David laughed nervously, hands still raised. "Y-yeah, uh, right, right! You're very right. But come on, man, I had to beat it. It was either me or the blob."
Daryl's eyes narrowed, skeptical. "Why not just run away? That is what you usually do."
David froze for a second, gears visibly grinding in his head. Then he snapped his fingers. "Because—I sprained my ankle! Yup. Couldn't run, so I was forced to fight. Which, uh, actually turned me into a new leaf, you know? Fighting monsters… training… discipline… all that jazz."
Daryl didn't look convinced, but after a beat, he lowered his saber, sliding it smoothly back into its scabbard. His tone was clipped. "Hmm. The beer must have changed you completely."
David forced a laugh, scratching the back of his neck. "You might be right. I mean, I even changed skin color, so who knows, right?"
Silence stretched between them, thick and awkward.
Finally Daryl said flatly, "Anyway. I shall take you back to town." He turned and began walking with calm, deliberate steps, the cane of light bouncing faintly against his hip.
David sighed in relief and started to follow—when the hologram flickered back to life in front of him.
"Hello, Mr. David Hawk," Bepo's cheerful voice chimed. "Look up at Daryl Tetsu's head."
David blinked, then slowly tilted his gaze upward. Above Daryl's head floated glowing red text:
> Relationship: -100
Extremely negative. Does not care for user. Hopes user dies.
David's jaw dropped. "Wow. That's… uh… pretty low."
Bepo tilted his glowing head, hands on his hips. "No, that's not just low. That's super low."
David chuckled weakly. "Right… right. Super low. Love that." He rubbed his sweaty palms on his thighs. "So, uh… any tips on how to raise that? Or do I just… wait for him to stop hating my guts?"
Bepo tapped his chin like a professor explaining to a failing student. "By doing things for him. Being nice. Giving him gifts. Showing loyalty. But…" his tone dipped flatly, "for Daryl, it will be tough. He really does not like you."
David groaned. "So basically… I gotta start boot-licking."
"Precisely," Bepo said with a satisfied nod.
David rolled his eyes. "Great. Just great. Can't wait to kiss purple-hair's boots all day."
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something strange—Daryl wasn't moving. His foot hung mid-step. The sway of his cloak was frozen in mid-air.
David's stomach flipped. He glanced up. Even the birds in the sky had stopped mid-flap, wings suspended like puppets on strings.
"Uh… Bepo?" David whispered. "Why… is time frozen?"
Bepo blinked innocently. "Why do you ask?"
David threw his arms out. "Because Daryl looks like he's doing the mannequin challenge! The birds are stuck! Even the breeze is gone! That's why I ask!"
"Oh," Bepo said as if it were the most casual thing in the world. "Well, yes. Time is indeed frozen."
David rubbed his temples, muttering. "Yeah, sure. Totally normal. Love that for me." He sucked in a shaky breath. "Anyway… so, uh… one more thing—how do I not get, you know, caught?"
Bepo's tiny eyes gleamed. "Ah, yes. That's important. If anyone in this world finds out you are not Hawk—and they call you by your real name—" His cheerful voice dropped like a hammer. "—you will return to the real world."
David gulped. "That doesn't sound so bad."
Bepo's glowing grin widened. "In hell."
David's face went pale. His body trembled, a cold sweat sliding down his back. "Oh f—oh shhhit oh no no no no no…"
Bepo's hologram flickered with a playful little wave. "Now. Good luck with your adventure! Byeee~"
And just like that—pop!—the hologram vanished.
The world unpaused. Birds soared overhead. Wind whispered through the trees. Daryl continued walking as if nothing had happened.
David wiped his sweaty forehead, forcing a laugh that cracked halfway through. "Okay, David. No pressure. Just don't get found out, raise the score, and don't end up in hell. Easy. Easy peasy."
He swallowed hard and hurried after Daryl
As David finally caught up, limping a little but trying to play it cool, Daryl gave him a quick glance. His eyes darted to the wooden stick in David's grip.
"Mr. Hawk," Daryl said flatly, "why is it that you insist on carrying that… sticky stick?"
David looked at the stick like it was Excalibur itself, then smirked. "Uh, because this stick saved my life. And I've grown to like it. It's basically my best friend. Isn't that right, stick friend?"
Then, in a deliberately squeaky, childlike voice, David tilted the stick and spoke for it:
"'Oooh yes, Dav— I mean Hawk! You're so cool and handsome. Thank you for saving me!'"
David grinned wide. "See? He gets me. Sticky—that's what I'll call you. Sticky."
Daryl pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh. "You… are unbelievable." He shook his head as though regretting every decision that led him to this moment.
David noticed and raised a brow. "Daryl, I get the feeling you don't like me."
"And why do you say that?" Daryl asked, his tone sharp but curious.
David gestured vaguely with the stick. "It's your tone. Back when we first met, you sounded like you kinda wished I was… y'know… gone."
Daryl's lips twitched. "You mean when I was first declared as your protector?"
"No, no," David waved him off, "I mean after I sobered up. Like… you gave me this look. The kinda look that says, 'Man, shame he's still breathing.'"
For the first time, Daryl stopped walking. He turned his head slowly, eyes narrowing. "I did think you were dead. I won't lie about that. But I wasn't praying for it."
David winced playfully, clutching his chest. "So you had no confidence in me, huh?"
Daryl scoffed. "Who would have confidence in you?"
"...Ow," David muttered, shoulders slumping. "That stings. Cuts deep, man."
Under his breath, Daryl muttered, "Didn't think you even had feelings."
David's head snapped up. "What was that?"
Daryl's eyes flicked away, unbothered. "I said… I didn't think you had such nice hair."
David blinked, unsure. "Uh… thanks? I think?"
They walked in silence for a moment, birds chirping faintly in the distance. The forest around them grew thinner until the dirt gave way to a stone-paved pathway. Daryl stopped, glanced to his right, and gestured with his saber.
"This way."
David looked down the path, then at Daryl, then back at Sticky in his hand. His smirk returned. "Lead the way, Captain Buzzkill."
Daryl exhaled through his nose, ignoring him completely, and they both continued down the stone road.