Chapter 8:

"Are we really going to just walk into the bar and bakery and just start talking to the halfling and the wizard? We don't have the money to give them. It doesn't seem right?" said Bob.

  "Don't sweat it," said Lefty, still rubbing his side from where he was cut the day before, "people do the wrong thing all the time and sometimes it turns out right."

  "But, what if it doesn't?" asked Bob. "What if they laugh at us?"

  "Then, they laugh at us. We could all use a laugh...who cares if you got something to say and we do," continued Lefty.

  "I'm used to it," said Jazz, "I've been laughed at my entire life."

  "Yeah, a stage fright Bard is kind of funny," said Juan with a grin.

  "So says the perveted follower of a chaste god," said Dorothy. Rosana gave a bark for emphasis.

  "Well I am handsome," retorted Juan.

  "Maybe?" said Dorothy.

  "Maybe is better than no. There is hope!" said Juan, trying to look Dorothy in the eys. "You

see, Bob, that is how you do it. You just got to have confidence."

  A pause filled the conversation and Rosana trotted up to Juan and started to bark.

  Juan stepped backward. A frightened look on his face. Juan wrapped his arms around himself

as if he were giving himself a hug. "Whoa! That dog can talk!" shouted Juan.

  Bob, Lefty and Jazz looked at Jazz.

  Dorothy squatted down and petted Rosana.

  "What are you talking about?" asked Bob. "It is just barking."

  "No, it really talked. Swore at me, too. That is one nasty dog!" shouted Juan, still with his arms around his torso.

  Jazz came over and put his arm around Juan, "You okay? What do you mean it talked to you?"

  Dorothy continued to pet Rosanna, ignoring all that was going on. Rosanna sat quietly with its

tongue sticking out, as it was pet.

  "It was like in my head," said Juan, "It spoke to me. Told me to keep my f-ing hands off its

mistress, and if it didn't it would do untold things to my balls."

  Jazz laughed. "I'd think you'd like that."

  Dorothy smiled and looked up from her squatting position at Juan. "I guess I got you so riled

up you are imagining things."

  Juan adjusted his nuts under his armor and smiled. "You may have got me riled up but I don't have to imagine anything. You special. But, your dog is a real beast."

  Dorothy's normally pale face turned slightly crimson.

  Bob stepped between Dorothy and Juan. "Come on, let's get serious here. Isn't the right thing

to do to get a job. Earn the 10 gold pieces and they pay the correct price for the information about

the sandwiches?"

  Everyone turned to look at Bob.

  Lefty, with a scrunched up face, "What are you talking about Bob?"

  "Yeah Bob," said Jazz, "Juan just accused Rosanna of being possessed, and you just start

talking about doing the right thing?"

  "What do you even mean by the right thing?" asked Lefty.

  Dorothy stood up and walked up to Bob, put her arms up and rubbed Bob's chest briefly and

then turned to Jazz and Lefty. "Well, no one said anything about possession, just talking. He

doesn't talk. I do believe he communicates."

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Dorothy then turned to Bob. "Don't worry, now that I am here, this group is going to do things more the right way. That is what women are for...unfortunately...getting you boys to become men."

  Dorothy than turned to Bob. "But, Bob, we really don't have time to get jobs and earn that kind

of money. Sometimes the right thing is the right way to do a specific thing. Sometimes, you need to

go straight to the target and get it done."

  "That is what I am talking about, " said Juan with an ear to ear grin.

  "That is not what I am talking about," said Dorothy wth a slight edge to her voice. "There is a

time and place for everything.

  "And, what is this time and place?" asked Juan.

  Dorothy glared at Juan. Then, Rosanna started yelping at Juan.

  Juan jumped backwards. "Okay, okay, Rosanna, you don't have to get so personal."

  "Are you more clear, Juan?" asked Dorothy.

  Bob muttered: puppets and telepathic dogs, what a group... Bob heard a sound and turned

around.

  "Okay, boys, let's do it. Let's meet the wizard," said Dorothy.

  Dorothy was the one to push the door in. It was il-lit. As the eyes in the party adjusted to the

light, they could make out the shaded contours of tables where people sat with mugs and

occasinal plates. Some of the figures were slumped over. Some seem to be alive with quickened

motions as they interacted with other figures.

  Bob watched as Dorothy walked in, seemingly without a care. She walked up to the bar and

said something to the bartender that Bob could not hear. Bob could see Dorothy motion to them to

enter. Bob, Jazz, Lefty and Juan walked in and joined Dorothy at the bar.

  Dorothy turned to the group and said, "I did it. I got us a presense with the wizard."

  "Good work," said Jazz. Bob noticed there was a strange gleem in Jazz's eyes he had never

seen before.

  "There is a backroom behind the bar. We can wait for him there."

