Chapter 2: The Pit

Union City, Local Inn...

While he waited, Gene was approached by a man that had the gull to ask him for 1000 Gil... His smile stretched across his face, thinking the man rather humorous for his practical joke. "Hmhmhmhmhmhmhmahahahahahahaha~ You're a pretty funny guy, you know that?" He said as he stood up, his stature taller than the man's own. "I could've sworn you told me pay 1000 for jack shit. 'Cause if you did, that'd  be really funny~" He gave the man the crazy eyes as he towered over him. "Normally, you're supposed to say something like "Please leave" or "Could you please settle down?", but no... You've got the fucking gonads to try scamming me out of my money. I sure as hell don't any sign tellin' me I have to keep it down, do you? And besides, what's a little chicken shit like you gonna do to me, huh?" He spoke so that only him and the man could hear while he gripped the hilt of his sword so tightly that the vein in his hand was popping out. "Now, why don't you go to the kitchen like a good boy and fetch me some good meat while you're at it. Some bacon would be nice." He said in a more pleasant tone of voice, as to emasculate him in front of his co-workers. He calmly sat back down in his chair and smiled at him. "I'll forget you said that if you get me that bacon, okay? And some eggs would be good too. And some more milk for the little guy over here." Referring to Ayshee. Gene waved his hand, gesturing him to leave their table.

Location: Eating with sir Gene

I haven't had this much to eat in a while. It reminded me of my last birthday lots of chicken and pizza everywhere. I kept on eating and eating, the moment the food was brought it I immediately had my hands and mouth wrapped around it like an anaconda. It was delicious to say the least but I wanted more. I was craving for some...

"Pizza!" I said that one put a bit too loud.

While sir Gene was making his demands I tried to add in a bit of mine. "Can I have some pizza and some coke please." I was too hungry to realize I wasn't on Earth anymore and maybe because I got hit in the head more times than I can remember. Regardless I was really salivating for some pizza and some soda.

I chugged down he last of the milk like a newborn baby and had milk frot all over my upper lips, which I licked off almost instantly.

Union City, Local Inn...

Not wanting this to be a major pain in his backside, he just took the easy way. "Tch! Fine! Why didn't you just say that in the first place? Filthy poachers. C'mon, Ayshee, let's get outta here! Try to take my money, will they~" With that, Gene tucked the loafs of bread under his arms and piled up as much fruit as he could carry. "Good day, sir!" He then marched out of the Inn with his chin turned up. The question now was "where were they going to go next?" With his hands preoccupied, he couldn't look at his map. "Hey, pal! Can you grab the map in my back pouch?" He was talking about the small box-shaped pouch attached to his belt where along with some odd curios, including a runic stone, there was a map neatly folded up into a square that was brown and lightly crinkled. "If I remember right... We should be somewhere north of the City States. What's the closest city from here?" He inquired his young companion, struggling to keep the precious produce from slipping out of his grasp.

Location: Leaving with sir Gene

Before I left I took one last loaf of bread with me and shoved it in my shirt. I found it extremely rude that the inn staff forced us to leave while we were still eating. I felt mad but I couldn't complain, not while my mouth was still full of bread.

"Nom nom nom nom"

I followed sir Gene outside and almost instantly felt better. The fresh open air was soothing and exilarating. With a goodnight's sleep and belly full of bread, I felt re-energized and ready for some adventure.

I was so into day dreaming that I totally ignored sir Gene as he was calling out to me. I finally turned to sir Gene and he was telling me to get something out of his bag. A map! I walked towards sir Gene and opened his bag. I dug my hands into the bag and tried to feel the map with my hands. Sir Gene was so tall so I could reach and see into the bag properly. Then I felt something paperlike. I pulled on it and out came the map, and so did many other things.

"Oh!"

I pulled too hard on the map that it tore apart and I managed to spill all of sir Gene's bag contents on the ground like a complete fool. I tried to catch a few of the items as they fell, one by one, from sir Gene's bag but my hands were really clumsy. I would get a hold of one items and lose my grip and drop it. Eventually every item inside sir Gene's bag was on the floor.

