Chapter 6 – Separate Ways

Chapter 6 – Separate Ways (William)

As William stepped into the light of day he shielded his eyes from the sun. He found himself on a populated street, with several mons coming and going in either direction as they began their day. Wherever he looked, Wolfhaven sprawled out before him farther than he could see.

He glanced back at the clinic, but swiftly decided there was no point in dwelling. If this was the nearest town to where he had awakened, then it was possible that he had some connections here. And the likeliest candidates would be other Cubones or Marowaks.

So William immersed himself in the current, walking up the street with the townsfolk. The buildings and scenery seemed to blur by him, and soon he found a place to stop and ask questions: a café. Several umbrella-covered tables hosted guests across the café’s patio, and William found a table with two mons and an empty chair.

Out of courtesy he lowered his club, holding it beneath its bludgeon rather than its grip, and approached the strangers– a Liepard and a blue Meowstic.

“Excuse me,” William began. “Could I ask for a moment of your time?”

The Meowstic formed a puzzled expression. “A Cubone…? Uh, sure?”

“Tsk, don’t be rude, Cheshire,” Liepard spoke up. She looked at William. “Of course, dear. Would you like to sit down?”

“Thank you, no,” William replied. “I have only a question: have either of you seen other Cubones or Marowaks in town?”

“Um, no,” Meowstic answered. “Have you, Lily?”

Liepard shook her head. “I’m afraid I haven’t, either. Have you lost your friends?”

William tightened the grip on his club. “More or less.”

An expression of pity formed on the Liepard’s face. “I’m very sorry to hear that. We would help if we could, but good luck!”

William nodded. “Thank you.”

So William left the patio and continued his search through town. Among the places he visited included a general store, a carpenter, and even a confectionery, which made him wish he had some money on hand. Again he asked the same questions, but he received the same answers.

“Cubone? No, haven’t seen any.”

“Nope, none of your folks that I know of ‘round here.”

“Sorry lad. Can’t say I’m aware of any skull-masked mons in this town, besides you.”

It wasn’t until he spoke with a hotel receptionist that he found any leads.

“Your best bet would be visiting the guild,” the Politoed explained. “At the north-end of town. They have a post office, a library, and you can hire a guild member to escort you, if you need it.”

“Those would be useful,” William said. Wasn’t that also the place those two brothers were going to? Regardless, the prospect sounded more fruitful than questioning more strangers on the street. “Thank you for your time.”

Politoed waved him off. “Anytime!”

Once again he set off through town. Though he opted to walk closer to the outskirts instead of the populated main streets– he had grown tired of the strange looks he got from some townsfolk. So he found a corridor between the taller buildings, quietly traversing through their valleys and intersections. Once away from the noise, his curiosity provided him company.

If the locals saw his presence as unusual, how far would he have to travel to find his own kind? So far, nothing in Wolfhaven spurred his memories. The stores, houses, not even the three-statue monument he saw sparked any familiarity. How did he wind up unconscious in a forest? Where was he before that, and what was the root of his memory loss?

He came to another intersection in the alleys– the path split in three other directions. Logically, he would reach the guild by going north. That would hopefully provide him with some kind of lead…

CRASH!

An eruption of breaking glass echoed behind William, yanking him out of his thoughts.

“There ain’t no place ya can run where I can’t find ya!” An angry voice shouted, followed by rapid footfalls. William tensed up, tightening the grip on his club.

“Get the hell back here!”

“Yeah, like I’d stop just cuz you asked!”

From around the corner, an Axew bolted into William’s view. The stout dragon turned around and shot a purple fireball back where he ran from. He then ran in William’s direction, clutching a black bottle to his chest.

A flurry of questions assaulted William’s mind: Who was this Axew, and what did they have? Who was chasing them? Was he witnessing theft in progress?

As the Axew ran toward him, William acted automatically– he stood firm and raised his club, blocking the exit.

Axew’s eyes widened and he skidded to a stop, his backpack rattling behind him. “Wh– hey! I need to get through!”

“Have you stolen that?” William asked, glancing at the bottle.

“I–!” Axew was stunned silent, staring between what he held and William. “…I did,” he admitted. “But it’s medicine for my pa!”

William’s curiosity bloomed even more, but he had no time to follow-up– a wavering shadow grew on the wall at the back of the alley. So much uncertainty, yet there were only seconds to act.

