Stone's Throw

[GamesMaster]

"Pretty sure this young cat is a thief," says the half-elven clerk, looking down his nose (and spectacles) at Charon. 

"I'm not!" 

"Right, turn around," the guard says, and as Charon bristles he reaches for his truncheon. Charon turns around, and he cuffs him. "Search him, Charlie."

[NPCs]

Charlie, a frown on his face, hesitates a second, then moves towards Charon. Something about this kid looks familiar. Bah, probably just saw him around at some point. "Sorry about this kid," he mutters softly as he gets to it. After a moment, he steps back. "Worn eating knife, some jerky and a pur--"

"Hah!"

"-rse made of rough canvas, with three copper in it," the guard finishes quickly.

[GamesMaster]

"Well that's surely not the missing one," surmises the clerk. 

Seeing the Founder's displeasure, Bruce the guard suggests, "You got a back room? Sometimes they hide coins under their clothes."

"This way," says the clerk, but that's when Charon really begins to fight against Bruce's holding his hands by the cuffs. 

"No way! I'm innocent! There's no call for this!"

[NPCs]

"Sir, this seems..." 

"Dewie can assist you, officer," zi'Polim says stoutly, obviously eager to follow up on the idea of a more detailed search. "He won't let him get away." Cooing softly, the dinosaur steps forward, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

[GamesMaster]

Bruce smacks Charon in the head with his baton, briefly stunning him. "That won't be necessary," he says firmly. "This won't be a moment." And he drags Charon into the back room, Charlie following. 

The next few minutes are utterly humiliating for Charon. He prefers not to speak of them. When they return, having found nothing, Charon is quiet, hunching in on himself to make himself as small as possible, and sporting a few new bruises. "Nothing, sir. He must have swallowed the coins."

[NPCs]

"Well then, make him..." zi'Polis makes a vague gesture. "I need my coin purse back."

The clerk's eyes widen with poorly masked horror at the implication. I don't want vomit all over the store! Or in the till! "Now now, there's no need to rush such a thing," he says urgently. "Your word alone would suffice as proof of future payment, Lord Founder."

The noble had started to frown at the start but is smiling by the end, even if the fury is still there in his eyes. "Yes, well, of course," he begins, only to stop when the door opens once more.

"Sir, sir!" comes the voice of a young elven maid, dressed in zi'Polis's colours. "Mister Rodrack sent me along; you forgot your purse next to your plate... at.. .breakfast?" Her words falter at the end as she takes in the sight before her. "Sir?"

[Charon Tethras]

Charon makes a squawk of indignation, earning himself another blow to the gut that sends him to his knees. 

"Alright then? All settled here?" asks Bruce, cheerfully, as if he didn't just do that. 

[NPCs]

Charlie hides a wince, then pulls Charon back to his feet. He's not gentle about it, but he's not rough either. "Well, best you be off then, kid," he says gruffly, a warning and a strong suggestion both.

Coughing a little, zi'Polim tucks the gift case under his arm and looks around without meeting anyone's gaze. "I have much else to do today, so I'll be off. Lily, pay the clerk. Dewie, let's go."

[Charon Tethras]

Charon doesn't wait any longer than it takes Bruce to get the cuffs off; he bolts for the door, vanishing out into the afternoon with tears of shame running down his cheeks. 

He darts up the back steps at the inn, stumbling into the big room where they're renting cots with tears streaking his fur. "Dil. You okay?"

[Diligence]

The much, much smaller reptile is currently absorbed in a fight of his own; a truly brutal tangle of leather cords that were once reins and bridles before some dumbass or asshole wadded them up and tossed them somewhere for a fortnight or longer. His tongue is poking out of his muzzle as he tries to carefully tease out each strand of creaky, worn leather without breaking any of them, all without the use of his hidden eyes. "Hmm? Oh, hey Char," he mutters. 

[Charon Tethras]

Charon plops down next to his best friend, letting the tears drip -- it's not like Dil can see them, and Joy's out somewhere. "Hey, uh, Dil? What's a Lord Founder?"

[Diligence]

Dil's head cocks slightly to the side, angling his head towards Charon. "A Lord Founder? Umm. That does sound familiar... hmm. Something... What makes you ask?" By his tone, he's trying to chase down the thought still. 

[Charon Tethras]

"Ran into one today. Right asshole."

[Diligence]

"Lord Founder... Nyra..." He bobs his head back and forth rapidly, and that gesture is definatley one of Dil's 'thinking' tells. "Was he called anything else?" Dil asks abruptly. "Or by name? Was there anything funny about his name?"

[Charon Tethras]

"zi'Pool or something like that," he says with a small shrug.