Toshie had spent many nights in a dive bar dancing, drinking, and having fun. The restaurant Sally had chosen, The Frog’s Pickle, looked tame in comparison. Or so she thought until she saw one frog-man stand and slice the head off another. A stream of green blood squirted up into the air. Toshie put her hands in front of her mouth to stifle a scream.

  “Honor killing,” Yrlith expined. “A Kaerin tradition.”

  “Maybe the one guy slept with the other’s wife,” Sally said. “Still, you don’t always get such a taste of Waterlink so soon.”

  “Okay, but in a restaurant?” Toshie excimed. “I mean, no one is even paying it any mind.”

  “No, the workers are cleaning up,” Sally pointed out. True enough, the beheaded was being carried into a back room. The beheader tossed some coins on the table and walked toward the entrance. He nodded to them as he left the restaurant.

  “Wonder if he’ll be on the menu,” Yrlith said, licking her lips. Snout? Toshie wasn’t sure what to call the various parts of Yrlith’s face. She was sure she didn’t want to eat a frog-man.

  “Uh, is there anywhere safer to eat?” Toshie asked.

  “Don’t sleep with anyone’s wife, and you’ll be fine,” Sally said as she fgged down a waitress. “Got a table for five?”

  The waitress seated them at a round table in the middle of the restaurant. Sally rattled off a massive order before Toshie’s ass hit the chair.

  “Can you believe that?” Brot said to Toshie. “One swipe!”

  Toshie wished she could forget it. Looking around, she noticed the restaurant was filled with Kaerin eating fish. Toshie was hoping Sally would order something else. As long as it wasn’t frog-man. She hoped Yrlith had been joking.

  “I had heard of Kaerin warriors before, but seeing them is different!” Brot didn’t even care that Toshie was drifting in and out of listening to him. She was more interested in trying to understand what people made up Waterlink. There were the frog-people, Kaerin, the dog-people she had seen before. Houndsfolk? Some people looked like Navarin with a tan. No Dragonkin or Dwarves, though. ‘Shouldn’t Yrlith be disguising Sally?’ she thought as her eyes saw something that made her question everything.

  Standing at the bar, wiping down a mug, was a man. A man Toshie knew. Or thought she knew. He looked exactly like Mr. Williams, her fifth-grade science teacher. She excused herself and headed to the bar.

  “Um, excuse me, Mr. Williams?” Toshie said to the man. He put down the mug he had been cleaning and stared at her.

  “Who are you?” he said. “I’ve never told anyone that name.”

  “You used to teach science at Hope Bridge Elementary School. I had you in the fifth grade.”

  His eyes widened. “You’re kidding me.”

  “I’m Toshie Ikanashi. You pyed in a band with my father. Bass, I think? My father was on rhythm guitar.”

  Toshie could see a tear forming in Mr. Williams’s eyes. “How’s ol' Yusuke doing?”

  “He passed a while back. A few years after you. Wait, you did die, didn’t you?”

  “That’s what I thought,” he said, both hands on the bar now. “Woke up to the damn sun talking to me. It said they needed Heroes, Wizards, and all that junk. Said I taught science. The next thing I knew, I woke up in this town. I got a job here doing dishes, and now I own the pce.”

  “Wait, how long was that?” Toshie noticed Mr. Williams’s beard was more gray than when she st saw him.

  “Oh, damn, I’m not sure. Honey?” He called to the kitchen. “How long have we run this pce together?”

  A Kaerin came out, wiping her hands on a towel. “Oh, Daryl, you and your memory. It’s been twenty years.” He kissed her on what Toshie figured counted as her cheek.

  ‘Twenty years? Wait, Dad died four years ago…’ She did some quick math. That didn’t add up. Well, at least not in Earth time. But still, Mr. Williams had been in his fifties when he passed. But if he was here…

  “Have you seen my father?” Toshie asked.

  “Sorry, can’t say I have. Lots of people come through here. All sorts, but I’d remember if I saw him.”

  “Friend of yours?” his wife asked.

  “Ah, sorry, Toshie, this is my wife, Elena. Elena, this is Toshie. Student of mine from my old world.”

  “Pleasure to meet you, darling,” Elena said, tucking her towel into her apron. “First time in Waterlink?”

  “Yeah, here on…” she turned to look at the table where her group was sitting. Everyone was ughing and eating except for Navarin. “Business.”

  “Well, don’t be a stranger. A friend of Daryl’s is a friend of mine. You drink wine? I’ll have a bottle sent to your table.”

  “Oh, that’s far too kind,” Toshie began.

  Mr. Williams ughed. “Toshie, you don’t want to turn down a Kaerin’s kindness.” Elena gave her husband a pyful smack.

  “Okay, we’re over there.” Toshie pointed to her group.

