It has been warm for a while or that I were places in something warm. There being tapping on my egg shell around my lower back leg. Being weightless then a crash hard hit in front of me. The shell way to strong outside to cause anything of damage to me. Picked up again, colder again. Being thrown, caught around in warmish. Can't make out anything. Then a sudden drop to something and all is still. The still has all that there has been for to long now.
I peel away inside layers, carved out a perfect little hole to crawler out from. Shake off the goo, shadow my egg home and myself. Waiting. Hearing, the liquids pouring out my system. Coughing out the work the lungs. The palms for front legs wiping my 4 eyes. I don't quite get what everything meant and what related to what memories.
I knew a lot of stuff like how and whom I was. My words if I had a voice box. Word of writing if I had the strength and muscles. How to judge people if people could met me now.
Huntering. Be good. Don't make them cry or scream. Help them is helping myself. Eat soulless things.
"Look at this freak, this a runaway. Runaways mean loot." I poked out from shadow to eye around, "Nothing on them. They hide it." I dive with hiding. These things looked at this jar, stares in judging a while and puts it back, "Nothing in that one." There is other jars about and those are checked.
"What you think your doing?" that scared them and off the scram dragging that corpse away. Heavy footed being comes over here checking things, "Another run away and this time they didn't find the loot off them." Comes looking around. Picked up bits, "All over the floor, must be blind from seeing repears." They paused with looking at the coins, "Repear realm coins, rare sort to. This would have to be out the private vaults." They picked my jar up and place a coin in. I sunk them through to look at them too. They go putting more in and stare at this jar of clear more oddly, "Hey thing in the jar. Put them coins back. I did so lifting them out my shadow, "Oh good, you understand my native tongue. How about showing yourself?" I only popped my head out from among the coins and stare into this strangers one eye at me, "A baby huh. Whatever race you are, very intelligent. Got a name?" I nod yes, "Don't speak?" a long pause, "to young to speak?" I nod with that, "You're a reborn soul, aren't you?" I nod, "You recall anything about the repears?" I nod, "You knew of them." nod, "How about I take you safely back?" I nod with that, "You a dead walker?" I tilt odd with that term, "Means if you can cross over to death / afterlife realms." I nod with that, "Right but your way to young alone. How new are you show me you are?" A part of me shell put on like a hat, "Ugh… Looks like our stuck with me until you grow up some." Off with the shell and I coiled among the coins. I look like a plain albino snake for now, "How does food sound?" I yon, "Your just born and sleep is on your mind. Don't be lazy."
I try to leave the jar… but I cant. Sort of no working limbs other then just the spine. He place down the jar with capping it. The lid having a hole walks unevenly around. I wasn't allow to be seen or to see outside this jar. Just have to put faith with this old man.
"Master Craven, your back so soon. How was the trip to the scraps?"
"Interesting." My jar up up on height, over looking a shop of some repairs and bits store. The old man being this owner person. Old beard man whom look to be retiring in the next decade, "You're here for your masters watch right?"
"I would like that but another job in is my visit today." A device that seems a clock? Many dials to make one think it were a secret radio. Computer in a Victorian steam puke fashion? What is it?
"A metrology dial." The old man hummed, "Which parts are broken?"
"The power button and it might have been thrown…breaking spirits." The old man nod understanding and the errand runner paying advance on this job. Boxed to the side with other bits, "Good luck Master Craven." I disappeared in the eyes towards me the study they made.
They leave disinterested in the findings of an old tinker crafter. I seemed at rest of sleep when watching the old guy work at the items, waking up when it was noticed he fell asleep working. Being more aware I have the jar shuffled to the edge and fall, the crash didn't hurt me nor did it wake the old man. There is no one else here late at the middle of the night; not even a thief.
I climb about the place with looking at things being old and things being fixed and how the door locks. My shadow blanket cover over the old man's shoulders, draping him softly and with further gentle tug of taking the tools out his hands for comfort. The lights are dimly on, allowing better look into the mechanism of the clocks he been fixing.
I go searching about the working one's; looking at how part rest in there or how the parts should be in working conditions. Tonight was just about exploring the place of the treasures this man fixes. Finding some manuals a desk over of the instructions of the things and how they should work.
Some repair guides of the more common things and the mistakes noted on notestick notes. Some notes comparing versions of the same objects but from different realms of technology. There is futuristic tablets storing such high tech guides. I mostly also fell into sleep in reading the clock book of all its interesting notes.
The knocking of the shop door had both of us wake, the old man up at looking at the jar of glass across the floor picking up the coins. I had my shadow unlock the door and then hide me in a broken clock at the old man's repair desk. There being a quite muttering of today being interesting and the old man greeting folks at the door. My shadow swept the glass into the bin before anyone would notice it (that isn't the old man).
"Master Craven, it has been sometime." They go to the counter, "There should be a item due today."
"Yes." He goes to the finished ones and looks through them. I made sure not to be pulling the customer owned ones but my feet patters of the dust is there. He must have noticed them with the long pause. Clearing up his voice and turned with the items repaired. Cash exchanged again and them customers leaving. He comes to take a seat at his desk, notice the blanket that roll off his shoulder when he woke up. Picking it up and folding it, "Nosy little snake and seems keen to learn." He muttered and I popped out to nod with that statement, "Ah, there you are. You do this?" showing the blanket and followed with a nod, "thank you. It been a while since anyone been that kind." I stepped around at the parts arms and legs finally working but not strong at picking bits up yet, "Oh, not a snake then." I show my palms on every leg arm. The tail pointing too, "Odd aren't you. Hungry little fella?" I nod and he offer me up his arm. I trust him with dancing up the arm and coiled to hang from his shoulder and around the bread hairs.
He goes to a back room full of things that is more fix jobs, just seems only to be him here. There had been others, they came and gone. Apprentice desks with little projects, half finished or still broken. Among them an old clock; they call it a grandfather clock with the style and age. My eyes glued about it.
"When you can start lifting things with them little arms, I think about teaching you. Right now your only baby. Got to learn to walk, talk and eat." There a side area that be a kitchen… very fresh of foods and different technology keeping it all fresh or growing like that. There a vine of all sorts of fruits off it; the few I did remember seeing before. I went for a apple but had no luck of grip or teeth. The old man laughs and brought it down to chop up for me. I watched that, how he used the knife. Puts it to a bowl, suggested I go there. I climb down trying to gum the apple, it being more fun then food. Finding my claws they took out the chunks. Ate the chunk whole. I would pause to watch him frying up a breakfast of his own. Picked up the dishes to the table he always eats at. My bowl next to him.
"So how do you move things around?" I covered my face a moment with putting on my mask, he stared oddly with that. I have it off and it changed to mock a human child. Picked up the bowl and ate one larger apple bit, "You a living shadow?" I shurg with that, "Right, you must have no clue of anything." I guesture sort of. Mimic reading, writing and speaking. Other normal stuff like trading and walking. But I show that I can't even speak as I have no voice right now or strength to lift much. The bowl was heavy to me to lift, having to put it down eventually.
