“Oh, hey Balthazar,” Rob said with surprise. “You’ve got a job for me? What is it?”

  “I’ll expin on the way!” said the hurried crab, turning back to the exit as he gestured for the human to follow him. “No time to waste!”

  “Woah, what’s with the rush?” the adventurer asked, doing a little jog to catch up. “Are we tending to a fire or something?”

  “The opposite!” the mert said, pushing the front door open. “Water!”

  “What?!”

  As they both exited onto the town square, Balthazar expined. “I just found out there’s this guy out on the roads selling bottles of what he cims to be water from my pond. Obviously, they’re not.”

  Rob shook his head. “He’s gotta be a chartan then, right?”

  “Exactly!”

  “So what do you pn to do about it?”

  “Sell my own bottles of pond water!” the grinning crab replied.

  The courier sighed. “I’m not even surprised at this point…”

  “And that’s why I need your services,” the mert tinued. “Uan, I io sell genuine, one-hundred pert legitimate Boulders Point pure spring water. And I’ll need you to go back to Ardville arieve my first batch.”

  “ait, hang on,” the human said, trying to keep up with the skittering crab as they weaved through the m crowds. “You wao haul a bunch of water all the way across the ti?! You realize I’m a courier, right? I deliver letters, small packages, not a whole shipment of bottles or a cask full of water.”

  Balthazar chuckled with amusement. “Don’t you worry, Rob. I kno your Strength must be. That’s why we’re going to see this guy I saw around here yesterday.”

  “What guy?”

  “Aha! There he is,” the crab excimed, pointing a pincer forward and running toward a nearby fountain surrounded by two horse statues.

  A man in shorts and suspenders sat on the edge of the fountain, hunched over his boxes and bags, lookied as he wiped his soaked fad hair with a towel.

  “Rob, meet, uh… Roberto,” the crusta said, raising oalk higher thaher. “Huh. Funny ce. You guys aren’t reted, are you?”

  “Hello, gentlemen,” the man sitting down said. “I remember you. You were the talking crab in the crowd yesterday. I help you with something?”

  “Who’s this guy?” asked the courier. “And why is he all wet? Did you do this, Balthazar? Are you one of those squirting crabs I’ve heard about?”

  “Of course not!” the eight-legged mert said before turning to Roberto. “But why are you all soaked, anyway?”

  The defted man sighed as his shoulders slumped down and his gaze dropped to the ground.

  “I resenting my spoo the crowd as usual,” he expined. “Then some funny guy among them asked to see one up-close. I obliged, of course, excited that someoook i in my item. Hopeful to finally make a sale. But all he did was throw the soaked sponge back at my face while the crowd ughed and hollered.”

  “Oh, man…” Rob said, expressihy for the sponge mert.

  Roberto wiped his face with a towel again. “I’m starting to think ing to this pce was a mistake. Maybe these stupid sponges were a mistake. I ’t seem to sell a single one of them!”

  “Well, I’ve got good news for you,” Balthazar said, giving the human a quick pat on the shoulder. “You’re about to make your first sale.”

  The street salesman lifted his gaze to the crab, eyes wide. “Are you being serious? You’re not just pulling my leg here so you toss a wet spo my face too or squirt water on me, are you?”

  “Nope. I would like to purchase one of yical sponges, good sir!”

  With a sudden beaming smile, Roberto stood up and reached into his wares to grab a sponge. “I ’t believe it! A real t, finally!”

  “And not just any t,” the traveler said, propping himself up in a slightly pompous manner. “How much for the sponge, by the way?”

  “They’re 50 s a piece,” the man in suspenders replied. “And what do you mean, not just any t?”

  “Well, you surely noticed I am a crab. A talking crab…”

  “Wait…” the sponge seller said, his eyes widening even more. “You couldn’t be…”

  “Yep!” Balthazar said, closing his eyes smugly.

  “Holy Crea! I ’t believe it! The famous mert crab himself is all the way on this side of the ti and buying one of my sponges?! I ’t wait to tell this story bae!”

  “Yes, yes, indeed,” the self-satisfied crusta said while nodding. “Now, how about you get me two of those sponges and instead of money, we make a trade?”

  “A trade of goods with you?” the other mert said, his jaw slightly dropped. “I… I’d be honored!”

  “Great!” Balthazar said while pulling his backpack off his shell and digging through it. “Let me see if I find something that would be of use to you and… Ah, here we go!”

  Pulling his pincer from the backpack, the mert brought out a long object ed tightly by a leather strap.

  The sponge seller looked i it, his mouth open in wonder. “Amazing! What… is it?”

  “This is a… stick,” the traveling crusta said, awkwardly shuffling with the thing as he tried to work it out. “It… unfolds and… will keep yetti when open. Like a protective barrier against water. Bet you could have used one of those a few moments ago. A very handy artifact. Like a… Staff of Water Repelling, yes, that’s it.”

  Rob watched on, his arms crossed and his eyebrows frowning. “You mean… an umbrel?”

  The crab finally found the right spot to press with his cw, and with a sudden click, the item opeself, revealing a wide leather surfa a slightly domed shape.

