Chapter 20: The Reddening
The past few hours had been uneventful. I mean, when you're dealing with a combination of a break-up and a botched assassination attempt, you tend to need a break from politics so that you could recover psychologically. Lady Kilani is no different considering her current situation. She did seem impressed that I would have gone to the lengths of using a rope or some bed sheets to rappel down to her room from the floor above just so I could comfort her. I mean sure, even if all we did together was set down some utensils for a greeting party, that still doesn't mean we can't be friends. Scratch my head and I'll give you advice on what to wear at a party. Or however that expression goes.
... Anyway, the point is this: Kalina needed an ear to listen to her, and I wanted to provide a couple of mine.
To summarize the evening, I offered to be an emotionally supportive therapy yinglet for her. She agreed. She eventually winded herself up into talking about how she started liking Lord Gerrand Gont Yontleese on the day they first met when she and her family met at a social gathering at Gerrand's father's estate, located at the center of The Glorious Empire of Kalleg Darr. They danced for a bit, traded poems, and described their dreams. It was only when the flirting began that they decided to swap kisses with each other, but news of that easily reached Gerrand's father and Borafous. Borafous would have throttled Gerrand had Kilani not stepped in. She explained that this was seven months ago, and that she would have asked Gerrand's father if she could marry his son one day. But then she guessed because Gerrand and Kilani were so far apart from one another, Gerrand decided one day that this long-distance relationship won't be lasting for much longer. Sadder still that he couldn't deliver the break-up letter in person since he had supped from a poisoned cup.
After asking if I can give my thoughts on the matter, I explained that she was too good for him, and the fact that if he had to make a note to express his feelings for the relationship he had with Kilani made him a bad boyfriend anyway. I even dared say that if I were a human that was shorter than the normal average height of a man, had a swath of land I own in a deed to my name, I would have treated her like a queen giantess, and would allow her to treat my home as her own. She laughed.
After that, I asked Teecam to pass some food through the transom window, Kilani and I ate some food, we talked a bit more, and then I had to go to sleep due to the fact that yinglets need to sleep more frequently than humans. She wanted to know what my life was like before I came into Arisota's Hold, but I hand-waved that away and explained I needed to rest and I was already tired at that point. Teecam said she would return in the morning, and so, left us by ourselves.
When the morning came, everything got worse.
You know what is nice? Waking up next to someone. I mean, okay, I was technically on the topside of the blanket and Kilani was beneath the covers. She was kind enough to let me sleep on her bed when I was tired. Poor dear cried her eyes out, but then again, everybody needed a good cry every now and then. But then again, I never would have known Kilani to roll while she slept. There had been a few times where I was woken up by her arm landing on my head or her chest brushing into my face, startling me awake every time. I decided to migrate near the foot of her bed and stayed clear of her feet. Wouldn't be a restful night for me if I got kicked to the floor, after all!
When I finally awoke, I saw that Kilani was still asleep. Good. I silently and quietly crept off of her bed and began to pace around her room, looking at her furniture, her paintings, and wall paper designs. Apparently, rich aristocrats love to cover their walls with ornate paper designs.
Was this going to be a theme? That I end up in a lady's room in some kind of hijinks that leads me into these situations? If I had a nickle for every time this happens, I would have two nickles! Which is not a lot, but I think it's weird it happened twice.
Anyway, the real reason why I got up was not because I was fully rested, but also because I needed to use the bathroom. Thankfully, aristocrats tend to prefer having their personal toilet in walking distance to their beds, and since I was inside of a fortress in the halls that houses the upper class, such amenities were easily provided.
Certainly beats digging a hole and worrying if a leaf or grass bundle was poisonous or safe to use. Anyway, moving on.
Slow-burning wax candles were a godsend, since they can provide a small fire source that can light up oil lanterns. It's certainly better than rubbing sticks together over some kindling. Though it does make me wonder where they get the wax for the candles. There was a metal cabinet that housed an enormous, slow-burning candle. I'm not an expert on candles, but I reckon this huge light source can keep itself alight for a few nights, and is regularly replaced if it ever runs low. Sadly, my lanky little arms were not long enough to reach for the lit wick, let alone a lantern, so that I could use the light source to find my way to Kilani's privy chamber. Since I have no access to any light source, I'd have to memorize the location of the toilet before I close the door behind myself.
