#There may or may not be frog legs mentioned in this chapter hehehehe

[aiorevelations]

A Number, Not a Name Part 7!!

Hang on to your hats! Things are getting even more crazy! @theannecordeliashirley @btv-grace

Chapter 7: Against the Fall of Night

3 months earlier:

Regis intently watched the raindrops which trickled down the tinted windows of the Cadillac. The car he was riding in steadily made its way across a deserted cable-stayed bridge. In the distance he could see a parked Mercedes where a tall muscular man was leaning against it, waiting for his arrival. The man was wearing a fur collar trench coat and leather gloves. Beyond the bridge, Regis could make out the skyline of Kuala Lumpur, the bright lights of the city illuminating the night sky. 

The Cadillac soon pulled up and stopped in front of Tarek. 

The driver parked and glanced over his shoulder to Regis “We’re here Dr. Blackgaard.”

“Thank you, Alexandre,” Blackgaard said to his driver as he opened the rear right passenger door and exited the car.

Tarek walked over to Dr. Blackgaard. “Welcome to Kuala Lumpur Dr. Blackgaard. I trust you had a pleasant flight.”

“Very. The caviar was exquisite.”

“Excellent. Dalmar is quite eager to make your acquaintance.”

“In that case best not to keep him waiting.”

Tarek opened the rear right passenger door of the Mercedes and gestured for Blackgaard to enter. After Regis climbed in the back of the car Tarek entered the Mercedes as well, closing the door behind them both. Nigel, the driver, turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life. The Mercedes was soon speeding down the streets of Kuala Lumpur. The neon signs of bars and clubs dotted the landscape around them. The Mercedes came to a stop in front of “The Argyle.” 

“Here we are,” Tarek informed Blackgaard. The two gentlemen exited the car and strutted inside the establishment. Inside “The Argyle” hordes of people gathered and mingled. Some patrons were occupied with lively rounds of poker and blackjack, while others chatted away at the bar over a drink or spent their time on the dance floor. 

Blackgaard followed closely behind Tarek as he walked over to the bar. The bartender noticed Tarek and Blackgaard coming towards him from the other side of the establishment. He made his way over to the edge of the bar and placed his hands on the counter. 

“Hello, gentlemen. I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon Tarek.”

Tarek rested his arm on the bar “The boss’ plans changed. This gentleman here has some business to conduct with Dalmar.”

“The usual?” the bartender asked.

Tarek nodded his head. The bartender retrieved a shot glass and poured in some tequila. He then proceeded to add some slices of frog leg into the glass. The bartender then placed the drink in front of Tarek. 

Blackgaard eyed the drink and turned to the bartender.

“A shot of whiskey will suffice, thank you.”

He grabbed another shot glass and poured some whiskey. He then slid the cup across the counter to Blackgaard. Regis picked up the glass of whiskey.

“Cheers Doctor, ” Tarek said as the two gentlemen clinked glasses. Regis and Tarek each downed their drink and placed the empty glasses on the bartop. Tarek gave the bartender a nod and walked away from the bar. Regis followed suit and the two men made their way to the back of the club. At the back, they passed through beaded curtains hanging from a doorway that led to a staircase. The stairs led downstairs to the basement of the club. Regis and Tarek descended the stairs and arrived at the bottom. In front of them was a door with a security keypad to the right. Tarek punched in the code and the door slid to the left. Tarek stepped to the side and Regis entered. Dr. Blackgaard walked in and the door immediately shut behind him. In the center of the room was a round oak table where Dalmar was seated. 

“Good evening Dr. Blackgaard or perhaps I should say good morning instead” Dalmar greeted Blackgaard. 

“Either one will suffice” Regis walked closer towards Dalmar.

“Please join me Dr.Blackgaard.” he motioned to the chair to the left of him.

“Certainly.” Regis pulled out the chair and took a seat.

“Now I’m not a man to put off the business at hand. My informants tell me that you have knowledge of a discovery that, to be direct, will change the world.”

“My research has been to put it succinctly earth-shattering. If I wasn’t so certain would I have devoted nearly all my adult life in pursuit of it? Now I'm on the verge of the course of humanity changing forever. All the power and money I—we’ve ever dreamed of can be ours. The most powerful men and women would be reduced to nothing but mere weaklings. We would be gods among men.”

As he heard Blackgaard’s words Dalmar found himself mesmerized by the thought of his grand delusions and dreams of wealth and power becoming reality. If what Blackgaard spoke of truly existed the conflict and obstacles he now faced in Krudia in his quest for power would cease to exist. Krudia and later the entire world would be his.

