But, they've been given the ol' Razzle Dazzle.

(Hi everyone reading up until this point! I'd like to thank you all for sticking around for 99 chapters of brain damaged, experimental writing and world building. Especially Lehe! Go check out their storyline on Monster Isekai: "Something they will all regret", if you want to try something with a much darker tone; its really good stuff. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.)

"So, the we had a vote on Klyde joining... without you." Said Gabriella, as we walk back up the slope.

"And?" I ask; still half present, as I continue to think on what that stranger in the alley was telling me with that game.

She responds. "You've got the deciding vote. I, Ariel, and Cilla were against it, what with his blabbering about 'Tsundere' this 'Cringe' that... I've no clue what they mean, for all we know, he's cussing us out in your native tongue. Zana, Ashes, and Scott were for him joining; they see him as a silly sort, and don't see any harm in letting him join."

"And Sam?" I asked.

"She said she'd vote for whoever 'Big Scaly Guy' voted for." Gabriella said; rolling her eyes as she spoke.

"So, how do you guys feel about Sam?" I ask, seeing Gabbie's disdain. "I know adding her was kinda... sudden."

"You had someone who just tried to kill you join our party, simply because she asked." She says, scowling. "Cilla may be going along with it just fine, but personally? I'm a tad angry with you about it all..."

"Oh. Sorry." I say, looking away from the peeved Priestess. "I wasn't thinking straight."

"When are you ever thinking straight?!" Gabbie whispers under her breath, clearly not intending for me to hear it.

Since when is she so... angry? When we met, she was all sunshine and rainbows. Somethings wrong...

Keeping this to myself, I stay silent until we meet back up with the rest of our group, returning to the library with a deathly silence; each of the party members clearly miffed at my "little stroll." Once back inside, I am promptly slapped across the face.

"You dolt!" Yells Cilla, now yanking my cloak to pull me down her height. "Don't just vanish like that! Especially after what happened this morning!"

"Ok! Ok! You're **** me with my own cloak!" I say, trying to pull away.

"**** is when you swallow something wrong. I'm strangling you, if anything." She says, letting go of the burlap attire. "Now, your vote. I want this over with, to be frank; go back to the Runacathy, have a nice bath, and not think about you for a few hours..."

Ouch... right in the heart...

I stay silent for a while, thinking it over in my head; looking at Klyde and Mortigan, with the latter staring daggers at the former. My first, most parinoid thoughts were that the man wasn't being offered to us as extra protection simply to get him out of Mortigan's hair, but rather, as a pair of eyes and ears to keep me in check. For all I knew, he had a way of bringing forth the God Hunter to end me in an instant; some sort of magical item or godly boon. However, seeing as I had no plans on consuming my Others, this possibility could be a positive. If he had such an item or blessing, than any encounter with my Others could be met with additional assistance from a literal Demi-God. If not, all's the better; I wouldn't even have to tangentially fear the man's pressence. Then, theres the fact he's from Earth... it would be nice to know more about my old home...

"I've made my decision." I say. "He should join."

"Of course... just keep adding more and more strangers..." Mutters Gabriella, angrily.

"Fine, but he had better stop calling me that word..." Says Cilla.

The others have their own little responses, but it's our depressive, cursed tailor whose words actually stick out to me.

"So, how often are we going to be simply bringing people along? Myself included, you've doubled our traveling groups size in just one city." Says Scott.

"I... don't know? Also, Rocky was not on me."

"Don't act like he's anything but an improvement to our party!" Says Ashes, patting the tiny golem on his head. "Zana's little man is the best thing to happen to me since we got those Kinum Spheres shipped to Saltmoore."

I hear the conversation happening back at the table, between our newest addition, and the person getting rid of him.

"Aw, are you gonna miss me?" He asks.

"I hope you get eaten by a Spiked Seedbed, you annoying pest." She responds, before wrapping her arms around him suddenly. "Don't die, ok?"

"I won't, Mortsie."

Mortigan suddenly vanishes, and a raven flies off from where she stood; leaving through an open window.

After a few seconds of silence, there is then a flash of golden light and feathers.

"Thank the heavens, I can stretch my legs! Ah! Pins and needles, pins and needles!"