Newton's Sloth [Bob Barton]

[Itt]

Itt's brown eyes looked at Bob blankly. After taking a few seconds to process his first few questions. Nodding slightly to signify he understood the question (just a habit, since sometimes he doesn't understand) Itt gave his response. The man seemed to be very interested in him. Wonder why that is. "Weeeeelll, boooothhhhh soooooort ooooofff. Peeeeeooooopllllle haaaaavvvve aaaaalllwaaaaayyyssss caaaallled meeeeee Iiiiiiitt, noooooot knnnnoooowiiiinnnng whaaaaaat aaaaaa ssssslllloooothhhhh iiiiissss. Sssooooooooooo toooooo moooooooosst peeeoooopllllee Iiiii aaaaaam aaaaaaan Iiiiitt" He responded, shifting awkwardly.

He never was really comfortable talking about himself so much. Itt is more of a listener then a talker and didn't want to seem prideful for talking about himself so much. Though he takes this a little far. But he did make a few exception, and tries to step out of his comfort zone, when things like this happen.

His parents were brought up again and he was asked if he could take care of himself. He nodded slowly again,"Ssooooooo faaaaarr haaaaavvve. "

He was then encouraged to go back to his parents. But-why? Why would he go back? Because something might happen to him? He didn't see many dangers here. He just needs to get a better grip of the branches and stay away from the ends. It was a simple mistake he hopefully wouldn't make again. Why did he think it was so dangerous?

"Buuuut doo-" His slow reply was cut off by the man's question on what he wanted to do. Itt decided to continue what he was saying,"Buuuut dooooonn't knnnnoooooow wheeeeeerrreee thhhheeeeeyy aaaaaaarreee." He then added a question of his own,"Whyyyyy aaaaarrrreee yoooouuuuu ssoooooo woooorriiiieeeed aaaaabooooout?" He left out the "me".

[Bob Barton]

"Alright, It was it?" Bob asked after being forced to take the time and process the boy's long draggy speech. Because of the boy's odd way of talking, Bob just assumed that the name was It and not Itt. Was that even a real name? Thinking it through Bob would just say that the people, the boy's parents included were just too lazy to give him a proper name. That was not really Bob's concern since the boy responding to being called 'It' is already good enough. He was only going to stay for a short while longer until the the boy was safely back home in his tree or wherever else he saw fit. After all, according to Itt he has been able to take care of himself...

"So far," which does not explain much. How long was so far to a creature that took this long to speak? Does a sloth even understand the importance of time like this? What the heck is a sloth? Bob has never heard about something like that before even from the nearby city of Sunberth that he worked in taking care of animals some being of the exotic variety. Nothing about sloths being food which means it is possible that the boy's claim of being able to take care of himself was true but nothing about sloths being a danger to people either which means Bob did not have to run away from Iit or his parents but the latter would not be in his worries since the boy did not even know where they were. "So you sloth things just stay up there? Eating, sleeping and whatever?" Bob asked confirming the kelvic's words. "Then you better get back up there" since he knew that animal behavior are hardwired into them for their survival.

Survival was going to be pretty important to the boy especially security. Bob was not going to conceal anything when he said "if you dropped on one of the other people you might be someone's dinner" though might may also mean that if he fell on a knight and the knight would just put the sloth on the ground and be on his way. A chance that would be better than the alternative where the sloth smashed himself on the ground to become roadkill. Still with the knights who the Grandmaster hinted having enemies in the Wildlands too, "the people who I'm travelling with will be the least of your worries if their enemies are here too" either with the kelvic becoming their food or getting caught in the crossfire. Bob at least was with the knights so he had no reason to be worried. Hoping to scare the boy with the gravity of the situation as Bob saw it he put on a very dramatic voice as he stated "you're the one who should be worried!" with all the new dangers that entered the Wildlands the kelvic would not be used to.

