How fun was that! Now where do we go now? The streets are packed here, people bustling about and- it looks like a storm is moving in. Did my little boat stunt tip Samudra off? Ugh, I'll just throw something at him to get him to leave me alone.

“So-”

“Shut up.”

Oh? But you just saved him, didn’t you? Regardless of your quarrel, we're really into the thicket now, the draft is over which finally means the rest of this story is my domain! Unfortunate, but I would assume that tropey nonsense of theirs would continue. Mortals and their constant need for validation, sharing their little backstories. So predictable. Lemme guess, you’ll find a tavern so you can sort out your bearings, share stories, maybe bump into an antagonist?

“We should stop by that tavern, figure out what to do next.”

Wow, no shit. At least you got rid of that ugly coat, so you have one thing going for ya’.

“And why should I do that?”

Oh? Testy testy.

“Well… you were coming here for work, right? The whole bartering of fish business?”

“Bartering fish?”

“Well, what else? Your ship stank of it, and now you don’t have it. So, we go to the tavern, figure out what to do next, then part ways.”

Careful, you might get on sailorboy's nerves.

“So you think that I should accompany you, because you want someone to share your woes with and pay your tab?”

Oh, you definitely got on his nerves.

“Hah, no, actually. I just want company. Obviously.”

Oh! Is he also fluent in sarcasm?

“Listen, I don’t like magic users, I don’t like you. So, let's just part ways here, yeah?”

Oh come on now, don’t make me turn this back and intervene. I’m relying on you to make this entertaining for me.

“No.”

“No?”

Oh?

“No. If you really hated me, you would have left me to fend for myself.”

And the response?

“You think I hate you? That’s what you got from that? I just got you out of there so I wouldn’t owe you for throwing that sword at me.”

“Yeah, well, do you have any money on you? So you can catch yourself a ride back? No, you don’t, and neither of us know much about where we are so we are stuck figuring this out, together.”

At least he’s keeping the story together by not letting him walk away.

“Fine, sure, whatever. There’s the tavern right there on our left, but we of course won’t be able to afford anything. Unless you plan to sell that muddied noble shirt, you like to steal those too?”

“I don’t owe you a story!”

Who would have guessed! I’m right! Off to a tavern they go!

“Other than selling my shirt, do you have any ideas for money?”

How down on his luck is he? Oh, and they take the seats right in the middle of the room? Again, typical.

“You think I’d tell you?”

“I just think we could work together, is that so horrid?”

“Didn’t you threaten to throw me overboard?”

Tomato, tomato.

“Can I get you boys anything?”

Oh! Pretty woman!

“No, thank you.”

“No, thank you Ms.”

At least the boys have manners. She’s really quite pretty, with her braided pale white hair. Her outfit seems to be, Germanic?

“Oh, sorry men, but no orders, no service.”

My boys are really down on their luck, maybe I should just possess her? No doubt she should have more knowledge of the world than the old man.

“We’ll take your entir-”

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“We’ll get out of your hair as soon as possible, miss. But you wouldn’t happen to know where I could find a hotel, would you? I’d like to stay out of the storm, if possible.”

Me as well! I’m not fond of being caught up in waterboys' little alarm systems, rather not trip something and have him breathing down my neck. Or worse, carting me ba- OH SHIT! THE DOOR JUST SLAMMED OPEN!

“...”

A man in a black cloak? Not waterboy's usual style so I should be safe for now. Wow, that actually surprised me! He even silenced the whole room! His vibe definitely makes him stand out here.

Now it seems the air is filling back up with talk.

“Sorry, miss, about the hotel?”

“Wait a minute- you said ‘I’ earlier, do you plan to leave me here?”

Oh come on, don’t make me fix your problems for you! I might get caught!

“Yes. Hotel?”

“UGH! I can’t believe you! I have never been treated like this before! I traveled all the way down to your little ‘Sun Sight Harbor,’ crossing the entire expanse of that continent, and this is the first time I have ever been treated like complete dead weight! Is that all I am to you?”

“Pretty much. Yeah.”

Oof, harsh. Did he really travel across an entire continent? It would explain why his shirt is muddy, along with that smell. I think I almost prefer the fish.

“Wow, you traveled across the entirety of Ariveon?”

“I- Why yes, I did!”

“Here we go.”

You and I both. Couldn’t we do the backstories later? I’d be much more entertained by Aidren spilling his guts first, you don’t even seem to have any scars on you, mister wizard. I don't even know your name yet.

“Really? Did you see the grand palace in the north?”

“Oh, it’s really not that grand of a place.”

A palace in the north, and a port city likely in the south. Worldbuilding! Yay. I’d rather check on that cloak guy, the rain was really pouring down when he came in.

There he is, in the bottom right corner of the tavern, near the windows, in typical villain fashion. Oh, lucky me! He’s taking off the hood! And lets see-, oh. Boring. Typical long black hair found on protagonists of other stories, and light jade green eyes. Is he supposed to be an antagonist? Maybe a minor one. He doesn’t even look like he’s interested in my boys.

