno sighed and pulled out a second bag, “Every man has a price.”

  “We aren’t like you Witchers. Deplorable, you’ll do anything for money.” The man scoffed and spat, “get out of my establishment.”

Techno decided that it would be best to leave before the situation got any worse. Despite how shitty he was treated by this man, he would rather not hurt him if he could avoid it. Outside was colder after he had warmed up inside. It stung his nose and eyes, his heated breath visible in the night air. 

He made his way over to the post where he hitched his horse, Carl. Carl was his ever reliable companion, strong and swift. Never had he seen a greater steed. As he reached for the lead, he heard the door of the inn close and rushed footsteps heading his direction. Either he was about to get into a fight he had tried to avoid earlier, or this would be about something else. 

“Wait! Wait!” A woman of short stature and blonde hair shouted. 

Techno finished untying the lead and turned his head to face the woman, one of his brows turned up in a questioning look. 

“You’re a witcher, right?” The woman kneeled over, out of breath after sprinting, even though it was for a short distance. 

“Yes.” Techno confirmed after the man asked the question with an obvious answer. 

“I-I… I have a monster problem that could use some solving.” The woman looked back at the inn before straightening herself out again. 

Now that Techno could get a better look at the girl’s face, he could see a messy patchwork of dirt on her face and slight remains of baby fat on her cheeks that she was growing out of. she was young, very early twenties or late teens if he had to guess. 

“And what would you like me to do about that?” Techno stared down at the girl, barely a woman. 

“Um… well I was thinking you could get rid of it… perhaps kill it?” Her voice was shaky, clearly intimidated to be standing this close to him. 

Techno sighed, “I’m not getting rid of let alone killing any monsters at the moment. Though I would definitely take you up on that offer once I’ve got some proper rest and a bath.”

The Girl’s eyes light up, “Definitely! I can offer a room and a bath, maybe even some food. I’ll be able to pay you as well once the job is done.”

Techno rolls his head around to stretch out the tight muscles in his neck, “The price will determine based on what the job entails, but I will give you a discount since you are providing me with a room, a bath, and food.”

“Wonderful, my name is Niki. I live out on a farm a bit away from the town center, but it shouldn’t take long to get there.” Niki walked over to a post nearby to unhitch her horse. It was the only other horse nearby. 

Techno couldn’t help but let out a soft huff of amusement through his nose when the girl gave her name. Niki. It suited her. The name meaning, “kindness” or “people of victory.” 

The two mounted their respective horses, “It’s just this way, follow me,” and so Techno did.

“Why don’t you take a bath while I get some food ready. I’ll talk about the job while we eat.” Niki hung up his coat. 

Techno stood at the entrance of the girl's home. It had quite a few rooms, yet the girl was alone. Normally farmer families tend to have a good amount of kids, so they would be able to help tend to the fields. Yet this girl lived alone. There were no parents, siblings, or relatives around. 

Niki seemed to notice his thoughts, despite the fact that he made no alarming expressions. Though he supposed his gazing around would be enough to warrant the assumption. 

“A disease passed over the town a few years ago, took out about half the population. My parents died along with my siblings. I almost went with them, but I managed to survive. Schlatt, my drunkard of an uncle moved in to help tend to the farm, but he spends most of his nights at that inn. The reason I was there in the first place was because I was trying to drag him home. Luckily I was able to meet you there.” Niki began walking further into the house, “Anyways, I’ll show you to the bath.”

.

.

.

.

Techno groaned as he sank into the heated water. He could feel all of the grime and his tense muscles melt away. He would pass out right there and then if the pinching and twisting of his stomach wasn’t there to signal that he was hungry. One of the downfalls of having superhuman metabolism. 

Normally Techno wouldn’t let his guard down near strangers, but he was pretty sure that Niki wouldn’t be able to harm him if she tried. So, he found himself letting the warmth of the water lull him to a light doze. He wasn’t sure how long he was out of it, but he stirred awake when he heard a knock on the door. 

“Food’s ready!” 

“Alright.” He called back and the footsteps headed away from the door.

Techno looked down at himself and realized that he hadn’t done much of a job cleaning himself. He had only sat in hot soap water. He reached for a sponge on the side of the tub and made quick work of the dried dirt and blood that had remained on his skin. When he finished and stepped out, wrapping a towel around his body, he noticed how murky the water became. 

Techno grimaced when he couldn’t see the bottom. The water wouldn’t be reusable, so he decided to drain it. Once he finished draining the water and drying himself off, he looked at his clothing that was bunched up on the floor. 

Yeah, there was no way he was putting those back on. 

Techno held the towel to his waist and followed the smell of food and the sound of soft clattering. He made sure that his footfalls were heavy, making his presence known, without saying a word. As he turned the corner, he could see Niki setting the table. 

“Oh good, just in time.” Once the girl set down the last dish and turned her head, she stopped in place and her mouth fell open, “Um, where are your clothes?”

“Too dirty to wear. I’ll clean them, do you happen to have anything to wear in the meantime?”

The girl finally stopped gaping like a fish and started looking him up and down to size him up. Once she got a good idea for measurement, she gave a frown and an unsure hum, “I don’t think there is anything in your size. The largest size I have belongs to my father, but I don’t think that’s gonna be large enough. You’ve got quite a lot of bulk after all.”

Techno gave a disappointed sigh, “Yeah, I should have guessed.”

“Oh, I know! I do have bedding and sheets. You can just wrap some sheets around you!”

Well, Techno supposed that was better than the towel that he currently had that could barely fit around him and it was definitely better than walking around naked. 

Niki hurried to another room and brought back several sheets he could choose from, then promptly turned around to give him some privacy. 

Techno picked up one of the sheets and wrapped it into a makeshift loincloth. He pulled up another sheet and tied it over his shoulders, giving himself a cloak. 

“I’m done.” Techno sat down at the table, glancing at the pot next to it. 

Niki turned back with a smile and grabbed a bowl and the ladle next to the pot, “I made soup!”

Techno blinked, “Doesn’t it take a while to make broth?”

“Normally, but I prepare all of my stuff in advance, since I’m the only one who really does stuff around here. The best thing about the winter is that the food freezes, so it won’t go bad. All I have to do is warm it up again and eat it. As it gets colder, I stock up on soup because it is the easiest to freeze and unfreeze.” Niki grinned.

