"Rachel?" I asked in amazement.
She squinted at me with her blurry bear eyes. Ariel! She exclaimed.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
I'm not sure, she replied.
"Same here," I told her. "Are the others with you?"
Yeah. I don't know where, she said.
"Well, you might as well demorph. And don't worry. No Yeerks here, and if anyone happens to see you they'll just think your a mage," I told her when she looked uneasy about demorphing here.
Where are we, anyway? she asked as she started to demorph.
I smiled. "I'm home!" I said to her. "Krynn!" I did a little dance right there just for the sheer joy of dancing in the moons' light in a pine forest of home.
"Hey, Ariel, calm down. Sheesh," Rachel told me.
I grinned sheepishly. "Sorry," I said. "I had just given up hope of ever coming home again."
"Hey, it's cool. But we're still gonna need someone here to help us get back, right?"
"Yeah. I was just going to Palanthas. There are a lot of mages there because of the Tower of High Sorcery. There's bound to be at least one that can send you back. But first we've got to find the others."
Here's a few others, I heard from behind me. I saw Rachel grinning at something behind and above me.
I turned around and grinned too. Right there in front of me was a rhino next to a gorilla with a red-tailed hawk on it's horn.
"So where're Cassie and Ax?" Rachel asked.
Marco shrugged his big, shaggy gorilla shoulders. Don't know. One minute we were all fighting then BAM! We're here, wherever here is.
I smiled. "Your on Krynn, my home," I told them all, smiling brightly.
Okay, now we know who's gonna help us out here. Uh...You do know where we are, right? Jake asked.
"Yes. We keep going this way for about a mile and we're in Palanthas, and there we can get a map of this part of the continent. After we earn some money," I said, a slight dash going into my mood. "Here they won't accept the money your country uses. They don't even use gold. Hmmm..."
"What can we do to get money?" Marco asked. They had started demorphing as I was telling them our tad dilemma.
"Well, Rachel, Cassie, and I could probably get jobs at the first tavern or inn we find, but what you guys are going to do is a mystery."
Why would I get a job at a tavern? Cassie asked, trotting out in wolf form with Ax on her heels.
"Other than the fact that we have no money for anything, no reason," I said with a shrug. "But if you don't want men making lewd remarks about you and pitching your rear, you could tend farm animals for a while, maybe."
Rachel made a face at mention of men pinching rears, so I told her, "Hey, if you're a barmaid, you're working around drunk men. They get rude and obnoxious after a few mugs of beer. You would to, if you had the stomach for it," I told them all with a grin.
"What do you mean, if we have the stomach for it? Is that a challenge?" Rachel asked me.
"In a sense," I said.
"I'm sure I could drink twice as much as you!" she told me.
"Really? Would you care to put that challenge to the test?" I asked her.
"Definitely," she said coolly.
"Well, then. With the first steel we earn, after we get a map of the area and some tailored clothes for you, we'll have a drinking contest. First to pass out looses. So...Wine, ale, or dwarf spirits?" I asked her.
"What're dwarf spirits?"
"The most powerful beer known to exist."
"Dwarf spirits, then."
"Uh...a drinking contest?" Marco asked. "Can I be a contestant?"
"Marco, you'd pass out with a little sip of cider," I remarked. He just stuck his tongue out at me.
I'm afraid I do not understand what just happened, Ax said. What is a drinking contest?
"It's to see who can handle more intoxication," I told him.
Ah. But why would you want to intoxicate yourself? he asked.
"Some people do it because it helps them forget their problems, but some just like the taste of beer."
We started walking towards the city. As we walked I told them a few things about the world they found themselves in and of the customs of the city we were headed towards.
"They speak Common hear, but also some Solamnic. Did any of you take Latin in high school?" I asked.
"Yeah, I did. So did Marco," Cassie said.
"All right, good. I really don't feel like translating every little thing anyone says in this area. Mind being translators as I do the talking?"
"Yeah, okay."
"Good. Oh, and you guys need some clothes. You can't walk around in Spandex in a city."
