The Strangest Little Meeting [Private]

[Keres]

Midday 37th of Fall 510

People casually walked by intentionally not noticing Keres sitting against some anonymous wall off some unknown street in the outskirts of Sunberth. Just this morning he had entered the city, if you could call it that. True that these people were mostly humans and therefore looked mostly like the Inarta that he had grown up around, but there were differences. Mainly, this city didn't move like anything Keres had experienced.

In Wind Reach everyone walked with their heads held high, unless someone of a higher caste was present. Here everyone held their heads low, but not in prostration. People walked past seeming to gaze at the ground, but glancing quickly anytime another got too near.

Keres had felt obliged to stop as he felt too out of place. Not only was this city's manner of moving alien to him, he looked very different from them. Most people were dressed in cloaks or had capes so as to dissuade pickpocketing while all Keres was comfortable wearing was his shirt and pants, a habit that would obviously need to be broken.

He pushed himself to his feet and began walking down the street again being sure to keep his distance from other passers by. He would solve the problem of his appearance once he found lodgings, which was going to be difficult as he couldn't discern the meaning of any of the signs.

[Verduth]

A little clay man stood atop an empty crate on the side of the busy thoroughfare. Today wasn't turning out to be very productive. Not that he particularly cared for money, he couldn't really carry much around with him after all. It was the complete absence of interest that he was receiving, or not receiving, that he found somewhat disheartening. Perhaps it was time to hunt out a new area of the city, those who inhabited this area seemed to be losing interest in him. He had been considering setting forth from Sunberth for parts unknown, but he always found that he wasn't completely ready to go that far from home. Besides, he didn't have anyone to travel with and what fun would it be if he had no one to talk to. Nope, every time he considered the idea he would decide that the time simply hadn't arrived. But, grandiose ideas of travel aside, there was still the matter of today's entertainment. The little man was still here, and this crate was a good crate, so he figured that perhaps he should try one more time before delving into other areas. He called out in a voice that didn't seem possible from such a small form. “Ladies and gentlemen, please! Your attention! For I shall please your attention if you stop for but a moment!” No one even slowed. He frowned and picked out a woman who was just coming into ear shot and began to speak as rapidly as he could while remaining understandable. “My lady! Wouldn't you like to know the great glories of the gallant knights who gallivant in the Cobalt Mountains and whose generosity knows no bounds?” And she was gone. It had been a mouthful and she hadn't even given him a glance. The Pycon was crestfallen. Was he doing something wrong today? Had he forgotten to manifest some clothing? He looked down at himself then remembered that he was never what the larger creatures would consider nude. No, he just wasn't good enough for this crowd. One more then and he'd call it a day. That was when he spotted a rather strange sight. Well, mayhap the sight of an unshod man wasn't so strange when one considered the rampant gambling in the area. But no, when the clay man examined him in more depth, the man was wearing something, some strange strappy things that did not fully enclose around his feet. This strangely clad man would be the clay man's final target for the day, or at least until the next bell. He wouldn't be losing this one! His meager things were gathered and his cloth sack slung over his back. The clay man leaned out towards the man. “You sir! You stick out like a sore thumb! Perhaps I could interest you in a while of entertainment, perfectly free if you insist! I see you have lost the rest of your shoes so I would not begrudge you the favor that you so boldly ask!” Of course the strange man hadn't said anything, but he had glanced at the clay man as he passed. That was an encouraging sign, as encouraging as he would probably get today. The clay man took off running, jumping, and scrambling over whatever surface he could reach, doing his best to keep up with the much longer strides of his target. “I say! My dear fellow! If you would but slow down for a moment, I could tell you tales such as you've never heard! Or if a tale isn't what you fancy then perhaps a game? Yes, whatever your desire, I'm sure I'm your man!”

[Keres]

Keres certainly had hear the little gray-man-thing shouting so energetically and doubted that anyone in the area hadn't noticed as well. He had no idea what the little thing was going on about as he could only pick out a few words here and there, but it sounded like a single long sentence. Not understanding didn't seem like a problem, but the fact that this thing was now drawing even more attention to Keres was a problem. It was quite an irritating problem actually, as Keres had just felt like he had this 'not looking at people' thing down.

He glanced behind him in the direction the speech-like sound was coming from only to see the little man-thing scurrying as fast as it was imaginable that the thing could go across the crates, tables, and other surfaces along the side of the road. At the speed he was moving, Keres would not likely outpace it quickly enough, but also did not dare speed up for fear of drawing even more attention to himself. Nor did he feel that continuing to ignore it was wise.

His only option was clear: he turned and silently glared at it.

