The Lucilla docked at port. Quin finally crawled out of the hole she had made for herself in the last leg of the journey. Her eyes strained as the sun shined like she’d never noticed. Captain Pelican called the men to safely dock the boat. Quinn waited with her bags as the planks were laid on the dock. She could not wait to touch actual land.

One of the crew tried to help her with her bag, a thin black rectangular chest with a handle on it.

“No thank you!” She said as she pulled away from the man’s helpful grasp. Quinn placed the case to her chest. She was a petite elf and was carrying satchels full of clothes, the narrow case, and a backpack full of books about the New World. When she pulled away from the man she started to tip over on the planks. The crewman steadied her. She thanked him for the help, assuring him that she was fine. The crewmate made himself busy elsewhere.

Waiting at the bottom of the dock were a walkway of sellers, demanding her attention in every direction, vendors trying to sell charred lizards, blue dyes from a dragon’s ink sac, maps with the words ‘Arc Harbor’ mispelled. She was accosted on all sides from stimulus, new smells and people and sounds. It gave her a headache. Her elven senses not yet adjusted to the barrage of clamor. She tried to be polite and say ‘No, thank you,’ to those who offered her something but they would not back off. Was she not being clear enough? It seemed the crowd was only getting rowdier.

Suddenly, an arm pierced through the crowd and pulled her away from them.

“Back! Back off!” The man cried. He was a tall man, with the brown eyes and a rounded human face. Poking out of his rancher’s hat was short brown hair. His skin was bronzed from a lifetime of the new world’s brutal sun. His booming voice was causing the street vendors to take heed.

“I said git!'' The man took out his gun, waving it around. The street vendors dispersed more annoyed than panicked

“Hi,” Said the tall stranger.

“Hello,” Quinn said, looking up at him, trying not to fall back as the backpack was heavy.

“I was sent here to help,” He explained, as he dragged her farther from the boardwalk.

It helped Quinn that she did not have to focus on the bright new environment and could instead focus on the back of the helpful stranger’s head as he pulled her away, occasionally punctuated by his boyish smile.

“Hobblepot?” She asked, “He sent you?”

“That’s right!” He told her, “My name’s Krave. If you’re the girl I’m meant to pick up than you must be…”

Krave paused, allowing Quinn to fill the silence, “Quinn Wixel! At your service. I’m so glad Hobby sent someone. My security suffered an unfortunate accident on the way to the New World.”

“I am burdened to hear that, missy,” Krave said, placing his hand over his heart, “I hear the travels are rough on folks,”

“You’ve never taken the trip? You’re from here?

“I’m from right here! Arc Harbor, I was finishing off another security detail and your friend wanted a job done right so he called me. Can I take that big ol’ case off your hand?”

Quinn reflexed to his outreaching hand by gripping it closer to her body. She shook her head no and Krave raised his arms in submission. “Anything I can take off your hands? The sachel? The backpack? The cloak looks awful hot on a day like today.”

Quinn thought but decided to hand Krave the satchel, she also took the cloak off.

“SAAAAY…” Krave stared at amazement, “You got them ears!”

He pointed right at Quinn’s elven ears, grabbing them and wiggling.

“You’re… an alf!” Krave stated, pulling her.

“I’m an elf.” Quinn corrected him.

“An ELF” Krave pronounced the whole three leaders in his mouth while continuing to walk.

“You’ve never met an elf before?” Quinn asked.

“No, ma’am. Your kind seems rare around these parts.”

Quinn stated, “We only have immortality when we are in our motherland, Vanya. As long as we’re outside of the grove that marks the border, we’re vulnerable.”

“Well, you must have a big reason for being outside of Vanya,”

Quinn tried not to, but she quickly glanced at the case she was holding then glanced up at Krave to see if he noticed or not. She could not tell.

Now that they had strayed from the mad crowd, Krave turned to Quinn and asked, “So where are we going, anyway?”

“We.. we’re going to Dr. Hobblepot’s house, aren’t we?”

Krave looked at her and said, “Right, right. But where is it?”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“I’m sure he did but the noggin is raging from a night out. Did he give you an address?’

“It’s the tree on North Billy Street. I could swear I have it written down.” Quinn began digging with her free hand in her backpack. She fished out a crumpled envelope. “Crossstreets Billy St and Kidd Ave. He lives atop a halfling bakery in a thick Oak tree.”

“Ahh, the tree. Right,” Krave said, “he’d mentioned the tree. Alright, let’s get moving then.”

Krave and Quinn walked for a ways as the sun beat down upon them. The bookbag grew heavier and heavier. Eventually, Krave had upgraded his responsibility from one satchel to the bookbag, and he had the cloak tucked in his arm.

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After several miles, Quinn inquired, “How much longer do we have?”

Krave looked around, staring at the street names, his head swiveling to different street signs trying to grasp his bearings.

“Uhh, it’ll be… not long now.”

“But how long, Krave,” QUinn asked, trying not to seem rude.”

“Not very. Wait here one moment,” Krave stopped in front of a cobbler, “I have to talk to the person inside.”

And with that, Krave left Quinn alone on the street, holding all her belongings again. She finally began to take a look around at the environment. Quinn had never seen this many species of people all at once.. There were animal men selling jewelry on the street and strange animals trapped in cages being sold by strangers looking at humans. She clocked a man staring straight at her. Sitting cross-legged on the floor. He did not take his eyes off of Quinn no matter how much she began to squirm.

