My spirit animal is a F–Rank gecko-Chapter 13: Not so welcoming ceremony (2)

Jaster entered a rune shop in the Silver City market.

"Here’s the stone rune."

He handed the rune he’d found to the owner of the shop.

The man inspected the rune with his binoculars, and then pulled out a small hammer and tapped it a bit.

The rune shook a bit with each tap.

"This seems to be legit. It’s your lucky day, kid!"

The man took out his register and gave Jaster 500 bosan; he then proceeded to put it in a coin pouch.

Seeing the pouch filled to the brim almost made Jaster salivate.

He happily took it.

"Thanks, sir!"

Jaster left the shop feeling satisfied.

"What do you say, Purple? After we save the girl, how about we go out for dinner and then buy your amulet?"

"KRRRK KRKR!!"

Purpleberry jumped in joy multiple times while making a sound as if it was singing.

While walking past many people, Jaster accidentally bumped into a girl wearing a hoodie.

They both fell on the ground. The coin pouch dropped to the floor, revealing the many bosan that Jaster had.

Oh shoot, I better hide this first!

He started putting the coins back into his pouch. The girl grunted and rubbed her head, but then saw the bunch of coins he had.

She came up with a brilliant idea.

"I’m so sorry, sir. Here, let me help you."

The girl started helping him put them back in the pouch. Jaster noticed Purple was not on his shoulder, so he looked around to see where it was.

The hooded girl took this chance and grabbed a handful of bosan and put it in her pocket.

"Purple, where are you!"

He spotted Purple lying on the ground.

Jaster quickly rushed to check on his animal.

"PURPLE, ARE YOU OK?"

"Chaa...."

He slowly tucked Purple into his pocket.

"Don’t worry, I’ll get you checked."

He saw the girl had finished putting the rest of the bosan back in the pouch.

She got up and handed it towards him.

"Again... I’m so sorry."

Then the girl ran as fast as possible.

"What was that?"

He shrugged it off as Jaster walked towards the nearest market to buy rope.

Oblivious to him, the girl had stolen almost all of the bosan inside the pouch.

---

He reached the stand where they sold many industrial supplies.

Jaster asked the man behind the counter for a rope.

He pulled out the pouch, and his heart sank.

"Why is it so light?"

Jaster quickly opened the pouch, hoping what he was thinking was wrong.

But... luck indeed wasn’t on his side, as he saw only 20 bosan in the pouch.

Jaster’s eyes widened as he gripped the pouch.

"THAT.... FUCKING BITCH!"

"Are you gonna buy the rope or not?" the worker asked, seemingly not interested in Jaster’s problem.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

"How much was it again?"

"20 bosan."

Jaster’s whole life fell apart.

He didn’t know what to do. All of the 500 bosan that the rune shop owner gave him were almost all gone.

Janster could feel his heart racing with anger.

"Dang it.. that girl covered her face with a hoodie; I didn’t get to see her face or even her hair!"

Jaster looked back at Purple on his shoulder.

His spirit animal was confused why its owner looked really sad and angry at the same time.

"Krrk?"

"Don’t worry, I thought we could get your amulet today. But I guess we’ll just have to wait."

He rubbed Purple’s cheek.

"CHAA?" Purple, seemingly annoyed at Jaster, turned its head away from him.

[ Bond level decreased drastically! ]

"Hey, please don’t be mad!"

"Ahemmm!"

The clerk signaled Jaster, asking if he wanted to buy it or not.

"Oh yeah... here." He dropped the 20 bosan on the counter and grabbed the rope.

Leaving the shop disappointed, Jaster looked at his shoulder again, hoping Purple wouldn’t be too mad at him.

But when he looked back, Purple was nowhere on his shoulder.

Thinking it had disguised itself as his jacket, Jaster rubbed all around his jacket.

When he felt nothing, he took off his jacket and rubbed his shirt, hoping Purple was there.

Many passers-by looked at him weirdly.

After not feeling anything, Jaster’s face dropped.

