Chapter 46 part 6

Charlie let the piece of slate she was holding fall down to her side. She was starting to wonder how long this was going to take, since she had actually thought that the young man would have been able to read her question. Instead, she could see that he hadn't a clue as to what she'd written, and his question to whoever he was talking to also indicated as much. Which further let Charlie know she needed to get out of her as soon as she could. Otherwise she was probably going to lose her mind.

Likely from multiple things as well. Such as boredom, the way things were done around here, the lack of communication, as well as the fact that they didn't even seem to consider letting her wear anything. Even if it was essentially underwear. At least that would have been something then.

The person that showed up in response to the young man's statement was the woman who clearly had been hostile towards Charlie when she was trying to as for some water before she knew about the disgusting troughs.

The woman didn't ask Charlie what she wanted, since she was still holding out the slate with her question. Charlie was pretty sure she could visibly tell when the woman finished reading the question because her expression became more annoyed and she glared at Charlie.

"Are you trying to waste my time?" She demanded. "Or do you think it's funny?"

Charlie wasn't sure how to respond to that. Especially since she had no clue what was going on. Or why she was supposed to know something that she really didn't.

Apparently Charlie's lack of a response made the woman even more annoyed, based on how Charlie had a feeling she could see a vein throbbing in the woman's forehead. Although, she suspected that seeing that could very easily be a product of her imagination rather than something actually there.

"I don't know why the boss is so interested in you, but if you really don't know anything, then let me spell it out for you," the woman said after a few minutes of silence. During which Charlie felt like her own life was about to be ended any second. "You're going to be trained a little before they have the next test scheduled. For any further questions about it, you'll have to ask them."

While Charlie had a feeling she should accept that and just try to wait as patiently as she could, she had to ask one more question. So, she did her best to rub the chalk off of the slate with her hand before writing her question: When will that be?

The woman looked at the slate and sighed. Charlie understood the sentiment. With how little she'd been told anything, it was aggravating having to find things out that everyone around her seemed to expect her to know already. She could only hope that whoever was going to be training her would be more willing to talk with her rather than glare and look at her as something to be endured.

"It'll be the day after tomorrow," the woman said after a couple of minutes, sounding resigned. "The test you would have been in happened today, so the auction for those in that test will be tomorrow."

With that, the woman left, looking like she was ready to find someone to vent her feelings out on. Though Charlie couldn't be sure if she was angry, annoyed, or merely aggravated. All she could think of was that she wasn't happy and that she seemed to be unable to target Charlie herself. Or even Cithis and Haln. Which she was grateful for, even if she didn't know the reasons behind it.

With having learned what she wanted, she settled back down to resting where she had been, placing her piece of slate and chalk nearby so shed be able to reach it but the children wouldn't accidentally get hurt from the sharp edge of the slate.

Cithis and Haln looked at her with a concerned expression on their faces, but when she settled back to how she was before, their expressions changed and they began playing something that Charlie couldn't figure out. Although, she couldn't say that she was surprised, given they had to find some way ot occupy their time and they seemed to have lived in this kind of environment for longer than Charlie would like to guess.

Closing her eyes, Charlie could only hope that the next day would go by quickly. Even though she knew she was going to be bored out of her mind during that time as well. Plus, she could also only hope that her sunburned body would heal enough that it didn't hurt so much.

She wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but she was at least happy that she at least knew something of what was going on. Plus, this time she was able to learn about it before it had already started to happen.

_

Ralph couldn't help but feel annoyed. He didn't care what this meeting was about, but it was interfering with him taking a nap, so he was more than willing to let his displeasure be known. Although, he couldn't help but feel that he shouldn't go too far, since he had decided that he needed to be better than he had been in the past.

"So, what's this about?" he demanded when Wes arrived, who was the last person they had been waiting on.

"We might have a lead on Charlie," Beth said succinctly. "So we need to decide who's going to look into it."

Ralph blinked. Out of everything he'd expected to be said, that wasn't even close to any of the possibilities.

"Does this have something to do with why you went to the dinner with the marquis last night and we were told not to attend?" Tim asked, making Ralph wonder if his act the night before of being indifferent to that fact had just been an act.

"Kinda, I think," Hannah answered uncertainly. "There was a woman at the dinner who seemed to have an agenda for being there, and she was, I guess, a messenger for the queen. She mentioned about a rumor of a slave girl who treated someone with the spotted plague in the same way that Amelia is treating it right now."

