“What if he was first apprentice?”

That gave Garnedell pause and he considered cautiously, “That would be… OK.”

“Would you have liked it?”

He quickly shook his head, “No.”

Joe sighed and grinned sourly, “And that also, tells me it was poorly done. Why do things that irritate others? Why not simply seek the good for others?”

Garnedell frowned at that, confused a bit and Joe decided to push it.

“Should I have taken you from under the bridge?”

Garnedell found himself struggling, his thoughts writhing and easily seen played out on his face. He remained at that for a moment before he shrugged, “I do not know Master’s reasoning, but it must have been for wise or powerful reasons.”

Joe hid his frustration and humor at the attempt to suck up and decided to continue, “Would you have taken a poor cursed child hiding under a bridge as apprentice?”

Garnedell thought valiantly on that for a time before he slowly began to wilt and sighed as he shook his head, “No. I… would not. But I am not as wise as you and do not know what reasons or great benefit you have gained.”

“Your friendship,” Joe replied immediately with a soft smile.

Garnedell stared back at him, eyes searching his face carefully before turning away with embarrassment, “I am … you said this before, but I still do not understand it.”

Joe nodded, “Maybe a bit too much too fast, but an easy answer. You said you would not take a child hiding under a bridge. Remember? We talked about this with Kukurnal as well, once. If you wish society … your city, home, neighbors… people; if you wish them to become more and greater, you must help them to become more and greater. Part of that is to be grateful and proud of others in the work they provide.

“It is easy to mock the tailor and sewage worker, but do you want to be swimming in your own sewage each day?”

The mana swelled, then erupted out and as soon as it passed through Garnedell, he immediately scowled in disgust. Well... now he knows what I was saying. His reply took time for him as he had to deal with his roiling stomach, but he shook his head quite quickly.

“No. That… is disgusting.”

“Are you grateful that he makes sure you do not have to deal with that?”

Garnedell considered that for a moment before slowly nodding his head, “Yes. Quite.”

Joe nodded, “People the world over are willing to work hard and do well at what they do if they are praised and thanked for it. Too many people treat others cruelly simply because they are seen as lesser or the work they do as being hmm… base, or meaningless.

“Tell me. If we treated healers as Zilnek treated the healer yesterday, would we have many healers helping us?”

Garnedell quickly shook his head, “No. Of course not.”

“And if it is not simply us, but if the entire city treated healers poorly, like Zilnek did yesterday, would this city have many healers?”

Garnedell paused at that, thoughtful, “Maybe?”

Joe grinned, “Likely we might have some few, but would parents proudly hope their children could become healers? Or would people strive hard to become healers?”

Garnedell’s eyes narrowed at that and he quickly shook his head, “No. No they wouldn’t. We would… quickly lose all healers.”

Joe nodded, “And sewage workers, and tailors, and cobblers, and… well… any person.”

Garnedell replied, “But we would likely still have the poorest take such jobs.”

Joe nodded, “And they would, of course, do this work well?”

Garnedell thought on that and then shook his head, “No. Likely no.”

Joe sighed, “This is… more of a greater extrapolation of the teaching of my masters, but it relates. My master has always trained me to be strong and powerful; to be the strongest possible. But my strength was to always be used to help others. If I am to teach you, you must do the same. Any who seek to use it for personal gain, especially at the abuse of others, I will cut them off immediately. We are to use our power to help others. That is why I took a small crippled kid under a bridge. That is why I helped a couple of siblings struggling under a corrupt and evil usurer attempting to enslave them. It’s simply math, Garnedell. Hmm…

“Let us turn to a thought. Right now, if we were to consider this city. Who do you think cares for you? Who would take care of you and help you?”

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Garnedell paused at that, thoughtful, “Hmm… you. Maybe Zilnek and Kilniara… Gwenvair possibly. Yeah…”

Joe nodded, “If I were not your master, who would help you?”

Garnedell’s smile soured, quickly turning into a frown, “No one.”

“Well. At least one. You.”

Garnedell seemed about to ask who before chuckling sourly and nodding, “True… at least I still have myself.”

Joe nodded, “It is not a surprise. For most people, they have only themselves. Maybe, as a child, they can consider their mother and father. But, there are not many.”

Garnedell nodded, but remained silent, recognizing that Joe would continue on.

“Now. What if the city believed and acted in the way I did; that we are to help others around us if we can. Not killing ourselves for them, but at least helping them if we can. If the people of this city believed this, then who would be willing to help you?”

Garnedell frowned at that, opened his mouth to speak, the closed it again to think carefully. It took him a bit before he finally decided to try.

“Wouldn’t… it be… everyone?”

Joe grinned, “Wouldn’t it?”

Garnedell looked up at Joe, searching his face before returning to consider the thought, “Yes. I think so?”

Joe nodded, “Well… maybe there are some jerks who are… really annoying and bad, but it would be many more than now, yes?”

Garnedell slowly began to nod as he thought of that. Joe grinned and continued.

“Which city do you want to live in?”

That proved an easy answer, “The helping city.”

Joe grinned at Garnedell’s quick reply, “I would, too. But, what would we have to do in order to have a city like this.”

