[Vinsue] One Cog Moves Another

[Vivian]

32nd of Ash, 4622

Vivian stood in the bookstore in Amoren, arms across his chest. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to focus on the titles. The place sold a hundred books to nobles, and while he didn't look like the exact picture of wealth, he wasn't being tossed out either. He pulled books down from the shelf occasionally, opening them and scanning the contents, then putting them back. Surprisingly books on Malformity were relatively rare despite being one of the oldest magics in the Empire. Books on artificing were much more common, but Vivian was having a hard time understanding them. He was relatively new to Artificing, a novice, and he pulled down a book on basic equations. He frowned at the mathematics.

"Gods, I need someone to teach me my numbers." He muttered under his breath, putting the book back in its slot on the shelf. He pulled one of the blacksmith puzzles he'd brought with him out of his pocket, toying with it in one hand while he scanned the books. He put a hand on his belly, sighing. There was a gentle swelling there, a matronly curve that had driven him to wear a loose-fitting linen shirt. He missed Alistair; his nipples were sensitive, he craved everything. Thank the gods that the weather was a little cooler; if he was in this state in Searing he would have been wallowing in the river like a buffalo. Vivian grumbled under his breath and pulled down another book on mathematics. Maybe if he stared at it long enough he would start to learn engineering.

Either that, or he needed someone to teach him. Basic artificing was a rather fun principle, if the puzzle he had in his fingers was anything to go by, he just didn't have a teacher. Or at the very least, a partner in learning.

[Vinsue]

What better way to find the recorded knowledge she was looking for than in the library. Well seeing some of the golem first hand would be nice but a guide or even a map is needed for that if any time perfisincy is to be used. Vinsue stood flipping through the inventory book near the front.She was looking for the word Golem. Not there so she began to think wider. Artifacting, clockwork, and engineering were listed so she took mental note of their locations before leaving the inventory book going to search for the books she was looking for.


She finally found a promising ariea about artificing. She was not looking for the magic but the knowledge she looks for is usually tied together. Why, well that was a question she did not know to answer.She stood back scanning the book titles. 'Idiots guide to artifacts.' 'No need to panic' and others were simply skipped by.  'The great A.' Caught her eye, unfortunately it was top shelf. Meaning she could not see the entire book title nor could she reach it. Ok time to be resourceful. No chairs, no ladders, and no stools. That makes a problem.Unfortunately she intended to behave or knock over the shelf.  That meant no climbing the book shelf. Instead she had to request help. She saw a person. One that was very fashion forward? Then she saw the puzzle they were playing with and the books he was looking over and putting back.


"Nice puzzle, do you know who made it?" She asked, trying to be polite before she made the request. 'Um, can you grab a book for me?" She asked before pointing towards the top. "It's the dark blue one. The Great Artifacts or something like that." 

[Vivian]

Vivian scowled at the equations. Who could make sense of this rubbish? Malformity was easy. It was emotional, it involved another living being. Sex was even easier, just machinations of something that was already bred of instinct. But math? Who came up with this? Who put letters in it? The man should be yanked out of whatever madhouse he was in and an arrow shoved forcibly down his throat. Vivian could feel his brain smoking the more he looked at it. He snapped the book shut in frustration, just in time to hear a very polite little voice trying to catch his attention.

He looked to his left, right. No one. Then, he caught a wisp of red hair and looked down. Oh. He held up the puzzle and smiled at her. What was that, someone's kid lost in the book shop? "Just a little puzzle made by a local blacksmith. You've got to get this little ring out from this tangle of iron." he jiggled the ring with a finger. "It's supposed to teach you patience and basic principles of artificing. You know, don't push something that doesn't move and all that."

She pointed out a book higher up on the shelf, and Vivian stretched on his tiptoes. He grabbed the book and read the spine. "The Great A? You look a bit young for anal." he muttered, and handed it to her. "Don't rip that. You rip that we get a very pissed off shopkeeper after us."

Vivian looked her up and down. "Where's your mother anyway?" he asked. Well, if he was going to be a mother himself might as well start learning the instincts early. At least he felt like he had a partner in suffering. If he didn't understand these complex formulae a little girl like that would be tearing her hair out of her skull.

[Vinsue]

At first she thought the person was being rude then she realised he was seriously thinking she was a child and so she went with it. Unfortunately this misconception was normal. But not much one could do on the subject. At least they were nice. The toy looked complex. Maybe challenging. She looked at the cover and funny enough it did say the great a. She figured the a stood for something and opened the book. The 5th page started explaining what A was. A in the book stood for artifacting. She flipped a few more pages and saw a blueprint drawing of a trinket of some kind. Yes this is the kind of book she was looking for.


"Mom is home in Drarun. I'm here all by myself." She would say. If he thinks she is a child then why not let him. She would close the book. "Can I try." She would say pointing at the toy.


She would tuck the book under her arm and take the toy in both hands. She would look at it and turn it a few times before actually attempting to solve it. It was easy to see that some of the places were not going to slide past each other making it difficult. But she loved these little puzzles. Suddenly she figured it out and quickly spun and rotated pieces. The ring fell into her hand. She wanted to joyfully exclaim her triumph but instead made a disappointed face and a gasped surprise. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break it."