"Do you remember who you used to be?" I wasn't able to give a fitting gusture for this, "When you can speak, would tell me?" I nod with that, "You suggested you did have a name, is that still true? Or is it an old name?" I show that I have both or a two of something, "Both your old names and a new name?" I nod and thinking guy is good at playing the gestures game.
We ate well into the next hour in a quite way. The sounds of clocks ticking, echoes of wind somewhere and just the odd house creaks with changing tempratetures of the day.
"You need to learn the basics of life and get stronger. You can stay here in this room all day. I check up on you ever so often. Yet I will be front of the shop with people. They might not like you, so be careful. I know folks that don't like masks or creatures that aren't human like. They would assume you a pest and I know your not." I nod understanding, "Alright." He takes his plate to the washer and bin. He throw away what he couldn't finish. He goes off freshen clothes and normal human stuff in a small closed room. Waved to me at the table and back to the front. I tilted so far in watching I feel out the bowl. Shook feeling of being reckless like that.
I spend all day exploring the bits here, of all these tools around here that there is back door to outside and open window that on a automatic movement timer. Closing at night and open on the sun rise. I climb up to the ceiling with seeing broken lighting here and the odd panel needing a push back to spot.
The wires around here all new and keep up by repair Nano bots… future tech that don't like me. I leave them alone, very quite like. I find that they are the ceiling pest control and the bodies of pests are carrier to the bin too.
There a computer system around here that has pages of more manuals of how to do things or order parts of things. There are boxes by the back of the outside door of parts.
My shadow dragged them inside… left them there. I find area of storage for tools and spare spare parts. The labels of where everything goes. It became a lot of fun putting bits in there correct places. Starting with small bits.
Nuts, bolts, nails, small chips, broken twig bits in the scraps bit and so much more stuff. My nose making ever so often was all the old man needed with checking where I were at a given time. I would be around the floor looking for bits. About the mid chimes of the afternoon, he came in with getting food and drink. I poked out from a chest box to go greet him.
"I have decided to call you a pet I haven't named yet, some lost thing I am looking after. Much of that rings true yet I know your more with it then a pet." I nod with being on the counter and watching him cooking, "It have people use to you gentle like." I did a shift into a smaller then normal dog and jumped into a cat like form and then peaked around at apple bits I have here for me like a bird, "Oh, you're a shapeshifter type." Back to being me, "Handy for the future but at the moment you need to learn to be your natural shape and get use to how that works. Worry about the other shapes later." I nod and he laughed a little, "Not the only shape shift that been here. A fine lass wanted to learn how to fix computers was a shapeshifter too. I don't know what they were really. She stuck around for the short time and left to go fix a larger version of this thing. I haven't heard from her since. All my wannabe apprentice do or just come back in a box… of wood." Coffins huh. In this guy being here for me, I know I will outlive the man and it wouldn't hurt to stick around this shop before going back to finding my other titles. Maybe when its time for him to face death, I can respect the shop here a while longer before I go too. Make the old man happier too.
I tilt with pretending to be unsure of his meaning, tapping my mouth in thinking about it all. He did notice my unsure expressions and goes back to cooking. Being there to see how he went about daily life route taught me skills I had sure forgotten.
In most ways as time passed over a few weeks; he was my parent figure in teaching what humans do. Some skills I didn't even have as a ex-dog. I was gaining normal strengths and pick up a fitness regime. Along with putting away new items that weight more and more. I never pushed and set reasonable weights to test myself. In a year I had grown as long as his arm and my curiosity to tinker like him showed.
Trying words heard often or were repeated by him. No speech yet, hollow breathy sound that isn't even an echo. Celebrating birthdays is a new one for me, he taught me how to fix something from spare bits. My first was a pocket watch. Hands on learning.
Mid-way of my first year had a drastic change. The new clients had him nonstop on something, jobs is short spades of time. I too had to take on more things. I had became the chores person and dinner maker. We missed the few dates from time to time yet in the progress of teaching the trade.
Swept by my fifth year, I did more work at the same pace as him. In all the time I never came to the front desk, learning the background stuff every moment where I can. In feeling terrible, my shadow works over night on the back lodged things from time to time. It helped in tight times.
Tight times as of like today, where his became to violently ill and beyond weak to work today. I looked after him constantly as my mask did single handily did todays repairs. A sign to not take in request work, that it were collect only customers at this point of time. Folks came in, stated their name to my mock cat form and had there boxes appear behind them. With the cat illusion jumping to it and pretend marking it. Bunting at times at the item collected, in a packed box.
"Collect my ass, I demand a repair this moment." A stuffy rich child with the servant following around. Tossed a watch on the counter, the cat of me peering at it and back at them.
"You're the owner's pet." I nod with this statement, "Would you have him fix that?" I pawed the watch closer and play about where the issues are and pawed back. Lay there with a tilt, "Your clever for a cat."
"If he don't fix it, you do it." I look at the child with standing up and looking down to them. Stomping about, "Now!" I wipe my head around the edge about this kid, pacing about them an play paw taps at them, "You playing with me." I rolled and played a good distraction from the watch missing.
To sit on the register and type in the amount cost of repair. The butler noticed I weren't playing like they thought and puts a set amount to the counter, in a row for me to see the amount being counted out. I jump over and collect it. and jump down from the counter. Back up with the fixed watch in teeth. Place to kids reach, the little hand taking it. Looking at the fix job… listened to the ticking and looked into the working clock. I nod and the child gently directed away out.
I tilt with watching them and even fall laying across the counter. Back up and looking at the thing poking a item. I hop on over to the front of it and paw at them. In just a touch they back through into something as if a ghost. I tilt in curiosity waving a paw to try to reach them.
"You see me?" pawing at them as they moved back forwards. Their hand meets my paw; tapping at them in playing, "You can touch me. Very interesting." I tilt and stop pawing about. Sit there eyeing them, "Your wondering what I am and why I am here." I nod, "Oh, you understand me. How interesting… I am a creeper or what others say a nightmare. I was here to control the nightmares of the shop owner but you seem to scared them off, right?" I shrug with that, "Could I please go check?" I nod and jumped down with showing the way over. He sees that there been something working on the orders here that isn't the owner and glides along over to where the bedroom is. Stood at a freeze of my real shape dabbing a cold cloth over the old man. Looking after the old man as much as possible. It left back to the work shop part. The cat sits there behind it, tilted in oddity of the reaction. The Creeper skin jumped in the notice and pointed between the cat and the other. The cat shifted to a shadow. The shadow replica of the real shape but only dark mist and floating mask; tilt at them.
"Your not a pet but something he took one as a apprentice." I gesture a sort of, "Raising you?" I nod with that, "Like his a acting parent to you?" I nod again, "And you're a god eater." I nod knowing that from my other life, "He knows?" I nod with a shrug of I think he understands it, "He knows your real shape." I nod well with that. I looked over to the counter with hearing the door open, "ugh, right. May I stick around to watch over him too." I give a light glare as a warning of harm but go back to the desk. He watched with sneaking over to see where my mask goes. Creeps along over to the bed room and meets the same glare of them by my real shape. He gives a backed off impression and I good with this. Continue on.
