We're back with more Wildfall and Mary Kate, and this time, the fun takes place in Seaside Town, so let's see what our charming couple is up to!

 
The middle of the night

There's nothing quite like being shaken like a rag doll to wake you up. Not sure what's going on or if he's being attacked, Wildfall pulled back, only to realize it's. . .

"Oh, just you, MK. Wh.. huh.. what is goi'on?!"

Mary Kate had a big smile on her face. "Oh, my hand was hurting! So I went to get medicine."

"Ummm..." Wildfall shook his head, still half asleep. "Sure. Proud of you, I guess? Sooo, I'll go back to sleep now, cool?"

"No!" Mary Kate answered. "There's a big box of notes on the floor that I fell over."

Wildfall groaned. "Am I half asleep or are you?!"

"You are but wake up fast. We've got lots of work to do."

"We've got lots of sleeping to do."

"There's lots of people that need our help." She tugged at his arm, trying to rouse him out of bed.

"Mary. Kate. This can wait until morning. The notes have waited this long, so unless they're eviction notices, I don't really care right now. Please, let's go to sleep."

Mary Kate pouted. "My grandma always said, 'You can sleep when you're dead.'"

"I'm not dead, but I'm going to sleep," Wildfall answered.

"But the letters!"

Wildfall sighed, sitting up. "How about this? Lay beside me, babe, tell me all about them, and we can look in the morning. Cool?"

Reluctantly, she answered, "I guess," before laying down beside him.

Cut to the next morning in the kitchen, where Wildfall still looked half asleep and Mary Kate looked wide awake. Wildfall stifled a yawn. "How do you got so much energy?!"

Mary Kate looked at Wildfall and replied. "Guess I was born with a lot of energy. Why are you always so tired?" Then she looked at the letters and started going thru them to see who needed her help first.

Wildfall, for his part, turned to rummage through the cabinets. "Well, we were up late talking about those letters. Anything serious? We should at least eat something before we get to work."

"You better eat before you wither away to nothing, I'm not hungry. I want to get to these letters. No telling who needs help or how long they have been waiting."

Wildfall frowned. "Better throw this bread away, it's growing something green."

"That green stuff is the way they made penicillin back in the day," Mary Kate remarked as she continued to read the letters.

"Do we need to make penicillin?" he asked. He found a small container of nuts and berries. "Yum!"

"Did you know that the guy that discovered penicillin was a friend of my grandparents? Making it requires a lot of stuff we don't have and takes days to make. I need to finish these letters and then worry about penicillin," Mary Kate replied.

Wildfall set his food on the table and stretched. "So what am I gonna be able to do to help you? I barely know the basics of keeping myself alive - and most of that involves running, hiding or fighting, not herbs and magic!"

Mary Kate shrugged and said, "I don't know about your helping but I do know that I don't use any magic unless forced into it. I don't like magic. I like to use the stuff my mother taught me, like the herbs."

"Well, I'll do whatever I can. Want some dry nuts?"

"No, thank you."

"Let me know when we're gonna actually do something," Wildfall replied with a playful wink between bites.

"From the looks of these letters, the complaints are mostly ordinary, with the exception of this sailor that has a festered finger from having a splinter in it.

"Guess that would be the first thing to do and we would have to find Naomi or Omar, if they are not at sea, to lead us to the sailor."

"Okay, great!" Wildfall rushed to finish his meal. "We'll dress for the public then we can get going!"

It wasn't long until the two adventurers made their way north to the docks. Wildfall couldn't help but notice, "It's still quiet around here, how many people do ya think ended up going to that disaster in the south, anyway?"

"Don't know, guess as many as were able and wanted to go," said Mary Kate as she scanned the dock for a ship she might recognize.

"Yet the port's as busy as I've seen it in a while. Weird, huh?"

"Yea, it is, but I don't recognize any of the ships here. Was hoping Capt. Horatio would be in the dock. He would know who the needy sailor is and how to find him."

Wildfall looked around. "I guess keep an eye out for a sailor havin' problems using his hand?"

"I guess so. Maybe we can check at the tavern and ask there."

Wildfall nodded. "That's my girl. Great idea, I'll lead you there. Ready?"

"You must be very thirsty because you are chomping at the bit to get there, so let's go!"

"Just anxious to help is all!" It didn't take the two to find their way to the nearest bar, which, due to its close proximity with the docks, was a popular spot for sailors and sometimes pirates. It barely stood out, with the dull redwood and the smell of alcohol, maple syrup and stench. Not to mention dirty, sweaty, sea soaked clothes.

Mary looked around the dimly lit room and saw a sailor with his hand in a glass of whiskey, walked over to him, and asked, "What's wrong with your hand?"

Of course, the sailor's eyes lit up as he saw her approaching and dulled as he realized Wildfall was with her. "Just got me a nasty splinter out at sea, I was hoping to get a little help. Are you the doctor I left the note for? Or some kinda fancy healer?"

"I'm not a doctor, but I can heal most things. If you want to have me take it out, I can do it right here, right now. What do you say?"

The sailor bit his lip. "Well, sure, if you're sure you know what you're doing, why not?" He reached a hand to shake hers, but realized it was a bad hand, offering the other. "People call me Donny Deckhand, on account of that my name's Al. Please sit with me."

Mary Kate sat down, opened up her medicine bag and pulled out a needle. Donny's eyes got big and he started to pull back his hand. "If you want it out you have to hold still. I have some medicine that will numb the area so you won't feel much pain."

Wildfall grinned as he sat down. "Don't worry. She's the best doctor, healer, whatever, we got in this room. Probably most of the town."

Taking Donny's hand she rubbed a liquid on the area and proceeded to sterilize the needle by sticking it in the whiskey. Then she found the splinter and after digging it out, poured whiskey over the wound while she squeezed the pus out of the opening she had made.

"There, that should make it feel better. I am wrapping this finger up to keep it clean and want you to come see me in 3 days so I can see how it is healing."

"Thank you, ma'am!" the sailor answered, taking a swig of the whiskey. "How much do I owe you? Or is there something I can do to show my thanks?"

Not sure how to answer, Wildfall just looked at Mary with a shrug.

"You don't owe anything, just pass the word that I am here to help if anyone needs me. If you want to do something, I can always use supplies and whiskey for antiseptic purposes. Until you come to see me, don't try using that finger. Don't want it to get infected again.

"Okay, let's go Wildfall. There may be more people that need our help."

Wildfall turned back as they started to go. "Oh, we also take gold and silver, if you got some to spare."

That earned him a well deserved poke in the rib and a glare from Mary Kate.

"Abandon ship!" Wildfall yelped as he quickly made his way to the door. "Ye old kraken is on the loose again!"

Mary Kate rolled her eyes and followed Wildfall out the door saying, "I'll show you Old Kraken with my boot up your arse!"

Now that we're back in Seaside Town, we'll see where the stories take Wildfall and MK, but for now, I'm still waiting to see what's next, too.