So the evening proceeded apace.Peter sat back to rex and watched the four py Rounders with some passing i. He sipped slowly at his bottle of mead and ehe dry/sweet fvor while nibbling on the bowl of snack mix Smitty had so graciously given him. He was a little less reserved with snag when he was remihat the snack mix was ‘free refills’, not that he would ‘abuse’ that generosity but it allowed him to rex a little.Peter joined in on the versation as the four talked over the various subjects, which allowed him to learn a bit of daily life oyros. Broseff he knew, if only because he had experiehe life of a temple guard himself the past week. Kholmsen, it turned out, was a town guard and he learned of the ‘inter-service rivalry’ between them and the Church Luminous’ forces.Like Broseff, Kholmsen was a ‘rank and file’ though unlike Broseff’s hours and hours of training, Kholmse most of his time in a ba taking iory and doing paperwork.

  Jensa worked at the local Healer’s Guild as an Assistant Curist and enjoyed w with kids, doing her best to cheer them up and try to make their visit less scary.That was somethier appreciated and he was surprised, and a little relieved, to hear about non-Church-ected healers. Not that Vaunn is bad, but others… and I have no idea if this temple is the rule, or exception, to the Church as a whole.Na’at, and others, were quiet on that subject which was fih Peter as everyone needed a little privaow and again.

  Bhrenna seemed to dodge the question of employment when it was brought up after Jensa remihe half-elf about her check-up appoi being due (which is rompted the versation about jobs) aer, certainly, wasn’t going to press it as it was none of his business.

  Peter, for his part, expihat he was not so much employed since he had yet to receive or pensation from d’Zaier or the Church as a whole, but gave a rather unfttering, though totally ho, expnation of what his week had been like sparing ail: From appearing nude in the summoning hall (which made Bhrenna give him an appraising look and Jensa a case of the giggles) to the short frontation in the dining hall at breakfast, to the nearly-all-day training hours, Havengard and d’Zaier’s seeming disdain for not just him but any they saw as beh them, Havengard’s ‘ploy’ to beat on him via proxies he fed stories to. All of it.

  Now that he had some pocket money he could feel the creeping worry about actally spending it all far too quickly because he was famously bad at math. To say nothing of the fact I have to vert to a different ting system first. He groused mentally, Then again that does keep me to small purchases… really small purchases… …Ohh, more fry-cakes from Miss Sharra’s bakery~It was a simple pleasure but nothing wrong with that. ‘Worse’ was that itg feeling that came with the realization he wao try a hand or two of Rounders.While ly Bckjack, his favame, it had been a long time since he pyed any card game, and sitting around the table like this reminded him of his long-passed great-uncle.

  With a groan, Broseff stretched, “I’m gonna have to bow out, especially if I wanna keep my through the month.”This decration started Peter from his daydreaming and he looked to Broseff, “Oh, leaving?” He asked. “Well, no, I didn’t want to leave you with strangers, or force you to leave.” Broseff admitted. “Hey now, we’re not that strange!” Kholmsen ughed, “You could aly, yourself, Peytr. If you’ve a mind to.” “I ’t lie… watg you have tempted me. Plus it’s been a while since I’ve pyed any sort of game.” Peter admitted, shrugging a little with a wince, “But, I dunno. I was thinking about grabbing another mead and I only have…” He motioo the s he had been piling and stag in front of him, “And, as I’ve said, I have no clue rices are like.” He rubbed the back of his neck.Kholmsen ughed, smiling — Peter was certain it was a ‘got’m’ sort of smirk like he had ‘nded’ a ‘mark’ with Peter. “Tell you what.” He said, grinning, “I’ll buy the round of drinks if you join in.” He cpped lightly, “I mean, sounds like you had a hell of a week and need a break just as much as any of us.” “Mh, not gonna lie, I do like the mead.” Peter admitted, “So, I wouldn’t mind another bottle, and it couldn’t hurt to py a hand of cards.” He paused, “And, I mean, you know… an actual hand of the full five?” “Right right.” Kholmsen grinned as he pulled and shuffled the cards together.After their example hand, and a reshuffle, the dealer spot had switched to Bhrenna. With the ge of pyers, it seemed they would switch again, to Kholmsen. “We’ll keep things easy.” He said, dealing out the cards, first to Jensa, theer, then Bhrenna, and then himself.Out of habit, Peter shifted his cards around: 6 of Swords, 4 of Teneral of Shields, General of Swords, and stly the Page of Shields. Even though this wasn’t necessary for the game he couldn’t help but put the two Generals together as a possible pair, rouping… alternately, the Page and General of Shields were a possible ‘run’, same for the 4 and 6… while not the same suit, they were numerically a ‘run’ too. “Yup!” Jensa smiled, sliding forward an iron dausch, and smiled, “Keep things simple and low to start.” She raised a hand, calling out, “Smitty! A round of drinks, please! On Kho’s tab~!” “Hey! Don’t order things for me!” Kholmsen groused but only rolled her eyes while Peter pushed a forward.Bhrenna tossed in her , and Kholmsen himself. “We’ll py face-down, as normal.” Kholmsen chose his card and held it ahead of his others but not at the ter, “I think you hahat, yeah?” “I think I’m good.” He agreed as Jensa slid her card forward, following the ‘uni’ woman. “Pray to Na’at finners luck.” Bhrenna chuckled. “Oh?” Peter grinned, “She a goddess of gambling too?” “Chaos, ce… tell me that’s not gambling?” She ughed back.Peter snorted, “Fair enough. I think I’m good.” He winked. “Oh, fident are we?”A shrug was his only reply as the four turheir cards.

