[Mkguild] Trust II

[C. Matthias]

>Trust II
>
>I decided the best thing to do was to go to the market square first 
>and then find the prostitutes.  And that's what I did sort of.  I 
>went to the square but I didn't actually go into the square.

Almost being responsible; that's a start, sort of!

>Instead I stood in the shadow cast by a cobbler's shop.  I watched 
>the people coming and going occasionally, while keeping myself 
>hidden.  Because a scaled man in a skirt and clashing shirt will 
>attract not attention.

I'm not sure what you were trying to say with that last phrase; the 
"not" is definitely in the wrong place at the very least.

>"I can't believe they even have a market here." I mumbled, "How can 
>they?  Gods, they've been cursed.  Why aren't they doing something 
>about it?"  I slumped against the side-wall.  "I'd have done 
>something about it."

I would say that it's silly to think that except I've thought 
something similar before in the face of bureaucracy and procedures 
that seem completely backward.

>"Is that lizard man wearing a dress?" I cocked my head up.  A 
>giraffe and a very small girl walked past me.
>
>"Possibly." The giraffe said, "They've let some odd people into the Keep."

LOL!

>"Hey I'm the son of a Lord!  I'm probably raising the value of this 
>dirt by sitting on it!" was what I did not say.  Instead I sat their 
>in silence and hoped for the Earth to swallow me up.  Soon though my 
>anger emerged.
>
>"They think I'm weird?" I snarled at no one.  "They live in their 
>own shit and they want to call me weird?"  Now I was beginning to 
>yell at the walls.  Nothing weird about that.  I was in propinquity 
>to insanity by now, yet I continued yelling.

For somebody who didn't know what "thrushes" were, "propinquity" is a 
pretty odd word for him to know!  Yup, he's definitely weird. ;-)

>"I'm not weird, they are!  Them and their city and their cursed 
>valley and their...pants with tail holes!"  Several faces peered 
>almost coquettishly into the ally to watch the screeching elyas in a 
>dress, as if they glanced something forbidden.

Hooray for pants with tail holes!  I'm not helping, am I? ;-)

>I ignored them; I had some stupid screaming to do.

LOL!

>"And I'm sick of the temperature, I'm sick of the food and I want to 
>go home!" I cried, "I want-
>
>"Hey, I want something to.  I want you to stop yelling."  The crowd 
>was thrown open like curtains pulled open.  I looked up.

"something to" => "something too"

>"What, what the hell do you want?"  I was in a yarak state, focusing 
>not on the hunt but on my anger.  I was going to rage no matter what 
>people tried to do.

It is clever of him to use falconry terms  to refer to himself, but 
I'm not sure "a state of prime fitness" is quite the expression you 
were looking for here.  And yes, I did have to look it up.

>"I want you to shut up ya jerk."  The speaker was a mottled gecko, 
>blue scales with orange splotches all over her body.  She had eyes 
>colored like pea-soup with pupils that looked like knotted rope.

That's an awesome description of the eyes!  and I'm sure that's Remmie.

>She wore a blue tabard and cloak with a lantern on it.  She carried 
>a short sword and length of rope, both attached to her belt.  "I 
>don't wanna arrest another scalie so I'm given you a chance, be quiet."

Totally Remmie.

>"What do you mean arrest me?"  She laughed.
>
>"I will have you know, I am a proud Warden of the Metamor Keep Watch 
>and I will arrest you if you act like a jackass.  Now shut up and 
>move on."  I stood up, rage ready to erupt from me and responded the 
>only way that I could.
>
>"Yes Warden, please don't arrest me."  I was many things and a 
>coward was one of them.  The Warden watched me as I rejoined the 
>crowd.  People parted to let me through.

LOL!  Love the last sentence of the previous paragraph and the first 
of this.  Great coupling.

>I turned around to see the Warden join another lizard in a similar 
>uniform.  Her partner?  Probably.  The other lizard was almost solid 
>blue with just little specks of color.  Her tail was so massive it 
>dragged the ground.  It came with a huge sailfin growing out of it.
>
>She's got a nice tail...bet it hides a nice ass... My grin 
>disappeared as fast as it emerged.  "She's an animal, what is wrong 
>with me?"  I turned away and moved on through the crowd.

You're just turning furry, James.  It's totally natural to admire tail! ;-)

>"A customer?" There was a sole door behind the counter.  This door 
>was....big, tall and wide, as if meant for a giant.  When it opened 
>I could see why.  "Welcome good sir to my shop!"  My eyes went wide.
>
> From the back of the store emerged a lion man, one who absolutely 
> towered over me.  He had a redish mane that stuck out in every 
> direction, golden eyes and a jolly smile.  He wore an ill fitting 
> verdant tunic with a waste belt.  And no pants, of course no 
> pants.  But there was a reason why.
>
>"You got four legs!" I cried.  The lion man looked at his legs and 
>then nodded.

Yay taurs! Let more Metamor insanity commence!

>"Yes, yes I do.  I have a taur form, I assume you do not?" He cocked 
>his head. "Wait...you're not done changing yet are you?  Oh simply 
>delightful!"  He laughed and his massive body shook.  "What are you becoming?"
>
>"What makes you think I'm becoming anything?" I snapped.
>
>"I'm guessing lizard good sir.  Wonderful, we could use more 
>scalies." I rolled my eyes.  "Well as a morph like me, you have the 
>potential sir!  The potential to gain for yourself a second set of legs."

Every taur wants to make others into taurs too I note. ;-)

>"If I leave now, can I not grow more legs?" I asked.  He chuckled 
>again. Stop laughing at things that aren't funny you goddamn freak.

LOL!

>"Not that curious." I said. "Question, why is it every fabric you're 
>selling here is so...drab?  It's all gray, which I thought was the 
>dust at first.  Why is it so dusty?"
>
>"I don't get many customers." He said, "I don't need them though, I 
>have money from other sources."  I frowned.
>
>"If you have money, why are you running a store?"
>
>"I like to interact with people.  It makes me happy."  Of course, 
>that reason.  I shook my head.  "As for the lack of color, I used to 
>be partnered with a dyer but he...well died."

That is a rather expensive way to interact with people.  I'm with 
James on feeling a bit dubious here. ;-)

>"I could.  We've been talking now for a while, you do realize you've 
>not asked my name once right?"
>
>"Why would I need to know your name?  All I need to know is what 
>you're selling and how much can I get from it."  The liontaur 
>scratched the side of his head as he observed me.

Actually knowing the name could be important as it would allow him to 
mention that name to other merchants or patrons in order to either 
drive him business or keep it away.  I am surprised James hadn't 
thought of that.

>"If you want that one, you can give me whatever you think is fair." 
>Jez said, "The money isn't that important.  I bought all this fabric 
>on discount from other merchants."  I frowned.

Didn't he just say his fabric was gray because his dyer had 
died?  How is it then that he bought it all from other merchants?

>"Fine, well if you're going to be like this, I guess I will buy 
>something.  Do you have-
>
>"I'm not selling to you." Jez smiled.  I froze.
>
>"Excuse me?"
>
>"You're a mean person.  I'll sell you stuff when you're nicer but I 
>don't want to."  He laughed, "I'm terribly sorry sir."

Now that was mean!

>"I know the...owner of the Jolly Collie, or rather I met him 
>once.  I do so hope you tell him all you have told me."
>
>"Why?" My tail lowered in confusion.
>
>"Oh no reason.  Yes I can give you directions."

This lion is definitely mean. ;-)

May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love,

Charles Matthias