You might remember things were a little tense during the last bit with Wildfall and Mary in Dinner Blahs.

Well, this piece picks up after that.

 
"I'm not saying." Wildfall paused in mid sentence as the two walked towards the main town exit. "I mean, I'm not trying to say that I want to control everything you do, you know? It's just something like this - hey, are we stopping by the market? Anyway. Something like drinking. I - are you really old enough? I'm still thinking about what your parents would think. I dunno, am I doing this wrong?"

"Wildfall, didn't know there was a drinking age around here. This isn't Ireaca. Did it ever occur to you that I might not want to drink whatever the drink is? Do you need something at the market? I don't." Mary paused to get her emotions in check, "As for what my parents would think, well, they would pretty much say the same things you keep telling me. I'm not old enough to do anything but follow you around like a little girl. They, and you, don't see that I'm old enough to make up my own mind." Mary continued, "Yes, I may need help deciding some things and even need protection, but dammit I'm old enough to know how I feel and the difference between right and wrong. You're doing what you feel is right and I understand and am open to your point of view. All I ask is that you respect and understand mine. I try so damn hard to be perfect for you and my parents that I get so upset when everyone treats me as a child."

"Travel food, maybe," Wildfall answered. "Nuts and berries? Those are good for search and find missions. Anyway, you're right. I'll try to remember you're not technically a kid in this stupid Kingdom. You can still get drunk though, don't forget that."

"Okay some travel food, good idea," Mary responded. "You don't have to worry about me getting drunk. I don't like drunks. They smell bad, don't talk right, force themselves on you, and are obnoxious. Just exactly what am I, technically? An alien, a monster, someone you don't want to be with? What do you see when you look at me? A little girl or a woman who happens to be in love with you? Or do you see my feelings as a 'passing thing not worthy of a second thought' because I'm not old enough to know the meaning of love?"

Wildfall sighed, measuring his words. "Don't you think that's laying it on a little thick? Also: you're sure you got enough supplies if someone gets hurt right? They don't sell many in Degrassi. But yeah, you're right, I don't think you're too young for me. But I'm still your mentor. I dunno. We're working together, but I still promised to watch out for you."

Suddenly Mary's eyes lit up, "You mean my telling you how I feel about drunks and my feelings for you are laying it on a little thick? Fine, I'll keep my thoughts and feelings to myself and be your student like my father wants. I guess I do need to get some more supplies in case I have to save your ass again."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Wildfall mumbled.

Mary chuckled and said, "Nope and I doubt it'll be the last with your ability to get yourself into trouble, Jarlsy."

Wildfall smirked. "As long as I can get us out of trouble, too, ki- er, cutie. Honey. Cute honey." Wildfall paused and awkwardly added, "Pie."

Mary answered in as serious tone as she could muster, "Is that remark coming from my 'mentor' or is it more personal? Not sure what to call you anymore, honestly. Don't want to keep arguing, don't want to split up but also don't know how to hide my real feelings for you. So how do you suggest I act and what I call you? I know what I'd like to call you but as you so pointedly put it you're still my 'mentor'."

"I dunno." Wildfall sounded distracted as he lead her towards the market stores. "I just hope we can find Fahari and Todd."

"Sure we don't want to be alone now do we." Mary answered, disappointed that there always had to be someone around with them. "Why are you dragging me to Degrassi? Do you figure they will still be there or do you already know where they are and just making me follow you for the hell of it? Let's get them found so you can have someone to watch your back that is better at it than I am."

Wildfall closed his eyes for a few moments, standing still and taking a moment to drink in the ambiance. "I think we're doing a great job at watching each other's backs. For example, we're still alive and haven't gotten hurt too badly."

Mary looked at Wildfall for a second, smiled and replied, "Yes, honey we've been doing a great job at watching each others' backs, but we've also had a few close calls."

"Got bad news for ya," Wildfall admitted with a smile. "You better get used to it. One of the hazards of dangerous adventures.. er, ya know.. the dangerous part."

"I know it's dangerous, but I do still worry about your safety and if I'm good enough at healing to keep you alive." Mary replied with a note of concern in her voice.