"So It," Bob said getting into a lecturing voice while he blew everything out of proportion so that the slow kelvic would act quicker, "you should start hiding out deeper in the wildlands off the paths where no one will get you" and for that extra bit of protection "find some other sloth creatures, convince them you're their friend and ask them to keep you safe too" the way Bob would. Even better if "unless you kelvics can talk to other animals and ask a lion or something. The stronger your protector the better then you don't have to worry, like me" who had the knights. Technically Bob was supposed to help them and not the other way around but no one is counting. However the more important thing right now is that "you should get back up," Bob said rushing the kelvic to get "back to safety" still trying to scare It to action.

[Itt]

The man confirmed that his name was It and went on to continue his lecture of sorts. He nodded to both the confirmation of his name and what Sloths did all day. He was probably right though. The sooner he was safe the better, right? He let out a breath, sort of like a sigh, when he explained a possible fate if h e had landed on someone else. He looked towards the ground. He didn't mean to fall on anyone at all. He was so disappointed in himself for not knowing to stay closer to the trunk of the tree.

He looked up quickly (for Itt at least. Still slow to someone else) when he said enemies. Enemies? He had enemies? Somnus looked at Bob, worry finally filling his eyes and frown that had formed. If he-er-they had enemies, then that means that he could possibly be k-

"You should start hiding deeper in the Wildlands off the paths where no one will get you" His savior told him. Itt nodded but stopped and blinked when he spoke of a lion. "Daaaaaad waaaaaasss aaaaa liiiiiooooooon." He wasn't sure if the man heard since immediately after speaking he was told to go back up. But if bad guys were coming, then his home wouldn't be safe anymore. He could fall again or something. He then had an epiphany. "Weeeeeeeellll, yooouuuuuur sssaaaaaaaffffe aaaarrrrennnn't yoooooouuuu? Caaaaaaan cooooooooommmmme wiiiiiiithhhhhhhh yooooooooouuuuuu?"

[Bob Barton]

The kelvic seemed to be listening, or sleeping, wait he was listening or so Bob thought when Iit slowly looked up in the middle of the lecture. It would seem that he did not still comprehend the amount of danger he was in as that reaction would be better understood by someone who knew more about sloths. Bob did not and continued pressing on, trying to make the boy more scared. Scared enough to take the advice given to him. It might very well work as the kelvic admitted that "your dad...a lion?" That definitely will not have Bob fooled since there was no way something this slow would be related to something so majestic. However he did not voice out his misgivings instead telling Iit "good! You can go back to him and ask him to keep you out of trouble" and stopped rushing the boy as he was able to present an alternative.

And if the alternative was a lie, it will come all apart if Bob said he wanted to see but why would he? Iit was not really his concern or..."what?" Did he hear the boy right? There was no doubt that Bob would be safe with the knights as he has been so far if he ignored that dreadful plague right until he reached Sunberth maybe. But-but-but there was one other thing. "Yyyyooouuuu...want to come...with me?" He dragged the words being unable to believe it himself because "aren't there better people? Like the knights?" he asked gesturing towards some of the other travelers because he knew "they could always use some boys to become their squires." Squires had a nice life depending on how they decided to live it. "You'll get food, training, home, protection, a patron..." and then the kelvic would get brainwashed...oh wait. That was bad according to how Bob saw the knights and his squire friends right?

So why was he trying to persuade Itt in joining them? He should be trying to dissuade the boy. Making a quick turn around he started to speak in a deeper tone to try and scare the boy again. "...after everything you get to become a knight. Of course you will be like a slave for a while since you have to do everything the knights tell you to and you won't be able to do many fun things after you start but...its a life I guess?" giving a shrug at the end like he did not care since "I wouldn't know. I don't want to be dead just to protect some other people. Smart people like you and me? We just do what we need to live" putting a hand on the boy's shoulder for being smart enough to say he wanted to follow Bob. However like he said he did not want to die protecting people like knights even if he was following them. He had to try and find a way at least to make the kelvic forget the idea.