Techno had to admit that even though Niki might be naïve, a little bit of a pushover, and young, she is clever, kind, and hardworking. It was pretty admirable. Most people would think to only salt their meat for winter, but Niki has a way to freeze her meals so she could eat more than just meat. Not only that, but she was basically taking care of the entire farm on her own, as well as trying her best to look after her Uncle.

He watched as the girl poured soup for them both, “Well, eat up, you’re probably hungry and there’s more than enough for a second helping.”

“Thank you.” Techno grabbed the bowl and began to eat. It had a pleasant flavor.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s it like to be a Witcher? I’ve only ever heard rumors, Witchers never come to this town.”

Techno supposed he could indulge the girl's curiosity. She did learn everything she knew from a biased outside source, “I used to be a human, though that was so long ago that I barely remember. After surviving the trials of mutation, Witchers gain heightened senses, increased stamina, strength, and speed.”

Niki took a few large gulps of her soup before putting it down to reply, “That doesn’t sound bad at all, I don’t get why people hate Witchers.”

Techno shrugged, “Their hatred spawned before you ever had the chance to take a breath. When it first started, I was too young to understand. Now I am aware that their hatred isn’t unfounded, even if it might be unfair. 

Niki frowned, “Why, what happened?”

“I’m sure you were told that Witchers are freaks of nature who would do anything for money.” 

“Well yeah, but wouldn’t anyone? I don’t get how killing monsters for money would warrant such hostility, you’re doing us a favor by getting rid of them.”

There was a long period of silence before Techno responded, “There was a period in history where monsters were becoming endangered. Witchers were afraid that their jobs would become irrelevant as their source of income disappeared. So, to prevent that from happening, the Witchers started to create monsters. Now you can see why that’s bad, out of the witchers' own self interest, they ruined lives and families just for money. Though, now that there are fewer Witchers, the population of monsters began to grow again.”

Niki put her bowl down, staring down at it, “Oh… Well, I guess that makes sense… But it’s not like every Witcher was in on that, so I don’t think their treatment of your kind is right. Humankind has done terrible things, but that doesn't mean all of us are the sum of the part.”

Techno let out a huff through his nose, “If you say so, kid.” It was interesting coming across someone that didn’t condemn him and curse his name. He was used to the usual ‘freak’ comment that he no longer batted an eye when he heard it. 

Techno groaned as he stretched awake. He rubbed his eyes as the sunlight poured through the window. He slowly sat up, collecting his morning thoughts. It was the first time in a while since he was able to get a good night's sleep.

He blinked as he looked out the window. It didn’t look like the soft glow of daybreak. Judging by the shadows it was almost midday. The sleep immediately left his mind as he shot out of bed. 

“Shit.” Techno cursed. He was still wearing the bedsheets. He was hoping to wash and dry his clothing by now, but since he woke up late, his clothing will dry by time the sun goes down. He was hoping he would get the job done before then. 

As he made his way to the door, he paused when he saw his clothing on his chair and all of his gear leaning against the legs of the chair. He grabbed the clothing. It was clean and dry. He didn’t complain and quickly dressed himself. Though the implications of his clothing being clean meant that someone had to have cleaned them. The only one who was able to do that would have been Niki. 

That also meant the girl wasted time she could have used to tend to her farm. That would also mean that she went in and out of the room while he was sleeping without waking or alerting him. Either Niki was really good enough at sneaking around to avoid alerting someone with superhuman senses, or his own senses were getting rusty and dull. What he did do was refuse to believe that it had anything to do with him being relaxed enough to subconsciously let his guard down. 

When Techno stepped out of the room and into the main room, he frowned when he saw that the front door was open and Niki was sitting on a chair, staring out upon empty fields with a barn in the distance. Niki turned her head when she noticed the sounds of footsteps. 

“Hey, you’re up. You must have been really tired to sleep till almost midday.” She grinned up at him. 

“I suppose so,” As Techno glanced at the barn that Niki was staring at only a moment ago, he could feel the hair stand up on his neck. 

“Is that where the monster is? In the barn.” He hummed. 

“Unfortunately. I can barely get any work done in the fields because of it. I keep my plow in there. I need to finish plowing before winter starts, and as you can tell, we’re in late fall.” The grin fell from her face. 

Techno could tell how stressed she was about the whole situation. He can’t imagine how hard it must be. Her family died, leaving her to care for her uncle and the farm on her own. Now one of her only sources of income and survival were at risk because of a monster that was staying inside her barn. 

“Have you encountered it before?”

“No, every time I walk close to the barn, I hear inhuman shrieks. It almost sounds like a bird, yet not a bird.”

Techno nodded, “I’ll check it out now, you should stay inside just in case… or ride back into town. It wouldn’t be safe if you stayed close by.”

Niki stood, “You’re right. It's time I should get my uncle, anyways.” As she started towards the horse, she stopped to look back, “Stay safe, and thank you.”

Once Niki was a safe distance away, Techno made his way to the barn. The closer he got, the more his senses alerted him of the monster nearby. He didn’t need to look at his arms to tell that the hair was standing on the ends. 

As the distance closed, the squawk and the screeches began. The sounds reminded him of a scared animal that made loud noises to scare off potential predators. It only served to raise his curiosity. He wondered what creature laid behind the barn doors. 

Techno reached his hand out to the door and pushed it open. As the light filtered through, there was loud shuffling before there was complete silence. He steadied his hand on the hilt of his sword and bent his knees. He slowly reached his other hand out in surrender as he shuffled further into the barn. He let the door close behind him, the only light came from cracks between the wood and a few small windows. 

The sudden darkness was of no issue to him, as he had enhanced vision that allowed him to see. He also hoped that the darkness would help the monster feel safer. As he turned his head around to analyze his surroundings, he caught a whiff of an iron smell. The scent of blood. There was the faint scent of sulfur that accompanied it that told him the blood wasn’t human. 

Techno began to connect the dots. The creature was injured and was seeking shelter until its wounds were healed. It was in no condition to fight and was trying his best to scare off anyone who got close. Now the thing was hiding somewhere, trying its best to avoid the conflict and threat to his life. 

Techno’s hand left the hilt of his sword as he raised both of his hands in the air to show that he was not a threat, “I’m not going to hurt you, you can come out.”

