\u201cLet\u2019s make chocolate!\u201d<\/p>\n
That was the declaration Erin made on a sunny morning. Mrsha\u2019s ears perked up from across the inn and she raced over. It had been one day since Erin had discovered the existence of the cacao tree in her garden. And she had been talking up chocolate all of last night.<\/p>\n
Mrsha\u2019s reaction was understandable; she liked tasty things. And sweets. But the rest of the inn\u2019s denizens were a bit\u2026blas\u00e9. Because they didn\u2019t really know what chocolate was.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s this dark stuff that\u2019s like sugar, but not, right? Do we really need to make it a priority, Erin? Wailant is going to start planting, Octavia needs her shop, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Lyonette had a list. The [Princess] was the effective day-to-day manager and Erin, despite being superior in rank, was like the trusted subordinate Lyonette sent out when Erin was needed. But in this case the [Innkeeper] was adamant.<\/p>\n
\u201cChocolate is tasty. Chocolate is good<\/em>. It\u2019s not just sugar, Lyonette. You don\u2019t even know.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Princess] paused and leaned over with a scowl.<\/p>\n \u201cApparently not. And would you mind shutting up about things I don\u2019t know? You have people watching you.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked around. She noted Montressa and Beza here today; Palt was out. But the two Wistram [Mages] might soon be joined by Grimalkin, or Chaldion, or Saliss.<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Sorry. But it really is good, Lyonette. You can use chocolate with everything. Ice cream! Popcorn! Um\u2014waffles? Cakes! Uh\u2026chocolate milk!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Her enthusiasm sold Lyonette on it. The [Princess] sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose it\u2019s alright. Do you need anything?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026no? But I might need your help. And\u2026um\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette paused. She stared at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t know how to make it.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin Solstice paused.<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026I mean\u2026if you want to be technical, no.<\/em> But I\u2019ve seen, like, shows. About chocolate and stuff. And I know what goes into it. Sort of. And<\/em> I have [Advanced Cooking].\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette sighed. But Mrsha was happy. She leapt about! Chocolate! Chocolate! She was going to eat whatever it was!<\/p>\n \u201cAt least we have a fairly free day. Mrsha, remember? You\u2019re going with Selys.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha paused. And then she perked up. That was right! Selys was coming to the inn! The Drake had promised to look after Mrsha all morning since she had been so busy of late.<\/p>\n And indeed, it seemed like the world was conspiring for chocolate to occur. Because not only was Selys scheduled, but Numbtongue appeared in the kitchen as Erin and Lyonette set up what they\u2019d probably need\u2014butter, eggs\u2014wait, chocolate didn\u2019t have eggs\u2014sugar, and pots and pans.<\/p>\n \u201cErin. We\u2019re going out, all morning. Probably. Can you set the door for us to come back?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Bard] saw the two young women look up. Erin blinked.<\/p>\n \u201cOh! Numbtongue! You\u2019re going out mining? Wait\u2014we?\u201d<\/p>\n She did a double take as an Antinium hand waved past Numbtongue.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is me, Bird. I am going too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMining.\u201d<\/p>\n Lyonette\u2019s first thought was instant skepticism. She looked Bird up and down for a bow, but he wasn\u2019t carrying one. He and Numbtongue did have shovels and picks, though, and a sack. Erin blinked.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going with Numbtongue, Bird?\u201d<\/p>\n The Antinium nodded happily.<\/p>\n \u201cI am going to hit rocks. Which Numbtongue has assured me is fun. Yay.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going too. I want to see where all this gemstone stuff is coming from.\u201d<\/p>\n Octavia sidled out from behind the other two. Numbtongue nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cGood rocks higher up. I\u2014Pyrite\u2014thinks there are opals. Maybe. We\u2019ll go. Probably be safe. I have potions, guitar, sword\u2014and Pyrite.\u201d<\/p>\n He tapped his chest. Erin looked at him. Then at Bird and Octavia. She blinked at the unlikely team, but then smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cSure! I\u2019ll let the staff know to check in!\u201d<\/p>\n Smooth as butter. Which again, chocolate probably contained. Erin wasn\u2019t sure, but within twenty minutes Selys appeared.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha! Where\u2019s my favorite little Gnoll? Hi, Erin! Lyonette! What are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re making chocolate!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Erin pointed to the pods of cacao fruits that they\u2019d gathered from the tree. Lyonette was poking the rough, fairly unappetizing exteriors of the shells. But Erin had confidence. She knew chocolate existed; Lasica had said it did and Palt was sure about the name. She stepped out of the kitchen as Selys bent to greet Mrsha.