"Why not? I'm sure we could fit in perfectly!" Marco said with a laugh.
"That's it!" I said suddenly.
"What's it?" Jake asked.
"We could do a little act in the marketplace. I could be an animal charmer! We'll get steel by the pound!
"And you!" I said, pointing at Ax. "I could have bought you from some mad wizard or something."
I will try and not take offense of that, Ax said calmly.
"Oh, sorry. But you defiantly don't look like anything from this world. Hey, you should be proud. Only magic could have created you, or so the people here will think. And, if it makes you happy, I could say you ran away from your creator when you were much younger and you've joined me ever since. Good?"
I suppose.
And what exactly are we supposed to do? Tobais asked.
"Morph various animals and be 'charmed'. In other words, you can't attack anyone, and you gotta do what I command. For a while," I added hastily, seeing the look Rachel gave me.
"I'm just going to have you do various tricks, and when we've got enough money we leave. Okay?"
I let them think about that for a while. I hoped they agreed. It would be fun being an animal charmer.
As we reached the edge of the forest on the top of a hill, I let them look at the view of the city for a while. The sun was just rising, and the city looked splendid. Then I ask, "So, what are we doing?"
"I guess we go along with your idea. It could get us some money, and I guess it would be rather fun. What do you all say?" Jake asked.
Thankfully, they all agreed.
"All right! I suggest you all morph here, and morph something dangerous. Like tigers, elephants, Hork-Bajir, wolves," I said, grinning.
Hork-Bajir? Tobias asked.
"Yeah. Frighten the hell out of little kids. Then they'll beg their mammas to bring them over to see the big scary demon."
Oh.
"Oh, wait a second. I'll be right back," I said, running back into the woods. I searched around a minute. I came back to them holding a freshly-killed squirrel and a bowl-shaped piece of bark.
"A dead squirrel?" Marco asked. "What's that for?"
"You'll see," I said, and started skinning the little rodent. When was done I asked, "Anyone want some squirrel meat? It's fresh," I added with a grin.
They all declined, even Tobias. I shrugged and laid it to the side for later. I scraped as much of the gore stuck to the skin off as possible. Then I cut a slit in the center of it and laid it in the bowl-bark for a minute. I reached around and caught the back of my cloak and cut off a strip of it. Then I wrapped the squirrel-skin over the top of the bowl and tied it on tightly with the dark blue strip of cloak.
"There," I said when I was done, ten minutes later. "As kender-proof as possible. So here we go!"
It was a rather horrid thing to see. Misshapen bodies were everywhere. Rachel was growing and her nose becoming the length of my weapons' belt. Tobias's feet were ten times their normal size, though keeping there general shape, as huge blades were growing out of practically every joint. Jake had three-inch canines sticking out of his still-human mouth as his ears rode up his head. Cassie seemed the only one with any control over her morph, seeing as she had this beautiful coat of silver while everything but her snout was human.
Thankfully Ax stayed his own, slightly disturbing self. He didn't morph human, and thank the gods for that. His human morph looked exactly like John's, and I didn't think I could have stood seeing him with the thought still fresh in my mind: I may never again see my dear, dear John again.
"All right, well aren't we a nice little zoo? C'mon. We gotta get moving if we want to reach the city and do even a small act before the time limit's up." I said, leading the way.
When we reached the outskirts of the city, I had the Animorphs surround me in a seemingly protective circle. I had Tobias and Ax up front to be a bit more intimidating, I had Rachel to my right and Marco to my left. Jake and Cassie were behind me.
Lots of people pointed and stared, but thankfully I didn't hear anyone scream.
A pair of Kagonesti elves, my people, approached us. One was a man, the other a woman. They had tattoos all over their arms and faces. I couldn't hide a smile as I recognized the man.
"Konothas!" I called to him. His head swiveled in my direction and squinted at me.
"Ariel?" he asked tentatively.
I nodded my head vigorously.
"Ariel! I thought you were dead!" he exclaimed, giving me a hug. "Where have you been these last twenty years?"
