Heretical Fishing

Chapter 88: Confession

“Care to explain this, Barry?”

Everyone assembled gazed at Cinnamon, their eyes going wide.

"I'm guessing Maria told you about Cinnamon, Sharon?"

She swallowed and gave a small nod.

"I hadn't noticed her before, but looking at her now... is she...?"

"Yes. Cinnamon here has awakened."

Barry cleared his throat.

"That's... odd."

"Is it, mate?"

"Do you have any idea how a wild rabbit, living in the forest behind my property, could have taken steps on the path of ascension, or whatever it is you usually say?"

Barry opened his mouth, but said nothing, so I sighed.

"Fine. I'll begin, then. I know much more than I’ve been letting on. I've been here for what... a few weeks? In that short time, I've become surrounded by awakened animal pals, have a body that can shoot gods' damned laser beams, and when I build or craft things, they turn into magical items with stats and numbers like I'm some sort of progression-fantasy protagonist."

I took a quick breath, then dove right back in.

“I know you’re a cultivator, Barry.”

Barry's face remained calm.

"How long have you known?"

"I'd already suspected it was the fish I caught making creatures awaken, but then I made the whoopsie of feeding some to you. When you got 'sick' after eating fish I made, and then suddenly had the stamina of an ox, I had my suspicions. When you got a little stronger, I could feel it when I was around you, and I knew."

"I'm sorry I kept it from you."

"It's fine—that's not the issue here." I stared into his eyes. "I know about your secret field of sugarcane, Barry. That's what Cinnamon here got into—she's covered in it. I'm guessing the juice from that same sugarcane is what healed you, Sharon?"

"How did you know...?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I can smell a half-eaten croissant from a hundred meters away, and just like with Barry, I can feel that you're a cultivator. When Barry brought you a cup of what should be bitter or root-smelling medicine, it was pretty odd that it smelled sweet and refreshing. It could have been just a coincidence, but when I smelled the sugarcane juice Helen brought us yesterday, I knew it was the same." I shook my head. "The most obvious part, though, was you immediately healing from what I'm pretty sure was some kind of xianxia-land cancer."

"... what?"

"Forget it. I meant that your sickness was something you shouldn't have bounced back from in a day or two by drinking root and herb juice."

Barry cleared his throat again.

"I... I can explain..."

I held up a hand.

"I haven't brought you here to grill you, mate."

I chewed my lip, thinking of where to begin. Eventually, I let it all spill out.

"I'm telling you all this because something happened. When Maria and I were away, I had an... episode or sorts. I lost my composure when recounting my past, and I accidentally annihilated a tree with a pillar of light. I think my denial of everything around me contributed to the outburst, and I realized it was time I confronted what I’ve been pretending didn’t exist—for the safety of those around me, if nothing else. If that blast had hit anyone, it would have killed them. So, here I am, ready to talk about the things I've been hiding from. Any questions?"

They all stared at me, too shocked to speak.

I turned to Sharon.

"Did Maria tell you about the blast I unleashed?"

"... she told me you were a cultivator, yes... b-but we tell each other everything. She knows I'd keep it to myself. I'm—"

I held up a hand, forestalling her, then paused for a moment, steeling myself for the question I dreaded the answer to.

"Is Maria part of the cult you’ve started?"

Whatever blood remained in their faces drained, and I nodded.

"Yes, I know about that, too. I've known for a good while—you haven't really been that subtle in your sneaking around, Snips. No offense." I focused on Sharon again. "Does Maria know? Is she a part of it?"

Sharon, her face pale, shook her head.

"N-no. She doesn't..."

I firmed my jaw, pinning her down with my gaze.

"Do you swear? I'm not angry now, but if you lie to me about this, I will never forget it."

She gulped.

"I swear on my life—she doesn't know."

The words lifted a weight from my shoulders, and I closed my eyes. The idea of our time away being some sort of scheme had filled me with dread, and knowing our connection was genuine flooded me with relief.

I let out a long sigh.

"Good."

I looked up at everyone, and when I caught sight of Snips and Claws, I gave them a small smile.

Snips had her head dipped as she blew bubbles of remorse. Claws’ eyes welled with tears, and her body trembled, one arm slung around Snips in a side hug.

"I'm not angry, girls. Please don't be upset."

I knelt, set Cinnamon on the sand, and held my arms out.

"Come here."

At my invitation, they exploded into action, both slamming into my chest. They hissed, chirped, and bubbled with apology, and I hugged them tight, letting their affection wash my worries away.

"It's okay, really. I know you both had good intentions for keeping it a secret."

They both nodded fervently, and I got to my feet, still clutching them.

Barry cleared his throat.

"I... I can tell you everything. We had a good reason not to involve you, it's—"

"No," I said, cutting him off. "I don't want to know."

He blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"You... you don't?"

"Nope. I don't want the details." I glanced down at Snips. "You kept me in the dark to protect me, right?"

She nodded and pressed her carapace closer to me, blowing bubbles of sorrow.