  Lefty cleared his throat. "A short while ago, you tried to kill us. Now, we are to go into a

backroom with you?"

  Dorothy turned her gaze to Lefty. "I was wondering when this would come up. I mean this

fellow over there..."

  Dorothy turned and pointed to Juan.

  "...magically undressed me..."

  "Me too," said Bob.

  "That was an accident," said Juan.

  "An accident?" said Dorothy with a big smile on her face.

  "Trust me, the last thing I wanted to see was Bob's junk."

  "I don't think that was what I was talking about," said Dorothy with a slightly louder voice than before.

  "Yeah, but it was what I was talking about," said Juan, raising his voice to meet Dorothy's volume and tone.

  Bob thoght: does Dorothy have a tragic flaw like the rest of us? Is it more common than I

realized? What about the nobels? Do they too have a tragic flaw? And what about the

sandwiches?

  The bartender cleared his throat. "I don't know what is going on here. But, if you want to see

the wizard, the only way it is going to happen, is by going into the backroom. So, just choose."

  Lefty shook his head. "No way!"

  Jazz looked at Lefty. "I know this sounds strange but I think we can trust Dorothy. She is kind

of part of the group now."

  Juan took a look at the crowd insidne the tavern. "I've got an idea. We just have to talk to the

wizard, right? Why doesn't Lefty and myself wait out here. You and Bob go talk to the wizard. If

there is a problem, we wil come in and rescue you."

  Dorothy looked at Juan.

  But, Jazz spoke first. "Yeah, okay, let's try. What do you think Dorothy?"

  Dorothy shrugged her shoulders. "Suit yourself."

  "Yeah, all right," said Bob with a sigh, "it is not like the first time I have been asked to sacrifice myself."

  Dorothy looked at Bob.

  Juan did not seem to need to hear or say more. He just took a seat at a table where two

women sat.

  Jazz looked at Juan and then at Bob. "You ready?"

  "Yeah sure," said Bob, sighing again.

  Dorothy asked, "Where's Lefty?"

  Jazz looked around. "Not sure. I am sure he is around here somewhere. It's okay, let's see the

wizard."

  Dorothy shook her head. "Boys," was all she said.

  Bob was standing; Jazz and Dorothy were sitting on chairs when the flash of purple was seen

and a short man with long beard entered and sat at one of the two emptry chairs in the room.

  "You may be seated," said the wizard to Bob.

  "Yeah, umm, well...I am not sure that chair can hold me. It's okay. I am used to it. I can stand."

  The wizard looked up at Bob and said, "Yeah, okay."

  Dorothy smiled and waived at the wizard and the wizard smiled and waived back to her.

  "It is so good to see you again, Dot," said the wizard, "how's Rosanna doing?"

  "Oh Wizzy, we all good!" said Dorothy.

  Jazz turned to Bob and mouthed, "Wizzy?"

  "Well, how can I help you? I tell the most wonderous of stories. I am sure I can enlighten and

entertain you all at the same time!" said Wizzy.

  Bob explained. "I was once part of a Royal Guard. My mission was to deliver a life and death

message. It turned out to be nothing but a sandwhich."

  The wiard listened silently.

  "Later, we met this crystal golem and it too was carrying this style of sandwich."

  The wizard continued to listen silently.

  "When we decided to come visit you, gold fell from the sky and formed an explosive gold

dragon scale road."

  The wizard's eyebrows arched at this mention.

  "Then, Dorothy over here tried to kill us but turned out to be a friend...and we lost our

sandwich to a flying gold dragon familiar..."

  "Yes, most curious," said the wizard, "I do believe I do have a story to tell you. But, it will cost

you ten gold pieces."

  "Oh," said Bob, "I forgot to tell you that the gold dragon familiar stole our money as well."

  "Well," said the wizard, "this is not the right way of doing things. You want a story; you have to

pay me me money. No money, no story. End of story."

  Bob looked at Jazz and mouthed: see, I told you so!

  Dorothy leaned into the wizard and started petting his long, white beard.

"Ahh...Wizzy...couldn't you do us a favor this one little time."

  The wizard looked down at Dorothy petting his beard. "Well, umm, I prefer doing things the

appropriate way. But, sometimes rules can be bent...."

  Jazz looked at Bob and mouthed: see, I told you so!

  The wizard looked at Bob and seemed to address him specifically. "I still want my money. But,

you can earn it. There is something I want: a door. You go and get my door and I will tell the story

you need to hear."

  Bob looked at the wizard. "A door? Just any door?"

  "No," said the wizard, "you fool. Not just any door. The door."

  "I'm sorry," said Bob, "but should I know what is the door."

  "You will recognize it when you seeit. Err...when you realize it," said the Wizard.

  "Oh sure," said Bob.

  "Yeah, okay," said Jazz.

  "Thank you Wizzy," said Dorothy.

  The wizard smiled.