"It's a long story. Let's just say magic had a thing or two to do with it," I told him.
"Ah," he said, like that explained everything. Elves in general appreciated magic, but this one didn't particularly trust it.
"So, who's this?" I asked, looking at the woman.
"This is my wife, Ellenoria. And who are your new friends?" he asked, looking just slightly frightened by my two "demons", but perfectly at home with the dangerous mammals standing right next to me.
I smiled nervously and tried to come up with a fairly good tale. I memory of our childhood saved me. It was when we were helping my father harvest our little garden, and we had found a small, but very poisonous snake.
Now, as a rule, elves didn't like to kill any animal. In this regard we were just like any pair of elven children. So Konas had tried to charm the frightened little snake, and wonder of wonders, it had worked! We had carried the snake out to the woods and let it go.
"Ah, in the past few years I've been trying to learn how to charm animals," I told him, smiling. "And, well, here are my successful test subjects. Except the, uh, demons. They're just friends of mine. And they're not dangerous, unless provoked," I added hastily, seeing how nervous he was getting around these "unnatural" beings.
He smiled. "Well, congratulations on your success, though I must say I'm surprised. You had never taken any real interest in animals before, as far as I could tell."
I smiled back. "I still haven't, really. It's just I knew it would be useful while on the road."
He nodded, like I'd said the most profound thing he'd ever heard. I realized then that he had no interest speaking to me, but had put up the show of affection for what he probably deemed my "weaker" side.
"Well, I must be going. I have an appointment with some very important people," I said.
"Then see you soon, my friend," he said.
"I will see you too, Kothos." He turned and started to walk away. I saw his wife ask a question, but couldn't hear it. But I could hear his derisive laugh and guessed she had asked who I was.
I sighed, shook my head, and muttered, "Damn bigots," under my breath.
We kept on walking to the center of the market place, looking for a place to start. Suddenly we were accosted by about five small childish people.
"Kender," I groaned.
"Wow!" one exclaimed, a female. "Is that a real dragon?"
"Ooh! Demons! I met a demon once..." a male said.
"Shoo, or I'll have my demons rip you to shreds!" I yelled at them.
"Really? Does it hurt much?" another male asked.
"Very," I stated.
"Have you ever tried it?" a female asked.
"Well, no, but..."
"Then how would you know if it hurt?" asked another male.
"Uh...well...because I once had a friend tell me."
"Really? Who was your friend?"
"This, uh, demon right here!" I said, waving at Ax.
What did you just say? Ax asked.
"That you told me what it feels like to get ripped to shreds by a Hork-Bajir and an Andalite at the same time," I muttered quietly. "So describe it to them, please?"
Yes. Uh, well. It hurts horribly. Like...like being burnt alive. Yes. With...with all of your finger and toe nails being pulled back slowly, Ax said, obviously uncomfortable.
"Hey, who said that?"
"He did," I said, pointing at Ax.
"But I heard it in my head!"
"That's how he talks. He doesn't have a mouth, obviously, so how else is he supposed to get his point across?" I asked.
"Wow! Anyway, is that what it really feels like to be ripped to shreds by demons?"
"Ax, just nod and say 'Yes', okay?" I told him.
He nodded and said Yes.
"Now, shoo!" I exclaimed.
"C'mon, guys," I muttered when they all left.
What was that all about? Jake asked.
"Kender. The most annoying race on Krynn," I told him.
Sounds like Marco, Rachel said with a laugh.
I grinned. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Here's a good enough spot to start. Perfect size for Rachel's bulk."
Hey! Rachel exclaimed.
I laid the little fur-covered bowl at the foot of a very, very old tree stump. I climbed up the stump and started my little speech.
"Come, boys and girls, men and women! See the horrible monsters! See the animals, beautiful and terrible alike!" I exclaimed.
It didn't seem to work. Only a few people came to look at the 'monsters' and give a few coppers. Then I had an idea.
