[Mkguild] Life II: Dreams and Desires - A

[Jack Moore]

AN: One thing I've always wondered was, what did the people on the bottom
in MK think about those on the top. When the Duke was becoming a basket
case, how aware of it were the people who did the laundry?  When the Winter
Assault happened, how many soldiers first reaction was "I'm giving my life
for the place that took my groin?" I think that's why I gravitated towards
the Watch, because they're on the bottom and look up, compared to the other
aspects of the Keep military.

Life II: Dreams and Desires - A

Janelle - Sunrise
My part in this story comes because of my dreams.
I dream Sotto’s dream, those with our abilities, united as one. I can’t
begin to express the intense and unending envy, bordering on loathing, I
feel for mage clans that have existed for thousands of years. I look upon
them at what they have and what I will never see, all because they united
sooner than we did.
I dream of a strengthened Watch. Metamor Keep is an amazing place, but the
Watch is proof it is not a perfect one. We have a justice force incapable
of dispensing justice. But I believe in Metamor and in the Watch. The
longer I go though the less I believe in those who run it. I wonder when
their time will come.
I dream of the man my son will be. While his mother is off forming mage
clans and reforming the justice system, where will he fit in? I don’t know.
When the stories are told of Metamor years from now, I pray to Eli mine are
retold. So much you know comes from those at the top, those with the
ability to do things. I want you to remember I was but an insect, staring
at things they didn’t understand.
Or perhaps I was a human, being stared at by gods, I don’t know.
My Metamor is a flawed and dirty place. But it’s a place of intrinsic
beauty. Where trees have grown through cracks in rocks. I wonder what our
Duke, our leaders, think of the Keepers who survive through theft. Through
selling their services or their bodies.
I will arrest criminals, even those who do it to survive. But I wanted
those above me to see the world as I did, to know what I experienced. I’m
not sure what that would accomplish, but at least then I wouldn’t feel like
I was screaming into the void.
That is what I dream of. Of late I dream of Metamor. And of the stranger
who would change my life.


I didn’t dream that night.
Yet when I awoke I wasn’t refreshed. Instead of dreaming, I spent the night
thinking. I thought about Chamomile, the sad face I had left in a cell. She
was no longer my problem, and it was unlikely she’d receive any severe
punishment.
'So why is she on my mind? I turned on my side.' Because she is a criminal.
A traitor to her home. Possibly a murderer. And so guilt ridden she borders
on mad. What is justice here?' I flipped onto my back.
“Mean justice doesn’t cover this.” I rubbed my eyes. “I can’t worry about
that. There's nothing I can do to fix it.” As I have learned constantly,
just because their is nothing you can do does not mean it’s what you want.
Except she wasn’t the only thing on my mind. From her my thoughts turned
towards the bull. 'Alvaro Velasco, finally a name to put with the horns. I
have to find him today. I can’t wait any longer, it has to be today. Where
is he?'
Remmie knew. 'I’ll ask her at work. I don’t have to worry, I can sleep.
Nope, instead I kept thinking about it. Until my brain started to ache from
the effort.
It was with this on my mind that I first became aware of the risen sun.
There is an unofficial motto for the first shift on the Watch, we rise and
set with the sun. And since the sun was up, I needed to be out there.
“I want more sleep.” I said. No one answered. “Eli, this is where you give
it to me.” Nothing. I got out of bed, careful to make as little noise as
possible.
'I need a rug or hay or something. The cold stone is going to cripple me
one of these days.' Sadly my pay had to go for extravagances like food and
taxes. I had heard recently that the absolutely secret Long Scouts didn’t
pay taxes.
'The Watch has to pay taxes. No one appreciates what we do. Why can’t the
Keep give reptiles wooden floors?' The cold didn’t hit my feet worst, it
hit my tail. My tail is a long, fat tumor growing out of my back. Of course
it’s the only thing I can’t protect from the floor.

I assembled my uniform and dressed quickly. As usual the biggest issue I
had came with my boots. As a sailfin lizard I have massive freak-feet,
which required longer boots. They were tight though and my claws tore
against them, making me shiver.
Recently I had acquired a belt which I now secured around my waist, instead
of a length of rope. One advantage of being in the Watch is when you arrest
someone, you discover things they don’t need but you do.
In front of the mirror I tugged at my tabard, trying to straighten every
wrinkle and crease. In all honesty I looked rather rigid. But I command a
presence. Presentation is how you tell them you mean business. Presentation
would probably have been easier if my pants didn’t still have a massive ink
stain on the crotch.
“I am Corporal Janelle of the Metamor Watch.” I said to my reflection. “I
am deserving of respect. I am an instrument for justice and you will listen
to me. Even though I can’t prosecute the worst criminals and you almost
never see the Watch on the street, I am your protector.”

I was younger then, only twenty-six. But even then I knew that the Watch
was a tiger with no teeth. We could administer “Mean justice” and our
superiors Low justice. But the major criminals never went through us.

The only thing keeping the Watch from full respect is our inability to deal
out all forms of justice. I thought. Once we can do that, everything gets
easier for us. We’re the good guys.

“You is pretty mama!” I looked over my shoulder. My son sat up in his bed,
watching me with a smile. I smiled back. “Get bad guys” If my son was awake
he told me to get the bad guys. I remember once trying to explain in more
detail what the Watch does to Kaysar. Then I realized I was explaining this
to a toddler.

“I will get lots of bad guys.” I whispered. “And you Kaysar” I bent over
and storked his guard fur down, “Go back to sleep. I will see you tonight.”
I gave him a kiss on the forehead.

That day I felt a kind of dread leaving him there. Tonight would be the
first night I wasn’t home for my son in...well quite a long time. It’s an
odd moment for a parent, the first time you don’t spend the night with your
child.
I had things to do though. A meeting with Alvaro Velasco. A meeting with
fate.
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