The standoff between Serosa and Uma wasn't that far off from a classic Western. Uma edged slowly to the left, while Serosa's eyes remained locked on her like she was fixing to shoot actual laser beams.
Before Uma could even try to write a defense, Serosa held up a single finger and tapped her bare wrist as if checking an imaginary watch.
"Do you know what time it is?"
Uma held her hands up, daring not to make a single sound or movement until she was permitted. How can I bullshit my way out of this? she thought, lifting her chalkboard and scribbling a single word.
No?
Serosa's grip tightened on the book she was holding. Uma could hear the leather cover scrunching under the pressure.
"What were you doing?"
Serosa's tone made Uma feel instantly compelled to tell the truth—not that she had a good lie lined up anyway. She wiped the board and wrote:
Dancing...
Serosa's eyes flicked upward, looking past Uma's shoulder into the darkness. "Is that true?"
Uma went to write a frantic yes, but Serosa's hand shot up, cutting her off.
"Not you."
Turning around, Uma jumped as Hamaron walked out of the shadows. He looked completely unbothered by the leaves and sticks clinging to his clothes and beard. He didn't say a word; he just offered Serosa a solid thumbs-up.
Serosa let out a long breath that Uma hadn't realized she was holding. Then, without warning, she tossed the book she was holding directly at Uma.
"Do you know how much you worried me, young lady?!"
Uma, still dazed, barely caught half the sentence before she was suddenly scooped off her feet and pulled into a crushing hug.
"Oh, but I am so proud of you!"
Uma, currently having her cheek rubbed aggressively against Serosa's, was now more confused than ever. Am I in trouble, or am I not in trouble? I cannot get a read on this woman.
Felt herself being set back down, she looked up to see Serosa staring at her with genuine awe.
"Can you show me?!" Serosa's voice, which had been as hard as rock seconds ago, was now sweet as pie. Before Uma could process the whiplash, she was picked up yet again and twirled around the porch. "My baby girl becoming a dancer... oh, I can just imagine it!"
The words my baby girl snapped Uma right out of her frantic thoughts. She locked eyes with her mom, feeling a sudden, involuntary heat rise to her cheeks. A helpless smile spread across her face.
Baby girl. Damn right I am.
Uma chuckled silently as she was finally brought inside. Serosa hummed happily, bustling over to the counter and returning with a plate. On it sat a beautifully designed, massive slice of cake. It looked so perfect it felt wrong for Uma to even look at it.
For me?
Uma wrote.
Serosa nodded excitedly, while Hamaron sat across from them at the table, still looking completely zoned out from his four-hour stakeout in the bushes.
"I'm sure you're exhausted from all that training," Serosa said, proudly flexing her own bicep with a grin. "A growing girl needs to keep her strength up!"
Oh hell yeah.
Uma didn't wait; she dived right in, all while Serosa sat next to her with a smile on her face.
That night blurred on. Uma was on her third slice before Hamaron, who hadn't said anything, tried to stand up and collapsed, groaning something about his knees.
Serosa, for once, didn't even yell at him. She just chuckled.
"He stayed hidden in a bush the entire time, of course on my orders."
She dragged him off the floor.
"Well, you big lug, guess you'll have to stay here."
Uma remained seated, already prepping a fourth slice.
Should I be here for what may happen?
Serosa and Hamaron disappeared into her room, and Uma made sure to cover up any source where noise could be leaked before she went to her room.
Sleep came easier than it ever had. Uma dreamed of cartoon muscles screaming at her while she was punching them.
She awoke the next day to Vivi standing over her, staring with unblinking eyes, looking at her as if she was some mythical figure.
Between that and the ever-familiar pain, Uma was thoroughly shell-shocked when she was suddenly thrown into the town square with a crowd hyping her up.
"UMA! UMA! UMA!"
Standing opposite her was the familiar trio of girls who had bumped into her when she first arrived here.
They all still looked at her like she wasn't anything more than dirt.
Serosa ran up to her with a gleeful look on her face.
"Hey kiddo, how are you doing? Good, listen — those are the mayor's daughters. Momma may have been going around telling everyone how awesome my dancer daughter is, and that really set the old bastard off. Anyways, he sent his daughters to fight you."
Bastard... daughter... daughters.
Uma blinked up at Serosa, and Serosa saw how barely conscious Uma was.
"Vivi!"
"Ma'am."
A bucket of freezing cold water was splashed onto Uma's face, and she was given a pep talk she barely registered before Hamaron slid in front of her, fitted her in a very frilly dress, pulled an array of weapons from seemingly nowhere, and started practically appraising Uma with Serosa.
"What weapon do you think she would be good with?"
"Hmm, given her stature—"
They trailed off, and eventually they gifted Uma a spear and pushed her forward.
Then it all clicked.
"WAIT, I'M FIGHTING!"