Two days came and went, as they tend to do regardless of how much you got to do.  So, I found myself once more in Ul’Dah, on the doorstep of the information broker lalafell, Trendo.  Knock, knock…… knock, knock again.  Waiting, waiting…. Nothing.
You little piece of…. If he wasn’t so good at what he did.  I put my ear to the door and couldn’t hear anything inside and I didn’t see any candles or lighting through the grimy window.  He stood me up.  All I could do was wait, so, sitting down on the step and setting my bag down beside me, I did just that.  Really wish I’d thought to bring a book, I should have known the little prick would pull something like this.
There I waited, and waited, and waited some more.  Until two hours later, I heard shuffling, but not from outside, no, this was from inside.  Oh, he’d better not have.  Standing I turned and banged on the door with a closed fist hard enough to shake some of the grime off the windows.  A lock inside clicked and the door swung in.
He stood, yawning and rubbing sleep out of his eyes, “What’re you banging for, geez. I heard you the first time.â€
Grinding my teeth I pushed passed him and into the small room, blankets disheveled on a cot not more than ten feet from the door.  “Yeah, that was over TWO HOURS ago, Trendo.  My ass has been outside, waiting for you to get here for TWO HOURS, and you were in here the whole time?â€
“Yeah well, I fell back asleep.  You don’t get good looks like these without plenty of rest.   Besides, it wasn’t easy getting what you wanted and a bit of waiting does you some good after you banged up my guard.† There was an impish smirk curling under his waxed mustache as he twirled in.  He actually twirled it, like some story book villain, hand to the gods.
I took a long deep breath and let it out, “In that case, your bonus might just have lost interest unless you tell me now and stop wastin’ more of my time.† That got his attention, far be it from him to lose out on his perverted little fantasies.  Â
Grumbling, he waddled to the table and a leather folder of  papers, “You better not stiff me on that.  We had a deal.â€
“Yeah, yeah, information first. I always hold up my end, let’s see if you do too.â€
“Guy you’re looking for goes by the name of Heptus.  Hyur right out of this city.  Deals in all kinds of underground things and considers himself something of an inventor as well.  Word is he’s been trading with them for components from old battlefields the Garleans were fighting on or about.  He gives them supplies and stuff, for anything they find of interest.  It’s all right here.  Even managed to match up the writing on that paper you gave me to some of his own.  He’s your man.â€
Sliding the folder across the table I looked through it.  The writing was pretty close, exact even when looking at the same letters.   Address, name, description.  Perfect, just what the Rens need to find out the next step to that contraption they found and maybe even it’s creator, if he was indeed and inventor.  Time would tell.
“Perfect.  Consider one of your favors repaid.† Turning I waved behind him with the folder and there was a loud clearing of his deep toned throat.  “Right, bonus.  Hold on she’s just outside actually.  Can’t say how energetic she’ll be since you made us wait for two hours though.  That’s on you, mate.â€
Tucking the folder away in my long coat’s inner pocket I stepped outside and picked up the lightweight leather bag I’d left on the step.  It wiggled and squeak slightly.   Turning I lifted the flap and removed a dark coated female kitten.  “As promised.â€
His expression?.... Priceless.  There was stuttering and spluttering as the little black ball of fluffy fury jumped out of my hands near the ground and ran, shining eyes on the perfectly waxed cookie duster on his lip.  “You said, it was a Miqo’te that’d do… OW!† She jumped and dug her claws into his leg and climbed up to his chest, where his arms instinctively grabbed hold of the kitten giving it free reign to bat at his mustache tip.
“I promised you a, ‘a cat girl, ready and willing to do unspeakable things, right here in this office for you for as long as you want.’  She’s a female, I found her out in the desert a few days ago, abandoned in a bag on the side of the road.  She doesn’t speak so anything she does to you, will be, well… unspoken.  Likely that’ll just be a lot of playing with string and eating but, hey, I kept my word.†Â
“This is not what I had in mind and you damn well know it!†He protested as he held the kitten by the scruff of her neck at arms length eyeing her. Â
“That mean you don’t want her?  I can put her back where I found her if you don’t.† The scowl I got could have peeled paint from the walls as he clutched her to his chest.
