Traveling Buddies, Limited Edition

[Willow Pillow]

The center of town was filled with merchants setting up their carts on the cobble stones and people going about their day. Little children would throw a copper coin into the water fountain, only for a homeless sea urchant to go fishing that copper coin out.


Faye believed that she was better than fishing for coins, she would earn it. She was a few months out of the bard university her father had sent her own, and she was learning rather quickly that surviving it on the streets on her own was harder than it looked. But she'd manage, and one day she would go on her own adventures. So, for now, she sat with her legs crossed on the cobble stones, back against the fountain, playing her tin whistle.


Hours had gone by, a few copper coins here and there and it was a very productive day. At one point, she made a wager with an exasperated father that for a silver coin, she could put the babe to sleep. Hell, he would give her a gold if she could do that, was his response.


23 copper coins and one gold coin, Faye placed her earnings in a velvet sack, then in her bag. She'd have enough to eat a good meal tonight and pay for board. Maybe a few more days here and she could afford to seek real adventures.


But this was the city, and Faye had grown up surrounded by wealth, servants, and money that she carried an air of naivity around her. Something that a good rogue could smell miles away. And they had. She had made it just a few stores on her walk when she felt a sudden whack at the back of her head, her head pounding as a ringing came to her ears. Losing balance, she placed her hands in front of her chest to catch herself as she lost balance. Only to get a leg swept under her knees completely knocking her prone.


A halfling cracked her knuckles as a man stood next to her, he held a club his hand. Faye struggled for her bag, her fingers lacing around her flute when the halfling jumped on her chest with full force, Faye let out an oomph. "There's a fee to be a charleton in this town," The man said ripping the bag out of any grasp Faye might have had. He slung it on his shoulder.

 

[Brinni]

Alenia stretched and yawned. Looking at the clock she was glad to learn she only had a couple minutes left in her shift. It had been quiet today at the pawn shop. Sometimes she got the feeling that people came in more to look at her than the wares. And who could blame them? she thought, I'm certainly an odd sight. For she was. With her Amethyst eyes and deep green hair, she looked like any other elf... well, almost. Alenia was an Earthsoul Genasi, a being with the blood of a Dao coursing through her veins. And with that came a few differences. Her eyes actually had the appearance of a cut gemstone and had gold flecks throughout them. Her skin was a dull bronze, as if she had been in the sun for far too long. The oddest thing about her appearance though were the pulsing gold lines running along her skin.


Alenia stood and stretched once more. "Later boss-man!" She called to the back. All she got was a grunt in response.


As she walked out the store the young elf that played a flute by the fountain walked by, her day's earnings in hand. Alenia had just turned to go the other direction when she heard a thud coming from the alleyway nearby. Curious, but wanting to avoid trouble as much as possible she crept up to the entrance and peaked in.


"There's a fee to be a charleton in this town" she heard a man's voice say

 

[Willow Pillow]

Fae struggled to breathe, the halfling had managed to knock the wind right out of her when she jumped full force on her chest. Her flute was her magic and her only real weapon, and these strangers took it from her. She managed to push the halfling off of her, but the man had swung his club into her face as she tried to get up.


One bang with the club and the other on impact from the cold wet stones. "No one told you you could move," he snapped.


Lavendar eyes snapped in his direction. Faye looked up at him, a warm bubbling sensation hitting the pit of her stomach. "Did Mommy not love you enough, pretty boy? Did someone not get the correct daily hugging?" she hissed.


The halfling laughed. "You think that....Pip?" Cutting short she turned and noticed her partner in crime had turned pale and dropped the bag, recoiling at the elf's words. "Hey, snap out of it! She's just a stupid-"


The elf with the pixie like auborn hair and ivory skin lept to her feet and punched one of her assailants as hard as she could across the face. She heard the crack in the jaw but winced. "ow. ow. OW! Fucking....why does this hurt?!"


However, the damage was done. Faye barely saw the hand move from the girl as she had pulled her dagger and stuck it right through the elf's tunic. Twisting the blade she ripped it out. Faye staggered watching the man snap out of his daze and the two ran off. Faye held her wound, looked down as both hands were covered in blood and back up at the running assailants, back to her hands.


Until everything went black and she fell face forward, knocked out cold.