"If it were just you, Barry, no offense, but I'd find it suspect. With Snips and Claws' involvement—and their willingness to participate—I know your intentions are good. All I want to know is, what's the purpose?"

"The... purpose?"

"Yeah. What is your goal in doing all this?"

He swallowed.

"The protection of everyone around you, Fischer. Yourself included."

I nodded; it was what I suspected.

"Okay. I won’t stop you, then."

His head shot back, as if physically struck by my words.

"... really?"

"Nope. But—and this is vital—I want nothing to do with it. If there is a life or death situation, sure, let me know, but otherwise, leave me out of it."

Sharon chewed her lip, made to speak, but stopped.

"You can say whatever you want, Sharon. It's fine."

She swallowed, then spoke.

"What do you want to do?"

I let out a small laugh.

"I want to go fishing with your daughter. I want to spend time with my animal pals and harvest some damn honey from some cute little bees."

"Er... bees?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, mate. Bees. I want to live a life filled with laughter, friends, and doing the things that bring me joy. I want to have a party tonight with my friends, celebrate with good food, some moonshine rum my next-door neighbor made, and I want to build silly little things like my new fence. Organizing a damn cult is very, very low on the list of activities I want to be taking part in. The less I know about it, the better, as far as I'm concerned."

As I spoke, Sharon's face grew into a smile. Barry remained serious, but his shoulders dipped, losing a hint of the tension they held.

"I know you said you don't want to know, Fischer, but there is something I might need to tell you..."

I sighed.

"What is it?"

"Remember how I told you Helen's brother got taken away to the capital when they discovered he was a cultivator...?"

"You're planning to go get him?"

I tossed my head to the side, only needing to think about the prospect for a moment.

"Of course I'll help you, mate."

Barry's eyes opened wide, then he gave me a light laugh.

"Oh, uh... no. He's here already."

I blinked, staring at Barry for a long moment.

"You're serious?"

Barry clenched his jaw and nodded.

"I hesitate to tell you this, but it might be necessary. A prince came from Gormona with two collared cultivators while you were away—one of them was Leroy. My brother-in-law has already experienced a rather traumatic few years, and I think he would benefit from spending time with you. I don't want him to need to sneak around, but it's a selfish request on my part. If it'd impose too much on your peaceful life—"

"Not at all, mate. I'd be more than happy to get to know Leroy."

I smiled at him.

"Maybe a little fishing is just what he needs to come good. What happened to the other cultivator and the prince, though...?"

He glanced at Snips and Claws, then back at me.

"You really want to know...?"

"Fair point. Nah, I don't."

I squeezed my girls closer to me, showing my love for them as I looked down.

"I'm sorry you had to do, well... whatever you had to do."

They both stared at me, cocking their heads in confusion.

Snips, realizing what I was saying, started shaking.

I raised an eyebrow, but then I realized what was happening—she was laughing.

Claws joined in, covering her mouth with one paw as they giggled.

My brow furrowed in understanding.

"You enjoyed it? Great, I'm raising maniacs."

Barry cleared his throat.

"Anything that occurred was done in self defense. I swear this on my son's life."

"Woah, Barry, no need for that, mate. I was just kidding. I know they're not murder machines, and I trust their judgment."

I let out a deep sigh, a weight having been lifted from my soul.

"I do need one thing from you, Barry."

"Anything. Just tell me, and I'll do it."

"The field of sugarcane... I need you to secure it. I don't wish to know your plans with it, and I don't need you to destroy it, but I want no more awakened creatures popping up out of nowhere."

Cinnamon had hopped closer to me after I put her on the sand, and she sat beside my foot, her body lowered to the ground.

"I am happy about Cinnamon, though, if I'm being honest..."

Sharon smiled.

"Maria will be ecstatic if she ever finds out..."

I beamed.

"Oh, I'm gonna tell her right away."

Sharon grimaced.

"Are you sure that's a... good idea, Fischer?"

"Huh? Why wouldn't it be a good idea...?"

Realization struck me, and I barked a laugh.

"She didn't tell you about meeting the gang, did she?"

Now it was Sharon's turn to be confused, and she squinted, trying to understand.

"... the gang? Who is the gang?"

I smiled, casting my gaze around at my animal pals.

"I introduced her to Claws, Snips, Pistachio, and even Rocky yesterday."

Sharon's mouth dropped open.

"She didn't tell me that..."

"Rocky...?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, mate. Remember that deviant rock crab that enjoyed being thrown out to sea by Snips? He awakened somehow—his name is Rocky."

At her subordinate's name, Snips blew a small stream of frustrated bubbles, causing me to laugh.

"Unfortunately, Rocky is just as atypical after ascending, but he's not a bad bloke—er, crab."

"Right..." Barry said, scratching his chin. "Rocky..."

"Hey! You cut that out this second."

"Er—cut what out, Fischer?"

"Formulating plans! No planning, scheming, or organization of shenanigans in my presence!"

"Oh. Right." He winced. "Sorry."

A silence stretched between all of us, and I realized I had nothing more to say.

"Let's pretend this conversation never happened, yeah?"

Sharon and Barry both nodded, and the former spoke.