He looked at the boy, and then the tree before having a look like he realized something. "Do you really want to leave your home? I'm going to one of the most dangerous places. Sunberth. You've heard of it?" since it was quite nearby. If he did not "its a very cramped place full of people and run down buildings. It doesn't have much trees for you to climb on, animal friends and all your things. Are you sure you still want to come?" Bob asked giving the illusion of choice to Iit but was there really a choice between the place with the green grass and the other without? There was nothing about the grass being greener on the other side here.

To try and get the kelvic sloth boy to believe Bob, he has been collecting his djed every since he decided to make Iit think that following the knights as a squire is a bad idea. He slowly gathered it seeing that Iit was already scared enough to give the suggestion to follow Bob on his own, the djed increasing a little bit more after he put his hand on the boy's shoulder. When he was done, waiting for the slow Iit's reaction he released the djed into the boy's eyes. Iit already had Bob's coat, so he might as well clothe the boy some more, figuratively with his djed when it got into Iit's eyes and that little head of his. The feelings of fear gradually growing to add to whatever other emotions that the kelvic would be feeling. Bob knew the Wildlands were dangerous, but Sunberth even more.

[Itt]

The boy looked at Bob blankly as he seemed to question whether his father was actually a lion. What? It wasn't believable? Why would he lie about that? He was always honest. He didn't even have a reason to lie. These brief thoughts left when he said he should go back to him. Didn't he hear him? He had no idea where his parents were.

The stranger then questioned his sudden idea. He nodded with a smile. Not as big as his first but still just as sincere. His smile faded to a frown as he started to explain better options. IIt looked down in shame. His idea seemed to be a stupid one now. But... Didn't he say that the knights would have eaten him if he fell on them? Why would he want to follow them? And the idea of being a slave didn't seem like any fun.

"Smart people like you and me?"

He was smart? His signature smile came back again. Not many people said he was smart, even if they didn't mean it. His shame disintegrated and was replaced by pride when Bob placed a hand on his shoulder. He was smart...heehee.

His prideful feeling left as he focused on the man's next question. He shook his head. Sunberth didn't sound all that familiar. But if it was dangerous then why was he going? Cramp wouldn't really be a problem. He was small. As long as he stuck with Bob, he would be fine right? But he might get squished too...He wouldn't have any trees to climb but as long as there was food he would also be okay. He was sure there was some sort of salad or something he could eat since people and other animals ate things like that too. And he didn't really have any friends to be exactly, from everyone else's perspective. He would consider anyone a friend as long as they were somewhat friendly so making friends shouldn't be a problem. But....He could be entirely wrong about everything....But he would be just as bad off by himself here with the Knight's enemies and such coming. He'd rather be with someone he trusted then be alone.

IIt looked up at his tree briefly before looking at Bob and nodding slowly.

[Bob Barton]

As Itt went through the various reactions throughout Bob's lecture he cannot help but feel elated with his success. Possibly he would be able to get out of this without any problems and the kid would find someone else to help him. Bob already had enough to do than to take care of Iit and at least the knights will have one less person to brainwash into working for them. As the boy looked up Bob was pretty sure that his words that reminded him of home being compared to a foreign, dangerous place like Sunberth would have made the kelvic shift back and climb back up never to come back especially with the fear he has been feeding into Iit to fuel its climb but...even with the experience of working with both animals and people, both still proved to be unpredictable like the kelvic that can be said to be representing.

And lets not forget that Itt still looked like a child. He probably does not know what he is thinking, if the kelvic even was and what he was getting himself into. Bob still quite adamant even if he gave the offer decided to make it like following him would have some pretty hard requirements. "Look I understand you're scared Iit" since he still had the hypnotism he already tried earlier in mind "but do you really want to go with me? I'm going to Sunberth, a very dangerous place and I know this because I've been there before" trying to give him more reasons to be scared especially when he pointed out that "I'm going there because I am doing a job. A dangerous job with the knights. Remember their enemies I was talking about?" Bob asked with a pause letting the fact linger for a moment and leaving the rest to the boy's imagination.