 

[Brinni]

As she watched the scene unfold Alenia was torn. On the one hand she couldn't sit by and do nothing, the poor flutist was in trouble. But...a woman of her blood really shouldn't get involved with something like this. She brings enough shame to the Meliamne name as it is just for being a Genasi.


She had no time to think. She saw the blood on the poor elf's hands and knew she was the priority.


Later she swore to herself this injustice will be avenged


Rushing to the elfs side she saw that shock had rendered the poor girl unconscious. Tearing off a piece of the girl's dress Alenia fashioned a makeshift bandage to at least stop the bleeding. Picking to injured girl up, she carried her the few blocks to the place she was renting out. Getting the blood-stained top off, Alenia proceeded to clean and dress the wound with proper bandages. After she tucked the girl into bed, and sat down in a chair at her desk Alenia allowed herself to doze for the night

 

[Willow Pillow]

If you're not first you're last.


Did you really think we wanted to keep you around because you were nice and a pleasure to be around? Stop being so clueless.


A Vasatra never allows anyone to take advantage of them.


I'm sorry, Faelyn, but I have no choice but to expel you.


There's a fee to be a charleton in this town.





Faye shot out of bed, her forehead dripping in cold sweat. Breathing heavily she looked around. Pressing her hands on the hay, she saw a blanket, her sleeves gone and ripped, and her tunic was bandaged pretty tightly...for...there was a woman, deeply tanned, green hair. She was sitting in the chair besides her. The elf winced slightly as she straightened herself and pushed her back against the wall. "What do I owe you?" She asked. "I don't have my bag...if you want something right away...I can't do that." she paused. "Thanks," Faye held out her hand, still covered in blood, dried blood now. "I'm Faye."

 

[Brinni]

Alenia let a smile touch the corner of her mouth.


"Owe? You owe me nothing. I did not help you with the intent of gain"


Looking at the hand the elf, obviously not a high elf, extended towards her Alenia contemplated what to do next.


"Perhaps you may wish to clean up a bit? I'm sure I have something for you to wear if you would like to either clean or toss your old outfit."

 

[Willow Pillow]

The strangers response had faye tilt her head looking at her curiously. Where she came from, this wasn't normal....and the people who had shown here kindness in the past had gone to great lengths to manipulate her to gain something.


She laughed uneasily as her helper pointed out her hands. "Right." She mused taking a good look at them before retreating her hand shake offer and placing them firmly on her lap. "Not a great start offering to get my blood on you."


Her white cotton dress was ripped and torn, and splattered with her own blood. "I need to get my bag back...." She thought to herself out loud then looked back at the stranger with very interesting eyes. "When I get my bag back....I'll pay you for the clothes. I promise. I know you said you didn't help me for the gain....and if it's not rude to ask....why did you help me?"

 

[Brinni]

Looking at Faye's attire Alenia doubted very much that she could actually afford what the clothes were worth. Alenia's clothes might have been simple in design but the fabric was of great quality. She was still a High Elf, at least in her mind, and was used to a certain level of grandeur.


"Why? An interesting question to be sure. I'm not entirely sure I know the answer. I suppose because you needed help?" She replied


And it was true. Alenia couldn't be sure why she had helped the elf. It had just felt like what she was supposed to do. Her oath of retribution was still fresh in her mind. An oath made in haste, and to the earth itself, she could not just abandon it.


Such a fool I was last night she cursed herself inwardly. If I am to be worthy of my name I must learn to control my temperament. I must be as steady as a mountain, not as volatile as an earthquake.


Her Szuldar pulsed brightly with her inward curse and she took a steadying breath to relax.


"Where are my manners?" she said standing up "Here we are chatting in my house and I've not even properly introduced myself. My name is Alenia..." she paused debating if she should use her given last name. Shaking her head, so as to give the appearance of getting rid of a distracting thought, she continues "apologies, my name is Alenia Amakiir." It wasn't a lie, per se, to use that as her last name. It was her mother's last name prior to marrying into the Meliamne family so she did have right to the name. With the statement of her name she gave Faye a curtsy.


Walking over to the wardrobe and dresser she pulled out a towel and some simple clothes close to what Faye had been wearing.


"I'll be back in a few moments." she said as she left to go prepare her "guest" a bath.