As I was finishing up, I thought I heard what sounded like a 'huff' coming from the bedroom that Kilani was sleeping in. Curious, I walked back in and looked around. Unfortunately, I didn't see anything.
Hm. Oh well.
Still, with my bladder relieved, all that's left for me to do was to wait for Kilani to wake up or find some quiet activity that would tire me out so I can go rest on Kilani's bed again. What can a yinglet do in this situation, one might ask? Jumping jacks? Sit-ups? Push-ups? Pull-ups? Repetitions? Jogging? Calisthenics? Thinking about it, exercising might be a bad idea, or I might chance waking up Lady Kilani if my workout routine ends up being too loud. I haven't really exercised much in my past life, though I do tend to quite a bit of farm work and a few other labors for one of my jobs. However, that was in the distant past, and I doubt Kilani would want my help to plow her fiel- ... Okay, let's not complete that since that sounds like a double entendre.
I guess the only quiet thing I can do right now is pace.
But that's when I noticed the smell. It was kind of acrid, kind of metallic, and kind of minty, but without the mint and it tickled and burned my nostrils before it went away. What?
Kilani coughed violently before waking up with a groan. Oh? Did I wake her up? "Uh... Good morning, Lady Kilani. Did I wake you?"
"No... Ugh..." Huh. Kilani sounded way different. Like she was congested with an allergy. "I don'h feel well."
Oh. That can't be good. "How serious is it?" I ask.
"Like my faicse and hans are on fire." She said, groggily getting out of her bed and rubbing her face.
"Hm... Maybe you shouldn't rub your eyes zhen? Just in case it's somezhing really serious." I replied.
"Hm? Oh. Yeah, you mighh be righh. Why can'h I smell anyhhing?" She sluggishly said. She got up and went to the metal cabinet, using a smaller candle to catch the light of the slow-burning one before feeding the flame to a hand lantern. She then retreated into the bathroom. A few seconds later, Kilani began to shout "OH MY GOD!"
... Okay, usually I don't barge into a bathroom when someone is in it, but some etiquette should be ignored when there are emergencies. "WHAT?! WHAT HAPPENED?!" I yelled, knocking on her door before peeking a glance inside, careful that my gaze doesn't stray to the nearby toilet.
"MY FAICSE! MY FAICSE!" She shrilled.
I looked up at her reflection. Wow. What was once the face of a gorgeous woman with red hair had become as red as a newborn baby, yet twice as pudgy as one as well. One of her eyes was having difficulty keeping itself open, and her lips almost seemed to grow twice their original size. What was once flat cheekbones extended out like a rosy balloon.
Reasonably, I voiced my opinion. "AAAAAAAAH! OH MY GOD YOUR FACE! AAAH-AAAH-AAAh-HA HA HA HA HA HA HA~!"
Kilani turned to looked down at me, though I was unsure if she was angry. "ARE YOU LAUGHPING AT ME? HHIS IS SERIOUS!" Judging by her tone, she was quite angry with me.
I nearly doubled over, even when I lost my composure. "HA HA HA S-S-SORRY! YOUR FACE IS... YOUR FACE IS JUST... HA HA HA HA HA~!" Goddammit.
Okay. I can't really explain why, but... Her face looks so goofy like that. I mean, I know it's serious. I don't even know how her face got like that. That, and I can't think straight due to all of the air that I'm inhaling and exhaling. I was laughing like someone invented the perfect joke and my ribs ended up being mercilessly tickled. She looked so hilarious I think I began crying.
I immediately looked away. Come on! Now isn't the time to lose it! "HA HA HA HA HA AAAAH SORRY SORRY HA HA SORRY! I NEED TO LOOK AWAY! I'LL CALL FOR TEECAM! YOU-HA HA HA! YOU CAN UNBAR ZHE DOOR!"
"YOU BEDHER!" She growled, walking behind me with anger and agitation.
