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Post by Alma on May 2, 2021 18:54:03 GMT -6
“Yeah, it can be crazy out there.” Alma nodded, hands in her pockets as she toyed with the badge. “She didn’t seem to distressed over a cart though, just said she lost her glasses an’ asked me to have a look.”
The boy smiled wider, and Alma wondered how far the boy could smile before his head popped off. The crossbreed informed her that he could rip free the boy’s head at any time, and Alma disguised her snort as a sneeze. “I’ll bet. Luk’s normally really good at keeping herself together. Take it you are going to return these to her?”
Alma nodded again. “Yep. Supposed to meet’er at the quest board when I gottem.” The boy snapped the case shut and handed it over to Alma, letting her know how glad he was to see some people at the labs were good. She had taken the box with both hands when the boy looked behind her at Errol, opening his too-wide mouth. 16
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Post by Alma on May 2, 2021 18:55:40 GMT -6
Errol roared, and Alma fumbled to keep a hold of the box as he charged the tent, demanding that Alma Move! Burn! Must burn! The boy scurried back, staring at them both with a wide-eyed expression that bothered her far more than the wide grins. Errol jutted his head into the tent beside her, roaring again as she saw the first orange flickers of flame in his throat.
With the angry crossbreed beside her and her hands full of the case, Alma elbowed Errol in the nose. It was not a graceful move by any means, looking as though she was trying to replicate some purposely forgotten dance step as she turned and struck a glancing blow that it would not have started a repointe. She mentally snarled at Errol, Errol! Shut up!
The temperature beside the crossbreed dropped down to tolerable levels, but the crossbreed did not look away from the boy. It say lizard. The words hissed into her mind like water onto a hot stone. I better. I not lizard. I am dragon! The boy gasped as the last of the words slammed into her head, and Alma glanced back at him. 17
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Post by Alma on May 2, 2021 18:56:30 GMT -6
Errol, shut up or else I’ll- she hesitated, then laughed in her mind. I’ll write down that you are bad mannered, just a lizard. The crossbreed whined, though she was not sure if she hear it from outside her head or not, and pulled his head back out.
Shifting the box under one arm, she reached out to the boy with a sheepish apology. He stared at her hand like it was a fire-breathing dragon, then slapped his hand against it as his grin returned as wide as ever. “Geeze. Never met a dragon.” He laughed as he straightened up, looking behind Alma at the sulking beast sitting on the cobbles. “My bad. Thought they did not come out of the canyon? You know, not enough cliffs for them here?” Willing Errol not to repeat his earlier tantrum, Alma only nodded with a smile.
They chatted a little more, then she was back outside. The crossbreed and Sentinel made their way back to the quest board in silence, the crossbreed’s sullen glares enough to keep the crowd from pressing too closely. 18
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Post by Alma on May 2, 2021 18:58:31 GMT -6
Dumb. Burn, find more! No Errol. The boy gave us what he had, and we ain’t bothering him. Find more! he insisted, turning his head to the stalls they were passing.
Alma did not look, staring straight ahead as they made their way through the market. It’ll be enough, Can’t keep ya’out if yer gonna throw tantrums. We’re supposed to be better than that!
Guard dumb. You bad. I great. She could practically feel the smugness dripping off of him as they reached the board, no kapper yet in sight. They waited in silence for a few minutes, Alma refusing to respond to his prodding. He let his thoughts be silent for a bit, something Alma counted as a small blessing. Is fine. he slowly thought a few minutes later as the kapper appeared. With me, you better. Alma snorted, and he thought he could pick up the slightest giggle in her mind. 19
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Post by Alma on May 2, 2021 19:02:00 GMT -6
Even with it’s inhuman face, Alma could see the hope that crawled across the kapper’s face as she handed the box over to it, snaggle teeth showing in a smile as it pulled out and inspected every orb. They were just as impressive the second time, and Alma resolved to find a glass-blower to make a few fancy balls for herself. Something that she could hang from the ceiling in her study maybe, to give it a proper mystical feeling. She told none of this to the kapper, who was turning each orb in the light, eyes squinting as it spoke of how the few ‘glasses’ it had recovered on its own had been cracked or missing pieces altogether. After the last orb was placed back in the case, the kapper complained about how a wingless wiurn looked ridiculous as it snapped the case shut and stashed it in the cart beside it. “But enough about that. Where are the rest of my glasses?” It stuck out one malformed hand, wiggling the fingers impatiently. “Hand them over.”
Alma fished the little glass seeker out of her pocket, admiring the way the light caught on the patterns contained within it. She could see why the man had taken it, and she handed it back to the kapper a second later a bit reluctantly. It rested there, looking small and alone on the kapper’s hand. “That’s the last of them that I found.”
It was comical the way the kapper’s eyes seemed to almost pop out of their sockets as it held up the lone seeker. “I had far more than a few balls and one glass seeker, Sentinel.” It spat the last word, closing its fingers over the little glass figurine. “I know your kind likes to take-”
Alma did not sigh nor remain silent as the kapper began to puff itself up. Instead, she groaned. Not the normal groan one might expect from someone facing a small yapping thing, but one that drained all the air in her lungs as she slapped her hands against her face. “Ain’t found nothing else.” The words were quiet compared to the groan, the kapper thankfully not resuming it’s tirade. “Got through a couple of places, me and Errol here, then he threw a fit at the tea place. An’ it’s not our fault you lost’em.” She gestured throughout her words, swinging a thumb in the direction of Errol before curling her hands like claws as she mimicked his tantrum, then jabbed a hand at the closed fist of the kapper with each of the following words. “That’s. All. We. Got.”
Question me? asked the oversized idiot behind her, and she could hear his wings rustling as he slowly fanned them out.
Nah, just me. Calm yer tail, Errol. The crossbreed thought on this, then tucked his wings back to his sides. To the still silent kapper, she folded her arms and said, “An’ they are pretty as light, but I’d buy my own. Rather have a few houluh, maybe an equillion instead of a seeker.” Realizing she had just insulted the little figures, she cracked out a smile and added, “I’d ‘preciate the name of your glass maker honestly. Really do want a few.”
The kapper did not match her smile, instead glaring at Errol, then back to her. When it spoke, there was none of the fury she swore she could see dancing in it’s piggish eyes, only a stiff politeness. “I will see to it that you receive a few quest points for the work you have done. Good day.”
“You’re welcome!” Alma yelled after the kapper started walking away, cupping her hands to either side of her mouth.
Stupid Sentinel, Errol gladly repeated the thought into her mind. With a sigh, Alma began the long task of leading the crossbreed back to the kennel. The others could have a laugh after she got the bloody beast back in his cage. [Alma-241.0 Errol-18.0]
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Post by NPC on May 6, 2021 8:07:49 GMT -6
Congrats! You've finished the quest. You've been awarded 3 QP for completion.
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