Blackgaard continued “Alas my continued efforts in my research, along with the passing of my partner and benefactor, has left me without sufficient funds and resources to continue with my excavations. However, through various contacts, I became aware of your goals as well as the funds which you have amassed.” He lowered his voice and leaned in towards Dalmar “I also heard tell of your hand in the death of my cousin, Norvan.” 

Dalmar looked taken aback by Blackgaard’s direct comments about his actions. He opened his mouth but then closed it, trying to find the words. “Well, I..your cousin posed a...I—” 

“Oh please don’t act all guilty or contrite. Between you and me I thoroughly enjoyed hearing of his untimely demise. He was always a thorn in my side and I thank you for relieving me of his presence.” A look of relief crossed Dalmar’s eyes. Blackgaard spoke once more. “Back to the subject at hand. I believe that a partnership between us will be mutually beneficial to us both. I will have the funding that I need and in return, your ambitions of power will not just be a dream but a surety.” 

Dalmar crossed his arms and gave a slight smirk. “Dr. Blackgaard I believe that you and I can come to some sort of an arrangement.”

…..

Present-day:

Tasha stood in front of the mirror gently combing out her hair. She placed the comb down on the top of the dresser and picked some clips up off of it. She quickly tied her hair up in a bun and slipped on a pair of T-strap sandals. Tasha opened the door to her room and walked over to 204. She knocked and waited for an answer. The door opened and a half-asleep Jason, still dressed in his pajamas, answered. “Melinda, hi.” 

“Hi Edward.”

“What are you doing up so early?” he yawned.

“I thought we could go out. See the sights and get some breakfast.”

“Oh, I thought we were just going to stay around the hotel until tomorrow. Besides, there is such a thing as room service.”

“I never go somewhere new without sightseeing. You never know what things you can discover.” Tasha hinted as she pulled out a slip of paper from inside her wool overcoat. She handed it to Jason. “Here, I thought we could try out this restaurant. The Ledbury. I saw it had rave reviews.” 

Jason opened the piece of paper and quickly read it. Dot dash dot. Ah, Morse code. Good thing Dad taught it to me. Jason read the rest of the paper. Dot. Dash dot dash dot. Dash dash dash. Dash dot. Dash dot. Dot dash. Dot Dot. Dot Dot Dot. Dot Dot Dot. Dot dash. Dash dot. Dash dot dash dot. Dot. Reconnaissance. He looked up from the paper and handed it back to Tasha. “Yes, this place sounds incredible. Just give me a second to put some clothes on and I’ll meet you in the lobby downstairs.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Tasha left Jason to change and made her way downstairs. A few minutes later Jason joined her and the two of them made their way outside to the sidewalk next to The Chardell. The street was filled with the hustle and bustle of people making their way to work or school. The air was full of the smell of car exhaust and the sounds of honking and tires squealing. Tasha grabbed some money from her purse and held it up signaling for a taxi. A taxi soon pulled up beside them. Jason opened the right passenger door and climbed into the cab after Tasha. 

“So where to?” the driver asked. 

“Izmirlian Square” Tasha answered.

“Izmirlian Square huh?” Jason replied.

“It’s where the parliament is located and where any political campaigns and rallies take place.”

“Well, well. I’m impressed. You really did your homework.” 

Tasha smiled, “Thanks.” She lowered her voice to a near whisper, “I just figured if there’s any place we’d find out more information about the KLF it’d be there.” 

The driver spoke “So what brings you to Krudia? Besides visiting Izmirlian Square.”

“We’re here conducting some business,” Jason answered.

“Makes sense. Hardly anyone comes to Krudia just to visit. I can’t say I blame them. I wouldn’t want to visit Krudia either.”

“Why is that?” Tasha asked, even though she already knew the answer, hoping to perhaps gain some new information from the driver’s reply.

“Why?” the driver almost scoffed, “There are a thousand reasons why. Almost half of the country is unemployed. The price of bread is extortionate. And the country’s been racked with economic problems and famine the past few years. Worst of all, the government and Prime Minister have done nothing. Those bureaucrats say they care but they don’t. They have barely done anything to help. And the little they have done has fixed nothing. It’s always more of the same. If you ask me, this country’s only hope is the KLF. Its leader understands that nothing will change unless radical action is taken.” He sighed “I’m sorry if I seem on edge it’s just that I’m so tired of things the way they are. Of course not being from here you’d never really understand. Anyway, we’re almost at Izmirlian Square.”