I shaken the image of her face out of my mind as best as I could as I scaled over the barricade and leaned out of the transom window. I then began shouting. "TEECAM! TEECAM! TEECAM! HELLO? ANYONE? WE NEED HELP! LADY KILANI'S FACE... KILANI'S FACE IS..." Dammit no, don't remember it! Forcing down a snicker, I continued. "WE NEED HELP! LADY KILANI IS SICK AND SHE NEEDS A DOCTOR!"
There was a sudden rumble down the hallway. A bone worn, adorned with cloths of green gold black and red, came slithering towards the door I was shouting over. Oh good. I believe Thaladine came to the rescue. She slowly bent her head upward to better look at me. "Rrrrr. Rrrroy? Wwwwhat is this commotionnnn?"
"Zhaladine! Zhaladine! Lady Kilani is sick and she needs help! She's unbarring zhe door right now, since I'm too small and weak to do zhat by myself! If you can do us a favor and get some medical assistance, zhen we can get help for Kilani!" I urged aloud.
"Hnnnng... Wwwwhat isss herrrr conditionnn?" Thaladine asked.
"Her face got really red and.. And bloated... Pfft. Pfft-hehe." Dammit. "S-sorry. It looked really funny, but I need to not laugh at it right now. Zhaladine, please! We need help!"
"Hnnmm! Thhhhennn it's timmmme I use thhhhe alarmmm callllll." Thaladine grumbled. I think I heard a hint of pride in her voice.
"I can'h see." Kilani said from below and behind me. "Roy. Look if hhere is s'hil hhings blocking hhe way."
I looked behind myself, careful not to look at Kilani's face, and saw that the bookcase was the last blockade that stood between us and the other side. Additionally, there were books and other items that were added to it to make it heavier, adding more weight against the door. Okay, think quick. Uh... "Okay. I have an idea. Kilani, see if you can feel around and take stuff off of zhe bookcase." I swiveled around to face Thaladine. "Zhaladine, I want you to-"
"R-H-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O~! ! !"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" I grabbed at my ears and clenched them tightly. Wow. Thaladine could be a fekking loud baxxid if she wanted to be one.
Once Thaladine was done making her alarm, she turned up to me again. "Nnnwhat were you sayinggggg?"
"Uhhh." I hope that didn't damage my hearing. "... Oh. I need you to push zhe door open after I get to zhe door latch. It's blocked by a bookcase, so you'll need to give it a good shove!"
"Hnnm!" Thaladine replied with a nod before bracing the flat side of her dominant claws on Kilani's door. Upon reaching for the door latch and unlocking the door, I slinked out of the way and let Thaladine force her way through the entrance. The legs of the bookcase made a horrible grinding, squeaking noise. Thankfully, the loud affront ceased quickly.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? SENTINEL THALADINE?" I heard a new voice from outside the room. It sounded like one of the guards on night patrol. I can also hear the pattering of more feet coming to our location.
"HrrrrLady Kilani needs mmmmmmedical attentionnnnh." Thaladine answered.
As the guard walked in and saw Kilani, I was able to see his face. It turned as pale as a ghost. He then turned away and shouted towards the growing audience summoned by Thaladine's call. "WE NEED A DOCTOR! GET KORRIS HERE NOW!" He then turned back to face Lady Kilani. "Lady Kilani, what happened?!"
"I was sleebing... Roy woke me up... I wenh ho hhe mirror and saw myself looking red and puffy... My nose is feeling congeshed..." Kilani answered.
I began laughing again. Not only did she look funny, but sounded ridiculous too. My loud snickering caught the attention of the audience around me, which earned me several angry glares. I wasn't sure if Kilani is able to glare at me in her current condition, and I wasn't sure if Thaladine was normal glaring or angry glaring. Once I was able to reign my inappropriate announcement of my amusement of Kilani's sudden ailment, I was silent. "... Sorry. I'll just uh... Wait out here." It didn't take long for Lord Arrinoka Arisota, Borafous Bel DaggerKnuckle, Lord Zuddle Arisota, Teecam and others in nightgowns to arrive.
