Wandering through the village, Maneki proudly keeping pace at her side, Soren came upon the Tavern in the bustling square. Not knowing how she could have missed the giant wooden mug of beer as a sign, she shrugged and walked in. Passing through the doors, her eyes found a bored barmaid sweeping the floor.
"Miss I'm looking for Olga . . . ? I'm here for the pe-oomph!"
Soren couldn't finish her inquiry as a meaty hand had covered her mouth. And three quarters of her face.
"No need to keep talkin out here love."
A low female voice boistrously said, then hissing in a threatening tone,
"Before you scare off the patrons!"
Nodding frantically, the hand left Soren's mouth allowing her to whip around gasping for air. Looking up. . And up . . Before meeting the amused troll-Kin's gaze.
"O, Olga?" Soren managed to stutter out.
Nodding, the largest woman she had ever seen moved her hand to Soren's back, guiding Soren to the more private back room.
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Door slamming behind her, Olga leaned against the creaking wall, previous amusement wiped from her face.
"You sent by the mayor?"
Vigorous nods answer this question.
She continues
"Why did he send a weakling fairy to do this? All this time no one had been offered the job."
Still speechless in terror, Soren helplessly gestured to Maneki, who was casually licking himself on the counter.
"Ahh! That explains it!"
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Bulbous face getting exponentially more friendly, Olga continued, "You should have no problem if you managed to tame THAT one. Cellar is over there, get rid of the nest and as many as you can find, see me when your done. I'll reward you based on your results."
Finally regaining her voice, Soren managed to squeak out some sort of affirmative sound before retreating to the cellar. Glancing up and seeing his serva- tamer scuttling away, Maneki casually hopped down to follow.
<><><>
After the cellar door creaked shut behind her, Soren squinted into the darkness, making out vague shapes of barrels before shuffling forward down the steps. Reaching the packed dirt floor, she heard a rustling in the back corner and directed her strained gaze there. Seeing nothing, she sighed with relief before turning back around to further her search.
And screamed.
<><><>
To be continued. . .
*jk
You see, as Soren was searching the cellar and making her way through to the back corner, she heard a musical chime. Coincidentally, after hearing this chime, her vision had gotten more used to the darkness. She could now tell that floor was moving.
"Eeeeeeek!" Spinning quickly around, she used her most classic mental evasive maneuver: Ignoreignoreignore. To make her feel a bit more secure in her ignorance, she covered her head with her hands while crouching down. They'll overlook a smaller target, right?
Unfortunatley, her experiences have been limited to humans weirded out by her behavior, who would subconsciously avoid this person.
<><><>
Five minutes later
*chime noise*
"Wow," Soren thought, "I feel more secure, I bet they're gone!" As she's thinking this, she feels something brushing against her wings.
Turning around, she gasps in horror and starts flapping her wings frantically, her voice starts in a gasping whisper before gaining strength.
"getemoff....get em off get em off Get off GET OFF!!!!!
As her chant continues, the wing beats persistently gust against the buggy critters, blowing them against the walls. Bouncing off the walls, some skitter to their feet and attempt to jump back at the fearful fairy, while others stiffen up on the floor.
Now shouting, her voice overlapping any other sound in the cellar, her wings stiffen in rage upon seeing a cluster of assailants coming back.
Swiping at them with her stiffened wings, the bundle disintegrates into light.
Shocked silent (finally), Soren assesses her surroundings. Taking a closer look at one of the stunned bugs, she gulps trying to contain another scream.
They. Are. Gross!
They have six legs, which meet at one bubbly torso. Bubbly, because they are covered in white eyes. Soren thinks on how she can figure out what they are. . . Oh!
"Identify?"
Beerwig
A pest that favors taverns
"Seriously?"