Pint Sized Trouble

Writers: Ainsley1, Devin
Date Posted: 18th May 2007

Characters: Jerroll, Loki
Description: Jerroll saves a street urchin from an irate bakecrafter
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 4, day 3 of Turn 4

"Hey, NO! Stop it! LET ME GO!" the screams of the small curly headed boy sounded as if he were being tortured to death. If the murderous look of the bakecrafter who had a firm hold on the lad was any indication, the torture might be soon to come. "You've taken from me fer the LAST time! I'll carve ya up for meat pies, I will!" the large man threatened shaking the lad like a rag doll and boxing his ear with his other hand just for good measure. Big blue eyes welled with tears, which clung to long dark lashes. When he tried, Loki could appear 2-3 turns younger than the 11 he rightfully claimed. He feared looking small and innocent was not going to get him out of this particular fix, but it was always worth a try. "Hey, what's all this?" Jerroll asked as he walked up.

"He's gonna kill me mister an' fer no good reason! Please help me, please!" the boy pleaded. "This little sneak thief 'as pinched his last loafs and cakes from me I'll be tellin' ya right now!" the huge bakecrafter replied giving the boy yet another good shake. "I'm sure we've all done foolish things on an empty stomach," Jerroll said calmly. "I'll pay you what the boy owes and a bit more for your trouble. Let him keep the food." The sad little thing didn't look like he could even afford table scraps.

"Hmph!" the bakecrafter grunted, dropping the boy. "Not one to turn down a mark when offered and a fine gen'lmun ya are too, seacrafter, ta help sech a scoundrel as 'im."

"Oh, thank ya, sir, thank ya so very much!" the boy said, scooting quickly behind the seacrafter to try to put as much space between his antagonist and himself as possible. He might have disappeared right into the crowd, except he no longer had possession of the loaf of bread or pastries. The man had actually said he could keep the food! Retrieving the bread and pastries that the boy had dropped, the bakecrafter handed them to the man casting another scowl to the boy, "If ever I catcha agin, ya little tunnelsnake, I'll skin the hide right off ya."

Jerroll handed the baker nearly twice the worth of the food and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Come on."
He steered the boy a few feet away before speaking to him again. "I'd suggest steering well clear of him from now on. And if you need to steal, don't get caught." The seacrafter winked and handed the boy his goods.

The boy eagerly accepted the goods! Though he wanted to boast that this was only the second time he'd ever been caught he knew better than that. "Gee thanks, I mean fer the food and fer savin' me! I wouldn' even be taken sech 'ceptin' for my ma's sick an' we're both powerful hungry," the boy answered, soulful blue eyes looking up at Jerroll. "Uh-huh." Jerroll's eye brow rose. "Now, the hunger I believe. But the sick mother is a nice touch." An unabashed grin spread across the boy's features and he gave a little shrug. Okay, so the seacrafter may have a kind streak but he was no easy mark! "I do what I gotta and I got my reasons. Thanks again! Um, you sure, you don't want some of this?" Loki asked feeling it only fair to share the prize with his benefactor. He waved it off. "I already ate." And even if he hadn't, he had plenty of marks to buy food for himself.

"What ship you work on?" the curly headed lad wanted to know, thinking the seacrafter must not be shy of marks as generous as he was. "And why would you be interested in that?" Jerroll asked.

The boy gave a nonchalant shrug, "Just wondered," he mumbled. "Must be a good ship or yer pretty important."

"I'm First Mate of a very wonderful ship, with an even better Captain," he told the boy.

"Ooh, you _are_ important," he added, wondering what it must be like to have an impressive job on a ship rather than scrounge for leavings on land. "Do you have a firelizard?" the boy wanted to know. More than anything in life, Loki wanted a firelizard and in his estimation anyone who had one really had it made. Jerroll shook his head. "No, I don't." He'd had many chances to purchase an egg, but never felt the need to have one of the creatures for himself.

The boy gave a somewhat sad shake of his head which was interrupted by an extremely loud growl from his stomach. Anxious to eat his food, he thought it was probably time to take his leave. "I ah, should probably be gettin' on, thanks again fer ah, well, fer everythin'," he offered with a big grin which seemed to reach right up to his sparkling blue eyes. "It was no trouble. I remember what it was like to be hungry," the First Mate told him. "Be careful now, and try to stay out of trouble."

Loki gave the seacrafter a final nod, paused as if he really wanted to say something else shook his head. "Sorry fer...any trouble," he mumbled his eyes showing the sincerity of the apology before he darted away, dashing a tear from his eye as soon as he turned. Though, unaccustomed to any feeling of guilt, he really had liked the seacrafter. It wasn't until several minutes later that Jerroll noticed his small belt pouch was missing. He knew exactly where it had gone. **Sly little thief.** So much for gratitude!

Last updated on the May 19th 2007

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Pint Sized Trouble