Back Alley Deal

Not often does KayTay find a good haul on a treasure hunt expedition yet this time they found riches. Ancient enchanted weapons made from wood from a used to be forbidden tree. Ones strong enough to hold up against the battles of demons and angels. Crowns, gems, gold and trinkets of plenty. Everything they found was easily sold for hundreds of thousands of today's currency to the shop owners and an elf in a college in the town of Bellamy. All but a dark blue pendant. Anyone that looked at it claimed it was just colored glass and that it had no value.

Ever since finding the treasure KayTay has felt sluggish. So they take a rest at a café table beside some buildings and order a cup of coffee and a slice of cake hoping it would boost their energy. KayTay pulls the pendant out to look at it. Swinging their feet in the same slow rhythm of the pendant while waiting in the chair since KayTay is of leprechaun decent and can not touch the ground, they wonder if they will ever find someone who would buy the pendant. Yes its pretty but today's currency is the only thing that strikes their fancy. 

"That's a nice pendant you got there." A gruff voice says from the alley way.

KayTay is taken back from the sudden voice.

"Sorry, let me apologize for startling you. My name is Felix." Says Felix stepping out from the shadows. His orange hair is wiry and frizzy as he pulls his cloak back from his face. Emerald eyes gaze upon the leprechaun dressed in a very plain brown and white dress.

KayTay only stares back trying to make sense of what is happening.

"The pendant. Is it for sale? May I see it?" Felix coaxes for the pendant.

"How much would you give me for it?" KayTay finally speaks up pulling the blue pendant back from Felix's reach.

"Five." Felix searches through his coin bag and KayTay rolls their eyes at the low number. "Hundred gold."

KayTay's expression does a complete 180. They are gladly showing off the pendant to Felix who is setting the money on the table. Once the pendant is in Felix's hands KayTay starts to slowly feel better and better.

"Yes. Just as I suspected." Felix smiles.

"What?" KayTay asks. 

"It's cursed." Felix chuckles.

"I'm out." KayTay takes the money and poof! Smoke bomb.

With little legs running as hard as they can, KayTay is not going anywhere very fast. Felix slips into the shadows of the alley. The young waitress is left with the tray of coffee and cake. With a shrug she goes back inside to have it as a snack for herself.

Slipping through the alleys toward home, Felix feels his mana being drained slowly. Not that he had much mana to start with since he relies heavily on potions and his knowledge. Had he not been aware of the curse he would be confused, where as a normal person would conclude that they had a tiring day even if it was only mid day.

Once home Felix hangs the pendant up on an enchanted wooden stand. One that he enchanted himself with markings of old to help bring forth the intentions of a cursed object. Felix listens for any sounds coming from the pendant. Sure enough a soft female voice is coming from it whispering.

"More. I need more. Have to find... gold, power... army... they must fall... I am the queen... Mana. More mana." The voice whispers over and over.

Felix lays a piece of paper in a circular drawing at the base of the stand. Burns appear in the common tongue of what all the pendant is capable of doing. It doesn't kill it's host yet will suck every drop of mana it can. If enough mana is acquired then queen Raeval will rise again. A ruler of a small nation that was conquered a thousand years ago. The pendant is able to conceal the curse to those not seeking it.

With a whistle Felix comments. "That's one heck of a grudge to be around for a thousand years. Don't you worry though little miss, I'll find you a host."

With that Felix places the pendant in a special enchanted box to protect him from the mana sucking. Grabbing a few other cursed trinkets and potions, Felix lines his pockets with them and heads out for the alleys. He takes his time walking up and down the ones his buyers know he walks. The night starts off peacefully, selling the explosion potions to a few regular elderly farmers and turning down a new pair of teens that obviously wanted to waste their money and Felix's precious potions. Til some nervous teens caught his eye.

"That's him." One whispers.

"But I'm like totes scared." The second whines.

"We'll just ask. All we want is to have Cedar loose all interest in her, right?" The third asks.

"Lover's quarrel?" Felix thinks to himself. "Jackpot!" He pulls back his cloak and tries to look less intimidating for the girls to approach him.

"Come on Purcella." The first girl groans grabbing the second girl by the wrist.

"Ginger that hurts!" Purcella cries.

"We're just going to ask-" the third tries repeating.

"Shush Bell. It's fine." Ginger snaps.

"Okay." Bell shies away.

"I'm sorry. Let's just get this over with." Ginger says leading the way til she pushes Purcella infront of Felix. "Go on, ask."

Purcella tries backing out.

"No! You wanted to embarrass her. We are hear to back you up." Ginger states pushing Purcella back toward Felix.

"Sounds like you need a curse?" Felix asks quietly.

"Y-yes. The guy I totes be liking is spending every break between class with the new girl and I don't want her to be like totes powerful two days from now on our mana scoring test." Purcella explains.

"So this... Cedar? Is interested in strong girls?" Felix asks.

"He might be?" Bell chimes in.

"He totes stares at her when the orcs talk her into flexing." Purcella looks at the ground.

"We'll I don't know about physical strength but you said mana testing." Felix pulls his recent find out of his pocket.

Handing the girls the paper of its description, Felix pulls the pendant out to show the girls.

"Sounds like it will drain her of mana but not kill her. Which is what we need." Bell whispers to the others.

"This is almost too good to be true." Ginger comments.

"How much?" Purcella asks.

Felix thinks on it. "One thousand gold."

The girls cringe at the high price but then start pulling out all their gold, copper and silver. All three are squating in a circle whispering while adding up their money.

"Crap. We're short a hundred and fifty seven coins." Ginger says defeated. "I can't ask for any more and I have nothing to sell."

The other two girls say the same thing as Ginger. Not wanting to loose out on a sale Felix speaks up.

"I'll take what you got this one time. Think of it as a first time deal with me. Next time though be sure you bring enough coin because my goods aren't cheap." Felix explains.

He holds out his hand for the coin bags and the other with the pendant. Once the exchange happens both parties thank each other before going their separate ways.

The next day at school the girls chicken out when trying to give Samantha, the one occupying Cedar's time, the pendant. They decide to leave the pendant at school in Purcella's locker over night since they would be in trouble if any of their parents found it. The day of their mana testing though, desperation sets in as Purcella sees Cedar laughing while walking beside Samantha.

"Oh Samantha dear!" Purcella calls out while gracefully jogging to be next to her. Clinging to Samantha's arm Purcella smiles up at Cedar. "I need to borrow her. You know, girl talk."

Cedar eyes them both but waits for Samantha's confirmation stare back. 

"I'll see you in class?" The dirty blonde asks Cedar.

"Just don't be late." He smirks heading off to class.

A bit of anger courses through Purcella giving her the final push to follow through.

"Here. Ginger, Bell and I got this for you." Purcella opens the box and then looks at Samantha's eyes. Then she lies, "It totes would bring out your eye color is why we got it!"

"Oh thank you but it looks expensive. Are you sure?" Samantha asks.

"Think of it as a memento of our new found friendship." Purcella says taking the pendant out and placing the chain around Samantha's neck.

"Isn't there a school policy about this?" Samantha asks.

"Not if they don't see it." Purcella giggles pulling her heart necklace out from her shirt collar. 

Samantha tucks her new necklace in her shirt. With her gym jacket zipped no one saw the initial glow of the pendant happily accepting it's new host.