After a few minutes she returned and offered the girl assistance getting to the washroom and told Faye to call for her if there was anything else that she required.

 

[Willow Pillow]

Her tin whistle was gone. That thought repeated itself as alenia had introduced herself and given her new clothes to wear.


Her tin whistle that she had held in her possession since the tender age of four. Her tin whistle that introduced her to the warm glow she felt inside creating music. Her tin whistle that had stayed with her when her father tried taking it away, when she had been tricked by a group of charletons to use her abilities to help with a grand heist....that stayed with her when she ultimately got expelled from the bard university and effectively became disowned.


Biting her lower lip in thoughthe as she was led to the washroom, brow furrowed as she quickly (mind you she didn't get all the blood off her tunic or arms) washed herself and put on the clothes.


"I'll pay you back I promise alenia." She said as she put the cotton dress over her head. "But I have to go, I need to find my bag before it's off god knows where....where can I find you to give you the money?"


Clearly this was a horrible idea and faye knew it. She got stabbed and beaten by just two thugs....and wherever they went there were probably more of them....but she needed the flute back.


And you can't ask a stranger to help you on a suicide mission, it wasn't the noble or heroic thing to do.

 

[Brinni]

"If you feel you must repay you can always find me here I suppose. That or the pawn shop near where you play" Alenia responded.


She had to choose her next works carefully. If for no other reason than to fulfill her oath she needed to help out Faye.


Harming an innocent can not go unpunished. Should she need to spill blood for it, she will. She will uphold the honor and dignity of her name. Meliamne hold by their word.


Idly tracing the szuldar on her face, Alenia broached her next question carefully.


"Would you care for some help getting your stuff back? I've got the next couple days off and if nothing else you may need help for a bit since you've lost your things. I doubt you have very much cash on you. If it makes you feel better we can start a tab of sorts."


There's the Meliamne blood. Always the businessperson. Tell them what you think they want to hear.

 

[Willow Pillow]

No cash. No weapons. Just her and her voice. Which could do more than you think, but even Faye wasn't that foolish.


She tilted her head as she watched Alenia idly trace the glowing lines and shapes on her face. She had never really seen an elf that could glow like that. Which...she was an elf and an air of nobleness to her.


Most likely came from money like her family (not connecting that there was something bigger she was missing here)


"I will. A Vas....well....I keep my word."


Fayelin, never be indebted to someone. A Vasatra never owes another person favors. People owe us favors.





"Ok....you've live here...so you would know where common criminals get together for us to start fielding out where these people are....ok yeah. I'd like that very much," fayes uncertain expression dropped as a smile curved on her lips.


And she had done something thst her very mother would have a conviction over. This was something lowly commoners would do and proved no merit.


She swept her arms and hugged Amelia, "thank you, I mean it."


Faye jumped back cracking her knuckles, which weren't fully cleaned properly from the blood. "Alright, partner, let's do this. Investigate some sketchy places, scout the town? What's the first thing we should do?"


No seriously....she was best up and stabbed a little over 12 hours ago....her flute could be anywhere....

 

[Brinni]

Alenia stiffened slightly when Faye hugged her, she wasn't used to such casual physical contact.


"Just because I live here doesn't mean I know everything about this city. I've only been here a couple of months. First thing's first, if we're going out I want to be prepared just in case we run across those people that attacked you, plus I could use a wash myself."


Walking over towards the dresser she pulled out a towel of her own, along with simple brown pants. "I'll be back shortly, make yourself comfortable"


During the half hour she was gone Alenia mused over a number of things.


Should I take just one of my kopesh or both? Should I let her use one of my weapons? Does she even know how to fight? Where should we start? I suppose I could try talking to the earth where the mugging happened. Who knows if it will respond though. It's not like I have a ton of practice with that.


Alenia got out of the bath, put on the pants she had grabbed, brushed her hair and put it into a braid, and draped the towel around her neck. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts she hadn't even realized she had neglected to grab a shirt until she was back in her room. Donning a cotton shirt, she opted to wear her chain mail covered by another shirt and a brown tunic. She grabbed her necklace, which was a ring with her family crest on a string, from the desk and put it on.


"Out of curiosity Faye. Can you fight at all? If we run into those goons again we may need to"


While she awaited the response Alenia went to the closet, strapped each of her kopesh to her sides.