I scarmbled to pick them all up again in shame, "I'm sorry sir Gene. I didn't mean to.."

To make things worse I ripped the map apart as I pulled it out of the bag.

C.S.R., Union City...

"..." Gene stood there in complete disbelief as to how anyone could fuck up that badly. Not only did he manage to rip the map, which he took the time to fold up so it'd be easier to get to without turning it into a mess, but make all his shit fall out onto the street as well. Several veins popped out of his forehead as his patience began to wear thin. He knew he was a kid, but he had done nothing to help since he got stuck with him. He was hoping he'd at least have some kind of potential, but so far he's shown himself to be nothing more than a wimp and a coward, as well as a total klutz. 

He dropped everything he was carrying, bruising and lightly squashing the fruit on the ground as it spread out. He was tempted to nail him one on the head, but he didn't want to make a scene like that in public. He collected his odds and ends from the ground and placed them back in his pouch. The last thing being the runic stone, which still showed Velka's name to him and him alone. "*sigh~" Guess we can't have nice things, huh?" He said to Ayshee, sounding dissapointed. Although the map was a bit torn, but it could still be read.

"Alright, looks like we won't be getting past these mountains unless we go around and pass through Redwall in the middle here. It'd suck to have to walk all that way, so let's see if we can hitch a ride around here. With all this stuff being brought here, they must be shipping it all somewhere." He folded the map back up and placed it back in his pouch, picking up the bread loaves and giving them to Ayshee to hold onto. "Let's go." He said in a very monotone voice, trying not to be angry with the boy. 

They traveled to the entrance to the city, where there were many carriages getting ready to head out. The people packing the supplies looked to be strong men that were young and old alike, the elder bunch looking like they had seen some action. He approached a man with a scruffy beard and a scar across his face, who was loading big crates and barrels in the back of one of the carriages. "Hey, where's all this going?" He asked, in his own carefree way.

UNION CITY

---

Gene approached a fish merchant from the North named Guldar. He was getting ready to head out to sell his wares at the capital city, Ramoa, when Gene came to him. He was older than he looked, somehow he was able to keep his body healthy and looking 10 years younger. Most fishermen are like him, strong bodies and he determination you'll never find elsewhere. They would brave the seas day in and day out just to bring home fish. They would even risk their lives against their rival the great sea serpent, Lieviathan.

He man turned, faced Gene and said "To the capital of course." His voice was muffled by his long and thick moustache and beard. He loaded the last of the fish barrels on to the wagon and added, "If ye are hoping to hitch a ride, I'd be more than willing to letcha'. The fee is whatever ye can manage. I'm not a beggar, atleast not yet. These waggon used to be overloaded, now the fish are simply not as many as they used to. I could barely make half the waggon."

The man climbed on top of his wagon and grabbed hold of those long leather belts used to steer the Chocobos and continued to say "Well are ye coming or not?"

Location: Union City with sir Gene.

Oh shi- How stupid of me.

I rushed to gather all the items I spilled out of sir Gene's bag, all the while thinking that I could get yelled at or physically punished anytime. I had no quarel though, I deserved to be scolded. Sir Gene meticulously and carefully packed his bag. I saw him doing so, it was one of the things he liked doing by himself, and I had to ruin everything by making this mess. I felt so dumb and useless that I wanted to hit myself in the head with a rock.

And then I noticed it.

A fancy little stone that fell out from sir Gene's bag. It was on the ground just laying there in front of me. At times, when sir Gene isn't looking, I would notice him paying special attention to that particular stone. I reached out to grab it but sir Gene got to it first. He picked it up and said that we can't have nice things. He sounded disappointed, probably at me. But it never occured to me that maybe he was disappoined in himself as well.

I carried the items sir Gene handed to me, with care this time. I gave extra focus on what I had been tasked to do. I would make sure I don't drop anything anymore.

I had a peak at the map as sir Gene laid it out. I saw the place that we were headed for and had a bad feeling, like that in a horror movie. But I brushed it off and just nodded, I was happy we had another subject to discuss instead of that little accident before.