Thinking he would be successful since Iit will fill in the blanks Bob continued on offering that "if you still want to come I suppose..." giving a semblance of a good old proper negotiation when he gave the requirements that would have put someone like him off. Why would anyone want to come even if "...you can but since I am going for this very dangerous mission you're going to have to help me do everything I need you to." Pretty much like one of those slave squires Bob talked about "like watching over my stuff, carrying my stuff, finding food in the forest" since Iit was a kelvic that should have experience in it, "and all of the other usual stuff. In return when you follow me I can teach you" a whole lot of hard sounding things that a child might not like such as "how to run, fight, take care of my big dog and horse, talk to big brutes and uhhhhh...some other things to survive all the dangerous situation you're getting into?" since danger was always bad.

Having listed all the horrible things, Bob gave an enthusiastic hook from the side into the air in an equally enthusiastic voice when he asked "if that is alright with you, sure you can come. Lets just pack your bag and then we can be on our way to Sunberth!" or just run up into the tree and hide for the rest of the season.

[Itt]

Itt's mouth seemed to shift and scrunch up to the side awkwardly in thought. This was all confusing him slightly. Yeah, he was scared, he knew that for sure. But it was for both leaving and staying.

He needed to think about this. So...

He was going to Sunberth for a job. A dangerous job. With the knight. Having something to do with their enemies. That doesn't particularly mean that they were going to war or anything like that. Maybe it's something like.......something that could be dangerous if something went wrong. It doesn't really mean that something bad will happen would it?Unless they were going into some sort of battle....

He's going to have to help him carry things, watch over things, and find food. He was fine with all of those things really. He didn't exactly mind watching or carrying stuff. As long as he wasn't left behind or forgotten about. Not that he would since he would have his stuff. Unless he didn't care about his stuff.

But if everything goes well, he'll eventually learn how to fight and run. He didn't think he would actually learn anything, no one is patient enough to teach him how to be quick. Even his own parents weren't patient enough. But he would also learn how to take care of a dog and a horse and talk to people. Itt supposed big brutes as in unfriendly big people since brutes didn't sound particularly friendly. Unless they were giant gardeners or something, which would be a weird name. Who would call a gardener a brute? That's a- wait, where was he? Oh yeah. Big brutes. Uh, if they were big mean people then it would probably be a good thing if he knew how to talk to one. And "other things" can mean anything. And other details and other such are good.

So, he needed to weigh it all out now.

Negatives to staying. Possible danger which could lead to death if he stays. Positives to staying. If he stays home he would be doing the same things as he's always been doing and possibly never get hurt.

Negatives to leaving. Also have the potential of danger and death. Carrying and watching stuff with the possibility of being left behind. Positives to leaving. He would be able to see new places, be with someone who cares about his safety, and learn many survival skills.

To Itt it seemed there was more positives then negatives for leaving and negatives and positives have the same ratio for staying. With Itt's childish logic it seemed he would benefit more from going with Bob.

It took him a literal 3 chimes to think about all of this, weighing his options as carefully as possible. He held up a finger to symbolize "one moment" several times so Bob wouldn't leave without him making his decision. After making one, Itt didn't say anything be he looked up at a branch and jumped, hanging on with two hands and pulling his legs up. His belt was on the third branch so it didn't fall. Luckily or his mizas would have scattered everywhere. Not that he ever needed them, but now that he was going to a city he would want to have them. He did the same to the second branch as the first, reaching up and unbuckling his brown belt from the branch, then headed back down. He fell from the bottom branch with a soft thud and small tinks from the coins in his small pouch attached to his belt. He smiled, pulling his belt up to his shoulder like it was a bag strap and then went to Bob's side, giving him a smile.

[Bob Barton]

Three chimes. That was actually quite long to make a decision that Bob practically made for the boy. Everything he has said to convince Iit and the the conditions he laid down were, all the bad things he has told the boy about. And then some. It was not even at the end of the first chime that Bob already got a little impatient and decided to unmotivate the kid somemore. Stooping down he rubbed some dirt in between his fingers making a thick layer that be rubbed around one of his eyes to make it look like he had a black eye. "Something I hear normally happens" in these sort of things only those are far worse. However Bob was not only making it look like a black eye. The thick layer of dirt stuck at his eye for the moment was also to act as a focus so that Bob can gather his djed again. Seeing how it failed to put fear in Iit earlier, maybe he should go for the more direct approach.