For the rest of the trip the three of them rode in silence. A few minutes later they arrived at Izmirlian Square. The plaza was filled with thongs of people protesting. Men and Women. Young and Old. The protesters all marched together holding assortments of signs in favor of the KLF and in protest of the government and Prime Minister Galstyan. As they marched in front of the Krudian Parliament Building they chanted “No longer silenced, freedom for Krudia.” 

The cab pulled over and stopped by the Parliament building. “Here you are. That I’ll be 25 American dollars.” The driver held out his hand. Tasha handed him the money.

“Thank you. Have a good day.”

“You too,” Jason replied as he got out of the car.

“You as well,” Tasha added as she exited the cab. Jason closed the cab door and the driver drove away.

“There certainly are a lot of people here,” Jason remarked as they made their way into the square.

“Yes, by the looks of it at least a few thousand.” Tasha opened her purse and located her pen. 

“Cheese” Jason grinned. Tasha playfully rolled her eyes before snapping a few shots of the plaza and protest. 

“How about we head over to that courthouse over there? From here it looks like some sort of rally is going on” Tasha pointed in its direction. 

“Sure, you’re the boss. That is what I’m supposed to say right?” Jason teased.

Tasha shook her head and started walking to the front of the courthouse. Jason followed quickly behind her. As they neared the courthouse Tasha and Jason could make out the impassioned voice of Tarek who stood on the courthouse steps. The two of them joined the audience and stood in the back of the large crowd.

“Are you tired of wondering if you’ll have enough to feed your family? Are you sick of feeling hopeless, like there’s no tomorrow?”

The men and women surrounding him nodded their heads and voiced their agreement.

“We have to recognize that as long as Prime Minister Galstyan is in power things won’t change. It’s time for us to take action. It’s time for us to demand our rights. It’s time for us to no longer be silent but have our voices heard. It’s time for a change in leadership and right now the only person who can guide us to a brighter tomorrow is Davit Dalmar. He recognizes just like all of us that change is needed, drastic change. He sees our pain and will not rest until bread is on our table and clothes are on our backs, until we can not just survive but thrive. If you want to hear his plan for change come to the Bulin Meeting hall tonight at 8 o’clock. Come to hear the truth. Come if you want a future. Come to hear Davit Dalmar.��� He stood erect, resolute determination in his eyes, “No longer silenced, freedom for Krudia.”

The crowd echoed his words, “No longer silenced, freedom for Krudia.”

Jason leaned over and whispered in Tasha’s ear, “I guess we know where we’ll be tonight.”

[darkwingsnark]

Finding Their Way

A story by @swampy-tiefling and @darkwingsnark

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

Rick Mallard was many things. He was cantankerous; he was impatient, and just generally wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around. However, despite these flaws, one thing could be said for certain: he always finished whatever he set his mind to.

And it was this stubbornness that had him in his current plight. The duckman grunted as his blade sliced through the lower branches of the trees in front of him. He didn’t give it much other thought as he trudged forward, yet again able to see the path in front of him. Quickly looking at his map in his other hand, Rick nodded to himself-- pleased to see that he was yet again going the right direction.

‘’Bout time,’ Rick thought bitterly to himself. It had been a couple of hours since he had entered the swampland, and from the information he gathered it would still be another few hours before he made it to the other side. It had already been a whole day since he started his journey, and three days since his life had changed altogether. As vaguely interesting as he had been finding the differences in scenery, there was only so much a guy could take before the harsh reality destroyed its charm. But Rick was a stubborn man, and there was nothing left for him to return to.

So he moved on, just like he always did.

His newfound resolve was quickly shattered, however, as the sound of something snapping instantly caught his attention. Rick Mallard was on his guard, dagger clutched tightly in his mitts. Sure, he may have never used a knife to fight before… but the sound of another twig snapping was enough to make him ready to learn how.

“Alright. I know you’re there. You better show yourself if you know what’s good for ya!”

Rick hoped he sounded as intimidating as he thought he did.

Yellow eyes glinted in the shadows.

It wasn't every day someone wandered into their swamp. Actually, Viss couldn't remember the last time there had been anyone there who possessed a higher intelligence than a frog. Viss was intrigued, fascinated even, and had been tailing them for a while now. What could he be doing there? What could he possibly be looking for in a swamp? Just passing through perhaps...

Just passing through? So he would be leaving? An urgency arose inside of them and they quickened their pace-- accidentally stepping on a few twigs and alerting him to their presence. Whoops. They really needed to get better at sneaking. He had a weapon drawn now... if you could call it that... and Viss snickered. It was a fight he wanted? Sure!

