Moonshine made me blind to this pyramid scheme (BL)

Rain stopped and Yax decided to have a break for snacks and drinks. Ground was wet, so they just sat on their waterproof backpacks. Small stream formed due rain, and Ivory teased Yax if he was going to take a swim. Blaze chuckled, careful to not be noticed and lectured again. He exchanged glances with Jone, who rolled his eyes at him. Floreo helped Echo readjust his backpack, and Cid just silently chewed on his snack bar while keeping his eye on their surroundings. Mani observed them covertly, sneaking glances over his mug while sipping his second cup of coffee.

It was hard getting used to this. And no, he did not mean the fact that this was only his second cup today. Even if it was harsh, he accepted it as inevitable due circumstances.

No, he was thinking about what Blaise said to him. He was so flustered at first when he got grabbed, and did not really register what Blaise was talking about. But later, when his heart rate went down, he realised that what he said was true. He is here now to stay. There was no going back.

It made him somewhat relieved, and somewhat apprehensive. He will never stand again on that stage that used to be his heaven and hell, both at the same time. For the rest of his life, he is going to be surrounded with these people. From morning till night, and in between. Coworkers. Future friends. Family?

And really, now that he saw them in the action, he lost some of prejudice he had. Yes, they were all enhanced, but no, they were not like he was told they were; soulless, mindless drones, focused on their duties and nothing else. Small smile crept on his face when he remembered how Yak planted himself on the ground face first, not once but twice, right in front of him. And Cindy's pensive expression when he realised that alarm was not set up.

No, Cid. Already during the first day he realised that he heard it wrong when they met for the first time. Blaze as well. He felt himself blushing thinking how he called him 'Blaise' for past ten years. He tried to remember if he was ever corrected.

Truth to be told, back then, he did not pay any attention to Blaise, other than trying to avoid him. Anyway, for him it was now a habit, and if Blaise is really willing to have brotherly relationship with him, then he will keep using it. As a nickname.

And yes, he should really let go of his fears and make himself at home here. It was a choice he made, to be here. And even if things are not exactly as planned, so what. That is how real life is. Unpredictable, free, unrestrained life that he wanted.

With a smile still on his face, he screwed his cup back on top of his thermos and packed it with his beads and rattles again. Soon, as break was over, Ivory confirmed direction, and they walked on again.

This forest they walked through now was different than before. It was not flooded, but ground was mushier and the moss grew all over bark of trees, while below grew some strange plants looking like little pines, but fragile and easy to break. Ivory checked his memory and identified them as horstails. It's underground rhisomes had medical properties, and whole plant could be used to treat different ailments, so Jone banned it from being casually chewed as a snack. If you are healthy, do not mess with medicine.

Further they went, clearer it was that it will be hard to find a good spot for tents. Trees here were different than those they saw before. Ivory said that big ones were oaks, and slightly thinner ones were alder trees. They grew sparse, and if it was not so cloudy today, there would be way more light than under beech trees. Due that, they had to use machetes on some places again. There were bushes and thorny vines growing on the ground and climbing up the trees as well.

As they reached a spot where four alder trees grew relatively close to eachother, marking a square area with not many bushes in it, Yax stopped them and declared that they are gonna camp here tonight. They cleared the bushes in the middle, cut down branches and piled them in a way to make a spot for backpacks to stay while they worked. Yax declared it to be a 'practice of tool application in real life situation' and divided them in teams.

This time he teamed up with Ivory, Cid and Mani, while Blaze, Jone, Echo and Floreo made another group. Each had to use their lasers to cut down one of the trees on opposite corners, preferably without dropping the tree on another group. Then slice the trunk of the tree in equally thick sections which will then be used to make a base on top of which they will set up their tents. Cid wondered if this could be called a high tech solution of their low level problem, or just fumbling it out before it gets too dark.

Either way, they actually managed to patch up a rough patio for all of them to sleep without worrying about water seeping into their sleeping bags. Mani was especially proud of singlehandedly rolling around trunk sections without squashing his toes. In this group, he was obviously youngest, weakest and with least experience. Yet, he managed his part of the task just fine.

Later, when they sat around the fire and ate their rations for the day, Jone made them all a pot of tea, silently admitting that holy potion should be left for external use only. Blaze nudged him and winked, Cid just smiled to himself, and Ivory took out their map to mark their progress of the day.

Because of the route change, they were now a bit more north than planned so they decided to go straight west for the next two days. That should take them some 300 kilometers away from their home, and some 200 kilometers from location they were searching for. Which ment that after that, they should arrive to the river. To cross it, they will likely have to improvise a raft of sorts. But Yax felt confident they could handle it, considering how fast they got used to cut and shape wood with heir lasers.

Mani sipped his tea and listened their discussion. He really wondered how are they going to find exact spot for their new location. After 50 cycles, terrain changed completely, anything left behind to mark the spot should be long gone by now. He hesitated a bit, and then he got upset with his own indecisive attitude. He straightened his back, cleared his throat, and decided to leave all his insecurities behind and finally move on.

"Yak," he started and immediately corrected himself in his thoughts it's Yax you moron, well, whatever "how are we going to find exact spot where geothermal line is. It's underground." He decided to keep all the nicknames, he got used to them anyway.

Yax looked at Mani, slightly surprised by resolve in his voice. What's there to be so firm about. "We have a locator thing." Yax said and pulled his collar a bit to free the necklace he carried under his clothes. He got it out, spread ornamental pendant on his palm and showed to Mani. "Kane found an entry about it in his records, and searched treasury room. It was hanging in one of the display cabinets."

"Oh so that's Head of the Great Serpent Dagda mentioned to us." Floreo leaned over and took a look as well.

Mani observed triangular pendant attached to a thin chain. Two gems were placed in sockets on top, while third socket below them was empty. To him, it seemed that green and red eyes blinked, but as he overcame slight dizziness they caused him again, he realised that it's just light sparkling in sharp angles that gems were cut into.

He frowned, not yet understanding "How is that going to find a geothermal line?" He looked straight into Yak's eyes, and they too seemed to twinkle at him.

Yax just shrugged, "Not sure, they are supposed to start beeping once we are close to location. I guess, closer we get, faster they will beep." He frowned thinking back at that hellish sound. And now it will be doubled. He looked at Mani and suddenly got a great idea.

"Here, you take it." Mani stared at the pendant dangling in front of his face. "Seriously, you were the one who could see the keyhole last time, so you are likely the only one who can see it next time as well." Yax felt very satisfied with flexibility of his thinking.

From the side, Ivory agreed for once. "Yes, you are the only one with Serpent Sight, Mani. Rest of us cannot see where those gems are supposed to go."

Looking around and seeing that no one had anything against it, Mani carefully took the pendant. Placing it on his own palm, he noticed how light it was. Sure, these were not real gems. They were hollow inside, holding whatever sensors and crystals that made the sound.

He slid it around his neck and noticed that it's warm on his skin. Heating mechanism as well? Puzzled, he pressed it with his palm, not noticing Yax blushing bright red.