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With a little reluctance, I called it down; the noise was so overwhelming it deafened the entire market for the night. Even the giant recoiled - but his eyes were fixed on me. A part of him wanted to press on while another wanted to bow out. I remained on my guard, but the lightning was growing wayward - bouncing to surfaces all around me - I tried to contain it by lowering the tip and letting them pass to the ground. He remained near me, and a few wayward strands struck his calf - taking out all the fight out of him.
I knew my doing would result in legal difficulty but the last thing I expected was a lawsuit from the woman he had assaulted - over the damages done to her husband. While the judge, and the “Players of the Art” - as they were called - exculpated me on use of force, it was Amournnara who kept pushing the matter into a lengthy (and costly) one. The public was not particularly fond of me, either; I don’t recall a day when I or my family wasn’t molested about the matter even after the settlements were paid. It was fortunate the threats were not followed through. As for the publishing house, they cut me loose straightway once my apprenticeship concluded - my employment was someone else’s problem now.
…. I don’t wish to speak of the past five years too deeply. I went from one town to the next in search of employment and after a time, left the northern provinces; eventually I found a more permanent station in Oceankeep - that of slave-auditor in Nagel company.
But things felt much the same. Everything excepting my sister’s presence.
I missed her dearly - and in trying to cling to happiness, I fell into addiction; I went to pornography and bloodletting — and I remained there until very recently. On one night I encountered a colleague of mine, Airin, while on my way to purchase the new volume of the artbook. She did not like me any too well, but nonetheless assisted me greatly in finding the bookstore - even comforted me when I was disturbed while in an elevator. She only asked of me to “stop dragging other people’s dicks through the dirt.” — that is to say, the doings of my friends, Aeg and Thon, and my allowance of such, has caused much difficulty to her station.
I saw Aeg the next day; he was troubled by a theft of his items the night prior and I made him an offer - in exchange for being less lenient with the slaves, I will assist him in the matter. We quarreled briefly on the methods we intended to use, and the more legally-adjacent way won out. After re-visiting the teahouse where his hat and poster was stolen, we took our findings to Airin, who planned out a way to catch those five thieves - search the fruit market’s fringes during tomorrow’s morning. I remained (for some time) at her house after Aeg leaves; exchanging our stories and misgivings about work. We had supper and drinks together.
It was lively.
