Vengeance rubbed her forehead. “That’s quite the revetion.”

  “I apologize for springing this on you now, but the head librarian was right and, well, we trust you”

  “Okay, first of all, thank you for that trust. I do not know what I have to done to earn it but I will make sure it is not mispced. Secondly, the head librarian is right, I do not want to see you put in storage and forgotten, you deserve your freedom. I will be there when you come out to Valefor and Thrasir and do my best to support you.”

  “That is all we ask, thank you.”

  “I have a question, if that’s alright.”

  “Of course.”

  “Have we spoken before? Did you take charge in any of my csses?”

  “Yes, multiple times. When you heard us talking to Karina in the bus this morning, Melody was asleep, I spoke.”

  “I see. I always suspected there to be some sort of influence on Melody, but your existence expins things more cleanly.”

  “Please eborate.”

  “You two agree on many things but there are nuances. I don’t know who holds what opinion, but one of you is a bit more cynical than the other. I guess that’s you, Weapon.”

  “Yes. Seeing millennia of one war or another doesn’t leave much room for faith in humanity.”

  “I have taught here for two years and I understand. Just two years…”

  “Humans are quite something. Now, we should head into the city to get something to eat.”

  “Of course, you two have fun. Once we’re back at the school, just wait until everyone has left and I will accompany you home, if that is alright.”

  “Yes, that would the best way to do all this. We will see you ter.” The weapon and Melody stood up.

  “Of course, see you at six.”

  “Seeya!” Melody waved as she left the conference room of the library to head into the city centre.

  Melody had put earbuds in to seem like she was talking on the phone and not just to herself while conversing with the weapon.

  “So, what are we thinking?”

  For our lunch?

  “Yes, for lunch. What do we want for lunch?”

  I would prefer Indian or kebab today.

  “Kebab is good. Doner kebab, spicey sauce, less onions?”

  Perfect.

  “That’s decided then.”

  It took only a few minutes to find a kebab pce, get food and find a nice bench to rex on.

  While Melody was munching away at the doner, the weapon had questions.

  I can’t help but feel that today was a setup. Sending us to a pce run a by Nightmare feels too convenient to be coincidence.

  Melody nodded and kept chewing.

  We have met quite a few demons since your sixteenth birthday, why haven’t we met a Nightmare before? If we have, why haven’t they said anything to us or our parents?

  “What if they have? If the mums know already, that might mean they accept us and want us to come out on our own terms.”

  That certainly is something I would expect from them. I am scared but there is no real reason to be.

  “There is plenty of reason. Most of the weapons got put back in storage, that is plenty of reason to assume that you would meet the same fate.”

  True, but Valefor and Thrasir have given me plenty of reasons to trust them.

  “Yea, that’s true as well… So, what’s pn B?”

  Trust Vengeance and the head librarian. If things go very badly, I can get us to the library quite quickly and undetected, but that will be exhausting for us both. There is no pn B in which we don’t have to trust at least someone.

  “I don’t like it, but I will trust your judgement.”

  That means a lot, thank you. I will sacrifice my own freedom if necessary, but I will not allow anyone to harm you. You are the best host I have ever had and my best friend.

  “You are mine too. I won’t let them separate us that easily.”

  One day, they will have to. If our parents’ promise is to be kept, we must be separated. I can’t share a body with a demon, the moment they turn you, your mind would reject me.

  “I need to get to and graduate from university first. That was the deal, I need to finish the start of any human path for them to turn me. We have until then to figure something out. Maybe they can make you a separate body? If they know you exist, that is something they could start working on.”

  Hm. We should mention that when we tell them. Sorry, I should let you finish the doner and then get our minds away from everything that will happen ter. We are supposed to treat ourselves.

  “You’re right.” Melody took another big bite.

  “Mels!” A guy approached Melody as she was leaving the local stationary store.

  “Jeremy.”

  “Didn’t see where you went after we arrived but I saw you leave. I take it everything went well?”

  “Yes, things went well.” Melody didn’t like Jeremy much, but there were worse people.

  “Good, I did well too. Found anything fun here?”

  “A few pens I might come back for, not much else. Oh, and lunch of course.”

  “In a stationary shop?”

  “No, at the doner pce around the corner. Contrary to popur belief, I do not eat paper.”

  “Could have fooled me. We were given ptops for a reason, writing on paper is such a strain on the wrist.”

  Melody shrugged. “Not if you are used to it. Honestly, keyboards have been worse for me, I prefer a good pen. Speaking of writing, what did you write about?”

  “The physics behind transistors and the different types that exist.”

  “A good topic.”

  “I thought so too.” He looked quite smug. “Well, I should head into the store now, we don’t have a lot of time left before we need to meet back at the busses.”

  Finally…

  “Yes, I wanted to quickly stop by the local game store before going back. I will see you ter.”

  “Have fun.”

  The board and card game store was everything Melody and the weapon had hoped for. Both of them loved games of all kinds, video games, board games, card games, anything. They were even part of the unofficial Heroes of Sword and Sorcery trading card game club at school. While most members ordered their stuff online or bought things from the smaller store closer to their home, Melody got her cards from her parents, who also pyed with their friends. Of course her game accessories were bespoke Hell-made items, all one of a kind.

  Oh, such a lovely selection, we should pick up some packs for home.

  Melody just nodded. She didn’t want to talk too much in such an enclosed space.

  “Hey, can I help you?” A young man in a shirt with the store’s logo approached from behind the counter.

  “I would like nine packs of Unholy Ascension. Do you have the new Adreena full art version as well?”

  “Quite expensive, but yes, we do. So, nine packs… separately or do you just want the bundle for a pound more?”

  “Hm, the bundle seems good. How much for the Adreena?”

  “Forty-five. Sorry, she just isn’t cheap.”

  “That’s fine, she is gift and that’s worth it.”

  The store guy nodded. “Alright, just come to the counter and I will have your card and bundle ready. Anything else I can get for you?”

  “No, nothing. Thank you.” Melody followed him to the counter.

  “That will be eighty ninety-nine then.”

  Melody handed over the money wordlessly, packed up her spoils in her bag and nodded a goodbye.

  “Have a good evening and come again.”

  “I certainly will, thank you. You have a nice evening too.”

  Making her way out of the store and putting the earbuds back in, the weapon had something to say.

  Why the Adreena?

  “She’s mum’s favourite hero and this is the first special printing she ever got. It will be a nice gift for the solstice.”

  True, I had not pnned for that. There is a new issue in regard to the solstice we need to deal with if today goes well.

  “What issue?”

  I will be a full member of the family and should give gifts too, even if I would prefer if I wasn’t given any.

  “That is a mild issue, yes. We can figure something out but let’s take one problem at a time. First, we need to get back home and let you out of the proverbial bag.”

  Yes, we should hurry though, it is getting te.

  Melody looked up at the darkening autumn sky. “You’re right. Let’s go.”