  ====================

  “You never pyed Rounders before.” Bhrenna asked.Peter shook his head, re-ting his as he let it drop into the bag Smitty so graciously gave him. “You have Na’at’s own luck, then.” Kholmsen shook his head, draining the st of his drink.He snorted, “Don’t let Shepherd d’Zaier hear you say that. He’d ru of not just the city but the try, like-as-not.” “He’d be silly to try.” Jensa smiled, “If you do have Her luck.” “I think I just got lucky.” Peter admitted. “Some luck.” Kholmsen leaned back, stretg, “Well, I’m wiped. Both in energy and the I set aside for tonight.” “Same.” Jensa smiled, “It was a lot of fuing you, Peytr!” She said, “And if yoing to stay here for a while, I’d suggest ing down to the Healer’s Guild for a check-up.” “If I find a way to get more …” Peter admitted, “I… don’t know how expehat get.”The ‘uni’ woman waved her hand, “Don’t you worry about that.” She said fidently, “Though I uand the want for steady ine.” “Especially since I’m… here. I ’t go back.” Peter shrugged. “Well, most of your kind… erm, you know, travelers…” “You say ‘otherworlder’, Havengard, d’Zaier, and others… made it seem like a slur but…” He shrugged, then paused, “It’s… not, is it?” “Not really…” Broseff admitted, “But any word put into the ‘right’ tone be used… however. Yeah?”Peter nodded in agreement, “Oh, I’ve seen. Hells, I’ve do.” He admitted, “That’s where the fun insults e from.” He chuckled awkwardly. “So, where you staying?” Jensa asked, ed. “At the temple.” He thumbed over his shoulder towards the Pilrs’ temple, “They gave me, and the girls, rooms.” He smiled, “We’re fine and safe.” “Good, good.” Jensa rexed a little, “Still, if you or the girls need anything—” “And we—” Bhrenna spoke up, drowning the st of her drink and plonkiankard oable solidly, “— mean anything…”Kholmsen nodded his agreement, “You find us. Broseff knows where we'd be.” He held up a hand, “We’re old friends, firstly, and sedly, I know you’re still learning about the city and all… easiest to find might be me. Just ask another city guard; say you’re looking for Sentry Kholmsen.” He said, “Once you find Jensa’s ic you’ll know where that is…” “I…” Peter started, exhalily, then inhaling and sitting straighter; no time to be deflective, no feeling guilty, he needed all the help he could get to survive in this world right now, “… Thank you. I appreciate the outstretched hand.” “One of the Pilrs’ edicts.” Broseff chuckled.Peter nodded, “Better not just the Self, but others around you to better the Whole.” “That’s the spirit.” Bhrenna smiled, standing and stretg, “Well. This is where we say good night, then. Hope to see you week when payday rolls around.” She grinned, “I got to win back, after all.” “We’ll see whe week rolls around.” Peter blushed and chuckled, finishing putting his away and g the bag tight. He gently shifted it in his hand, blinking, “I shouldn’t be surprised at the heft but… damn.” “Never had that much in hand before?” “My world… still uses s but they’re smaller, lighter and really sort of ‘on the way out’ since most transas use… ah…” He paused, “I guess… the best way to put it would be, like, ‘special sigils that are athyrikly lio a bank at’—” Thankfully ‘bank at’ was uood, Peter had overheard talk of a Mert’s Guild and, in fact, a tral banking system to facilitate easier trade, “—You would take that sigil and pass it against a matg sigil at the mert. The two sigils link and the requisite amount of is taken from the er’s at and put it into the business’.” “No ? Not even a part promissory note or a check.” Jensa asked curiously.Peter shook his head, “We have those, just that for venience-sake it’s easier to carry a stiff slip of material with the sigil etched onto it. We also have an informatiowork that is… mh… again, stored athyrikly.” He paused, “Well, okay, it’s not athyr but… it’s immaterial energy. With my ck of uanding of the world, using athyr is the best example I got.” He frowned, “I hate not knowing, I’m learning as fast as I …”

