Completed One Word at a Time

[Itt]

11th of Winter, 518 A.V.
Merchant's Ring

Today was going to be a good day. He could feel it.

He woke up this morning with sunlight poking between the clouds onto his face, he had a bag of walnuts in his lap, and he didn't feel painfully hungry. It was already a great start! He hadn't had this good of a morning since... a long time ago! Like, five days! This was awesome!

Good morning sun! Good morning walnuts! Good morning people walking by! He really wished he knew how to say good morning out-loud!

Sitting up from his curled position from the ground, Itt grinned and looked about his surroundings. He was still by the People's Market as expected, and people still swamped the archway entrance. Good to know that everything seemed to be in order. He was starting to get a hang of this place. It felt good.

He glanced down at his walnut bag and took a look inside, making sure they were still there as well. He had eaten about half of them yesterday because he was so hungry, but the other half hadn't moved. Itt grabbed one with a smirk, placing it in his palm and pressing it against the wall he leaned upon. With a firm push, the shell cracked, Itt cupping his other hand underneath the nut to catch the falling pieces. He picked away the shell shards and ate the crumbs of nuts in his palm for a quick snack. Eating was good.

Once all the edible pieces were consumed, he dropped the shells beside him onto the ground, wiping his hands clean. A pile had formed from the bodies of the other fallen walnuts he had eaten yesterday, but he ignored it and stood up, walking with his bag in tow. Where he was going he didn't know. He just wanted to do the same thing as yesterday so he could get even more shiny rocks and get more food. Maybe he could even get some cooked food! Itt sniffed the air, his eyes fluttering closed. Ah, it smelled so good! Yes, definitely something cooked for sure.

But first things first, he had to do the work.

The sloth stopped in his tracks dug his hand into his pocket, causing whoever was walking behind him to suddenly swerve around him. "Vagik." They hissed. Instead of hearing the slur, he pulled out his paper that the wind had given him that had the big words on it that said 'Courier'. He read the word, his lips silently repeating the word. Courier. That is what he was. A courier.

So what was he waiting for? Go out and do courier things!

He looked up into the crowd of people coming towards and away from him, holding the paper out so the words showed. He looked at the nearest person in their green eyes, smiling the word,"Courier?" They ignored him. He smiled at the next person with yellow hair and red dots on their skin. "Courier?" They shook their head and slipped past. A person with scarf wrapped around their head, covering their mouth and nose. "Courier?" Also a no.

Itt, determined to get a job, continued to confront each person who dared near him, the people unsure which was more intrusive, the paper he lunged into their space or his smile that pierced his face.

He'll catch one of them yet.

[Itt]

Several chimes went by and within those chimes, Itt figured that the word he most intimately understood in Common was, in fact, the word courier. He had said it so many times now that his speech didn't pummel inside people's eardrums like a stone in a tumbler machine. Whatever semblance of an indistinguishable 'accent' he had previously had with the word due to his unfamiliarity with speaking it dissolved on his tongue, now able to move fluidly to let the letters roll out of his mouth. He couldn't say the same for any other word, but courier was his word. It was his and he knew how to say it, so take that language barrier! With this one word as the starting brick, he will eventually build a staircase to overcome your thick wall!

But today he will send messages so he didn't starve.

"Courier?" He asked a lady holding a child on her hip. She gave him a crooked snarl, shoving him and his paper away roughly.

"Get out of my face, kid!"

Itt stumbled back and retracted the parchment. He gave her only a side glance, lowering his head and moving forward, away from the stranger. Man, he never saw people pushing others like this back home. At least not as often as he seemed to be getting knocked around. Was it common to just go and touch people and push them around? He sure hoped not. He sighed, glancing over his shoulder to make sure she wasn't nearby before continuing his search. The typical reaction he seemed to get was a refusal to acknowledge his existence, or a simple no, so he was glad that she wasn't the norm.

This process went on for several chimes, leaning towards half a bell, the Kelvic avoiding those who gave him putrid gazes and questioning those who appeared as clueless or curious as he was. No one stopped to give him work.

At least until this man with a scruffy black beard and a wool hat covering his bald head limped by. "Courier?" Itt showed him the paper, just about ready to move on when the tall stranger stopped and squinted at the words.

"Courier Wanted." He glanced at Itt with an apologetic sigh," Sorry, boy, I'm no courier." He patted his thigh that was limping.

Itt nodded, pointing to his chest," Courier, I courier."