Thankfully, the doctor that was summoned to take care of Kilani Bel DaggerKnuckle was the best in his vocation throughout Arisota's Hold. When Kilani was ushered to her bed for rest and was told not to touch her face further. It took nearly twenty minutes before the doctor came through. He wore a white smock, and had red hair that was long and pulled back with three small ponytails, with a blond gray streak that dangled on his forehead, which had been hidden by a small head mirror. His pale skin was quite wrinkled, with furrowed, large eyebrows and scowling mouth looking like they made his face perpetually disappointed, despite having kind green eyes. He quickly got to work and ran through several questions with the bystanders and night guard that were called here by Thaladine. Once his medical staff came through to bring Korris' equipment, he quickly had Thaladine moved out of her room and placed on a blanket on the floor, procured from a nearby bedroom before he proceeded with Kilani's physical, diagnosis and treatment.
"It was as I suspected." Korris nasalized. "Scientific name: Venenum Harenae Regem. More commonly known as Master's Bane. A fairly rare desert root that holds a small amount of toxin that is easily dispersed during the dry months. Through several processes of careful extraction of the root's moisture, and allowing the liquid contents to evaporate slowly, the toxin within this plant could be concentrated to lethal doses as a powder. A favored weapon of silent lord slayers and betrayers."
"Will she be alright?" Borafous asked pleadingly. I never knew the large and intimidating man could plead before this morning.
"Ech. She'll be fine." Korris grumbled. "The immediate problem was the residue. All that was needed to be done was wipe it away with several damp rags infused with the essences of herbs and spices known to reduce inflammation and swelling. We were careful not to smear it onto her mouth, however. The physical symptoms you see now is nothing but direct skin contact to the toxic substance. It is amazing luck that your daughter doesn't breathe through her mouth or lick her lips as she sleeps. Otherwise, the toxin would have entered her throat and prevent her from breathing. Worse still, her bed is contaminated with the stuff! This was why I wanted to have her out here on a clean and comfortable surface."
Arrinoka sighed with a grumble due to lack of sleep. "I'll have some errand runners wear protective clothes to burn the bed. I will have them deliver it past the outskirts of The Step." He then turned to me. "Roy. I have been told that you were with Lady Bel DaggerKnuckle last night. Was Teecam with you last night?"
I looked up at Arrinoka and nodded. "Yes. She said she would be returning in zhe morning."
"Suspicious..." Zuddle said in earshot of everyone, pawing at his chin in contemplation.
Arrinoka paid no mind to him. Borafous, however, glared at the advisor and vice fortmaster. "You thinking of some suspects already, Zuddle?"
"A few, but it's too early to tell." Zuddle answered, but kept to himself as he continued pawing his chin.
Arrinoka gestured to me. "Have your heard or seen anyone after Teecam left?"
I shook my head. "No. It was a pretty uneventful night. I woke up first, but I didn't want to wake up Lady Kilani. I guess during zhe time I was worried for Lady Kilani, I forgot to request Teecam to bring zhings zhat would pass zhe time. I had to wait for morning wizhout anyzhing to do. I guess I must have woken her up by accident. She was zhe first to discover zhat she was... Pfft. She was." No no no.
"She was what?" Borafous asked earnestly.
No no no no no no no no no "Zhat her face puffed up like a red fruit, hehehe. She looked... She looked so silly! HA HA HA HA HA!"
Borafous' eyebrow twitched. That is not a good sign. Arrinoka and Zuddle exchanged confused glances with each other. Teecam fiddled with her fingers uncertainly. "Perhaps, in hindsight, I should have stayed with them?" Teecam said.
"And zhen when she talked, it sounded like she had stuffed some cotton balls up her nose! HER NOSE! HEHEHEHE!" Great. I was losing myself in front of everyone.
Borafous had it at this point. In a quick motion, he reached down and held me up by my neck. "I need you to be more serious here, rat. My daughter's health should be your concern, as it is mine."
"Ghhk! Y... Yer... Hurt... Ing... Me..." I was caught in Borafous' vice-like grip, powered by anger and a father's concern. Judging from the strength I can sense from his fingers alone, he could easily break my neck.
Arrinoka yawned in a bored manner. "Borafous, please put my pet down."
Borafous turned toward Arrinoka. "He was laughing at my daughter's illness."
"I... I'm s... Sorry... Let... Me... Go...Please... Ghhk." I managed to choke out. Unfortunately, Borafous didn't seem to hear me.