"Hew, Tobias, Ax. Get in a fight. You know, a mock battle. But make it look like your really trying to hurt each other. That's sure to get a few stares, and some money."
You know, we're running out of time, Cassie said.
"Good. I can have the first-ever perfectly tame werewolf," I said.
You have werewolves here? Tobias asked.
"Yeah, but they're rare. I think. They may not be, but you can't really tell..." I mused.
What don't you guys have here? Rachel asked.
"Most working technology," I said. "By the way, how much time do you have?" I asked Ax.
About ten of your minutes, Ax said.
"All right, demorph," I said.
Demorph? In front of all these people? Are you sure? Jake asked.
"Yep, I'm positive. They won't care, really. They'll just think it's magic or something," I assured him.
Okay... he said cautiously. But if we get arrested or thrown in a zoo or something, your getting us out.
"Yes, sir!" I said, saluting.
Jake sighed in my head and started demorphing. The others followed suit.
"Come and see these misshapen monster. Children of all ages, men and women alike! We have here, the first, ever, completely tame werewolf! And here, we have the only living broken one in captivity! Here we have one of the elusive and terrible dopplegangers. She's trying to frighten everyone by being a dragon, as you can see. But I have her under control. And here, oh here is out most tragic one. A deformed aarakocra, cursed by a mad wizard to be a lycanthrope as well. Sad, isn't it, audience?" I asked, for we had gotten one whale of an audience.
"And this, my friend and partner, Aximili," I said, coming over and laying an arm around Ax's shoulders. He looked a bit uncomfortable about me touching him, so I muttered, "Stay still! I'm getting us some money.
"I know he looks odd, but he was created by an odd man. A cruel man, as well. He changed this poor, poor aarakocra into a lycanthrope, too. Aximili ran from his creator when he was much younger, and I took him under my care. And now we have become very good friends," I said this loudly to the audience. I heard steel coins clinking into the bowl.
"Hey, that's just a hawk!" I heard one man yell from the audience.
"Uh...well, yes. He is a hawk, now. The wizard put a curse on him so that he can never, uh, take his true form ever again, so he took the next best thing. You see, the mad, cruel wizard forgot to specify the lycanthropy spell so now this poor creature can take any form but his own," I replied.
"Hey, Ax? Keep at least one eye on our bowl. I see a few more kender roaming around here," I murmured under my breath. He swiveled one eye stalk to point towards the money-bowl.
"Then why are they all human now?" a woman cried from the crowd.
"Why, because this same evil, mad, cruel mage made them all into were- animals!" I replied.
I gulped and hoped no one would ask any more questions, but give a lot more money.
Thankfully, the crowd dispersed, but not until after they'd left a few more coins, steel coins at that.
"Ha! What I'd tell you? Wow! Look at all this money. Hell, we don't have to worry about much of anything concerning money, unless the current value of steel coins has gone down. Lets just hope it hasn't," I said.
Rachel looked over my shoulder into the little bowl. "Looks like about five dollars worth of quarters to me," she commented.
I grinned. "That's what it's worth at your home, though you'll get arrested for using counterfeit money. But here, it's worth...oh, I don't know. This right here might be about fifty dollars, and that's also making the things we get with it constantly half-price."
Cassie gave a low whistle as Jake said, "That's a lot of money for just a half-hour worth of work."
I chuckled. "That wasn't work! That was fun! There's a big difference. I had those people eating out of my hands, mostly thanks to my stretch concerning the truth of the matter."
Why would anyone want anyone else eating out of their hands? Ax asked.
"You lied?!" Jake exclaimed.
"I didn't lie! Not exactly, anyway...Well, maybe a little....Okay, yes, I lied," I said with a sigh. "But it worked!" I told them brightly. Then I slapped myself. "Ugh, I sound like a kender," I muttered.
"What do you have against those little guys? They seem nice enough," Cassie asked me.
"Oh, they try to be nice. But while they're being nice, their robbing you blind and asking you questions you mostly can't possibly answer," I told her. "Plus they're annoying as a swarm of misquitos."