"hello, I came here on a call. There weren't words over the phone by this place rings the number three times." Looked down to the cat on the counter, "Oh, did you call?" nods, "You calling for the owner?" Nod again with ear backed, "That bad. Alright show me." My shadow shows the way and my real shape hides into my shadow storage. The illusion jumps where the real was and tries to continue, "Master Craven? You alright?"
"Doctor Brown…" Old man wakes up, "Just flu I think. What time is it?"
"It's 12.30pm. I think you should continue resting while the cat continues manning your shop… like they have done since 6am open times. You have a collect only sign." They go through the usual things a doctor patient does. I leave with my real self doing repairs hiding in a box and the shadow cat laying at the front waiting or serving folks. The rest of today, sweeps into dinner time. Closing the shop. Sign down and turned with closed. Eyeing out to anyone out there being odd. Hop on over to the back as a cat. Jumping to the dinner table, sighing. Eyes looking at what to be cooking. The doctor comes walking into here looking around. I sit up and he looks right to me and backed away. I sit normal like a cat and stare about the things to be doing. Tilting with trying to work out how to make something. The doc goes back to Old man. The old man laughing at the doc, I guess they must be talking about me.
"Mock. Come on in." I heard and hop on down. Paused with hearing the front room stuff moving. I have my real shape go look into it, "Ah, it's your shadow. Where's the rest?" paw direct to the front shop. Played with my ear, "You heard something up front?" I nod, "Right, might be the fussy local child's thieving again. Don't get yourself wrapped up in it." I nod slow. The doctor gets up to check too. Takes a light with him, stomps his way to the front. Sure enough, yes someone kicked in a window. They were messing the place up and were on the run with the doctor glaring them down. My mask looked at the Creepers study of the old man and having been here to over hear things. Soon was looking at me, frozen for a moment of worry. By the study of each other was looking at the reaction of the other. I focused on the old man more, a paw checking him. Sighing with worry. The nightmare tilted with the surprise of it.
My real shape dragging a wood panel board to cover the broken window. The doctors soon helping with lifting it and holding it. My real shape taping the edges then passing it to the doctor to tap the edges I cant reach. Nods of thanks and that shape getting on with cleaning up. Pushing things back up to standing. Collecting sale items off the floor to repairs spares part. The doctor going back to the patient, frozen with how I worry over the old man.
"Is there two of them?"
"No. One being with two bodies really. they seem independent but… his always single mind working." Coughing and settles, "How's the shop?"
"The large window kicked through and everything a mess." The old man sighed deeply, "We put a board on the window, taped for now. Him's picking everything up." The old man laughed, "Why is that funny?"
"I know what the child is, a god eater. Yet instead of acting to bit everything on sight or even being a threat. This one has a mind of a child, bright and curious. Was nosing in my books when I brought him here, only speaks in gestures but is trying to speak words. He like apples and milk. He eats cooked meals and mimics manners. A good kid despite their real shape. I bet he doesn't know where he is or what is outside this shop. Really has became my child… better then the apprentices whom came before him. Always here and never has the curiosity to leave. I left ample chances… offered him to come with to places."
"You are aware the folks out there would…"
"I know. So one day I can teach them to pretend to be a human. Maybe then they could cross realm back to where they remember. It's my plan but he seems settled here. nothing much budges him." The doctor looked at how worried I am of him, "Not planning on eating me?" He asked and my mask disagreed with it, "Why stay?" Tilt with him, "What?"
"I think their sympathetic to you, very worried of your health. They called the practice 12 times today, despite having no voice. From how they been looking after you, cold cloth, light foods, plenty drink… they really are like a son to you." The doctors laughed with being nervous about it, "If he could fetch medication, I bet he would try. Called me since he has no idea of what to get." Wiped his eyes, "this is crazy. A tamed god eater looking after you."
"He was already pretty smart when he was born." More talk like this with detailing my progress of growth. How smart I was being each day, stronger each day, and length changes. The grow of my arms, the use of hands like their own, prehensile tail and teeth. The shedding skins now hung off the wall; pointes to them.
Coughing, vomited and deep breaths. The doctor makes his notes with everything and followed with the patient promised to keep this a secret… that this had to be between us. The doctor eventually leaves a few instructions, promises to come back tomorrow.
"You would know any god you trust?" I nod with the doc as he were leaving, "Which is whom?" I pretend to be a repear and he didn't understand. I then show a reaper coin and he looked at it with a strange look. He turned it around and goes giving that back, "Sir?" He had to clarify and I nod, "By what name does the…" I pounced on the coin, "Hunt?" I nod with that, "You were once a court hunter?" I nod, "they knew about your race?" I nod, "What were you before that?" I shifted to a miniature of my old self, "A wolf dog? Interesting." He sighed deeply and I sigh with looking at the old man, "You know you could leave any time." I nod well with that, "He means a lot now?" I nod a lot with that, " What happens if he goes?" I tilt with being unsure looked at the coin and this shop, "Ah, you don't know if you could stay here or go back." He finally tapped the top of my head, "Your a good soul. There is a chance that no one remember you and that this place will kill you." I nod with knowing, "I guess its hard choose, no matter what. I see you both tomorrow. Call if there is a drastic change that is bad for him. We will look about your health check too." I nod well and tapped them back on the his hand. He leaves. I watched the front door, shadow locked it behind him. I go finish fixing the front up and sweeping it all up. I go check on his health, made myself a meal and sleep around the feet end of the bed floor. Waking up to help him or checks. My shadow working on the customer pieces. The last pieces. Ending up with my mask sleeping at the desk and body where the old man wheezing in sleep. Rolled him to side to prevent blocking airways.
The door knocked on earlier then open hours. The good doctor with a case of things. His directed to the old man sleeping and my body waking up; sluggish from no sleep.
"Awake almost all night for him?" I nod and gestures about fixing, "Over working yourself. You should sleep in a while, the customers can wait a few hours longer for open hours being a few hours late." I sighed and coiled to a corner out of the way, "Where do you sleep?" I gestured about the back workshop, "In what?" gestures a box sort of shape but it being more a large chest, "Go sleep there for now. All of you." I sigh and got up looked over the old man. Pet him a few times and go following the doctors orders. Sure enough someone knocked at open hour, the doctor goes sorted it with a sign. Illness, come back in 3 hours. It works for folks that are the pleasant types. The impatient knocked harshly and are met with the doctor. There was soon a line of folks out there and I was all properly awake enough to face them. I shifted into a human, have the few tips with the doctor about looks. A small learning to walk and be normal. I play it out a little and get the thumbs up.
I changed into clothing left by the old apprentices (uniform left here). I humanly walked over to the front and unlocked the door. Turned the sign over. Eased gently to the counter. I gesture that I had no voice and from there worked out issues with each person. There ended up a servant to translate my guesturing for the clueless. Mid way the doctor poking around to check things. The line died down of just repairs people. Nothing complicated to fix. Mostly appliances or wrist watches. The few things I openly fixed right there and then; changing reasonable. The servant doing all this talking was with that child that had a pocket watch I fixed yesterday. I even looked over the counter to the child and to the servant.