I followed sir Gene to a man with a wagon. But it wasn't the wagon that got my attention, it was the giant yellow bird pulling the wagons. They looked like somekind of big-headed ostrich. They were really tall too, some even taller than sir Gene. I wondered, what are they. One of the yellow birds saw me, and looked right at me.

Oh shi- I was carrying food. Maybe it wants to eat our food.

Should I feed it? It looks weird and scary. I bet it could bite my head off with those giant beaks with one strike. Also I can't let it touch our food sir Gene will get mad at me.

It's coming closer!

"No this isn't for you." I said to the big yellow bird.

It was peking at me. Sir Gene was busy talking to an old hairy man so he can't see what I was doing. I turned sideways, trying to keep the food away from the bird butit was persistent. I can't use my arms because they are busy holding up the stuff I was carrying... So I used my feet. I kept the bird's head away from the food with my right foot while balancing with my left foot. Surprisingly it didn't attack me it was just after the food.

...Romoa, eh~?

He was planning on going to Redwall to get through the mountain range, but this caravan was heading straight to the capital. How convenient for him! "Huh, is that right?" He said as he placed his thumb and index finger around his chin in intrigue. The elderly man went on to say that they were free to hitch a ride... for a price. Being a cheapskate, he had an obvious alternative to offer in exchange. "Heheheheheheh~ How about this instead!" He pulled out his sword and raised over his head. "You may or may not have noticed, but I'm a pretty damn good swordsman that's been all over the world. If we come with you, I'll protect your caravan. You don't even have to pay me! There's nothing alive that I can't defeat with this blade! Haahaahaahaahaaaa~!!" The man had already gotten to the front of his carriage, holding the reins while yelling at the two of them. "Yeah yeah, we're coming!" 

He looked towards Ayshee to see that he was being harassed by one of the chocobos that pulled the cart, after that bread. He stomped over to him and grabbed one of the bread loaves. "Oh for crap's sake! Just give the damn thing what it wants!" He split the loaf in half and held it in front of the land bird. It's head darted all around it before pecking off little bits of it until there was not even a crumb left, licking the last bit off his hand. "There, now let's go." He Ayshee by the back of his shirt and tossed him into the back carriage between some of the barrels, with Gene following him in. He banged on the inside and hollered "Anytime you're ready! Let's roll~!!" He shouted eagerly with how easy this was compared to the crap he had to put up with yesterday.

UNION CITY

---

The old fisherman chuckled and said, "Have ye seen my load? This ain't exactly worth stealing. All I have is a few barrels of fish and besides these here path is the King's road. It's the safest path to the Capital. We're going to have to pass through the Redwall Mountain tunnels but it will be a breeze. The tunnels are manned by Redwall guardsman and Ramoan knights. There's not a thief or bandit in these parts who'd dare attempt anything once we're in Redwall territory."

He noticed the young man who was with Gene and added, "Is he yer squire? Yer son? or both? Ahhk Nevermind as long as he doesn't make too much noise. I hate children!"

He took a look at Gene and saw that he looked capable, both in fighting and financially so the old fisherman decided to charge him up front. "100 Gil... each! That's cheaper than anything you can find around these parts. So do we have a deal or not?"

C.S.R., Union City...

(OOC: ...Did this just turn into Game of Thrones?)

The old guy retorted, saying that the path they'd be taking was the safest of any other route. Kind of disappointing, since maybe Gene could've looted a few corpses on the way over. He then questioned his relationship with the kid. "I'm not crazy about 'em either, but he's here to stay, like it or not. And he's neither of those! He's gonna be a man by the time I'm done with him though! Don't take that the wrong way." He also wanted to charge them 200 upfront. "Huh!? Grrrrrrr... Fine!! Take it!" He carefully counted the coins from his sack and got out to hand the old man 200 Gil. "This better be worth my time!" He said as he walked to his 'seat' and pouted in the back. "This is a bunch of garbage, I swear." He muttered to himself.