"Oh."
She squinted at me with her blurry bear eyes. Ariel! She exclaimed.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
I'm not sure, she replied.
"Same here," I told her. "Are the others with you?"
Yeah. I don't know where, she said.
"Well, you might as well demorph. And don't worry. No Yeerks here, and if anyone happens to see you they'll just think your a mage," I told her when she looked uneasy about demorphing here.
Where are we, anyway? she asked as she started to demorph.
I smiled. "I'm home!" I said to her. "Krynn!" I did a little dance right there just for the sheer joy of dancing in the moons' light in a pine forest of home.
"Hey, Ariel, calm down. Sheesh," Rachel told me.
I grinned sheepishly. "Sorry," I said. "I had just given up hope of ever coming home again."
"Hey, it's cool. But we're still gonna need someone here to help us get back, right?"
"Yeah. I was just going to Palanthas. There are a lot of mages there because of the Tower of High Sorcery. There's bound to be at least one that can send you back. But first we've got to find the others."
Here's a few others, I heard from behind me. I saw Rachel grinning at something behind and above me.
I turned around and grinned too. Right there in front of me was a rhino next to a gorilla with a red-tailed hawk on it's horn.
"So where're Cassie and Ax?" Rachel asked.
Marco shrugged his big, shaggy gorilla shoulders. Don't know. One minute we were all fighting then BAM! We're here, wherever here is.
I smiled. "Your on Krynn, my home," I told them all, smiling brightly.
Okay, now we know who's gonna help us out here. Uh...You do know where we are, right? Jake asked.
"Yes. We keep going this way for about a mile and we're in Palanthas, and there we can get a map of this part of the continent. After we earn some money," I said, a slight dash going into my mood. "Here they won't accept the money your country uses. They don't even use gold. Hmmm..."
"What can we do to get money?" Marco asked. They had started demorphing as I was telling them our tad dilemma.
"Well, Rachel, Cassie, and I could probably get jobs at the first tavern or inn we find, but what you guys are going to do is a mystery."
Why would I get a job at a tavern? Cassie asked, trotting out in wolf form with Ax on her heels.
"Other than the fact that we have no money for anything, no reason," I said with a shrug. "But if you don't want men making lewd remarks about you and pitching your rear, you could tend farm animals for a while, maybe."
Rachel made a face at mention of men pinching rears, so I told her, "Hey, if you're a barmaid, you're working around drunk men. They get rude and obnoxious after a few mugs of beer. You would to, if you had the stomach for it," I told them all with a grin.
"What do you mean, if we have the stomach for it? Is that a challenge?" Rachel asked me.
"In a sense," I said.
"I'm sure I could drink twice as much as you!" she told me.
"Really? Would you care to put that challenge to the test?" I asked her.
"Definitely," she said coolly.
"Well, then. With the first steel we earn, after we get a map of the area and some tailored clothes for you, we'll have a drinking contest. First to pass out looses. So...Wine, ale, or dwarf spirits?" I asked her.
"What're dwarf spirits?"
"The most powerful beer known to exist."
"Dwarf spirits, then."
"Uh...a drinking contest?" Marco asked. "Can I be a contestant?"
"Marco, you'd pass out with a little sip of cider," I remarked. He just stuck his tongue out at me.
I'm afraid I do not understand what just happened, Ax said. What is a drinking contest?
"It's to see who can handle more intoxication," I told him.
Ah. But why would you want to intoxicate yourself? he asked.
"Some people do it because it helps them forget their problems, but some just like the taste of beer."
We started walking towards the city. As we walked I told them a few things about the world they found themselves in and of the customs of the city we were headed towards.
"They speak Common hear, but also some Solamnic. Did any of you take Latin in high school?" I asked.
"Yeah, I did. So did Marco," Cassie said.
"All right, good. I really don't feel like translating every little thing anyone says in this area. Mind being translators as I do the talking?"
"Yeah, okay."
"Good. Oh, and you guys need some clothes. You can't walk around in Spandex in a city."
