It had only been a day since John left the city and he was sick of it.

  "Way too hot" he grumbled. He had tried fanning himself with his free hand earlier but stopped upon the realization that he was just shoving more hot air into his face. John stared longingly at the canopy and its precious shade mere feet away from the dirt path but alas, company procedure required all members to march on the path.

  "Staring at the trees isn't going to make the grow, you know?" his friend, Sistine, stated. "It takes months for alderwoods to grow any noticeable amount."

  "I'll let you know when I want a lecture on local fauna"

  "Flora" Sistine corrected, "fauna refers to local animals."

  John rolled his eyes, "no one cares."

  "Besides, you should have been prepared for the heat. You complain about it everytime we get deployed."

  "What am I supposed to do about the sun? Ask it to tone down a few pegs?"

  Sistine gave a smug grin "I don't know about controlling the sun but you could have prepared some shade." Sistine reached into the satchel he was carrying- John had wondered what the satchel was about since it fit so poorly over Sistine's mage robe. It had gotten caught on the hems multiple times during their short journey- and pulled out a parasol.

  "No way." John's jaw dropped. Sistine had always been good at prepping but this, this was ludicrous. John stared in disbelief as Sistine deployed the parasol and cooled off in the newly created shade.

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  "ahhhh~ much better."

  "You, you will share with me right?"

  Sistine gave him a hard look. "You sure you want to share proximity with a plant lecturer?"

  "If you let me in I will listen to all of your infinite wisdom," John pleaded, desperate to ingratiate himself.

  "Hmm."

  "Please, spare me from this godforsaken heat. I'll owe you."

  Sistine finally relented, "Alright, come on in."

  John yipped with glee, "Oh Gods above, thank you for delivering me from this cursed heat. If you ever need my help, just say the word."

  Sistine turned sheepish."Well. Since you insist... You know Clarice?"

  John's celebration was cut short "Clarice, as in my sister? That Clarice?" He stared at Sistine suspicously.

  "Yeah, so I was wondering... could you maybe set us up?" Sistine withered as John's stare grew increasingly fierce.

  Internally, though, John was celebrating.

  You fool. I was racking my brain wondering how I could saddle you with Clarice and here you are, walking straight into the pit.

  He couldn't let his joy show. Sistine might notice something off. He was oddly perceptive when he chose to be. Clarice had a nice enough face, but her personality... John shuddered at the thought.

  Hold it, hold it. Can't be too eager. Need to make him think this is a difficult choice. 3. 2. 1.

  "...Fine, I'll help you two meet but the rest is up to you."

  Sistine fistpumped "I won't let you down. I'll treat her better than anyone and I will never leave her alone. You won't regret this."

  John harrumphed "You're quite talkative for someone asking for a favor. Clarice prefers guys who speak with their actions"

  Sistine instantly obliged and held the parasol to cover him. "Yes, of course sir."

  John smiled as he finally escaped the relentless sun. He had set up his sister with a ticket to wealth and obtained a mage is a servant in one fell swoop.

  Ah, the flowers are in full bloom. How pretty.

  Today was a good day.