“Please–” Axew began to beg.

William shut out his hesitation– answers would have to wait.

“This way!” He led the Axew around the corner to his left. Though he had no plan, he knew he had to act. The alley spanned a long distance, the open streets were several yards away. 

“He’ll spot us before we reach the end,” Axew said quietly, yet urgently.

William stopped and craned his head up, spotting an open window above them. It was too tall for them to reach, yet…

“You got an idea?” Axew asked, stuffing the bottle into his own backpack.

William glanced down at his club again, tracing his eyes over its notched, hook-like bludgeon. Once more he acted automatically– taking a swift step back, reeling his bone club, then swinging it overhead as he leaped forward.

Clack!

William’s notched club latched onto the windowsill, holding him in place. With his free hand he leaned back toward the Axew. “Grab on,” he instructed.

The Axew did so, jumping to reach William’s free hand.

“I ain’t got time for this!” The hostile voice called out. “When I find you…”

The Cubone mustered his strength, lifting Axew as the latter clambered up. William’s helmet pressed into his head as the dragon stepped on top of him, then pulled himself into the open window. William promptly hauled himself up and over, unlatching his club and tumbling into a dim, derelict room.

He sat beside the stout dragon, and they both willed themselves to be silent. Their hushed breathing was the only noise filling the space, which seemed louder as everything outside became muffled and distant. Several seconds passed before William realized he had been counting them. An urge to peek over the window seized him, though he resisted it.

“…Damn!” A voice outside cut through. “Where’d he go?”

William held his breath. Quiet footsteps passed by the window… then faded to silence.

William slumped and blew out a sigh, catching his breath.

“You okay, there?” The Axew asked.

“I am,” William replied. “And you?”

“Kinda shaken, but I’ll live.”

Cautiously, William stood up and peeked over the window. There was no sign of anyone in either direction. “I think it’s clear,” he said. “Perhaps it’s best we leave this place?”

“Yeah, I reckon so,” Axew agreed.

After another check the two climbed out of the window. Back in the alleyway Axew took the lead, beckoning William to follow him.

As the tension subsided, William’s thoughts returned to him. Who was this Axew, and who was chasing him? He had mentioned stealing medicine for his father’s sake, was that the truth? Would there be anyone else pursuing him?

Before he knew it, William was led into a public park. It was a peaceful, quiet place, with various mons relaxing in the grass. A few offered coins to a nearby well, and some Butterfree and Beautifly were fluttering around the flower gardens.

The Axew stopped in the shade beneath a maple tree with dark-purple leaves. Though he was cast in shadows, the branches above swayed in the wind, allowing rays of sunshine to light up his face, highlighting his gratitude.

“Forgot to say this earlier, but thanks a lot,” he said, sitting down.

William sat down across from him. “You’re welcome.” He laid his club in his lap. “I hope it’s not rude to ask, but that incident has me curious. Who are you, and what exactly is going on?”

“Oh, it ain’t rude,” Axew shook his head. “It’s the least I can do. So,” he put a hand to his chest. “Name’s Andrew. And what’s happenin’ is…” He glanced over his shoulder, checking his backpack. “Well, kinduva long story.”

William rested his chin on his hands.“I have time,” he replied.

At those words, Andrew seemed to relax. “A’right, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tell ya. So, my pa’s a stonecutter an’ he got hurt on the job.” His face twisted with worry. “It’s bad– his axe might stay bent outta shape if he don’t get help. I came down here cuz I heard Wolfhaven’s got real good medicine. Enigma Elixir, I think it’s called.”

That same medicine they had used to treat William last night? “I’m familiar with it,” he said.

“So ya know how strong the stuff is, don’tcha? I scraped up what I could an’ came runnin’ down here, ‘til I got to the clinic.” Andrew’s expression drooped. “‘Cept they jacked up the price, said they had to charge more cuz they used some of it recently.”

“Oh.” William looked away as a sense of guilt creeped up on him. He had no idea how much that medicine cost, but even with all the money he had, Andrew couldn’t afford it? “That’s… quite a predicament.”

Andrew nodded. “And I can’t go home without it. So uh,” he scratched the back of his neck. “Long-story-short I ran into some goon who said he’d snatch it for me. Was gonna cost me all the coins I brought, but if it’s for Pa…”

William put his hands in his lap. So, Andrew was desperate enough to turn to crime. Or at least, turn to a criminal for help. “I’m assuming your deal didn’t pan out?”