  “You go enjoy your meal, and don’t let my husband bore you.” Elena headed over to a hatch in the floor and pulled it open. “I’m going to get you the finest wine we have.”

  Mr. Williams nodded. “We can chat more ter, Toshie. Enjoy the finest dining Waterlink has to offer.”

  Toshie thanked them and returned to the table. Sally was stuffing her face with what looked like croquettes, and Yrlith was savoring a fish dish. Brot was the only one who noticed Toshie’s return.

  “Is everything okay, Master Toshie?” he asked.

  Toshie wasn’t sure. ‘Is everything okay? If Mr. Williams is here, is my father? But she said twenty years. That can’t be right.’ Toshie’s head was spinning.

  “Master Toshie?” Brot poked her with a finger. “Is something bothering you?”

  “I’m fine,” she said, digging into her dinner. Sally had ordered her a steak with a vegetable mix. The vegetables looked like purple broccoli and tasted like a mix of asparagus and corn. The steak was heavenly, but at this point, Toshie was fine without knowing what beast it came from.

  A few minutes ter, Elena came over, holding a bottle of wine and five gsses.

  “We did not order wine.” Navarin’s voice could have chilled the wine better than the celr.

  “Oh, no, this is on us,” Elena said as she poured a bright green liquid into the gsses. Sally’s eyes went wide.

  “Hero, what did you say to them? This is amazing! Do you know how much a bottle of this goes for?”

  Toshie, of course, did not.

  “My parents don’t even own more than a bottle or two of this stuff.” Sally sipped her gss. “Mm. Divine. Have some, Navi!” She pushed the gss toward the Dark Elf. She pushed it back, but it fell from the table.

  Crash.

  “Aw, come on, Navi,” Sally said and reached for the broken gss.

  “Allow me,” said Elena as she bent to pick up the shards. She suddenly jumped up and stuck her thumb in her mouth.

  “Navi, you troublemaker! Brot, can you handle this?” Sally pulled on Elena’s arm. A purple drop of blood fell from her finger onto the table.

  “Oh, don’t you go worrying about little old me,” she said and dashed to the kitchen. One waitress soon came with a gss, and another came with a broom and dustpan.

  “Our deepest apologies,” Sally said. “Now, Navi, you gotta drink to apologize to our host.”

  Navarin rolled her eyes. “Don’t think your tricks will work on me. Assassination via a poisoned gss is one of the oldest in the books.”

  “Oh, come on, Navi. We know you can kill us at any moment, but that doesn’t mean we want to kill you. Here, drink up!” Sally swapped Navarin’s gss with Brot’s, who had only had a few sips and was already snoring. “Don’t worry about him.”

  “Remember, Navarin, I’m the Hero. So I’m supposed to be a goody-two-shoes. I wouldn’t stoop to poisoning you,” Toshie sipped her wine. It was the sweetest she ever had in her life.

  “I’m unsure what the quality and quantity of your shoes has to do with anything, but fine. If drinking this will end your nagging, I shall imbibe.” Navarin took a sip. And another. She smiled. “This is good.”

  Toshie had been a goody-two-shoes as a child. A straight-A student. The teacher’s pet. She never fought with other kids. This carried on to high school, where she was never the one drinking. Of course, she wanted to have friends, so she often was around drinking. From a young age, she had held the hair of many friends as they barfed up their first wild night of drinking. Navarin was on pace to be the next.

  “Yes, I am the Queen’s daughter, but no Princess.” Navarin was six gsses in and talking more than ever. “Because my father is no king. My mother had some fling, then had a child – me. Do I have a good life? One of the best a Soirvin could ask for. But a bastard. Oh, the Queen is so strong. She does not need a man to rule by her side. But does her daughter need a father? No one asked that question. I had the best tutors. I can sail you anywhere. I can do any calcutions. Languages? What would you like to hear me speak? But parents? Does a child need parents?”

  Even Sally was quiet. With nothing but a look, they agreed to let Navarin speak. This could be their only chance to find out more about her.

  “But you know what the worst thing is? These damn blue eyes. I get everything else from my mother’s side. My hair is silver. Yes, it’s rare, but it happens. But you know what isn’t normal? Blue eyes. I can’t hide those. Stand out all the time. Why’s the Queen’s daughter so icy? Those blue eyes? Fuck off! Ever think the Queen’s daughter is lonely? What do eyes have to do with anything? That damn man never even id his on me, for all I know. Is that how you treat your child?” Navarin stood, and Toshie caught her as she fell.

  Toshie thought the wine looked green going down. Navarin had first resisted Toshie’s offer to help her to the bathroom, but Toshie knew better. She rubbed Navarin’s back and kept her hair from getting covered in vomit. The only difference from her college days was this bathroom had some Kaerin gossiping about the beheading. Toshie couldn’t pay attention, though. The truth was, she was concerned about Navarin. After a few good minutes, the vomiting stopped.

