She walked up to the southern district entrance, wary as usual. The short jaunt to Mystra's hardly being worth the harassment that had somehow died down lately. Scattered conversations both loud and silent, swearing they'd skipped town. Did she really need that cloak at the Tower, or did she need to know firsthand?

She glanced around, and all was quiet. Not an insurance booth, not a roadblock.

Was it the plume of pipe smoke, or the rasp in the man's voice that turned her attention to a half lit alleyway?

*Cough..cough* "You lookin' for someone, dollface?"

"Well no. Yes...maybe? No...no I'm just here for the...um...produce."

*Cough..clears throat* "Well, how do you like them apples?" *He takes another pull off the pipe, smiling with one side of his mouth* "Anyway, they're gone."


"I'm sure I don't know who you're referring to." She did.

He looked up at her for what seemed like an age, then began a long, slow, building cackle. The laugh came to a peak as he lifted his foot, tapping the pipe on the heel of his shoe and wiping an amused and likely figurative tear from his leathery cheek.

"Big changes around these parts, I reckon. Some of us are happier than a sow in slop. Some of us...*He waggles his eyebrows at her*..are gonna miss em. Ain't we?" *His bottom jaw juts out a bit, he shrugs.* "Ain't keen on sayin' who feels what way, where...why...*He begins to stuff his pipe again*...They weren't the only rats in the garbage can."

He finishes his leafy refill, lighting the fragrant mound at end of his pipe and momentarily illuminating his face.

"Ye ain't the only girly that's come poking around for em, neither. Just because they ain't here don't mean the danger ain't. *He curls his hands in front of him and performs possibly the most decrepit looking mock-horsey gallop she'd ever seen, busting out into laughter after. This was shortly followed by a cough that rivaled the plague.* "Unless you're the type that likes danger." *He pauses, smirking*..You like danger, dollface? Those bad men are just fascinatin', ain't they?"

"I've...got to get going now. Appointment. Very busy!"

She begin to hustle back east, the old gent's laughter fading into the alleyway behind her.

Rumors of the Flag's disappearance from the Southern district were apparently true. Some saying they'd taken up residence in the Bramble Wood, still others swearing they saw the boat raise anchor and sail west towards the Cape. One thing was for certain.

The Southern climate was changing, and I ain't talkin' bout the weather.

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We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know.