“I want to ask you a personal question today.” Mowris broke the silence, blushing as she grinned at me, my earlier grumpiness apparently forgotten. Sassing her about already giving her personal information crossed my mind but was discarded. I’d already tried to run her off once tonight and didn’t want to push my luck more.

Nodding I look at her “Ok, but I get to ask one, in return.” I say. Well, I wasn’t going to give her a promise for an open question without getting something in return! She peered at me, squinting like she’s considering how rotten I could be. “Hey!” I laugh, pushing at her. Staggering sideways exaggeratedly she steadied herself with overstated effort “I suppose.“ She said rolling her eyes and laughing. Relief flooded me at hearing her laugh after I had tried to run her off. A few steps and I began to wonder if I was going to hear this so called personal question.

“So Baz… That’s short for?” Intense curiosity radiated from her. Her voice indicating that she felt like she was stepping over some boundaries here and wasn’t sure if she could.

Laughing I shook my head. “OK.” Shrugging I let her have it “My full first name is Bazkertikakiilpopf.” Instead of the stunned disbelief I expected she was already working out the name, her mouth moving, trying to out the different sounds.

“Um… One more time, please?” she said with such focus that I could easily see that she must’ve been one of the top students in the mages academy.

“Sure” and said it again.

“Ok. Bazkertikakiilpoff” She said bobbling her head me as she said each syllable comically. She shot me a side eye as she realized that it must look like she was mocking my name her face turning really red at my raised eyebrow.

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She isn’t being rude but catching her like that made me laugh. She blinked, shocked disbelief at my laughter flashing across her face, she turned on me. Hand raised she pointed at me, drawing a deep breath for what promised to be a searing verbal attack. “That was shockingly well done.” I said, interrupting her. “The sound at the end would be a bit harder. Popf rather than poff. Truly I am impressed” I said attempting to shift her focus.

The correction stopping her cold, her face going from stormy to inner contemplation as she reviewed what she said against what I said. As she did so she squinted at me, likely to see if I was sincere in my compliment or if I was mocking her. Deciding I was sincere she nodded “Ah, ok. Got it. And I won’t tell anyone else. I just wanted to know. Your turn.”

My mind raced trying to see where she was going with this and why my full name was of interest at all. It isn’t some big secret. I just didn’t feel the need to make people spit out that mouthful before I answering them. It was a conversation by itself. Like anyone called me that outside of my mom. I could tell she felt triumphant in her quest and wanted to make this a secret between the two of us so I left it alone.

I thought nervously about how to frame up my request and considered ditching it altogether. Hm. That must’ve been the delay before she asked her question. She must’ve actually been nervous asking my name. A cheerful “Hey Baz!” broke me out of my thoughts. “Oh. Hey May.” I said turning to her. May’s orange-ish hair and pale, freckled skin alone would’ve made her stand out. On top of this she is around 6 foot tall and while curvy in some great places she was also solidly built, a muscular build anyone would be proud of. “Have you seen Rithel recently?” she asked.

Struggling a moment trying to place the name May smirked at me. “You aren’t around the poor sector enough anymore. He’s a newbie. Brown hair, average height, wears an odd coat everywhere he goes regardless of the temperature…” She trialed off seeing the glint of recognition in my eyes. Yea… jacket-man.

“Sorry May, I can’t say I’ve seen him. If I do I’ll tell him you’re looking for him.”

Rolling her eyes and smiling she said. “You don’t have to apologize, silly!” punctuating the statement with a light punch to my shoulder. “Thanks for keeping an eye out for him!” Smiling and waving she bounced away.