He heard the slight hitch of breath coming from above and turned to look up. He made eye contact with the creature before it hid further away. He caught sight of feathers. 

“You’re hurt. I can help you.” As Techno slowly lowered his hand, the creature hissed. 

He stopped the movement of his hand, “I’m not reaching for my weapon. My bag has healing potions and medical supplies.”

Techno took the silence as permission to continue. He lowered his hand and unhooked the bag from around his waist. He sat the bag down on the barn floor and opened it, pulling out a small vial with glowing red liquid. He set the bottle down in front of him and took a few steps back. 

He watched as the creature slowly came out of its hiding spot from the rafters. As the light hit it, he could tell that he was dealing with a harpy. He watched as the harpy slowly climbed down, one of his wings bent and held close to his body. 

He was all feathers from the waist down, ending where one would consider knees. He had hard scaled legs with sharp talons as feet. His chest and neck were covered in plumage. His arms were more human-like, but his forearm was covered in the same hard scales as his legs, and his hands had five sharp talons. His face was also human-like, but his cheeks had a light dusting of feathers and his entire eyes were completely black. He had large wings that sprouted from his back. His shoulders and down to his mid back was covered in feathers. He had blond hair with a few feathers that sprouted here and there. All of his feathers were as black as the void herself. 

“You’re a witcher.” The harpy turned his head in a fitting bird-like manner, “Are you here to receive a boon for my head?”

Techno let out a huff, “Please, I’m not cruel and insensible.”

“I’m not a naïve baby chick. I have lived long enough to see Lady Death herself. Now, tell me why you’re here, Witcher.”

“I was sent to get rid of you, though that doesn’t mean I have to kill you. You’re only in this barn because you’re injured. I figured that if you healed yourself, you would be on your way. I don’t find pleasure in senseless killing, especially when it is not necessary.”

The harpy reached for the vile and uncorked it. He brought it up to his nose and sniffed, “I can tell that this is a genuine healing potion. What do you want for it?”

“Nothing.” Techno shrugged, “Just take it and heal yourself.”

The harpy drank half of it then poured it on his wounded wing. They sat back to wait for the potion to kick in. He watched as the harpy stretched out his wings and shook his feathers. 

“Go on, now you’re free to leave and make a better home.”

The Harpy narrowed his eyes at the comment then raised to his full height, puffing out his feathers. He menacingly stood over Techno, taking a minute to stare down at his kneeling form. He walked backwards to the door, making sure that the other didn’t leave his sight. Once he was outside, his wings spread out and he took to the skies. 

Techno sighed in relief and collected his things. He would have to retrieve Niki now that the harpy was gone. 

A wide smile grew on Niki’s face when she stepped into the barn, “Thank you so much!!”

The girl would now be able to plow the fields before winter. It was a late start, but it was better than nothing.

“How much do I owe you?” She turned around, the smile didn’t drop even as she brought up prices. 

Techno glanced around the barn then back to her, “Forget about it. I didn’t do much.”

Niki frowned, “But you did the job. The job was very important to me, detrimental to my yield and livelihood. Work with high demand deserves pay of equal worth,”

“The food, bath, bed, and laundry was enough payment for the amount of work I did.” Techno insisted. 

The girl huffed, “Fine then. But at least let me get you a little extra food for your travels.”

The witcher let out a sigh as he gave in, “Very well.” He might be able to refuse money, but he couldn’t refuse a meal. 

As Techno went to get Carl from the stable, Niki ran inside to get him some food. By the time that He had walked his steed to the pathway, Niki was already waiting for him with a sack of what he could only assume was the food that she promised him. 

Niki held out the sack, “It’s salted meat. It’s the best for traveling, since I don’t have anything to store my soup in.”

Techno gave her a soft smile as he grabbed the bag, “It’s more than enough, thank you.”

Niki just grinned, “Yeah, it’s no problem! Be safe!”

Techno attached the food onto his horse’s satchel then mounted him. As he took the reins, he looked to niki, “Those that have treated me with kindness, I will repay that kindness tenfold. If you ever need me, search out the Witcher Technoblade.”

Niki’s wide grin became softer, “If there ever comes a time, I will try to reach you. Farewell!”

Techno shook the reins and Carl headed forward at a moderate pace. As they were far enough from the town, in the woods and out of sight, Techno came to a stop. 

“You can come out now.” He let out a sigh. 

There was rustling in the trees before a plop of heavy weight that settled behind him, “For a second, I was starting to believe that you didn’t notice.”

“I knew you didn’t leave completely. I could sense that you were still in the area. Why did you follow me?” He let out a gruff. 

The harpy only tilted its head, bird-like in nature, “Why does the caged bird sing?”

“A bird metaphor, really?” Techno deadpanned. 

“I suppose you should start getting used to them.” The harpy grinned. 

“Tch. That implies that we will be spending a lot more time together than I would like.” He side eyed the other. 

The creature spread out its wings, “I’m sure you could see the value in tactical aerial support.”

Techno gave the other a hard stare before he signaled to Carl to continue down the path, “Very well, what should I call you?”

The harpy followed, “My name can’t be spoken with your vocal cords, but you can call me Philza.”

Techno hummed, “Phil, I like it.”

Phil let out a small squawk of protest, “It’s Philza.”

“I hear yah, Phil. I’m sure you already heard my name earlier, and this beauty is Carl.”

Phil looked at the horse, “You have a peculiar way of naming things.”

“I supposed you should start getting used to it.”

Chapter Text

Phil puffed out his feathers in irritation as the rain fell. The natural oil on his feathers easily allowed the water to slide off, but that didn’t stop the added pressure from causing him discomfort. 

“I hope we find shelter soon.” Phil huffed. 

Techno wasn’t faring any better, the rain soaking his clothing, making the weight of everything heavier on his shoulders. The mud beneath their feet made walking a harder task than it should be, taking the extra force to pull their feet up to take another step. 

“We’ll stop at the next place we find.” Neither of them wanted to lay out in the rain and mud. 

Techno turned his head down as a rather strong gust of wind blew in their direction, whipping his hair into a messy frenzy. 

As the wind blew, the witcher was able to scent the air, “There is salt in the air, we’re getting closer to the coastline.” 