<\/p>\n And stopped. Selys Shivertail had changed a bit. Her scales looked\u2014glossy. And she was wearing a rather nice<\/em> set of clothes. Not your plain cotton, but a smoother, more vibrant fabric. Not a dress; she was in casual, walk-around clothes.<\/p>\n But it was better than Erin\u2019s normal clothes. The [Innkeeper] blinked.<\/p>\n \u201cWow, you\u2019ve got new clothes. And<\/em> jewelry?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cMagical artifacts, actually. I have a small collection. It\u2019s a bit haphazard, but I\u2019m buying for quality. Speaking of which, how are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The two sat for a brief chat as Mrsha leapt up to the table. Erin told Selys about the garden, her plans for the day\u2014but the Drake [Heiress] was far more exciting. Because Erin\u2019s big events had been witnessed by Selys. But Erin had no idea how Selys was doing herself.<\/p>\n \u201cYou remember I was telling you about how I\u2019m getting into the landowning business? Well, with the money the Heartflame Breastplate is earning me, I\u2019ve bought some of the new parts of the city. And hired [Builders] and people to start making apartments.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhoa! So you\u2019re going to be an actual [Landlady]?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys waved a claw dismissively.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if I want that<\/em> class. But maybe it\u2019ll fold into my [Receptionist] class? It\u2019s really just to put the gold to work. I mean, I can\u2019t spend it all on myself. And renting space would be a good way to make money besides the breastplate.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin had heard about the new construction of the city, but she hadn\u2019t gone out to look with all that was going on. She made a note to do just that. But for now\u2014she listened to Selys talking about her big plans.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to own apartments for any<\/em> species. But mainly Humans. The other [Landowners] don\u2019t want to cater to Humans, although I bet they will. But I\u2019ll make a better place. Your Players of Celum will be my first clients, the ones who don\u2019t want to stay at your inn.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, that\u2019s great! Thanks so much for putting them up temporarily, Selys.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake waved a hand as if finding places for nearly forty people\u2014[Actors] and families\u2014was no big deal. She\u2019d managed it in a single night, though. Selys had money and money talked and walked and also poked people in the head. So did Tekshia.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s to my advantage, Erin. I\u2019m going to give Humans an opportunity. Hire them along with Gnolls and Drakes. And I\u2019m in a minority there. Speaking of which, the apartments should<\/em> be profitable if I can fund it all with the money I have.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? But it\u2019ll take a long time to earn all that money back, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith Antinium labor? Not that much. Besides, I can charge a fair price.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut I thought the rent was low.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys smiled smugly.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is. Which the other [Landowners] are not<\/em> happy about, and these new homes will drive prices down further. Well, that\u2019s their problem. I\u2019ll ask Krshia and Elirr and Raekea to do something about the rent pricing when the first buildings go up, though. Lism and the others on the Council will probably agree and if they don\u2019t, they can get the other two Councilmembers to back them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWait, but I thought they were doing that for poor people. Selys, don\u2019t you think low rent\u2019s good?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin had to object here. But Selys waved that away.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce we have enough space, rent won\u2019t be as big of an issue. It is<\/em> expensive to build and maintain apartments, Erin. And if there\u2019s no rent, people won\u2019t renovate. What we lacked was just\u2014competition.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh. I didn\u2019t think about it like that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrust me. I\u2019ve learned a lot and I\u2019m going to make nice places. I\u2019ll have Human apartments, ones for Gnolls\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes those different?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSoundproofed walls.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Smart.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCome by later. No\u2014let\u2019s make a plan to get together, okay Erin? Just the two of us.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha pounded the table indignantly. Selys smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd maybe Mrsha. But we\u2019ll go around Liscor! Maybe Pallass too! I\u2019m thinking of going there, like you said. For the armor, you know? It\u2019s how I\u2019m making money and I do want to see the Walled City after all. But I need to get the construction taken care of first. And Mrsha gets her day with me! Speaking of which, I have a present for you, Mrsha. Want to see it?\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha went round-eyed with excitement. The present was at Selys\u2019 home and she was going to see her two best friends, Ekirra and Visma. Erin was thanking Selys when the Drake remembered something and stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, that\u2019s right. Erin, about the Sage\u2019s Grass. Are you able to pay that [Farmer] his price?