Cookies, part 2. Tatsu tells a scary story to an adoring audience.
Nopon speech patterns and body horror.
All the good things belong to MonolithSoft.
Tatsu had his eyes scrunched tight and his wingarms wrapped around his considerable belly, his typical pose for telling a scary story. Lin wished she had popcorn, but fresh baked cookies made a nice substitute. Vandham and Elma looked more skeptical, but they were politely attentive.
Caravan life ride high, swing low. It make business interesting. But sometimes caravan sink so low, hope disappears. Then pon may consider ancient ritual. Write down all bad on hide of last potomus, then drive into swamp. But only consider this, never do. Break with customers one thing. When pon deny debt to luck itself, pon escape the worst but never see proper good days again.
[Tatsu opened an eye. "If friends find potomus remains in black net, please avoid. Curse remain for long time."
Lin frowned. "I thought you said caravans never do this," she argued, but Tatsu had his eye closed again.]
Worst is when caravan drive nopopon into rival group. Hardships settle on others, yes, but no one ever hear that the first caravan do well in their place. Proper good things shun them forever.
In end, no one use curse marks. If worst comes, caravan must disband. We say disband, but it a more bitter farewell. When strangerpon come to existing caravan, custom says to take and care, because they often been through the bitter.
Long ago ago two strangerpon come to happy caravan. Old trader and younger cousin. Everyone like trader, very much hopeful pon of energy, but cousin all mangy and silent, only working when trader push him.
It bad time to join, because caravan start going though bitter themselves. Potomus sicken, kiwegg spoil, littlepon fret and cry. Caravan slowly sink, but trader make out all right. Trader encourage others, always with plan on making best of situation. Trader seen worse, hope for better, and tell others same. Himself help pons in trouble, make their loss his profit.
Cousin sulky though, and not liked at all. Skulking in corner, never help, mangy to boot. Fur all clumpy, tuft gone, not even one bit of fluff much less majestic coil of handsomeness. [Vandham coughed on a cookie crumb but said nothing.] Never do anything bad, true, but just stand and watch when trade goods fall in mud or potomus stung by adsecula or other pon hurt back carrying water. But must welcome strangerpon, so no one say, just shoo to side if possible.
Then one day, worst day of all, Cousin Mange standing and watching as littlepon fall into cook fire. Littlepon scream, Cousin do nothing. Mamapon rush up and rake littlepon out of fire with oil ladle. Littlepon only too warm but mamapon so angry, she smack Mangypon over and over. Make him all oily, maybe help his fur, not so bad. But then she swing wide, through fire, and now ladle all flames. ["Oof, thermal damage," said Vandham. "Shhh," said Lin.]
Mangypon dance and dance, all aflame. This worst fate for Nopon, to be barbeque. [Tatsu opened one eye and glared at Lin, who had the decency to blush.] Caravan not monsters [another glare], douse cousin right quick. But all fluff burned and gone. But greater horror than this: on shivering skin is whorl and swoop of curse mark ink. Nothing can save him. Caravan drive both trader and his victim away.
Long time ever after, it custom for strangerpon to shave little patch of skin to prove innocence before joining. Not done now because Noponfolk more evolved. But also why Earth friends so easy to welcome because have nothing but naked skin.
Tatsu looked up. "This help Big Man?"
Vandham puffed his mustache, sending cookie crumbs flying. "I didn't think this whole thing could get weirder, but indeed you did."
"Help or make things weird?" Lin asked.
"Both."
a/n: Tatsu likes to tell scary stories in October.
Next up: Either "prickle" or a different story about barbeque.