He looked over at Ayshee and noticed that he had the bread, but no sword on his back. He must have forgotten it back at the Inn, or maybe those bandits took it. Either way, it was a problem if he ever expected him to man up and fight his battles. Looking at the kid, veins popped up on his head and his face turned red with rage. "Errrrrrrrrr~ Wait... here...!" He bounced out of the wagon and approached the old man in the front. "I'll be right back, so don't... go... anywhere..." He angrily marched off back to town with his arms out.

He looked around furiously for Farim, the blacksmith he met with yesterday. It was a bit difficult, given that this city was fairly large, especially with all the busybodies around. He must have been pacing around for 10-15 minutes before he recognized that scruffy face of his. "Oi, Farim!! I wanna buy something from ya'!!" He yelled, slamming his sack of loot on his counter. "You remember that kid I had with me the other day? I need to get him a weapon that he could handle! Got anything for someone his size?" He asked in a hurried manner.

Location: On the wagon

Sir Gene looked mad. I think I did something wrong again. He tossed me on the wagon and told me to wait right after he fed the large land bird with half a loaf of bread. Then sir Gene marched back into the city leaving me with the old fisherman and the smelly barrels of fish. I have to admit I felt sad when I saw sir Gene leaving, somehow it reminded me of when my dad had to leave because of his work. I was eight years old when I last saw my dad in real life and not over the laptop screen. During the first few months after he left, I felt really sad and lonely. But as time passed I learned to live without his physical presence. Somehow seeing sir Gene walking away has brought back the emotions that I've forgotten for so long.

I didn't know if sir Gene was going to leave me here or if he was going to return. All I knew was I wanted to trust him, trust that he wasn't going to abandon me. I didn't completely trust this fisherman anyway, he looked like a creepy guy. I reached for my sword but it wasn't there.

Where did I leave it?

Maybe back at the Inn...

That sword was given to me by Ms. Maria I can't lose it. I wanted to go back to Inn and get it, unknown to me that I actually left it in the room where I was held by the kidnappers, but sir Gene told me to wait here. The Inn wasn't very far though and if I hurry I could possibly get back here before sir Gene returns. I had to make a decision and fast. The more I stall the more time I'll waste.

I made a choice to be really quick and go get the sword at the Inn. I left the stuff sir Gene made me carry in the back of the wagon and hoped out of it and said to the driver "I'll be right back real quick too please don't go anywhere. I just forgot something at the in."

The Inn wasn't too far and I was running like Sonic the Hedgehog, well at least I wish I was. Anyway I was running as fast as my feet could take me, cutting through taller people and sprinting down the streets.

UNION CITY

---

The old blacksmith finally came out from the back of his shop, fixing his belt and pulling his pants up. He was sweaty and out of breath, a young lady ran out from the back of his shop and looked in Farim's way before disappearing into the crowd.

"So what can I do for you? You want a weapon for the boy you were with the other day?" asked Farim. He laughed and pointed to his masterworks. "I've got it all in here. So how much are you willing to spend?"

C.S.R., Union City...

He finally showed himself, covered in sweat, but didn't smell too much like smoke. Gene knew that smell anywhere and couldn't help but crack a smile after seeing the girl run off. "Heh, so even an old geezer like you still gets some action every now and again. Kind of makes me jealous!" Farim then asked how much coin he'd be willing to spend, making Gene sweat trying to think of a fair deal he could get with so much. "Ehhhhhhh~ Anything below 2000 should do it. Nothing too fancy or anything. a shortsword'll probably make do. Whatever you think's best." He said as he scratched the top of his head.

UNION CITY

---

"Well for that kind of price I can give you this one particular master piece I have. It's perfect for that kid, it's light weight and durable. That'll be 2000 Gil" Farim said to Gene. He brought out a small blade from private collection of excellently crafted weapons. It was originally made as a large knife but no one would notice the difference from a large knife and a small sword anyway.

WEAPON
Eagle Knife Blade Lv: 20
MOVES	HP	STM	STR	DEX	MAG	DEF	M.DEF
0	0	0	120	0	0	0	0
Info	Durability: 20/20

C.S.R., Union City...

