1.39 R

“We already do that. I’m sorry about Pestrom, I really am.”

“I know. But you could, ah, suggest to other Runners not to take the request, right? Believe me, it would save lives.”

“In that case, Garia and I will tell the other Runners to spread the word and let everyone know what happened to Pestrom. Thanks, Stenei, you’re a lifesaver. Literally.”

“Miss Griffin, I am so sorry, but the Guild would like you to take Magnolia’s requests. Before you take another one.”

“We’re neither. We’re just people, Ryoka. And they’re not perfect, I know. But we can’t all be like you. Some of us have to work together to survive.”

“I’d like to be able to run like you. But I can’t. I’m too slow—I can only carry really heavy stuff instead of fast requests. If it weren’t for the way the Guild works, I wouldn’t be able to run.”

““I don’t need an escort. I just need supplies. Healing potions—food—I’d buy it myself, but I don’t have any money. I’ll pay you back—double what I’m borrowing.””

““If Persua’s anything like the other girls I’ve known, that’s one of the first things she’ll do. Good thing I don’t have any shoes so she can’t fill them with thumbtacks.””

“I don’t need to do anything. You’re going to die in the High Passes.”

“…I know. But I won’t answer to them.”

““Now. Fals and the other Runners will probably try to stop me if I don’t. I know Persua will.””

“Totally unlike the rest of her family, no matter what they say about her.”

“I heard it on the way here. What, is it a problem? Us runners have to stick together, so if Persua needs some guidance—I’m sure I can give her tips.”

“Then…what if this request just happened to be hidden below other ones on all the boards in the other guilds? It happens. Organization can be bad. It’s not against any rules, is it?”

“Ryoka, this is so great. You have to tell me what happened! Let’s get a drink—or visit my home! I mean—you’re well! And guess what happened to Persua and the Guildmaster?”

“We’d love to. Really. But Ryoka, it would be best if you took one of Magnolia’s requests first.”

“They’re all for Lady Reinhart, and they list you as the only Runner. If you’d like to take a look.”

“We’d like to, really we would, Ryoka. But Lady Magnolia—no one tells her what to do, Ryoka. Take a look at her requests, won’t you? It wouldn’t even be that hard.”

“If you’d—suggest to Lady Magnolia that she open up her delivery requests for every Runner, things would be—smoother.”

“We’re Runners. We might charge high prices, but we get the job done! And if some people don’t like that, it’s because they don’t understand how tough our jobs really are. We risk life and limb to help others.”

“We’re just doing our jobs, Ryoka. But you’re right. We’re working together on this, Runners and the Guild.”

“We’re a team. Okay, sure we don’t all get along, but if every Runner was out for themselves, it’d be a mess. We work together to tackle hard assignments, and we share the wealth so everyone gets ahead.”

“Ryoka, I completely agree with you. But please, look at it from the perspective of the rest of us Runners.”

“Why do you think none of the experienced Runners take those kinds of requests? We’re smart enough not to risk our lives. We work together, not like you. You’ll die alone because you’re a fool.”

“But if you get in my way, I’ll kick your face in.”

“I’ll survive. And I’ll complete the request even if it’s dangerous—not just for money. Apparently, that’s all Runners think about.”

“Are you going to try and stop me too? Hi, Persua. I’d love for you to try.”

“In some ways, no. But in some ways, yeah. I’m not doing it either way.”

““I thought you were broke, Ryoka. We still don’t have any contracts, and Calruz isn’t back yet. Take the potions, Ryoka. If everything I’ve heard about the High Passes is true, you’ll need them.””

““I’m still not sure I agree with this. Are you sure you have to do this? If the Runner’s Guild is giving you so much trouble, why not seek work elsewhere?””

“I’ll keep them off your backs if I can. But they’re angry. Really, really angry.”

“Stenei, don’t let any Runners take that open request. Spread the word to the other Guilds. Anyone who tries to take the High Passes request will die. We need it off the requests board.”

““Believe me, Gerial. If you look close enough, you see the same things repeated over and over. Humans are just like that.””

““Go. I’ll try and keep them busy for a little bit. And don’t die, okay?””

“I’m a barefoot runner. If I cared about what people thought, I wouldn’t run at all. Runners run. We deliver stuff. It’s a job, not a calling.”

““Not just a spell. Someday, you’ll have to teach me it. If I can do magic, it would be just to cast that. And now—those assholes aren’t going to know what hit them.””

“I could ask about that. Let me just pen a [Message]…I think you’re right, Fals.”

“I don’t want a delivery for Magnolia Reinhart. Anything else for me not from her? No? Okay, I guess it’s regular deliveries, then.”

