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As Missy Hissy appeared in the central park in Brimloch Roon, she heard a rumble of thunder. "Strange," she muttered to herself. "I thought the wizardmagic around here kept nature out..." Collecting her thoughts and possessions, she turned and headed for the pawn shop.
Her thoughts ran back to Kerah in the undersea temple. She had appeared strangely angry when the teleporter broke, but Missy wasn’t quite sure why. Certainly it hadn’t been her method of entering and exiting that temple – it clearly hadn’t been used in ages. And the platform through which Missy entered... that hadn’t moved in an eternity as well, judging by the algae slime which had grown on the top of it. Kerah must have her own special control of moon magic, able to set portals in places like the undersea temple. Missy knew she could only create one portal; perhaps Kerah’s skills allowed her to create more of them.
As she pushed open the door to Miruth’s pawn shop, a brief smile crossed Missy’s face. Soon she’d be done with Miruth’s endless prattle about the leprechaun. Between him and Sebastio, the beeswax earplugs from Strumbold were getting quite a workout.
Miruth looked up as she came in. "What’s that you’ve brought? I can sense the energy."
Missy took out the clover stone. "This? Why, it’s a little trinket picked up at a fair, sold by a huckster..."
"No, you lie," screeched Miruth. "I can feel it – it’s a clover stone. There really is a leprechaun!"
"Was," Missy corrected. "Was. As in pushing up daisies, looking at the grass from the other side, moved into the pine bedroom, done. Was a leprechaun. And you’ve now got the proof he existed. Right?" She glared at Miruth.
"Yeah, I’ve got it." Miruth eyed Missy. "Oh, you’re wanting your reward. Here’s some gold, and I’ll put a word in for you with the guild. You can consider yourself a full guild member now."
"Anything else you need done?"
"Naw," said Miruth, fondling the clover necklace. "Nothin’ else needs doin’."
Missy stepped out of the shop, then realized she’d forgotten to off-load some of her newly found gear. As she stepped back in, Miruth looked up at her. "You’re too late," he said. "Someone else already returned the necklace. But to thank you for your effort, I’ll put a word in for you with the guild. You can consider yourself a full guild member now."
Missy stopped and stared. "I am the someone else," she said in a low voice. "You already rewarded me, remember?"
Miruth ignored her. "Whatcha want?"
Missy sold off the swords and shields she’d picked up, wondering what had happened to Miruth’s mental abilities. True, he was an older rattkin, but he shouldn’t be that bad off... leastways, not if he was supposed to be running a shop like that. Missy collected her gold and headed out once again.
On a lark, she stepped back in. "You’re too late," barked Miruth. "Someone else..." Missy turned around quickly and headed out. Some things you just don’t want to deal with.
Muttering aloud, causing passers-by to glance at her nervously, Missy strode to the edge of town, then through the gates. Looking over the waters of the Enchanted Sea, she took a deep breath, inhaling their salty spray. No sign of the thunderclouds she’d heard inside the town. Interesting, she thought, as she teleported back to Kerah’s underwater temple.
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