Andrew shook his head. “Nah. See, he snuck in an’ got the medicine, but he musta thought I had more than I said. Once he came back he asked for more coins than I had. I was honest with the fella, but he wouldn’t listen! So…”

“So you seized it,” William finished for him. “Because you felt it was your only choice.”

“Yeah, exactly!” Andrew leaned in closer. “So I yanked it, took off, ran into you, and well, here we are.”

William tapped his bone club. Even though it was irrational, he couldn’t help but feel that he was partially at fault. If he hadn’t been injured, then Andrew would’ve been able to get some Enigma Elixir without incident, or hiring a thief. Speaking of which…

 “Who was the thief, anyway?” William asked.

“Some Snivy,” Andrew spat. “Greedy slimeball, lemme tell ya.”

“I see.” William leaned back, contemplating. That must have been whoever was chasing them earlier. Left and right he looked around the park, though there was no sign of a skulking Snivy. He then looked Andrew in the eyes. “You’re going through a lot of trouble to help your father.”

“Well o’ course. Family’s gotta watch out for each other, right?”

“Right…” William shuddered, remembering his own predicament.

“So, you live around here?” Andrew asked, gesturing to the town around them. “Come to think of it, I didn’t catch your name.”

“I’m William. And this is my first time here.” A sense of dread crept up on him, in anticipation of questions he wouldn’t be able to answer.

“William. That’s a nice name,” Andrew smiled warmly. “So, your folks are from somewhere else? Are ya here visiting cousins?”

“I…” William trailed off, averting his eyes.

He was honest before, last night when he met those two brothers. Yet there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. When he said he didn’t remember who he was and where he’s from, was that the reason why the Totodile didn’t trust him? If so, would he see similar results if he told the truth here, too?

So then, what if he lied? Well, he would have fabricate a story, and try to keep it consistent. Would that actually help?

“You okay there, buddy?” Andrew asked, sounding concerned.

William shook himself out of his thoughts. “Sorry.”

“Nothin’ to apologize for,” Andrew replied. “Is something wrong?”

After a deep breath, William made his decision. “Actually, yes. Something is wrong. The truth is, I know not where I’m from. In fact, I remember… nothing. I woke up in the wilderness somewhere near this town the other day, and that’s as far back as my memory goes. I spent today looking for anyone who might be able to help me, but so far…” William looked down steadily.

Andrew was quiet. He just stared at him, offering no words, though the features of his face conveyed something. Intrigue, perhaps?

“You don’t have any family?” he asked in a low, curious voice.

“As far as I know,” William confirmed. “And, about your problem, getting the medicine you need? That’s somewhat my fault, too.”

Andrew’s eyes widened. “Whatcha mean?”

“Last night I was swept up in a battle. Details aside, I was injured– badly. So I was brought to the clinic, where they treated me with elixir. So it it weren’t for me–”

“Hey,” Andrew stopped William, scooching closer to him. His eyes conveyed a sense of heartfelt care, warmed further by the sunshine on his face. “It’s okay. We both needed the medicine, it’s not your fault. An’ it sounds like you needed it more. Hurt badly and all alone? I’m… real sorry to hear that,” he said sincerely.

William relaxed slightly as a fuzzy feeling loosened his tense limbs. “I appreciate that. Though my predicament isn’t your fault, either.”

“Maybe not. But maybe it’s something I can help?” Andrew’s voice took on a hopeful tone.

“Help?” William adjusted his skull helmet, raising it up slightly. “How so?”

“I’ve got an idea that might be good for the both o’ us.” Andrew sat up straight. “That Snivy I mentioned earlier? ‘Fore things turned sour, we got kinda friendly. I mentioned a few things to ‘em that I probably shouldn’t ‘ave, like where I live and the scenic routes I like to take.”

William lowered his voice. “You’re afraid that he might follow you?”

Andrew nodded. “I can hold my own in a tussle, but it’s always safer with someone watchin’ your back. And you need some place to stay until you can pick yourself up.”

William blinked, questioning whether he had heard Andrew right just now. “You’re… offering to let me stay with you?”

“Of course! I ain’t gonna turn away someone who needs help– ‘specially someone who’s stuck their neck out for me.”