Ralph nodded, his earlier annoyance gone. He was interested in finding Charlie, if only to try to make things right between them. Especially with how he was a small part of why she left.

"So, what's the plan?" Tim asked.

"Well, at the dinner, the marquis said that Hannah and I were there as possible bodyguards for his daughter, which I think was another matter entirely," Beth answered. "So, Hannah would remain here, in case someone would somehow recognize us from that while I went with whoever we decide to join in this trip."

"How reliable is this information?" Ralph asked, wondering suddenly if they might be going on a wild goose chase with this.

"As far as I know, it's just a rumor," Beth replied. "But if it's true, then it means that Charlie is a slave and we need to find out how to get her out of that as soon as we can."

"Uh, if that's the case, why are we here?" Hesha asked, surprising Ralph.

He hadn't noticed Hesha or Feon sitting between Beth and Hannah, nor did her know what the reason for them being there was either.

"Simple," Beth replied cheerfully. "First, we need you as part of how we'd earn the money to spring Charlie, if she really is there. Then secondly, it's so we can continue the training we've started with both of you."

The girls seemed to accept this answer, though Ralph wasn't sure he fully understood it himself. Was there something that had been decided that he hadn't been a part of?

"So, why are we discussing this?" Wes asked. "If Hannah's staying, then that means the rest of us can go, right?"

"Uh, it's not going to be that simple," Beth said, sounding a little reluctant with her words. "We can only take two of you. The other will remain here to try and find what they can through the maps the marquis has any clue as to where the griffin canyon we came to this world to find is."

Ralph nodded. Here was the catch that he'd been waiting for. He wasn't really surprised at it. If nothing else, it explained why they needed to have this meeting to discuss this in the first place.

"So, are we supposed to figure out who goes on our own?" Ralph asked dryly. "Or do you have an idea of who should go already?"

Beth nodded. "First, we need to avoid standing out. So, we'll be wearing clothing from this culture. Which means," Beth turned to look at Ralph directly, which Ralph felt was rather unfair, "that you'll be wearing a dress. If any of you would like to not do that right now, or at all, then it'd be better for you to remain and not join us."

Ralph sighed. He didn't like the idea of wearing a dress, but it wasn't the worst that he could be required to do. Especially if he thought about it like a costume. Besides, it wasn't like he couldn't wear anything under the dress anyway. So long as it didn't show, that is.

"Well, I think all of us would be fine with it, even if we don't like it," Tim remarked.

Beth nodded. "Well, since that's taken care of, I thought I'd just say that I also plan on leaving Flare here, which I hope she doesn't mind, since she seems more happy exploring this place than anything else."

"Why not take her with you?" Wes asked. "I mean, not only is she your dog, but shouldn't she be good for extra protection?"

Beth merely shook her head. "I said before that we want to keep this low key. Having a hellhound with us would make us stand out."

"Well, why do we need to not stand out in the first place?" Ralph asked, feeling like they were dancing around the main point of the problem here.

"If you stand out, then not only would you draw attention to you, but you'll draw attention to Charlie if she is there," Hannah chimed in. "We don't know how much money you'll need, and if you stand out but don't get enough, then there could be more attention focused on her that we won't want."

Ralph sighed. This was the kind of detail he really didn't care for. He was more of an action type of person rather than a planning type. Well, aside from planning pranks, that is, he couldn't help admit to himself.

"So, what do you have in mind to get money while were either there or on the way?" Wes asked, sounding a little skeptical.

"Well, the marquis suggested that we could be street performers, for lack of a better term," Beth answered, sounding a little reluctant, which piqued Ralph's attention.

"What do you mean by that?" Ralph asked immediately . He had a feeling there was something there that would make things just a little more interseting.

"Well, the marquis suggested that we use our magic to create sounds and stuff out of thin air," Beth answered, her voice getting quieter.

Wes, however, merely laughed. "I told you guys that we should be doing that!"

"Wait, what?" Beth asked, sounding confused.

"Well, aside from what you said from trying not to stand out, Wes was suggesting a while ago to use our magic to play music and see if we can get any money that way," Tim answered calmly.

"Though, doing that would make us stand out at least a little," Ralph remarked, feeling amused at how he could tell that Beth knew that herself, even if she only realized it after the marquis had given the suggestion and Beth had left.

"Actually, it might not make you as noticed," Hesha said, startling Ralph. He'd completely forgotten she and Feon were there.

"How do you mean?" Beth asked.

