Sorry again if this isn't up to par but I've had a lot less time to write lately so instead of writing these ahead I've had to write them before I crash into bed at night.
"Come in, come in." The old woman said. "Welcome to my home."
"Not to insult the generosity of a kind old woman." Prix said. "But in general I've found that it is quite rare that kind generous people grow into old women with ample wealth enough just to invite strangers in off their door step."
The old woman stared down Prix a moment as if she were hurt by Prix's impudence, then cracked a small smile. "Would ye believe that people mellow in their old age?"
"No." Prix said bluntly.
"Well then." The old woman said and she suddenly stood up straight and her hand stopped trembling. "You'll be happy to know I not old, generous, kind, or for that matter even female."
Then with a snap of the fingers the old woman was instead a young shifty looking teenager with a mildly sinister smile.
"Oh great." Prix said unimpressed. "So you go from a woman old enough to need diapers to a boy young enough to need diapers."
"Heh." The boy said. "I think you would have just learned not to judge me by my looks."
The boy snapped his finger and changed shapes three or four times before restoring to the boy.
"Well what should I call you then?" Prix asked.
"The name is Jack." Jack said.
"Is it?" Prix asked.
"No, not really." Jack replied.
"Wonderful." Prix replied. "Well Jack how can I trust you won't murder me in my sleep?"
"Well." Said Jack running his hands through his hair which was flopping all over the place post-transformation. "My safehouse wouldn't get very much repeat business."
"Maybe you just kill people and take their stuff."
"No, that is what adventurers do." Jack replied. "Sane people, like myself, find a good way to profit off you types safely. Like selling you weapons to kill each other with, getting you drunk 'til you pass out so's they can charge you double for a room or like myself, offering the occasional safe house to adventurers."
"Well, I'm not wanted." Prix said.
"Of course you're not. I mean, you're so old." Jack said.
"I meant…and I'm not old!" Prix objected.
"Yea well, you are defensive." Jack observed. "So you're not exactly young either."
"I'm only…" Prix started.
Jack raised up a hand. "I really don't care. I just wanted to insult you back."
"What?" Prix said. "When did I…"
"Insult my intelligence? When you suggested that you came to a safe house because no one was after you." Jack replied. "Besides, your friend Locke blew through here ahead of you and told me the whole thing. Really big ape monster after you, I get; but my question is: if he was the one eating people how did you all end up on the run?"
"Well, apparently after we crashed off the cliff someone let out some sort of killer gnome and guess who got the blame?" Prix said. "So yea, now we've got several bounty hunters after us and the gnome. I mean, no one really cares which one they get just so long as someone is gotten."
"So you're planning on getting the gnome?" Jack asked.
"No, I'm going to lay low till it blows over." Prix said. "Odds are if I turned up with the gnome they would string up both of us."
"I see. Well that is good." Jack said. "Well, why not head down into the celler. Your room is down there. I'll get something to eat in a bit."
"Alright." Prix said. "Do you know where Locke went after this?"
"He….uh….didn't say." Jack reported.
"Ah well." Prix said. "I'll go down stairs now, but don't try anything smart."
"I'll be dumb as donkeys." Jack promised.
Prix gave him an odd look as she headed down into the cellar. After she was gone Jack went into the kitchen where the others waited.
"Whew. She doesn't know we're here." Jack said. "Lets get the heck out of here before she realizes what is going on."
"I think we should take her now." Cassie said.
"Easy for you to say." Jack said as shape-shifted again back into James. "You still have your wings."
"Besides, Dess is full and you know she doesn't horribly kill people well on a full stomach." Ash added.
All three turned to look over as Dess who was gnawing on the old woman's arm.
"Well, I'll probably be hungry again in a few hours." Dess said.
"Yea and we're all looking forward to that." James deadpanned.
"Hey its not my fault these people are addictive." Dess complained.
"Yea you look like you're trying real hard to stop." Ash said.
"If it is a choice between eating people and burying them I choose eating everytime." Dess replied.
"You know, that defense is starting to get a bit weak." James observed.
"So what is the new plan." Dess asked.
"Well Prix thinks if we turn her in people will stop coming after us. Then all we have to do is stop killing and eating people." James said.
The three faeries all paused and looks at Dess. Dess looked around uncomfortably for a moment and put down the arm of old woman.
"Well, I'm not promising anything, but I'll try." Dess said and then took another bite. "Right after lunch."
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