 

[Willow Pillow]

"Well, you know more than I do. I've only been here for two days." She shrugged. "More of an expert than me, anyways."


Her new friend, she was hoping friend at least, needed to wash up and left her alone to tend to herself. Last time she really became friends with someone that got her expelled from school so maybe Faye wasn't that great at making friends along with the rest of her failures. Who know. The two strangers who beat the shit out of her and stabbed her, they weren't friends. Definitely not. Faye winced as she lightly touched the scar that was now stitched together. Her forehead had two big bruises, darkening to a nice blue and shades of brown and grey.


In that time Faye paced, rubbed her hands together and noticed how poorly she really washed herself. Quick rince and rub, taking her time to effectlly do something was not her strong suit.


Looking up when Alenia returned, Fay gave a bashful smile. "Uh....my brother is an archer for the king. He's an EXCELLENT fighter.....I've...well...I've tinkered with his bow here and there. I can fight...ummm fighting well is an entirely different conversation. But I got my voice, and believe me, it's very powerful. I can make people cry without really trying. It's great! Umm...ok its not a great thing to make someone cry but you get the point. You're not getting the point. I'm going to shut up now..."

 

[Brinni]

"I'm afraid I am missing the point. I'm sorry. But an archer for the king you say? Hmm maybe the longbow?" she replied.


Alenia grabbed the longbow in the corner of the room and brought it to Faye. Shaking her head with a small laugh she decided the bow was too big for the diminutive elf. Not to mention, the muscles needed to bring the bow to full draw may end up ripping the stitches.


"One second" she said, holding up one of her fingers.


As she left the room she placed a hand on the jeweled pommel of the kopesh on her right hip. Muttering, barely audibly, she asked the earth to bless her in this endeavor, the ruby glowed faintly in response. Of course that could have been in her mind, she was never sure. Returning to the bedroom minutes later she held up a light crossbow and a quiver of bolts.


"Do you know how to work one of these?" she asked, tilting her head.

 

[Willow Pillow]

The bow was a horrible idea. She shot several servants in the knee caps trying to hit the targets. In fact, at the Vasatra home if any person had seen faye with a weapon in her hands they ran away. Five servants had quit.


So when Amelia tilted her head holding the crossbow faye smiled hesitantly. She looked like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar claiming she hadn't eaten any cookies.


But the last thing she wanted was this new person who was so inclined to help her see her as nothing but a failure. "Sure I can. It's uh....I can do it." She took the crossbow that was held out. "You just uh....put the arrow in like....shit...ow...like this. Exactly like this and fire like...I meant to do that..."


The arrow had pierced the door. Faye sighed exasperated. "I'm sorry....I'm not great at pretty much anything....but my weapon is music. Trust me. And that's why I want the bag so badly....I really only want my tin whistle....it's been with me sonce I was a little kid and it was the reason for the first time in my life I felt I was meant to do something....I'll figure out the crossbow. I'll do whatever I need to do....just don't lose faith that I can do this with you."


In a perfect world faye would walk to the door and rip the arrow out to prove she was a capable ally, but instead she tried, the arrow snapped, she starting cussing as her palms were now bleeding as she tried getting the tip end out of the fucking stupid door.

 

[Brinni]

Alenia sighed


An elf that can't fight? How....odd Alenia mused at her newfound companion. Can't shoot a bow, or even a crossbow, can't fight more or less at all, and claims her voice of all things is magic? And she's hiding who she is, not that I'm in a position to judge considering.


While Faye tried to dig the bolt out of the door, the fact she snapped it was impressive and spoke to how deep it was dug in, Alenia grabbed the dagger she kept under her pillow, put it in a sheath, and held it out to Faye.


"Before we go on a potentially wild goose chase, there's one thing we can try in order to find them. We'd have to go back to where you were attacked if you think you can handle it. If not, you're more than welcome to wait here and I'll back and let you know if it worked or not. You may want to bandage up your hands either way" she said.

 

[Willow Pillow]

This is why Fae didn't make any friends. When she did, she shot an arrow in their doors, bled on their floors and over all looked like a bumbling idiot. Alenia was being kind and not pointing out these things, but she knew it was there. As her friend held out the sheathed dagger she gave a weak smile. "No cross bow then? Probably a smart choice...."