Within the next few chimes the dirt slowly started to crumble from around Bob's eye but as any other glyph once he was done with another hypnotism attempt it would have been useless, if Bob was storing the magic that is. But he was not, intending to use the focus to only collect and hold the djed until the time was right. Slowly collecting and waiting, Bob used the boy's finger that was shown many times as an indicator of how long he would actually wait. Three...the djed became harder to collect as it was reaching the limits of the glyph. Four...Bob was getting tired at trying to hold the djed back from doing their job. Five...Bob was impatient and released it to the boy that was looking at him. The djed being pushed from the glyph straight into the boy to give him a message that will make it feel like Iit came to the conclusion himself with a very sudden thought. One that said "I'll choose less danger and less work!" Obviously Bob has been hypnotizing people who were a lot smarter because Iit chose something else misunderstanding all the hints the man dropped earlier.

But Bob thought he was successful, at first when the boy jumped up and started climbing the tree. Giving a sigh of relief that he was out of the situation Bob went for the pony nearby and got on it as fast as he could. Without a second thought he held on the reins and kicked the pony at the side launching it forward in a gallop. He was out of this and while the way the pony was moving forward was just as uncontrolled as the first time the sloth fell on them, Bob was happy with the speed and this time he was not panicked either. He was able to keep the pony straight on the side of the path easier now and it felt great. Like the wind was beating him to go faster just like he was whipping the reins...wait... Iit still had Bob's coat! Curses now Bob had to go back and look for the very slow kelvic boy to get it back. Hopefully it will not be damaged too much from when Iit was moving around in the trees.

Turning the horse around, Bob rode towards the tree one last time and stopped calling out for "Iit? I need my coat back!" Then he did something really stupid. He took his eyes off the road and looked up in hopes to find the boy, or a sloth. Passing a few trees he found neither but what he did find, each time he looked harder when he found something in the trees that was not green leaves or brown branches is just a whole lot of birds. Black ones, blue ones, red ones but they were not what Bob was looking for. He looked to the front when he heard something dropping down on the ground clinking to see Iit and his coat...and...a belt? As the boy came close, Bob was able to hear the jingle of coins from the belt until Iit stopped close to him. So the boy had money. Now that changes everything for Bob at least since he was smiling too.

Maybe Bob can take the boy with him, as far as Sunberth. Getting off the horse he went to Iit saying "I'm not kidding about my coat though" looking at the boy and then the belt. "Is that all you got?" he asked because that really is not much. "If you are keeping your things somewhere else..." well, Bob would not mind helping Iit get it not wanting to ride around with a naked kelvic. "But you have nothing else you're going to have to turn back into a sloth and ride with me until we can get you some..." Also, Bobo being the pony it was would not be able to carry two people, even if they were a lot smaller than the norm. In any case "we can leave anytime you're ready Iit." Finding out about the money the kelvic had, the change in Bob's attitude is quite visible to people that were familiar with his greed. It was only fair. Just like the knights were paying him for his help now he can eventually expect the kelvic to do the same right? They both will be able to get something they want now.

[Itt]

As Itt thought, Bob smeared mud around his eye making Itt blink. What exactly was he trying to say? People get raccoon rings around their eyes? He already had raccoon rings around his eyes when he was a sloth. It did look like a bruise though. A bruised eye? Was that possible? He didn't give it anymore thought as he climbed up the tree. He grabbed his stuff and was coming down when he was told that he needed to give the coat back. No problem. He plopped down and slid the coat off, holding it by the sleeve as he held it out for Bob to take. He nodded again when he asked if the belt was all he had. It was, he didn't need much else. Since he never really changed often he never thought clothes were useful and so all he really thought necessary to have was something to hold his bag of mizas, thus resulting in the belt.

