Fifty dollars. That is what it cost for a whole apple pie. I sat back on the stool with drowsy eyes and a warm full stomach. The sun was beginning to set outside. The gamblers were growing louder with each passing hour. Mia brought them out more food, beer, and whiskey. Bird face kept looking over at me. His eyes flicked up and down looking me over with disapproval.

“You keep looking at my daughter.” The old man from the rocking chair walked over and sat down at my table. He dropped the gauntlet on the table and his eyes strolled from the gauntlet to the table to me. “What are your intentions?”

“Tell him you wanna go in half with her on a baby.” Tootsie zipped over to watch the excitement. I watched his eye start twitching.

I wasn’t sure what the gauntlet did, but assumed it was some sort of magical item. Thus he was implying a threat and Tootsie wasn’t helping. By the look of the old man I imagined he was old fashioned so I considered my answer carefully. “Well, we just met so I thought of asking her to go for a walk with me. Maybe have her show me around Woodhaven?”

“She’s busy.” The old man answered.

“After work.”

“Busy.”

“Is it because I’m an orc?”

“No,” the old man sat forward, “because you are poor and the rent for this diner is forty four hundred dollars a month. Then there is taxes, raiders and overhead.” The old man sat back. “You should finish your pie and get on down the road. Find another.”

“Wow you’re not even good enough for the bartender's daughter,” Tootsie laughed.

I tried to squash her against the table but she was too fast. The old man shot his hand into the gauntlet and the fingertips began to glow.

“Fry him up like bacon,” Tootsie howled with a hiccup. She flew over to the bar and dunked her head into a mug again. “I’ll be here at the bar when you respawn Pig Face.” She said coming up for air.

“Is my father giving you the nine brows?” Mia walked over to the edge of the table and winked at me. She placed a hand on his wrist lowering the gauntlet. “He thinks he can just chase off everyone with that thing and I will always be here waiting on some prince to come calling.”

I shifted in my seat. “I was just asking your father if you could walk with me and show me where to sell my stuff. Find a place to sleep. The sheriff said to just ask around and I would find help.” I watched the old man narrow his eyes at me.

“I would be happy to show you around. As far as a place to stay, well we do have some rooms available here. They are a hundred a night. One twenty if you need a bath drawn.”

“Is your father gonna stand outside my door?”

Mia blushed and looked down at her father. “No. He will not be harassing my customers. Isn’t that right, father?”

He grumbled and dropped his gauntlet into his lap. After another glare he stood and shuffled back over to his rocking chair.

“I’ll take the room and the bath then.” I reached down to my hip and my inventory pouch appeared. When I slipped a hand in a menu appeared before me showing me all the items I owned including coin. I selected one hundred and seventy gold coins. Are you sure? Mentally I accepted yes and the coin appeared in my hand. I held out the coin for her to take. She bit into one of the coins and I stared helpless at her tender pink lips.

She smiled, “give me a moment to talk to the guys over there and I will be happy to show you around.” Mia walked over to the bar and poured some mugs. She walked over and set them at the table. She spoke softly to the table. The whole table groaned and turned to scowl at me.

Then she skipped over and dropped her tray on the bar. Walking over to me she held out the crook of her elbow. Slipping my hand around her arm, we walked toward the door. “Keep an eye on the shop dad. I think the falconite is stealing.” She winked at me. Her father spun his rocker to stare at the gambling table, his brows furrowed.

“I wasn’t ready to leave.” Tootsie pouted.

We stepped out onto the walk planks and the bright blue sun blinded me for a moment. The children still splashed in the water and laughed. A mother was calling to her child to play nice. I caught sight of a merman tossing a cuffed man on the deck and the sheriff walking up to drag the pleading man off.

“I wasn’t getting in the safe, I swear it.” The bandit swore.

“Where is it you wanna go first?” Mia smiled at me. “Armory? Trading post?”

“Back in the bar.” Tootsie offered.

“Trading post.” I answered.

“Alright, this way.” Mia walked toward a split in the deck and took the left fork. We walked past several homes each one small perhaps one room buildings with a single window and door. They had straw roofs peaked like cones. I could see a fishing line drop under one of the homes into the water. They could just fish from their living room. The deck walkway brought us to a round dock with boats tied up to it on all sides. Mia dropped into one of the boats.

“You don’t have merchants in town?” I asked dropping into the boat with her.

“I think she is running away with you. Aww how romantic, she wants to elope.” Tootsie’s eyes filled with mirth.

“Shut up Tootsie.”

“Who is Tootsie?” Mia asked, looking around.

“You don’t see her?” I pointed at Tootsie as she flew between us.

“My name is Mia,” She looked confused, “and I didn’t say anything.”

“They can’t see me,” Tootsie informed me, “But they can feel me. Should I bite her on the butt?”

Mia side eyed me and looked at my finger then sighed. “The merchants in town won’t buy stolen items.” Mia said, she picked up the oars and handed them to me. “I will take you to the shadow faction but I want my cut of course. You heard father, I got bills to pay. So row big guy. We should get back before dark.”

Pig Face

Level 3 Orc

Strength: 16

Dexterity: 10

Charisma: 6

Intelligence: 17

Manna: 5

Constitution: 14

Perception: 14

Exp: 4475

Soul Points: 6

Skills: Furious Feline: cost 2 mana,

Dex: +3, Claws, time: 1 hour

Carapace Skin: +4 Constitution,

Cost: 2 Mana, time: 1 hour

Coin:

$545

Gear:

Loincloth

Ordinary Trousers

Generic Blouse

Rapier Beretta

Ammo: 3 hollow tip rounds

Average Short Sword

Staff of drunkenness: render opponent drunk for one game hour

Leather Kilt: Protection against fire damage, armor 2

Satchel: First aid kit

Beginner crossbow

Ammo: 13 bolts