Phil looked up at the sky, though his sense of smell was weaker than Techno’s, his navigation skills and internal compass couldn’t be beaten, “About a three or four days walk till we reach the coastline.”

Techno gave a sharp nod, “Then there are sure to be settlements nearby.”

Phil glanced back up at the sky with a scowl on his face, “I suppose I could scout for a bit. I’d rather not fly in this weather, but I don’t want to stay out here wandering around either.”

“If you could, that would be great. I’ll continue forward.” If they waited here, he and Carl would only sink deeper into the mud. It would be better to keep moving. 

As Phil stretched out his wings, he shook the water from his feathers. Techno could see the twitching in each muscle as he prepared to take flight. 

“Try not to get shot down,” Techno called out as Phil grinned and took to the air. 

“If I do, I’ll have you to help.” 

Techno watched as the harpy flew off. He looked ahead and continued down the path. 

It had been an hour since Phil left to scout. Techno was beginning to notice signs of hunting, clearings, and human disturbances in the area. They were definitely closing in on a town of some sort. As soon as he noticed these traces, he heard the familiar flap of wings then the rustling of leaves and branches as a harpy dropped from the sky. 

“I found the town, we’re close.” Phil shook his body before closing his wings against his back. 

“I just found their signs a moment ago. Which direction are they in?”

“Keep heading straight, we’ll arrive in a few hours.”

Techno tightened his grip on Carl’s lead, “Do you mind if I ride the rest of the way?”

Phil tilted his head, “Go for it, mate. I’ll just fly.”

The harpy’s accent was layered pretty thick when he said the word, ‘mate.’ He wasn’t able to identify the accent and it only made him wonder where Phil had come from. He had asked once before and only received a cryptic response. 

A place not of this world. Long gone. 

His tone had been grief-stricken. 

Techno mounted his horse and watched Phil take flight. He followed after the harpy as he watched him through the trees. He wondered what the other really is. A typical harpy lifespan wouldn’t allow Phil to live as long as he claimed he has. He rarely ever divulges any information from his past. He had only mentioned that he was from a world that is long gone and that he is acquainted with Lady Death… whatever that meant. 

As Techno continued forward, he started to notice some less-than-human markings. Anyone with an untrained eye would assume that it probably belonged to some carnivorous predator animal native to the area. Though he could spot the minute differences. He wondered if Phil had noticed anything. Surely, he would have warned him if he had spotted something. Though, maybe it was harder to see the smallest of details in soil, underbrush, and tree bark when the leaves of treetops blanketed the view. 

That wasn’t the only thing that clued him in. Techno suddenly began to feel the hair on his arm stand up. It was a monster. His eyes narrowed as he looked around for more signs. There were no sounds of animals or insects. There was no way Phil would have missed something like this, not if he was as old as he claimed he was. 

Techno didn’t like the possibility of Phil betraying him and leading him into a trap. It was highly plausible. He had only known the harpy for a few months now. Normally he was a great judge of character, he had thought the two of them were on great terms. He couldn’t help but feel an inkling of doubt. 

Compared to how long Phil claims he has lived, the few months they had known one another must seem like an insignificant speck to him. There is no way of telling what the harpy is truly thinking. The most he could do was tread with caution. The last thing he needed was to be drawn into a trap by what he thought was the beginning of a good friendship.

Judging by the markings in the monster’s territory, it seems to be quite hostile. Seeing how the territory overlapped with the human’s, he can imagine that it had created quite a problem for the town. There was job potential. That is if he was getting out of this without any altercations. 

It was proving hard to keep an eye on both Phil, the terrain that surrounded him, and the threat of a potentially volatile monster. Techno hurried Carl’s pace. He wanted to get to a safer place sooner rather than later. He trusted in his own ability in terms of combat, but he would rather avoid fighting if necessary. 

Techno could feel his tension slightly dissipate as the wooded area began to clear. He could make out fields and housetops. They were close to the town. He watched as Phil dived down ahead of him. His horse came to a stop as he broke from the treeline. 

Techno dismounted his horse as Phil folded his wings against his back. 

“Why didn’t you tell me about the monster? I’m sure you noticed it.”

Phil stood to his full height, “I didn’t think it was important enough, there was no immediate danger. I’m sure if it proves to be a problem, the villagers will let us know.”

Techno huffed; he supposed the harpy was right. It just would have been nice to know. 

Phil turned his head to the sky with a scornful look, “Of course, the rain lets up the moment I land.”

“Well, at least the rain worked as a cover. Can’t fly any closer than this or the villagers will notice. Stay here for now, I’ll whistle once I’ve secured shelter.”

Phil’s feathers rustled with indignation, but he didn’t speak or move from the spot as was requested. 

The town was like any other. The only difference was when he walked down the town's pathway. He could hear the hustle and the bustle of traders and townsfolk bargaining for goods. He could hear the calls of farm animals. Though as soon as he garnered the attention of the busy folk, they didn’t sneer or chide. They looked surprised and somewhat relieved. 

Techno couldn’t help but think back to the monster in the woods. They probably thought he was here to exterminate their little pest. Sucks for them, he won’t exterminate anything without a paycheck and a good reason. 

Luckily for him, their relief at his arrival would ensure that he could secure a room at an inn. Since this town was larger than the last, there would be plenty of options to choose from. He had a good feeling that he wouldn’t get driven out this time.

Techno was taken aback by the wonderful scents that filled the air. He could feel his stomach clench from the long journey. He could use something to eat. He moved his hand toward his satchel and pulled out the bag of dried meat that Niki had gifted him when he left. As his fingers reached in to grab the remaining meat, his fingers grazed a texture that was all too familiar but definitely not the same as the rest of the meat in the bag. 

The witcher turned his hand over and dumped the contents of the bag into his palm. A few scraps fell out followed by a few silver coins. A small twitch of a fond smile poked at the corners of his lips as he shook his head with a huff. 

He had told Niki that she didn’t need to pay him, that the food and the shelter were enough. It appeared that she didn’t care to listen. He supposed that he owed her now. A debt he would make sure to pay in interest.

Techno stashed the coins into one of his many coin pouches and finished what was left of the meat. He continued forward as he ate. As much as he would love to take a look at all of the vendors, he didn’t want to keep Phil waiting. He could come back once he was done finding a room. 