Wildfall smiled. "I have every confidence in the world in your ability to keep me safe. You know your job. It's me falling down on the job that worries me - me not being able to protect you. I know, I know, you don't think you need your protection, and maybe you're right. You're a tough lassie, I've always known that even when you were a kid. But I still worry and - ohh.. shhh.. listen closely."

Mary started to say, "You do ……" stopped when Wildfall shushed her, and whispered, "What's wrong?" Immediately Mary went into her battle stance, hands ready to connect with an enemy, but Wildfall instead put his hands on her shoulder gently, smiling reassuringly.

"No, sweetie, relax. Close your eyes, listen. You'll hear it on the winds."

"Hear what? Who? I'm not hearing anything but the winds." Mary whispered confused, stared around her, her body tensed and expected something or someone to jump out at any moment.

Mary held her breath straining to hear, but looked at Wildfall and added, "I'm not hearing anything but the wind. I'm trying to hear what you hear, but not sure what it is." Mary shrugged and lowered her head continuing, "I guess I failed at your test, but still trying hard to hear it."

Wildfall chuckled lightly. "Isn't a test, MK. I just always love tryin' to catch the first sound of the town as we're coming up on it, and we should be hearing it by now."

Mary looked perplexed. "Sorry, but I still don't hear anything but the wind."

"Keep walking then."

"Okay, I'm walking," Mary replied as she took off and left him behind. "You want me to hear something so I'm going to find something to listen to besides the wind."

"What?!" Wildfall shrugged. "I don't think that's how it works."

"Well you are supposed to be my 'mentor' so mentor me."

"Hush and listen, would ya?" Wildfall grabbed her hand. "And don't walk away from that town, that won't work. Unless ya plan to walk all the way around the world."

Mary stopped, turned to face Wildfall and stopped talking to listen. "I hear something that sounds like noise or yelling."

Wildfall tweaked his ears. "I don't hear.. oh wow you're right. Figures.. I told ya Degrassi's known for being a brawling hotspot right?"

"I remember you saying something about me not causing any trouble there," Mary replied with a chuckle and a grin. "But what fun is that going to be?"

Wildfall chuckled as the two picked up their pace a bit. "Well yeah, but Todd would be a lil cross if we start having fun before we find him. Plus, trouble usually finds you in this place. Not like you gotta go lookin' for it."

"Good you go look for Todd and I will take care of trouble when it finds me," Mary told him as she kept walking.

Wildfall rushed to keep up, still teasing. "When it finds you or when ya cause it, honey?"

"Take your pick. I won't back down no matter what and you are in such a big hurry to find Todd, so go find him," Mary flashed back.

"Don't you wanna find Todd and Fahari?"

"Why would I? They're just going to say the same thing you keep saying to me. That I don't know anything and can't take care of myself. Maybe someday I'll show all of you I can do more that patch your ass up when you get yourself half killed."

Wildfall chuckled. "You already saved my ass twice, honey. I don't think you have anything left to prove."

"Okay, Wildfall," Mary replied meekly. "I'm sorry. Can we please stop fighting?"

Wildfall nodded. "Yeah. Sorry. I'm just tryin' to.. you know. I'm just trying to say I have faith in you. I'm sorry if I seem overprotective lately but the idea of something happening to you.. sorry, but there I go again, huh? Look, you get why I wanna make sure Todd and Fahari are ok, right?"

Mary half-shrugged. "I guess because they're your friends and you worry about them?"

"Yeah," Wildfall added. "Plus we were in that big fight with the Boss Bat's crew the last time we saw them. And Ratsworth. I kinda feel responsible to figure out what in the eternal fires happened to them. But yeah, Todd's been one of my few friends since I got to this Kingdom. Kinda was nice to have someone after Summer and Xodus left the Kingdom, ya know. But you're young, you've always had your family. It's probably hard to relate to someone who has always been on his own, huh?"

"Yea I guess I'm too young to really know much of anything, least of all what you have been through. If you want to go find them I can either go home or tag along with you till you find your friends." Mary replied. "Just ironic that now I'm the one alone and find myself having to rely on you for everything."

Wildfall slowed down before coming to a stop. He looked at her, frowning. "What do you want from me?"