Anyways, how are my boys doing? The wizard is still talking to the pretty barmaid, and she seems way too entertained by his story, Aidren is sitting with his head in his hands. I’d speed all this up, but if I do that, I might tip someone off and I’d rather not deal with that. I mean, seriously, I’m just trying to have fun, and I have to worry about getting caught?

“Miss, I know his story is, riveting, but do you know of any nearby hotels?”

I’m back just in time, it seems. Heh.

“Oh, yes, of course. Exit the tavern, head left, after two streets, you’ll be at the ‘Oasis of Senses.’”

“Thank you Ms.”

Don’t be so quick, will you? Slow down a bit.

“Don’t you dare think of leaving me behind!”

And now we're back off onto the road. While it’s raining! Great. At least it's only a drizzle.

This is so stupid. I don’t even have a physical form! And yet! I still have to avoid the rain, just so I don’t get caught! UGH! I really need a better nickname for Sam. Winter Napoleon, maybe?

“So, ‘Oasis of Senses,’ right? Did she say it will be on the right or the left?”

Okay, this is fine. I’ll just keep under the drapery of the merchant stalls. Are these waterproof? None of the rain seems to be getting through. If so, I really need to take some back with me, I can piss him off so bad with these babies! I’ll just stay behind the shopkeeper's backs, near the walls. Easy. So, apple stall, orange stall, strawberries. Oh! Jewelry, pretty golds! Shame that they're fake. Spices, spices, more spices, green apples. Pretty fabrics in the next three! Lets see; a surprising amount of purple, do they have special plants here that allow for that? Magic maybe? Hmm, other than that, the patterns on them are pretty limited to the edges. Embroidered? Fancy. Samudra might like that one, the blue with the geometric patterns. And-

Oh, dammit-

“Is it this road, or the next?”

What to do, what to do. I can’t lose them in this crowd, I’m terrible with directions! Lets see, lets see. Oh! Lucky me, there’s an upcoming covered cart! Okay, okay, either I time this right and jump and climb through or… even better! I can just-

“Are you going to answer me at all?”

“Do you ever shut up-? Wha-”

Recorporate my leg and kick the post of the stall down! Easy! Now I have a clear path to climb through! The stall covering connects to the wagons! No rain on this side! Through the covered wagon and out the other side! OH! Even prettier jewelry!

“I swear I just saw a leg?”

Jades and rubies galore! All fake, but glittering in the lantern light!

“You saw a leg? Really? A stall just fell, and you’re fixated on a leg?”

Fools gold, fools gold, painted onyx! All at unreasonable prices! How pretty! Mortals are so innovative in their scheming and faking. Is that sapphire?

“No, jus- shut up, will you? I saw a leg kick the stall post and send it crashing.”

“Sure you did. Can we get out of the rain, please?”

And quartz! Real quartz and amethyst, they really like purple here don’t th- Oh, we’re moving again? Too bad. At least I picked some for myself, I’m so happy I sewed pockets to my dress. Makes things so much easier.

“So, not only do you dislike me, you have hallucinations of legs? I’m starting to wonder if traveling with you is worth it?”

Hm? Did Mr.Hero see me? I could barely notice over the sound of everyone's yelling.

“It's not, you should probably leave. And I didn't hallucinate, I saw a mist at the top of the knee. The rest up from it wasn't there.”

Oh, he did. And here I thought I was being discreet.

“Yeah. Sure, you saw a goryo. Anyways, the hotel should be just past this street right?”

Oh dear Chaos, Again? Ugh, I don't want to be caught again, so I can’t really make myself visible. Come on, something has to happen…Oh? Two stalls back, the merchant woman is gonna carry her apples this way? Alright! Alright, hurry up, please! I’ll lose the little team at this rat- where did they go? Okay, this is fine, this is fine! I’ll just duck to her right, under this longboard she’s using to carry her baskets of apples till the other side of- oh wait no, where are we going? Why are we headed left? Ms? Please don’t make me possess you! I don’t want your apples to drop! Oh- wait yes, I can duck to the other side of the main roads stalls! Yes! Thank you Ms.Merchant! Now just continue down this way till I see them- even better! The hotel is on this side! Easy enough, I’ll just get in behind this man.

And- I have no idea where they went. Shit. Uhhhhh…

Explore? Uhm… I can check the main desk! Here we g- what is this? There’s no organization. There's not even a worker here! I-well. Shit! Okay, I’ll just run down the halls looking for them! That's fine! Doesn’t make me look desperate at all! Surely they are here? Anywhere? I can’t even open the doors, dammit!

Did the doors just slam open again? Really? Is it the boring guy ag-

“ARIOMA! WHERE ARE YOU?"

OH SHIT! NOPE! RED ALERT! SAMUDRA! OTHER WAY! OTHER WAY! FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK! IS THERE A BACK DOOR IN THIS DAMN PLACE OR NOT? OH, AND THERE THE TWO LITTLE SHITS ARE! IN FRONT OF THE BACK DOOR! GREAT! JUST PERFECT! EXIT ALREADY, DAMMIT!

“The service here sucks, no wonder a barmaid offered it.”

YES! FREEDOM! AND A COVERED ALLEY! NOW-

“A barmaid? Is that really all you think of me? But I enjoyed your story so much!”

Oh-