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This was a bad idea this was a bad idea this was a bad idea.
Holly runs as fast as she can but the demon's faster. She has no idea where Lightning's gotten to; maybe he found a tree to climb. She on the other hand has been diverted into a treeless hill and she's careening down a slope, trying very hard not to trip.
And the demon's gaining on her.
She's never seen anything like it and neither has Crystal; maybe Book knows what it is but Book's asleep. It's mostly mouth - it looks like a cross between a floorlength mirror of a mouth and a snake to propel the mouth along.
And Holly's not fast enough.
The mouth catches her.
But it doesn't hurt.
Where are we?
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inourhead
inourhead
The visitors were not expecting this and do get tossed. Lightning catches Crystal, who blushes. "Um," she says, "yes, if both things were squares or bars. So you don't just want a little candlestick or a big necklace?"
characterquarry
"Sorry, forgot to warn you about the jerking around. No, what I want is more gold and more silver."
inourhead
"Well, then it would be easier just to swap the materials," says Crystal. "If you don't mind having your gold in candlestick shape."
characterquarry
"No, that won't matter." Now the bus is going over a very impressive-looking bridge, which is over a wide river containing several ships.
characterquarry
"It's more valuable than iron, here. I'm going to sell it. This won't work forever, of course, once troporting is semi-common supply and demand will even it out. And if I don't cash in on magical arbitrage, someone will."
inourhead
"Oh, I guess without troporting that kind of thing would happen," muses Crystal.
characterquarry
"Abusing economics with magic can be fun, as long as it doesn't break anything important."
characterquarry
Erin hums a little tune under her breath. The bus turns again. "We're almost there, now."
inourhead
Lightning murmurs something softly to Crystal, and she pats him on the arm and murmurs back.
characterquarry
Erin doesn't pry.
The bus stops. Unlike the previous times the bus stopped, Erin says, "Time to get out." She leads them into a large building full of official-looking people using offices of all sorts.
As she navigates to a particular section of the place, she asks, "Do you want to learn the local language? Right now I'm your interpreter, but it may become inconvenient if you stay here long enough. A wish would do it, or you could try the long way."
The bus stops. Unlike the previous times the bus stopped, Erin says, "Time to get out." She leads them into a large building full of official-looking people using offices of all sorts.
As she navigates to a particular section of the place, she asks, "Do you want to learn the local language? Right now I'm your interpreter, but it may become inconvenient if you stay here long enough. A wish would do it, or you could try the long way."
inourhead
"I might," Crystal says. "Lightning and Book won't be here more than a few days."
characterquarry
Erin talks to a certain civil servant, translating the conversation acceptably close to realtime. (She has practice.)
They seem to be in an argument as to whether two people or four are applying for welfare, here.
characterquarry
"A modest food budget, a place to live in, and accommodation of special needs, which your need for mice will qualify for since I can honestly say that you depend on them to continue having good health."
inourhead
"Unless your food budget won't accommodate us being awake all the time we probably should count as two."
characterquarry
Erin argues with the guy some more. Eventually, he throws his hands up and accepts a somewhat increased food-and-mouse budget, and two single-occupancy apartments.
There is some paperwork. A fair amount of paperwork. All four are asked to sign a document promising to abide by the laws of Tel Hesti and to only use the money they receive for the described purposes of food, mice, and 'living essentials' such as soap and toothpaste.
(Erin summarizes the salient laws. No attacking anyone, no stealing, no being naked in public, no harassing people, and similar.)
There is some paperwork. A fair amount of paperwork. All four are asked to sign a document promising to abide by the laws of Tel Hesti and to only use the money they receive for the described purposes of food, mice, and 'living essentials' such as soap and toothpaste.
(Erin summarizes the salient laws. No attacking anyone, no stealing, no being naked in public, no harassing people, and similar.)
characterquarry
"Most people need to sleep, remember. To us, not giving you a place to sleep is cruel. Even if you won't actually use it for sleeping."
inourhead
"We're not used to it. Lightning's family has a house though."
They sign the papers. "Should I sign for Book?" Lightning asks. "Or his sisters? I can try to sleep right now if I have to but I'm not sure I can for a while yet."
They sign the papers. "Should I sign for Book?" Lightning asks. "Or his sisters? I can try to sleep right now if I have to but I'm not sure I can for a while yet."
characterquarry
"If someone's going to sign for him, it should be his sisters."
There is a loud ringing sound. The civil servant mumbles, "Ah, lunchtime soon. I always need some coffee after dealing with strange wishes."
There is a loud ringing sound. The civil servant mumbles, "Ah, lunchtime soon. I always need some coffee after dealing with strange wishes."
characterquarry
The civil servant applies a stamp to the papers, shuffles some of them into four different folders, and hands a fifth pile back to Erin, along with a sheaf of paper money, which may or may not seem familiar. "Residency will have their apartment keys ready in about an hour."
"Shall we have lunch in the meantime, Crystal, Lightning?"
"Shall we have lunch in the meantime, Crystal, Lightning?"
inourhead
"Yes," breathes Lightning. "Non-troported food, yes, I don't even care what it is."