Korris turned from his spot on the floor and leaned to look at us. "I advise you from touching the yinglet, Outerguard Captain. I have reason to believe he might have been present when Kilani was poisoned."
Borafous angrilly looked at Korris. "Are you saying this rat poisoned my daughter?!"
"No. Rather, he might have the same poisonous powder residue clinging to his fur. The only reason he is not affected is because yinglets are immune to most types of poisons, toxins, and noxious substances. I know this because other medical experts informed me that they have treated poachers whom have been bitten by his kind before, and they often boast among themselves the best methods in hunting yinglets." Korris explained.
Arrinoka sighed again. "Put him down before I make the order."
Turning to look at Arrinoka, Borafous paused before looking at me with unfiltered anger. However, his glare softened slightly and decided to drop me to the ground. Once I was on the floor, Borafous inspected the hand he held me up by my neck with and saw it already reddening. He then pointed down at me in frustration. "I want this animal washed and locked up. Because if I hear it laughing at my daughter again... I can't be responsible for what might happen next." He growled before deciding to sit on the wall opposite of Korris and his medical staff that were carefully treating Kilani.
"... Dah." Kilani whispered weakly.
Zuddle sighed and stepped forward. "Lord Arrinoka, if I may? I would have one of my servants hide and bathe Roy. He will be kept safe until this event is contained and the villain is apprehended."
Arrinoka turned to Zuddle. "Is it possible that an assailant might be in our midst? Perhaps someone we missed from the greeting party yesterday? They could have used Roy as an unwitting stooge to target Lady Kilani."
"All the more reason I believe Teecam should be arrested and interrogated." Zuddle said, turning to Teecam.
"... What? Does... Does this mean I am a suspect?" Teecam asked, sounding somewhat shocked.
Zuddle sighed. "YIt's just a formallity. You were the only other person that was with Kilani and Roy, after all. We will also have to investigate the other guests from yesterday as well."
Arrinok nodded. "Then by my command as Fortmaster of this hold, I hereby order everyone to double the guards in this fortress for five days." He then turned to Zuddle. "Vice Fortmaster, you are to charge your most capable servant to hide Roy in the meantime."
Zuddle bowed respectfully to Arrinoka. "Sleuth." A hooded figure, clothed with a hood that was predominantly black, but had accents of green gold and red, came out from the gathered audience. "Bring this yinglet to a safe place. Make sure he is welcome there."
"Yessir." A feminine voice answered. The hooded figure walked up to me and the gestured to follow her. "This way."
I blinked a few times. "Uh... What's your name?"
"Sorry, little yinglet. It's part of a sleuth's job not to reveal their name in public. So if you can please-"
"No no, I don't want to go anywhere unless I hear your name." I hurriedly said, taking a step away.
There was a pause. Awkward glances were shared with everyone in the room. The hooded figure huffed. "How about if I whisper it to you? Can you keep my name secret?"
I hesitated, but I eventually nodded my head.
She slowly leaned down to my level and close to my ear.
"My name is Lain. You can trust me. Now come with me please."
I nodded. "Okay. Lead zhe way." I began to follow her.
Thaladine seemed to stretch herself taller while cocking her head. I don't know why she did that, but whatever.
"... Is zhis really neccessary?" I asked, holding up a burlap sack and a leash that Lain gave to me. She had lead me to the main elevator, closing the door behind us, but had given me these items before she whispered the chosen floor to the elevator operator.
"My order was to bring you someplace safe, yinglet. This is so as to ensure the secrecy of the safe place. We can't have a blabber mouth blabbering about it, now can we?" Lain chided.
I grumbled, but I latched the leash and placed the sack on my head. My vision became dark, and my hearing was muffled slightly, but at least I'll be getting this over with. "I mean... Zhe leash is demeaning enough by itself, but I still don't see zhe sack being necessary."
"Thank you. And also, if it is not too much trouble, I need you to be quiet." Lain asked.
I huffed. "Fine, fine. Just please don't ask me to jump or anyzhing when I'm like zhis. I'll be putting my trust in you."
