It's dark out. The guards are posted at almost every station. Almost. After looking around the wall the whole day I finally spot a hole in the wall off to the darker side of the forest. It looked like a simple sewage way, but the water was flowing in not out. I follow it through until I get to a dim clearing. It looked like a rundown back alley market. There was a sign hanging over my head. Thank god I could read the language. It was exactly what I say it looked like. A back alley market. There were even little houses and inns to rest in.
The thing that frustrates me though is the place is filled with all kinds of different monsters that would have a more humane intelligence level. Even stranger, they were all a type of goblin based breed. From trolls to ogres. Gremlins and even half breeds and tier beasts. It was a goblin paradise. How convenient.
Okay. I have money. I have one of the maids coat and a few bits from their luggage bundled nicely in my fur skin. Now I just need to find a good spot to sell and get settled. After the bandit incident, I wasn't left much from the carriage, so I hope I can at least get something here. I should be careful who I sell to though.
As I continue through the alley, I notice a lot of things here that I'd expect from such a small area. Most of the residence here have all kept the place looking clean and nice, like tourist attraction hotspot. Some of the small ones would run around and play like regular kids, the adults chatted, hung out with different breeds, and traded goods like any normal human village would. It was so civilized and comfortable. Until I notice a few of the scarier looking ones glancing in my direction as I walk by.
Yes. I'm a new face. Stop staring.
It was like I was something entirely different to them. Or maybe it's just because I'm a new face? Their stares scare me so I just walk a little faster until I see a small shop near the other side of the alley. The sign read "Toba's craft's and accessories". It looks nice too. Kind of unexpected. I walk in to find it lit dim with little neon colored lighting from jars on the ceiling. The walls were lined with well kept trinkets, accessories, and even weapons. All neatly organized from size and style, to price and... magic tier(?) What is that? The center was filled the same way with clothes from shoes to head gear. It was an adventure haven for noobs. I couldn't help but fall in love with it, it was so cute like a mall segment.
The attendant at the center counter was a tall goblin with short green ears, a button nose and small reading glasses that accented his surprisingly handsome face. He was dress in a classy formal suit and reading a book titled 'fantasm of...' Something. I couldn't make out the name with his hand in the way. Talk about a fine manicure.
He sees me staring and shuts his book, then gives me his best business smile. I'm in shock from it. I'm not use to nice faces smiling at me in anyway other than to be mean and deceiving about it.
"Welcome." He says in a rusty voice. "You're a new face, young one. How can Tobatus help you?"
Tobatus? ... I reeeally don't want to answer. My voice is so raspy and gross and weird.
"You do not seem too confident about something."
Sharp tack, ain't you? I point to my throat embarrassed about what I want to say.
"... I see. Does throat hurt? It is sore?"
I shake no.
"... You do not want to speak then? Why?"
I pray I can english good. I open my mouth and words come out.
"Raspy voice." I say in the raspy voice. "I don't like my voice."
God it's actually harder to talk as a goblin.
"Toba gets. Toba verbally challenged. No do words good. Though Toba finds your voice to be just fine." He kind of sounds like a dits.
"Thank you. And... You are Toba?"
"Toba is Toba. Yes. Tobatus Markucello. But Toba likes to be Toba."
"I... I see. My name is Tessa Greenwood. It's nice to meet you Mr. Toba."
I reach out my hand and he instantly takes it in a gentlemanly fashion and bows to me. What the hell!?
"Toba just fine." He says with a different smile. "Toba welcome you to humble shop, Tessa. Toba carry all needs. You wish for Intel and trade market?"
"Yes! That's exactly what i need."
"Toba give you free map of alley and cheap starter uniform of any kind for three things you carry."
I had to think about that for a moment. "... Anything but the fur. That's mine. I want a special tailoring for that."
"Toba do! Toba tailor and return if asked for good price. Toba only ask for now is coat trade and talk lessons in morning."
Again, had to think about that. "One: that's two things. Two: what do you mean by talk lessons?
"Toba not like Toba talk. Bad for business. So Toba give you all needed for talk time."
And again needed to think. "So you want to talk normally?"
"No. Toba talk normal like goblin. Toba must talk like human. Like you talk human. Toba talk goblin, yet you talk human to Toba."
Still thinking. I don't think I get that part.