"Oh, you're a courier? Well then, I'll actually be needing one. I promised a partner I'd be at the Silver Sliver at Noon but I have an emergency with my leg." He looked down at it. "It's giving me trouble. Could you go to the resident hall in Fisherman's Anchorage and tell the man at the front desk that Bush is going to be a few bells late?"

Itt furrowed his brows, "Say..." what? What did he want him to repeat?

"Ah, I thought you didn't sound like a native speaker. Okay." He looked at Itt in the eyes, his blue matching Itt's brown like the earth and the sky. "Say ' Bush be late'."

"Bush be late." Itt nodded, smiling. "Go?"

"Fisherman's Anchorage."

"Fish?" Itt knew fish!

"Yes, Fisherman." Bush nodded. "Fisherman's Anchorage."

"Yes." Itt nodded, holding out his hand.

Bush looked at his hand with Itt's dirty fingernails and quirked an eyebrow. He pulled out 10 copper mizas and put them in Itt's hand. "I'll give you the rest when I know you gave the message."

Itt grinned. Wow, this was twice as much as what that lady had given him! This must be super important! "Bush be late. Fisherman." He put the coins in his pocket and headed off, not hearing Bush's sigh.

Itt already knew where fish were, they were in the market! So he needed to find a man by a big fish stand in the market, say the message, and then return to Bush.

Easy peasy.

[Itt]

Bounding along with his new energy down the street, Itt weaved between the people. He bumped into several of them, thinking he was being slick but underestimating the distance he needed between them to successfully slink by. Luckily for him, all of the people he did bump into didn't bother to retaliate against him and moved on. He went towards the large archway leading to the People's Market, where he had been searching yesterday. There were tons of fish stands in the market, so that must be what Bush was referring to. Maybe it was even the same guy as before? He'll look for Caesar then and see if he knew what to do.

Itt passed through the archway and walked along the sides of the canal that ran through the market, avoiding the busy middle of the street. He searched his memory for where Caesar's stand was, recalling that if he walked away from his shadow long enough, then Caesar would be on his left. Checking behind him briefly to make sure he was facing the right way, Itt walked away from his shadow like before.

However, unlike the evening before, Itt's shadow was facing west due to the sun rising in the east. Yesterday, it was in the evening hours, so the sun was setting in the west and casting shadows to the east, so Itt ended up walking in the opposite direction. He did not notice this change. Not until a familiar young lady waved at him. She sported black braids, just like the girl he met yesterday.

Golly, it was the girl from yesterday! But wait, they were in the opposite direction as Caesar. How did he end up here again?

Itt furrowed his brow and looked at the ground, finding that his shadow was in fact behind him. What was going on? He glanced up towards the sky, looking near the sun. The sun did appear to be above a different set of buildings than yesterday. Did the sun actually move? He supposed that made sense, the sun did always rise and fall in the mornings and nights, so it would have to move, didn't it? Funny how he never thought about it before.

The young woman continued to way to grab his full attention, the Kelvic mimicking the motion. He did not stay to chat, though. He turned around and headed down the street now that he finally had reliable bearings on where he was. It took him several chimes, close to half a bell, but he did eventually find Caesar standing at the same stand and selling the same kind of fish.

"Caesar?" He walked over, the man lifting his head from his ledger.

"Oh, hello again." He greeted without a smile but rather a look of surprise. "Back again?"

Itt, not knowing what he said, just relayed the message in hopes of Caesar understanding what he wanted to know. "Bush be late."

The look on Caesar's face wasn't reassuring. "Pardon me?"

"Bush." Itt repeated, scratching his scalp with dirt-filled nails. "Bush, fish?"

Caesar narrowed his eyes,"Yeeees, I have fish." He spoke slowly, Itt's uncertainty making Caesar uncertain of his own words.

"Yes, fish. Bush, fish? Bush be late to fish."

"Bush be late to fish? Bush— the tall man with a limp?"

"Man, yes, Bush. Bush be late to fish." Itt nodded, biting his lip.

"Bush isn't here. Bush lives in Fisherman's Anchorage, over there." Caesar pointed to the southwest. "On the other side of the city."

"Yes! Yes! Fisherman's Anchorage!" That's exactly what Bush said! Where was that? " Fisherman's Anchorage, Bush be late."

"Yes, I understand, but Fisherman's Anchorage is over there. Over there." He continued to point.