"So... what do we do now?"

I grinned.

"Thanks for asking! I'm gonna go get Maria a coffee and croissant, with which I plan to bribe her into coming fishing with me today. You're welcome to join, if you like."

She smiled at me.

"From hearing Maria speak about it, I don't think you'll need to bribe her..."

I shrugged, returning the smile.

"It never hurts to be prepared."

***

The sun was not yet fully risen when I knocked on the door softly.

It opened immediately, and Roger peeked his head out, his scowl softening when he saw Sharon with me.

"Hello again, mate!" I held out my tray. "I brought you guys some coffee and breakfast!"

He looked at me, the tray in my arms, at Sharon, then back at me. No words came from him, and I was just feeling the need to say something when he sighed.

"Do you want to come in, Fischer?"

"Sure! I'll come in for a moment, but I've got things to be about today."

He nodded, swinging the door open as Sharon walked in. She rested a hand on his back, and I noticed the immediate, calming effect it had on his posture.

I followed, and the warmth of a lit stove greeted me, banishing the cold from outside.

Maria exited her room, her eyes closed and mouth wide in a yawn.

Her shoulders were hunched, and she scratched her ribcage, exposing the lower section of her stomach. Her hair was messy, tangled on one side in a chaotic nest.

"... did I hear someone say coffee?" she asked, opening half-lidded eyes as her yawn finished.

She caught sight of my smirk and froze on the spot.

Then, in a rather graceful movement considering her previous actions, she spun on her heel and entered her room, slamming the door shut.

Roger made a confused face, and Sharon smirked at me.

"Perhaps we should have warned her you were here..."

Half a minute later, she reappeared, bright-eyed and smooth-haired as she smiled at me.

"Good morning, Fischer!"

"Morning! I brought you some coffee and croissants."

She nodded.

"Thank you."

"What happened to your pajamas, by the way? They looked comfy."

Maria missed a step and had to catch herself on the wall.

She gave me a flat look.

"They are comfy, thank you very much."

"Sorry," I said, laughing. "I couldn't help myself. Here—I brought you croissants and coffee in apology."

"Apology not accepted." She snatched a croissant. "You owe me one."

She emphasized the statement with a chomp of the pastry, her eyes narrowed on me.

"Well, I actually came here to invite you fishing, but if you're too upset at me to join, I'll totally understand."

The moment I'd mentioned fishing, she paused, then chewed the mouthful like her life depended on it. She swallowed, taking a deep drink of coffee as she thumped her chest.

"Maria," Sharon said, shaking her head. "I swear..."

Her daughter drank more coffee, trying to get the food down, so Sharon turned her eyes on Roger.

"This is your fault. She takes after you."

Roger was still glaring at me, but he simply nodded at the accusation.

"If you say so, dear."

"Fishing?" Maria demanded, her mouth finally empty. "On the beach?"

"That's right. I know not everyone wants some heretical food, but I thought I could catch something for those that do—I know at least Barry will join me."

"Me too! I want more fish!"

A low noise came from Roger's throat, but before he said anything that would get him in trouble with Sharon, he strode to the front door, threw it open, and closed it behind him.

Smart man, I thought.

Sharon gave me a kind smile.

"Don't mind him—you know what he’s like with anything… well, heretical."

"Yeah, no kidding, but you don't have to apologize. I understand his convictions, even if they're objectively wrong."

She snorted a laugh and turned to Maria.

"I like this one—we should keep him around."

Maria's face brightened.

"I think I just might..."

My face went hot, and by the smirk growing on Sharon's face, I knew I had to be blushing.

"Alright, let's get going then, shall we?"

I spun, facing away as I strode for the door.

Maria giggled.

"Bye, Mom! I'll see you later!"

"Have fun, you two," she called after us, humor clear in her voice.

***

Following their departure, Sharon stood in her kitchen, eyes distant and unseeing.

Fischer told her about the creatures... and it didn't scare her away...

She knew Maria was strong willed, but to see her readily accept a man that had ascendant creatures... it was, frankly, unbelievable—even to her own mother.

The front door opened, and Roger reentered, a frown settled firmly on his face.

Sharon beamed at him.

"Hello, dear."

"Don't "hello, dear," me, Sharon. What in Hades' deepest circle is going on?"

Sharon gave him a sad smile, but walked over to him, setting her hands on his shoulders.

"Do you trust me, Roger?"

"Of course I do," he replied, his face still scrunched.

"Well, you'll just have to trust me on this one, dear. I told you I'd be doing some odd things, and that you were better off not knowing for now."

He crossed his arms in front of her, and she let out a light laugh, making his scowl only deepen.

“I'm sorry, my love,” she said. “You're just so cute when you're flustered.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself in for a kiss.

Roger kept his lips pressed in a firm line, but as she continued raining down smooches, he gave in.

He uncrossed his arms, and hugged her tight, returning her affection.

"I love you," Sharon said.

"I love you, too."

She pulled back, petting him on the chest.

"I have to go do something, but when I get back, I'll start making that lamb stew you love so much, okay?"

Roger sighed.

"Yes, dear."