The group walked forward in the distance the sun highlight the massive iron gates of the kingdom of Grayhaven.
Walter looked up, the sun shone bright across the endless field of grass illuminating the area like a bright canvas.
His silver hair was illuminated, his gray eyes glanced up at the sun for a moment before returning to gaze at the enormous kingdoms gates. His blackish trench coat displayed his big built form.
Bob walked beside Walter on his left he appeared to be stretching his arms proudly his bare chest exposing a few scar on his abdomen. He yawned. "Oh thats so cool, we're almost there. Hey Hu-" Bob stopped himself just in time as Walter gave him a sharp look. Bob continued his tone uneasy. "I mean Walter what's the plan for entering the kingdom. I'm sure they ain't gonna take to kindly to random strangers entering."
Ren glanced up at Bob before he gazed at Walter and spoke aloud in a curious tone. "Yeah he's got a point, the guards won't take kindly to demi humans like Lira and Kira and m-"
Barnarby interrupted his half conscious state had finally faded
Barnarby: "Lad, you hadn't need anything to worry about in terms of entering Grayhaven, I'll have you know the kingdom of Grayhaven knows me well." His grin was prideful and satisfied. His barrel like body now finally seemed like it was adjusting to be able to make minimum movements.
Walter turned sideways in Barnaby's direction his expression was one of bewilderment. "Pardon?"
Barnarby continued. "Yeah I've got some connection to some nobles yer see, high ranking ones, i'm well known yer see." He flashed his teeth with a proud smile.
Walter's expression shifted into one that appeared impressed. Hugo/Walter:
Walter: "Really?" Well thats perfect however." Walter dragged his tone on and raised his hand shielding his eyes from the blinding sunlight.
Everyone turned their attention to him.
Walter: "We are gonna have to discuss what abilities we're gonna reveal to the adventurers guild and-" Ren interrupted his tone annoyed.
Ren: "Walter are we not going address what Bob previously said?" Ren glared at Walter he crossed his arms. His fox tail had gone stiff his fox ears slightly flattened.
Walter's gray eyes met Rens with an aloof look. "Pardon? I really don't know what you're referring to Bob says a lot of stuff that he himself probably doesn't even believe."
Ren's tone turned meaner his fangs bared. "Are we all going to ignore how he literally stated your an otherworlder like him?"
Walter glanced down at Ren a glare forming in his own eyes Walter decided it was worthless attempting to lie his way out of the situation as there wasn't much to actually go off and if he attempted to it would only make him more untrustworthy then he suspected he already was. "Okay and?"
Ren stopped in his tracks on the grass field he scoffed his voice growing louder and more violent. "Why hide it from us? If it weren't for that thing right there." Ren briefly pointed at Bob who was to occupied sizing up a tree. "We would have been blinded to an important secret like that." Rens hands twitched his muscles in his jaw tightening.
Walter looked down at the boy his irritation growing further. "So what do you propose I should've done?" This was one of the first times a child had gotten on Walters nerves typically he'd been fine with kids back on Earth he'd always been great with taking care of Don Millers kids. It was actually quite miraculous that someone from his neglected background was able to appear as a great parental figure despite his..hateful violent experiences with his grandpa.
Ren fumed further. "Well how can you expect your comrades to fight beside you if we aren't even worth trusting?" He glanced over to an awkward Barnaby who had been snacking on some pork sausages stored in his satchel. "Is Barnaby not worth the trust? Huh?" Are we not worth the trust?" Veins bulge upon Ren's head, his eyes bloodshot with a growing anger.
Walter retaliated with a tone that had been forced to calm attempting to reason with Ren. "You're completely disregarding my safety." What if a scumbag such a Vagrius or some crazy religious zealot gained information on me?" To him it wasn't just trust that was a concerning factor he couldn't just hand out information like this all willy nilly. Otherworlders are seen as a threat what if the church got a hold of information like this? What then? He'd have a whole religious faction out to get him. He didn't need something like The Knights Of The One True Vessel After him.
Ren rolled his eyes his arms still crossed. "What about your comrades?" We're standing right here! Are we not worth trusting to defend you?!" He jabbed a finger into Barnaby's arm, he was still munching on sausages.
Barnarby: "Ayeee." A sharp yelp came from Barnarby as he choked slightly on a sausage due to shock.
Ren ignored unperturbed. "Huh? Are we not worth the trust?!"
Walter was about to speak when Lira stepped forward, she raised a calm hand. "Ren.." Her tone was surprisingly gentle. "You're not thinking with a cool head. Walter isn't hiding anything to insult you. He's thinking about all of our safety, he's just saying the information on him could put us all in danger."
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Ren scoffed, his tail flicked irritably. "Ha! Spare me that lecture, Lira. Stop trying to be some voice of reason you're just some push over who follows orders without question like some lapdog."
Lira's sharp green eyes snapped into focus, her voice now cut the air like steel. "Excuse me? Pushover? Lapdog? Ren you arrogant little shit. Just how incompetent are you?" Her hands clenched at her sides, and Kira flinched slightly at the sudden heat in her sister's tone. "Do you even think before you speak? Walter's decision to withhold this information is what reduces the risk of us getting attacked by the demon lord's army or any other...otherworlders."
Ren's fox ears twitched, his tail stiffening, he tried to muster a response, but Lira wasn't finished just yet.
Lira: "Listen here." She paused. "Just look at Barnarby, Bob and even Kira we all aren't complaining not because he enjoy being lied too. But because we understand that Walters withholding these details so that it doesn't endanger us!" Lira took a deep breath before exhaling. "Ren you have to understand to empathize with others."