She placed the dagger on her vest pocket. "i'll come with you. I'm good to go, promise. But..you're right I need to bandage these babies right up."


Finding bandages and wrapping them up took no time at all. Soon the two of them were walking along.


--


Joe held his club as Pip rummaged through the bag. "You think this ruddy thing can do anything else besides put people to sleep?" He asked as his halfling companion was crouched down placing the copper coins and one gold in her personal sack.


"Who cares. It fits what The Collector wants and we'll get a decent pay for it. That's all I'm concerned with. She's got basically rubbish in here. A journal, drawings...useless. There's not even food in here."


joe took the whistle out of his pocket. It looked like a flimsy recorder, rusted and old. It was made of copper and looked to be a rather cheaply made instrument. Dents were everywhere. This thing should have been thrown out years ago, but maybe that was part of the magic, to make it look so unappealing that no one would ever believe it had magical properties. They could rob a lot of places if they had something like this."


--


As the two made it to the alley, Faye noticed in the corner of her eye a dog growling. Hungry and probably feral, it growled and walked closer. The two of them probably poaching on its spot and he felt threatened. She whistled a soft tune under her breath, a melody she had known since a tot but with no idea how she knew it. The dog's growls had stopped and instead there was a yawn, the creature then curled up and slept soundly.

 

[Brinni]

As the dog fell asleep Alenia cast a sideways glance at her new companion.


Well now, I see what she meant.


"Fair warning," Alenia began, "this is a bit of a long shot. I don't even know if it will work."


Faye asked if she was going to cast some sort of tracking spell.


"I suppose you could say that in a manner of speaking. What I'm going to attempt is to talk to the earth and see if it knows where your attackers went. I just need a bit of quiet to focus" Alenia responded.


Alenia sat down in front of the now dried blood and closed her eyes. With a grounding breath she focused.


Earth of this place I wish to speak with thee she cast her thoughts at the ground in front of her. Her szuldar glowed brightly


CHILD OF THE EARTH WHAT DO YOU SEEK? The response was loud, low, and in her head. She was surprised for a moment that it actually worked and nearly lost her concentration


I would like to find those that sullied you with the blood of an innocent last night. Can you tell me where they went?


NO. THEY ONLY STAYED GROUNDED FOR A SMALL TIME.


Thank you. Alenia broke her concentrattion, letting the connection with the earth fade.


"Well, that was a bust. They must have taken to rooftops for a bit. I don't suppose you remember anything about your attackers that could help us do you?" Alenia looked at Faye as the girl thought.

 

[Willow Pillow]

Shit. You could talk to the earth? Faye glanced at her own feet and pictured here weight, then the weight of the possible town. The country. Hell the earth. All that pounding on earth without really much thought....that must have hurt like a bitch.


Alenia asked her to recollect what had happened and what she knew. She stared at the spot of brown, her blood and walked over, crouching down. Closing her eyes she placedoesn't her hand down, the mark where she was stabbed throbbed a little more noticably.


You honestly believe you can survive on your own? Fayelin, father is never wrong about these things and you'll be killed by bandits first opportunity.


There's a fee to be a charleton.


If you don't graduate top of your class don't bother coming home. There will be no home for you, or a family. Your mother and I have been very patient with this foolishness and forgiving for all the damn action you've done to the family name.





faye bit her bottom lip trying to focus. She could do this. She wasn't a failure. She could remember this. "The girl was a halfling, the man human he had a club, scar across his face, gray eyes. The halfling brown, dirty blonde hair. If you got a pad of paper on you and some sort of quill, I can draw it out for you."


She couldn't exactly grab a stick and trace it in the dirt since they were on cobblestone. Fuck she didn't even consider the weight of stone and houses, poor earth. That's a never ending work out with no rest in between.


When a pill and pen were provided to her, faye sat, crossing her legs and began to sketch. Her tongue was stuck out to the side as she did so, but she worked on it. There were brief moments when she paused and touched where she was stabbed to quell the pain down or her own memories and self doubt, but she continued.


Satisfied she stood up and gave the parchment to Alenia the picture of the two looked like a professional sketch artist had done it.


"Bards, not so good with the fists but we come in handy." She gave a hesitant smile hoping she had given Alenia what she had needed.

