A Barstool Fairytale

Chapter 3: Red Heaven

Taako continued to pickpocket as he moved through the streets. He justified it by thinking about how he had to buy back the things he had pawned off to fund his journey to find Lup. He wanted some of them back. Others, he could replace. And of course, Lup would be getting a present when he found her, although it would come after he yelled at her for scaring him so badly, and after he didn't talk to her for a day and a half. The present would probably be breakfast, but he needed cookery and plates and silverware and ingredients... so he needed to go shopping, and he needed money to go shopping. So he pickpocketed to get some money. He didn't take a lot from individuals. He was smarter than that. But by the time he reached the first shop that looked like something his sister would be into - a cookery shop - his pockets were feeling at least a little fuller.

He popped his head into the shop. Oh, this one was classy. He should have known from what he could see in the window when he walked up - they had a window display, which should have been a major clue. Still, even at the front of the store there were some pretty fancy pots and pans on display. Taako made sure to keep his own out of sight.

"Hey!" he called. The store owner and the three customers browsing in the store all looked in his direction. "You seen anyone who looks like me before?"

He was met with silence, and he rolled his eyes.

"Hello? Long hair, elf ears, about yea high?" He held his hand up to his own height (minus his hat). "Ringing any bells?"

The shopkeep shook her head. "Sorry, no."

The patrons of the store seemed to agree, and Taako sighed.

"Alright. Well, uh, keep an eye out." And he moved on from the shop. He would have gone in to look around, but he really couldn't afford it. He knew he'd try to buy something if he did, and he had to save his money for when he found Lup. And he would find her. One store owner not seeing her didn't mean all of the storekeepers hadn't. There were plenty of other businesses around.

The sun had set an hour ago, and Taako hadn't made any more progress in finding his sister. He'd checked in three other cooking-related shops, 7 magic ingredient stores, and four or five restaurants. It was getting harder and harder to believe she was here. But she had to be. Taako had no other leads, nowhere else to look. Lup had to be here. He headed into one last shop, another magic shop, run by a drow.

"Alright," he said, moving up to the counter. "I have one question. I have been asking it all day, and I'm really hoping you have some good news for me, bud. Have you, at any time in the last two months, seen anyone who looks like me? And I mean exactly like me. Same height, same skin, same hair color, the works."

The drow looked him over, and Taako realized his flaxen hair was falling out of his long braid from how much he'd been moving today. Usually he'd have tied it tighter, but with his early removal from the inn, he hadn't had the time. He had, thankfully, had time to wash his face before leaving, though, and while the activity of the day probably hadn't done him any favors, he wasn't worried about it. His clothes felt less wrinkled than he'd expected, and his boots had been scuffed before he'd even gotten to Ravenshearth. It had been a very long few weeks.

Finally, the drow looked back up. "Can't say I have," he finally said. "Pretty sure I'd remember a face like yours." He smirked, clearly liking what he saw.

Taako wasn't in the mood. "Great, thanks for nothing, pal." He turned around and walked out, not giving the man another look. Normally, he would be all for flirting, but he was tired, and he was pretty sure Lup wasn't here. He walked a little ways from the shop, then turned and kicked the nearest building as hard as he could.

"This! Sucks!" he shouted to no one. "Where the fuck is my sister? What could she have gone off to do that was more important than some quality twin-time? What could take this long to keep her away from home for two fucking months?" He kicked the wall again, cursing once more for good measure, and turned away.