  “Yes, an umbrel,” Balthazar said, holding the portable shelter over his shell. “That’s what they call them where Rob here es from. I prefer Staff of Water Repelling. A much more fitting name, as I’m sure you will agree.”

  He passed the open umbrel to the salesman, who admired it with starry eyes.

  “Woah, fasating. I’ve never seen such a thing.”

  “Where has this guy e from that he’s never seen an umbrel?!” the courier behind Balthazar muttered.

  “My goodness!” Roberto excimed as he pulled on the shaft of the staff. “And it closes again, too! What a fasating magical item!”

  “Gd you like it. So, do we have a deal?” the crab said while the adventurer behind him shook his head and pced his fa his palm.

  Without hesitation, the salesman put the umbrel down and reached into his bag with both hands to retrieve a few sponges. “Of course! Have a third one on the house, in fact! May I say, it is su honor to just meet you, let alone make a deal with you. I’m a great admirer of your work.”

  “Of course, of course…” the pompous crab said as he grabbed the sponges. “It was nice meeting you too, but we really must be going now. Very busy, lots to do! Good luck with your sales.”

  Roberto nodded frantically to every word from the other mert. “Thank you. Thank you so much! I’m sure my sales will gh the roof now that you’ve purchased these from me. This is all so very exg! Oh, I should worry about getting more sponges now, to keep up with demand…”

  Leaving the excited man to his own monologue, Balthazar and Rob slipped through the passing crowd, heading back to the city hall, this time at a slightly less rushed pace.

  “What did he mean?” the courier asked. “Admirer of what?!”

  “My work,” the crab replied. “Didn’t you hear him?”

  “Alright, but… what work?!”

  Balthazar shrugged. “Weren’t you watg?”

  “You mean how you just traded a brel for three magical sponges?”

  “He was happy and I got what we needed. What else matters?”

  “What do you mean, we?”

  “This, my slippery friend,” the crab said, holding a sponge in each pincer, “is how you will retrieve some water from my pond for me.”

  “Oh…” Rob said as he grabbed the two spohe mert was him.

  “You will soak up some water with these, which shouldn’t weigh too mu you, and then find me again, so I start selling real Boulders Point hydration. I’ll just have to procure some bottles, but those should be easy to find anywhere.”

  “Alright, I guess I do that…” the courier said. “It’s still a better job than pig pockets and locks for small ge like I used to.”

  “Wait…” Balthazar said as they reached the entrao the guildhall again. “That reminds me. You could maybe help me with something else.”

  “And what would that be?”

  The crab lowered his voice. “I’m w on this… thing. Iigating something. All very hush-hush, ’t really talk much about it.”

  “You mean looking for the stolen mangoes for the mayor?” the former thief said matter-of-factly.

  “Wait, what?! How do you know about that?”

  Rob shrugged. “Ohe biggest gossip in town knows, everybody knows.”

  “Damn it,” the annoyed mert sighed. “Either way. You used to be a thief, would you happen to still have any tacts with that guild? Specifically here in this city?”

  “Hmm, I see. You’re hoping to find something about stolen merdise from them. Makes some sense, but…”

  Balthazar frow the hesitating adventurer. “But what?”

  “I left that life behind, man. I really don’t wanna delve into it again. It’s tricky enough to leave, if I start poking my head ba… who knows what could happen. Besides, don’t you wao go get this water for you as soon as possible?”

  “Fine. Fihe crab said. “But couldn’t you at least point me in the right dire?”

  Rob winced for a moment. “Look, man… You didn’t hear this from me—I don’t want any trouble—but if you really want to talk to someone from the Thieves Guild, you won’t find them hanging out here at city hall like all the others. You o go somewhere else.”

  “Alright. Where?”

  “There’s a tavern in the south district,” the human tinued. “It’s called ‘The Rat’s Tail’ and it’s where all the shady types usually hang. There’s this guy there every night, Moe Fingers. He’s the one you wanna talk to, but he won’t talk to you.”

  “Huh?” Balthazar said with a mix of fusion and annoyance. “What then?”

  “You need a passphrase, so he knows you were sent by someone in the circle. When you find him, ask him where he got his boots, because you used to have a pair just like them.”

  “Rob, e on!” the crusta excimed. “You know damn well I’m a crab. I ’t wear boots!”

  The courier rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t matter! It doesn’t o make se’s just a passphrase for him to know yood to talk with. Just… say it. He will uand.”

  “Alright, alright! I’ll try to remember that if I find the guy,” Balthazar said.

  “Good. Now I think I should get going. I've got some water to fetch, apparently.”

  After saying goodbye and splitting up from the adventurer, Balthazar went back through the atrium, looking for Druma and Blue.

  It didn’t take him long to find them in the cafeteria area where they had been the previous day. Apparently, they had made some friends and became quite popur with the staff there, judging by the attention they were getting.

  “And they let you have all that meat for free?” the crab said, after sittio Druma for a few minutes and catg up with him.

  “Yes, yes, boss!” the happy assistant firmed. “Misses in here are very nice. Druma like it here! Shiny dy from upstairs tell misses to let Druma and Blue eat all we wants!”