Itt looked to where he gestured. "Fisherman's Anchorage?" He pointed with him.

"Yes, that way."

"No Fisherman's Anchorage?" Itt pointed to the floating street they stood on.

"No, not Fisherman's Anchorage." Caesar shook his head.

"Oh." Itt looked to the southwest. Well darn. He supposed he should have asked Bush which direction it was. He thought he knew where it was but fish didn't seem to be the same as Fisherman's Anchorage.

"Sorry kid."

Itt nodded, giving him a brief wave as he headed westward. He supposed he'll have to figure out where this place was.

Somehow.

[Itt]

Once Itt exit the People's Market, he was back into virtually unknown territory. He had walked around quite a bit between here and the docks, but he hasn't actually taken note of anything. He didn't know where a single place was, aside from the tavern that he had met Shiress in, so he didn't know anything. But Caesar pointed that way so he would go that way.

Itt meandered through the Merchant's Ring, glancing around for fish paraphernalia, or anything, anything at all that could point him in the right direction. Like, maybe a sign that had an arrow and a fish on it. But no, no one likes keeping things simple. Everyone wants to use their words all the time and memorize where everything is, like, is this really how people live? That's so bizarre.

After roaming around for at least another half a bell, watching his shadow to try and keep track of where he has gone, Itt resorted to asking for directions. Similar to how he asked if people needed a courier, he went up to the nearest person asked," What Fisherman's Anchorage?" Also similar to earlier, most people ignored him.

But he did come across two children who were talking to an adult. Well, one was talking to the adult, the other was searching for something in the adult's bag. The two children looked nearly identical except how the dirt on their face was smeared, especially as they both walked away from the adult with smug grins on their faces. They walked right towards Itt, so Itt waved them down," What Fisherman's Anchorage?"

The two children looked at each other, the panic that briefly grazed their faces as he called them dissipating into another selfish smile. They pointed northwest. "That way."

Itt looked that way, squinting his eyes to see farther, even though it did nothing for his vision but obscure things more. That's not the direction Caesar had pointed. But maybe he was pointing where he needed to go next ad the actual Fisherman's Anchorage is in that direction? He smiled at the twins and waved as a silent thanks, heading in that direction. They had to be pointing in the right direction.

Right?

____________________________

Another bell has ticked away and Itt was hopelessly lost. He was still in the Merchant's Ring, but he hadn't come across anything that looked even close to a fish. At least on the other side of the Merchant's Ring there was actually fish, but he couldn't even smell fish anymore how far he was away from the market. Where in the world was this place?

Itt was about to give up and search for Bush to try and clarify where he was supposed to go when his eyes came across, believe it or not, a fish! Actually, it was wooden fish in a bunch of coiled rope. But it was fish! Is this the place? Itt looked at the sign that he couldn't read and slipped in the shop called
Trigol's Tools & Trade.

A man was tinkering away behind a counter, the man only standing a few inches taller than Itt, which was a rather rare occurrence. Most people, especially men, were stood well above him. However, despite his compressed height, the man didn't look any less intimidating. Itt's withering frame from hunger and cold was not even able to compare in the slightest to the shop-owner who's bicep was virtually the width of his head. Or at the very least his neck. Also, his entire left arm was... red?

Itt had certainly seen people with markings before, markings of various colours, but this man's arm was entirely red. Just red. There were other images too, it would seem, but— red. Simply red. Itt couldn't stop staring at it, even as he came over to the counter.

"Are you just going to stare at my arm all day or are you here to buy something?" Trigol asked, his tone less than cordial.

"Uh, Bush be late." Itt looked him in the eyes, trying to penetrate his stone cold face.

"I don't know any Bushes, scram, kid."

Itt furrowed his brow. Don't? This wasn't the place? How was this not the place? What in the world?! "Fish?" Itt pointed to the carving by the window. "Fisherman's Anchorage?"

Trigol glanced over, rolling his eyes, "Can't even speak common. Noooo fish. Goooo." He pointed at the door. "Nooo fish heeere."

Itt frowned, quickly pulling out his paper from yesterday and placing it with a slap on the counter. He pointed to the 'map'. "What Fisherman's Anchorage?" Trigol folded his arms, almost glaring. Itt also folded his arms, his glare looking more like confusion than anything else.

