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"I see my wares have caught your eyes." Elliot managed to tear his attention away from the row of elegantly decorated weapons for a few seconds to nod at the man before his curiosity was reeled back to the displayed items.
"You have quite the variety of...interesting things," Elliot said at last, for lack of a better description. "Where did you get them?"
"Some from over here. Some from over there," the man cryptically remarked without so much as a twitch of a smile. Elliot waited for the man to elaborate on the meanings of 'here' and 'there'. Much to his annoyance, he did not. He was probably a crook selling cheap imitations. It would explain the shady attire. Elliot started to turn around and walk away when the guy called out to him in an oddly unpleasant yet at the same time beckoning voice.
"If you so desire, I have what you seek." Elliot gave him a skeptical look and crossed his arms.
"Is that so," he responded, figuring he may as well take the bait. "And what might that be?"
"Something for everyone," he now said in a raspy voice, slowly moving away from the counter and shuffling towards Elliot. "Always something for everyone." As the man got closer and closer towards him, Elliot grew just a tiny bit worried and started to take a few steps back.
"Uh...What are you-" He had no time to finish his sentence as he was suddenly yanked around and behind the stall. Elliot was about to voice his indignation when the man held out a small roll of parchment, tied by only a small piece of flimsy string. The man pushed it towards him and he took the hint and took it from his hands. "What is it?" Elliot asked, starting to pull the string. The man hastily snatched it back into his own hands, the quick and sudden movement nearly making his hood fall back. He adjusted the hood and Elliot saw a frown appear on his face. The man tut-tutted, shaking his head at him, and Elliot felt his level of irritation rise. "Well if you didn't want to give it to me, why did y-"
"For a slight fee, the parchment is yours to be revealed," the man said before Elliot could finish his protest.
"Oh come on, you can't possibly expect me to buy that if I don't even know what it is."
"The call of curiosity beckons you, no?" the man answered, holding the parchment out for him to take again. "Hidden islands, lost treasure...what could be in it, I wonder?" he added in a slightly teasing tone.
"You drive a hard bargain," Elliot grumbled, not particularly fond of how reeled in he was getting into all of this. He snatched the thin paper from the man's hand and pulled out the pouch from his pocket. "What's your offer?" Goddesses help him, he was going to feel like such an idiot if the paper turned out to be blank. It wouldn't be the first time. Curse his weakness.
"A mere hundred rupees is all this simple fellow asks for," the man said in reply. Elliot let out a snort and crossed his arms again.
"Do you take me for a fool?" he said. "For something I can't even look at, what you're asking for is highway robbery. Ten rupees."
"I promise you, you won't be disappointed with its contents," the man said. "Seventy-five."
"Fifteen."
"Seventy rupees. Take it or be gone."
"If it's as 'amazing' as you say it is, why don't you keep it for yourself?" Elliot questioned him in suspicion.
"I have no need for the wealthy gains that seem to draw people in. I only wish to make a simple living for myself and share my finds with others."
"I think fifteen rupees is plenty simple enough."
"You would deny this tired old man the extra rupees to live?"
"Fine, fine," Elliot muttered, fishing out the rupees and clattering them onto the stand. "Consider it a charity case. But you mark my words, if I find out I've been cheated, I'm going to hunt you down." The man smiled and scooped up the rupees onto the palm of his hand. Elliot gave him a final warning glare then turned to leave. The man's voice spoke out from behind him once more.
"Fare thee well...Elliot." Elliot spun around in surprise.
"Hey, how'd you know my-" To his complete and utter confusion, the man was gone. All that was left behind was a rickety old stand. He glanced at the parchment still in his hand, then back at the stand. And it was in this confused daze that Elliot started walking back home.
"You have quite the variety of...interesting things," Elliot said at last, for lack of a better description. "Where did you get them?"
"Some from over here. Some from over there," the man cryptically remarked without so much as a twitch of a smile. Elliot waited for the man to elaborate on the meanings of 'here' and 'there'. Much to his annoyance, he did not. He was probably a crook selling cheap imitations. It would explain the shady attire. Elliot started to turn around and walk away when the guy called out to him in an oddly unpleasant yet at the same time beckoning voice.
"If you so desire, I have what you seek." Elliot gave him a skeptical look and crossed his arms.
"Is that so," he responded, figuring he may as well take the bait. "And what might that be?"
"Something for everyone," he now said in a raspy voice, slowly moving away from the counter and shuffling towards Elliot. "Always something for everyone." As the man got closer and closer towards him, Elliot grew just a tiny bit worried and started to take a few steps back.
"Uh...What are you-" He had no time to finish his sentence as he was suddenly yanked around and behind the stall. Elliot was about to voice his indignation when the man held out a small roll of parchment, tied by only a small piece of flimsy string. The man pushed it towards him and he took the hint and took it from his hands. "What is it?" Elliot asked, starting to pull the string. The man hastily snatched it back into his own hands, the quick and sudden movement nearly making his hood fall back. He adjusted the hood and Elliot saw a frown appear on his face. The man tut-tutted, shaking his head at him, and Elliot felt his level of irritation rise. "Well if you didn't want to give it to me, why did y-"
"For a slight fee, the parchment is yours to be revealed," the man said before Elliot could finish his protest.
"Oh come on, you can't possibly expect me to buy that if I don't even know what it is."
"The call of curiosity beckons you, no?" the man answered, holding the parchment out for him to take again. "Hidden islands, lost treasure...what could be in it, I wonder?" he added in a slightly teasing tone.
"You drive a hard bargain," Elliot grumbled, not particularly fond of how reeled in he was getting into all of this. He snatched the thin paper from the man's hand and pulled out the pouch from his pocket. "What's your offer?" Goddesses help him, he was going to feel like such an idiot if the paper turned out to be blank. It wouldn't be the first time. Curse his weakness.
"A mere hundred rupees is all this simple fellow asks for," the man said in reply. Elliot let out a snort and crossed his arms again.
"Do you take me for a fool?" he said. "For something I can't even look at, what you're asking for is highway robbery. Ten rupees."
"I promise you, you won't be disappointed with its contents," the man said. "Seventy-five."
"Fifteen."
"Seventy rupees. Take it or be gone."
"If it's as 'amazing' as you say it is, why don't you keep it for yourself?" Elliot questioned him in suspicion.
"I have no need for the wealthy gains that seem to draw people in. I only wish to make a simple living for myself and share my finds with others."
"I think fifteen rupees is plenty simple enough."
"You would deny this tired old man the extra rupees to live?"
"Fine, fine," Elliot muttered, fishing out the rupees and clattering them onto the stand. "Consider it a charity case. But you mark my words, if I find out I've been cheated, I'm going to hunt you down." The man smiled and scooped up the rupees onto the palm of his hand. Elliot gave him a final warning glare then turned to leave. The man's voice spoke out from behind him once more.
"Fare thee well...Elliot." Elliot spun around in surprise.
"Hey, how'd you know my-" To his complete and utter confusion, the man was gone. All that was left behind was a rickety old stand. He glanced at the parchment still in his hand, then back at the stand. And it was in this confused daze that Elliot started walking back home.
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