"Nothing, honey, I just want to know you have faith in me and that I know what to do in a pinch honey. I know I've a lot to learn and am so scared I'll do something wrong. I get frustrated with myself and end up taking it out on you and I'm sorry. I just want you and my parents to be proud of me," Mary looked at Wildfall with tears in her eyes as she continued, "I also want you to know I have your back. I know you're worried about your friends so let's go find them and make sure they are okay." Mary reached out and put her arms around Wildfall's waist.

Wildfall smiled warmly and slipped his arm around her. "Okay. I'll try to remember you're a partner, not a sidekick, and believe me, I know you got my back. I'm trusting you with my life as much as you are trustin' me with yours. All that jazz."

Mary smiled as she said, "Well, I can't let you have all the fun here."

"Geez," Wildfall muttered as he walked ahead of her. "And I thought I was a wise arse."

Mary chuckled. "See I'm learning from you already." With that she hurried to catch up to him.

The two young Ireacan natives quickly reached town and immediately started asking around about Fahari and Todd Blackpaws, looking for any clues or tips they might find, even going as far as to split up after having lunch together to cover more ground. Between that and exploring Degrassi, it was evening before the two got together again.

"Well thanks for your time anyway." Wildfall had been talking to an elderly Gnollish lady, one of the town residents. Surly as she might be, she usually could provide Wildfall with a pretty good idea of who'd been through town when he'd asked. Desperate times and measures, you know?

She looked him over and gave him an indifferent nod before walking off. Wildfall smiled at the sound of crickets, just starting and turned to walk off, just as Mary walked up to him, so deep in thought she was not watching where she was walking and ran right into him.

"Oof!" Wildfall caught her instinctively. "Hey, babe. Good timing."

Embarrassed, she told Wildfall, "Sorry, honey, didn't see you there."

Wildfall smirked. "Not much else to look at. Any leads? Cause I got about nothin' we didn't know about. Plenty of people remembered Todd from the last time we were here. A few even remembered Fahari, but it don't sound like they've been here since then."

"Not any better luck on my end, either." Mary replied. I stopped by the Mr. Sew Rite's tailor shop to see if he had heard from the Captain. He said that he was expecting the captain but he is late."

Wildfall shrugged. "Alright. So what's next? I'm too worn out to walk back home. And it's getting kind of late anyway."

"Well there's an Inn around here, maybe we can get a couple rooms there and while we are here in town we should go to that yummy bakery for breakfast. If you don't mind," Mary grinned and smacked her lips thinking about the bakery.

Wildfall smiled playfully. "Good idea, glad I thought of it."

Mary nudged his shoulder playfully and laughed, "Yea, you do have some good ideas once in awhile."

Wildfall paused, seeming thoughtful. "Maybe we could get the same room we got last time. Or do you wanna get something cheaper with one bed?"

Wildfall immediately blushed at the idea, flustered, and stammered, "I mean, to save meat.. I mean if you want to.. nevermind."

Mary laughed at his blushing and stuttering. "I think the cheaper room and saving meat is a great idea. I like that but are you comfy or ready to share a bed with me? Will it bring back any bad memories for you, hun?"

"Well," Wildfall said, letting out a sigh of relief. "As long as you're comfortable with it, I'm good with it. I promise to behave, even."

Mary snapped her fingers and grinned at him saying, "Darn, behaving doesn't sound like much fun but, yes, to ease your concern, I'm very comfortable with sharing your bed."

"Alright," Wildfall said, grinning ear to ear. "Let's go see what's available, or do you wanna get dinner first?"

Mary linked her arm with his and smiled. "Great idea let's grab a room while they still have one and yes, let's eat…. I'm starving."

I'm really proud of this one. For a piece mostly about them arriving in town, there's a lot going on in it, which helped it win the "Best co-write" award for the mission! So naturally, Ichiro had some high praise for this one, saying that it's only after reading this one that he looked back and saw the set-up for it that started in Comforts. He pointed out it all came to a head here as well. To quote him directly, "Very well down. And even on its own, it is a good piece that shows a lot of character. Wildfall being trapped between his culture and his desires, MK just wanting to be taken seriously, etc."

It's also the only roleplay the voter didn't cite any issues with under "issues and suggestions," heehee. Voter comments under ranking calls the Mary Kate/ Wildfall saga "the best laid character arc I can think of since judging AiL." We've still got another chapter in the Mary Kate/ Wildfall saga left for the mission - not counting the Finale, of course!