"I thought you said you were hungry." Zelgadis's casual remark brought 'Dancer back to the real world with devastating alacrity.
"Que - , sorry, what did you - , oh, yeah, I thought I was hungry too. " 'Dancer looked mournfully down at her plate. Zelgadis put his chopsticks down.
"Tell me about the fish."
"Huh?" 'Dancer frowned. "Bueno, it's a little dry but the wine sauce - "
"I ment the flying carp." 'Dancer's ears turned pink "Sorry." She mumbled.
"Well?" Zelgadis prompted. 'Dancer pushed her plate away from her.
"The story goes that once this town was the home of a Temple to Our Lady of the Light. However, starting with the death of the old abbot, villagers began to disappear. Finally in desperation the villagers hired two strangers, a tall mercenary, and a wandering priest. Together they discovered a plot by the new abbot to sacrifice all the villagers in order to resurrect a Dark Lord. The priest then tricked the abbot into revealing the truth. Anyway, that turned into one big free-for-all, and the abbot summoned a school" flock? "of the piranha-carp. The sell-sword took care of them with the legendary Sword Of Light, but in that final battle the temple was leveled by an explosion that also took out most of the town. After that mess, the town was rebuilt around the remaining houses and the former temple grounds were considered cursed."
"What happened to the strangers?" Zelgadis asked curiously. "They were never seen again, which was just as well, because the villagers would have killed them if they had shown up again after all the property damage they caused." 'Dancer took a measured drink from her mug. Zelgadis sat across from her with an amused look on his face.
"What?" 'Dancer asked, her curiosity piqued. Zelgadis waved dismissively. "Nothing, the characters just sound familiar." 'Dancer was puzzled. "Your world must have some strange legends then." Zelgadis started to say something when he was interrupted by a tall brunette holding a clipboard.
"Miss Saisan?"
"Who's asking?" 'Dancer's eyes narrowed as she pushed a stray hair out of her face.
"My name is Joshi Ashisutanto. I'm Lady Deidra's assistant. Most people just call me Jo." She smiled prettily at the two. "My lady said I should introduce myself to you before I went home for the evening. You're suppose to report to me tomorrow, first thing." 'Dancer scratched her head, relaxing. "Should I have breakfast first?" Jo shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Lady Deidra always has a buffet for the models, and their friends, if you'd like to join them, sir." Jo looked expectantly at Zelgadis. He grunted non-committedly.
"Models? As in plural?" 'Dancer glanced up at Jo. "Oh, yes. While Lady Deidra's the most important designer showing tomorrow, she'd by no means the only one. Six other designers will be there too." "Okay." 'Dancer drained her mug. "Anything else I need to know?" Jo started to shake her head, then paused, checking her clipboard.
"Oh, and Lady Deidra says that the food and lodging were on her. She couldn't remember if she told you that or not. Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow in the town square, 'k? I'll be the harried looking one. And get a good night's rest! " She called over her shoulder as she left.
"You know, that's not that bad an idea." 'Dancer yawned, then glanced once more wistfully at her three quarters full plate. "Buenas noches, Zel." She murmured wandering back to her room and the waiting bed.
"...Treinta y uno, treinta y dos, morning Zelgadis, treinta y cuarto, treinta y cinco..." Zelgadis blinked as he watched 'Dancer doing push ups.
"Um.... hi. When did you get up?"
"...Cuarenta, 'bout an hour now. You were still asleep so I thought I'd just catch up on some of my exercises." 'Dancer rolled over onto her back.
"Hold my feet will ya?" Zelgadis blinked again. "Wha'-?"
"My feet, hold them, so I can do my sit ups." Numbly Zelgadis complied.
"Couldn't you sleep?" He asked, inspecting her shoes. Is he blushing? 'Dancer wondered, counting. "...Seis, siete, ocho, no, I couldn't. Headache wouldn't let me. Trece, catorce..." Zelgadis was silent but 'Dancer noticed his features setting into hard lines. What's eating him? "Something wrong?" she asked, resting her chin and arms on her knees. Zelgadis shook his head. "Never mind."
"Bueno," 'Dancer shrugged mentally. "you can let go now." Zelgadis scrambled away so quickly that 'Dancer wondered who's little brother he'd been.