She would put the hand full of pieces back in his hand. One might notice a good chunk of one of her fingers was missing. All the while she caught a glimpse of his book and its mathematics. She remembered the first time she saw those equations. They were a challenge but now she understood them well. 

[Vivian]

"In Dagrun? Gods what did they do, drop you off at the train with a 'good luck'?" Vivian asked in surprise. Gods, he knew there were monstrous parents in the world but at least his mother had raised him. He hadn't exactly been expected or wanted, but neither had they tossed him in a foreign country the minute he could hold a broom. He felt a tug at his heart, and sighed inwardly. Was he going to feel like he had to cry at everyone's sob story now? Damned hormones. It was almost as bad as the ether.

He handed the puzzle over, and watched her intently. She might have been a kid, but a damned smart one. She solved the puzzle in a few minutes, something that had taken Vivian a half an hour the first time, and gasped as though she'd broken it. Vivian smirked. "No, no, you just solved the puzzle. You're supposed to do that. You know, how Artificers take apart machines and they have to put them back together the same way? Watch." he took the pieces of the puzzle, tucked his own book under his arm, and reversed the solution. He dangled it back in front of her. "See? Good as new. Long as you keep track of the pieces and the steps you took to take it apart. Like a lot of things."

He noticed as she withdrew her hand that she was missing part of a finger. Poor kid. Amoren was a rough place to live, especially on the streets. No one knew that better than Vivian. Well. Emmett was about to be angry. "You uh, got somewhere to study kiddo?" he asked gently. "I live in a house not far from here. My study is- well, okay it's not mine, but it's big enough to actually work in. It's got a chalkboard. Listen, all sorts of monsters out on the streets. You don't have to trust me, but just warn me if you feel like tapping me in the jewels and taking off eh?" Vivian smiled down at her. Poor thing.

"Hey. Put this under your shirt, add your book, and come with me. Quiet now, don't say a word and make sure to put it kind of off to the side of your ribcage..." he offered her his book, whispering conspiratorially.

Gods, he was going to be great at this parenting thing.

[Vinsue]

"Basically something like that, yea." She said. "It wasn't safe for me there." She was only partly lying. The biggest danger back home was the worms. But she knew to stay away from them. Was he getting sad? That's not what she wanted but a free room would be nice. "They were sending me off to school but I did not want to go. The teacher was not nice. So I ran away." Ok 

Her teachers were nice when she went to school and she loved it. That's why she was looking for artifacts and golims that could be helpful to her or her people. So yea it was a flat out lie but hopefully that would make him feel better. Please make him feel better. She would not be able to keep up this act if he cried.


She watched him put the toy back together reacting as she thought he would. She took the puzzle back and looked at it now back at square one. "I see. That's cool." She said she handed back the toy. "Stay with you, you mean it?" She said "I'll be good I promise." She said, Ok , it's kinda fun pretending to be a kid she thought. "The big black chalk boards with the white crowns?" She asked. She nodded as he asked for a warning before she did as a kid should in this situation. But she was not going to run, at least not now. 


He saw her finger and his mood changed a bit. How best to say what happened. "That's why you don't put your fingers in big machines. It don't hurt anymore" She even wiggled what remained of her finger to prove the point.


She put there books together and put them under her shirt in a way that her pants could hold them up. She than reached for his hand and held her belly, well more the books, in a way a sick person would. 


She understood what he was having her do and well she decided to go with it. Is anyone confronted them she would release his hand and bring it to her mouth and mumble 'I think I'm going to be sick.' No one wants to clean up that right?

[Vivian]

"Well yeah, stay with me." Vivian smiled. Poor kid. It hadn't been safe for her in her own country so she'd fled here? He would feel terrible submitting her to the Amoren streets to be torn apart by a pack of hungry beggars. With half a finger missing too! At her age? He watched her carefully as she tucked the books away under her shirt. Perfect. Was she already picking up the ways of a pickpocket? He made a note to check over his pockets for anything missing, and grinned when she groaned and reached for his hand.

He tucked the puzzle into his pocket and took her hand. "What's wrong? Lunch disagreeing with you?" He asked, filling his voice with empathy, and increasing the octave a little as though he were speaking to his son or daughter. "C'mon, let's get you home sweetheart." He led her slowly out of the book shop, careful to keep himself between her and any shopkeep eying them. He put an arm around her shoulders as an excuse to stay close, and guided her across the street and down into an alleyway. He looked back and forth, then patted her shoulder.

"Fucking great, kid!" he laughed, and held out a hand. "Right, book please. I don't know how the fuck I'm going to read those calculations, but I've got to start somewhere. I don't know who the hell put alphabet into math." He shook his head. "Crazy. Come with me. I live in a Veir's household a few streets over. Best to keep away from that bookstore for a few days." Vivian chuckled.

He straightened up, tucked the book under his arm, and strolled down the alleyway. "Alright. You're going to be on the floor for a few days until I can steal cushions for you, and I always take breakfast and lunch in my room. I eat a lot anyway, feeding two." he patted his belly. "Come and go as you please, but if you filch anything from the home it's your ass and I don't know you. Got it?"

