Chapter 3: Thurman''s Gotta Go
"Wait!" I yelled out before she could get too far.
"Hmm?"
"Don''t go telling people about my power, okay? Because it''s a lot moreplicated than what you think happened. You were lucky that something bad didn''t happen, so let''s just keep it between you and me and shorten your hair back."
"Umm, I guess, if I have to. I was just really," Kalita tried toin, and she even looked good doing that, but I had to cut her off.
"I know, but once we are in the vige and I talk to the higher-ups, we can reveal your new powers. Deal?"
"I guess so, I trust you, you did save me. Even if you were going to walk away!"
"I''m sorry about that, I''m new and I don''t really have any good excuses. I won''t let it happen again."
That got me smile that made me feel a bit better before she ran off.
''Well, I have to give you some credit there. Smart move. It could be dangerous to let people know about your powers. Someone may try to force you to do it to them.'' -Gripton.
''Yeah, but if everyone knows, I''ll be stuck in this shit hole vige for who knows how long!''
''You could have just lied for my benefit.'' -Gripton.
''You know that''s not my style, Boss!''
I watched Kalita, the green-haired beauty in her gremlin form, ran off. I followed as fast as I could, I''m not slow by any means, but that Gremlin could move. It was all I could do to keep her in my sights, and within minutes, we stumbled onto a six-foot-tall monster of a man with dark green hair and pointed ears like the Gremlin.
"Thurman!" Kalita squealed.
"Oh, my little Gremlin! I was worried about you when I lost sight of you and the spider. Who is this hairless man dress in ck?"
''Oh, that''s rich, hehe!''
''Well, she does look simr.'' -Gripton.
"This is Hyde! He''s the one that saved me!"
"Oh? Did you save my lovely wife? How can I repay you?"
''Stop talking and start walking.''
"I would like to visit your vige and talk to your bigwigs."
"What''s a Bigwig?" Thurman looked confused.
"He isn''t from around here. I think he means our elders."
"Ahh! I see, well then traveler, let me be your guide, and I shall lead us to the ce it is we do choose to go on that certain path that we will travel. Follow me!"
''Long-winded fellow, at least it was only one line.'' -Gripton.
''I was about to lift my hand''
''What is that even about?'' -Gripton.
''I list off five reasons that would make me want to continue to stay in my current situation. If I cant think of one by five, then I just leave and figure something else out.''
''Not bad, I think it has its ces.'' -Gripton.
I followed the green meathead and the Gremlin back to their twenty-person vige. It was about as impressive as I imagine. A bunch of huts, people were poking sticks into the dirt and drawing shitty pictures. If anything, the shittiness exceeded my expectations.
''Quiet the dump, I bet these people could use a boost, hey?'' -Gripton.
''Mind your own damn business!''
''Angry? Doesn''t all of this bother you?'' -Gripton.
It was starting to; seeing all these thin and gaunt people, but remembering how well-fed Thurman looked. What the did that mean?
''Where did the Gremlin go?''
''I don''t know, why?'' -Gripton.
''This ce gives me bad vibes.''
Oh? You finally noticed something was off? How kind of you to join the program. -Gripton.
''Stop pissing with me. So I''m right? Good, fucker talks too much anyways.''
''What are you going to do?'' -Gripton.
''See what''s up first, then we will decide. I want to see just how hung up she is on this guy, and what the rest of the people in the vige are like, specifically the so called people in charge.''
''You don''t know how to quit, but I can''t me you. You did make her into the world''s biggest babe with no size limit!'' -Gripton.
''Don''t drool inside my head, you pervert.''
I looked around and tried to find Kalita but ended up running into Turman instead. He was bright as ever, but the elf''s all kept their distance. I thought I even seen one of them piss themselves. My suspicions that I should have left a long time ago are bing more and more valid.
''Not like you can leave now.'' -Gripton.
''Hmm?''
"Hey Herman, can you take me to see this elder?"
"What did you call me?" Thurman squinted his eyes at me.
"Wah? Are you deaf? Is your magic to ignore people when they talk?"
"HA! My magic makes me stronger!"
"I see, well, Norman, lead the way."
