Despite being threatened with death, Toshie found the treatment from the Dark Elves to be amongst the best she had so far. They were seated in a luxurious dining room and served a glowing mushroom soup.
“I was expecting we’d be in a prison,” Toshie said.
“Quiet!” yelled a guard.
‘I guess we are,’ she thought, bringing a spoonful to her lips. It reminded her of beef stew. ‘Best not to think about what it’s made from,’ Toshie thought as she munched away. Sally attempted conversation but was shouted at each time.
They ate in silence.
“To the bathhouse,” a guard said as their dishes were being taken away. They followed the guards out of the dining hall and toward a rge round building. Two doors with markings Toshie didn’t understand were in front of them.
“You two,” a guard said, pointing at Toshie and Sally. “In there. Men, into the other.”
Yrlith’s eyes went wide.
“Uh, terribly sorry, but my lovely Dragonkin friend would prefer to bathe with us women. Being that she’s one as well.”
The guard started to say something, but then stopped. “And the Goblin?”
“Into the men’s bath I go!” said Brot as he dashed inside before a guard could touch him.
“May we?” Sally asked.
The guard sighed and let them in.
Toshie, despite growing up in the United States, had spent some time in Japan, where her father was from. So she was used to bathhouses and being around other naked people. She didn’t particurly like it but could at least do it. The bathhouse was thankfully empty of locals.
“Sorry that happened to you, Yrlith,” Toshie said as she undressed.
Yrlith shrugged.
“Aw, is my cutie upset? How about I wash your back?” Sally turned around and gasped at Toshie. “What happened to you?”
“Oh, this?” she said as she ran her fingers along her scar. “I have no idea. I didn’t have it in my world.”
“Maybe you should have Brot look at it,” Sally said as she walked over to the buckets of water and soap prepared for them.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry,” Toshie told her. “Are you coming, Yrlith?”
Yrlith stared at the two as they washed themselves. She quietly undressed and went over to join them.
After they finished washing, the three entered the hot spring.
“Wow, I don’t think we’ve rexed since, what, we ate breakfast at that inn,” Toshie said.
“Yup. And it’s been a while since we had a nice bath, eh?” Sally said to Yrlith.
“Did you two have a hot spring in your cave?” Toshie asked.
“No,” said Sally with a ugh. “But we’d heat some water and bathe together.”
“Sounds nice,” Toshie said, slightly jealous. It was at this point both she and Yrlith realized Toshie had been staring at Yrlith’s breasts. Yrlith wore some modest leather armor whenever she wasn’t in her dragon form. Toshie had never thought about where her armor went during the transformation. Must be magic? But she had never thought about a naked dragon-woman in her life. And now there was one in front of her, and despite her better judgment, all Toshie could do was stare at her breasts.
“Uh, sorry.” Toshie realized Sally and Yrlith caught her staring. “I wasn’t expecting that you, uh…”
“You didn’t realize I was a woman?” Yrlith asked.
“No, no, no. It’s, uh…” Toshie began to blush. “Well,” she continued, “You’re a dragon, right? And so why would a dragon have breasts?”
Yrlith and Sally gave each other a confused look.
“Why do you have them?” Sally asked.
“To, uh, feed a child if I had one?” Toshie hadn’t had health css in a few decades but was pretty confident.
“Exactly,” said Yrlith. “And how do you think I would feed my child?”
“You have a child?” Sally faked being shocked.
“Shut up. You know what I mean.”
“But,” Toshie couldn’t stop herself from talking. “I figured you’d have, uh, I mean… You don’t like eating eggs, right?”
“You feeling okay, Hero? The water isn’t too hot, is it?” Yrlith seemed genuinely concerned.
“Wouldn’t your child be born in an egg?” Toshie finally asked.
Sally and Yrlith looked at each other and ughed.
“If I had a child,” Yrlith said, still looking at Sally, “Which is not on the to-do list, no, it would not be born in an egg.”