[Vinsue]

She nodded as a sick person would. As actually responding would give away the act. And of course she kept up the sick act until they were out of view of the shop. He seemed proud of there accomplishment and so they should be as they did not get caught. But it was still wrong nevertheless. She took the books out of her shirt and looked at the title and price tag as she handed it to him.  160 Imperial Dranari. That was an expensive book. "I can help you understand it.. Letters in math each stand for different things. Like r often stands for the radius of a circle and x often stands for the unknown. It's nor that difficult." She replied "I got to get my backpack first" She said than walked farther down the alleyway. She picked up a trash bag and ripped it open before taking it out and putting it on. "Old trick mango once showed me." Well at least it was a clean bag. And no one takes trash from a fabric shop. 


She then ran back over to catch back up to the man who was pregnant. That raised a lot of questions but she did not want to know the answer. Nope no gutter hole thoughts. She shook her head. 


"I got a sleeping bag." She said, She was starting to wonder what exactly she had got herself into but it was two late to break the act now that she had been threatened. How does a kid react to a threat? They cry right? OK fine she will play his game. 


"I'm not a thief." She exclaimed and started to reden in the eyes. "Now you're being unfair. Why would I take from someone who wants to help me?" She said then wiped her eyes and included the pout lip. Then like a kid she got distracted. "Why are you trying to understand that book?" She asked. 

[Vivian]

Vivian arched an eyebrow at her. There was no way. Either this kid was bullshitting better than he thought or he’d just rescued one mother load of a source. “Were your parents artificers, or did you learn that in school?” He asked curiously. He didn’t think kids learned that sort of thing, just basic numbers, how to write one’s name, the history of a city, laws…all the boring shit. He didn’t think they learned applications. He watched with interest as she ripped a bag open to make a rudimentary rucksack, nodding in approval. She had definitely been a street kid for a few months.

“Sleeping bag should do you just fine, or you can always sleep in the stables with Bara. He’s a good mule.” Vivian agreed.

Oh, the reaction to the threat. He smirked and patted her cheek. “Shopkeeper would have helped you too and we just robbed him blind. I grew up without a real home, kiddo. We do what we have to. But you, my dear…” he lifted the book she’d stolen for him. “…are most definitely a thief.”
Vivian nodded his head to the other end of the alleyway, leading her along the streets as they talked.

“I want to learn more about Artificing and engineering. I had a John once…erh…friend…who told me about these big airships, and buggies that moved without horses. Even doors that opened on their own, all through the power of artificing. Seems like a power worth knowing.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t go to school like you. I can only count to a hundred.”

As they reached the Socorro estate, Vivian drew the girl around the back. It was easiest to sneak in through the kitchen, as the wide foyer and generous sitting room would attract too much attention. The maid hated him, but the cook was very amiable and he was screwing the porter. He pushed open the door slowly, and the cook scowled when he saw the little red head Vivian was towing.

“Vivian what on earth-“ the cook began.

“I’ll suck your cock later if you keep quiet. Kid’s gonna stay a few days. You got any of those sausage pasties left?” Vivian asked. The cook sighed and gestured with a towel toward a tray of little hand pies. Vivian crammed two in his mouth, pushed a handful at the girl, and filled his pockets. They were still warm, with a flaky crust. They were stuffed with fragrant rice and spiced sausage, with chunks of white cheese scattered throughout. Vivian shoved a third down his throat.

“Ye gods. Pregnant or not, get the hell out of my kitchen boy.” The cook growled.

[Vinsue]

"Actually my mom worked in a bar and my dad worked in a factory. School taught me some but most I learned through books," She said. She shrugged at the mention of a stables with a mule. 


Can't argue against such sound logic. That said his logic was based on the thought that she was a homeless kid who stole stuff on the regular. Or did those two books actually make her a thief? Ok, now she is overthinking it. "The book keep did not help me, you did," She finally said. It was the best argument she could make as it was an assumption. 


She smiled as he said he could count to a hundred. "Then you should be able to count to a thousand. As the numbers just start to repeat with the word hundred in front. Like this. One-hundred one. One-hundred two, One hundred three. It continues all the way up. But once you reach one-hundred ninety-nine than you say two-hundred all the way up to a thousand." She said "and it is written with the same 10 numbers just now there are three instead of two." She then frowned. She was trying to help but realized she probably sounded too smart. She then decided to not say anything about seeing self opening doors before. Or numerous others. 


She stared in amazement, this place was huge. Even for the already oversized city that was not meant for gnomes.  


Seems that the cook didn't like to have stowaways. But he also was easily bought it seemed. She immediately took the handful and stuffed one in her mouth. Normally she would smell it and slowly try it but today she was a street kid. And street kids stay hungry so she eats the first two as fast as she can. Before slowly eating the third. This one she actually tasted and it was delicious. She stuffed the rest in her pocket and grabbed another before the cook chanced them off. She waited to say anything until they were away from curious ears. "If you," She started between bites. "teach me how to be a better" another bite "thief. I'll help you with math."  She proposed.