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin\u2019s face fell.<\/p>\n \u201cI dunno. Between that and paying for the new inn, Lyonette says we\u2019ll have to juggle some money. But we\u2019re earning again. So\u2026I hope this chocolate will also help with that.\u201d<\/p>\n She saw Selys nodding. The Drake paused, and then looked a bit awkward. She coughed.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know how to say this, so I\u2019m just going to come out with it. Erin, if it\u2019s just a few hundred gold, I can at least help pay for a bit. Did you say six hundred gold pieces? Half of that.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin blinked. Selys was reaching into her personal bag of holding.<\/p>\n \u201cWait, what?<\/em> Selys!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nothing. Well, it\u2019s not nothing<\/em>, but I can help you out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, wait\u2014Selys, thank you! I\u2019ll talk it over with Lyonette, but that\u2019s way too much!\u201d<\/p>\n The young Human woman had to stop Selys for a moment as the Drake began fishing into her money pouch. The Drake paused.<\/p>\n \u201cErin, relax. I can<\/em> afford that. Do you know how much I spent on dresses this month alone? Keldrass is paying me for the armor and he\u2019s not the only one. Someone will pay a hundred gold to wear it for a week. The rich Drakes, that is. And that\u2019s low <\/em>compared to what I can get. I owe you a lot. If you need help\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She was prepared to pay Erin there and then. The [Innkeeper] waved her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me see how much I need. I can\u2019t take a loan\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWho said it was a loan?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys smiled at Erin\u2019s face. She waved a finger.<\/p>\n \u201cErin, I can afford it.<\/em> Just give me free access to Pallass whenever I want. That would actually be worth three hundred gold. More than worth it. You need<\/em> to monetize that door, Erin. Even if it\u2019s only for travel to Pallass. Think about it. One silver coin to visit the Walled City or vice-versa. That\u2019s a steal<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin blinked. Selys was getting so\u2014mercantile! But Erin had to smile.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Selys. I\u2019ll ask Lyonette what we need.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet me know. But I want to help. And, Ancestors, if I start earning money from rent, I\u2019ll be able to do a lot more. By the way, I\u2019m getting you new clothes. I had some made, but the [Clothier] thought it was for a Drake. So there\u2019s a hole in the back. I\u2019ll get it to you when it\u2019s done!\u201d<\/p>\n The [Innkeeper] blinked. But Selys was already taking Mrsha out of the door. She stared after Selys.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n A few more visitors stopped by before Erin\u2019s chocolate project could get underway. And they had a similar\u2026theme to them. The first was Jelaqua, who came from Pallass. By herself; Moore had charged up the door, but since she was going back quickly, it made no sense for him to come with.<\/p>\n \u201cChocolate? Hey, send up a [Message] and I\u2019ll be over! My taste buds are fresh<\/em>. But I\u2019m actually going on a mission.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? You found work?\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid laughed. She was in exceptional humor of late.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right! Just a minor mission. There\u2019s a locust swarm and guess who gets to clear it out? Adventurers! It\u2019s well-paying, even if it sounds like it\u2019ll be a day or two of hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds difficult. Wouldn\u2019t it be better to get someone to burn them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably. But you need a bit of muscle for this and a lot of the Gold-ranks are in the dungeon. So we\u2019re handling it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut tiny bugs\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Erin wasn\u2019t sure how it was going to work. Jelaqua slapped her forehead.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, I didn\u2019t say. Giant<\/em> locusts. Anyways, it\u2019s not that hard. We have tactics from fighting all those damned spiders and moths. But here I am, talking about boring work\u2014Erin, I\u2019m just here to pay for that field of Sage\u2019s Grass.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nearly dropped the bag of sugar she was hauling to the kitchen. Jelaqua casually placed hers there\u2014they were bringing it up from the cellar storage, now rat-free.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Jelaqua!\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid forestalled Erin\u2019s objections.<\/p>\n \u201cWe heard about the Sage\u2019s Grass plan. And look\u2014we owe our fortunes partly to you and the Redfangs. So let us cover the door. It\u2019s not much as adventurers count coin, and you know we can pay for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin blinked. But in a trice, Jelaqua was handing her a slip.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Merchant\u2019s Guild in Liscor will give you the money. They have a system if you put in money to them\u2014they\u2019ll confirm it with me, but you\u2019ll get the gold. That\u2019s all. Gotta run! The locusts are eating farms and animals, apparently.