Don disguise, look for a doctor.

The next bit of our journey is thoroughly uneventful-no travelers seen on the path, noting but dirt roads and trees to look at. Fortunately, my little trick for breakfast helped out-my companion actually marched at a rate it was difficult for me to keep up with without majorly disrupting things. Her dexterity exceeding my own by a considerable amount helped.

Eventually, though: Civilization! Over the horizon, wooden spikes stick out from a mound of earth in front of a simple stone wall. Not an immense fortification-I could reach the stop of it while rooted pretty easily, and probably just ram through it in my worm form. Nanase held up a fist-a signal to stop. "Stay here. I will be making arrangements for our transport. Your presence would only complicate things."

She continues without looking back at me. Happy to finally be someplace that actually had things I would recognize as proper society, city-slicker I was, I decided to disregard her. I had a couple errands that I wanted to run myself, after all. A moment to think, and I do something I had originally been against: placing my mark on the limbless bandit. I would have rather not had that temptation before me-her current state indicating I probably can't be trusted with it. However, it would be heavily inconvenient if she, say, decided to start screaming once she saw someone else. So to stop this, I give her a simple command. "Sleep."

Then, I take a look around to make sure There's nobody seeing us, before polymorphing into a human shape-sharing the same form as last time. Think I might adopt is as a default human shape unless I can find some way to make something more to my liking. I hefted her up on my shoulder-grunting with effort as I do so. Spending so much time as a monster that could rend metal makes you lose appreciation for how heavy things are. Either way, I then ran for the gate-attempting to appear fleeing in panic. The guards at the gates stopped me, pointing glaives. "Halt-state name and purpose!"

Crap-my old name certainly wasn't suitable, had to make up something quick. "Sakuren-please, let me in! I need to get my friend here to a healer!" They seemed to look over at my face of invented worry for a second before they ask about the obvious-"Your clothes?". Not sure how much they were buying my cover, I just continue. "Shredded by the same thing that took her limbs-c'mon!" Their swords eventually lower, heads tiliting to indicate towards the place. "First road on the right, look the snake symb-" I don't bother to let him finish, bolting off to follow the instructions.