Sitting down in front of their tent Nyla was enjoying a well-deserved meal. They had been clearing out the cave for a week now, it had gone slower than intended. But that was to be expected when it was discovered that the whole cave complex was a lot bigger with higher levels of mana then anticipated.

“Hey slowpokes, since you aren’t done with your mission. How about we help you out for a cut of the reward.”

Hera and her crew that was responsible for clearing the area for any dangerous animals and monsters were coming back to the camp for dinner as well. For some reason she decided to swoop by their location.

Inara looked miffed towards them.

“Stop dreaming, you guys would die if we let you inside. Go hunt some rabbits in the bushes instead of bothering us.”

Hera was a rugged looking woman with scars crossing her face, she was getting up in the years. She wasn’t happy with us since she was over thrice our age, yet we recently overtook her in rank.

“Heeeh, we aren’t the ones who can’t keep to our schedule. Do you think you can manage to get it done within the week before we are set to head back? I would gladly give you a hand for say, half the reward. Hahahaha.”

Laughing with her obnoxious raspy voice she was taking potshots at us since the first day.

Nyla was scrunching her eyebrows while flexing her fingers, they were itching to punch that smug smile off her face.

“You know that the cave ended up a lot bigger than projected, and with all the veins we found from silver and earth crystals made it an even a better site. Your just jealous of the bonus we are getting.”

Inara smugly refuted her, she knew exactly how to rile her up.

Scowling and humphing at Inara Hera refuted.

“Your only getting the bonus if you get the job done.”

“Don’t worry about us old woman, we aren’t old and washed-up as some.”

Gnashing her teeth she could only swallow her indignation, not coming up with any comeback she glared at Inara before spitting in disgust before going back to her own spot.

She was technically still young as she would live to at least two hundred years old unless something untoward happened to her, but the chance of her actually becoming an elite was getting smaller by the years.

“Nice one Ina, she was getting on my nerves.”

Nyla happily complimented her friend.

“She had it coming with how obnoxious she is. But it’s harder then we thought, the lurkers were a nasty surprise.”

Inara replied.

Cassandra came into the conversation with a pale face Lyria behind her.

“I hope that taught you a lesson on vigilance and not relying on the guild info, your lucky Lyria managed to save you in time.”

Looking down with an embarrassed look.

“Yeah, sorry about that Lyri. I got complacent after we got in the groove of taking out the hulks...”

“It’s okay I just overexerted myself a little.”

Nyla felt bad as well since she was the shield of the team she always felt responsible for her teammates safety. But those nasty bugs always jumped people from behind, launching out of their hiding holes when the prey was unaware.

Cassandra was looking seriously at Inara.

“Forewomen Gina gave us another five days to clear out as much as we can. I’m planning to up the tempo, but I expect increased vigilance. Inara I will cut your bonus if you continue being careless.”

“What? But I was just unlucky last time.”

“You have been slacking the entire trip plus in your training back at home since we found Alex.”

Cassandra looked reproachfully at Inara while admonishing her.

“What's the problem with not giving my full effort all the time? It’s not like it hurt anyone, we have been going hard for so long. I just wanted a break.”

Inara looked defiant towards Cassandra while fuming herself.

“Are you crazy? No one got hurt this time! That won’t be the case every time. How many rookies that started at the same time as us are still here? Remember Darcias team, they acted carefree like it was all a big adventure. Where did that end for them? You only started to take breaks after Alex came into our lives, I thought you wanted to go far. Show everyone that they were wrong about us, that we had it in us...”

Cassandra was yelling at the start of her rant but slowly lost steam the further she got. She sounded genuinely sad at the end.

Inara looked hurt upon Cassandra.

“I’m sorry, okay? I still want to go further, it’s just that we already made it farther than anyone expected of us. I didn’t even think I would become anything before I met you…

But now look at us, we are still young and already veterans. I know it’s all because of you, I was just so happy and content last few weeks… Everything has been looking up for us lately, and they still are.”

Inara had a positive smile after her spiel. It reminded her of old times, and how far they come.

Nyla was standing at the side fidgeting, she was really worried when Cassandra started yelling. The last thing she wanted to be was for the group to form cracks, they had been dedicated and on the same page for so long now. Good thing that it didn’t escalate into anything major.

Cassandra sighed, but she got a slight smile on her lips.

“Good, I expect that you pucker up and start taking this seriously again.”

Inara fidgeted a little when Cassandra said that, she got a tentative look on her face before opening her trap again.

“But I think we have earned a little break after all these years.”

When Cassandra glared at Inara she quickly shook her hands while clarifying.

“No no, I don’t mean right now. I’m gonna give this mission it’s full attention, no more relaxing or mistakes. It’s just when we get back we don’t have to run off to everything we find all the time…”

She lowered her head at the end, not managing to handle Cassandras glare.

Lyria was the one who came to Inaras rescue while Cassandras brows continually scrunched up.

“Cassy, Ina is right. We have gone hard for the last six years, it would be good for us to take it easy sometimes. With Alex coming into our lives this should be a good opportunity to take it slower for a couple of months. We get a much-needed break, plus help him get set into his new life.”

While Lyria was looking pleadingly towards Cassandra she could only sigh. She put her forefinger and thumb between her eyes while closing them. It looked like she was staving off a headache.

After a few seconds she opened them again while breathing out, looking towards Nyla.