Trigol scoffed, pulling out a quill and ink and drawing the outer rim of the city. He then drew a box on the opposite side of the map as the market. Pointing to the floor briefly, he said, "Heere. You are heere." He made sure to also point to the box he had drawn. Then he continued, drawing a second box directly south of the shop's icon. "Fisherman's Anchorage." He pushed the paper back to Itt.

Itt quickly took the map and looked at it, noting the two different additions. Looking up at the Isur, the sloth, now slightly agitated, nodded once with a firm gesture and marched out.

Finally! Someone actually told him exactly where this stupid Fisherman's anchorage place was! Lesson learned, always have the person point on the map where to go. Stupid city, stupid kids, stupid Caesar, telling him to go west. What a bunch of bird poop.

Itt looked towards the sky, seeing that the sun was directly above him, indicating that he should probably hurry, or else Bush might get upset as that old lady did. With the image of a burly man with a limp chasing after him rolling in his head, he started to jog southward, finally towards his destination.

[Itt]

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to jog.

Itt had only gone a couple of blocks down and he already was exhausted. Come to think of it, he was already exhausted before, but that was more mental exhaustion. This was definitely physical. It's probably because all he has to eat are nuts. He really wasn't meant to run. Not in the slightest.

Itt, only after a chime, came to a halt with panting breath and shaking, boney limbs. What was he doing with his life? Why was he even doing this? He already got paid, why didn't he just ditch the guy and buy some food? His throat burned from the cold air rushing rapidly in and out. Maybe it's because if he didn't do the job then no one would ever allow him to be a courier ever again and then he'd starve on this plantless city platform. That's why. Oh boy he was hot. Really hot. His throat burned. It really burned. Make it stop!

Itt pressed his fingers to his throat in a version of a massage, trying to take in breaths slower so it wouldn't agitate the... throat burns? Air burns? Yeah, air burns. He hated air burns. Hooo heee hooo heee hooo heee— breathe in slowly, breathe out slowly.

This was actually the worst.

Shaking his head, pushing his feet along, he started to walk again, however, still tired and heaving. Itt followed the path south until he finally came across what he was looking for.

Fisherman's Anchorage.

It didn't smell too much of fish, as most of the actual fish were in the market being sold. But there was a distinct scent of waterlogged clothes and unwashed hair that was just as overwhelming. Unlike the other parts of the city where people avoided one another, everyone here appeared to be generally friendly. People were even talking in groups, leaning against walls and chatting. It was a lot like home in that respect, and it was a nice change of pace. Itt even smiled a bit to the open, probably filthy air.

Now, where did Bush tell him to go? He couldn't remember much of what he said, after all, it had been several bells. But he did recall the word big. So a big building perhaps? There was a big building over there. It didn't look much different than the tavern that Shiress had taken him, so maybe who he was looking for was in there.

Hauling his bag of nuts and his map, Itt went inside, three men standing in a circle off to the side of the door, a 4th sitting behind a desk. The three men glanced over to Itt, and the Kelvic recognized one as Bush himself. "Bush!" The man mumbled a grunt like noise, giving the kid a longer look.

"Ey, you're the courier! I thought I told you to tell him I'd be late!" He pointed to the man at the desk.

Itt nodded, only understanding the courier part, and late. "Yes, courier. Fisherman's Anchorage." He showed him his barely sketched out map.

"I know Fisherman's Anchorage! I'm bloody here now aren't I?! I paid you some copper in advanced even and you didn't even do it! Come here!" He grabbed Itt by his baggy shirt and pulled him close, Itt gasping and trying to push him away. "Give me my money back!"

Itt felt the man patting him down for his spare change, but each pat felt more like a full hit on his fatless body. "Ow! Ah! No!" Itt brought his foot up and pushed himself away and out of the man's grip.

"Bush!" Another one of the men grabbed Bush's shoulder. "Leave the kid alone, it's only a few coppers." Bush didn't reach for Itt again, but he didn't look any less angry. Itt had never seen someone's mouth literally look like an upside down U before. "It all worked out in the end, didn't it? At least he came back and didn't run off with it, yeah? Let him go."

Bush groaned inside his mouth, knowing full well that this was partially his own fault for not making sure Itt knew where to go. So in his self-shame, he waved at Itt dismissively," Get outta here, boy."

Itt didn't need to be told twice, turning on his bare heels and running out. He dealt with the air burns until he was out of sight from the Inn, panting once more to catch his breath. Note to self:

Always deliver quickly.

He'll keep it in mind for next time.

[Rohka]

Itt, once you've updated your ledger, PM me for your grade!