For the first time all day, William felt a sense of warmth welling up in his chest. “That’s, well…” He had a reply ready, but paused, basking in positive emotions flowing over him, trying to think of the right word to describe them. He couldn’t help but smile. “Very kind of you. I wouldn’t want to feel like a burden, though.”

“You won’t be,” Andrew assured. “Pa and I might not got much, but we’d both be happy to share our roof an’ dinner table with you.” He rubbed his tusks. “I mean, if you want to, o’ course. Wouldn’t wanna force ya.”

After everything he had been through this morning, William felt an emotional resurgence– like a spark of hope. The word he had been looking for welled up to the surface of his mind: gratitude. “Andrew… thank you.” William’s expression brightened into a full smile. “Yes! I’d like to go with you.”

Andrew chuckled. “Heh, well, ya don’t have anything to thank me for yet. We still gotta get home.” He rose to his feet. “We can get’cha a backpack too, while we’re at it.”

William joined him, picking up his club as he stood. “A backpack would be useful. So, where is ‘home,’ anyway?”

“Cloudcroft. It’s on topuva mesa, edge o’ the desert, a few hours north o’ here.” Andrew led the way, walking through the park. “There’s this scenic route I usually take, like I mentioned earlier. Moonrise Canyon. I know a good spot where we can camp out, see plenty o’ stars at night.”

William glanced toward the sky, watching blooming clouds slowly drift overhead. “I’d like that.”

---

“So now we find ourselves here,” William finished explaining. By then night had fallen, the sky above was black and dotted by a sea of stars, accompanied by the celestial orb the canyon was named after. They all leaned toward the crackling campfire for warmth. The plateau glowed orange from the fire, which cast flickering shadows on the canyon walls and their faces.

“So, Corvo tried to rip you off,” Leon said, “and then he tried to get us to clean up this whole mess for him.” The Totodile’s face formed a sour, disdainful expression. “I had a feeling this was gonna be a bad idea, but this bad?”

Beside him, Leon’s Charmander brother appeared pensive and remained quiet, as if he was still processing what he just heard.

“So now ya know,” Andrew spoke up, “I can’t go home without this Enigma stuff. My pa needs it.”

“Bearing all of this in mind,” William added, “what do you two plan on doing now?”

Leon looked down into the campfire. The light of its flames seemed to fade away from his eyes. He spoke in a low voice. “…Joining Wolfhaven’s guild is something I’ve wanted to do since I was little, but…”

“We’re… giving up?” Jacob asked.

“I don’t see any other way outta this.”

Jacob’s tail drooped and dimmed. “I mean, if you really wanna join, they said you could–”

“And I said no ,” Leon cut in. He reached over and placed a hand on Jacob’s shoulder. “We go together.”

“I’m real sorry, folks,” Andrew said. “Wish there was some way I could help ya.”

A quiet moment followed where no one had anything to say. Though their expressions told what their words couldn’t: depression, and wishful thinking. While the campfire crackled, William’s gaze hovered between everyone’s bags, all of which likely had something to hold liquid, such as a bottle or canteen. Perhaps the situation was not as bad as it seemed?

“So, this Snivy we’ve been discussing,” William began. “This ‘Corvo.’ If he’s been using lies and trickery, what if you tricked him back?”

“What do you mean?” Leon asked, his face lighting up.

“You could take the bottle of medicine–” he pointed at Andrew’s bag, “and pour it into a different container–” then pointed at Leon’s pack, “then bring the original bottle back to Corvo.”

Jacob’s eyes widened. “He’s got a point… Maybe that could work!”

“Hey, that’s a pretty slick idea!” Andrew cheered.

Leon nodded. “Yeah, maybe. But he’s probably gonna check and notice the difference. Not to mention, he probably has other tricks lined up.”

“Well, ah, we can think of something!” Jacob’s tail brightened and he swished it back and forth.

“Like what?” Leon asked. “It’d be great if we can, but we’re running out of time.”

Jacob rubbed his chin, then snapped his fingers. “You’re pretty smart, Will. What if you come with us?”

William recoiled in surprise. “E-excuse me?”

“I know I know, it’s a big thing to ask,” Jacob rose to his feet.

Leon raised a hand. “Jake–”

“Wait, let me finish!” Jacob turned back to William. “I was actually hoping to ask you that earlier. Before you, well, left. I think it’d be really cool, all of us in the guild, and maybe we can form a team! But I didn’t get to ask cuz, well, you’d already left.” Jacob idly kicked the ground.