“What do you think Nyla? Do you agree that we should take a break?”

The stares concentrated on her from the whole party made her nervous. She didn’t know what to say since she was uncertain herself. She could see where both sides were coming from and didn’t want to disappoint either side.

Gulping she tentatively opened her mouth.

“Well… We could maybe sign up for the fighting pits when we get back? It would be good practice and break from long trips at the same time?”

In the end she went with her own wish, she still wanted tough fights. It didn’t have to come from dangerous missions.

Inara couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hahaha, I can’t believe you’re such a meathead. You’ve been wanting to join there for a while haven’t you?”

Scratching her chin in embarrassment she could only meekly nod.

“Alright, we will have this discussion back at home. For now I expect all of you to fully focus on our current mission. And when it’s all over and we are back, only then will we come to the bottom of this.”

Cassandra ended the current discussion with a rowing look on all of them, she lingered a couple of seconds longer when she came to Inara.

***

Damn after the discussion with Eris I was kinda bummed out. I thought I was unto something, but it seemed like I was trying to run before I even learned to crawl.

I was putting more focus on manipulating my internal cycle and physical training. While I was absentmindedly running I was trying to remember anything else I could about space and black holes or generally about physics that I learned so long ago…

“BOOO!”

Rina jumped out in front of me trying to scare me, but since I wasn’t paying attention I ended up crashing right into her.

I quickly hugged her while twisting us to the side so I didn’t land on top of her. I was to abrupt in my movements and ended up twisting my ankle.

“Sorry, are you okay Rina?”

She had tears in her eyes while trying to look strong and unaffected.

“Heroes don’t cry.”

I heard her mutter to herself.

Chuckling to myself I stood up while lifting her up with me. I grimace from the pain I felt in my right ankle though.

“Aah, your hurt. I’m sorry, don’t tell Mother Eris. We got to get you to Mother Lisandra.”

She became frantic when I grimaced and started to pull on my hand towards the clinic.

Taking me to the clinic it had a few people that were sitting there, an old couple and a mother with two kids. Lisandra was busy treating those that came and when she saw us I waved at her.

“It seems like your busy.”

She raised her eyes while looking at me.

“There are a couple of patients today. I didn’t expect you to visit me here, what's going on?”

“Nothing important, I sprained my ankle and Rina wanted to take me here. I'll just walk it off no problem”

She smiled at me.

“Well you could go to Clara and get an ointment for it, they work wonders for small injuries.”

“Thanks, ill do that. She is in the back right?”

“Yeah”

Going to the back I knocked on the door.

I heard Clara call.

“Come in.”

Rina was the first to rush through the door.

“Clara you got to help”

“Relax I’m working on an experiment here.”

She was handling some vials while turning around.

I moved closer in to look as I was curious about what she was working with.

“So what are you here fo… Yaaa!”

She jumped when she saw me standing close behind her when she turned around.

Spilling the content of her vials all over my shirt I was shocked and jumped back.

Luckily I didn’t get any on my face and it was mostly on my shirt so I quickly pulled it off my head since I was scared it might be dangerous.

“I’m sorry i-i-t-t’s no-o-th-i….”

Claras face went deep red while she was apologizing, when she saw me pull the shirt off she went completely mute while her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.

Rina did a cutesy cry at the same time.

“Kyaaaa, is this what a promiscuous guy is like?”

I forgot that me taking my shirt off was the same as a girl flashing her boobs in my world. And with the way Clara reacted it seemed even worse. I still wasn’t used to the way people acted around guys here.

“Sorry Clara. You said it was nothing dangerous I hope?”

She was blankly staring at me while her eyes were big as saucers, I had to repeat myself while waving in front of her.

She meekly nodded before her knees buckled and she started to topple over.

I was quick enough to grab her by the waist and hold her up. When I grab her I could see her eyes roll back into the top of her head and she fainted.

‘Well this is a mess…'

Sighing and shaking my head I gently placed her on the floor while looking around for something to cover my self with. I didn’t want to put on a shirt that was covered in unknown alchemical substances.

Finding a towel that I could wrap around myself I looked towards Rina.

“Could you get Lisandra, and maybe find something for me to wear? I don’t want to startle anyone else.”

Rina was standing there with her hands in front of her face, but the fingers were spread and she clearly could see everything between them.

She quickly nodded like a woodpecker before running out of the room.

Sighing again I sat down on a chair while looking towards the fainted Clara.

It took a couple of moments before they came back.

“So what happened here?”

Lisandra asked while looking amused by my getup and not even batting an eye for her colleague that was lying on the floor.

“Well when we got here Clara got startled when she saw me and spilled whatever she was holding over my shirt, I quickly took it off since I was afraid of it being harmful. She didn’t take that too well as me stripping was too much for her and she fainted.”

“Hahahahaha. I wish I could have seen it… Don’t worry about Clara, this isn’t the first time she got anemic from getting startled. She is a real delicate flower, hahaha.”

Lisandra was having a hoot over the situation, she came with a linen shirt for me that I gratefully took, she also found an ointment that she handed me.

“This is for your sprain, just rub some on the place you hurt. I'll take care of this, you two should head out for now.”

“Thank you Lisandra, I’m sorry for the trouble I caused…”

She just smiled and clapped me on my shoulder.

“Nonsense, this will probably be the highlight of my week. You just brought some needed entertainment for my day.”

Laughing again she shooed us out of the clinic.