[Verduth]

The Pycon was thrilled, as he chased the strange man with strange shoes, he was starting to draw attention from others. Perhaps he'd get to put on a show today after all. He just needed his primary target to come to a stop and allow the entertainment to begin. Wouldn't you know it, even as the thought passed through his mind, the very event he'd been hoping for occurred. The strange man stopped in his tracks and turned to give the little clay man his full attention. It made him wonder if he had developed some strange and wonderful power to have his thought come to pass so quickly. He certainly wasn't going to let the opportunity pass. The little man had learned very quickly that if you could get one person to stop and listen, others would soon follow. “Ah yes! Good day to you sir! May I introduce myself? The good people of this area call me the little ringmaster, though I myself have yet to choose a name, but aside from that I am here to provide you the entertainment you desire! So what shall it be? A dashing story? A melodious song? Shall I wow you with my magnificent and masterful melting act?” The little ringmaster closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate very hard. A moment passed before he slowly dissolved into a puddle of clay.

[Keres]

Rather irritated at how the little thing seemed to have no fear of confrontation and just kept babbling on almost completely incomprehensibly, Keres watched as the thing seemed to go all runny like hot wax and melt, for lack of a better term, in place.

Keres thought to himself that it had either got the message and died of panic or broke from the overexertion of speaking so quickly. No matter which, he thought, that's the end of it, and turned to continue on his way.

[Verduth]

The clay man panicked: his target was walking away and the people had begun to disperse, apparently the melting act had gotten old. He didn't even particularly like it, it felt funny to go all mushy like that. “Wait,” he cried out, “if you'd like something else!” The clay man pulled himself back together as quickly as he could, all the while his quarry was moving away. He snatched up his sack and started bouncing over a nearby table, flustering a group of old men playing a game of cards. “Good sir! Wait! It would make my day to make yours! I'm sure I have something up my sleeve that would catch your fancy!” Well, he didn't really have sleeves, but he was still practicing at pushing things out of the sleeves that were part of his form. He bounced off the table in a move that could potentially end in very uncomfortable results, but managed to land and roll just right so he only partially compressed his figure. He pulled himself back up and into shape as he dashed into the path of the strangely shod man. The little clay man held up his hands towards the larger figure, undaunted by the catastrophe that could ensue if the object of his attention didn't deign to stop.

[Keres]

Keres tried his best to hide his astonishment at the little thing putting itself back together from being a melted clump, which was made even more difficult by it leaping in front of him as if to stop him. What he had first considered was some sort of advanced puppet was now striking him more like something possibly alive.

Keres stopped short of walking right into the little thing and glared down as he pondered what to do next. The problem, as he saw it was not this little annoyance. No, the real problem was that the other people in the area were beginning to take enough interest that they were no longer simply glancing around, they were outright watching. It didn't so much bother Keres to be watched like this, but what did bother him was what he had guessed the behavior of all these people meant, and if they didn't trust one another he was certainly not going to trust them either. The fact, however, remained that those people were even beginning to draw near.

For a moment, Keres considered smashing the man-thing at his feet, but chose not to for fear of exciting the onlookers. He continued to search his mind desperately for some solution to this problem when it suddenly hit him.

Without a word, he crouched down to the little man-thing and just as it looked as if it were about to begin speaking in its incomprehensible way again, Keres snatched it up and stuffed it under his arm while walking vigorously down the street with the intention of turning at the next major intersection.

[Verduth]

It was wonderful! They were beginning to draw quite the crowd now. He'd never considered singling someone out to draw the attention of others and he had to say that he really enjoyed the tactic. Though it probably wasn't fair of him to be putting this one strange man on the spot. After all, no one really liked to get more than their fair share of attention here in Sunberth. But honestly, what was fair? Perhaps he'd donate the proceeds of this show so that the man might be able to afford some real shoes. He drew a breath as any of the larger creatures would have done, as a way of signaling that he was about to start speaking again when suddenly the strange man seized him and tucked the little clay man under his arm. This was definitely a first. The little clay man... ...was speechless.

[Keres]

Keres decided that this merited more than a simple glance and outright turned around to see behind him right before disappearing around a corner. Luckily, picking the thing up had worked: several people were intently watching, but none of them were interested enough to follow.

With the man-thing still under his arm, unexpectedly quiet, he walked down this new road glancing about for an appropriate place. The street was lined by the same kind of shop fronts with the same crates, tables, and other worthless leavings in front of them and there were just as many people here, but it would have to do as that thing wouldn't likely remain silent for long. Luckily, there was a large crate in a little hallow where two buildings met: a perfect place to remain somewhat private.

He headed for it quickly and, upon reaching it, abruptly, but careful not to damage it, set the man-thing on top of the crate and took up leaning on the wall facing out so that no one could easily sneak up on them. The man-thing looked about at its surroundings and composed itself. Keres interrupted, “Speak slow!” The words were deliberate and abrupt, but in common tongue.

[Verduth]

This was quite the new experience for the little clay man. None of the larger creatures had ever picked him up, so long as you didn't count that smelly four legged one that one time. It might have been more interesting if he wasn't under this large fellows arm however. Soon enough he was back on his feet. My it must be nice to be so large and be able to move such great distances! He listened to the two words, clear enough to understand though this strange man's tongue didn't seem used to forming the words. Realization dawned on the Pycon and his little eyes closed and opened a couple of times in what he knew the larger ones called, a 'blink'. “Saaaay! Yoooou doooon't speeeeak cooommoooon veeeeery weeeeeell?” He innocently wondered if that was slow enough.