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 Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 pm
Barth went to the day's classes with exams on his mind. Prom too, and the problem that came with it. Namely: Time.
He had to pick up Lilith for Prom. Not only that, but he had to be on time. Not late. She'd been very clear on that point. It was, of course, fashionable for Sloth demons to be later than late. There were very few things that made Barth's obligations to his species on the muddled side.
Ghouls happened to be one of them.
Lilith was also unfortunately not a demon, and she didn't live on the bottom floor. She lived up three flights of stairs. He regretted, not for the first time, that he was the wingless variety of demon. He would have liked to try gliding, at least.
He shuffled slowly between classes, thinking. What he needed, he knew, was speed. And he was in very short supply.
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:17 pm
Sometimes it was just nice to go out for a jog. Right then was one of those times for Moure.
Apparently, exams had started, or were starting, anyway, which really made the patchwork wonder about why he'd been enrolled right before these infamous tests. Don't schools usually wait for the start of the new year to do that kind of thing? Ah well, it didn't really effect Moure all that much, so the patchwork had put those matters to the back of his mind. What also was coming up soon was Prom. Apparently Danny needed an escort though, so he supposed he was going. He'd have to make sure he still had something sutible to wear in his closet. He thought he'd brought something, anyway... Ah well, he could think about those things later.
For now, he'd just jog. (Of course, Moure's jogging is about as fast as a normal student's running...)
Moure glanced around as he as 'jogging', looking at the buildings. He must be around where classes were held, right? Shoot, he really needed to bring a map with him until he got used to the campus. The Runner noticed a few other students around, including one demon that was moving incredibly slow. Moure couldn't even fathom trying to move at that rate, it was so...sluggish. The sound of running would have been heard by anyone in the close proximity, but Moure didn't want to take any chances or run into anyone. He detoured a bit off the path (even slowing slightly since the terrain was a bit unfamiliar), swerving around the slower student, and then moved back onto the path.
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:25 pm
At that moment, opportunity zipped by.
Something, another student, moving...running, very fast. (well, fast by his standards) And not just any student. A patchwork. Probably not an igor. The parts were well-proportioned, and lacking in lumps, boils, or mismanaged features. Still, it could mean... Barth barked, "Hold it!" in a commanding tone.
Then, embarrassed he cleared his throat and tried, "Err, if you don't mind terribly."
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:40 pm
Moure had just been 'jogging' around the slow-poke student and getting back onto the path when he heard a very commanding, very firm Order shouted out. Automatically, Moure's posture and footing changed, and the Patchwork slid across the path a few feet, churning up dust and leaving a track behind him, before finally coming to a stand-still. If someone was going to Command such an action in such a firm voice, the patchwork was going to obey it, even if he didn't know who had spoken out said Command.
The Runner turned, looking back toward whoever had shouted out, assuming the loud Command had been for him. The slow student who he'd detoured around was speaking again, in a much less commanding voice, so Moure figured this must have been the one who had Commanded him to stop.
Moure straightened up a bit more and looked at the sluggish boil, his eyebrow raising slightly. He walked back until he was in a relative speaking distance of the boil. The Runner then tilted his head slightly and asked, "Yes? Do you need anything?"
Of course Moure's first reaction is to ask if they need something. Errand Boy to the core, right there.
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:57 pm
Barth smiled.
Exactly the sort of response he was hoping for.
"Err, yes, actually. Sorry, err, should probably introduce myself. I'm Bartholomew Mudd. ...Barth, if you like. I couldn't help notice that you were...Running?" Barth hesitated. "I don't suppose you'd happen to be a Runner."
Even if he wasn't, Barth thought they still might work something out.
Still, running into a Runner proper would be...very fortuitous.
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 11:10 pm
Moure nodded as the boil spoke again, his eyebrow still raised a bit. Then he recognized the name... Barth... This must be Claire's brother then, the Sloth Demon. Well, that made sense and explained why the other student was so slow. Moure gave a nod again at the Sloth's question(?). "I was just jogging back there, actually..." And then, something happened that had yet to happen at the Academy.
Someone recognized him specifically as a Runner.
Moure's eyes widened a bit, and his mouth pulled into a bit of the beginning of a grin. "I am, actually." Moure gave a nod, wondering a bit as to why this demon knew what a Runner was (after all, they weren't as common as Igors or anything.), but still just pleasantly surprised that the boil knew what he was. Moure eyed the Sloth slightly, feeling as if an Errand was going to be spoken soon. "Why? Did you need something?"
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 11:47 pm
"I do," Barth said, "and it's damned short notice. I don't suppose there was anything you happened to need? In err...in exchange?"
That was probably not the best idea, but Barth thought it was polite. The Favor wasn't too large...and he didn't like being caught on the desperate needy sort of end, but desperate circumstances...
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 12:00 am
Moure's eyebrows raised a bit more, but the patchwork nodded when Barth mentioned he needed something done. "I can work on short notice." Actually, Moure was built to run on short notice Errands. Realizing he had yet to introduce himself, the patchwork said, "I'm Moure, by the way. Moure Koure." He gave a nod, then listened as the Sloth explained a bit more. Did Moure need anything in exchange?