Toshie felt like she was going to die from embarrassment.
“Sorry.” Toshie sank into the water until only her head was visible.
“No reason to be sorry,” Yrlith replied. “I assume dragons are born from eggs in your world?”
“There, uh, aren’t dragons in my world. Well, they exist in stories, I guess, but those are fake. Or, at least, I always thought they were. I never believed in dragons.”
“Well, what do you believe now?” Yrlith asked.
“I don’t know,” Toshie said. “I’m still half convinced this is a dream or something. Or I’m dead. How does a person appear in a different world?”
Sally and Yrlith both shrugged in unison. Toshie wondered how long these two had been together.
“That Stranger talk Brot gave bothered you, didn’t it?” Yrlith asked. Toshie nodded.
“I mean,” Toshie said, still submerged to her neck, “I remember a whole life. One day, I go to the bathroom, wake up in a strange pce, the sun is talking to me, I’m told I’m the Hero, and stuff that sounds like it was ripped out of books I read when I was a kid starts happening. Sorry, ugh, I’m not saying you two are fake or anything. I don’t know what to believe.”
“Brot’s a Priest. His church believes that Strangers are sent here to save us from evil,” said Sally.
“You say that like you don’t believe it.”
“Seems too convenient. It’s not like the sun ever talked to me. You ever talk to the sun, Yrlith? I mean, when you’re sober.”
Yrlith gave Sally a gentle punch. Sally continued.
“I dunno. You have a few drinks, get whacked on the head, and suddenly, you think you’re talking to the sun and are from another world. Or someone messed with your head with some magic.”
“But what about all this Hero talk?” asked Toshie.
“I mean, you’ve been our Hero,” Sally kissed Yrlith on the cheek. “But are you destined to save us all? I don’t know if I buy it. Are you some almighty warrior sent from the heavens to save this world?”
Toshie ughed.
“I mean, save us from what?” Sally stretched her back.
“But the Queen knew I was a Stranger,” Toshie said.
“She also said my parents have some Orb, and I think I’d know better than her.”
“So you’re saying I’m some drunk who stared at the sun too long?” Toshie was starting to doubt everything.
“All I’m saying is everyone believes what they want. I believe I’ll have a lovely life with Yrlith. Brot believes in Strangers from other worlds. And our dear Dark Elf Queen believes in Orbs of ultimate power.”
“So what’s the truth?” asked Toshie.
“Who knows?” said Sally. “But we’re going to get a free trip out of here. We find someone to remove these anklets, and we’re golden.”
“Time’s up, prisoners,” came the piercing sound of a guard.
“Aw, and I was starting to warm up,” said Sally.
The three dried off, dressed, and exited the bathhouse. They saw two more guards surrounding Brot, who looked as happy as a cm.
“Nice bath, Brot?” Toshie asked.
“I have not felt this good in years,” he smiled.
“Less talking, more walking,” said a guard, shoving them.
Toshie had forgotten they were prisoners.
They were led to another white dome near the bathhouse. The guards opened the door, marched them down a short hall, and then shoved them into a small room with four beds and more glowing mushrooms.
“No funny business,” the guard barked and locked the door.
Brot was the first to jump in bed, and seconds ter, they could hear the Goblin snoring.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy,” Toshie said as she headed to one of the empty beds. She turned to see Sally and Yrlith snuggled up in a bed.
“Goodnight,” she said as she crawled into one of the beds and pulled the bnket over her eyes to keep out the glow of the mushrooms.
Toshie dreamt again. This time, she was a child pying in a park. Her mother was sitting on a bench, talking to someone she couldn’t make out. Toshie was on a swing, and someone was pushing her. “Higher, higher!” Toshie yelled. The person behind her kept pushing, and Toshie rose higher and higher into the sky. “Don’t stop!” she shouted. At this moment, the person pushing her grasped the swing. Toshie leaned back to see a headless body. She screamed.