An impish lizard creature burst from the shrubbery, bypassing Rick's knife and tackling him to the sodden ground.

"Hiya!" They rasped, grinning down at him with a far too wide toothy grin.

Rick ‘oofed’ as the wind was knocked out of him, his blade flying as the short duckman landed hard on his back. While his heavy rucksack may have broken his fall, it didn’t, however, help his backside as he landed on top of it. Rick gasped for breath as he looked wildly at the creature that had attacked him. Eyes met with a sharp tooth grin, and that was all the incentive he needed to push the beast off of him.

The next plan of action was to find his dagger, and Rick Mallard winced slightly as he realized his knife was right next to the monster. He swiftly grabbed it before using all the strength and agility he could muster to roll away and jump to his feet. Glaring fiercely, the duckman widened his stance as he was ready to throw down with the creature.

“I’m warning ya, don’t come any closer.” The beast inched a nearer, that big grin still on their face. Rick’s glare intensified, his grip tightening on his knife. “What did I JUST say?!”

"What did I just say," Viss repeated in a mocking tone. "Heh heh! Lighten up pal! You're the one trespassing in MY swamp y'know..."

They jabbed their own chest with a thumb. Then, as quick as a darting lizard, the creature fell to all fours and zipped toward him, popping up right beside him and throwing an arm around his shoulders-- which was a feat considering he was a foot taller at least.

"What's yer name, where you from, where ya goin, huh?"

Rick lowered his weapon as he realized that the creature (person?) wasn’t actually a threat, just an annoyance. Their swamp? Nowhere on his map did it mention about the land being private property. Looking the other over, noting that the only clothes they wore were a loincloth and a few bandages, it didn’t take a detective to tell this ownership was by no means legal.

Rick pushed the creature off of him before crossing his arms against his chest.

“Look… you,” he began a bit awkwardly, but easily went back to his gruff self, “that’s none of your business. I just wanna get out of here, got it? I don’t plan on staying in your precious swamp more than I have to.” Rick noticed his map at his feet-- most likely dropped when he was pounced. Grunting, Rick promptly picked it up as he looked it over, turning away from the shorter being as he started walking away.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

He was leaving! Viss began hopping from foot to foot in a little panic dance. If he left, they would be all alone! Again! Quick, think!

Viss darted after the guy, swiping the map from him and scurrying up the nearest tree to squat on a branch and read the map, turning it a few times as they tried to  figure out which way was up.

"Oh!" They pointed a clawed finger at the place circled on the map. "I know this place! I know the way!" They grinned, triumphantly. Ha! He couldn't leave them behind just yet! Viss was useful.

Rick, however, wasn’t thinking about their usefulness in the slightest. He stared up at them dumbfoundedly as his brain tried to catch up with what happened. His map… Nobody had ever just snatched something from his hands before-- most knew better not to. Shock turned to anger as he yelled at the little devil in the tree, the end of Rick’s floppy hat shaking as he did so.

“THAT’S MY MAP! Get your ass down here!” He was ready to climb the tree if he had to, as the duck stomped close to the base of the trunk. “I don’t need your help! I was doin’ just fine until ya went n’ distracted me!”

Noticing that Viss’ long tail was hanging just within his reach, Rick’s stern expression never changed even as he yanked the demon from their perch. The middle aged man towered over them threatenly.

“My map, NOW.”

"Yeowtch!" Not that the fall was painful; the ground around there was always pretty soggy. The tail yank hadn't felt great though. They smirked up at the very angry man, sheepishly.

"Heheheh. As I was saying, here's your map back, pal." Viss handed the map out to him. They had no more use for it anyway.

"Name's Viss, by the way. Two esses. Sss. "

“I didn’t ask.”

Rick ignored their pouting as he purposefully straightened out his scroll. Not even saying goodbye that time, the duckman tugged on his tunic-- tidying himself a tad-- before walking off.

“That’s not the waaaay!” Viss sung cheerfully. Rick rolled his eyes.

“I don’t caaaare!” He mocked back.

Really, he was just at his wit’s end with that… thing. Rick had wasted enough time, losing some of his dignity, and he just wanted to leave the land before night fell. Not only was he unsure of what exactly lurked about the swamp, the one creature he WAS aware of was enough to put him off of discovering any others.

Maybe with that Viss person finally behind him, he could get back on track.

 Two hours later and Rick Mallard felt more lost than ever. He swore he was reading the map exactly as he was supposed to. But none of the markings matched up to what he was actually seeing right in front of him. Rick pinched his bill in frustration as he rested against a moss covered rock.

