Better Not pg1 -->
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Atop a pile of dirty laundry, discarded ramen cups and a large quantity of lollipop sticks, stands a teacup-size skeleton. A golden circuit rests upon his head with wings like an angel and dress like an archer. Grease and dirt mar nir bones.
"Adam Tyranus Paegis, where are you?.'
One of the countless mountains of trash slides into another, revealong a blanket of stars and soda cans rising and falling gently.
The bitty, armed with a bow and arrow, shoots into the wall, riding nir bow down to the blankets. Ne stands atop them, tall and restraining the twitch migrating from nir brow to nir fangs.
"Five more minutes." The sheets curl around a child-sized body. "Please? Apple?"
The once stern no nonsense look losens ever so slightly. "So you can skip your studies?"
Out from the blanket crawls a man with stubbe and deep bags beneath his eyes. Shaggy hair covers one eye while the other remains half lided. "We've got conditions."
"Whether or not you do your studies is non-negotiable.'
The man lets out a brlaboured sigh before returning beneath the blankets. His bulky adult size body meeting a child sized one beneath the covers.
"But that's not fair!" A young boy's voice cracks in frustration.
Apple waits patiently while the man and boy argue beneath the blankets. When the boy finally hisses, "double dessert or nothing." Before his outline vanishes and someone else comes out from the covers.
An elderly balt man with a long beard and glazed over eyes. His jaw set as he emerges with what looked like a crude drawing of a tiny person in a cage.
He pushes it to the bitty's feet. "The boy's been through alot, don't tempt me sky-rat."
Apple briefly glances at the crude drawing then at the old man.
"I suggest you consider our terms quickly. The child is strong."
"Then fight him!" Apple throws up nir hands, "aren't you in charge?"
The old man barks out a wheezing laugh before coughing. "Good one, sky-rat. Now, I'd tell your baker friend about the order or you won't see us in that dingy classroom of yours."
"Fine, fine, now get back in there and do what you do."