"My young master knows the folks that kicked the window in and came to see if you were perusing the issue." I shake no, "How come?" I gestured illness and point back. That the old man doesn't care at the moment with this, "Master Craven is ill? I am guessing since yesterday." I nod, "You're the cat." I waved about not being a cat but nod with being glaring at for it, "You pretended to be the cat yesterday because the this illness caught you off guard." I nod, "Now you have the doctor around, I guess you have to keep the place running." I sigh, "Sorry, just giving the fact to my master."
"Old Cravens really ill?" I peered over to the child and nod, "Is it bad?" I give my worried look, "Wow, your worried about it." I blinked and stood right. I gestured if there was any ask of repairs, "No. I wanted to know if you going to do something about the trouble makers." I gestured that I want to but I worry more for Craven, "If you could, would you?" I shrug unsure, "have you ever had to fight before?" I didn't even answer or react, "Hey, they will murder anyone that goes against them. They wold bully lone creepers if they wanted." I pouted about that.
"My advice is if or not some secret demon hunter, best avoid the spawns of the hell gods." I sigh with understanding the warning with the servant, "I try to protect my master from them too. Nuisance that needs a lesson from the right people. But they aren't here." I looked at the window, "You how much its going to be?" I shook not, "Oh well, good luck. They might return again… worse likely with you not being open early." I looked behind me be a side look, "Protect him is the best that can be done."
They leave, I worry of what is to come. The nightmare walking around to my front. Stares about from them to me.
"You don't know where this is, do you?" I shake no, "I tell you but act like you don't." I looked with listening, "This is a god city realm; here gods act like normal people with normal lives. In spsite of heir status, its more side job around life with this lot. Most like Craven are retired or children learning to take the others titles place. The place is run by trainee gods; chaotic order here. No nightmare goes untouched by the hell ones. The good or neutral can't see nightmares. Old Cravens the ex-title of Odin and spends time here as a retirement hobby. Shops something to do until the day he dies. The demon gods that knew him for his past of banishing them or foiled their plans; a pay back thier revenge. Cant be all to careful here, you're a target when you leave here for the first time or be see by the waring type."
"Hey, I want this fixed. Free if you can." One of these nuts here. Brought trash, "You hear me mute?" goes shouting these words louder, "ouch."
"They aren't tone deaf." Another one with more sense punched the friend, "You can fix this wraist watch right?" Handed to me directly with something off about touching them. So I don't, "Oh, you anti-social forced to work or something… on top of being a mute." They laughed a little, "Are you even human?"
Sighing with them, I recalled a curse used by the reapers. Used in untangling any curses on something. I gesture the cast and directed it to the item; this does break a curse over it. It started ticking again. I waved them to leave and they did without further issues. Muttering about what the curse was on it to begin with and what would have cast it off. The side affect made a arm weaker… I live with that. I would watch them to be sure they left, then worked with the next customer.
"That was a death curse you cased over it." I gesture it were a counter, "A return? A counter of the curse on the watch." I nod, " amazing. How long have you been here?" I waved away the question and asked about repairs or collection, "Ah, I was told to bit this along." Package addressed to Craven, "Got any death coin for that?" I tilt in wonder if they asked for a reason, "Delivery charges for us birds." I nod with understanding and paid with the currency asked. Tipped with one coin from when I were found. They peered at that coin, "Where did you get that?" I blinked at them for a long time, "Whatever, business done."they take the cash a and huffed, I looked at the box sad, "Nothing deadly in there." I disagree about that, "I know there isn't." I waved about it not being the case. The peer oddly but moved on. Watched as they turned into a bird at the door.
The next person through the door is a local normal; they are a another odd one. Looking around at things, freezing with looking at things with how they did look. Back to the window and to me; peering oddly of me.
"I heard the old man was ill… what happened here?" I gestured a about local teens being fools, "Uh… your mute?" I nod, "Local kids at it?" I nod with that, "Anyways, collection." I peered about the small ones and paused. Looking back at them, "Oh, sorry. I mean a repair." Puts a clock going backwards. I study this a while and gesture that this weren't a fix by me, "Old man could have fixed that." I study them and looked for their shadow. No shadow. That be why this personal clocks going backwards, "Hey…" they backed off, "It none of your business." I pointed to the clock and their lack of shadow. Gesture of them being the same issue, "Really? why?" I don't have a why of telling this to them, "If only you would talk… you damned or something?" I take the watch and have a better look into the it. I guess there is a break in this watch preventing it from moving forwards from a point. I closed it all up and go see if there were spares around for the pieces. I do find them and come back to them still standing here waiting. I study their expression of how I know they were still there. They backed away just checking I wasn't being weird, "You have cursed sight at least." I shrug about it and fixed the watch and type in the amount it cost. He took out death money. I calculated the amount and gave back the change. He looked oddly with that and I hand back this fixed watch, "You worked in the reaper lands before or something." I nod gentle with that, "Oh, that does explain a lot. Maybe you will not have a voice here but one there." I tilting thought about that. Looked at them leaving and nod to them in farewell.
"Hey Mock." I hear the doctor in the other room. I give the front a glance over for anyone hiding around, go to the back. Doctor at the lone standing dinner table all the little tools across it, "Is this a good time to do checks?" I ask for a moment and walked over to the front. Sign with back in half hour. I see no one out there waiting for this shop anyways. Normal life out there. I go back over to the back room and shifted, the clothes falling off. Stood to a average height on four back legs and tilt to the doc.
The sigh of this being weird on him… teeth countered then counting my rows. The claws measured sample of spit and sample of my teeth venom. My current lengths, weight, out floor hieght in normal standing. Spines tested, skin… that were found breaking all the needles. I had to cut myself for access to blood. I closed the wound intanstly. I did a little writing about things also know of myself. Gave to him. He about falls out the chair.
"Grab souls? You came from the reaper lands didn't you." I pointed back to the top, "that a title… oh. You were that title for the time. How did you died?" I disagree with telling, "Did they have you executed or something?" I answered easy with a no, "I heard a while back about there being a mutli-realm disruption. You go in that?" I guesture no but writing about it meant investigating. I gesture about looking for the dead and write dead, "You named the dead for the investigation?" I nod, "I would bet that heaven wouldn't like you there." That the point I expressed knowing and he must have gotten the point, "Were you asked to do it?" I nod and gestured about being kept safe, "Someone stole out the reaper's vaults which explains how you ended up here at least." I took out my shell and the piece I came out from, "Look and feels like a gemstone." I pretend to hide with the tiny piece, "Oh, this was your egg when you were reborn." I nod and he goes measuring it and adding about how tiny I used to be. My birthday… the progression of growth and what still to come, "Did you ever stop growing when you were at the reaper lands." I disagree, "You died before being a adult?" I nod, "And you hunted people for a living. You used to be a meat eater, right?" I nod with a complicated expression, "What?" no souls, "You would eat anything with a soul?" I nod, "That does explain a lot too. If you spoken to the repears about it, they would have let you stay with a conditional and you hunting instinict for the courts." I nod, "You bring them back alive." I nod very well to that, "that's incredible." I gesture about those I took to the courts. The assassins of assassins. The lords of hell the few fallen angels. The Clothus involved. He blinks shocked with me, "Your death wasn't planned." I sigh. I check the time. I shake up and go turn human with putting clothes back on. I go check on the old man, his resting with less a fever. I looked to the nightmare and seemed impressed with starting at me. The gesture of a good pull off being human. I wiped my mask on with showing and off. It went with the doc.