The further walked, the deeper his frown became. There were a lot more places to stay than he thought there would be. Way too many options. He immediately turned to a man that was standing to his right, startling him with his sudden intense attention.

“What is the best Inn around?”

The man pulled his hands to his chest, his eyes glancing around with apprehension, “Umm t-the Bee-n-Boo” He stuttered.

Techno was about to walk off to find it before realizing he had no idea where it was, “Which direction?”

The man pointed down the way he had just come from, “It is on the main road close to the village entrance. It has a large sign with a bee on it. You can’t miss it.”

Techno narrowed his eyes as he read the man. He could tell the man was too afraid to lie to him. Once he was satisfied, he stopped tormenting the poor guy and headed back down the road. He had missed it the first time he came down the road, but that was because he didn’t enter from the main road. He came from the woods and entered through some back road that led to the main one. 

It didn’t take him long until he was able to see the hanging inn sign. Bright yellow with a bee. Further back, he could see the sign for the town. L’manburg . That would explain why this town was so big because it wasn’t really a town but a city. It was one of the major locations of the Esempee empire. He wasn’t too far from the capital then. 

As the Witcher hitched Carl and walked into the Bee-n-Boo, he was surprised to see how quaint it was. He was expecting it to be louder and busier like a lot of other pubs and inns. Even inns in a town like this would be busy during this time of day. If this was the best inn in town, then it should have more patrons. Either the man he vaguely threatened had lied to him or he had shit tastes. 

There were a few patrons inside the establishment that didn’t give him any second thought. 

“Heyah, big man, what can I do for yah?” A cheerful voice called out to him. 

Techno looked ahead, confused as to where the voice was coming from until he looked down. He saw a short boy with a mop of blonde hair that covered his eyes. He could see the beginning of pale brown roots poke out from the top of his head. When he was finally able to take him in, he felt the hair on his arm stand up.

The boy wasn’t human. 

“I was wondering if you had a room available for the night.”

The boy looked him up and down, a wide grin settled on his face, “Sure thing, you’re a Witcher, right?” 

He wondered why the boy was grinning at him like that if he knew he was a Witcher. Most inhuman beings were afraid of his kind. His people never had the best reputation amongst any species.

“Mhm.” He left it at that. 

“Boo! Get me a key for the best room we have.” His hair bounced as the boy slightly turned his head as if shouting over his shoulder to the desk behind him. The kid never once let him get into his blind spot. 

“Sure thing!” A deeper voice shouted from the desk. He eyed it as he watched a tall figure rise from a kneeling position with a key ring dangling from his finger. 

The person known as Boo had a boyish face and lanky limbs. Even though he wasn’t standing next to him, he could tell that the boy was at least a good head taller than him. He had wavy blond hair that covered one of his eyes and he had a mask that covered his face from his nose down. As he looked at him, he received the same feeling. Another nonhuman. 

Boo seemed to flinch at his stare, averting eye contact. He seemed wearier about a Witcher stopping by.

“Bring them over, Boo!” The boy encouraged. 

Techno could see Boo’s throat bob before he hesitantly made his way over. He slouched when he walked, trying to make himself smaller and less intimidating as he handed the room key over to the first boy. 

“I only really need a regular room, I don’t think I can afford a luxury one right now,” Techno mentioned as the key was passed off to the first boy. 

“Nonsense!” The brunette cheered, “Boo, get the door for me, would you?” 

Boo glanced back and forth between the two with nervousness before he finally gave in. Techno watched as the taller guy walked to the door and opened it. He flipped the open sign to the ‘closed’ side and the small number of patrons within the inn got up and left without a word.

Techno narrowed his eyes and slowly lowered his hand onto the head of one of the axes on his hip. 

“None of that, big man. We aren’t going to harm you.” The boy shook his head, letting his hair bounce out of his eyes for the first time. When he did that, he finally had a clear view of his eyes. He was able to see his yellow iris and his horizontally elongated pupils. He watched as the boy began to transform. Horns grew from his head, long floppy ears fell, canines grew sharper, a small tail protruded from his back, his legs were covered in hair, and his feet became hooves. He was a Satyr. 

Techno turned his head to look at the other boy. The boy was even taller than before. His skin became an inky black with flecks of white. His eyes were a glowing purple and his teeth were sharp. He was an Enderian. He immediately turned his eyes away from the other’s, knowing that Enderians found eye contact uncomfortable. 

“Was it Boo that disguised the both of you?” Enderians were usually proficient when it came to magic.

“Sure was!” The boy stretched into himself, getting comfortable as he shook off the human disguise. Boo on the other hand looked arguably more uncomfortable than before as he stood behind the Satyr. 

“So, what is this about?” Techno didn’t like this one bit. 

“We have a job for you.” Satyr's cheerful and playful demeanor quickly became serious. Boo also seemed to straighten up and puff out his chest. 

“...A job… I should have guessed.” He wondered if it had anything to deal with the creature that lurked in the woods beyond the town. 

“We have a friend… Tommy. He’s a shapeshifter and the town found out and hunted him down. He ended up getting chased out of the town. We don’t know where he is or how he is doing. He could have changed what he looked like and come back, but he hasn’t shown up yet. We’re starting to worry because of the recent events in the woods… we tried to investigate on our own… but…”

Boo turned around and took off his shirt, exposing deep scratches in his back. The wound looked about a week old. 

“We just wanted any information possible as to whether he is dead or alive. He was last seen wearing a red shirt with brown pants along with a green bandana tied around his neck. He normally wears the green bandana around his neck in any form he takes.”

Techno frowned at the job request. He never received a job like this. He wondered if he would even be able to find anything. There was a chance that this Tommy was eaten alive with no evidence left behind. If he hasn’t shown up yet, there was a good chance that he was very much dead. Especially after seeing the wound on Boo’s back. This thing was hostile. He didn’t want to accept the job knowing that they would be getting nothing back. He couldn’t take their pay. 

Sensing his hesitance and doubt, the Satyr doubled down, “Please, even if you don’t find anything, we can pay you for your efforts. We can give you our best room and whatever you want to eat and drink on the house. We can even pay you in gold or silver on top of that. So, please, anything helps.” 

Techno sighed and ran his hand through his hair, “Listen kid-”

“It’s Tubbo.”