His brain was on autopilot.

"SHIT!" He screamed hard in public.

"Did Purpleberry have a tantrum?!"

Jaster went inside the store he was just in, but the clerk said he didn’t see his gecko.

Jaster searched everywhere for his gecko—searching the back alley, looking in the bushes, asking many vendors.

But it was all in vain, as he still couldn’t find the gecko.

He dropped himself onto the nearest bench in front of a huge fountain.

"I...I’m so sorry.... Purpleberry."

Jaster kept on sobbing; his face was fully stained with tears, and his eyes became puffy.

His hands covered his face as sobs tore from his throat.

"Is that kid ok?"

"What’s his problem?"

"Hey, hurry over here, there’s a guy crying!"

Many people whispered while passing by Jaster.

He simply did not care anymore. What was he without his spirit animal, anyway?

"Uhmm... are you okay?"

While sobbing, Jaster heard a soft woman’s voice in front of him.

He rubbed his puffy eyes and sniffed his stuffy nose.

After his vision cleared, it felt like he saw an angel.

She had beautiful long wavy black hair, with flower pins all over her hair.

And her turquoise eyes were shining.

He tried to answer, but his breath hitched. "I.. lost my spirit animal!"

"I.. really don’t know... what to do without it." He gasped for air, his voice cracking.

"Oh no.. That’s horrible." The beautiful woman covered her mouth, her voice full of pity for the crying guy.

"Is your spirit animal a gecko, by any chance?"

Jaster’s eyes shot up hearing that.

He jumped out of the bench and grabbed the woman wrist.

"YES... YES IT IS.. HOW DO YOU KNOW?!"

Jaster was practically gripping her shoulder; after the woman let out a faint groan, it snapped him back to reality, and he let go. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Ah.. Omg, this is so embarrassing. I’m so sorry!" He bowed repeatedly.

"Oh, no worries.. I would’ve been like you too if I lost my spirit animal. Also...."

"Krrk?"

Hearing that familiar voice, Jaster looked around to find the source of the voice.

And there he saw it.

His spirit animal.

Purpleberry was on the girl’s shoulder.

Purple looked confused, but after scanning Jaster, its eyes lit up.

"KRRRK!!"

Purple jumped out of the girl’s shoulder, arms wide.

Jaster also opened his arms wide, and Purple crashed onto his hands.

They both had a crushing hug together.

"Omg, Purple.. I was so worried. Please do not leave me again!"

The words broke apart between quiet sobs.

"Krrk krrk krrk krrk!"

[ Bond level increased ]

Jaster just ignored the window screen; at this moment, his spirit animal was the only thing that mattered to him.

After the both of them had their reunion, Jaster put Purple back on his shoulder.

He saw the girl smiling at both of them.

"Thank you so much, ma’am. Thank you for bringing my spirit animal back!"

Jaster bowed again towards the woman. But after he took a better look at her,

he noticed she was wearing a beautiful green skirt that had vines and flowers put into it. And she had a beautiful jade-colored corset with a pink flower on top.

"No problem, kiddo. I’m just really happy you both got your reunion. Your gecko over here—"

The woman pointed at Purple.

"—lost its way in the busy streets of Silver City. After seeing the poor animal, I knew that was my cue to step in. And your spirit animal told me everything about you!"

The woman took a good look at Jaster and smiled.

"Are you perhaps a Bondspire student?"

"Oh.. yeah, I am!"

"First year?"

Jaster nodded.

The woman let out a huge "Hmmm." And smirked at Jaster.

"Oh well. See you next time!"

The beautiful woman waved him goodbye as she walked away.

"Oh... That was a strange woman. But I’m just glad she was able to find you!"

"Krrk!"

"Also, Purple... Don’t you think we forgot something...."

"Krrk?"

Jaster rubbed his head for a bit and—

"OH SHIT, WE FORGOT ABOUT THE GIRL IN THE WELL"

Yes.... He did, in fact, forget about her. It had also been three hours ever since they talked back at the well.