Skye was more skilled as a pilot than I expected, so she was able to drop the chopper down gently in front of the cabin. By the look of it, this was going to be more comfortable than I’d expected.

  Certainly there’d be no camping.

  “There’s some tarps in the shed we can use to cover it up,” Licorice said, hopping out and rushing off. “I’ll get them.”

  “I’ll help,” Shadowpaw said, darting out after her.

  I leaned over to give Skye a pat on her head as she removed her headgear. She smiled at me, stretching her arms in delight. “Master! That feels so gooood!”

  “You earned it,” I told her. “You did very well. You must have been the best pilot in the whole city.”

  “Well,” she pouted. “Peter used to take stick more than me. He made me navigate. I like to think I’m better than he was, though.”

  “I know you are.”

  Her giggle turned into a purr as she unhitched her belt and scooted closer. “I’m so glad to be a Neko,” she said. “You really changed my life, Master. I feel… Happy. Happier than I’ve ever been in my whole life. I’m so happy I think I could dance!”

  “Dance after we’ve covered the helicopter up,” Shadowpaw called, tossing a tarp at the grinning pilot.

  “You know, we could fold the blades away and roll her into the garage,” Skye said. “It looks big enough in there.”

  Shadowpaw paused. “Are you saying it just collapses or something?”

  “Not the whole thing. Just, some of it. The blades at the top.” She pointed. “How do you think we store it when we’re not using it?”

  Licorice looked down at her tarp. “So, we don’t need these?” She glanced at me, her ears wilting. “I thought I was being clever.”

  “But you are being clever,” I told her. “Even if we put it in the garage, it’d be best if we covered it up. Right, Skye?”

  The pilot nodded. “Affirmative.”

  “And we wouldn’t want anyone to look into the garage and see it,” Shadowpaw said thoughtfully. “We still need the tarps.”

  “So, I did good?”

  “You did very good,” I told her. Looking up at the helicopter, I frowned. “So, Skye. How do we do this?”

  “Leave it to me. I’ll grab some tools from the garage and see what I can do. I’ll need help rolling it inside, though.”

  “Call me when you’re ready.”

  “I will.”

  “And me,” Licorice said firmly. “I want to help! Shadowpaw did everything earlier. I want to do something useful too.”

  “Licorice,” I took her hand as I headed towards the front door of the cabin. “You led us here. And, no doubt, you know where the key is to get inside so we don’t have to kick in the door, right?”

  “That’s right!”

  “So, stop thinking you’re useless and lift that beautiful Neko chin of yours.”

  “Then, it’s okay if I can’t use a gun?”

  “Trust me,” I told her. “While fighting is a great skill, it takes many skills to keep an army of Nekos functioning. Besides, you’re my Personal Assistant. That’s a very important job.”

  “Really?”

  “Truly,” I paused in front of the door. “Now, let us all inside so we can get warm. I’m sure it gets cold here in the evenings this close to winter.”

  As she opened the door, I found myself smiling.

  It was so good to have Nekos around me again. For a brief time, I’d feared being surrounded by customers instead. Nekos were so much better.

  And, as she bent over to get the key out of a hidden box under a chair, I stared at her long creamy thighs beneath her little black skirt and let out a long happy sigh.

  They were also so much prettier.

  Sensing me looking, Licorice looked up at me, her cute face wrinkling in surprise, and then smiling shyly. “Master… There’s a naughty thought in your head.”

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “I know,” I told her, feeling a slight chill on the breeze. “Let’s talk about it later.”

  Inside, the cabin was fairly large, with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms. It wasn’t fair to call it a cabin. And, as I looked around, I wondered just how rich Licorice’s family was.

  Everything in here seemed expensive. There was even a heavy brass statue in the entrance. It looked like a shell. Or a wave. It was hard to tell. I was never very good with postmodernism.

  The furniture was clean. Plenty of white. It also looked comfortable.

  There was a large screen TV on the wall and a coffee table with a marble top.

  Everything just looked so clean and rich.

  It reminded me of my final days in Neyteria and I felt a heavy feeling in my heart as I thought of my lost Nekos. I wondered how they were. What they were doing. And, though the distance between us was insurmountable, I wished that one day I would see them all again.

  I must have looked pretty depressed at that moment, because Licorice reached up and cupped my face. “Master? Are you alright?”

  “I’m fine,” I told her. “Just some painful memories.”

  “You can tell me about them if you like. Sometimes it’s nice to share your pain.”

  “I might do that,” I said. “Tonight. After we’re all settled. I should probably tell you what’s going on and why you’re Nekos now. And why it’s important that we save all the other Nekos in this world, too!”

  “There’s more Nekos?”

  “Soon,” I promised, making a fist as I remembered my vow. “They must be protected!”

  “Master!” Skye rushed through the doorway. “We have to move the chopper! The radio said they pulled a plane from Billsville, and they’re going to do flyovers looking for us.”