“This is getting ridiculous.” He griped aloud. “The map SAID to go this way!”

 Maybe it was a dud… yeah. That had to be the case. The merchant he bartered with had been willing to sell it for a few coppers, and that should have been a sign that he had been scammed. While it stung to realized he had been duped, especially after over 30 years of experience, it did relieve his ego some to know it was the map’s fault and not his.

 Still, that left him with the trouble of being lost… maybe he should’ve taken up on the little monster’s offer after all. Sure, they were annoying, but dying in the middle of nowhere would be even more so.

 Rick got up, deciding to turn and find his way back. Maybe if he went far enough they would cross paths. Or at the very least he could find a better clearing to camp at so he could figure out where he went wrong.

 The ex-merchant didn’t have to go far before he heard another snap of a twig. Ah, so they had been following him after all. That’s good, it meant he didn’t have to backtrack.

 “Alright, Viss, I know that’s you.”

 Things got eerily quiet. This made Rick cautious, as his hand slowly made its way to the satchel at his hip. His hand entered inside as he desperately fondled for the handle of his dagger. He barely had time to whip it out before his senses were bombarded by a terrible screech.

 Not soon after was he greeted by the unwelcoming sight of an owlbear, as it charged directly for him.

 Rick leapt out of the way, ungracefully landing on his stomach. The owlbear gnashed with its beak, just nearly avoiding tearing Rick’s pants as he jerked his leg away.

 “Oh no you don’t!”

 The duckman kicked the monster in the face, only angering the creature more. The owlbear stood on its back legs as it screeched a horrid cry, before lashing out again.

��Rick only just managed to roll out of the way before the monstrous claws could come down upon him.

 Of course Viss had been following, they had just been more careful not to step on any twigs this time. It was difficult not to warn him when he began wandering into Owlbear territory, but he had made it very clear he didn’t want their help. So Viss remained silent, following at a safe distance. If they couldn't make him stay, they were at the very least going to stalk him until he was gone.

 When he sent the beast into a frenzy by kicking it in the face, however, Viss decided it was best they step in and do something whether he wanted their help or not.

 Viss was small, but not small enough to avoid detection as they scurried up the enormous beast's fur. The owlbear growled and spun around, snapping at them with its beak, like a dog snapping at a flea on its back. Viss thankfully avoided the snapping beak, and managed to make it to a safe zone. Which happened to be on the back of the beast's head. Once there, Viss remained as still and quiet as they could, and  the owlbear seemed to give up and forget about them, scanning the area for the duck it had been chasing, instead.

 Once they were sure it was done trying to eat them, Viss shimmied around to the creature's ear-hole, where they began to rub and coo in a way they'd been taught many years ago by their long since deceased father. The owlbear snorted a few times, before falling back on all fours, shaking the terrain as its front feet hit the ground. It shook its head, sending Viss flying off into the branches of a tree, but then slowly turned and lumbered back into the forest. Phew.

 Rick had watched this scene with awe as Viss had handled the monster. While his brain had told him to take the moment to run as fast as his webbed feet could take him, he found himself stuck on his back as the other two fought. For a moment there he had been worried that the owlbear was going to go after him again when he saw the beast throw Viss off of it, but gave a sigh of relief when it walked off instead. Finding his way back to his feet, Rick made his way over to where the little lizard demon had been thrown.

 “Uh… hey, you’re still alive, right?”

 The tree shook, a few branches snapped and tumbled from the tree, and eventually, a Viss tumbled out of the tree. Not their most graceful landing. They hopped to their feet quickly though, brushing themselves off, then grinned at the stranger.

 "Yup! Tough luck for you, pal. Oh, by the way, watch out. This is Owlbear territory. Heh." They stepped past him, walking slowly, their hands clasped behind their back. "You keep goin' this way you'll never find that place. Alright, bye!"

 Viss didn’t get far before they were stopped by Rick’s quick hands. While they were tempted to bite at the grip on their shoulder, instead  Viss looked up at him curiously.

 “Yeah?”

 “Yeah,” the duckman began bunglingly, “I… need you. Your help, that is, getting outta here.” He paused, glaring as he looked away. He wished being cordial wasn’t so hard for him. Rick sighed.

 “And thanks for… ya know.”

  Viss grinned. They DID know. And they had won! They had successfully gained themselves company for at least another day. Victory.

 "Great! You and me, travel buddies! ... Til' the end of the swamp, anyway." They slung their arm around the guy's shoulders again, and attempted to walk like that, but not only were they too short, but this guy wouldn't budge. He just stood there, stiffly, looking angry, glaring at them from the corner of his eye.