And so, the elevator ride began. Judging by my sense of decreased weight, we must be descending. With a final settling of gravity, followed by a gentle tug, I was ushered forward blindly. We turned several times, and I heard the subtle sound of stone and rock grinding on each other. Before too long, I heard some voices as we entered into a new area. I think we might be deep underground.
"Eh. Got a new one for us?" This voice sounded gruff and impassive.
"Yes." I hear Lain said. "My boss felt that the inclusion of this yinglet is now needed. The quicker we get this done, the better, so don't blurt out any spoilers."
"Alright. I'll get the key. It'll be, er... The one room with our more even-headed residents. The one with Yanara."
"Mm." After a further shuffling to a different location, I heard metal hinges creek before I was ushered into somewhere new. Once the leash was taken off, a metal closing sound was created before Lain spoke again. "There. Enjoy your stay. Goodbye."
"Not gonna take my sack off? Ugh. Razher-" As I took off the burlap sack, I took notice of the new room I was in. It was draped in a few colorful ribbons, the floor lined with pillows, and a yinglet was standing right in front of me, looking straight at me. "... Rude?"
I turned around and saw Lain already leaving. What.
"Wha- Hey HEY!" I slammed myself into the side of this enclosure. I can now see that it was the bars of a cage meant to contain prisoners. "Lain! What is going on here?! And why is zhere a lady yinglet down here?!"
She didn't turn around. She simply nodded at a sitting fat man in the corner and left, but not without being nodded back. "Later girly."
"LAIN! LAIN! LAIN ZHE SLEUZH! COME BACK! I HAVE QUESTIONS!"
"Shut up." The fat man said, standing up and walking toward my cage. He was certainly of a hefty build, He wore a simple black, red, and white tunic with long pants, and had a rather floppy hat slightly askew on his head. He wore one of those leather jackets with the armored sleeve that the Beast-Tamers Guild members wore. He also had various items holstered to his belt. It had a thin metal rod that seemed to be meant for whipping. Another was heavy and slightly shorter. A weapon. Another was a long whip meant to strike the air and sow terror, or get attention quickly. There was also a serrated knife. And finally, a set of keys. He had a hard face, which was set in a permanent wrinkled scowl. His hard gray eyes showed little care, while his unshaven and pale, pallid skin looked oily. It was as if he worked down in the underground for much of his life.
I paused at his request. "...Why? What is going on? Who are you? Where is zhis? Why did Lain dump me in here?"
He quickly took out his fat club and banged it on my cage.
"EEEE!" I backed away a couple steps.
"And I said shut up. The only things you need to know during your stay here is simple, so let me educate you. First: I'm known as Warden Tyther. But you will only address me as 'Sir'. Other wardens will come around to take my shift, and you will be expected to pay them the same respect as me. This means that you will be calling them "Sir" too. Second: Obey and do what I tell you. This also applies to the other wardens. If you listen to what we say and do as you are told, then there will be no punishments. Thirdly: If you do something bad, or don't do what we tell you to do, then you will suffer an appropriate punishment. Misbehave and I will whack you with my club. However, we also have other tools that will help correct your behavior if you act really, really bad. Do you understand?"
I paused for what seemed like a minute, but it was an eternity in my mind. I looked back behind me and saw that same yinglet that I shared this cage with. I looked outside of the cage and noticed the other cages. There were many cages. They too were filled with yinglets, though most were filled with either one or two yinglets, while some were empty. There was one large cage that contained most of the yinglets.
The yinglet I shared a cage with walked up to me. "Uh... Hello, newcomer? Are you a male yinglet? ... Oh, if I new I would be getting company, I would have cleaned up a little. What is your name?"
I quickly turned back to her. Did they say her name was... Yana or something? I looked at her more carefully.
This yinglet wore a collection of white tattered cloths stitched together to form a simple, if somewhat elegant dress. Her eyes were a pale blue, and her fur color seemed to be of a blonde strawberry cream color, or pale orange-tan, while her hair and back fur was a noticeable deep orangish-brown. More importantly, though I couldn't help it as my eyes were drawn to these details, I noticed that she had female features and a lack of female features. Firstly, she had breasts that were contained by her makeshift dress in a blouse. And second, I noticed that her tailpoof was unusually short, as though it was cleanly cut off by shears or scissors.