"Why not? I'm sure we could fit in perfectly!" Marco said with a laugh.
"That's it!" I said suddenly.
"What's it?" Jake asked.
"We could do a little act in the marketplace. I could be an animal charmer! We'll get steel by the pound!
"And you!" I said, pointing at Ax. "I could have bought you from some mad wizard or something."
I will try and not take offense of that, Ax said calmly.
"Oh, sorry. But you defiantly don't look like anything from this world. Hey, you should be proud. Only magic could have created you, or so the people here will think. And, if it makes you happy, I could say you ran away from your creator when you were much younger and you've joined me ever since. Good?"
I suppose.
And what exactly are we supposed to do? Tobais asked.
"Morph various animals and be 'charmed'. In other words, you can't attack anyone, and you gotta do what I command. For a while," I added hastily, seeing the look Rachel gave me.
"I'm just going to have you do various tricks, and when we've got enough money we leave. Okay?"
I let them think about that for a while. I hoped they agreed. It would be fun being an animal charmer.
As we reached the edge of the forest on the top of a hill, I let them look at the view of the city for a while. The sun was just rising, and the city looked splendid. Then I ask, "So, what are we doing?"
"I guess we go along with your idea. It could get us some money, and I guess it would be rather fun. What do you all say?" Jake asked.
Thankfully, they all agreed.
"All right! I suggest you all morph here, and morph something dangerous. Like tigers, elephants, Hork-Bajir, wolves," I said, grinning.
Hork-Bajir? Tobias asked.
"Yeah. Frighten the hell out of little kids. Then they'll beg their mammas to bring them over to see the big scary demon."
Oh.
"Oh, wait a second. I'll be right back," I said, running back into the woods. I searched around a minute. I came back to them holding a freshly-killed squirrel and a bowl-shaped piece of bark.
"A dead squirrel?" Marco asked. "What's that for?"
"You'll see," I said, and started skinning the little rodent. When was done I asked, "Anyone want some squirrel meat? It's fresh," I added with a grin.
They all declined, even Tobias. I shrugged and laid it to the side for later. I scraped as much of the gore stuck to the skin off as possible. Then I cut a slit in the center of it and laid it in the bowl-bark for a minute. I reached around and caught the back of my cloak and cut off a strip of it. Then I wrapped the squirrel-skin over the top of the bowl and tied it on tightly with the dark blue strip of cloak.
"There," I said when I was done, ten minutes later. "As kender-proof as possible. So here we go!"
It was a rather horrid thing to see. Misshapen bodies were everywhere. Rachel was growing and her nose becoming the length of my weapons' belt. Tobias's feet were ten times their normal size, though keeping there general shape, as huge blades were growing out of practically every joint. Jake had three-inch canines sticking out of his still-human mouth as his ears rode up his head. Cassie seemed the only one with any control over her morph, seeing as she had this beautiful coat of silver while everything but her snout was human.
Thankfully Ax stayed his own, slightly disturbing self. He didn't morph human, and thank the gods for that. His human morph looked exactly like John's, and I didn't think I could have stood seeing him with the thought still fresh in my mind: I may never again see my dear, dear John again.
"All right, well aren't we a nice little zoo? C'mon. We gotta get moving if we want to reach the city and do even a small act before the time limit's up." I said, leading the way.
When we reached the outskirts of the city, I had the Animorphs surround me in a seemingly protective circle. I had Tobias and Ax up front to be a bit more intimidating, I had Rachel to my right and Marco to my left. Jake and Cassie were behind me.
Lots of people pointed and stared, but thankfully I didn't hear anyone scream.
A pair of Kagonesti elves, my people, approached us. One was a man, the other a woman. They had tattoos all over their arms and faces. I couldn't hide a smile as I recognized the man.
"Konothas!" I called to him. His head swiveled in my direction and squinted at me.
"Ariel?" he asked tentatively.
I nodded my head vigorously.
"Ariel! I thought you were dead!" he exclaimed, giving me a hug. "Where have you been these last twenty years?"
