“I don’t care whenever, wherever, and whatever else happens. I am sure-as-shoe-polish not getting tossed down that chute again!”
Ash climbed out of the culvert. He turned around to help Jack, Penny, and Luke out after him.
Jack and Ash helped Penny remove the metal braces from her legs and stash them in her bedroll.
Luke sprawled out face up on the pavement next to the drain.
“What happened to you guys?”
Ash turned around. Tasha and Ave were standing in the street. Ave held Eins in her arms. The dog’s fur was freshly washed and permed.
Ash slumped against a nearby lamppost and rubbed his face. “Nothing too exciting. Another beautiful day in Kaseihgaeu. By the way, you dropped this.” Ash underhand tossed Tripillli to Tasha.
“Tripillli, there you are. He didn’t cause any trouble did he?” Tasha picked some dirt off of the crustacean’s shell. Tripillli uncurled and wiggled in her hands.
“No, no, his was the least of our betrayals today.” Ash looked over at Luke.
Luke was laid out on the pavement next to the culvert. He stared into the sky.
Ash sat down next to Penny. “So how did you, observation go today?”
Ave scratched Eins. “Not great. We lost track of Angel after we followed her into a salon.”
“Did you not follow her inside?” Ash asked.
“No, we did.” Tasha answered.
Jack stomped his boots to clear some of the sewer trash off of them. “Well I wish I could sympathize with whatever misery Ash has brought on himself and everyone else around him, but things are going great for me.” He ran his fingers through the silver streak of hair at his temple. “I got him.”
Ash looked up at him. “Got who.”
“Luke’s father. After chasing that scofflaw halfway across the Kingdom I finally have the paperwork to foreclose on that eyesore of a mansion that Mr Eaupéril built with all of Luke’s money. With this writ I can-” Jack patted his pocket. “Oh crap! Where is it?”
Jack frantically slapped his jacket and pants. His face paled. With a desperate howl he leapt back into the culvert and started shifting trash left and right with both hands.
“Crap! Crap! Crap! Not after so long. We finally had him after all these years.”
“Looking for this?” Luke held up a slip of paper.
Jack froze, sewer juice dripping from his fingers. “Oh thank goodness. You found it. If I lost that I don’t think-”
“It’s useless.” Luke squinted at the paper in his hand.
“What?”
“It’s not a binding signature.”
Jack walked over and grabbed the sheet. “Don’t try to defend him. I know that you’re used to giving him whatever he wants, but there’s no dodging the law this time. I got him to sign-”
Tasha leaned over Jack’s shoulder and looked at the signature on the paper. “Who in the world is Dance Magic Dan?”
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“That steaming sack of shi-!”
“What happened ta you guys?”
The current group looked up. Cophin and Plinth were walking down the road away from the Ocean’s Bounty with Ted. Each of them had an arm around Ted’s shoulder as the young boy limped down the street. Ted's pants were ripped apart and a bandage was tied around his thigh. Cophin had a towel tucked into his belt dangling out over his crotch. Lux walked three and one half steps behind the others.
Jack dropped the paper from his hands and ran over to them. “Holy horseshoes Ted! What happened to you?”
“I got stabbed.” Ted replied.
“Who stabbed you?”
“It all happened so fast.” Ted looked at the ground.
“Are you okay?”
“I actually feel great.” Ted smiled.
Plinth nodded. “That’s your adrenaline. Deep tissue repair kicks the endocrine system into overcharge. Those healing potions I gave you are going to make you feel good today, but you’re going to be exhausted tomorrow. Here eat this. You need lots of fiber and protein.” He handed Ted a snackbar.
“We need to get you to an Alchemist.” Jack shouted.
“He’s already seen one.” Cophin jerked his thumb at Plinth.
Jack nodded his head to Plinth. “Oh, yes, good, thank you then, for that.”
Jack took one of Ted’s hands and helped him sit down on a bench by the sidewalk.
Ash examined Cophin with his good eye. “What happened to you Cophin? Your pants are all wet.”
“Oh sure, ya notice that!” Cophin grimaced. “If you must know I was trying to wash up after stopping Ted’s leg from bleeding
“Don’t say it like that Cophin.” Plinth frowned.
“It’s what happened!” Cophin turned to Ash. “What about you?”
Ash rubbed his face. “Something sprayed itself in my face. I didn’t get a good look. I think it might have been Beck talking a piss on my head.”
Cophin’s entire face twisted in disgust. “Who?”
Luke shrugged. “Beck is a bird. My father’s bird. He can be, aggressive with strangers. Or… anyone really.”
“And the reason you lot are crawling out of a culvert again?” Plinth asked.
“We both won and lost a Guild contest.” Penny spoke up.
“At the same time?” Plinth blinked.
“Yes.” “Yes.” Ash and Luke said at the same time.
“I see.” Plinth tilted his head.
“What happened to you guys?”
All assembled turned to see Bede and Privati standing at the edge of the gathering near the culvert.
Jack looked around. “Who are you talking to, because there are a lot of things happening at the same time and-”
Privati held up a hand. “We don’t really care.”
“What was that?” Privati snapped.
“Nothing.” Jack turned back to Ted.
Bede pushed past Cophin and Plinth. “The rest of you keep your problems to yourselves. We’re really only here for him.” He pointed at Luke.
Luke pointed at himself. “Me?”
“That’s right.”
Privati pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “We are here on official business.”
Luke glanced at Ash. “Did uh, did the Guard say something that-”
“Hah!” Privati snorted. “As if we would ever trust the Guard with a task more difficult than sweeping the grass in the gardens. No, we are here to render your invitation.”
“My invitation?”
Bede tilted his head. “Is there sewer water in your ears? Yes, your invitation. Every grand winner of the Ocean’s Bounty is treated to a victor’s dinner after their competition. And your victory in the Convention Hall today…” Bede trailed off.
“Qualifies.” Privati tapped one of her heels. “And since you won a Guild accredited contest we are here, as the official gambling hall patron services ambassadors to see to the delivery of your victory dinner.”
“Neat.” Luke didn’t get up.
Bede rolled his eyes. “Normally we have a table reserved at the finest restaurant in town.”
Lux nodded. “It’s true. Lady House is very punctual when it comes to making her reservations.”
Privati put a hand on her hip. “But seeing as how this was an improvised competition we may have to settle for a less popular location.”
Ash leaned over and spoke out of the side of his mouth to Plinth. “Hey Plinth, I promised someone a table for dinner. How would you feel about adding some extra seats to the restaurant tonight?”
Plinth smiled. “I think that could be arranged.”