"Make sure you get something to eat before you leave." He orderded as he opened the door to leave.
"But Jo said that there'd be a buffet..." 'Dancer broke off at the glare he gave her. "Yes, but you probably won't have time to eat once you get there." Zelgadis answered smoothly. What are you not telling me? "Okay." 'Dancer shrugged, picking up her cloak. "Oh, and Zel," as he turned she tossed him a small pouch. It clinked as he caught it. "would you hold onto my fee for me? I don't feel safe carrying it conmigo." Zelgadis nodded and the pouch disappeared into the folds of his cloak.
Bored, bored, bored. 'Dancer sat behind the stage, staring into space. I wish Zel was here. She sighed mightily, fanning herself and pulling a the collar of the dress. Zelgadis had taken off while she'd been at breakfast and none of the other models seemed interested in sharing a conversation with the "upstart wanna be". 'Dancer pulled at the collar again. Darn lace itched and pinched too tightly. Her hand drifted to the seam and she began picking at the stitching.
"Damaging your dress is a violation of your contract, according to paragraph 56, section B, subclause vii of the by-laws. If you proceed with your action you will be fined 10 gold pieces."
'Dancer nearly jumped out of her skin. "Who's there?" She hissed twisting around in her chair. "I am form W-2." 'Dancer looked wildly around. "What are you?" She demanded to thin air. Several of the other models glanced sideways at her and someone muttered about insanity. 'Dancer ignored them. "There is no need to raise you voice. I am the contract that you, a one Stormdancer Saisan, signed the other evening in the presence of a one Lady Deidra." 'Dancer mulled over the implications. "And you're here to stop me from breaching me contract?" "That is an affirmative." The contract sounded positively delighted. 'Dancer made a disgusted noise. "Then what am I suppose to do, suffocate?" There was a moment of silence as the document checked itself. "Suffocation isn't covered in this form. I suggest you speak to Lady Deidra."
'Dancer did the next best thing, she hunted down Jo and explained the problem.
"Well, if that's all it is..." and Jo proceeded to tear out the stitches with a seamripper. "By the wayside, did you find your pay in your room?" Jo asked, letting the seam out. "Yeah. But isn't that awfully risky? I mean, how do you know that the person isn't just going to take the money and run?" 'Dancer tried not to fidget as Jo resowed the seam. "I suppose so, but no one's been unwilling yet. Being Lady Deidra's model is an instant ticket to modeling fame. There, all done." Jo stepped away as 'Dancer felt along her neck. Not a single pinprick.
"Have you had lunch yet?" Jo asked, before 'Dancer could thank her. "Ah, no." 'Dancer answered ruefully, realizing that she was famished. "Well, you can't go out like that, so, I'll just send someone to get something..."
"No need." Zelgadis suddenly materialized from the crowd, carrying a covered basket. "Oh, okay, later Miss Saisan." Jo left in a hurry as someone shouted her name urgently from another quarter of the square.
"Zel, I could kiss you." 'Dancer said, reaching for the basket. Zelgadis held it out of her reach with an annoyed look. "It's an expression." 'Dancer snapped, snagging the basket. "Trail rations?" She asked even as she began chewing on a strip of jerky. "Forget it, I'm so hungry I could eat raw carp." She took a long pull on the bottle of water. "Say, where've you been all morning?" She chose several pieces of dried fruit. Zelgadis frowned. "Looking for the temple. Still have a small appetite?" 'Dancer swallowed, surprised. Strangely the few handfuls of food had quelled the raging hunger that threatened to overwhelm her civility a moment ago. "Yeah, and now that you mention it I hadn't eaten much a breakfast neither. Weird. Wait a sec, whadda ya mean, 'the temple'?" Zelgadis glanced around. "The Temple of Our Lady of the Light." He answered in a low voice. 'Dancer made a face. "It's been blown to bits, if it existed at all. And there isn't an empty lot in town. I don't think it's anything other than a local legend." 'Dancer forced herself to eat another handful of trail mix. Zelgadis shot her an annoyed glance as he walked off. "Where are you going?" 'Dancer was trying to balance the plate, bottle, and basket. "Searching." He called over his shoulder, disappearing back into the crowd.
