Chapter nine: A second party.
Not too far away from the village of Rikido, in the small kingdom of Andrast, a struggling businessman by the name of Pippin Lloyd was standing outside of the castle gates, trying to get in. "But I'm telling you the truth," said Pippin, "I have information that will make our kingdom the most powerful in the world." "Yeah right," said the guard, "why should we believe you?"
"Because I have this."
Pippin reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "This is a map to find the Galleon of Gold," said Pippin as he showed the map to the guard. "This is a map?" asked the Guard. "It looks more like crap. I can tell that this thing is a fake. Now get out of here or it's the dungeon for you." Pippin put the map back into his pocket. "You're gonna regret what you just did," he said, "when I'm rich, I'll buy this kingdom and send you into the streets." "Hah!" laughed that guard, "that'll be the day."
Pippin walked away from the castle gates and into a dark alley where he took out a match and a cigar. "Those things will kill you," said a voice from deep inside the darkness of the alley. "Who's there?" asked Pippin. "Just someone who's interested in that little piece of paper that you carry," said the voice. Footsteps soon followed. Soon, sunlight from what was left of the sun for the day shined on the owner of the voice. It was a girl around the age of sixteen. "I'm willing to join you on your quest for the galleon," she said. "I'm not going," said Pippin, "I wouldn't last one day away from civilization."
"Then I'll go."
"And why would I give this map to a kid, huh?"
Another voice came from the shadows. "This is no ordinary kid." From the shadows emerged a boy about the same age as the girl. "I'm not a kid," said the girl. "Well, you sure act like one," said the boy.
"No I don't"
"Yes you do."
"Says who."
"Me. That's who"
"And who do you think you are anyway, talking to me like that?"
"I'm your partner, remember?"
"I work alone."
"Since when?"
"Since now."
"You're getting rid of me after all of those times I saved your life?"
"Who said I needed your help anyway?"
"Well, when you say 'Help me, Chris," that kinda gives someone the impression that you need help."
"I never asked you for help."
"Yes you did."
"When?"
"In the cave of Arnor when those trolls came out of nowhere and ambushed you."
"And where were you at the time?"
"I was outside."
"And why was that?"
"Because you said, 'This'll be a piece of cake. Just wait out here till I get back.'"
"I don't remember that at all."
"That's where you got your sword crafted by the elves."
"I don't have a sword like that."
"You're wearing it right now."
"Oh yeah! I forgot. Sorry about what I said."
"It's okay."
"Excuse me," said Pippin, confused about what had just happened, "but who are you two?"
The boy cleared his throat. "My name is Christopher Boe," he said, "and this is my business partner Alexandria Williams." Alexandria had a smug look on her face. "I've never heard of you," said Pippin.
"We don't like to be well known," said Alexandria, "so we don't get much trouble from the law." Pippin sighed, and reached into his pocket. "You can keep the map if you want it so badly," he said. "It's probably a fake, considering the fact that I stole it from some bimbo at a restaurant in Rikido Village last night." Pippin handed the map over to Alexandria who snatched it right away. "Just make sure you don't get killed along the way," said Pippin. "I don't want a thing like that haunting my conscience." Pippin lit his cigar and walked away leaving two very skilled treasure hunters with the treasure map of all treasure maps.
"Chris," said Alexandria.
"Yeah?"
"We're leaving at sunrise."
Not too far away from the village of Rikido, in the small kingdom of Andrast, a struggling businessman by the name of Pippin Lloyd was standing outside of the castle gates, trying to get in. "But I'm telling you the truth," said Pippin, "I have information that will make our kingdom the most powerful in the world." "Yeah right," said the guard, "why should we believe you?"
"Because I have this."
Pippin reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "This is a map to find the Galleon of Gold," said Pippin as he showed the map to the guard. "This is a map?" asked the Guard. "It looks more like crap. I can tell that this thing is a fake. Now get out of here or it's the dungeon for you." Pippin put the map back into his pocket. "You're gonna regret what you just did," he said, "when I'm rich, I'll buy this kingdom and send you into the streets." "Hah!" laughed that guard, "that'll be the day."
Pippin walked away from the castle gates and into a dark alley where he took out a match and a cigar. "Those things will kill you," said a voice from deep inside the darkness of the alley. "Who's there?" asked Pippin. "Just someone who's interested in that little piece of paper that you carry," said the voice. Footsteps soon followed. Soon, sunlight from what was left of the sun for the day shined on the owner of the voice. It was a girl around the age of sixteen. "I'm willing to join you on your quest for the galleon," she said. "I'm not going," said Pippin, "I wouldn't last one day away from civilization."
"Then I'll go."
"And why would I give this map to a kid, huh?"
Another voice came from the shadows. "This is no ordinary kid." From the shadows emerged a boy about the same age as the girl. "I'm not a kid," said the girl. "Well, you sure act like one," said the boy.
"No I don't"
"Yes you do."
"Says who."
"Me. That's who"
"And who do you think you are anyway, talking to me like that?"
"I'm your partner, remember?"
"I work alone."
"Since when?"
"Since now."
"You're getting rid of me after all of those times I saved your life?"
"Who said I needed your help anyway?"
"Well, when you say 'Help me, Chris," that kinda gives someone the impression that you need help."
"I never asked you for help."
"Yes you did."
"When?"
"In the cave of Arnor when those trolls came out of nowhere and ambushed you."
"And where were you at the time?"
"I was outside."
"And why was that?"
"Because you said, 'This'll be a piece of cake. Just wait out here till I get back.'"
"I don't remember that at all."
"That's where you got your sword crafted by the elves."
"I don't have a sword like that."
"You're wearing it right now."
"Oh yeah! I forgot. Sorry about what I said."
"It's okay."
"Excuse me," said Pippin, confused about what had just happened, "but who are you two?"
The boy cleared his throat. "My name is Christopher Boe," he said, "and this is my business partner Alexandria Williams." Alexandria had a smug look on her face. "I've never heard of you," said Pippin.
"We don't like to be well known," said Alexandria, "so we don't get much trouble from the law." Pippin sighed, and reached into his pocket. "You can keep the map if you want it so badly," he said. "It's probably a fake, considering the fact that I stole it from some bimbo at a restaurant in Rikido Village last night." Pippin handed the map over to Alexandria who snatched it right away. "Just make sure you don't get killed along the way," said Pippin. "I don't want a thing like that haunting my conscience." Pippin lit his cigar and walked away leaving two very skilled treasure hunters with the treasure map of all treasure maps.
"Chris," said Alexandria.
"Yeah?"
"We're leaving at sunrise."