 "Yikes." Viss let go and began walking ahead on their own, instead. "Follow me then, this-a-way! You know if you'd just listened to me way back there, you would have been there by dark. Juuuust saying!" Now there was no way they weren't going to need to camp at some point. "Trust me, you do NOT wanna be walking around out here after the sun sets."

 Rick was afraid it would come to that. Looking up towards the sky, the ex-merchant could just barely see some sun peeking from behind the trees. There would be daylight for another hour, if even that.

 “You wouldn’t happen to know a place to camp, would you?” Rick asked gruffly as he began to follow.

 "Sure I do! I know this swamp like... like... uh. Never mind. There's a cave not too far away! Used to belong to the Owlbear, but she moved out a few years ago after she had her babies. Place just wasn't big enough for the whole family, y'know?"

 Viss was distantly aware they were talking too much. They couldn't help it though. It had been waaay too long since they had someone to talk to. Someone who knew what they were saying and might even respond with words sometimes.

 Words, however, didn’t come as Rick remained silent the rest of the journey. He wasn’t much of a talker, even on his best days. But Viss didn’t seem to mind as they prattled on, talking about the local wildlife as they traveled. Rick would merely grunt in response every so often to show he acknowledged what was being said, but otherwise remained silent.

 At last they came upon the cave, the duckman noting it would serve his purposes well enough.

 “Anything living here?” ‘Since the owlbear moved out’ was what Rick meant.

 "These days? Nah. Maybe a few bats." Viss strolled on in, plopping onto the ground to lounge against a mossy rock.

 "I lived here for a year though. Needed a place to live away from that old shack for a while. Painful memories, 'n all that."

 Viss knew the guy didn't care. They were just talking to talk at this point.

 "How 'bout you? Traveling for any particular reason?" Viss also knew they wouldn't get an answer. They had already asked once, albeit with different words. They still didn't even know his name.

 The moment they both got inside Rick started to unpack his bag. Since he had shelter from the elements, he figured he wouldn’t need to set up his tent. Rick was in the middle of unrolling his sleeping bag when he heard Viss’ question.

 “Business,” was the blunt retort he gave, and refused to say anything else. 

Viss watched the duckman curiously as he walked out the cave and a few minutes later returned with some broken branches. It wasn’t hard to tell that he was going to set up a fire, which brought a smile to the lizard demon’s face. It had been a long time since they needed one-- seeing as they had built up a tolerance to the environment.

 The same must not have been the case for him.

 Viss watched, fascinated, as the guy expertly set the carefully arranged pile of sticks aflame, and then stoked it until it was going strong. They shuffled closer, scooting along the ground on their butt. This fire wasn't for them, perhaps, but nothing stokes a friendship like sharing a campfire, right?

 Viss grinned at the guy on the other side of it. They couldn't tell if he didn't notice or was just ignoring them. Their grin faltered. Hm. Maybe not.

 While Rick certainly did notice he was being watched, he chose to ignore it. It wasn’t the first time he had been stared at, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last. Taking a look outside the cave, the duckman noted that the sun had finally set and the nocturnal creatures had already begun to come out for the night.

 The ex-merchant removed his hat, running his fingers through the little tuft of grey hair on his head. He sighed, before looking Viss in the eyes.

 “Look, we should get to bed. I prefer getting up early.” Rick stated bluntly. He rather make it through the swamp and to the city before the next nightfall. He didn’t wait for an answer before making his way into his sleeping bag. Rick turned so his back was to both the fire and his navigator.

 The sudden direct eye contact had caught Viss off guard. Some old, primal survival instinct inside of them held them transfixed, their grin vanishing. their pupils dilating to slits. And then it was gone.

 Viss watched as the guy sandwiched himself inside a weird blanket-- it looked like it was trying to eat him-- and then turned back to the fire to stare at it for awhile. He would be leaving tomorrow and the swamp would be empty again. Viss poked the fire absentmindedly with a stick. Maybe it was about time they left this old swamp, too, see the world...

 Finally it was time get some shuteye, themselves, Viss yawned, stretched, and shuffled over to the lump that had eaten the duckman, curling up beside it like a dog and snuggling in close. For warmth, of course.

 Rick instantly flinched and froze from the sudden contact against him. He growled, turning slightly to glare at the little demon that has just stolen his personal space.

 “What. Are. You. Doing?” The duckman hissed between his clenched teeth.

 Viss opened their eyes and looked at him. Then they glanced around. What was he talking about? They weren't doing anything. Were they supposed to put the fire out first?