I go sort out the front with removing the waiting sign from the window. I unlocked and welcomed in a few folks stepping in, walking back to the front. I tied my apron on correctly as humanly possible. I have so many gestures yet folks had gotten good with guessing what I meant. It been no bother as long as the items were fixed. Folks would talk about normal things of what is going on; they seemed so unaware of their fate that the humans gave them as gods and goddesses. The losses they will endure with their title. Their misunderstanding of the cultures they derived from. The brothers that will behead each; here they taking about going to each other weddings as best man. The misfortune as so blind from it until it hits them. Its been a interesting lesson learning from them about thier opinions of things. It help me shape my understanding of why folks judge on what. Something so comically human.
"You fix this." Puts a lantern on the counter. I peer about it and the markers marks, the cost of lighting it, "this part here is what I am worried about." The dial for gas being rusted in place and on full blast. The gas cantor is already removed, "yeah, didn't want to light the place on fire." I nod in understanding. Write a notes of the item and place it to the side, there of course my mask is already taking it back and freeing the rust off.
I till in the cost pause with it lighting up a moment from trapped gases freed and continue as if it didn't happen. Direct to the cost put my hand in a ice bucket, tilted with waiting. He realized he were paying for that and pays in Greek drago, exact amount. I nod and took payment into the till. The rust was fixed and the dial was turning again. The mechanism was working find. A quick blast of air through it to test the inside and all is good. I wrote a little waring of air being used to test the inner valves. Brought it back to the owner, whom is very impressed and blinked about the note. Leaves with making sure it works normal for him. Puts the canister back in it when he was outside.
Next being isn't the typical visitor here… a servicer from one the other realms. With a lot of broken tools. Futuristic stuff that gone computer parts to them. To my surprise the old man was around from the bed. The lantern fix must have woke him.
"Looks normal fix," He tells me what to till in in a list. I followed along fine. He tells the customer this sort of fix is overnight. Which was accepted and they pay a deposit, I till the print with the parts and took them back. My hand pat to his shoulder in checking, hand on the forehead, "I am fine." Moved my hand off and waved me away.
I see the doctor back here packing up. I waved him over about something he comes over. I show him my shadow side and the hands of both sides.
"You got yourself burnt from the lantern of Ra." I nod, "At least you not as inventible as you think you are." He directed to hand the hands treated, "Is that side of you weaker?" I show him that the mask is light sensitive, "Oh, that side is damned and so suffers under conditions like intense lighting. Which mirrors on your full self." I nod. Hands cooling and bandaged on both sides. He makes notes about the damned now, adding to my file. He gets paid for this work and leaves from the back, I stood bowing a thankful to him for this. He waved goodbye. I looked around back here for anything like packages or abnormal beings hanging out here.
I have the door closed. Stepped around to the old grandfather clock I looked up to when I was younger. It has always bothered me with it being broken and I knew that the parts for it are discontinued. There isn't any clock to use for spares for this one. I checked on the old man Craven, back to being himself. I didn't mean to purr for a moment. Hiding when noting. Gladly ignored, I poked back to the look at the shelf of books. Picking up the clock guide, taking it over to the grandfather clock. Picked up a work bench and placed it next to it… started gently taking parts out of the main face. I took out the rope system that made it tick once. Opened up the lower shelf that was stuck… slide it back closed. There was a skull in there. I wasn't expecting the skull there. Scared the daylights out of me.
"Mock, that's a creeper clock." I looked over to Craven, "A donation from one of them after fixing a weapon of theirs." I opened the bottom and pointed it out. He comes over and looked in, "There isn't anything there." I peer oddly with him, "What do you see?" I sketched the skull, "Well, best leave that there." I agree and burned the paper. Looked at the clock parts across the bench, "you going to get it working?" I nod. He laughed and pet my back. Goes back to being himself… back at the front.
I spent a lot of time fixing the other clocks that were busted from last nights events. I compare what I see with what the manual stated about the clocks and the nots of them. There is a hybrid way of getting this clock to work… the side effect is that it will work regardless in death's reaper pauses or not. Which can be confusing for anyone ordinary. Getting the clock isn't the issue anymore. It were integrating the many types of part to work together. So focused in doing this, I skipped eating and fell asleep at the clock.
Waking up with being covered with a blanket, Craven's in bed and its 12am. I got up, fixed up something to eat. Offered the nightmare a drink… it took a drink for once. It hovered about my project, looking at the bottom draw. I eat alone at the table, paused with hearing someone at the front. Getting up and looking out front to a creeper (not the normal looking thing either). Waiting.
I stepped around in caution with it and study being there. They nod at me with putting something down on the counter and their coin to having it fixed. I see it's a swiss army knife; the scissors, knife and screwdriver of it is broken. The coin was sufficient fund. I picked them both up and go have it fixed at the back. Cleaned it up and added some anti-rusting on the joints. Made it easier to move bits. I go back with it finished and slide it over to them. They fiddled about, gave an off grin and left with walking through the glass. I shivered and go back to finishing food. Got back to my clock project.
"Good morning." Master Craven stepping behind me as I knocked my head on the clock. I rub my head with looking to him. He has a look at what been doing, "Very clever with hybrid of the work… but who wold want a clock that never stops for even a god?" I gesture about death or a time god, "I guess you have a good point there." He pats me for the good work and goes opening the shop. I can sense there being something off about him since he woke up from that flu… tilt with a questionable glare at his back.
"You can tell his been acting off since that illness." The nightmare voiced with cauaght me. I study them too and just go back to fixing the clock. They laughed about it, "You're worried for the god." I sigh with pausing to listen to them, "Someday they die just like everyone else." I nod knowing, "You going to lead him to the path when he goes?" I shrug and screwed time parts. I pause with study of the tool, looked to the bits across the bench and on them, "What?" I gesture that life and death are the same… the different side of a coin. But I made a further point that not much really does change, "You remember being among the living then?" I nod and did a dog gesture, "Really?" I smile and continued fixing up the clock, "Was it a good life?" I gestured about being heavenly and then being accepted for my race, "Ah, that makes sense. Heaven don't like creepers like me. Even if I wouldn't even harm a fly. Most creepers are just misunderstood because of their looks." I nod agreeing, "Ever been there?" I nod, "Really? You have any while there?"
"Mock!" I put stuff down and step over to the front. The old man waving me over, "When was this paid and what for?" I showed the note, "it's blank." I sighed and rewrite into another language, "swiss army knife? By a creeper?" I nod, "fair enough… is there any around?" I gesture one, "They causing issue?" I disagree and gesture about helping, "A friend huh. Well as long as they aren't causing issue." He peers oddly about the coin, "What is this the equivalent of?" I showed in reaper coins and he got the picture. Has me waved off with folks coming in. Away the money went and I study the folks after them that were trouble last time. I go back to my clock project, the nightmare standing at the front watching the teens being fools. My mask beside them at that same glare. Sure enough, they did come in here being a headache… Craven handled it without us putting two cent in.