\u201d<\/p>\n She dashed off.<\/p>\n The next visitor was Teliv Witherscale, whom Erin had a special connection with due to the time they overthrew a burgeoning dictatorship in Esthelm. It was this entire thing, and the [Negotiator] poked his head into the inn and stared around for a long moment before making his way over to her. Erin suspected he was looking out for Crelers, Hobgoblins, monsters, or anything else that might kill him in the next few seconds.<\/p>\n \u201cGood evening, Miss Solstice! I\u2019m on official city business. The Council\u2019s heard about your plan to upgrade your magical door with a\u2026field of grass? Something like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Teliv rubbed his claws together, smiling at Erin as she served him a cup of tea. She stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cDoes everyone<\/em> know what I\u2019m doing?\u201d<\/p>\n He coughed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s wise to keep abreast of things. Anyways, Miss Erin, I understand the price of this project is concerning? Well, I am here to make you an offer. <\/em>Liscor\u2019s Council and Pallass will subsidize the costs, for a bit of negotiation in regards to the door\u2019s usage. I hear you\u2019re planning on using it to let [Merchants] and [Farmers] sell their goods?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you know that?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Erin began to glare at Teliv and around the inn. He smiled politely, and Erin felt him trying to soothe her. Unfortunately, it was something like an aura-effect and this was her <\/em>inn. She just frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Liscor sees this as a positive for the city, but since the inn has access directly to Liscor and<\/em> Pallass\u2014we may have to talk about shipment oversight. Just a [Guardsman] or two who can see it done! And if you\u2019re charging a transportation fee, well, you are a citizen, so we can roll that into your annual taxes. Or\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Erin sighed at Teliv. She wanted to say \u2018get out\u2019, but instead, she just wanted to have a lie down. Teliv saw her expression and coughed again.<\/p>\n \u201cAlso, I\u2019m coming on behalf of Liscor. Pallass says they\u2019ll go over any transportation into their city at the checkpoint. Er\u2026Miss Solstice?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChocolate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026What?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n A bit later, Erin Solstice stood in the kitchen over a seed pod. She had dealt with the obstacles lying between her and chocolate. Mainly by saying \u2018chocolate\u2019 until they went away.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll negotiate with Teliv. I\u2019m used to it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChocolate.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin saw Lyonette scowl at her. The [Innkeeper] turned.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Lyonette. Look, let\u2019s just make the stuff. Huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. What\u2019s the first step?\u201d<\/p>\n And the young woman from Earth smiled. This was what she liked. Cooking\u2014for fun, hanging out with friends, none of this deal-making nonsense. She gestured at the dark pods lying on her table.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, cacao is unprocessed chocolate, right? I know it\u2019s a bean, so I bet you have to\u2026get the beans from inside. Then squish<\/em> them into chocolate. Probably\u2026um\u2026melt them?\u201d<\/p>\n She faltered under Lyonette\u2019s flat stare. Erin drew her special Pelt-made knife and hovered over the seed pod.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst things first! We just cut open the pod, easy<\/em>, and\u2014ew!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Erin recoiled. The inside of the pod was filled with a fleshy, white\u2026fruit.<\/em> Not a bunch of dark beans like she\u2019d assumed! It was, in fact, like a bunch of misshapen\u2026she stared at the white rind on the cacao fruits.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is this?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCacao seeds. They don\u2019t look good. I thought they were beans?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey are! They\u2019re supposed to be\u2014hang on.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin was thrown for a loop. Clearly, in her memory of how chocolate was made, someone had skipped a few crucial steps. She stared at the fruity white things and closed her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cHm. Hm.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have no idea how to make them, do you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSilence! I am at work, Lyonette! I\u2019ve tackled bigger challenges before!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike what?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Innkeeper] tuned out the [Princess]\u2019 voice. Her eyes snapped open and she pointed dramatically at the seeds in the pod.<\/p>\n \u201cMy [Advanced Cooking] instincts are telling me\u2014they need to be dry<\/em> first! Huh? Huh?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n She turned to Lyonette with a proud look on her face. The [Princess] stared back.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin paused. Her eyes narrowed as she thought for another minute and then it came to her. Intuition mixed with memory, her Skill at work.