"It's a long story. Let's just say magic had a thing or two to do with it," I told him.
"Ah," he said, like that explained everything. Elves in general appreciated magic, but this one didn't particularly trust it.
"So, who's this?" I asked, looking at the woman.
"This is my wife, Ellenoria. And who are your new friends?" he asked, looking just slightly frightened by my two "demons", but perfectly at home with the dangerous mammals standing right next to me.
I smiled nervously and tried to come up with a fairly good tale. I memory of our childhood saved me. It was when we were helping my father harvest our little garden, and we had found a small, but very poisonous snake.
Now, as a rule, elves didn't like to kill any animal. In this regard we were just like any pair of elven children. So Konas had tried to charm the frightened little snake, and wonder of wonders, it had worked! We had carried the snake out to the woods and let it go.
"Ah, in the past few years I've been trying to learn how to charm animals," I told him, smiling. "And, well, here are my successful test subjects. Except the, uh, demons. They're just friends of mine. And they're not dangerous, unless provoked," I added hastily, seeing how nervous he was getting around these "unnatural" beings.
He smiled. "Well, congratulations on your success, though I must say I'm surprised. You had never taken any real interest in animals before, as far as I could tell."
I smiled back. "I still haven't, really. It's just I knew it would be useful while on the road."
He nodded, like I'd said the most profound thing he'd ever heard. I realized then that he had no interest speaking to me, but had put up the show of affection for what he probably deemed my "weaker" side.
"Well, I must be going. I have an appointment with some very important people," I said.
"Then see you soon, my friend," he said.
"I will see you too, Kothos." He turned and started to walk away. I saw his wife ask a question, but couldn't hear it. But I could hear his derisive laugh and guessed she had asked who I was.
I sighed, shook my head, and muttered, "Damn bigots," under my breath.
We kept on walking to the center of the market place, looking for a place to start. Suddenly we were accosted by about five small childish people.
"Kender," I groaned.
"Wow!" one exclaimed, a female. "Is that a real dragon?"
"Ooh! Demons! I met a demon once..." a male said.
"Shoo, or I'll have my demons rip you to shreds!" I yelled at them.
"Really? Does it hurt much?" another male asked.
"Very," I stated.
"Have you ever tried it?" a female asked.
"Well, no, but..."
"Then how would you know if it hurt?" asked another male.
"Uh...well...because I once had a friend tell me."
"Really? Who was your friend?"
"This, uh, demon right here!" I said, waving at Ax.
What did you just say? Ax asked.
"That you told me what it feels like to get ripped to shreds by a Hork-Bajir and an Andalite at the same time," I muttered quietly. "So describe it to them, please?"
Yes. Uh, well. It hurts horribly. Like...like being burnt alive. Yes. With...with all of your finger and toe nails being pulled back slowly, Ax said, obviously uncomfortable.
"Hey, who said that?"
"He did," I said, pointing at Ax.
"But I heard it in my head!"
"That's how he talks. He doesn't have a mouth, obviously, so how else is he supposed to get his point across?" I asked.
"Wow! Anyway, is that what it really feels like to be ripped to shreds by demons?"
"Ax, just nod and say 'Yes', okay?" I told him.
He nodded and said Yes.
"Now, shoo!" I exclaimed.
"C'mon, guys," I muttered when they all left.
What was that all about? Jake asked.
"Kender. The most annoying race on Krynn," I told him.
Sounds like Marco, Rachel said with a laugh.
I grinned. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Here's a good enough spot to start. Perfect size for Rachel's bulk."
Hey! Rachel exclaimed.
I laid the little fur-covered bowl at the foot of a very, very old tree stump. I climbed up the stump and started my little speech.
"Come, boys and girls, men and women! See the horrible monsters! See the animals, beautiful and terrible alike!" I exclaimed.
It didn't seem to work. Only a few people came to look at the 'monsters' and give a few coppers. Then I had an idea.