“Tubbo.” Techno corrected himself, “Listen, there is a good chance that if I accept this job, I won’t be able to find anything. I can’t in good faith accept your job under those conditions. If I find something, then I’ll take you up on it, you don’t need to pay me outside of room and food. If I can’t find anything, I will pay for the room and food.”

Tubbo took a step forward as if he were about to argue, but Boo placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, “We can’t force him to take payment. If he refuses the free room and food, we could still give him a discount for using his time.” He looked to the witcher, “Would that be alright?”

“Sure, that would be fine.” Techno cleared his throat, “I do have a question, though.”

“Sure thing, big man.” 

“Do you have many nonhuman patrons?” 

Tubbo nodded, “We normally cater to nonhumans. Humans don’t know this, though.”

“I see, would it be alright if I bring my companion in then?”

“Any friend of yours is a friend of ours, as long as your friend doesn’t cause us or our patrons any trouble.” Tubbo eyed him. 

Techno nodded, “If it’s alright, I would like to get my things settled first. If possible, I would also like some food prepared for when I get back. Jobs tend to take up a lot of energy.”

“That’s fine, we can have something prepared for you. Boo, can you get our disguises and the door?”

Boo nodded and the boys’ bodies began to morph back to their human look-alikes. Tubbo walked back to get food ready and Boo turned the sign back over on the door. Techno walked past him and out the door. 

“W-wait, let me lead you to your room,” Boo called out with a nervous stutter. He wondered if the boy was afraid of him or if his anxious disposition was normal. 

“I’m not going anywhere; I’m just calling for my companion.” Techno brought his index finger and his thumb to his lips and let out a sharp whistle. 

Boo stood at the door, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. After five minutes, a man in a large black and green hooded cloak walked towards them. 

“This is my companion, Phil.”

“Philza.” The man corrected. 

“Don’t listen to him, he is old. He has no idea what he is talking about.” Techno teased and Phil huffed. 

Boo looked between the two, “Okay,” He didn’t know quite what to do, instead he opened the door wider for the two of them to walk in. 

Techno and Phil walked in, followed by Boo until Boo walked ahead of them, “Let me show you to your room.”

As soon as they got to the second floor and no one else was around, Techno nudged Phil, “You can take off the cloak now. There are no humans around.”

“I can tell.” Phil unclasped the cloak and pulled it off in a quick motion. The feathers on his wings ruffled into place, but the harpy only groaned, “I’m going to have to preen them again.”

Boo caught sight of the wings once he stopped at the door to their room and turned around, “Woah, your wings are so beautiful.”

A soft smile graced Phil’s lips, “That’s quite the compliment from an Enderian.” 

Boo seemed to blush and turn his head away. 

“It’s a shame you must hide your skin when it is like shining stars in the outer reaches of the universe. It reminds me of my goddess.”

Boo fidgeted with his mask, pulling it up to cover more of his face. He was clearly flustered with the compliments, “How could you tell I was an Enderian?”

Phil shrugged, “I just can. After being alive for a long time, you learn to pick up on things. Your friend downstairs is a Satyr.”

Boo seemed to stare in amazement, “Whoa, you really are old.”

Techno snickered and Phil rolled his eyes. The tall Enderian smiled under his mask, but it clearly showed in his eyes. 

Boo unlocked the door to the room and opened it, “This will be your room and the key.” He held it out and dropped it into Techno’s palm, “Is there anything else I can get you before I go to prepare your food?”

Techno glanced into the room, “Not at the moment, but we would like some heated water to wash up once we get back from the job.”

Boo perked up, “Sure thing! I’ll leave the two of you to it, then.”

As Boo turned to leave, Phil and Techno walked into the room. 

“It's a lot better than most rooms I get.” Techno walked over to the bed, pressing his hand into the soft bedding on the mattress. 

Phil stretched his wings out, sighing as he stared longingly at his wings, “So much for preening them.” He muttered, “So, what's this job you mentioned? Did they ask you to deal with the creature in the woods?” He hummed. 

Techno shook his head, “Not necessarily, but I don’t doubt we will have to confront the creature. They asked us to find their friend who had disappeared. They ended up getting attacked by the creature when they looked for him.”

Phil nodded, “This seems like an easy job. We’re both good at tracking. You with your witcher sense me with mine.”

Techno had stopped questioning Phil and his ‘wisdom.’ If one would call it that. He couldn’t say he completely understood what the harpy meant. Phil had once told him he wasn’t actually a harpy but the last remaining Elytran. He said the reason he resembled harpies was that harpies originated from Elytrans. He supposed that would explain all of these extra abilities the man had that are not found in harpies. 

Once Techno finished sorting through everything that he needed, he threw his bag over his shoulder, “Well, let's get going.”

Phil sighed and threw the cloak over his body for a second time, “And here I was hoping we could rest.”

“You could always stay,” Techno suggested.

“And leave all the fun to you? I think not.” 

Techno huffed and slightly shook his head in amusement. 

Techno and Phil left Carl at Bee-n-Boo and headed into the woods on foot. 

Once they got far enough into the woods, Phil took off the cloak, “I have a feeling we’re going to have to find where the creature is staying to find any clues.”

Techno had a deep frown, “I don’t like that I agree with that.”

It wasn’t that Techno didn’t want to walk into this thing’s layer, but he would rather the kid be somewhere safe. He had a terrible feeling that all he would do is find Tommy’s remains… but that was only if he wasn’t eaten whole. He glanced at one of the claw marks on the trees. Luckily, judging by the size of the marks, the thing wouldn’t be large enough to eat an entire child. 

“I suppose we’ll just have to follow the carnage.” Phil hummed with a small bit of excitement. 

Techno just raised his brow, “Or we could just follow our senses.”

The Witcher closed his eyes and took a steady inhale then slowly exhaled. As he exhaled, he lowered his heart rate even further than it already was. He could feel the pulse of the earth beneath his feet. He could feel the whispers of the wind against his frame. And like a faint rhythmic calling of a drum, he could feel a steady inhuman heartbeat along with a few others. The other beats could easily be dismissed as regular forest creatures native to the area. There was just one that stood outside all of the rest. 

“It’s this way.” Techno headed towards where he had felt the heartbeat come from. 

.

.

.

.

