"How does it feel, doing dirty work for the lords?" she spat at me.

I stopped and scratched my head for a moment. Considered what she'd said. "I haven't got the slightest idea what you're talking about."

"Oh please. Listen to yourself. Talking about 'civilization' like it was anything other than an excuse for the system the lords use to keep themselves on top. In cities full of squalor."

I just looked at her. "Actually, I'd just rather live in a city. There's a lot more cool stuff to do there, and you don't have to spend your life farming."

"So you're dead."

"Yes. Pretty sure. What year is it?"

I told him. "I have no idea what that date means, so yeah, dead."

"Okay," I said, "And?"

"And nothing."

"Oh, come on. Everybody here is all 'Oooo! I am a metaphorical incarnation of inner conflict or so on.' So the First Thief is just spectating?"

"Basically."

"You sure? You're not going to tell me I'm your umpteenth grandkid and so I'm destined for something, are you? Because that'd be really lame."

He laughed. "I had so many kids, every ferret alive's probably related to me. That doesn't mean squat."

They say the best things in life are free. Whoever "They" are, which is something that's always confused me. I mean, I don't pay in money for lots of my stuff, that's kinda the whole point of being a thief. Well, that's not quite true, I do buy lots of things, because it's simpler and less work. But anyway, the point is, even stealing's not really free, it takes planning and cleverness and care and a bunch of running away. Plus the money for all the gear to do stuff. It's fun too, but that's just one of the benefits.

Man. You'd expect weather like this downwind of wizards, not everywhere. On the other hand, it's pretty nifty. Yesterday it was blindingly cold, and snow was falling in giant flakes. Like six inches worth. Today, it's warm enough to run around in short sleeves, but the snow hasn't melted yet. Which is totally awesome, because that way there's snow, but we don't have to freeze our butts off. Don't tell Erin, but I think it's a perfect time for an epic snowball fight across the city. I just have to sneak up on her before she sneaks up on me.

13,669 / 50,000 (27.3%)

Y'know, I kinda figured Fors would have gotten on the boat and actually be GOING somewhere now, rather than shopping and snooping. Shows what I know.

Also, I suspect that if I might be able to type fast enough to set up weird harmonics in my keyboard stand, which would cause it to shatter into a billion splinters. Well, maybe not. I'm not Clark Kent, I can't melt typewriters just by typing on them.

I'm also now caught up to where demiurgent was on day 3. Heh.

First off, wordcount.

7,681 / 50,000 (15.4%)

Slow, but at least I got some done. More tomorrow. Conversations take up a lot of words, at least when I write them. That could just be my flaw though.

( Writing and music rambling, plus a top 11 list, all inside. )

I'm a little behind. I had plenty of time today, but I kept getting distracted. Well, off to work now.

I looked down at the street full of demons and princesses and all sorts of other unnatural beasties. Lots of ghosts. Probably because they're so easy to make. "I love Halloween," I said.

"Which part," Erin asked, "Dressing up goofy, the tricks, or the treats?"

"You can't separate something into its parts like that," I said, "Not when they all work together so well. It's all kinds of nifty things, squeezed into one day and stuffed with candy."

"How's that any different than how you normally act?"

"That's the point, isn't it? Everybody gets to be me for a day!"

"Won't cheating hurt your reputation as a lovable rogue?" Erin asked.

I stopped and looked at her sideways. "What part of rogue implies playing fair? Isn't that the whole point? I mean, if I wanted to play fair, I could be, I dunno, an accountant or something.

"Okay, bad example," I admitted, "And I'm more lovable because I'm cute and can do that big eye thing and cheerful and crack wise."

"But what about the children?"

"I never claimed to be a role model," I said, "Besides, they already rigged the rules in their favor. I'm just evening things out."

"So, then the guards started chasing me..."

"All your stories start like that," Erin said, "Makes it sound like you're incompetent."

"It's more exciting that way," I said, "People like chases. Nobody'd want to hear about something where everything went right."

"Why not?"

"Well," I said, "It'd be boring. And take like six sentences. I snuck in. I got the loot. I got out. Nobody noticed. Four sentences."

"C'mon, that's cheating. You left out all the details."

"So? Besides, if I told all about the stuff that worked, then everybody'd know how I did it. Then they'd go do it."

One of the best pieces of advice I've gotten about women came from a notorious rake. Why was I hanging around with him? Much less twitchy company than the usual crew of thugs and assassins you find in the underworld.

You'd have thought growing up with two older sisters, they'd have given me advice, but nope. They don't tell ya squat. Anyway, his point was this. "Any woman you're with is the most beautiful woman in the room."

Being young and stupid, I asked "Well, what if she's not?"

"Ah," he said, "That's the trick."

...

"Nice cop-out," Erin said.

A drabble, a short 100 word bit of writing, using 5 words she gave me. Since I couldn't get started writing on my own. It stars Fors, and some mad scientist type, either the Kook who's been in a couple stories, or another generic one. No cut, 'cause it's only 100 words long. And I might expand it, or work it into something else later on.

"No objections to tea with a fanatic, then?"
"So you're a fanatic, huh?" I asked.
Tea was delivered from slender tubes that twined with the tangle over the laboratory table. My host pulled aside a curtain. "Imagine a lake out there, filling the entire horizon, created by we impertinent mortals, its power harnessed by great water wheels!" he declared.
I left the tea where it was, since it was steaming purple. "Harnessed for what?"
"Why, to power my army of kinetically powered soldiers!"
Y'know, I don't think they really want to take over the world, I think they just want attention.


Bed now.

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