  “Well, aren’t you guys lucky,” the mert said with a chuckle. “Gd all my hard work up and down this city is aff you some good treatment. Speaking of which, I o go out again. I’m supposed to meet with some locals again here at lunchtime, but until then I didn’t want to let the m ho to waste.”

  Reag into his backpack, the crab retrieved the map Suze had acquired from the bandit hideout the night before.

  “I’ve got a list of pces that o be scouted out,” he tinued, “and I’ve noticed some of them are iown and nearby. I’m sure I could pass by and check them without much danger. Still, probably more spicuous if it’s the three of us rolling through those pces. You guys stay here like yesterday while I justify all the food you’re eating.”

  The goblin turo look at the drake, who was sniffing the bowl she had just finished, and then looked back at the crab.

  “Druma want to help boss!” he excimed. “Blue too!”

  Balthazar cocked aalk at his assistant. “You do?”

  “Yes, yes, boss!” the goblin said with one of his usual vigorous nods, nearly causing the tip of his wizard hat to dip into the bowl of meat stew sitting in front of him.

  “And you do, too?” the skeptical crusta asked, leaning forward to look at the azure drake oher end of the table.

  She gnced zily at him from the er of her eye without much firmation.

  “Blue want to help Druma help boss!” the green assistant said. “Druma promise!”

  The mert let out a small sigh. “I guess if you really want to help, there’s no harm iing you. We could cover mround that way, and it’s better than leaving you two stuffing yourselves all day. ’t have you getting too used to all this food. I’d go broke paying for meals like this every day.”

  After staring at his assistant’s excited and hopeful expression for a little lohe crab finally made his decision.

  “Alright, fine. I’ll go check this building here like I po.” He pced the tip of his pincer over a marked spot on the map. “And you two should be fio check this other storeroom over on this side here. Just remember, stay safe, don’t start any trouble. I only need you to look, see if you spot any signs of a big shipment of mangoes anywhere inside.”

  Druma nodded along as Balthazar expined.

  “Yes, yes. Druma uand. Boss t on Druma to find mangoes for boss!” He paused, looking up at the brim of his hat. “What is mangoes, boss?”

  The mert rolled his eyes.

  “It’s a fruit, Druma. Smaller than a melon. Sorta… yellow? e-ish?”

  He looked around, looking for a visual aid. It didn’t take long to find an embroidered image of a mango on a towel nearby.

  “There. It looks like that. You get it now?”

  “Oooh!” said the goblin as he nodded.

  “Well, there you go. Look for fruits like that. If you see any in that pce you just get back here and wait to tell me. Make sure you two don’t get into any trouble while you’re alone. I’m trusting you with something very important here.”

  Balthazar g the drake, who was casually nibbling on the tents of her bowl without paying much attention to the crab.

  “And make sure Blue doesn’t set fire to anything,” he said. “Or fly. I’m not sure the people of this city would take well to a draic creature gliding over their heads with all the talk about dragon attacks going on.”

  Soon after, the trio exited the domed building, the crab going one way and the goblin and drake the other.

  “Remember, don’t attray attention!” Balthazar said as he waved them goodbye.

  The crab watched on as the excited goblin hopped away o the sauntering drake.

  I’d better not have to e rescue them from any trouble ter…

  ***

  After a few minutes walking through several streets, Balthazar reached his marked destination: an old, rundown building in a less than pleasant part of town with nowhere near as much traffic as the ercial districts he had e from.

  “This must be it,” he whispered to himself as he poked his eyestalks over a low feotally looks like the pce bandits would hide too. Pfft, these guys are so spicuous.”

  Across the alley he could see a window low enough for him to peer through. Looking around, the crab saw no one nearby.

  “Alright, just a quick peep, if I don’t see any mangoes, I’m out.”

  Skittering his eight legs to the other side in his best attempt at being sneaky (which is to say, not very stealthy at all), the iigating crusta passed under an old tree standing on the grouo the building. U was a rge patch of old, decayed leaves, shed by the tree above during that autumnal season. Not thinking twice about it, the crab walked over them in his dash for the window when something snapped under him.

  “WOOOAH!” he yelled as the world around him turned upside-down.

  “Hah! Got one!” a voice shouted from nearby.

  fused, Balthazar tried looking up. Or down. It depended on the perspective. The main ing point being, he was hanging from the tree by a thick rope tied around his leg.

  He had stepped on a srap.

  “Darn it!” he grumbled, trying to reach his restraint but failing.

  Too many pastries, too few pull-ups in his life, it would appear.

  “Alright, you tie him up and I’ll get him down,” a rough-sounding man said.

  Looking around, the captured mert saw two bandits approag. Onion Jake’s men, he was sure.

  “Err, hey fels,” the crab said, trying to think fast. “So gd you guys were passing by to help a traveler in need. I was—”

  “Oi, shut him up, will ya?” the rough one said to the other. “I don’t wanna hear a word out of this crab’s mouth.”

  Before he could utter another word, the bandit who had just ed a rope around all of his limbs shoved a wet rag into Balthazar’s mouth, leaving him uo do more than produce muffle noises of protest.

  Oh, crap! They’ve taken away my best on. My mouth!