 

[Brinni]

"This could work. I'm not quite sure what we can do with the drawings, but it's more than we had." Alenia stated, nodding her head. "I wish I knew this town better, I have no idea where to begin. There's always some place or some person to go to for information, especially in a city this size, I just don't know where to go though. I don't venture much farther than the couple of streets around my house since everything I need is near there."


Alenia bit the tip of her thumb, thinking.


Where would you go if you wanted to find information on a person? What about...


"A tavern maybe? I can't think of anywhere else we could go to try and find someone."

 

[Willow Pillow]

Both faye and alenia had said tavern at the same time, and hearing that the elf had grinned ear to pointy ear.


"Yes. That. That thing there a grimey place filled with criminals and vad villians you hear about in the stories. Dark danky with a few candle lights in the area....which really just adds to the atmosphere making it more intense and scary. And maybe well uncover a bigger conspiracy going on that means we need to save the world from rhe world plummetting to darkness....and it all started with my tin whistle!" The energy the elf b4oufht as she grew more excited with each word. Her bosy seemed to fluidly move to tell the story....and anyone could see that she was in her element.


But she had gone too far in her own imagination that she stopped smiling bashfully as she tries to be still. "Or...you know....a normal tavern with normal people and we just ask questions....and no one gets hurt.... probably this story instead. I havent been to any of the taverns here, so you know a good one?"


--


Pip and Joe had walked into the Happy Bunny, a tavern that looked like it had not been taken care of in years, dried blood spit and god knows what else on the floors. Sottif in the back joe played with the flute, a crappy little thing and blew into it. He blew too hard and the sound was sharp and piercing, the bar folk stopped and glared in their direction until he lowered it.


"Its fucking broken. How do you use it?"


"Thats not for us you knucklehead. Lwave it alone...what if it explodes the tavern or something?"


"It can do that??"


"You want to fucking find out you dipshit?"

 

[Brinni]

"I know a bar we can go to. Also, as a bard taverns may be the first place you'd want to play. Drunk people tip better. Come on, we're off to the Happy Bunny"


Leading the way, Alenia had a sense of unease.


What happens if this is a bust? I need to fulfill that oath but what if we can't? I need to keep my word, but what if I can't?


Alenia grabbed her necklace and spun the ring on it, thinking of her family. She was so lost in thought that she nearly walked by the tavern.


"Oh. We're here already? Well, let's go in. If nothing else I could certainly use a drink." Alenia held the door open for her companion then followed her inside.

 

[Willow Pillow]

Faye stared at Alenia wide eyed as she mentioned performing at a bar. Honestly, the idea had never crossed her mind. It was just a simple basic idea as well. Nothing really complex. Why hadn't this ever crossed her mind before?


Entering the tavern, the moment Alenia and Faye swung open the doors and stepped in, the atmosphere changed. The people arm wrestling stopped, the boys about to engage in fistacuffs stopped, and the man with a hook for a hand that played the piano out in the far back stopped. They were the only clean looking people, respectable looking people....and that...well that was a no go. They didn't belong here.


Faye looked around uneasilly. "This is the happy bunny? This is like a dead bunny...or a bunny whose in charge or all the crime bunny....I guess if it was the latter bunny, he'd be a happy bunny I suppose." She took a step forward and looked back at her friend. "So....the bard thing....at bars it works? Ok...I have an idea to end the awkwardness."


Another step foward Faye straightened herself, puffing her chest to give the illusion of confidence as all eyes drifted on her. Opening her mouth, she decided, well, decided to sing.


"He's malicious, mean and scary


His sneer could curdle dairy


And violence-wise his hands are not the cleanest


But despite his evil look and his temper and his hook


He's always yearned to be a concert pianist?"


Her voice was off key, and of no real musical talent quality at all. An ordinary person who sang when they got drunk kind of quality. Faye pointed at the man at the piano, her last line with hesitation and more of a question as she was pulling all of this out of her ass.


The man stood, well over six feet and muscles that probably brought him to close to 300 pounds lean. He stood up, cracking his knuckles with his one hand, giving a dark glare at the tiny elf. Until he slammed his hands on the piano and began to play. And yes, he had a fantastic voice.


"Can't you see me on the stage performing Mozart


Tickling the ivories till they gleam


Yep, I'd rather be called deadly for my killer show-tune medley


Cuz way down deep inside I've got a dream"


Beer mugs were placed down, others joined in. Faye turned to her new friend beaming like a child on christmas.