“I can’t do that, Miss Griffin. The Guildmaster has orders—and the other Guilds do too. Here’s a quick delivery to Lady Reinhart. Sugar from the north. You can pick it up right in the city.”

“You want to talk about Runners and preach about playing nice and sticking together? Fine. But leave me out of your little party.”

“Why not? There’s nothing else for me to do.”

“They’re pissed off because I told them what I thought of their little cult?”

“Pack mentality. And Fals thinks he knows everything. Are we dogs or gods?”

““I never knew the Runner’s Guild was like that.””

““A device. I’ll explain it if I get back.””

“But he had an enchanted shortsword. He wasn’t an adventurer, and I know that’s not high-level compared to a Courier, not by half—”

“We can’t take it down, Fals. You know guild policy. Even with the new Guildmaster—it’s still a request.”

“It’s a long story. I had help from some adventurers, not the Healer of Tenbault. They fixed me up.”

“I may have. Persua’s a Street Runner now? Oh, that’s terrible. What happened? Did she get her just desserts? Or did someone realize she’s nowhere near a City Runner’s level?”

“Something like that. Anyways, I just got back. Any interesting running requests around?”

“There’s no need for flattery, Fals. Anyways, don’t you have a lot of work to do?”

““I’m going to be gone for at least a day, and the other Runners are probably going to trash my room while I’m gone.””

““Let me get this straight. You’re going on a dangerous delivery, and you need our help. And…you want us to take your belongings?””

““Sostrom Reidez, at your service, Miss Ryoka Griffin.””

“Actually, Miss Griffin, we have several open contracts for you.”

“You’ve got to do something about it, Fals. The reward’s gone up to eighty gold. Eighty! A bunch of the new Street Runners—they know it’s dangerous. But for that kind of money…”

“But Miss Griffin, it’s very, very lucrative and not that difficult—”

“But Miss Griffin, these are urgent, and the Guild—”

“I don’t lie. And I hate liars. When you make a promise, you keep it. When you speak, you look someone in the eye and mean every word. When I say I’ll do something, I mean it. If you want to do deliveries to Magnolia, take the damn requests. I don’t care about your politics.”

““I’ve no idea. Besides, that thing had no magic in it. How strange. But I can see why Magnolia is so fascinated by Ryoka and—””

“I didn’t—I don’t agree with everything Fals said, Ryoka, but I think he’s right in some ways. I think you’re right too, though. But you’re special. You—you can do deliveries by yourself, but some of us need to work together. Without the way the Guild does things, we’d get hurt way more often.”

“Did Magnolia Reinhart do it like she said? She’s so generous!”

“Ryoka. It’s so great to see you! Your legs are healed—that’s incredible! That’s impossible!”

“And you’re telling me that there are no requests? Except of course for Magnolia.”

“Miss Griffin? It’s not hard to do it. Just one quick delivery and I’m sure we’ll be allowed to give you all the ones you want.”

“Lady Magnolia’s refusing to take any other requests until you deliver something in person. That’s hurting Runners in every city around here.”

“So? Just do the deliveries yourself. She’ll take them if I don’t deliver anything.”

“Hot peppers? Cabbages? She could get that in any market.”

“Unless you want to do it? I’ll follow you out to make sure you get it done.”

“That’s what I thought. I’m doing the request.”

“Persua. What’re you doing here? Don’t cause a scene.”

“The High Passes aren’t a place for Runners or even most adventurers. Whoever put that request in doesn’t know what they’re doing. You shouldn’t take it.”

“This one. I’ll take the request for the High Passes.”

““These are better quality than you’d buy in the marketplace anyways. And you’ll need them.””

““I’ve got some healing potions right here. And a few dry rations. Enough for four meals.””

“Couldn’t you—couldn’t you just talk to Magnolia? Would it be that hard to just ask her…?”

“I thought you’d say that. I told Fals you would.”

““I’m taking a delivery request. The reward is for eighty gold coins.””

““The healing potions I gave her—half of them were mana potions.””

“Miss Ryoka! It’s wonderful to see you on your feet.”

““It’s the same in every guild. Ours is no different.””

““It’s broken. Just treat it carefully—don’t put anything heavy on it and don’t drop it.””

“I always have time to chat with a lovely lady. How’re the kids? Are you—”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Forget about it. I’ll try another Guild.”

“I don’t like being pressured. By anyone.”

““Sorry, I never got your name. Or maybe I forgot. What is it?””

“So we work together and drag everyone down who doesn’t agree with us, is that it?”

“Nah, Ryoka. I think it’s all sorted, right?”

