“Venom Vandal got killed off already?”, you reply. “Wow. These fighters don’t last much, do they?”
“It is fight to death every week”, says Rokash. “People like when you fight long. But too long, and no death? People get angry at character. They stop believing. They want to see you die.” Rokash gives you a wide grin. “But is a lot of fun, when crowd really wants you to die! You have to, eh… a bit of one thing, a bit of other, what is the word?”
“To balance, you mean?”
“Yes! Thank you. So yes, no Bloody Buccaneer, no Venom Vandal. Now? I am not big character. Small fighter with no name. But next month? I get a good one. Maybe. We go in circles, so crowd doesn’t know.”
“I see, I see.” You lean in a little closer to Rokash. “And, the costumes you wear. Do you get to keep them when they retire the character?”
Rokash gives a hearty belly laugh. “I know what you ask! You are not the first. No, I do not keep costume. But, I have to owe a favor to a friend, then I can borrow. I do it sometimes.”
Rokash leans in closer. “So, mister librarian, what do you want me wearing? You ask about Buccaneer twice. You have a thing? For pirates?”
You nod, nervously.
“I can get it, yes. You can sleep with Buccaneer if you want. BUT! The vest, another character will use it soon. It is difficult to ask. I will need to do big favor for friend. So you need to do big favor for me. All I ask in bed, you have to do. Good deal?”
Before you can answer, you hear the familiar sound of the bell ringing again. “Gentlemen, the third round of dating is up”, says the bartender, once again rattling the leather bag. He pulls out your marble first. Then he pulls out the second one…
“Hm. The gnoll.”, grunts the bartender. “You were already paired up.” He rattles the bag again, and pulls out a glass marble with an orange core.
You look to your left and see the short, chubby goatman waving at you across the bar. You turn to say goodbye to Rokash before you get up to start your next date, surprised to see a concerned look on his face. “Think about deal, Taro”, he says. “That little man. Be careful, yes?”
You look back at the goatman. He's casually nursing a drink while looking in your direction with an unassuming expression. He gives you a wink.
POLL: How should Taro approach the last bachelor?
>With caution. Simply walk over.
>With curiosity. Wink back.
Speed dating at Blacktusk Inn - Part 11
The winning option in part 10's poll was:
>"So... do you get to keep your old costumes when they retire the character?"
Originally posted on Patreon in December, we're currently on part 15.
www.patreon.com/nanoff