  Broseff put a hand on his shoulder, “Easy, Peytr.” He worried his lip, ed, “Calm yourself. No ohinks you’re… well… that kind of otherworlder.” “Mrhglgh.” Peter rubbed his hands over his face, “Sorry. Just… things were said to me over this past week… I’ve beera worried I’m seeming… superior, haughty, or whatever because I’m from another world.” “If you were that much as ass you wouldn’t have shut up about that… or even joined us as such a ‘primitive’ establishment, I bet.” Kholmsen shrugged. “Yeah, you’re aura is something else, but it’s not that.” Jensa waved her hand ‘dismissively’ as she grinned, “Don’t worry about it.” “… You see my aura?” Peter blinked.Jensa nodded, her hair floung poof-illy, “Yuppers. It’s a thing we do.” She poio her horn, “This is kinda like an athyr antennae!” “Oh…” “Yeh. That’s why I wanted you to e to the ic as soon as you could for a check-up. Well, a baseline sorta thing but… well, you know.” “Ah, yeah, I get ya.” Peter nodded uandingly.Standing up the five of them all stretched from having sat for hours pying cards and drinking. Peter and Broseff seemed the ‘best off’ while Kholmsen was a little wobbly. Jensa, if anything, seemed more energized than tired and Bhrenna didn’t seem affected at all. “Night, Smitty!” Jensa waved as she made her way out.The innkeeper waved back, “Night Jensa, Night folks.” He o Peter, “Pleasure meeting you.” “Same.” Peter gave a short wave as he walked out with Broseff, headed back to the Pilrs’ temple as the group broke up, going their separate ways for the night.

  Though a short walk, Peter and Broseff found themselves standing oeps leading up to the temple making idle chatter. “Thank you, for tonight.” Peter said, “I needed… something… other than sitting quietly in my room reading books. Which, don’t get me wrong, I love reading but all I have are basic education books. Like basic education.” He rubbed a hand over his face, sighing. “Seemed like it.” Broseff said, “And it’s not a problem, ho. If an—”A hissing sort of yowl cut off the temple guard and they both turo see this rather ky creature that Peter could not help but bel as ‘x1 Absolute Unit’ as he id eyes on it: the thided, round body reminded him of a ra and the hand-like paws only helped the parison; it had a thick, curling, bare tail of dark pink that reminded him of a possum, while the head was a short-muzzled feline face that just about ‘screamed’ ‘old forest wizard’ that put it between ‘main ’ and ‘Nian forest cat’. “What the hell is that?”Broseff sighed, “That’s just a feral khetzann.” He said, “They’re house pets but, sometimes they get abandoned and have to survive ireets.” “Aw, jeez.” Peter winced, “What do we do?” “Funnily enough, I know this one.” Broseff said, “We call her Miss Nibbles.” “You’re joking…” He coughed.The guard shook his head, moving slowly towards the rge, apparently domesticated, animal making a clig noise in the back of his throat. “It… looks like it has something…” Peter observed. “Shit… she does.” Broseff frowned, “A pixie.”Peter paused, wanting to express shock but blinked and shrugged, “Dunno why that of all things should shock me…” “Think you help me?” Broseff asked. “I mean… I try? The hell you wao do against a feral fluff-ball the size of a toddler?” Peter snarked.Broseff stopped and looked at Peter, w his mouth, “You knooint.” “If I get rabies from this, I’m haunting your ass, you know that right?” Peter dry muttered. “Oh you’ll be fine, Mister ‘calls down aire pantheon and is walking around the day like nothing happened’…”

  “You two wanna save it for your private room after you get me outta this thing’s mouth!?” A voice rasped. “…” Peter blinked, looking to Broseff.Broseff coughed, “Ah, right. We’re just…” he looked back at Peter, “GET HER!” And then jumped at the khetzann.

  ====================

  “Get Her~” Peter mocked, “He says.”Pushing himself off the gravel of the street after just having his fated into it by the khetzenn’s agile but not-very-slight paws, he tinued, “Wonderful pn! Just tops!”

