Fan Fiction ❯ A Fool's Quest ❯ Chapter 1

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Thiassi sighed as he sat down on the bench outside the antiques shop. It had not been his day. After looking for a job all day, he finally found one. Unfortunately, he'd already broken enough things that even if the store's owner decided to let him keep the job he probably wouldn't be paid for a long, long time. Looking back, it hadn't been his month either. His family's farm had burned down, and he had left to make money. He'd now been fired (he decided that he would be fired here, too) six times and had no more money.
"Excuse me," a sharp voice called, making Thiassi sit straight up. "Is this store closed? If so will you please let me in? I believe you have an antique I've been looking for."
The woman standing there was not very tall, but had a very commanding look. She had dark, sharp eyes and a fierce expression. Her flamboyant clothes resembled that of a sorceress, with style and pizzaz, but still practical enough to maneuver in.
"Well? Is it closed or not?" She seemed quite impatient.
"Oh, no. It's still open." Thiassi said nervously.
"Well then, if you'll excuse me I'll be going in now." She gave a short bow. "Thank you." She said formally, then impatiently hurried around Thiassi and into the store.
'Maybe I should follow her in,' Thiassi thought. 'If I do that, perhaps I can help her find the antique she wants. Then I'll show my boss how useful I am to have around! Maybe I can even convince her to buy more things!' Thiassi decided this was a very clever idea and followed the woman into the store.


Etain walked along the aisles of "antiques." Somehow this seemed more like a glorified second-hand knick-knack shop than the resting place of a powerful artifact. Still, it was the best lead she'd had in a while. She had to at least give it a look see.
"Is there anything I can help you with Miss? Perhaps you're looking for something specific? We just got some interesting new antiques a few days ago."
Etain turned around to see the same idiot she'd seen standing outside. He looked like some farm boy who'd lost his way on a trip to trade a cow. His pants were patched and his shirt was made of a material that looked suspiciously like burlap. His face was plain all the way up to his pathetic-looking brown eyes. His hair looked like it hadn't seen a brush in at least a month. It was so messy it made her unconsciously run her fingers through her own neatly trimmed and brushed hair.
"Yes, I am looking for something specific, and your help would be greatly appreciated. It's a glass medallion with a green stone in the center." Etain smiled broadly. She'd have eaten her own lying tounge if it weren't for the fact that she'd need it to bargin the price of the artifact down to a couple of coins. She was willing to pay anything, but the less she had to pay, the better.
The cow boy smiled back at Etain.
"Right this way."



Thiassi's mood was much better now. The woman seemed very friendly and eager enough to find her antique. 'I'm sure she'll love some of the things we have! She seems nice enough to buy a few extra things, too.' He thought to himself as he led the woman to the area where the costume jewelery was. The lady sat down and began to sort through the items laid out on the shelves.
"Nope. Nope. Definitly not. Interesting! But not it. Not a chance. Not even close. Ha-ha, nice try. Nae, verily. No. Junk. Nu-uh. Negatory. No, no, and most definitely... no."
The woman stood up. The large pile of necklaces and broaches to that right of her that had before been neatly organized was now in disarray. Thiassi's mood was starting to take a nose dive into a pit of acid.
"Y-y-you said you thought one of the peices w-was interesting..." Thiassi stammered.
The woman glanced over her shoulder, then back at Thiassi.
"Comparatively. You wanna look for it in that pile, be my guest. Besides, I doubted I would find it in this pathetic excuse for a junk store, anyways.
Thiassi was thinking as hard as he could. There had to be some way to get her to stay and buy something. Thinking, especially if it had to be done in a small time frame, had never been his strong point. Then, it hit him.
"Miss!" He called. "Maybe if you described the antique to this store's owner, he could help you find it." Thiassi mentally praised himself. Two clever ideas in one day, and he'd thought of both of them quickly.
The woman stopped and stood there for a moment.
"All right," she said turning around. "Let's see this store's owner."
Thiassi led the woman to the counter and ushered her behind it. He knocked on the door that led to the owner's office. Thiassi's boss, a middle-aged man of medium hieght and graying hair, poked his head out.
"Oh, Thiassi! I still haven't decided whether you can keep your job yet. You did break an awful lot of antiques."
"That's not what I'm here to ask you about, sir. This woman is looking for an antique. I couldn't find it, but I thought you might know where to look."
Thiassi's boss walked over to Etain, who had all of a sudden become quite rigid.
"I'm Barl, the owner of this antique store, and you are?"
"Etain. The item I'm looking for is a glass amulet about the size of a small potato. It has a small green stone, not a stone of any value, mind you, in the center. It's a sentimental peice that belongs to..." she hesitated, "my mother! That wasn't one of the ones he broke was it?" She asked nervously.
Barl thought for a moment. While he was thinking, Thiassi cast a glance over at Etain, who looked apprehensive.
" I don't think Thiassi broke that one... In fact, I'm sure of it! Sold that one only a few minutes after I set it out. Quickest sale I ever made. Sorry about that."
Thiassi, who had been continuing to watch the woman, watched as her look of apprehension melted in to a look that read 'You gotta be kidding me.'



Etain felt aggravated. Not because it wasn't here, but because it had been here and it had slipped through her fingers. What if someone who knew of the Rising Moon's powers had found it? The stone glowed so faintly that few would notice it if they didn't know to put it in the moonlight to see it's full effect.
"My mother will be so disappointed. Did the person who bought it happen to give thier name? My friend-" Etain stopped. If she said a name and got it wrong, the owner might not give her the name. If she said "he" or "she" it might might be wrong, and she wouldn't get the name. Luckily, Etain didn't need to worry.
"I think she said her name was Kali." Barl replied.
Etain heaved a silent sigh of relief.
"Thank you for your help, both of you." She wasn't lying this time. They had given her a fresh lead. Etain started for the door.
"Miss, wait!"
Etain turned halfway around to see Cow Boy. What had his real name been again? The shopkeeper had said it was... Thiassi. Yes, that was it, Thiassi.
"Miss Etain, I feel bad for wasting your time to look for something we didn't have. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"
At least Cow Boy Thiassi had good manners. Not that there was anything this simpleton could help her do. She had all the useless help she needed.
"No, Thiassi, it's quite all right. I don't need any favors from you." Etain was bored of dealing with this guy.
"I insist! It's only right I do something to make it up to you!"
Thiassi looked like he was thinking. Etain bet it hurt. Then it looked like something had clicked and given him an idea. Either that, or his brain had just had a meltdown.


Thiassi was on a roll today. He'd just come up with another clever idea and once again he'd done it quickly.
"I know what I can do! I can help you look for that antique you want!" Thiassi gave Etain a big smaile as he said this.
Judging by Etain's reaction, however, she did not agree that Thiassi's idea was such a good one. She gave Thiassi a long hard look, while circling him like a great bird of prey. To be quite frank, it made Thiassi nervous. She stopped directly behind him, and Thiassi could feel her eyes boring through him like knives.
"Alright." She finally replied. "I'll let you work for me, but if I feel that you aren't being useful I'll ditch you wherever we happen to be at the moment. Kapeesh?"
Thiassi was starting to get the impression that Etain was not as friendly a person she'd first seemed.
"K-kapeesh."
"Come along then. We have quite a hike in front of us."



Speaks--------------------------------------------- -------------------------
School's out and summer is here! I originally wrote this story for my English teacher, and now you too can be submitted to the torture of reading it!!
know the drill, you read, you review, D.O.E. writes more crud. Lather, rinse, repeat. Always repeat.