  “You ready to go back?” she asked, and Navarin nodded.

  Toshie helped Navarin walk back to the table. Brot was still asleep in his chair. Sally had her head on the table, and Yrlith was stroking Sally’s hair but also looked like she was about to fall asleep at any second. The restaurant was otherwise empty.

  “Should have warned you about that wine,” said Mr. Williams with a ugh.

  “Ale herb ewe no aye Soirvin oll waves halves hair revenge.” Navarin’s head hung like a sack on a nail. Toshie looked at Mr. Williams and gave a weak smile.

  “You all got a pce to stay?” he asked Toshie.

  “Oh, damn. Navarin pnned that out, but I doubt she could get us there now.”

  “No worries, we have an extra room. It’ll be a tight squeeze, but I’ve got some bedrolls. Honey, can you close up while I set up the guest room?”

  Elena came out of the kitchen and gave a big smile. “Doncha worry now, darling. Kaerin hospitality is the best in this world. And I taught my husband everything he knows.”

  “Thanks,” Toshie said with a smile. She looked over at Yrlith, who was now nodding off. “Hey, Yrlith, can you wake up Sally?”

  Yrlith shook out of her slumber. “Nah, better if I carry her. Brot, too.” She picked up Sally and draped her over her shoulder like a flour sack. Then, she cradled Brot in her other arm like a sleepy puppy.

  “Follow me,” said Mr. Williams, and Toshie, still helping Navarin, followed him through the kitchen and up some stairs. The wooden floors creaked like they were about to die, but it wasn’t enough to wake Sally or Brot. At this point, even Navarin began snoring on Toshie’s shoulder.

  Mr. Williams led them down the hall and opened the door at the end. To say the guest room was small was an understatement. But there was a bed, an armchair, and floor space. Toshie got Navarin into bed and, as she snored away, helped Mr. Williams y out the bedrolls. Within minutes, everyone but Toshie was asleep.

  “Thank you so much, Mr. Williams. I’ll be sure to settle the bill in the morning,” Toshie appreciated any help but was not about to put an old friend into any financial debt.

  “You got yourself a hell of a crew,” he said. “What are you all doing?”

  “Well,” Toshie said, embarrassed to admit it. “I saw the same sun you did. And it made me the Hero.”

  “Heh, one of my old students is the Hero of the nd. Would have never guessed it.”

  “So you believe in all this?” Toshie was scared to ask this question, but she had to know.

  “Doesn’t seem like we have a choice. I remember the struggle you’re going through. Nothing made sense. But I was here, so what choice did I have? Now, I’m co-owner of one of the top restaurants in Waterlink. I used to teach science. Now, I don’t. Can’t expin it. At least none of them can. Reincarnation? Destiny? Who can say? Does it even matter?”

  Toshie was silent. She had hoped she’d wake up at any point. But seeing Mr. Williams crushed that hope. Now, what did she have to look forward to? Was her father here? Or was he in some other world? Or was he dead-dead? When Daedalus died, did he go somewhere else? Was that the real end? Her head was spinning.

  “You should get some sleep, Toshie,” Mr. Williams said. “You’ve got some… special friends. But they’re friends and…”

  “Friend has an end in it because you’re friends to the end,” Toshie finished Mr. William’s sentence for him. It was his css motto. Mr. Williams smiled at her. “Rest up, and tonight’s on me. Think of it as a thank you to Yusuke.”

  Toshie thanked him and closed the door. Navarin snored away, and everyone else was in deep enough sleep to ignore it. Toshie climbed into the st bedroll, wrapped a towel around her ears to drown out the snoring, and was asleep before she knew it.

  Toshie sat in her fifth-grade cssroom. She was at her desk by the window, but it was her thirty-seven-year-old body. A worksheet was on her desk, and a pencil stub was in her hand. Toshie was always bad at keeping track of pencils. She always had to find some broken stub someone had dropped and sharpen it the best she could. Something was embarrassing about asking her parents for more pencils. The little stubs worked, anyway, and finding a broken pencil on the floor was always possible. They could have been her pencils returning to her.

  Mr. Williams was at the front of the cssroom. This was the younger Mr. Williams Toshie remembered. He was talking about something, but she couldn’t make it out. He had a cardboard box on the table, and the whole css was excited to see what was inside. They had to do their lesson first, though. She looked around and saw children. She wasn’t sure if these were her old cssmates or random people from her life. She thought she saw a Kaerin, but when she looked again, the seat was empty. Suddenly, the room went deadly quiet. Mr. Williams said he was going to open the box. The fps were pushed aside, and Mr. Wilms stuck his hands in and pulled a head out of it. Daedalus’s head. He looked at Toshie and said, “Time to die, Fake Hero.”