"Pardon me, but I had been told this place does repairs." This being a reaper of all things to come here, "How much would it be to have a scythe soul cutter sharpened?"
"I don't know if I can but I can have someone at the back try. They might have some idea of it." the scythe picked up and carried over to me. I see that this was dulled and chipped. Nod with working on it. my claws were perfect for the job. Gesture about it being small price. He goes back to the front to informs the repear of this being sorted. That they have a short wait for it being returned. Repear looking around at things. The teens are back to causing mess, had the reaper on them this time; which set them straight to running home. I came with the sharpened scyth as those two were moving furniture back again. The repear picking up a coin; frozen and handing over Craven. Craven tossed it to me and I offered the scythe. Impressed of the sharp quality.
"I was going to ask where such a coin from the vault end up here… but I have a feeling that maybe that isn't the right question to be asking." I bow with waiting, "Is it alright if I reported this finding here?"
"There no issues, the original thieves ran when I found the coins scattered across the floor. I were scrap hunting for repair parts down the local tip. North follow the road up and there on the left. I didn't take all of it as my priority was to help a little fella at the time." Directed to me, "Another possible victim of the vault thieves too… from what I guess." The old man is honest the the repear, "They haven't the developed vocal cords to tell me anything. Don't be fool by the outward appearance of my apprentice. He is been here since that night."
"Right…" notes made and the coin as evidence, "Anything of a bird passing here before?" I nod about that package, "then this clears some missing facts of that time. The vaults are still in a wide search of missing treasures. Someone said about something being a total danger in the worng hands." The old man laughed about that, "What?"
"I am guess a slayer egg was a missing item." The old man catch the repear well, "You can report that they are fine. Here and learning as children do." They looked at me and study them back, "He is not a meat eater anymore and like I said. He need to develop the vocal part of his throat to be able to talk." The repear stepped back a little, "He is just misunderstood. Not like rest of his race." There were a lot more notes made, a lot of coin passed over and a step off to speak to the repears about it all. I pass a worry at Craven, "You still worried about me?" I nod, "A good child doesn't need to worry about the adult." My head pat and waved back to the back room. The place of customers continue to pass through like waves of the oceans. Pulling in and out… up until closing hour. He does his normal route, yet allowed me to do the cooking. He studies the clock that is really close to finishing.
"Mock, how long are you planning on staying around?" I looked to him and shrug unsure of a answer, "Not even curious about the world you ended up in?" I looked at more myself then really him, "You could blend in and trick folks." I disagree, "Why not?" I gestured about style, "Not you?" I smiled in that sense, "What is it you like about life?" finishing up and plating the dishes. Cooled the pan down before placed to the washer. Brought the food over with extra arms around. Set up and drinks. Sitting close to each other.
"I used to like my family; back when I lived in the living lands." I spoke roughly and it was hard to bring out properly, "then when they were gone, it were the smiles of happy beings. I liked bringing families back together; they sounded happy at heart." I sipped water, "Have you around, learning to be normal; where no one would… it been a wonderful comfort. It puts the pain of being alone behind me. I don't really have much of a story. A dog that save folks, died by stayed to watch over them… protect them. then I was protecting strangers in the living realm. Crossed over to the paths; no heaven said law. Learn boundaries and grey areas. But I wanted them happy at least. Damned, creeper, soul, animal or humanoid… their inner voices. The soul voices always bothered me. When they were sad, I felt hurt. Never eat them if they can beg and scream at me. A carrier bird told me that the repear were easy too fool. Be among them. I did but I told the top boss what I were. It be fair that I at least told them."
"How long was it for you to make that choose to cross over to live at the reaper lands?"
"A long time. A life cycle at least. Walked the path until I died again. But I still thought myself a dog. It were all I knew and all I was taught. I learned other things eventually but no guidance for me. They all called me by my nicknames. Hunter, trader, poacher, fancy long reaper's title, Mut and wolf. My real name then was Shadow. Shadow is what my humans named me in dog life. I kept that name for a long time. I have new name now, but I don't use it as really often. Mock will do for a nickname."
The old man listened to me very well and their been a long peace while eating.
"I used to be god of smith and crafting. I retired with my grandson taking the title. He used to visit me in the early days; too busy now. I am giving this shop to him from when I go. A tradition that hasn't changed but I expect that he would just sale this place and all the things in it. Maybe he will work it all out with what he wants to do when he retired from the title. Being the god isn't something that they expect."
"As long as the skills get passed on, it's what counts best." My head scuffed up with that as he laughed.
"What you going to do?"
"Maybe stick around for a while longer, learn to blend in better and pick up where I left off with helping them souls again. The location doesn't matter to me; it's the souls…" sighing with looking to him, "You seemed pretty sad when I started hearing souls again. Sad at how them folks became; nothing like when you were young. Your souls quite a chatter box when it come to being upset about the relatives not making the visits they should have. That the family feuds ruined things. I haven't anyway of helping with what other souls are like. Yet I can at least be here when the time mattered… it's a simple wish I have respected for others. You now matter me and I didn't want to just be them."
"How interesting that you can hear souls like mine… an ex-god."
"the outside most times doesn't have a baring to the soul inside. Damned are souls of people that got lost, regert some mistake or had forgotten something important to them. Damned can become anyone; any person. Often they tell me that if someone like me were around, they would never have been damned. It's a sort of respect I shared and earned with them. Getting them to talk to you is difficult, twice so when they are teaching you their language. Gods, humans of the living, imps, demons, angels… even them creepers; their souls are sort of the same. They are different too which is how they aren't all replicas of each other. It's what we say when we see humans. they all the same but individually different like."
"I didn't know." he seem catch by that.
"I often keep that to myself to debate. You seem a good person to share with. Like you been indirectly saving souls; items can become important to the soul of folks. Seen or not. You been helping them. They would thank you if they could." My throat sore from all the chatter and that I haven't quite been ready to be nattering for that long. Eating a little more and clean up, "Maybe you should give them a try… a call or letter or something." I finished speaking and got back to the clock before bed time. He laughed about it and broads over the thoughts.
The nightmare was finally converted out of damned status… it hugged me and left to the path. I looked in that draw with the skull… it begins to dust now. I had guess it was their head. I carved their name into the clock in memory. I did the detail adding, carving pattern of character into the clock. Melted death's silver into groves that highlighted the new character of it. I added my old name as my markers mark. The shadow of death's court. This piece just has the chiming bells, the time to be set and the final art flares to the clock face (the minute and hour hands need a change). Call it a night.
"It looks so much different now." I stare at the clock for a while, "I like the new." I turned with not being used to this one. This has to be someone I hadn't met, "Ah, I'm the current smith god." Offered a hand to me, "You have to some apprentice my grandfather's picked up." I laugh nodding, "His head off to bed or something?" I shrug, "Don't stress waking him. I just want to stop by and give some news. I will gladly wait for him." I can hear that this news is heart breaking and I pet the shoulder with giving off my care about this, "Is it obvious or something?"