To avert her gaze, QuUinn looked inside and saw Krave dramatically swinging his arms as he had an animated conversation with the dwarf cobbler. The dwarf was equally galvanized, swinging his arms with every word he said and eventually pointing out the door.

Krave rejoined Quinn outside.

“Come on, I’m ready to go.”

“Mr. Krave,” Qiinn whispered, “That man over there is staring right at me,”

Krave looked at the direction of Quinn’s head tilt. WIthout giving it a proper thought, Krave pulled the gun out and fired a bullet between the man’s legs. The man stood up in shock and exasperated, trying to examine his body for any injuries.

“Don’t go lookin’ at people, ya hear?” Krave said, before grabbing a shocked Quinn’s arm and dragging her behind him.

“Mr Krave, I think that was a bit of an overreaction. You didn’t need to shoot him!”

“Well first of all!” Krave started, “Call me Krave. No one’s called me Mr. Krave since my parole officer. Kidding. Kidding.” Krave waved away Quinn’s concerned face, “Second of all, You’re from your home city of Vanya, that’s all well and good but I’m guessing it’s a little goodie two shoes over there,”

“It is… difficult to say,” Quinn said, “The parts that are secluded are considered paradise on the mortal plains. People want for not. No child goes hungry…”

“See there’s your problem! A kid’s favorite meal here is two buns with nothing between them. Children go hungry here. Children still get eaten. Sojourn ain’t Vanya” And it would be better for your sanity if you just put your faith in me.

“So… “ Quinn started, “ So you just shoot everyone you disagree with?”

“Now, I wouldn’t say I disagreed with that fella back there. Alfs are strange creatures. Never leaving your lair…”

“Vanya is not a lair,” Quinn said, growing exasperated.

“Well, my point is that I can’t protect you against every starer on the block! Especially when you’re a little thing, lugging around a big old bookcase!”

“Please keep your voice down.”

After the terse conversation. She eventually urged him to move on. Quinn was breathing heavily, watching beads of sweat roll down her forehead and plop to the floor.

Quinn started to realize that she hated it here.

“Please, Krave,” She pleaded, “How much longer?”

“Almost! I can tell we’re close. I can tell by that statue,”

“How far from that statue, Mr. Krave?”

“Give me sec and I’ll be able to tell”

Krave walked across the bustling carriages to the square that held the statue. It was a knight riding a dragon. Quinn watched as Krave placed his hands around the wing and hoisted his leg.

“Mr. Krave!” QUinn started to run after him but remembered her things. She stayed anchored as she was too tired to lug the luggage around.

“Mr. Krave what are you doing?” She yelled.

“Just trying to get a better view!” Krave had worked his way onto the dragon and was now trying to push himself up the torso of the man by using the stone dragon’s neck for balance. Once he had precipitously climbed onto the man’s shoulders, he scanned the area, twisting his body from one way to the other for the best view.

Quinn stared in wonder as she saw his eyes light up and he scurried down and across the street.

“It’s just a couple more blocks away. I’ll get us there in no time”

He reached for the satchel and pulled them up. He tried to move along but Quinn did not budge.

“You don’t know where he lives, do you?”

“Uh, well, I’m new to the area. I got a little turned around but we’re right as rain, now. Come on! If you’re comfortable, I’ll even hold your suitcase for you,”

Krave tentatively reached for the suitcase again but Quinn reflexively held it to her body. Krave picked up the satchels and gestured for her to follow.

“You don't’ know the area but my friend hired you because you were the best and you’ve lived here your whole life.”

“Well, I'm the best in a completely different part of town.”

“How much did he pay you?”

“Well… That’s the thing… He said you’d pay me.”

Who did?

Your friend.

Quinn squinted her eyes, “What’s his name?”

“Cobblepot.” Krave said.

“Hobblepot.” Quinn corrected him.

“Sorry, I had to cough. I meant Hobblepop.”

“That’s not what I said.” Quinn rolled her eyes.

Quinn faced her palm up, whispering elvish into it. A purple flame to appear in her hand, dancing, completely controlled by Quinn’s whisperings.

“I urge you, Mr. Krave, if that is your real name, to place my things down and back away.”

Krave put the satchel and backpack down slowly. He lifted his hands.

“Now, if you could point me in the direction of my friend’s tree then I would be greatly appreciative.”

Krave pointed at the direction behind Quinn, while still sticking up the crystal, she tossed the satchel over her shoulder. Then, with her hand still holding the flame, she grabbed the bookbag. It was too heavy for her.

“If you could be so kind as to place my bookbag on my neck.”

Krave slowly lowered his hands and picked up the heavy bag. He placed it over her neck and then gave it a little push. The tremendous weight of a bag overpacked with twenty books pulled her by the neck down to the ground. She collapsed with a thud, her books spilling out of the bag.

Krave reached over and with expert fingers unhooked her coin purse.

“Desist, ruffian!” screamed Quinn, desperately trying to regain her composure.

“Don’t trust anyone in this town, kid,” Krave told her before turning and running.

Quinn propped herself up and threw the ball of fire in her hand. It landed squarely on Krave’s back causing him to stumble.

“AHHH” Krave yelled as the capricious blast stunned him. He kept running as the fire burnt up a whole in his shirt and as Quinn was left to collect herself on the dirty street.