"That's no answer." Jo remarked, emerging from 'Dancer's left, rescuing her from her balancing act. "No," 'Dancer agreed. "but that's as much as I'll get out of him for now." Jo shook her head. "Then why under the sun do you travel with him?" 'Dancer smiled and shrugged. "I don't know. I need then company and he, bueno, like I said, I don't know." Even though I have a suspicion... 'Dancer glanced down at the item Jo was holding. "What's that?" Jo held up the hanger for better examination. "Costume # 13." She smiled apologetically. "What happened to the rest of it?" 'Dancer asked, eyeing it like she would a snake. "That's it." Jo had the decency to looked properly mortified. "Jo, I'd be wearing more clothing if I was modeling lingerie." Jo ducked her head. "I know. But Lady Deidra has to design at least one skimpy outfit to satisfy the Designer Union." 'Dancer snorted derisively. "Then find another model. I am absolutely NOT going to wear this...escapee from an idol singer's wardrobe." Jo shrugged and hang the offending garment up on a rack.
"In that case # 9 is your next costume..."
Zelgadis found 'Dancer scrubbing her face clean in a water trough.
"Are you ready to go?" He asked quietly. "Yeah, lets get out of this nuthouse." She stood up pushing a wet lock out of her face.
"What happened to your cloths?" Zelgadis asked noticing 'Dancer's outfit. She grimaced.
"Jo said they met with an accident, but I'm willing to bet that accident was the blond working for Designer Alberto." She shrugged fatalistically. "And since I can keep anything I model..." 'Dancer plucked the sky-blue fabric of the tunic. "Besides, these'll travel better." She commented slyly. Zelgadis ignored the slight.
"So where are we-ow!" 'Dancer stumbled back, barely keeping her balance. Zelgadis turned, his sword half drawn, from the other side of the town gates. "What happened?" 'Dancer held her nose, cursing silently. "I don't -argh! I feel like I just walked into a brick wall!" Luckily nothing was broken. She stuck her hand out in front of her and pushed against where she met resistance. On the other side of the unseen barrier Zelgadis grabbed her wrist, and yanked her forward.
"Ow, ow, ow! Basta! Pare, Zelgadis, stop!" 'Dancer yelped as she was slammed against the barrier. She wretched her arm out of his grasp and fell to her knees, overbalanced.
"Friggin', arrgh-" She muttered holding her arm close to her chest. "What's going on?" Zelgadis stepped past area where the barrier should have been and touched her forehead briefly, muttering. A nanosecond later 'Dancer's outline glowed, then the light died.
"You've been enspelled." He answered her flatly.
"Que?" 'Dancer's expression became murderous. "How-" Her eyes narrowed suddenly.
"Oye, Contract, you still conmigo?"
"Who ar-" "That is an affirmative." Zelgadis whipped around, sword drawn. The road leaving town was deserted but for the two of them.
" 'Dancer, who-" "My contract, put your sword away Zel." 'Dancer cut him off quickly. "I take that to mean that I haven't done something." She growled. "That too is an affirmative." Zelgadis shuttered, sheathing his sword. "Sounds just like Joshi."
"Yeah, 'cept Jo doesn't take sadistical pleasure in pointing out my mistakes."
"One should take pride in what one does." responded the contract non-plusly.
"So tell what I haven't done, already." 'Dancer spat.
"There's no need to get testy. You simply haven't modeled the last outfit."
"I modeled the last o-oh fraggit!" 'Dancer groaned suddenly. "# 13. Even though it wasn't the last one in the line up it was the last one numerically." She buried her face in her hands and began to bawl as the implications sank in. "I'm never gonna get out of this town!" Zelgadis glared at her. "Think! Didn't the contract state that you had an entire day to model the outfit?"
"He is correct." The contract agreed amiably.
"But in front of an audience!" Wailed 'Dancer. "She is also correct." The contract really did sound delighted at 'Dancer's misery, Zelgadis noted.
"Will you just shut up!" The two of them snapped. The contract said nothing. 'Dancer looked at Zelgadis's expression and giggled, brushing away a tear. She stood up. "Sorry for wimping out, Zel." She took a deep breath. "I'll go back and force Deidra to void my contract." She said determinedly. Even if it means I have to give back all the gold.