"Hew, Tobias, Ax. Get in a fight. You know, a mock battle. But make it look like your really trying to hurt each other. That's sure to get a few stares, and some money."
You know, we're running out of time, Cassie said.
"Good. I can have the first-ever perfectly tame werewolf," I said.
You have werewolves here? Tobias asked.
"Yeah, but they're rare. I think. They may not be, but you can't really tell..." I mused.
What don't you guys have here? Rachel asked.
"Most working technology," I said. "By the way, how much time do you have?" I asked Ax.
About ten of your minutes, Ax said.
"All right, demorph," I said.
Demorph? In front of all these people? Are you sure? Jake asked.
"Yep, I'm positive. They won't care, really. They'll just think it's magic or something," I assured him.
Okay... he said cautiously. But if we get arrested or thrown in a zoo or something, your getting us out.
"Yes, sir!" I said, saluting.
Jake sighed in my head and started demorphing. The others followed suit.
"Come and see these misshapen monster. Children of all ages, men and women alike! We have here, the first, ever, completely tame werewolf! And here, we have the only living broken one in captivity! Here we have one of the elusive and terrible dopplegangers. She's trying to frighten everyone by being a dragon, as you can see. But I have her under control. And here, oh here is out most tragic one. A deformed aarakocra, cursed by a mad wizard to be a lycanthrope as well. Sad, isn't it, audience?" I asked, for we had gotten one whale of an audience.
"And this, my friend and partner, Aximili," I said, coming over and laying an arm around Ax's shoulders. He looked a bit uncomfortable about me touching him, so I muttered, "Stay still! I'm getting us some money.
"I know he looks odd, but he was created by an odd man. A cruel man, as well. He changed this poor, poor aarakocra into a lycanthrope, too. Aximili ran from his creator when he was much younger, and I took him under my care. And now we have become very good friends," I said this loudly to the audience. I heard steel coins clinking into the bowl.
"Hey, that's just a hawk!" I heard one man yell from the audience.
"Uh...well, yes. He is a hawk, now. The wizard put a curse on him so that he can never, uh, take his true form ever again, so he took the next best thing. You see, the mad, cruel wizard forgot to specify the lycanthropy spell so now this poor creature can take any form but his own," I replied.
"Hey, Ax? Keep at least one eye on our bowl. I see a few more kender roaming around here," I murmured under my breath. He swiveled one eye stalk to point towards the money-bowl.
"Then why are they all human now?" a woman cried from the crowd.
"Why, because this same evil, mad, cruel mage made them all into were- animals!" I replied.
I gulped and hoped no one would ask any more questions, but give a lot more money.
Thankfully, the crowd dispersed, but not until after they'd left a few more coins, steel coins at that.
"Ha! What I'd tell you? Wow! Look at all this money. Hell, we don't have to worry about much of anything concerning money, unless the current value of steel coins has gone down. Lets just hope it hasn't," I said.
Rachel looked over my shoulder into the little bowl. "Looks like about five dollars worth of quarters to me," she commented.
I grinned. "That's what it's worth at your home, though you'll get arrested for using counterfeit money. But here, it's worth...oh, I don't know. This right here might be about fifty dollars, and that's also making the things we get with it constantly half-price."
Cassie gave a low whistle as Jake said, "That's a lot of money for just a half-hour worth of work."
I chuckled. "That wasn't work! That was fun! There's a big difference. I had those people eating out of my hands, mostly thanks to my stretch concerning the truth of the matter."
Why would anyone want anyone else eating out of their hands? Ax asked.
"You lied?!" Jake exclaimed.
"I didn't lie! Not exactly, anyway...Well, maybe a little....Okay, yes, I lied," I said with a sigh. "But it worked!" I told them brightly. Then I slapped myself. "Ugh, I sound like a kender," I muttered.
"What do you have against those little guys? They seem nice enough," Cassie asked me.
"Oh, they try to be nice. But while they're being nice, their robbing you blind and asking you questions you mostly can't possibly answer," I told her. "Plus they're annoying as a swarm of misquitos."
"Oh."