That had Garnedell stumped for a bit, his eyes darted as his thoughts ran through the ramifications and thought back on what Joe had been teaching him earlier before he began to nod, “I… think I understand, Joe. I understand, now, why you told Kukurnal that we are the ones to do this. We have to help others. Everyone must help others.”

Joe smiled with pride, “Yup. Even if you want to be selfish about it, the best city to live in is the one where we selflessly help others,” Joe turned serious, “But don’t sacrifice your primary responsibilities. If I am a father, I must first care for my wife and children. As a master, I must make sure I take care of you, Kilniara, and Zilnek. I should not help another if doing so makes it so I fail you or my family. But, other than that, we should help others. For that is how to make a city where all others help us.”

Garnedell grew silent at this, his mind whirling for a bit, and Joe then stood quietly to leave him to his thoughts. As he was just leaving, Garnedell quickly turned to Joe.

“Joe. I will speak to Zilnek of this. I think… I know how to help him.”

Joe nodded, “And a punishment? Do you think?”

Garnedell paused at that, “It… is not my place. Not this.”

Joe nodded, “So I should do something? Or let this go.”

Garnedell shook his head, “Your masters would not be happy if you did so, I believe Master Joe.”

Joe smiled softly at that, sighing, “You’re probably right.”

Joe fell silent a bit before an idea popped into his head, “Then, I don’t wanna make another mistake like last time. Could I ask you to be safe? I don’t want it to be too crazy.”

Garnedell grinned at that, smiling, “Yes, Joe.”

Joe smiled back and quickly began telling Garnedell his idea, explaining what he had in mind. By the time he was done, Garnedell was actually grinning evilly and giggling bit.

“I think that would be perfect, Joe. And it is… there will be no hidden repercussions.”

Joe smiled in relief, “That’s what I was worried about! Thanks! I’ll go up and talk to him now, then.”

Garnedell nodded but seemed a bit worried, “I … could talk to him.”

“About this?”

Garnedell nodded, “Yes.”

“OK. I’ll leave this to you, but I just want to talk about today, a bit.”

Garnedell nodded, “That would be wise. I’ll come after, then.”

Joe nodded back, grateful for how well he was taking to helping out, despite his rather young age. He waved as he left the courtyard and headed back in, up to the room where he found the other two whispering quietly to each other. Joe waited outside to give the two their space. After a bit, Garnedell came up to stand beside him and Joe and Garnedell said nothing, simply standing outside the door for a time. The conversation inside was too quiet for Joe to really hear or understand what they were saying, but was enough for Joe to realize that Zilnek was still angry and wasn’t taking to Kilniara’s counsel. Joe waited more, hoping that Kilniara might reach him and gave her another few minutes but then straightened himself and slipped in through the door, leaning against it. The two quickly noticed and fell silent. Joe sighed. Right… say things without saying things… hint… be polite without picking at the scab… How do I do that?! Joe struggled to hide the shake of his head at his last thought and simply jumped in as best he could.

“Zilnek. First, I’m … sorry. I should have remembered that things are not … they’re not that easy for you right now. But… I’ll … you gotta figure out and deal with your stuff and you got the time. Do it well and carefully.”

Zilnek stared up at him but Kilniara seemed to understand, nodding softly. Neither said anything and Joe nodded, turned to leave, then paused and reconsidered before turning back to Zilnek, looking at him over a shoulder.

“I don’t know if this helps, but I should be able to change your job very soon. I’m still… trying to figure some things out…” Joe trailed off and flipped open his status page, looking at the skills to see how his job change skill was growing. He smiled when he noticed that he already had it at eleven percent and looked up at the two with a smile.

“I believe I can fix your job in another… maybe another wee… ten-day.”

“Another ten-day?”

“Within a ten-day, I hope… if there are not any big emergencies happening.”

Kilniara smiled brightly at that and turned to Zilnek, “See! You will be returned soon!”

Zilnek seemed to be greatly mollified by that, but didn’t really reply and turned away, a bit grumpily and no longer in anger. Kilniara butted against him with a shoulder and whispered ferociously in his ear.

“What do you SAY!”

Zilnek looked at his sister and rolled his eyes before turning to Joe, “Thank you, Joe.”

Joe nodded, “You're welcome. It’s no big deal. I told you I would do it.”

Zilnek nodded back but said nothing and his sister hit him again, this time with a fist against his shoulder.

“And?!”

Zilnek looked at his sister, but she refused to back down, staring at him and motioning with her head to continue and Zilnek sighed.

“And I apologize for my behavior.”

Joe actually laughed at that and shook his head, “Honestly, if I was stuck in a job like that, I would be very tense and upset as well. It’s good. Relax. There is no problem. OK?”

Zilnek actually seemed to respond to that, his shoulder’s lightening slightly even as the tension in his torso faded and he nodded, now with a more normal acceptance of the situation. Joe nodded back at him as well, then glanced between the two before turning and leaving.

“Going to eat. Anyone else hungry?”

Kilniara called out after him, “We’ll be down soon!”

“Alright. See you there.”