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll dry this stuff out! And then\u2014well, I don\u2019t know, but that\u2019s probably where you\u2014roast<\/em> them.\u201d<\/p>\n Yes. That sounded right. Roasting! Like coffee! Did this world have coffee? Erin\u2019s mind was racing. She smiled at Lyonette\u2014and the [Princess] looked up from writing a note on a bit of parchment.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. Um, Erin\u2014I\u2019m going to go ask Lasica for advice. Drassi? Can you push this note through to Pallass? Just throw it through the door and shout at someone to pick it up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? But hold on! I can figure it out!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin hurried after Lyonette. The [Princess] turned and looked at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure you can, Erin. But we don\u2019t have time to mess about all day. Lasica had<\/em> chocolate, right? We\u2019ll ask her. She\u2019s a [Chef], anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n It made sense. But Erin didn\u2019t like<\/em> that it made sense. She deflated as Drassi took the note. Within twenty minutes, a reply came back that Lasica would ask one of her friends in Baleros and come over with the recipe. Lyonette, satisfied, walked off to confer with Teliv. And Erin sat in the kitchen, staring down at the open seed pod.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t as fun anymore. What happened to everyone\u2019s sense of adventure? Creativity? Figuring it out for themselves?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shook a fist in general anger at the efficiency and pragmatism of the world in general. Then, she had to pause and be real with herself.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it was never fun, trying to figure out how to make pasta. And breaking those preservation runes\u2026and slicing my hand open\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Erin paused. No, the bad old days of wondering how she\u2019d find food tomorrow weren\u2019t actually that great, except if you omitted details and put on rosy nostalgia-shades. Even so, she would have liked to try for herself.<\/p>\n \u201cStill, chocolate.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin comforted herself with that idea. Chocolate. It was really good. Actually, Erin wasn\u2019t a huge<\/em> fan of milk chocolate. Dark was where it was at. And white chocolate was good too. She didn\u2019t know why people got down on it.<\/p>\n \u2026Wait, was white chocolate even made with chocolate? Erin really wished Ryoka were here. She probably knew how to make chocolate.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n As it turned out, chocolate was a hard thing to make. Not just \u2018hard\u2019 as in mayonnaise-hard, or even hard like hand-churning butter. But hard<\/em>, hard. In fact\u2014it was actually impossible for Erin to make in her inn. Lasica had come over, intrigued at the free garden she\u2019d heard about. She had to stare<\/em> at the garden and then at Erin. When she stopped muttering about strange [Innkeeper] Skills, she told Erin the flaw in Erin\u2019s attempts.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an involved process, Erin. It takes weeks<\/em>, apparently, if you do it normally. Listen. The first step is to let it all ferment. At least<\/em> two days. Then you roast it, take off the shell which is apparently a pain, my friend told me, and press what\u2019s left. And that\u2019s a problem for you because you can\u2019t even do step one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy not? I\u2019ll just toss them in a tray and let them rot. Yuck.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin made a face. Lasica pursed her lips.<\/p>\n \u201cRight. And\u2014Erin. Exactly when will they begin to rot?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, you said\u2026oh.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Field of Preservation]. For the first time, it was becoming an obstacle. Not just to chocolate.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a good Skill, Erin. But you need to turn it off or you won\u2019t be able to make anything fermented.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t need pickles or\u2026stinking stuff. Kimchi? Well, I don\u2019t know how to make that. I can put the seeds somewhere else! Um\u2026like the Antinium Hive! Or Selys\u2019 house!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin folded her arms, annoyed. Lasica rolled her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy don\u2019t you take all the pods that are ripe and come with me into Liscor, Erin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot Pallass?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. Your door will run out of magic and I\u2019m not paying for you to go back. Or having you at the bar overnight. Come on.\u201d<\/p>\n With her chivvying them, the pods were collected and Erin, Lyonette, and Lasica went into the city. There, the Drake, with no prior knowledge of the city or having ever visited it properly, walked up to the nearest restaurant, and asked a question. Erin saw her conferring with the [Cook] and [Manager], and then she led them to another shop. Someone there pointed her in the right direction.<\/p>\n \u201cAha. This is the Gnoll who makes some of that delicious Liscorian fish paste I import. I can buy it directly.\u201d<\/p>\n Twenty minutes later, Lasica pointed Erin to a rather large shop run by a single, fairly hermit-like Gnoll. He smelled. He sort of stank.