  I headed outside to find Shadowpaw struggling to push the Helicopter. She looked up with a frantic expression. “I don’t know if we can!”

  Patting her head as I stepped up beside her, I waved her aside. “Nekos are made with high Agility, mostly,” I told her. “That’s why I always put some points into Strength. That way I can do the lifting. After all, no Neko should be a mule. That’s my job.”

  “Points, Master?”

  “Just step back, Shadowpaw.”

  She took a few uncertain steps back as I stretched my neck and shoulders. Then, placing my hands on the chopper, I pushed.

  I moved it with very little effort. The wheels hardly protested as they rolled over the rough driveway.

  The three Nekos stood together, watching with eyes bulging. “Master!”

  I understood their surprise and chuckled as I pushed the helicopter into the garage. It was a tight fit. The folded blades gave less than an inch clearance.

  “I know,” I said, turning towards them and dusting my hands off on my pants. “I look like a weed right now. But I’m only level five. Wait a few levels and you won’t believe it. My other Nekos always loved my abs…”

  I sighed wistfully as Shadowpaw frowned. “Other Nekos? I thought I was second, Master.”

  “You are, and you aren’t,” I said, cryptically. I didn’t mean to confuse her, but now wasn’t the time. “I’ll tell you all about it after we’re comfortably inside. For now, let’s cover this thing up with the tarps and close it all up.”

  The three Nekos worked hard to cover the chopper. With their agility, it wasn’t too hard to eventually drape the machine.

  I eyed the result thoughtfully before nodding. “With a quick glance, no one will know what it is,” I said finally. “Let’s close up and go inside.”

  We headed indoors not a moment too soon as we heard the distant drone of a plane. Whether it was the cops or not, I didn’t know. But it felt good to know we were safe inside and the chopper was stowed.

  As I turned to the three nervous-looking Nekos, I felt the familiar shiver and heard the gentle chime which let me know a quest had completed.

  Quest Completed.

  Calculating rewards.

  Skye leaned forward, sensing something different. “Master?”

  “In a moment,” I said, holding up a finger. “I just got a notification and am waiting for the quest rewards.”

  She looked to Licorice and Shadowpaw. “Quest rewards?”

  The other two Nekos shook their heads. They didn’t know, either.

  Bonus Experience Points granted.

  I waited, but there was no more forthcoming. I didn’t sigh, though. At such low levels, bonus Experience Points were more valuable than gear which would be obsolete in a level or two, anyway.

  Assigning Experience Points.

  Another chime resounded.

  Congratulations. You have Levelled.

  New Level: 6

  You have 2 points to assign. Please assign them immediately to continue.

  “One to Stamina and one on Intelligence, please.”

  Please select 1 skill (+1 Outworlder skill) from the following:

  (Nekomancer) Kitty Litter: Sprays the surrounding area with sharp stones to cause minor damage to up to 8 targets. 10 second cooldown.

  (Nekomancer) Paws: Freeze target in place for 3 seconds. 10 second cooldown.

  (Nekomancer) Furball: Cast a ball of fury at Target. Counts as magical damage. 5 second cooldown.

  (Outworlder) Phase: Gain immunity from all attacks for 5 seconds. 60 second cooldown.

  (Outworlder) Void Blast: Inflict minor void damage on target. Void damage cannot be blocked or reduced. 5 second cooldown.

  “Wow,” I said, reading the Outworlder skill which had appeared. I already knew the Nekomancer skill I wanted. It had served me well, and I would use it again. “I’ll take Furball and Void Blast, please, System.”

  I don’t know if the System was truly alive as such. It had never responded to me in any way. But it never hurt to be polite to the thing which had allowed me to spend time with my beloved Nekos, did it?

  Do you wish to make any changes?

  “No, thank you.” I lifted my arms and closed my eyes. “Ding me!”

  I didn’t think about it. It was only after I said it that I remembered the bolt of plasma would light up the world around me, letting everyone know I’d levelled.

  Which it did. I felt my body get torn apart and put back together.

  And I heard the squeals of my Nekos as the light flashed in front of their eyes.

  “Master!”

  Blinking in the aftermath, and feeling a little weak from it as usual, I doubled-over. “Oops,” I said. “I forgot about the light show. Hopefully no one saw it. Or if they did, they thought it was lightning…”

  Shadowpaw helped me to the nearest couch, the others fussing over me with Licorice running off to get water and Skye gently patting my hand.

  “I’m okay, I’m okay,” I told them. “I just levelled. That’s all.”

  “Levelled?” Skye frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  “Me neither,” Shadowpaw admitted.

  “Then sit down, my sweet little Nekos. And let me tell you a story.” I took the water from Licorice, because it's important to stay hydrated, and after a sip, I looked at them with a serious expression perched on my face. “Let me tell you all about how I became the Nekomancer. It all started on my way home from work where I was suddenly, and without warning, hit by a truck…”