“I’m not a monster, abandoned you say?  Fine… fine!  I’ll keep her.  Poor thing’s been in a bag all day as it is.  Just get lost already.  I don’t wanna see you again any time soon, you understand me?!†Â
“Loud and clear, Tendo.   Loud and clear.â€
I shut the door behind me, but not before seeing, just before it closed, him rubbing his cheek against the top of her head. Â
You little piece of…. If he wasn’t so good at what he did.  I put my ear to the door and couldn’t hear anything inside and I didn’t see any candles or lighting through the grimy window.  He stood me up.  All I could do was wait, so, sitting down on the step and setting my bag down beside me, I did just that.  Really wish I’d thought to bring a book, I should have known the little prick would pull something like this.
There I waited, and waited, and waited some more.  Until two hours later, I heard shuffling, but not from outside, no, this was from inside.  Oh, he’d better not have.  Standing I turned and banged on the door with a closed fist hard enough to shake some of the grime off the windows.  A lock inside clicked and the door swung in.
He stood, yawning and rubbing sleep out of his eyes, “What’re you banging for, geez. I heard you the first time.â€
Grinding my teeth I pushed passed him and into the small room, blankets disheveled on a cot not more than ten feet from the door.  “Yeah, that was over TWO HOURS ago, Trendo.  My ass has been outside, waiting for you to get here for TWO HOURS, and you were in here the whole time?â€
“Yeah well, I fell back asleep.  You don’t get good looks like these without plenty of rest.   Besides, it wasn’t easy getting what you wanted and a bit of waiting does you some good after you banged up my guard.† There was an impish smirk curling under his waxed mustache as he twirled in.  He actually twirled it, like some story book villain, hand to the gods.
I took a long deep breath and let it out, “In that case, your bonus might just have lost interest unless you tell me now and stop wastin’ more of my time.† That got his attention, far be it from him to lose out on his perverted little fantasies.  Â
Grumbling, he waddled to the table and a leather folder of  papers, “You better not stiff me on that.  We had a deal.â€
“Yeah, yeah, information first. I always hold up my end, let’s see if you do too.â€
“Guy you’re looking for goes by the name of Heptus.  Hyur right out of this city.  Deals in all kinds of underground things and considers himself something of an inventor as well.  Word is he’s been trading with them for components from old battlefields the Garleans were fighting on or about.  He gives them supplies and stuff, for anything they find of interest.  It’s all right here.  Even managed to match up the writing on that paper you gave me to some of his own.  He’s your man.â€
Sliding the folder across the table I looked through it.  The writing was pretty close, exact even when looking at the same letters.   Address, name, description.  Perfect, just what the Rens need to find out the next step to that contraption they found and maybe even it’s creator, if he was indeed and inventor.  Time would tell.
“Perfect.  Consider one of your favors repaid.† Turning I waved behind him with the folder and there was a loud clearing of his deep toned throat.  “Right, bonus.  Hold on she’s just outside actually.  Can’t say how energetic she’ll be since you made us wait for two hours though.  That’s on you, mate.â€
Tucking the folder away in my long coat’s inner pocket I stepped outside and picked up the lightweight leather bag I’d left on the step.  It wiggled and squeak slightly.   Turning I lifted the flap and removed a dark coated female kitten.  “As promised.â€
His expression?.... Priceless.  There was stuttering and spluttering as the little black ball of fluffy fury jumped out of my hands near the ground and ran, shining eyes on the perfectly waxed cookie duster on his lip.  “You said, it was a Miqo’te that’d do… OW!† She jumped and dug her claws into his leg and climbed up to his chest, where his arms instinctively grabbed hold of the kitten giving it free reign to bat at his mustache tip.
“I promised you a, ‘a cat girl, ready and willing to do unspeakable things, right here in this office for you for as long as you want.’  She’s a female, I found her out in the desert a few days ago, abandoned in a bag on the side of the road.  She doesn’t speak so anything she does to you, will be, well… unspoken.  Likely that’ll just be a lot of playing with string and eating but, hey, I kept my word.†Â
“This is not what I had in mind and you damn well know it!†He protested as he held the kitten by the scruff of her neck at arms length eyeing her. Â
“That mean you don’t want her?  I can put her back where I found her if you don’t.† The scowl I got could have peeled paint from the walls as he clutched her to his chest.
“I’m not a monster, abandoned you say?  Fine… fine!  I’ll keep her.  Poor thing’s been in a bag all day as it is.  Just get lost already.  I don’t wanna see you again any time soon, you understand me?!†Â
“Loud and clear, Tendo.   Loud and clear.â€
I shut the door behind me, but not before seeing, just before it closed, him rubbing his cheek against the top of her head. Â