The closer they got the more evidence of the creature they found. With the amount of evidence left behind, they were probably getting close to the creature’s den. Judging from the heartbeat he had heard earlier, it was asleep. It was midday, making the creature nocturnal. 

With this information, Techno started sorting through all of the nocturnal creatures he knew. Sure, the majority of creatures were nocturnal, but it did knock out a good amount of possible creatures. He could also cross out the creatures that lived near the ocean or in the ocean as well as the creatures that typically were found in high altitudes. 

As he thought of all the possible creatures, he reviewed their strengths and weaknesses. It was best that they were attacking during daylight, because it would be sleeping and not as aware. 

Soon the two stopped in front of a cave. Luckily both he and Phil had good night vision. As the two made their way inside the cave, he was glad he left Carl back at the inn. As the two got further inside the cave, they stopped as they heard a loud hiss. He noticed a slight flinch in Phil’s feathers as the man’s pupils became wider. The unordinary reaction left Techno feeling uneasy. 

Techno slowly raised his hand behind his head, grasping at the hilt of his sword. He was getting ready to draw his blade at any moment. As they slowly crept closer there was a rattling sound. Techno blinked when he realized that they were facing up against a Naga. The rattling sound, the hissing, the nocturnal tendency, and the cave. It all made sense. It had to be a naga, a half-serpent, half-human creature. 

“Phil, we’re up against a naga.” Techno drew his blade, “The best way to kill it would be to lop off its head.” Normally Techno wouldn’t kill a monster for no reason, but he would if he needed to. If he was going to get attacked by a creature with no mind, he wasn’t going to make himself easy prey.

Phil snorted, “Wouldn’t that kill most beasts? Besides, this isn’t a naga.”

“Eh?” Techno turned his head to the Elytrian, as if asking him to explain. 

“You’ll see. Just a few more steps and to the right.” Phil stepped forward. 

“Hold up,” Techno grunted and followed the man’s direction. 

As they both turned around the cave wall, Techno stopped dead in his tracks and Phil cooed. 

The creature was hunched over with medium-sized wings of dark brown and red. He had the same build as Phil, yet skinnier and more adolescent. Judging by the creature's build and its ability to mimic the sounds of other creatures, they were dealing with a siren. 

But it didn’t make any sense. 

“What is a siren doing in a cave this far away from the ocean? Sure, we’re close, but we’re a little far out of range”

The siren let out another hiss as Techno spoke. Phil cooed again and the hiss died down. 

“The little thing is nesting.” 

“Eh?” The sound came out louder than he had expected, startling the siren into bearing its sharp teeth and talons. 

“Behind it… there is another creature, albeit smaller.” Phil pointed.

Techno remembered back to when he had first used his witcher sense to seek out the creature. He had felt a smaller and fainter heartbeat, which he had passed off as some animal. When he looked, he saw a raccoon curled up. It was chittering frightfully. 

The siren did not like it when he looked at the raccoon. As soon as it saw Techno’s eyes drift toward the raccoon in the nest behind him, it lunged forward. Techno hissed and rolled out of the way. This would be a bad area for sword combat. They were in a cave, the walls were closed in. 

“Shit.” He hissed. 

Phil tutted, “He’s just trying to protect his nestling. Provoking him would be no good.”

Techno sheathed his sword and took a few steps back. He placed his hands in front of himself to signal to the siren that he meant no harm. As soon as he got far enough back, the siren finally spoke. 

“Stay away, stop hunting Tommy, and don’t send anyone here to hunt him either.” 

And here Techno thought the siren had gone feral, “Tommy?” he blinked then his eyes widened as he remembered that name, “Wait, that’s the shapeshifter kid Tubbo and Boo were talking about. Where is he!” Techno took a step forward. 

Phil spread out a single wing in front of Techno to stop his advancement, “Now now, what did I say about provocation? It will get you nowhere.”

The siren’s pupils seemed to widen as he saw the inky black wing stretch out. Phil noticed this and let out a soft coo. It had seemed to slightly relax the siren momentarily. 

“Your nestling.” Phil’s voice was soft, “Is Tommy, correct?” They could both see the raccoon in the nest, his chittering had stopped, and his neck was wrapped in a green bandana. 

The siren gave a slow nod. 

“We don’t want to hurt him. We were given a job by his two friends, Tubbo and Boo. They were worried about him because the townspeople chased him out and tried to hunt him down. They wanted to know if he was alive, and when they went out to look for him themselves, they were attacked by you and had to retreat.”

The siren narrowed his eyes, “You and that witcher lie, why would you try to side with the humans and that witcher? All they care about is eradicating our existence and getting rid of others like us.”

“You’re still so young” Phil cooed, “There is so much you don't kn-”

“Wait!” There was a young scratchy voice from behind the siren, “Wil, you attacked Tubbo and Ranboo?”

Wil flinched, his eyes flashed with fear, “H-how was I supposed to know they were your friends? I thought they were humans. They tried to kill you when I found you.”

Tommy frowned and turned his head down, one of his small hands clung onto Wilbur’s arm, “They’re looking for me. They think I’m dead.”

Techno and Phil stood in silence as the scene played out before them. 

Wil’s voice was barely above a whisper, yet the cave carried it, “You want to leave me, don’t you?”

Tommy’s grip on Wil tightened, “No, of course not! You nursed me back to health and protected me, I just need to let my friends know that I’m alive… you could come with us… Ranboo knows how to use disguise magic, he can make you look human.”

Wil huffed, “Why would I want to be near a bunch of humans.” 

“Well, it’s kind of inevitable innit? It’s bound to happen occasionally.” Tommy shrugged, “It’s not too big a deal, as long as we are disguised, we’ll be in one of the safe places for our kind.”

“You know.” Techno wanted to stop himself from speaking, but he found that his mouth kept running, “You could always join us. It wouldn’t be best to stay in one place for a while. The humans found out that Tommy wasn’t human, it could happen to everyone else. That way you won’t have to stay with humans for long and you have a better chance at staying safe.”

Tommy chewed his lip, “I would have to make sure it would be okay with my friends and Wil first, I don’t think I could leave them.” He let go of Wil’s arm and walked towards Phil and Techno. 

“I’ll need to think about it.” Wil shrunk back, clearly mourning the loss of Tommy. 