"He's got a dream


He's got a dream"


"See, I ain't as cruel and vicious as I seem


Though I do like breaking femurs, you can count me with the dreamers


Like everybody else, I've got a dream.


I've got scars and lumps and bruises


Plus something here that oozes


And let's not even mention my complexion


But despite my extra toes


And my goiter


And my nose


I really want to make a love connection


Can't you see me with a special little lady


Rowing in a rowboat down a stream


Though I'm one disgusting blighter


I'm a lover, not a fighter


Cuz way down deep inside I've got a dream


I've got a dream


He's got a dream


I've got a dream


He's got a dream


And I know one day romance will reign supreme


Though my face leaves people screaming


There's a child behind it dreaming


Like everybody else, I've got a dream


Toll would like to quit and be a florist


Gunter does interior design


Urf is into mime


Attila's cupcakes are sublime


Bruiser knits


Killer sews


Ven does little puppet shows


And Vladimir collects ceramic unicorns."


as the bar seemed to turn itself into a musical, a drunken mess of a musical, eyes began to shift in their direction as if it was their turn. Faye was grinning ear to ear, her excitement levels growing. She didn't notice at all that the halfling that stabbed her and the man who had her flute were currently in that bar looking horrified at the scene of joyous musical wonder.


Joe pulled out the flute. "Did I make this happen?"


While Faye turned to Alenia. "I can't make people sing and dance. BUT THIS IS AMAZING!"

 

[Brinni]

As the scene unfolded, Alenia looked on with a mixture of horror, amusement, and fascination. This sort of thing just didn't happen in life! She had no idea what to do. Everyone seemed to be looking her and her companion, who was beaming at her, like they were expecting something from them.


"I don't sing..." Alenia began. At the looks she was given from the assembled group she hastily finished her statement with "at least not without a couple drinks in me? My friend here though would be more than happy to join in."


Alenia clapped Faye on the back, giving a her a slight push towards the crowd, and made her way over to the bar. As she did, someone in the corner caught her eye. There were two people not joining in on the raucous happenings of the bar. Upon closer inspection Alenia realized that it was the two that had attacked Faye! Taking her drink and making her way over to the table she approached them.


"I'm not imaging this right? This is actually happening? This is nuts!" She said to them. "Alenia" she started, extending her hand to them "is this place always like this? If so I could get used to it, it's different. Ooh a tin whistle, do you play?"

 

[Willow Pillow]

There were no words to express the joy in Faye's expression when Alenia pushed her forward. The piano man with the hook raised a brow as the anticipation grew.


I have dreams like you, yes really


It's very touchy-feely


They happen somewhere somewhere grand and full of adventure.


Where the hero saves the land


Wouldn't that be grand?


With my new friend this is possibly a joint venture!


I've got a dream


She's got a dream


I've got a dream


She's got a dream


I just want to see myself possibly redeemed.


Everyone has a talent,


I'm hoping mine's something gallant.


Like all you lovely folks, I've got a dream


She's got a dream


She's got a dream


They got a dream


We've got a dream


So our differences ain't really that extreme


We're one big team


Call us brutal


Sick


Sadistic


And grotesquely optimistic


Cuz way down deep inside we've got a dream


I've got a dream


I've got a dream.


Yes, way down deep inside we've got a dream.


Yeah!"


Faye had been picked up by a few bar folk and hoisted into the air as they sang. The crowd had finished her hands out like she was about to do jazz hands. This was amazing. An orc was holding her waist as she was sitting on his shoulder at the end of the musical number. "You have quite a bit of sadness in you, little one." He remarked, his voice low and husky. Faye arched her brow. "I'm not sad, I have a very happy life. Look. WE JUST DID A MUSICAL NUMBER HERE! That is amazing."


--


Pip held her dagger in one hand, holding it so it was completely visible to the stranger. It was cleaned, no sign of any elf blood on it, where it gleamed in the very dim light provided by the candle on the table. "Go bother someone else, before I decide to make things interesting for me in this place," The halfling smiled not amused.


Joe put the tin whistle back in his bag. "I'd listen to her, she's been asking for a reason to get in a fight all day and you're giving her one."