<\/em> And he was also a [Fermenter]. He shook Lasica\u2019s claw gingerly and gave Erin a slightly bug-eyed look.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Human. How can I help you and Miss [Chef] here?\u201d<\/p>\n He perched on his stool, listening as Lasica explained about chocolate.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d like to purchase a space with your fastest Skills at work. Preferably anything that preserves the quality of the pods. Can you give us a quote and let us know how fast the process is?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMm. Not too expensive. I have a three-to-one ratio of time in my average spaces. Eight-to-one in my special projects. I will give you the eight-to-one for gold, the others for silver.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSilver works for us. Now, it should take two to ten days regularly. So if you could let us know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat am I looking for?\u201d<\/p>\n The Gnoll listened as Lasica told him what the process should look like. Erin and Lyonette exchanged glances as she shook hands. Erin paid for the berth and the Gnoll let them see themselves out. Lasica had also bought eight jars of fish sauce. And she seemed content with the entire affair.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore we leave, I\u2019ll help you find some [Millers], or someone in the city willing to shell your cacao seeds. Assuming it isn\u2019t insanely tricky, they should be able to do the lot for silver.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin and Lyonette looked at Lasica. The [Princess] was approving, but Erin was confused.<\/p>\n \u201cPay someone else?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. You don\u2019t have to do it yourself, Erin. You can get good, reliable results. Mister\u2014well, he never told me his name\u2014Mister Sauce is a good example of that. I mean, you can brew your own alcohol, or make your own pickles, but why would you when you can hire a specialist?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin opened and closed her mouth. She looked back into the shop; the Gnoll was carefully clearing a berth.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you don\u2019t even know his name! What\u2019s he like? Why does he make fish sauce and paste all the time? What\u2019s a [Fermenter]?\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake [Chef] gave Erin a strange look.<\/p>\n \u201cErin, I don\u2019t have to know his life story to hire him. It\u2019s a business deal. He probably prefers being left alone; I can\u2019t imagine many Gnolls could stand the smell.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n And that was when Erin realized this was Lasica, and Erin was Erin. And because Erin was Erin\u2026<\/p>\n The Gnoll [Fermenter] in the shop was humming to himself as he checked his pots and different containers where the usually very<\/em> salty liquids or substances were, well, fermenting at speed. His was a substantially more cleanly and upscale operation than Holdnose\u2019s, but the two would have respected each other as fellow members of the craft.<\/p>\n The Gnoll, whose name was Ushel, turned back to his counter. He really had a good job, in his estimation. He just had to take care of his pots, move around substances, make sure nothing was eaten\u2014and it was a rare rat or bug who immediately went for the salty substances\u2014and then he had a lot of time off.<\/p>\n He jumped<\/em> as he saw a young woman peeking around the door to his inner laboratory. Erin waved.<\/p>\n \u201cHi. I\u2019m Erin. Erin Solstice. What\u2019s your name?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Across the city, Selys Shivertail opened the door to her new home. And Mrsha\u2019s jaw dropped.<\/p>\n This was a bigger place than Selys\u2019 small, almost cramped apartment had been. Selys had moved up in the world! Which meant she\u2019d geographically actually moved down; she\u2019d lived on the third floor of her old apartment.<\/p>\n But this new place was nice. <\/em>And Selys had already begun buying everything she could want. Which was a sofa for lounging on, charms like the cooling charm that kept out the summer\u2019s heat, clothing, snacks\u2014<\/p>\n All of this was strewn about the apartment, by the way. Selys had many talents, and she was a good [Receptionist], but her clutter had built up faster than she could sort it. The Drake was a bit embarrassed and somewhat glad Erin and Lyonette hadn\u2019t seen. She began tossing things into drawers and cupboards as Mrsha roamed around.<\/p>\n The Gnoll was just poking her nose into a drawer and finding bootleg, cheap copies of the cookies Erin had pioneered\u2014the [Cooks] and [Bakers] of the city were trying to copy Erin with mixed success\u2014when Selys called out.<\/p>\n \u201cAha! Found it, Mrsha! Here!\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha rushed over and found Selys holding\u2026a ball.<\/em><\/p>\n It was a lovely ball. Mrsha had three of them now, to catch, or throw, or chew\u2014and they were very different, thank you! Gifts from Krshia, Elirr, and Lyonette. But this ball\u2014<\/p>\n Oh, this one was special. It was bright red, already special because red dyes were expensive, like purple, and it was the perfect size for throwing by small Gnoll paws. Bouncy\u2014<\/em>you could even see the way it squished<\/em> slightly in Selys\u2019 grip. It was made to be thrown and chased after. And it had a magical pattern stitched into the outside.<\/p>\n It looked fancy. <\/em>Mrsha stared at it. She stared at Selys. Slowly, she pointed at her chest.