"Really?! You couldn't make it 1900 or 1850?" Gene was in a hurry, so he didn't have the time of day to haggle with the blacksmith, since it was obvious that this weapon was a bit overpriced. Audibly gritting his teeth, he took the money out of his back and slammed the small heap of coins worth 2000 Gil on the counter. "Bunch of filchers, all of you! Gimme that!!" He snatched the knife blade away from him, carrying it in its sheath, and ran off towards the city entrance to return to the wagon they were to set out on.

He walked casually once he was within sight of the others by the gate, albeit a bit flustered, and strolled next to the their chosen vehicle. "Yo, Ayshee! I got ya' somethi-" He froze when he saw that the boy was missing. His face became red as a certain primate's backside as blood dripped down from one of his nostrils. He specifically told him to wait inside the wagon and what does he do...? Exactly not that! His head darted around to see if he was anywhere nearby, but was nowhere to be found. He'd almost had it with him, letting out a booming call. 
"AYSHEE, GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE, NOW!!!!" 
His breathing became sporadic as he leaned up against the side of the wagon, not looking pleased with everything that was happening. ("He better get back here in the next five minutes, or I'm leaving his sorry hide here! No one, not even him is gonna keep me from going where I want, when I want.") He thought to himself as he impatiently tapped on his shoulder with his arms crossed.

Location: Finding the sword

Pant* Pant* Pant*

I had to make it back before sir Gene returns. After running and running I was finally able to make it back to the Inn. I was impressed at my ability to remember where it actually was. I didn't waste anymore time lingering, I dashed through the front door and asked the lady at the front desk if they had found the sword I might've left in our room.

"No." she simply put it.

"But... but! that's impossible. I'm sure I left it in our room you must look again please." Typically almost every lady in the front desk of an Inn or Hotel was a bitch, even back on Earth. They were all rude especially to kids like me. I wish I was older so I could teach this lady some manners. To my rotten luck one of the staff recognized me as a trouble maker after sir Gene's scene in the canteen. He had the guard escort me out of the establishment. I tried to resist but the guard was bigger and stronger than me, I couldn't do anything but get pushed out like a dirty beggar.

"How rude! I'm never coming back here again! Your food is full of maggots!" I yelled at them. It seems that there was no way of getting the sword back. I turned around and decided to abandon my foolish escapade. I was sad and regretful because I didn't want to have to tell miss Maria that I lost the sword she gave me.

I was all sad face when I marched back to the fisherman's wagon, only to find that sir Gene was already there ahead of me.

"Crap!" I thought to myself. I'm in so much trouble now. I walked up to sir Gene, slowly, I kept my head down and told him the bad news. "I'm sorry sir Gene... I lost the sword miss Maria gave me."

C.S.R., Union City...

His waiting paid off, for Ayshee had returned. He brought back news of his missing weapon, which didn't really matter to Gene. "Tch, you didn't need it anyway. Here, take this." He handed him the blade that he got from Farim, despite how annoyed he was with him. 

Eagle Blade:

"You'd better use it, you damn brat! 'Cause you can't expect me to come to your rescue every time you get into trouble! And don't run off like that again, or I'll beat the crap out of ya'!" He then grabbed Ayshee and threw him into the back of the wagon, jumping into the back with him. "Alright!! Now we're ready to go!" He hollered to the old fisherman.

UNION CITY

---

The old man was delighted to see the spirited young duo it reminded him of his youth, but the past is past ad itwas time to move forwards. The old man whiped his chocobos to get them moving forward. The wagon carrying Gene, Pigloo, the old fisherman and the barrels of fish were on their way.

They passed through the city gates after a proper send off from the guards. The road to Redwall mountains was uneventfull, it was quiet and dull. The oldman wanted to liven up things s he started singing. Unlike songs on Earth, songs in Lunaris are based off the world's rich history. He was a Northener, the old fisherman, so it was just fitting that his song was about the tales from the North.

"The night is longest when he's after ye."

"The air is coldest when he's breath is near."

"Red his eyes the last thing ye'll see."

"Alone.. alone there is no hope for you."

Quite ironic that he's singing a song scary song in the morning, but its tradition to sing this song in the morning for whatever apparent reason.

((Transitioning to Redwall Mountain Pass. Please post in Rewall Mountain.))