The patchwork had the beginnings of a grin on his face, and shook his head. "Not particularly. If you wanted to give me something in return, that's fine, but I'm used to Running for nothing. If I think of something later, I'll let you know...?" Moure wasn't the type to really turn down payment, but he wasn't going to demand any, especially when he didn't even know what the Errand was. Which brought his mind back to the topic at hand. "Was is it that you need on such short notice then?" After all, Moure wanted to know what Barth intended to have him do.
That was kind of an important part of Errand Running after all. You know, actually knowing what the Errand was.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 12:20 am
Those were acceptable Terms, but nothing he'd want to shake on. ...Running for nothing? Well, when it was made easy...
"Pleasure to meet you, Moure," he said. "The difficulty is that I need to be on time for my date tomorrow. I think I can err, manage, probably." With the help of the stair-climbing device and his skateboard. "But I need someone that can...keep up with me. And carry some things. And who doesn't mind climbing to the top of the Reaper dorm. ...And back down again. And who can do it fast enough without err, interfering with their own plans for prom."
That was the entirety of it.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 12:38 am
The Runner nodded as Barth began to explain his situation.
Needing to be on time for his date to the Prom, hmm? In his mind, Moure couldn't help but laugh a bit at the "Keep up with him" comment. He WAS talking to a Sloth Demon after all, right? Moure nodded again as Barth finished explaining. "So, you need someone that can travel with you from your room to your date's room, the latter being in the top floor of the Reaper dorm, while carrying things for you. And then being able to get back down and to their own dorm in time for their own plans to work." Moure verified the Order, then nodded. "I should be able to pull it off. I was built for Errands like this." The best description word someone could give for Moure was fast, after all. This was just a matter of being rather efficient, and that was something Moure could tackle, easily.
"What type of things were you wanting me to carry?" Moure asked, kind of out of curious, and partially because he wanted to make sure his left arm's stitching would hold up. (That would be a horrible time for his arm to fall off, after all.) "What's your room number, by the way? And when do you want me to show up?" If he was going to be carrying something, Moure assumed he was going to have to pick it up straight from the room.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 12:59 am
"That's right. Err, it might be better if you...wait outside the demon dorms." He'd need Christof's help to get ready, and he had a feeling Christof would take the additional help...badly. "I'll meet you. 30 minutes or so before the dance? But you will need to drop my stair-climbing device off at my dorm afterwards. My room number is 154. ...If you see another patchwork hanging about, hunchbacky sort of fellow, I'd be obliged if you avoided him."
What was delivery without a little intrigue. Thirty minutes should be enough time. Still. He had a feeling things would be close.
"The carrying's nothing large. The device, which folds up and is relatively light, and a corsage."
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 11:23 am
Moure nodded, slightly wondering why the Sloth would rather carry the things down himself than have Moure come pick them up. The Runner continued to listen though, and got his answer a few moments later. A hunch-backed sort of patchwork? Unless there was more than one, it was probably Christof...yeaaaah, it would be best to avoid him if Moure was in a rush... "Alright, I'll be outside the Demon Dorms thirty minutes before Prom starts." He didn't even ask about the 'stair-climbing device', since he figured he would see it eventually anyway. He nodded again though, "I can handle that...and, is this hunchback you're talking about Christof...? Because if so, I've, ah, already met him..." He trailed off, thinking back on the unfortunate occurance of the accidental arm-snatching. "Not my best first impression... I'll avoid him if I see him."
Moure nodded again. "A light device and a corsage. I can definitely handle carrying those." He figured the device had to be pretty light if a Sloth demon had it and had to have it moved every so often. Moure gave one more nod, and then said, "Is there anything else you need...? Or..." Moure gestured back at the path. Seemed he was trying to ask if the Sloth needed anything else done before the Runner resumed his jog.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 12:34 pm
"That's him. ...He's not a bad sort, just err, might take you helping me the wrong way." A showdown of any kind would make him late, and Christof and he had to work together at the beginning of the evening anyway. He didn't want to spend the whole time squabbling. But he did need to be at Lilith's on time. Barth looked down the path, where Moure was gesturing, and took the hint.
"No, thank you, that's everything. Very nice meeting you, Moure."
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 12:49 pm
Moure nodded again. "I figured as much. It probably didn't help my case that my boogeymon tried to attack him when we first met..." Moure trailed off, then listened as the Sloth spoke again. He gave one last nod, and said, "If you're sure you don't need anything right now." He looked back to the pathway, eying where he'd stopped and kicked up the dust. There would be a trail from where he'd skidded to a stop until it was flattened out by walking feet, it seemed.
"Nice meeting you too, Barth. I'll see you before the dance then." The Runner raised his hand, as if doing a motionless wave, and turned back to the pathway. His footing changed positions, and he was back in a Runner's stance. Then, he took off, continuing on his 'jog'. It wouldn't take long for the patchwork to get out of sight.
After all, Moure wasn't called a 'Runner' patchwork for no reason. That boil was fast.
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