William contemplated his response, and chose honesty again. “I left because your brother didn’t want me to stay.” Surprise dawned on their faces, and he continued. “I went to see you both, back in the clinic, and happened to overhear your conversation. So I decided to respect his wishes.”

“So wait, you did wanna join us?” Jacob asked.

“At the time, that seemed like the best course of action,” William answered. “But your brother didn’t seem to consider asking for my opinion first.”

“That’s what I said!” Jacob exclaimed, making Leon wince.

Andrew, meanwhile, leaned closer to William. “This is way more drama than I bargained for,” the Axew whispered.

“Hear hear,” William agreed.

Leon closed his eyes and blew out a sigh. “Alright, I’d like to set some things straight. Everything was just so crazy last night, I didn’t have time to think things through.” He bit his lip and fidgeted with his thumbs. “I don’t like strangers getting close to us. Never have. And this morning, Will, I still treated you like a stranger. In some ways, you still are.”

He paused, meeting Jacob’s eyes for a long moment. Finally, he turned to William again. “But not all strangers are bad guys.” Beside him, Jacob smiled and his tail swished. “I’m sorry.”

The sincerity in Leon’s tone melted William’s tension. “Your apology is accepted.”

Leon sat up straight. “If you want to come back to Wolfhaven with us, and help us out again, I’d owe you. But if you’d rather not, I understand.” Leon’s expression turned bitter. “I don’t like the idea of dealing with a con mon like Corvo, anyway.”

William nodded. “I appreciate that. I believe that going to Cloudcroft with Andrew is the safer choice for me.”

“I can respect that,” Leon replied, though his face appeared weathered with melancholy. He turned to his brother. “At least we had one good adventure, right Jacob?”

Jacob went quiet again. He turned his head away, instead giving his attention to the pocket watch in his hand, popping it open.

“I reckon we should let ‘em stay the night,” Andrew proposed. “If y’all are interested, I’ve got some homemade beef jerky.”

William suddenly became aware of his own hunger. “That sounds–”

“Hey, Will?” Jacob interrupted. “Can I talk to you for a sec?” He looked at his brother, then back at William. “Just us, alone?”

William traded glances with Andrew, just as Jacob did the same with Leon. Once again the Cubone’s curiosity was piqued, and he stood up. “Sure.”

The two walked away from the campsite and toward the tunnel. Jacob led William down the slope, giving him a light to follow. After a short walk down the slope they arrived at the river’s edge, where the steady hum of flowing water reverberated off of the canyon walls. The Charmander sat on a wide rock near the stream, where rippling dark water glimmered with reflections of starlight.

“What would you like to discuss?” William asked, sitting next to Jacob.

“A couple of things, actually.” Jacob leaned back, resting his hands on the stone. “There’s some stuff I wanted to tell you back in town, before that… you know.”

“Misunderstanding?” William assumed as he set his bone club between them.

“Yeah, that’s the word.” Jacob looked toward the sky. “And I wanted to talk alone cuz, well, you’ve seen how my brother is.”

“Protective,” William concluded.

“Yep. You’ve got all the good words,” Jacob chuckled. “I guess for starters, I wanted to say… All that stuff you said, about losing your memory?” He shifted his gaze to William, meeting his eyes. “I believe you.”

Jacob’s words resonated with William, instilling a warm sense of validation. “That means a lot to hear,” he replied.

A smile formed on Jacob’s face. “It’s not just that, though. Cuz, the thing is…” He tilted his head back up. “I’ve been through it too.”

William bolted upright. “ You have had memory loss?”

“Yeah. A long time ago.”

A new flurry of questions sailed across William’s mind, like autumn leaves in the wind. Not only was Jacob a fellow amnesiac, but he was also one of the first mons William encountered since yesterday. What were the odds of that? Could it be that their memory loss had common factors?

He settled on a question to ask aloud. “What happened, exactly?”

Jacob’s eyes seemed to glow with the reflection of the full moon. “All I remember is being lost one night, and it was all dark and stormy. I wound up at Leon’s house. They took me in, tried to help me find my parents. And, well, they wound up adopting me.”

An image began to form in William’s mind, like piecing together a puzzle. “How long ago was this?”

Jacob shrugged. “Eight years? Maybe nine.”