  Broseff, for his part, took a flying leap at the feral beast only to nd head-long into a pile of bags set against the side of the building with a cttering crash, “Less Snark and more khetzann grabbing!” There’s a joke there I shan’t touch… Peter promised himself, Now all I need is ‘silly chase musid this will just be per— Peter had tried sneaking up oreet animal (with the pixie still in her mouth) only for it to twitch its ears and turn at him, rearing up onto its hind legs and hiss at him around its prize; this surprised him, putting him on his back foot quite literally… which was unfortunately also in a puddle and with a slip, a yelp, and a thud, was sent onto his back, leading to this thought which was id-sentence by familiar, high-pitched, eic saxophone and piano musibsp; REALLY MOM?! ?Chaos Goddess~?Sitting up with a growl under his breath he muttered something — only to be head-butt by the khetzaning a yelp from the jostled pixie, who was mid-leap trying to escape the two humans chasing it.This, surprisingly, set the animal on its back fo— paw… on her back paw and shook her head to clear it. “Oh gods, why~” The pixie groaned as it was rattled around, “I shouldn’t have snuck that extra spicy pickle before I left the temple~” she gave a small groaning hiccup. “C’mere you!” Broseff yelped as he ht lu Miss Nibbles who, certain that her time was near and still wao fight the reaper, leapt a solid three feet vertically from a stand-still and would probably have gone another foot had Broseff tched onto that thick, preheail of the khetzann, yanking on it and pulling it back down to the ground with a fluffy thumph that caused Miss Nibbles to open her mouth, letting the pixie fly free… … Right into Peter’s face with a wet, saliva-y smack before falling into his p. “O OW!” Broseff was currently dealing with Miss Nibble’s unappreciation at being tail-grabbed like she was.

  “… Well, I’m done…” Peter threw up his hands, “I’m out.” “Same.” Came a tired voice from his p.Peter looked down and winced, “Let’s get you inside, you’re injured.” “What was your first clue? My torn wing, or the bloody leg?” “Oh bless your heart…” Peter muttered as he stood up, “e on, Oh Great Hunter—” He sighed, “— You too, Broseff.”It was an odd thing, to see fusion on the face of an animal as Peter directly addressed Miss Nibbles.

  Naturally, as he turo exit the alleyway their little jaunt took them into Peter ran into a literal wall of flesh as Jhe’fuh stood there with a mp in hand wearing fuzzy slippers and a long shirt, “Would you care to expin what’s going on?” He asked, “And why you’re so scra— Ah, I see.” He sighted Broseff, equally scratched up, carrying a now-pouting khetzann and uood immediately by the look on his face.Peter, in silent answer, held up the injured pixie. “Hi. I get some healing, please?” She fixed the priest of the Earth God with pleading, red, cat-slit eyes and her best i grin as she sat ier’s hands, her gauzy robe torn to near shreds by her assault.

  Jhe’fuh just sighed, like he had walked in on his kids roughhousing after being put to bed, before turning, “e on you four…”

  ====================

  “I’d ask ‘What did we learn’… but I’m holy not sure what the lesson would be here…” Jhe’fuh mused as he looked at the four seated in front of him, amusingly in desdi order. “I’m sorry about causing a ruckus…” Peter started, wing.The priest held up a hand, “We’ve had louder debates, Peytr. Don’t worry. I was only up for a te-night snack, anyway.” He smiled, chug, “I ’t lie though, it was funny to watch.” Both Peter and Broseff groan-sighed, holding their hands. “And you…” He shook a fi Miss Nibbles, who sat on a stool, lig at her paws. She had the decy to look surprised when Jhe’fuh scolded her, “Don’t give me that face… You get plenty of treats from everyo the temple. You didn’t o attack a pixie.” “That’s what I told her.” The pixie groused, crossing her arms.As injured as she was Jhe’fuh immediately healed her as best he could; even with a healing spell her wing needed bandaging to ‘set’ properly so it didn’t heal wrong or weird, and her leg had a nasty bruise. “You’ll be fine?” he asked. “Once I get some rest and a little mana.” She nodded, looking to the other two humans, “For what it’s worth, I appreciate the help.” “Why didn’t you just… teleport… out of Miss Nibbles’ mouth?” Broseff asked, “I thought that was… something every pixie did? And I’m sorry if I’ve insulted you, I didn’t mean to.” “It is except when we ’t.” She muttered, embarrassed, tugging the small towel she was given around her as a b.Peter blinked, “Sorry to hear that.” He offered, though he very obviously sounded fused. “Yeah, well.” She muttered, “Once I get some mana in me, I’ll be fine.” She pouted, “It’s just going to take a while.” She did, however, give Peter a side-long gnce, squinting at him.

  “I think… after your little adventure… you all should get to bed.” Jhe’fuh said, looking to the pixie, “You’re free to stay if you need.” “She share my room.” Peter offered, “It’ll be safe for her there.” “… Thanks…” The pixie sounded surprised.Broseff sighed, “Still, like Peytr, I’m sorry for the ruckus we caused.” He bowed to the priest. “You were trying to help someone in trouble.” Jhe’fuh smiled, “It’s uandable.” He picked up Miss Nibbles, “You, however, are ing with me for tonight, troublemaker.” “Mhrrrhah~”Broseff sighed, shaking his head as the priest carried the khetzann off, “Well, this was… a night.” He said to Peter, a hand, “Sleep well, friend.” “G’night, Broseff. I hope to see you soon.”He nodded in agreement as he headed out of the temple waving at Peter.

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