"Toba be back. Get book to show you. Look for stuff for you and around. Take time to look and try out."
That much I understood. He goes to the back and disappears for a while. I decide to take him on his offer and look around the shop. There was so much to explore, but where should I start?
Well clothes, first off. But what should my style be? Like what would fit my look right now? It's been awhile since I actually went shopping for something. After I started high school before this, I never gave myself the opportunity to be a girl for once. But I'm not a girl right now. I don't even have a gender so what the hell would work for me without something saying the opposite of what I want?
Something catches my eye at the back corner of the shop. A brown scavenger outfit for beginners. It wasn't wild or cute or anything, but somehow I thought it would work for now. I grab it and find a mirror by the counter and look to my reflection. It looked like it would work.
"You want this?" Toba appears from behind the mirror and scares the crap out of me.
"Dammit you!!" I shout. I cover my mouth immediately after saying it. That was NOT what I want to sound like.
He just laughs at me and helps me up.
"You do good?" He asks me.
"No!" I can NOT control myself when i'm scared. "Don't scare me like that! Jeez!"
"Toba sorry! Toba not do again!"
"S-sorry. I'm still a little flipped from my sudden journey out to the world of the unknown."
"Toba gets well. Toba gets. You want outfit you have?"
"Oh... Uh. Yeah. I think I should try..."
"Dressing room this way. You keep for lessons."
"Oh... Kay. I'll do my best. Not sure how I can accomplish that."
"You do best. If not, Toba take everything."
"... Right then. I'm just gonna try this on. Be right back."
"Toba have book for you. Toba wait here."
.... Okay. Guess I should think of what to give the haggler so he doesn't take everything I currently have and leave me with nothing but the clothes on my back. How the hell do I teach a guy with dyslexic verbility english in the first place? He acts like he's talking in another language.
I got the outfit on and I actually look a little girly in it. Just a little.
Is it my hips?
Anyway I go back out still thinking about what I should tell Toba when I suddenly hear him griping at someone else by the entrance.
The ogre was green like Toba but taller, larger, and way more built. Also with more hair. Also in a suit that seemed like a snug fit. He had marks on his body that were a slightly darker shade on him but still visible. By the sound of things they have the EXACT same way of talking. I wonder if all goblin based creatures do that.
Toba finally stops yelling at him and beacons me over. I go to them nervously. I'm up to the other guys waist he's so tall. Jesus.
"Tessa." Toba calls to me. "Hello to Rolba. Brother from same litter. Big dummy. Dummy say hello to new human speak teacher."
....I have no words.
"Rolba care to inn across way there."
I really feel like Toba should stop talking right now but what do I tell him?
"Uh... Toba. If it's fine with you, I can start your lessons tomorrow morning since its so late out? I need sleep after a long and... Unruly day. So..."
"Ah..." He sounds disappointed.
Crap. I goofed.
"I-I can pay you want you want now and start tomorrow. And I need to get everything I need to prepare them."
"Toba have book for you here." He hands me a large book that had the goblin language in it.
I can read it, but This is what he's been talking in this whole time!? It's so complex! How am I even able to read this!?
"Toba has people book too. But toba not read yet."
So this is why he asked me to teach him. We've been speaking two different languages. Well I'm stupid. He's not verbally challenged, that's their language. Still how should I teach them?
"Rolba want people language too. But we know not how."
"... Makes sense. New languages are a completely different world. I'll do my best, don't worry.... Maybe... I could..."
I think hard about this.
I feel a little bad for them. Now that I think about it. No one taught me how to be bilingual. It just came to me through songs... Oh~... Found my method. Now how do I apply it? All the songs I know are from a different world. Teaching them through songs is gonna be more challenging than it sounds.
"I have a way but... Jeez, it really will take me time to figure this out. I'll come back early in the morning once I figure everything out properly, ok Toba?"
His face looks a bit more reassured. "Ok. Toba stay patient longer. Rolba will give you cheap room yes."
"No." Rolba speaks.
"Yes."
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!!"
"We'll figure that out when I get there!! Sheesh." I had to stop them. Knowing polar families, that argument would never end. "I'll pay the full amount. I'm sure I got plenty for at least two nights."
"Half price if Rolba receive lessons." Rolba demands.
"With Toba tomorrow."
"Done. Come. We get you room ready."
"Wait!" Dammit Toba, let me sleep. "You take more items too. For job choice."