I offered a drink, a seat at the table and just being kind. He turned down and I sigh. Go check on the old man. His writing. I knocked at the frame and pointed back. Craven had a strange expression and gets up to go see them. I stay back from it, watching from here. the news of Craven's son, the current god title's dad, passing to death. It had me think of the letter he was writing. A finished letter addressed to such person. Signed and was being folded into a envelope. I finish folding it and casted it into a death paper… this then was pass to a raven carrier. It took the letter and flew off.
Made me think of writing one to death… but his a business god. I do wonder if his apprentice has taken over. I have to see. The old man was having a heart attack over the news in the other room… lets just say that everything was trying in that to get him back… I set the clock with his passing. A name added in memory into the clock. A very long night, a tough night on those whom are left behind. A lot could be talked of here… but it's just better to move on. Life to death then death to life. It isn't hard.
"I am sorry for your loss… I want you to sort things out here. As he predicted, I have sold the place. But you free to take all the tools and things you need. You had been good to him." I bowed with understanding, "It's nice meeting you, master Crafter." A title his given me.
Hugged him out of just feelings and humanly returned the favour. I packed what I needed, took a chest and tool box of just tools. The clock, the currency that they had no use with and basics. I stayed for the funeral but I was out the place for the very first time. Stood at the other side of the front too… the notice that the place has been closed. All the repeairs had already been returned. Just leftovers there, parts and spares or unclaimed lost ones.
"Mister Carfter." Everyone hears news like it travels fast, "Sorry for the loss." This coming from the child that has grown up. The servant bowed at the same time. I waved about being no issue, "You need a place to stay?" I laugh with disagreeing, "I can't hire you?"
"I have somewhere to be but thank you for the work. The old man would have been lonely without you being there, young master." I reached my hand to their shoulder, "I bet he be laughing at us both." We share that smile of knowing. I nod and stepped around looking at the windows. I just could help but have a plaque in his memory on the front. Respected with a lay of flowers. I bowed on last time to the place and moved on. The child and the servant there as witness to such sentiments. Craven's soul passed on without a reaper's intervention.
I made my stop to where I was found on the day of my hatching, leaned down with picking more spilt left coins off the floor. I could feel the stare on my back for it, even down to my glare at the hiding spot I was thrown into. My hand over the missing jar… circled the rim of where it should have been. Stood back up. My glare on where they ran to, knowing exactly that they sneaked their way from a hell entry around here. I raced the steps of where I thought I heard them go… pause on where a corpse has been rotting for a while. I picked about their fashion and made my notes with a small note book. demon, servant, cloths bound, smite by a god, chewed p by the local dogs… dogs currently leashed up east from here. notes and done.
"Excuse me, gentlemen." I study this nightmare damned intentionally, "Wow, quite a steady glare there. You would have any idea about this corpses personal items?" I study them head to toe very careful with tracing my steps around them, "Would it help if I told you I were a titled court hunter for hell?" I paused and gestured about proof, "Careful are we?" He does have a real quality metal necklace to suggest it. seal stamp approval. I stopped being awkward with them and share over my notes with them. they read through, looking back to the corpse in reference.
"Anything else?" I directed them back where I came from. Going on to showing the vault coins still in the floor muck. He lowered down looking at the coins, "Yes, this was something I meant… just coins?" I drew a small image of what my egg was like before I ruined it, "Ah, that's what I been looking for. Where is that?" I shrug with showing the hiding spot empty. The really clearly a missing jar, "Whatever it was has been stolen again or walked off?" I shurg, "Know anyone?" dead I gestured and make it into it being why I was here, "you a investigator?" I say witness in gesture, "Really? how?" I showed the egg and they laughed at me. I let them and pretend nothing of it. I dusted off and had nothing else for them. my worry was answered, "You know youre suggesting you're a god eater, right?"
I picked up a metal pipe from around here, I bite it and pass it to them to look at the teeth marking. They peered oddly with being handed a bitten pipe. Distracted with it for me to faded away. Appearing around a normal place out a ally, on to the normal roads to walk on out of this realm through god gates.
I can tell I were followed since leaving the guy with that pipe. Not letting it bother me, into a middle grounds realm. Crossing from there into walking to the path… stopped by a Clothus. The were yammering and stepping in my way, how I ignored them wasn't enough.
"Pardon you but you can't just leave without telling me your name. I insist!"
"I have no need to give you my name, Clothus. Leave before I make the choose of you life or mine." They aren't budged with a repear stepping in, "Why do you both need my name?"
"We looking for a suspicious sort like you."
"Anyone with a hidden title always are." I wipe my mask on place, "Leave me be, I have no need to deal with a love problem beggar and a uneasy job seeker." Offending them only made them point weapons at me, "your life or mine." I repeated, "Laws are children bed time stories for someone like me. Duelling you isn't worth my time and having you on trail a far to easy thing to threat that it's a joke."
"At least your lawful." He reaper doesn't threat with me, "Are you seeking a way to my homelands?"
"I am taking a long way around route. Picking up trade as I pass." I sigh, "I have to make my way around to your realm as a end goal anyways." The reaper looked at their book with how the name of the dying fades off and looking at the Clothus that would have been it, "Will let me go now?"
"Yes, damned."
"I will be seeing you both again, I have no doubts. I have only one ask and if the apprentice to your boss has taken title or not."
"Lord Darth is still working under Sir death… how did you know?" I shrug and walked around them carefully.
Trades a few stares about them and got through to the next place I go. Onto the path where here I walked crossing back and forth of my hidden gemstone places for stocks. Butchered a soulless worm back in the nightmares. Gained a new name from the nightmares – the crafter of time pieces. My clock chimed and it spooked folks enough to gotten the name. Traded bird treats.
I made my official crossing to the reaper lands and applied for stay like an average being. That settled with having a totally normal false name; Sir James Shadow Craft. Crafter of the smith god and Crafty by the nightmare realms.
More a nickname that types get called there but It were less confusing then the 'time piece marker'. That's a subtitle of the clock gods. I applied for weapons distribution, crafting and sale of dangerous things under guidelines. As such had sparked a message instantly to Boss bird.
"If you understand me, then you are our missing ally." I did give the bird a meat treat and lowered to eye level with them. I showed my eyes to shift and that telling tilt, "It's good to see you healthy and blending in Mut." They hop right over to my shoulder.
"Was there anything you requested of me or do I need to go through sorting anything papers with you birds? Never understood the need for paper words." I spoke back to them as I was being guided alone the human papers sorting offices over this weapons permit.
"Master's been missing you and things haven't settled in you leaving. The very fact that you been the target in out vault steal says that your egg was the prize. Your box, your freezer with a padlock and locked room on 13, 13… it goes on unchanged. You original shop on the corner been converted to a full time birds desk."
"I would like to keep hidden in the shadows until things slowly fade back a little more safer. You can tell the boss I am around but I am not the same person before. The old me were more a animal then I what I am now. You can say I were raised to be a average human yet that isn't exactly true as I were brought up as my true form. Taught the mannerism that humans play with. I having to learn how to fly again quite literally. I could still wolf in my sense of hunting as I practiced and even improved. I just have to hide around for now; shadow, human, raven, snake or wolf. Of course avoiding being found by those after me." the bird understands.