 "I'm... sleeping. Or trying to." They gave him an annoyed look. Sheesh, he was the one so insistent on sleeping and here he was, Mr. Chatterbox all of a sudden.

 “Not next to me, you aren’t.” Rick turned back to facing the cave wall, as he shut his eyes tightly-- hoping that would fight off the headache he knew was coming on. “You got a whole other side of the cave, so don’t go cozyin’ up t’me.”

 Again this was said with all the contempt he could muster.

 Viss wanted so badly to pounce on him, curling up on top of him just to spite him and his sour attitude. But they also didn't want him changing his mind about letting them tag along for a while.

 So they returned to their mossy rock and curled up against that, instead. They made sure to blow the grumpy old man a raspberry before closing their eyes.

And with that both were lulled to sleep by the crackling of flames and nature’s calls. The ache of the day’s journey was forgotten as Rick lost himself to unconsciousness; and just as soon as he had closed his eyes, he was opening them again as this time he was greeted by daylight. Another night without dreams, but this came as no surprise to Rick Mallard.

 The duckman stretched, sitting up as he rubbed his back. He had a feeling he would be missing his bed sooner than later. Looking over, Rick instantly woke up as he noted that his acquaintance was gone. Great, must have got distracted by something and ran off. Hopefully they didn’t forget that they were supposed to be helping him. Though, with his luck, he could easily see himself just getting stranded in the middle of nowhere.

 Rick’s stomach growled, and he realized he hadn’t eaten anything the night before. Though he didn’t want to, he supposed that he would need to break out his rations of dried fruit if he planned on having the energy to do anything.

 The duckman had just gotten out of his sleeping bag and was about to make work of packing up when he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

 "Look who's finally awake!" Viss strolled in with a rope made out of braided vines slung over their shoulder. They thought he said he wanted to be up early. Maybe they had different ideas of what that meant.

 "Hungry?" Viss stopped a few feet away, swinging the rope-vine around to reveal the end of it threaded with multiple, decent sized fish. They added their signature far-too-wide grin.

 A wave of relief washed over Rick as he eyed the fish-- he wouldn’t have to use his reserves after all. His stomach growled again, but he chose to pretend it wasn’t heard as he dug into his bag and brought out his salt and seasoning.

 “Well, don’t just stand there like an idiot. Bring it here.”

 It didn’t take long before they had fish roasting on the fire, Rick rotating it every so often as he gave them a dash of salt and lemon pepper. Viss happily chattered next to him, as they went on and on about how they caught their meal.

 “And then the guy was about to swim away-- thought it could hide under a rock. But I saw him! Just a few stabby stabbies, and I added him to the pile!”

 The duckman didn’t respond to the story as he instead took the stick off of the fire and shoved it into Viss’ face.

 “Eat, then we’ll leave.”

 The story came to an abrupt halt when the fish was shoved in Viss' face. Sure, it smelled great, but they had seen him sprinkle them with all sorts of things. Viss wasn't stupid, they knew what spices were, but they never had any of them. Mostly because they were for, what their parents used to call them, "the rich and privileged folk".

 This man did not look very rich nor privileged. His clothes were... modest and well-worn. But he must have come from a pretty impressive place if he had been carrying spices.

 Viss took a cautious nibble... and then ripped into and devoured the rest of it as if they hadn't eaten in days. It was amazing. Unseasoned fish would never taste good again. The world of the privileged had gotten its hooks into them. Viss had been spoiled forever.

 "Gooh stuphh!" Viss said through a mouthful of half chewed fish. This guy was one hell of a cook.

 Rick rolled his eyes as he continued to eat his breakfast. Bass wasn’t his favorite fish, but still hit just the right spot that his stomach felt warm and full. It was one of those moments of content that he didn’t realize he had been missing for a long time, a moment where he felt he earned the food he was eating.

 They ate a couple more, and what was left over the ex-merchant rolled up into a few spare pieces of paper from one of his notebooks. It wouldn’t last more than another day, but it was always better to be safe than sorry as far as he was concerned. Packing the fish up with the rest of his things, Rick cleared his throat to get Viss’ attention.

 “Ahem… We’re leaving.”

 As was to be expected, the continued trip consisted of Rick's silence and Viss' endless chatter about everything and nothing.

 The chatter began to slow along with Viss' pace the thinner the foliage became. They knew the two of them were nearing the end of the swamp, and Viss was not in a hurry to say goodbye.

 "Hey so listen." This came after a short, blissful silence. "You comin' back through this way? In a few days maybe? I could, y'know, guide you through again, if you want. I'll be here. Any time."

