Another day of arguing and Styrseig finally relented. The boy would come to visit for tonight only. If it went well, maybe there would be more.
Dogberry's patrol couldn't end quick enough. As he made his rounds, he found himself smiling. He noticed this changed the way a lot of people reacted to him. Where usually they seemed intimidated, now they seemed much friendlier. Of course, Dogberry thought. You get what you give.
Maybe, he reasoned, things could get better if he acted more positively. That his generally negative perspective meant he wasn't seeing the good all around him. As the cold, bitter air chapped his drying lips, he promised out loud to do better that day. He'd take more time to help people on his patrol.
He helped a man calm a chocobo that went wild and nearly overturned his cart. He brokered a deal on behalf of a nervous goblin. He purchased and brought hot tea to someone in the cold. He even tried, in vain, to catch a stray cat.
As the day passed, Dogberry decided that he would pick up a meal for two from the Bismarck to go, hop the first airship to Gridania, and take the ferry back to his place in Lavender Beds, where he'd await the boy's arrival. He received the bag full of tin containers from the waitress, and gave her a respectable tip and a courteous smile.
A voice came over the linkpearl he kept for the family.
"Dogberry?"
"Aye, sis?"
"Rhutshald won't be coming over."
Dogberry took a moment to compose himself.
"May I ask why?" He asked.
"I just don't think right now is a good time. How about after the Starlight festival?"
"A-aye," Dogberry said. "Fine."
"I'm sorry, it's just-" Styrseig said.
"I said it's fine," Dogberry was a little more forceful than he intended. There was silence over the linkpearl now. He began walking toward the Drowning Wench, to catch the elevator to the airship landing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the stray cat from before.
"Oh, so now you come around," he said to the cat. The cat moved forward and looked up at him. "You're probably hungry, aren't ya?"
Dogberry knelt down, picked up the cat, and put it inside his big, warm coat.
"C'mon, little guy, let's go home."
Dogberry's patrol couldn't end quick enough. As he made his rounds, he found himself smiling. He noticed this changed the way a lot of people reacted to him. Where usually they seemed intimidated, now they seemed much friendlier. Of course, Dogberry thought. You get what you give.
Maybe, he reasoned, things could get better if he acted more positively. That his generally negative perspective meant he wasn't seeing the good all around him. As the cold, bitter air chapped his drying lips, he promised out loud to do better that day. He'd take more time to help people on his patrol.
He helped a man calm a chocobo that went wild and nearly overturned his cart. He brokered a deal on behalf of a nervous goblin. He purchased and brought hot tea to someone in the cold. He even tried, in vain, to catch a stray cat.
As the day passed, Dogberry decided that he would pick up a meal for two from the Bismarck to go, hop the first airship to Gridania, and take the ferry back to his place in Lavender Beds, where he'd await the boy's arrival. He received the bag full of tin containers from the waitress, and gave her a respectable tip and a courteous smile.
A voice came over the linkpearl he kept for the family.
"Dogberry?"
"Aye, sis?"
"Rhutshald won't be coming over."
Dogberry took a moment to compose himself.
"May I ask why?" He asked.
"I just don't think right now is a good time. How about after the Starlight festival?"
"A-aye," Dogberry said. "Fine."
"I'm sorry, it's just-" Styrseig said.
"I said it's fine," Dogberry was a little more forceful than he intended. There was silence over the linkpearl now. He began walking toward the Drowning Wench, to catch the elevator to the airship landing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the stray cat from before.
"Oh, so now you come around," he said to the cat. The cat moved forward and looked up at him. "You're probably hungry, aren't ya?"
Dogberry knelt down, picked up the cat, and put it inside his big, warm coat.
"C'mon, little guy, let's go home."
![[Image: BZneHYK.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/BZneHYK.jpg)
No Gods and Precious Few Heroes