Hesha merely shrugged like it didn't really matter. "Just that if you have something strange, like your hellhound, the nobles would notice and want to learn more about it, if not taking it from you outright. However, if you can use magic and use it for entertainment, the most you could expect from the would be if they were offering you money to play for them. Like for an evening dinner or a party, or something."

Ralph couldn't help but feel more than a little surprised at that explanation. He hadn't expected that the little girl would have made so much sense. He thought that they were likely just taking her to increase their cover story.

"Well, if we do that, how would you suggest that we go about it?" Tim asked.

"If you can create music with your magic, then Feon and I could have a collection hat or bag after each song," Hesha answered.

Ralph merely sighed. He couldn't say what they might be able to get using that method. He'd much rather have something more concrete as to what they would be able to earn. Not something that relied on essentially the goodwill of others. He didn't know much more about this world than his friends, but he didn't care to rely on random contributions and everything. He might be more pessimistic, but he felt he was more realistic at the same time.

"Well, we should also then figure out a playlist," Wes commented. "That way we know we're not going to create other problems that would make us stand out in ways that we wouldn't like."

"What do you mean?" Ralph asked. "A song's a song. It shouldn't be that complicated."

"Okay, how about Two Tickets to Paradise by 'Eddie Money'?" Wes asked, too smugly for Ralph's tastes.

"What's the problem with that?" Ralph asked, feeling like they weren't on the same page.

Tim, Beth, Hannah and Wes sighed, shaking their heads like they were disappointed.

"What?" Ralph couldn't think what the problem was.

"Ralph," Tim explained patiently, which made him even more annoyed. "You have to think about if they would understand what the song is about. Like 'Fast Car' by Tracy Chapman. How would anyone in this world know what a car is in the first place? So, how would they understand what 'two tickets to paradise' would mean? All that would do is make us stick out like a sore thumb."

Ralph sighed. He still didn't see the problem. They were both good songs.

"Ralph," Beth said, sounding like she was trying to be patient as well.

What the hell? Ralph yelled in his mind. What was the problem?

"The point is also to get them to give us money for the songs. If they don't understand the song, no matter how unique or good it is, how would they be able to like it?" Beth continued. "If we pick songs that won't give them references that they can't understand, then we should be able to get their interest more."

Ralph sighed, feeling like they were ust trying to make this more difficult than it needed to be. Then as he was about to give in, he suddenly smiled. The expressions he saw on his friends made in response this even more enjoyable.

"So, no songs like 'I Can Only Imagine' by Mercy Me or 'Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder?'"

"Exactly," Wes replied. "And we should also avoid songs that we know wouldn't fit in with their culture. Just like you mentioned with 'I Can Only Imagine.'"

Ralph sighed. That pretty much made it where he'd have to essentially create a list of songs that they could work with rather than just going with whichever one came to mind. Though, he still felt like he should try to push back on the idea. If only to try and get something that he could really work with.

"So, what songs are you talking about then?" Ralph asked, hoping that he could find a way to slip out of this restriction they were putting on him.

However, all his friends sighed. Though, he suddenly noticed that Hesha and Feon were looking confused. Idly he wondered if they should play some of the 'banned' songs so they could understand what they were getting at.

"You know, here's a list of a few, but we don't have time to think of every single one, okay?" Beth said, sounding like she was running out of patience.

While it was amusing for Ralph, he was starting to get the feeling that he was pushing his luck with this line of argument. Especially with how he'd already decided that he needed to not play pranks and everything. Though, he suddenly wondered if this would be part of that sort of thing that he'd told himself that the needed to not do anymore.

"'I Need a Hero' by Bonnie Tyler, 'My Country 'Tis of Thee,' 'Battle Hymn of the Republic,' the theme to 'New York, New York' by Frank Sinatra, and 'Princes of the Universe' by Queen," Beth finished.

"Uh, what's wrong with the 'New Your, New York' theme?" Ralph asked. He could understand the others, mostly, but that one felt like it was out of place.

"Would you like to explain to anyone we meet about New York City?" Wes asked, an annoying smirk on his face.

"Well, here's one thing I think you guys haven't thought of," Ralph said, no longer feeling like pushing the issue any more. Though, he was sure he'd be able to get at least some enjoyment out of this next point he was making.

"What's that?" Beth asked doubtfully before anyone else could.

"Are any of you going to explain to Hesha or Feon what songs we were all talking about?" he asked as innocently as he could.

Their expressions of surprise and chagrin were priceless. It almost made it worth dealing with the annoying parts of their arguments about that issue. Almost.