Walter's gray eyes softened slightly he quietly observed the situation. Typically he'd have to argue for himself back on Earth a sharp contrast indeed. Whilst he did have certain friends who helped him most did it out of pragmatic gain rather than genuine companion ship. This amused him greatly he chose to keep quiet about it however.
Rens ears twitched, and he finally let out a frustrated huff. "...Fine. Fine, I get it...maybe." His tail lashed once, half in anger and half in acceptance of defeat."
Bob leaned against a nearby tree his red spiky hair illuminating in the sunlight, he flashed his sharp teeth a goofy grin plastering his face.
Bob: "About time, fox kid. You're finally learning to be a better gu-"
Ren rushed and picked up a tree branch laying on the ground in the open field and launched it at Bob.
Bobs eyes widened as he managed to barely dodge in time he awkwardly laughed it off. Walter took notice of how in comparison to him Bobs speed was much slower than his, he could literally predict where he was going, there has to be a condition to his type of ability. Perhaps he's not as physically stronger as a typical otherworlder in his original default form?
Bob: "Hahaha kid, anger issues much?"
Kira clung to Lira’s sleeve, eyes wide and quiet, watching the older girls settle the argument. Barnarby, ever proud, popped another sausage into his mouth, giving a satisfied grunt.
The tension had finally eased after a while and Walter had seized the opportunity to assign roles. He needed to in order to put up a disguise.
Walter looked up at the approaching gates once more.
Walter: “Now that we’ve cleared the air… we need to decide what we’re telling the guild and the guards. We can’t go in flashing everything we can do.”
He turned to the group.
Walter: “I’ll go first. I'll stick with my real name. Another lie but it was necessary. Walter knew it was necessary he was certain of it. "I'll be a martial artist user with debuff magics"
He looked at Ren.
Walter: "You Ren?"
Ren sighed. "I'll just say I can use illusion magic and fire magic and then i'm good at close range fighting but my fighting style revolves around something called Fang-style claw arts." Ren took notice of confused looks form Barnarby and Bob, even Walter raised an eyebrow at the name. Ren spoke once more. "It's a beastkin martial art revolving around speed and bladed weapons most beastkin who are fox and cat folk use it."
Walter: "That's nice and sounds handy, what about you Lira?"
Lira looked at him her tone turning confident: "It's nothing too special but I'm skilled in basic dagger fighting and I have a good knowledge of monsters." She paused. "I've also dabbled in a bit of minor healing magic, nothing too advanced though."
Walter turned to Bob last.
Walter hesitantly asked: "Bob?"
Bob walked over Walter found it annoying that they'd probably be questioned over why Bob was shirtless and his unusual red spiky hair, Hell even his demeanor might be questioned but there was nothing Walter could do besides telling Bob to try and act somewhat normal.
Walter: "Bob." Walter paused with a sigh. "Please try and act normal, you know what. Just don't speak unless talked too."
Bob paused mid-step, his spiky red hair catching the sunlight as he turned to look at Walter. For a split second the goofy grin faltered replaced by a flicker of genuine surprise before it snapped right back into place, wider than ever, sharp teeth on full display.
Bob (laughing under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck:
“Act normal? Me?”
He let out a loud, barking laugh that echoed across the open field, throwing both arms out dramatically like he was performing for an invisible crowd.
Bob: “Buddy, I can shape shift you can resurrect dead people we've both been sent by Deities to kill the demon lord in some fantasy world. ‘Normal’ left the chat when we first got transported to this wonderland.”
He leaned in closer his reddish-brown eyes sparkling with mischief as he dropped his voice to a mock-serious whisper.
Bob: “But fine, fine. since you're the boss-man and you've said shut up, so I guess i'll shut up.”
Bob whispered to himself:
“…Well unless someone talks to me first. Then all bets are off.”
He gave Walter a playful salute with two fingers, spun on his heel, and started walking again whistling an off-key tune while flexing one arm casually as if to say “look, I’m being normal now.”
Ren muttered under his breath without even looking back.
Ren: “That lasted about three seconds.”
Walter sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose under the bandana he pulled his bandana down revealing his scarred lip and mouth area which raised a few surprised looks from Ren and Lira having not seen what Walter looked like under the bandana.
The group nodded some reluctantly, some nervously, some grimly.
They continued forward toward the gates.
As they approached, there stood 2 guards very well built men who were dressed in a full body suit of armour there expressions through the open helmets were stern and mean looking they looked at the groups direction and began to eye them suspiciously, especially Bob’s shirtless, barefoot, scarred appearance.
Barnaby's speech was slurred but cheerful he spoke in that same carefree unsophisticated but warm tone: “Oi! Hello, lads! It’s Barnaby Wilkins! You remember me, yeah? Told your captain I’d bring good coin next time I came through.”
The stern looking guards lit up almost instantly recognition sparked upon their face the one on the left even laughed a little
Guard 1: “Barnaby! You old drunk! We thought you were dead.” He joked stifling a laugh.
Guard 2: “Still owe us for that last shipment of wine, eh?”
Barnaby glanced over at them and patted the first guard on the back a clunking sound was heard: “Add it to the tab! Got nobles waiting on me this time.”
The second guard glanced over at the watchmen and gave him a nod. Immediately after that the large stick iron gate opened no further questions were asked, not even a search was done.
Walter internally noted Barnaby’s connections were real and useful. To him this was bizarre, extremely so they were in just like that. No further questions asked? Everything just went so smoothly, something just had to be wrong. He wouldn't complain for now though. He had already assembled somewhat of a team although he was deciding on whether or not he'd ditch the demi humans and Barnarby and just kill Bob and resurrect him into a zombie with his skills to prepare for the demon lord. However that seemed a bit to crude and vile. Once again Walter didn't know where to draw the line.
They stepped through the gates into Grayhaven.