<\/p>\n Is that for me?<\/em><\/p>\n Selys beamed at Mrsha\u2019s expression.<\/p>\n \u201cI got it from a travelling sales-Human. What do you think? Is it good?\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha nodded up and down rapidly and then ran over to hug Selys\u2019 legs. The Drake laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t thank me yet, Mrsha! Wait till you see what it can do!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n And with that, she pressed one of the sections on the ball and the magical stitching glowed<\/em>. Mrsha gaped as Selys threw the ball. It hit the wooden floorboards\u2014and then rolled off, shooting away from Mrsha.<\/p>\n The little Gnoll had seen many things in life. Many glorious things, terrible things. But she had never seen this. The ball shot away, and then stopped, quivering. And Mrsha realized it was magic.<\/p>\n It rolled\u2026by itself.<\/em> In awe, Mrsha stared up at Selys. The [Heiress] beamed.<\/p>\n \u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha took one look at the ball. It seemed to be staring at her. Mrsha tensed. The ball wobbled. Mrsha charged<\/em> and the ball shot off.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoa! Careful! That\u2019s a vase! Don\u2019t run into that\u2014watch out for\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Selys instantly realized her mistake. Unlike Drake children, who could be hoarding, biting little demons, Gnoll children were more prone to race about and hit something. And Mrsha was on the chase. The little ball appealed to every instinct in her, and it had been enchanted to give a Gnoll child a fun time.<\/p>\n No one, not even grown up Gnolls, not even Bird or Numbtongue, could outrun a Gnoll child in a game of tag. They were all adults, and big and slow. <\/em>And Apista refused to play since Mrsha might squash her accidentally. But this ball had speed. It dodged and wove, and Mrsha shot around Selys\u2019 apartment, laughing and leaping at it.<\/p>\n It even grew tired, like a real quarry. Mrsha eventually snatched up the ball and Selys, panting with anxiety, stuffed the fragile objects she\u2019d bought in her room and closed the door.<\/p>\n \u201cWell! I think that was fun enough for now! Let\u2019s\u2014let\u2019s go to the park instead, shall we? And wait\u2014I think I hear two little friends coming!\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed, Ekirra and Visma were both coming. Mrsha couldn\u2019t smell them, but Selys had a spy-hole in her door and a magical stone you could activate for a brief look at whomever was outside. Mrsha held the little ball in her hands, delighted.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha! Mrsha, we\u2019re here!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Ekirra shouted as soon as Selys opened the door. He and Visma had come with Visma\u2019s older brother. He was a young Drake\u2014around fourteen? And he\u2019d walked them over, since he wasn\u2019t working with the [Fletcher] he was apprenticing under today.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Shivertail.\u201d<\/p>\n Visma\u2019s older brother bowed low as Ekirra raced into the apartment. Visma stared about the apartment, and then raced after Ekirra as Mrsha waved a hand. The Drake tried sniffing Mrsha back, then she stared<\/em> at a scrying orb Selys had left precariously near a table. Her eyes went wide.<\/p>\n Selys had everything from the five books that had been written this year, to a map of Izril. She couldn\u2019t afford the big<\/em> stuff yet, but everything within a normal family\u2019s disposable budget Selys could buy, and more.<\/p>\n The little Drake girl instantly grabbed one of Selys\u2019 silk dresses, put the scrying orb in it, and hugged it to her. Her brother tried to scold her.<\/p>\n \u201cVisma, no! Put it down! I am so sorry, Miss Shivertail\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCall me Selys. And it\u2019s fine. I should\u2019ve thought of that. I\u2019ll be fine with the kids. Feiss, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. Um, my parents say they\u2019ll be happy to help out if you get tired. Um\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf I need to, I\u2019ll call for help. But it\u2019s just down to the park, right? I\u2019ve done it before. Thank you! Oh, and how\u2019s your mother doing\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha ignored Selys. She had noticed how polite people were to Selys these days. She\u2019d taken Mrsha to the public bathhouse, and the attendants had given Selys a lot of attention! Well, Selys had<\/em> paid for a private bath for her and Mrsha. One with nice-smelling water, and you got your fur groomed afterwards!<\/p>\n Selys was so nice. Mrsha waved at Ekirra as he completed a lap of the house. Like her, he\u2019d been sniffing everything. Visma was busy trying to find a spot to stash the items she deemed most Visma-worthy, but the two Gnolls met up in the living room. They hopped onto a sofa.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha, are we going to play?<\/em> I brought my ball!\u201d<\/p>\n Ekirra had indeed brought his special ball with stars on it. Mrsha\u2019s tail wagged as she held the crimson, magical ball behind her back. She proudly brought it out and Ekirra\u2019s eyes went round.<\/p>\n \u201cBall?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n He choked as he saw how special it looked. Selys smiled fondly as Mrsha slowly touched one of the magical sigils and then tossed it onto the ground. The ball shot off and Ekirra\u2014<\/p>\n Went nuts. He and Mrsha chased after the ball, nearly running into Visma. She nearly grabbed the ball but it swerved and juked! It was the ball of a century, a magic ball!