 Rick, who had side been side eyeing the demon as they spoke up, looked away as he decided on just what he would tell them. Ultimately he decided on the truth.

 “I… don’t know, actually. I plan on going wherever work takes me.”

 "Oh."

 And the silence that stretched on was a heavy one. Viss figured that had been the less scathing way of saying he wouldn't be back. They wondered how long it would be before someone else stumbled through the swamp... and how long they'd stay.

 The silence lasted until swampland gave way to sprawling grasslands, a sizable city or town barely visible in the distance.

 "Taa-daa. Here we are, at the end of the swamp, safe and sound." Viss had made a grand gesture at the distant city, but their tone was lackluster, completely devoid of its usual chipper quality.

 Rick stared at the city that was just a little off, his heart began to race some at the thought that what he found in Amaryllis would make or break his adventure. It sent a pulse of excitement and uncertainty through him, unlike anything he felt before. While Viss was wilting the longer they stood there, Rick seemed to become more invigorated as a look of determination crossed his face.

 That expression fell, however, as he noticed the lizard demon had been staring at him. He tipped his green hat so that it hid his eyes as he awkwardly tried to find a way to end their acquaintanceship.

 “So… I guess this is it.” Rick shifted his hat as he made sure his face was unreadable, before continuing. “You… were more help than I thought you’d be.” He paused. “Thank you.”

 The thank you perked Viss' mood up slightly, but not a whole lot. It was enough juice to muster a lopsided smile, though.

 "Yeah, guess so. See ya around, pa- oh. I guess I probably won't. Uh." They scratched the back of their head awkwardly. "Well! Thanks for the company. It was nice havin' you around. Take care. Don't piss off any more owlbears. Heheh. Heh. Ehhh."

 But Viss didn't move, didn't turn to go back home, just stood there. Making it even more awkward. They would probably watch until he got too far away to see.

 While the tension made Viss stay in place, it was enough to get the duckman moving. With a nod of his head he set off, eyes straight ahead at the city to come as he followed the dirt path. He had only made it a couple feet, however, before he found himself stumbling. Rick jerked his head downward and there he saw the little demon wrapped around his legs.

 “What NOW?!” He growled.

 "PLEASE don't LEAVE me here! It's been so LONELY!" Viss was very obviously on the verge of bawling their eyes out as they gazed up at the duckman with pleading eyes.

 "I'll be quiet! You won't even know I'm here! I'll sleep outside! I'll even feed and bathe myself! I'm house trained! JUST PLEASE DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT MEEEEE!"

 “Would you… JUST GET OFF ME ALREADY!” Rick squirmed and kicked until he was finally able to get the demon off of him. And still Viss just looked up at him with those big puppy dog eyes. Rick groaned as he looked away, massaging his temples as he tried to think. Weighing the pros and cons, it was a very close position. On one hand, Viss was annoying. They had no account for personal space, and they had slowed him down at almost every turn. Heck, Viss was slowing him down right then. The ex-merchant dared to look at Viss again, and could still see the tears shining in their eyes.

 On the other hand, they WERE helpful. They knew their way through the swamplands, and they had skills at communicating with the wild. Not to mention fighting, which Rick had very little skill in besides the occasional bar brawl. If Viss hadn’t gone in there and wrestled with the owlbear...

 He’d most likely be dead.

 Rick groaned again as he felt the irritating sensation of guilt eating at him. It was with a glare he locked eyes with Viss once more as he came to his decision.

 “ALRIGHT… You can come along.” Viss’ cries of joy and celebration were interrupted by Rick yelling over them. “HOWEVER, you WILL do as I say. GOT IT?”

 Viss shot up off the ground, stood stiff as a board, their expression comically determined and serious. They gave an equally stiff salute.

 "Yes SIR!" The stance was lost then, staying that still just didn't suit them. "You mind if I call you sir? It seems more professional than ‘hey, you’."

 “I rather you didn’t.” The duckman was already moving, with Viss loyally behind him. His grip tightened around the straps of his rucksack as his gaze stayed latched onto the city ahead. He continued. “Just call me Rick, alright? ‘Sir’ would just make this weird.”

 Not to mention either made him seem like a snooty rich guy or into some dubious activities...

 "Rick! I like it." Viss felt very successful, they'd gotten him to tell them his name. He had also agreed to let them tag along, sure, but this seemed like a more personal victory.

 And so, the two continued on their way, forward to Amaryllis, a town of hope, and new beginnings.There they would find their next adventure.

 Rick just hoped he wouldn’t end up regretting it all in the end.