“So until she gets one, I won’t get any other jobs, is that it? And I’m supposed to ask her to let other Runners take her requests, right?”

“But she wants a Runner. You, specifically.”

“If I do it your way, I probably would live long enough to retire. And maybe I’d even earn a lot of money, who knows? And if I kiss your ass long enough, maybe you’d even like me. If I were like the rest of you, I’d never take this request.”

““We’ll guard your things. Runners wouldn’t dare break into the Adventurer’s Guild, and we have our own storage space. But what’s this about help? We could escort you to the outskirts of the Passes, but Calruz isn’t here, and we’re understrength. And frankly, even at our best, we wouldn’t be able to go far into the Passes.””

““Nice try. But she’s determined, isn’t she?””

““If it’s broken, can’t you repair it?””

“I didn’t know he was going. He talked about it, and I thought I talked him out of it. I guess he wanted to go in secret. We wouldn’t have known what happened if that [Shepherd] didn’t find his pack. Damn it. The Guild has to take down that request.”

“None of that matters in the High Passes, Garia. The monsters there—you’d need fighting skills or insanely high levels—something above Level 30 probably to get out unscathed. I told Pestrom that when he brought it up and he told me…I guess he didn’t take me seriously.”

“Sorry—I’m just so glad you’re well. Where did you go? Tenbault?”

“Right. And you all get paid so everyone’s happy?”

““No blacksmith or craftsman in the world could fix this. Trust me.””

“Ryoka, Fals is right. This is serious. Just take one of Magnolia’s requests! The High Passes—”

““What exquisite craftsmanship. I can’t detect any faults, but perhaps the issue lies within? Regardless, if it is not of magical creation—””

“We don’t want to get in your way, Ryoka—”

““When are you going to go?””

“Nice speech. But you’re full of shit.”

“I couldn’t care less whether or not you lot like me. All I’m here to do is deliver stuff and get paid. I don’t want Magnolia’s stupid requests. If you lot want to earn favor with her, deal with it and leave me out of it. You should want me to not work with her. You think I’m trying to be her special, personal Runner?”

“Oh, yeah. Did you hear about that, Ryoka?”

“So until then, you’re all going to keep taking the requests.”

““What do you suppose that device was? Did it resemble anything you saw in Wistram Academy, Ceria?””

“Nevermind that. I’ll just take this one to Remendia and—”

“Not a good idea, Ryoka.”

“Um—contracts. Any big ones for City Runners? Or me specifically?”

“Oh really? Then stop taking all the delivery requests.”

“What’re you talking about? This one is open. I’m free. Put me down.”

““It was nothing, really. Just a spell—””

“We’d like to believe you, Ryoka, but—”

“…Third Runner we’ve lost so far. Pestrom.”

“Ryoka! You’re on your feet!”

“Wh—really? There’s a high-level [Healer] in Liscor?”

“Too bad I’m not a coward.”

““Would you let me try a spell?””

““Take care of this. It’s very fragile.””

““I owe you a great debt.””

“I didn’t say it was perfect.”

““Why would they do that?””

“Correct! How can I help you?”

““Will it—will it do anything?””

““Oh no. How could this happen? I swear I checked to make sure—””

“What? No. He was an experienced City Runner—Level 19! I—I saw him just the other week. I thought you said no one went—”

“Garia, put me down—Garia!”

““Are you sure? I can buy some—””

“So if we work together—if we help support each other—we’ll survive. Hundreds of Runners die every year, but the Guilds around here lost the least amount of Runners each year. We don’t take dangerous requests, and we team up if one of us is in danger. Sure, we might not earn as much as other Runners, but we know we can count on each other.”

“So you did know what happened.”

“Hey. Got a request for me?”

“We wouldn’t say that.”

“You’re probably right.”

““Then take them.””

““Then what about magic?””

““Not just a spell.””

“You think I’m lying?”

“It’s been four days.”

““I’ll get my stuff.””

“That one’s—but you can’t—”

“No. Put me down for…”

“You’ll die!”

““We could lend you—””

“Pass.”

““That’s enough.””

““Here.””

““[Repair].””

““It’s not.””

““Done.””

““Sostrom.””

““But—””

““What? What is it?””

““What an evil-sounding laugh.””

“Hey. I’m back.”

“Thanks…uh, Stenei, right?”

“You done?”

“Liscor?”

“Wh—really?”

“Why?”

““What is that?””

“Ryoka—”

“No, Liscor.”

““Okay, okay.””

““And—””

“Oh?”

“What?”

“Oh really?”

““Thanks. Really.””

““No.””

““What?””