<\/p>\n \u201cIt has other functions too, Mrsha! It can come back to you\u2014you can play catch with it that way. And it lights up in the dark! Some [Magical Craftsman] made it, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys demonstrated more of the ball\u2019s functions. Mrsha was leaping around, rolling on the floor, unable to contain her excitement! She was going to have so much fun showing it off to the other Gnoll children in the park! No, any child would love this ball!<\/p>\n Mrsha leapt up as Selys pointed towards the door.<\/p>\n \u201cWant to go to the park, kids? I\u2019ll be one second! I just need to get Visma. Visma!<\/em> I know you like all the nice things, but they\u2019re mine! <\/em>You know what they say! Hoarders don\u2019t get to keep nice things! You don\u2019t want to turn into some old Drake with a pile of trash, do you? Come on!\u201d<\/p>\n She went off, looking for Visma to find her things, promising the little Drake girl a treat and maybe<\/em> a little toy if she came out. Mrsha knew Visma probably would come out; she was getting better about hoarding. She raced about excitedly as she held the ball in her paws. Mrsha only stopped when she realized Ekirra had gone still.<\/p>\n Excitable, happy Ekirra was looking at his lovely new ball. The one with stars that glowed in the dark. Only\u2014Mrsha\u2019s ball glowed in the dark. And it was red. And it could move and even come back on its own. And somehow, that meant Ekirra\u2019s super-special birthday present wasn\u2019t as special as it had been a few days ago.<\/p>\n His ears drooped as Mrsha looked at him. Mrsha\u2019s tail stopped wagging and she looked at Ekirra. Really looked<\/em>. And she remembered how excited Ekirra had been for his birthday, how long he\u2019d waited<\/em> and waited for a new ball to replace his old, ratty, leather one that his sister had owned. And\u2014she looked at the magical ball in her paws.<\/p>\n She\u2019d gotten this as a present from Selys. It wasn\u2019t even her birthday. It was more expensive than anything Ekirra\u2019s family could afford, Mrsha was certain. More than Lyonette or Erin could afford.<\/p>\n And\u2014for the first time, Mrsha\u2019s delight in having rich Auntie Selys faltered. She saw Selys gently tugging at her silk dress as Visma held onto it, promising a toy if the Drake would let go. And Mrsha realized something.<\/p>\n Selys was rich<\/em>. Only\u2014she\u2019d known that. It was just that now, Mrsha knew more about what that meant. It was more than Selys having money. It was how Visma\u2019s brother had walked Visma over, and how people were always nice to Selys, and how she could give Erin lots of money that Erin couldn\u2019t afford, but Selys\u2026could.<\/p>\n The [Heiress] was a nice person. So nice, and brave, and kind. But\u2014unintentionally or not\u2014she had managed to make Ekirra sad. She could, just by being nice, ruin other people\u2019s gifts, or prized things.<\/p>\n Mrsha understood all of this in a flash. She looked at her ball, and then Ekirra, sitting on the sofa, staring at his ball. Mrsha looked at her present, and then dashed off.<\/p>\n Mrsha hid the ball in a corner of Selys\u2019 big house. Ekirra looked at her, staring, as Mrsha put the ball in a pan, then shoved the pan into a cupboard, where Selys probably wouldn\u2019t find it. She ran back over and leapt into the sofa.<\/p>\n \u201cMrsha? What about your ball? It\u2019s nicer.\u201d<\/p>\n The little Gnoll stared as Mrsha signed with her paws. She pointed at his ball. She didn\u2019t want that<\/em> ball! She wanted to play with his! What good was a ball that ran away, anyways? Only if you were by yourself. Visma or someone else might steal it, anyways.<\/p>\n Slowly, Ekirra\u2019s tail began to wag. He smiled as Selys came back, with Visma under one arm.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019d better go, you two. Before Visma decides she wants my entire house. Everyone ready? Off to the park we go! Where\u2019s your ball, Mrsha?\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha refused to answer. And Selys, sighing, concluded the ball must have hid itself. They\u2019d find it later when she got back. So she and the three kids went out to the park.<\/p>\n And Mrsha would get her lovely ball again. She would. It was perfect for the inn; she could play in the garden with it, and it was great because it was<\/em> special, and expensive, and Selys had given it to her. But when she was around Ekirra and Visma, she\u2019d leave her ball behind.<\/p>\n That was a new experience for Mrsha. Thinking\u2014no, understanding something about others. The lesson of the little ball stuck with Mrsha throughout the day. It was the kind of lesson she remembered. Aunt Selys was rich. But Mrsha wondered, for the first time, if that was a good thing or not.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cLet\u2019s make chocolate!\u201d That was the declaration Erin made on a sunny morning. Mrsha\u2019s ears perked up from across the inn and she raced over. It had been one day since Erin had discovered the existence of the cacao tree in her garden. And she had been talking up chocolate all of last night. Mrsha\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693087,349],"tags":[],"twi_volume":[11693136],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-7734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-7","category-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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