Tommy glanced back at Wil with a slight frown before turning his head back toward the exit with a large grin, “Come on big guys, we’ve got work to do!” 

Techno sighed and followed after the boy. He shouldn’t have offered, this was going to be a harder task than he had thought it would, “Phil, you coming?”

“I think I’ll stay here for now. You can get me on your way back.” 

“Suit yourself.” Techno left the cave with the child. 

Phil cooed towards Wil, “Now, young one, your feathers look like a mess, let me help you preen.” 

“Hold up kid.” Techno grunted as he leaped over rocks and tree roots to keep up with Tommy, “You’re gonna need a disguise before you enter the town.”

Tommy stopped in his tracks, “What should I transform into?”

“Just manipulate your current features so you look like a different kid.”

Tommy grinned, “No, I know what.” 

Techno watched with interest as the boy began to change form, then signed when he transformed into a little red cardinal, his green bandana shrinking in size with him. He guessed that the Enderian must have enchanted it with some sort of magic, “I suppose a bird would work as well.”

When the witcher began to walk, the bird began to chirp insistently. Techno looked back with a brow raised in question, “Can’t you fly?”

The chirping stopped and the bird looked away, puffing his feathers. Techno hid a smirk and took a few steps toward him. He knelt down and lowered his hand, “I’ll carry you for now.”

Tommy jumped into the man’s palm and made his way onto his shoulder. 

Techno huffed and made his way back down the path toward the town, “You could have transformed into a dog or something, would have been a lot easier.”

Tommy pecked at his neck with his small beak. 

“Hey, none of that now. If you behave, I’m sure Phil would be more than happy to teach you how to fly.”

Tommy let out a proud chirp. 

As the two got closer to the town, Tommy began to become restless. His feathers ruffled, he paced around the man’s shoulder, and he tried to hide in the other’s long hair. Once they did get to the town, the only thing that could be seen of the small cardinal was his little head that poked out from strands of hair. 

As soon as the cardinal saw the Bee-n-Boo inn sign, he shook the hair off his feathers and let out an excited chirp. He walked into the inn and shouted, “Everyone out.”

The small number of patrons within the inn groaned and left. Techno flipped the “open” sign to “closed” and shut the door. Tubbo and Ranboo came out as soon as they heard Techno shouting. 

“You’re back, did you find anything?” Tubbo urged. 

Techno held out his hand and the two looked at it with confusion as the palm held nothing. That was until the cardinal on his shoulder hopped down into his palm. The two easily spotted the green bandana. 

“Tommy!” Ranboo shouted with relief. 

The cardinal jumped from the witcher's palm and transformed before his butt hit the floor with a loud thud. 

“Hey guys, miss me?” Tommy scratched the back of his head with a lopsided grin. 

Tubbo began to roll up his sleeves, “Did you know how worried we were.” He grumbled through gritted teeth.

Tommy looked up with nervousness and gulped, “U-uh… sorry?” His voice cracked. 

“Sorry’s not gonna cut it this time, big man.”

Tommy let out a shriek and quickly got up as Tubbo began to chase him around the inn. Ranboo stood next to Techno as they watched the two hash it out. 

“So, we have your food ready when you’d like something to heat. Your water is also heating up in your room.”

Techno found a nearby table and sat down, “Thanks, I was starting to get hungry.”

Ranboo disappeared into the kitchen before reappearing with a plate of food, “We had some ready for your companion as well, where did he go?”

“Let's just say that he is taming the ‘beast’ in the woods.” Techno hummed with amusement as he began to eat. 

From somewhere inside the inn he heard Tommy’s shouting, “Tubbo! Tubbo! Hold on and stop hitting me for a moment! The witcher has a proposal for us!”

“His name is Techno.”

“Well, Techno has a proposal for us.”

Techno watched as Tubbo dragged Tommy across the floor toward the table he was sitting at. He let go of the shapeshifter’s bandana and sat down in one of the chairs across from Techno. Ranboo and Tubbo seemed interested, though Ranboo was more hesitant in his disposition. 

“What did you want to talk about?”

“Phil and I want you three to come with us. It is dangerous living in this place for too long. They already found out about Tommy’s identity, it’s only a matter of time before they end up finding yours. All it takes is someone seeing you two shift, someone seeing you with Tommy, or one of your patrons exposing you.”

Tommy lowered his head, too afraid to look his friends in the eye, “I already planned to go with them. They found out who I am, they’ll be on the look for me. I want to stay with you two, but I’m no longer safe here. You can stay here if you want or come with us.”

Ranboo rubbed his hands together, “I… like it here, but I agree. It’s uncomfortable staying in this human skin and I hate not being able to use my magic freely… maybe I’ll even be able to find a way to get my memory back.”

“Eh?” Techno looked at the Enderian, “You’re an amnesiac?”

Ranboo gave a nervous laugh, “I am.”

Tubbo frowned, “Well… I don't want to leave. I really want to stay here. This inn is important for me and the people in our community. Who will take care of it while we’re gone?”

“Oh, I know!” Ranboo clapped his hands, “We can have Jack do it!”

“Who’s Jack?” 

“Jack is a human friend who knows our secret. He’s been working at the inn and is for our cause.” Tubbo answers, “It’s a good idea to have a human run the inn. That way if he is ever questioned, he could say he has no idea what they’re talking about.”

Tommy grinned, “It’s settled then, we’re all going.” 

Tubbo gave a sigh, “I suppose so. I’m gonna miss this inn, but I always wanted to go on adventures.”

“I can’t wait for you guys to meet Wilbur! He’s gonna come with us. He helped take care of me and shelter me from the humans.” 

“No wonder we couldn’t find you.” Ranboo hummed. 

Techno and the three children made their way to the cave. Phil and Wilbur were standing outside waiting for them. Wilbur looked preened, cleaned, and a lot more relaxed and in the right state of mind from when he had seen him last. 

“You guys, meet Wilbur!”

Wilbur raised his hand and gave a little wave, “Hi.”

“Wait, you’re the asshole that scratched Ranboo’s back!” Tubbo rolled up his sleeves and shed his human skin, baring his horns and sharp teeth.

Techno sighed. He supposed he and Phil were now parents of four rowdy inhuman kids. Jobs will be a little more difficult than usual now.