It suddenly clicked in my head. These were the missing females the enclave of Sharp Rock had been searching for.
I quickly ran, startling Yana as I brushed past her, and slammed into the cage bars. "LET ME OUT OF HERE! I DEMAND TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHO IS IN CHARGE! WHERE IS LORD ZUDDLE?! LORD ARRINOKA?!"
"I told you to shut up!" Tyther smacked his club onto the cage again.
"DON'T TELL ME TO SHUT UP, YOU GOITED GIMBOIDIAN SMEG HEAD!" I shouted inconsolably. This time I ignored his club banging on the cage I was stuck in. "OF ALL ZHE IDIOTS AND ASSHOLES I HAVE EVER MET IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, NONE COULD COMPARE TO ZHE PINNACLE JERK ZHAT IS YOU! NOW STOP STROKING YOUR FEKKING EGO LIKE A FAD ZHAT'S NEVER GOING OUT OF STYLE, LOSE A FEW INCHES ON YOUR BELT, HIKE UP YOUR PANTS, EAT HUMBLE PIE, AND SEND A MESSAGE TO LORD ZUDDLE ZHAT I WANT AN AUDIENCE WIZH HIM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!"
Tyther reached toward my neck and dragged my head close to the cage bars. Sadly, my head wasn't small enough to fit through the bars of the cage, but at least I could see Tyther's fat and offensive face way closer than I wanted. "WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY! If you keep having a tantrum like this, then I am going to have to bring out my toys on you." He growled at me.
... Oh wow, this guy has halitosis. I reached up and pushed his face away. "Ugh. Have you ever heard of a mint? You have some serious bad breazh going on zhere."
Tyther sighed and pushed me down forcefully. "Okay. I'll be back. I think I'll bring out my favorite tool just for you." He said before turning around and leaving.
I got up and walked back to the cage bars. "DON'T ZHINK ZHIS CONVERSATION IS OVER, TUBBY! AND IF YOU'RE GONNA WADDLE AROUND, ZHE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS DELIVER A MESSAGE TO YOUR BOSS ZHAT I WANT AN AUDIENCE WIZH SOMEONE OF AUZHORITY! GET ARRINOKA! GET ZUDDLE! HELL, GET BORAFOUS! ZHE BUTLER! ONE OF ZHE ELDERS! ANYONE ZHAT'S ABOVE YOUR PAYCHECK! YOUR SALARY IS PROBABLY SLIMMER ZHAN YOUR WAIST LINE ANYWAY!"
"SHUT UP ALREADY!" Tyther shouted back before wiping the sweat off his brows and eyes before closing the only door into this wide chamber.
"IS ZHAT HOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TREAT A PRISONER ANYWAY?! COME ON! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GIVE RESPECT TO GET RESPECT! ZHAT'S HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO! YOU CAN'T BE A BULLY TO ZHE NEW GUY JUST BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU FEEL SUPERIOR! IF ANYZHING, IT MEANS YOU HAVE INSECURITIES, YOU POSER JOCK WANNABE! NOW GO GET YOUR PLAYZHINGS FROM YOUR DOLLHOUSE, AND HOPE YOUR MAMA AND ZHE HIGH HORSE SHE RODE IN ON DOESN'T GROUND YOUR ASS FROM USING UTENSILS WIZH YOUR FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD! REMEMBER TO USE SALAD FORKS ON ZHE SALAD! AND ZHERE'S PLENTY MORE FAT JOKES WHERE ZHAT CAME FROM! YOU DESERVE ZHEM ALL! NOW GET YOUR BOSS! AND TRY TO BREAZHE OUT YOUR NOZE! AND NOT OUT YOUR MOUZH! OR OUT YOUR ASS!" I stepped away from the cage bars. The world felt like it was spinning. What was happening? "... Oh. I zhink I forgot to breazhe."
And suddenly, my vision became black as I fell onto some cushions.
Meanwhile, Yanara looked down at my fainted form, shocked at what she heard. Looking around, she saw that the other inmates were equally shocked. Yanara took a few seconds to process the situation she witnessed before relaxing slouching with a sigh. "Oh Zuddle. What did you imprison us wizh?"
A/N: Yinglet pound in the underground!