A job? I can have one of those!? "I can look tomorrow!" I yell. I'm too tired for this right now.
I follow Rolba to the inn and notice the prices seemed pretty low even for a back alley. In simple gamer terms, being one myself, there are four or five pay stubs based on the material used for trade. The lowest being a copper chip which can round out to be a basic one dollar bill as far as I can tell. Which put one bronze at $10, an iron (or plastala as they say) at $20, gold at $50, and emerald, diamond, and so on at over $100 because they're gems. But the most confusing ones would be mithereal and enthereal items. Not ethereal, enthereal. A rare black mineral that can be hard to shape so its deposited as a simple stone once found. Mithereal is used only to trade for armour and mage and alchemy items.
I pull the sack of chips I acquired from earlier and pull a few bronze chips from it. Rolba then sits me at the bar near the back and goes to a back room. In front of me behind the bar was a pretty looking woman with long burgundy hair and lightly tanned skin with green patches. She was pretty busty too. Lucky. She was cleaning a few water mugs.
The woman looked to me and spoke. "Hello, Toba. Who is new friend?"
"This Tessa." He replies with a giddy smile. "Tessa be giving human language to Toba soon. This Rolba's wife, Starling. She speak human too."
"Uh... N-nice to meet you, miss Starling."
"Likewise." She replies. Why do I feel berated suddenly? "So why do you not speak goblin tongue? Is it not basic for you? Where you given home training with humans?"
Home training? What am I, a puppy? "Uh... I'm... Not sure how I should answer that question."
"How not? Did you live in human house before or not?" She presses.
She is berating me. I know she can speak English... Human. Whatever. So why is she using the goblin language?
"No. I wasn't." I'm starting to feel stares around me. Not a good feeling.
"How do you know human if you not live with human?"
...okay. Logically that would be a dumb question, but this world obviously has its own logic, so let's see if they'll believe the truth as it is. "... Would you believe me if I told you that I was just born two weeks ago?" I ask nervously.
Eyes started to peek through the doors now. Everyone wanted to hear this it seemed.
"... Two weeks ago? Where?"
What do you mean 'where'? "By a small pond in the forest just outside of the city walls. I was greeted by a family of Wildcats that gave me this fur." I hold up the fur that I had around my shoulders. It's the only proof I have. Hopefully the only one I need.
"The panther lake!?" Toba interrupts my interrogation.
"Wait, Toba." Starling continues. Now she's suspicious of me for real. "What did wildcats look like?"
"Their were a few with dark blueish black fur and some others were white. All of them had thin silver stripes that followed their body shapes and made it look like they were in water and they had large tusks like a wild boar. Their tails were long and spiny too." Pretty sexy cats I must add.
Whispers are now heard throughout the room. "You met the guardian of the forest!?" She shouts in human. Finally. But uh...
"What?"
"You lie!!" Someone shouts from the crowd. Of all of them, it had to be the ugliest. Not that I think I actually look good, but I sure as hell look better than him. "The guardians are ruthless beast that defend its territory from trespassers like you, feral one!"
Feral?! "What the hell is that now?!?" I'm not some wild animal!!
"You!!" The ugly one shouts as he storms in closer. Oh god! Don't come closer! "You smell like feral. Smell of earth and blood." He pulls a jagged looking knife from his hilt and points it at me.
"What the fuck!? No!!" I panic. "That is not how that works!!"
"Wait one moment!" Thank you, Toba! "He may be golem with sent. Feral smart, but only by instinct."
"Either way, he die. For being insult to goblin kind! Human must make golem to look goblin and dump it in dust to find our weakness."
Now the room starts to hiss in anger and I'm scared shitless. I am going to die by the hands of my own all because I smell bad, talk funny, and "didn't do a damn thing to tempt anyone's anger!! Why the hell is everyone nagging me like my life is a damn crime all of a sudden!? I only walked here after buckling a couple bandits and taking their goods!! What the hell was I supposed to do after being summoned to this world out of nowhere with nothing but a naked goblin body and no fucking help!? Live off of berries and dead bodies the rest of my life!! Are you nuts!? Or should I have just walked right through the front door!? You tell me, ugly!"
The room got quiet. It wasn't just racism I noticed in the room, it was complete hostility the moment I entered the alley. All for being a little different.