"But you have nothing else you're going to have to turn back into a sloth and ride with me until we can get you some..."

Itt was fine changing back. It was actually preferred but get what? Clothes? Why? If he was going to be a Sloth then why did he need to have clothes? UnlessCan you tell that he thinks "Unless" a lot? he was talking about something else. Itt shrugged the thoughts away. It wasn't a big deal he supposed. As long as they were both happy, he was fine wearing clothes. When he was human of course. There was no way he was putting mini pants on him when he was a sloth.

He handed Bob his belt as well, not going to be able to wear the belt when being a sloth since the belt was huge compared to the small animal. With the flash, the small three-toed sloth was spread out on the ground. He slowly crawled towards Bob and clinging to his leg again. He assumed, since Bob seemed to be impatient with him quite a lot, that he would pick him up and put him in a place where he could hold onto something or a place where he can be held or whatever. Unless Bob wanted him to crawl up him...

[Bob Barton]

Bruised eyes look bad so maybe raccoon eyes would look better but nothing would look better than mini pants on a sloth. With the racoon eyes already Iit would look sooooooo cu...razy...not that it was important. Clothes were tne more important thing here if Bob was going to be true to his word and maybe it would not if Bob forgot all about it when the more important things for him came up. Bob took the things from Iit, his coat back on him as it should be and the moneybelt was dumped among the rest of the things being carried along to make things easier for Bob to keep an eye on. While they were going to be following a bunch of knights not everyone around can be trustworthy as Bob knew, having a few ideas of who were the proven monstrosities coming along and they were not even going to be that reliable when they were out of their city.

Iit was not that much of a monstrosity but he was quite a bit worrisome. By the time Bob looked back to where the sloth was to get an idea of what to do, the kelvic has already crawled close and was on his leg...again but at least this time he was not a heavy child. "Yeahhhhh..." they were going to have to work out and arrange how they are going to do this at least until they reached Sunberth. For a few moments Bob ended up looking at the sloth at his leg not knowing what he was supposed to do although it might actually be a lot faster than anything that Iit has already done so far. At least what he did know is that the sloth should not be at his leg, or anyone elses leg in case Iit wants to get squished so Bob picked the sloth up and fortunately or un depending on how the kelvic looked at it, Bob did it like he would a cat seasons ago. They did not look too different, a sloth and a cat. Well, Iit was a kelvic too so Bob just assumed that he was smarter than one and would be able to tell him what he wanted too.

Even if Iit could not talk, there were still his movements. After making sure that he was holding the sloth properly, as in Bob's hands did not get in the way of the kelvic's trashing arms and legs if it did or that Iit was not wiggling as much as he might be previously, Bob will commit the method to memory and put the kelvic on his shoulder having its stomach right on it and its limbs hanging loose on the sides. This time, "no grabbing hold on my neck" since he did not want to get choked to death but anywhere else that Iit could make a proper hold should be alright. However if the sloth did not like that spot, all Iit would have to do is get Bob's attention and he would put it on the pony in front of him. Hopefully Bobo would not mind.

Especially when Bob could do without any more distractions as he rode. It was harder for him now even more than the pony whose extra passenger would not even weight much but Bob? He was feeling the pressure that he cannot let the sloth fall off if it was on his shoulder, or get squished if it was in front of him. Both were quite hard on their own and thankfully there were no two Iits as Bob was having a lot of difficulty controlling the pony when he could not even control himself taking care and adjusting his posture. Taking it very...very...very...slow at a sloth's pace until he was able to get used to Iit being with him Bob could see that the other people riding were passing by him a lot. "We probably have to find you a horse too or see if you can ride on one of the carts" or in a stroke of magnificence by Bob, maybe they should find out if the sloth can ride on Jinsen. It should not be too hard. If Bob just got a harness then Itt can do it the way he did. A sloth maybe but not as hard as what he was doing now when all he needed to do is hold tight on the reins and even tighter to the pony's body so that he would not fall off.