"I can fly you into the vault for your stuff back and then you can return here hidden among the public." I nod and he sighed. I faded into his shadow, soon taking off to the vault where they still had crews looking for clues. Place wasn't full of treasures that mattered (those got put to a new higher locking vault) of bottles of expensive drinks or replaceable rare items. Nothing else in here looked stolen.
Just coins out of a cursed chest box and the spot my egg was. My box there underneath, swallowed by shadow and in my hands. I have no right to be taking anything else. It was then I see my ex-family's chested items here to. Maybe place here to be mine when I had the wills. From the looks of it, the wills in my box were opened. It would had to been the boss god here, Death. He left a note here stating he had for laws of heaven push to give the boxes to the correct places and if items were to be returned some place.
Annoying complcations that had to be done. Those things are slowly swallowed unnoticed by focused heavy clue makers. In so moving these out of the equation new bits from the flow that were missed became clearer – they jumped right on this missing box happenings and then settled with being distracted by the coins. Picking them up and placing them back.
The mass crawling around the floor is just enough for my last box and the bird to lift off. The bird makes a stop up to the boss desk, poking for anything under my old name that is addressed to me. Nothing. It's fine. He makes a approval for my licences for my new name; of which I signed here too and this file of work place to the side for death to check later. I left a note of the name change as being able to hide among the society easier. The bird approves of such message to his master (a stubborn bird trait to check for cruses, I guess that been happening more often).
We drop off to the flat rental desk of the tower. Here, I stepped out from the birds shadow, walked away for a while; altered to my personal human looks. Walked over to the waiting qeued for the desk help. The bird hops over to my shoulder as proof of right to stay (my paper's hasn't finished fixing downstairs).
"This one has Master Death's approval for flat 13 on the 13th floor here." they bowed to the bird in greeting and got right to it.
"I just want accesses, I would like to apply for a different flat. If not I will find somewhere outside this tower without an issue."
"There no problem with that, just fill this paper for right to have the access to 13:13. Then I have you wait to steep into the office for new flat arrangements."
"Alright, thank very much." I signed with my personal signature for these things as it one of the few things about me that doesn't change, "A head of time, I am not bothered for very top or very bottom locations. I am not fussed about numbers and rental prices. My current job and savings will cover everything needed." She write that down and has a bird pass it over to the backroom desk. I finished signing and took the key. I walked on over to wait like a normal person for the back room call. The boss bird left me a feather and more of my mail to me. Off he left.
The wait took long enough for raven's to send my paper work of permits and certificated rights. Long enough to be sat down on my suitcase.
"Sir James Crafter?" I get up dust off, roll the suitcase around. I come to face this desk worker, fancy dressed but drained out exhausted from his work. Followed through the better person lobby and directed a seat among the waiting high titled folks here. That note of what I said have that raven land to a hand of one of the receptionist here. they file it through a computer system, along in the waiting list.
"Sir James Crafter, may I have a look at your papers?" she called me over, and I have them out from my suit side. I go through just the needed to know for housing; old titles I had to the current one's. all filed into the system. Ex-ground floor trader meant I was also allow bid to their trader's bulk market auctions and better housing with more storages. Further adding that contact need to be made about a new shop floor space for me to build back business with. My old licenses and new licenses share. I was allow to take seat again.
I caringly filled my papers into a proper file folder system. Being watched for how odd I was being for. Maybe my expression was wearing wrong or she can tell I weren't totally human. Maybe I was so human for her that I seemed alive. I take a seat, have a magic trick of taking out a bottle of water from my jacket again. Have a few drinks of it and away back it went.
"The tower is getting to full of people that don't want to leave. All from that time the disaster took them homes. They have to either move people or the tomes. Both a terrible task."
"People will move, the crime rates so high around here that those family types are leaving here for better homes outside the tower. In no time, the tower will be back to the peaceful community it were. The dust has finally settled and we as ants are building back up from what were lost."
Folks talking about the local area while waiting around. Names are called with the offices shuffle folks around. These two not called yet like me. Feels like the vet waiting room; that dread of having a place or not. Just to pass the time I took out a broken pocket watch and tinkered with it. My suitcase that I shuffled to between my feet. Listening for my name and ignoring the chatter of others.
"Cathie…" a officer worker walked in with being a known face around here, "How are you?"
"Exhausted from the investigations of the vault. There only 7 silver death coins missing now, the rest have been recovered and placed to the box. There be a lead that quite literally ended with a dead end. A God of crafting and smith was a witness had passed away last week or something. Three coins recovered from his residence . Locals taking about a apprentice the left the realm…"
"Mysterious."
"As allusive as this no history and no name apprentice."
"James Crafter." I put the watch away and pick up the suit case, walked on over into the office, "Sir James, you looking to be a trader and need a home here in the tower. Had anything in mind?"
"I can be on any floor of this tower as long as there is a bedroom, living area with utility and a storage lock off big or small."
"I could do you one better and have you business and home in one." I thought about it, "Yes the down side is that this often attracts they thieving types and rate of break in is high."
"I don't mind that. My business is more a service then a sales. When I comes to sales, it be very highly guarded." The eyes of this man light up with finally sales one them places, "I don't mind location and care little for the crime rate. They will learn the hard way if they have to."
"You have licenses to carry?"
"Yes, for the wide spectrum of things. Guns, bows, scyths, knives… weapons, tools even the odd bit of crystals that are for magic casting only." I sigh, "I am a restoration worker. I repair broken items or sale spare parts or just even find the odd missing person if needed. My travel to find scarps takes me off realm, so running into missing people just happens."
"Wow, you're a very interesting character, sir Craft." Goes through the possible numbers shows me by computer which way if facing. I had a prime view spot to take.
"I take this one. The one facing the entry into the tower. It's good advert without issue."
"Alrightie, the most likely to be broken into."
"Ah but I am very confident that crime will cut down once I set up. Whom knows if those breaking in are actually the missing people needed for the courts or something. No one thinks like that these days."
"Huh, I guess your right. That is a possibility. You have experience in that sort of thing?"
"I used to be a court hunter then retired and passed away. Now reborn, I just have the experience to look back on without a title." He nods being very pretend impressed, "You wouldn't hear any complains from me, or courts or anything. I expecting to be robbed and that exactly how I plan it."
"I like thinking." He has me signing papers, I did a dispel casting of rude clauses that were hidden away in the small print. I used a copy spell to print copy the contracts, so I have my own original copies. I casted a anti-changing sort spell. This prevent changes in clauses behind my back; this guy was shady as is. I can tell from his horror nightmare (the creature eyeing his every move) that he wasn't expecting me to be well talented in business deals.
"Right, that should be everything." I tuck it away separately and into my jacket of impossible pockets, "Keys?" he gets them out the desk. I stole the spares too from him, "If there was for any need of me, you know where to find me. I have a project of getting the place up to scratch… 12 weeks of plastic glass fitting and painting." He nods oddly with it, "Oh um one fast thing. Is it a share flat shop?"
"No. All yours." I nod with that and got up. Dust off and step out from the room. He fluttered about with a lot of papers when I left. I picked out a pocket watch that worked in time with my father clock… looking at the time. I stood there in study for when the clock chimed.