Quoted By:
>Resist+Order Difficulty 1
>50, 86, 31 vs. DC 49 — Success
>Double spendy
You don't know what Ellery's talking about. You also don't care what Ellery's talking about. There is somebody out here <span class="mu-i">nice</span> and <span class="mu-i">interested</span> and <span class="mu-i">appreciative</span> of you, for quite probably the very first time in your life, and if you let this opportunity slip through your fingers you might actually die. You might burst into flames. "I—"
>[-2 ID: 11/13]
Your mouth is not moving. Your jaw has locked up. Around your neck, Richard is rigid.
«Don't make a fool of yourself.»
You were <span class="mu-i">not</span>— he's jealous, is what he is. He's jealous of having somebody like you, because nobody at all likes him, because he is a stupid reptile and you hate him. You want to set him on fire.
«This man was and continues to be your direct competitor for the Crown.»
«If he has your best interests at heart, then I'm your uncle.»
He's your <span class="mu-i">uncle?</span>
«No.»
«It would be odd to say nothing. But <do not> elaborate.»
«Unrelatedly, while I'm here, I am making another useful structural alteration.»
He's— he's what? Your gums throb. Is he making your gums throb? Is it related to the heart thing? Is your heart making your gums throb?
«No, it's—»
«...»
«There is no reason to tell the story to this man alone. He will be presumably be accompanied at the tavern this evening. Your audience will be larger.»
«Say that.»
Your jaw unlocks, though your gums don't unache: you run your tongue along them. While you'd feel a lot queasier about the whole 'structural alteration' idea if you paid it any attention, you're not paying it any attention. How could you? Your whole entire being is trained on one solitary thing, which is now obtaining free drinks with umbrellas in. This is the best idea you've ever heard, probably, and it came straight from Richard, who's a genius. You love Richard. You're going to get him his own drink with an umbrella in, but it'll— it'll be a <span class="mu-i">yellow</span> umbrella. Since he's yellow.
«I do not consume beverages.»
«Say something. He is looking.»
Lucky is in fact looking. "...Ms. Fawkins?"
"I—" you say experimentally. "I— excuse me, I was <span class="mu-i">thinking.</span> Ahem! I would be positively delighted to recount my intrepid and, dare I say, dashing adventure... this evening. My powers of storytelling require lubrication to achieve their full power. Indeed?"
"Hmm." He rubs his chin. "Harrier-Leftenant Fawkins was a little tentative around spirits, as I recall it, but that only goes to show— well, in any case, I'll be greatly looking forward to it. We have our own table at the little establishment around here, the, er—"
"Better Than Nothing!" you offer.
"That's the one. We'll be there." Lucky tucks his hands into his jacket pockets. "Now, what can I do for you?"
What can he do for you? Well, you've locked in the umbrellas, and Ellery's not ruined anything so far (as you know), so you're not sure—
«The whore.»
(1/2)