"Fine! But I will be speaking with the elders about your tongue!"
"Lead on, ye faithful stead!"
Thurman looked like he was about to do something, but then just smiled and turned, like he had a secret. More likely, he was just stupid and remembered that lunch was soon.
''Was that necessary?'' -Gripton.
''Really? You are asking me the fucking feeble-minded that? I thought you were supposed to be the teacher?''
''Mind yourself, I see your point now. You know his magic and how he will be nothing without it.'' -Gripton.
''Exactly!''
''Then why does he still have his magic then?'' -Gripton.
''You''re smart, you will figure it out.''
I followed the angry Thruman up some stairs wrapping around a tree that headed up to the fanciest ce in the area. When we got to the door, Thurman opened the p, and I walked in. Thurman tried to follow, but I put a hand up to stop him.
"Big kids are talking now, Birdman. Go wait outside."
"Elders! Am I to be treated like this by some"
"Reborn hero of legends?" I finished.
The three old fucks and two decent-looking women sat on mats in front of me, and they all gasped. They started looking back and forth, talking in whispered voices. Thurman was forgotten, so I shooed him until he left. After I sat down, one of the women looked at me strangely. The rest did the same, bing quiet.
"Can you take off your pants?" An old man asked.
"Woah, what the fuck is this bullshit? I didn''te to party!"
"No, there should be a red seal there, and we need to confirm it."
"Can''t I just show you I have magic?"
"No, everyone here has magic. What would be strange is if you didn''t have any magic."
"Fine."
I pulled my pants down, and the men and I eyeballed my red tattoo. The two women were looking a bit higher and towards the middle I ripped my pant back up over my ass, a bit red-faced. Now what? Pervert elf cougars?
"Well, that seems to be in order. What can we do for you then, great hero?" The center old guy asked.
"First of all, what''s Thurman''s deal? Second, why are all your hand full of people looking worse than starved dogs?"
The group gave some uneasy looks like they want to say something but couldn''t, and even the women looked scared. Holy shit, really? This dick fuck has these guys scared? The so-called leaders of this shit hole.
''Give them a break, strength rules everything in this world.'' -Gripton.
''Is that so? Are you thinking what I''m thinking?''
''That we should help this vige to be free from the tyranny of Thurman?'' -Gripton.
''Ya, but that''s a cakewalkpared to what I have nned.''
''What are you nning?'' -Gripton.
''You said it was like this everywhere, the strong rules, right? So this bullshits has be going on everywhere, right?''
''I can''t argue with that statement.'' -Gripton.
''So let''s take the entire world by storm. Fuck all those tough guys and wannabes. You and me Grip, Let''s conquer the world!''
''You remembered my name!'' -Gripton.
''Are you even listening?''
At this point, everyone was staring at me. I''m not used to talking with a voice in my head, so I kinda forget about everyone around me. I looked up to them and smiled.
"What is it, great hero?"
"Okay, knock it off with the great hero shit. Let''s just stick with Hyde."
The group nodded their head, and I got down to business.
"So, I''m gonna fix things, but then I want you guys to listen to me, okay?"
"It can''t get much worse, My name is Nuwari, and I vote yes." She was the one with soft green hair and a modest set of jugs.
"I''m in too. You look handsome, but in a different way than I have ever seen before. My name Tescelle."
This one had brown hair and tanned and stacked. These women didn''t look as old anymore, and I felt like I may have been haste to pull up my pants earlier.
The other three men all agreed, but I forgot their names as soon as I was told them. I nned on sending them to freeload for all their hard work, and other bullshit people tell other old people when they dethrone them. It would be good for the old farts, plus I was going to keep these two jars of honey, Nuwari, and Tescelle by my side, so all that was left was the Gremlin.
"Nuwari, right?"
"Hmm?"
"Why is the gremI mean Kalita, so head over heels for Thurman?"
"That is some of this bulls shit you were talking about! Thurman forced Kalita''s father, Markeye, to convince her that Thurman was the best person, or he would make the whole family starve. They just got married, so now we are all worried Markeye will end up in an "ident" while out collecting food."
''What do you thi...'' -Gripton.
But I had already turned to walk out the door. That was it.