William’s eyes widened. “That’s a long time.”

“It is. Especially compared to you– just one day.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Jacob smiled. “But I was lucky, taken in by Mom and Dad and Leon. I don’t even wanna think about what would’ve happened if I didn’t meet them.”

“Neither would I.” William glanced down at the water. He reflected on his interactions with Jacob so far. He had been excited to be with William, and even argued with his brother that morning in the clinic, to include him in their group.

“So, that’s why you’ve been so empathetic towards me,” William concluded.

“You’re like a walking dictionary,” Jacob laughed. “But yeah, I’m gonna guess that that’s another right word. Not knowing who your parents are, or where you come from, or where to even start looking for that stuff… That’s a lot to handle, and I didn’t want you to face it alone.”

More questions piled on William’s mind, all jostling for attention, wanting to make their way from his mind to his mouth.  After a few seconds, he narrowed them down and ventured to ask one. “In those eight or nine years, have you ever found your family?”

Jacob’s smile shrank and vanished. “No. I’ve had a couple clues over the years, but… They never led anywhere.” Jacob pulled out an object from his backpack: his copper pocket watch. “When I showed up at Leon’s house, I had this. It might be the only thing I have left from them.”

A solemn silence followed as William processed Jacob’s story. For the first time that day, he found himself not knowing what to say. He stared at his oddly-shaped bone club, wondering where he might have gotten it, and what the symbols on it could mean.

Jacob looked up again and continued talking.

“My mom and dad, they’re both Feraligatrs. Always treated me like one of their own. I love them both. But, I can’t help but wonder, you know? Sometimes I daydream all day, wondering if my real family’s out there… And if they’re wondering about me, too.”

William finally glanced up, too, watching the night sky. He hasn’t had time to think it through, but now that Jacob talked about it… The idea of finding one’s missing family seemed truly daunting. Like finding a specific star amidst the countless lights in the sky above. And those other musings, like if one’s family might be looking for their missing son, weighed on his heart.

“I…” William began, “I would like to think that they’re looking for us, too.” He raised a hand to his face and wiped a tear from his eye.

Jacob mimicked him, rubbing his own glistening eyes. “Y-yeah. That’s why I want to join the guild. So I can meet people, see the world. Maybe see them someday, too. Mom, Dad, maybe a brother or sister, if I have any. It’d be nice, wouldn’t it?”

William composed himself. “Yes. It would be.” He glanced over to Jacob.

The Charmander ceased his stargazing and met William’s eyes. “I just want you to know… You’re not alone.”

For the second time today, William’s heart swelled with an emotion that he wasn’t sure how to describe. A radiant warmth glowed within his chest, like a comforting fire after a long trek through the cold. He felt as though he had been reunited with a friend he never knew he had, until now. He felt understood.

“T-thank you, Jacob.” William sniffed quietly. “I hope you feel the same way, too.”

Jacob smiled again, his tail burning brightly. He scooched closer to William and opened his arms.

William opened his arms as well, and the two embraced in a gentle hug. He rested his head on Jacob’s shoulder, holding him close.

After some time, they let go of each other and Jacob spoke. “So, are you gonna go with Andrew?”

“That was my plan,” William answered. “But, upon reflection, I think you’ve made a good case. If the guild has resources like you say, and if the two of us can work together, well…”

Jacob smiled wider than ever and his tail wagged back and forth.

“It’s the most logical choice. Though,” William sighed. “I was looking forward to spending time with Andrew.”

“Maybe he could join the guild, too?”

“I asked him that on our way here– if he had ever thought about joining. But he said he has to stay home, to help support his family.”

“Oh. Okay.” Jacob turned to the water again. “Maybe you can still visit each other? Or at least write letters?”

William nodded slowly. “Yes… That could work.” 

He still harbored doubts, wishing he could somehow have both– joining the guild and staying with Andrew. The goodbye ahead already instilled him with sadness, but indecision would do him no favors. After all, like Jacob said, he and Andrew could stay in contact. In the meantime, William had a bit more certainty about his future.

He picked up his bone club.“I suppose we should get back to him and Leon, shouldn’t we?”

“Yeah,” Jacob agreed. “But there’s one more thing I have to say.”

“What is it?”

Jacob brought his tail around, lighting up the object in his hand.

Pop.

“Thanks for helping me get my pocket watch back.”