World of Warcraft®

"What did I tell you? NO MORE OUTINGS!' Hector roared. His arms quivered with rage and he flexed his hands. Ugly red blotches sprang up on his face. Zeb, the imp, cowered in the far corner of the tiny cottage.

Tes hunched her shoulders and hung her head low. She knew that Hector was going to be upset, but this time he was being scary. Tears welled up in her eyes.

A sudden pain flashed across her face, the force of the blow knocking her to the floor. Hector stood over her, eyes narrowed in rage. He was so angry that one of his eyes had gotten bloodshot from a burst vessel. The way his blue iris floated in the blood made him look possessed.

"Who knows about you; about us? What do they know?!"

"N-no one Hector. Nothing! Honest, I didn't ask questions, or answer any, or nothin'." Tes whimpered, clutching her face carefully. "Not even Mister Nice Bad Man, or the Nice Pandaren Man!"

"WHO?! You did speak to people! FOOL!" Hector launched another blow at Tes' face. And another. Fist after fist rained down on the little Gnome until he split his knuckles open.

Hector shuffled back, clutching his hand. He stooped, taking deep breaths and turned to his alchemy table. Zeb scurried over with a damp cloth and a bandage. While Hector wiped hs face and smoothed his wild hair, Zeb wrapped his master's hand. The little demon shot Tes a look full of contempt. Hector waved him away and turned to regard Tes solemnly.

"It's like you want me to get angry with you, Quintesla. Why must you be so disobedient? You deliberately break the rules I have set forth to keep us, YOU, safe! Don't lie there pretending you didn't see this coming. Clearly you wanted to be punished, or you would have listened!"

Tes curled herself into a ball, hugging her knees to her chest. Tears and blood ran down her face. Her nose was becoming too swollen to breathe through, so she panted through her mouth. Another one of Hector's imps, Zabix, scurried over with a mop. He chittered at her disapprovingly. And secretly pressed a small token into her open hand.

Hector continued his monologue, turning away, his voice full of drama. But this time, Tes didn't feel guilty. The Nice Takeabath Lady's words drifted through her aching head. Compassion. Knowing and sharing someone's pain. Being kind and understanding. Hurting like someone else's hurt.

But Hector wasn't hurt. Not really. Not like she was. He was just angry because she had broken his rules and talked to people. Nice people. People who would never, ever hit her and be scary like him.
Nice people wouldn't do this.

Hector was not nice.

Tes opened her hand to see what Zabix had given her. She glanced warily at Hector's back, but he was still talking, ranting. She turned her head and saw what she needed to see.

Something came over her. It was a sort of calm, quiet feeling. Her vision cleared, sharpened. Hector's voice grew clearer, yet somehow distant. But she could hear his lies. All of them.

She pushed herself up and got to her feet.

Tes moved across the room, like in a dream, not making any noise. Zeb scampered away, shooting a twisted smirk of his shoulder. Hector turned, slowly. Everything was moving so slowly. The strange power rose up in her chest, and washed away her fear. Her doubt.

"...else would take you in but me? No one, that's who! N--- Wh---?"

Color drained away from Hector's face. He tried to take a step back but the table barred his way. Vials and decanters tinkled together, almost musically. Tes straightened up and locked eyes with Hector.

"I quit."

His jaw fell open in disbelief. "You can't QUIT! I OWN YOU! Or have you forgotten the terms of your rehabilitation? You'll only get someone else killed. Or worse." Hector sneered.

"No," Tes replied quietly. "Nobody else is gonna get hurt. Not by me. And I won't let you hurt me no more. Yea, I did some things and I messed up. But that's overdonewithgone now, and you can't hurt me with it no more."

Hector swelled with indignation, ready to unleash another round of abuse, but she held up a hand warningly.

"You ain't even my real brother. I saw the papers. I thought, at first, it didn't matter 'cause you were takin' care of me, but you weren't. You just needed somebody to do your dirty work, but that ain't me no more. You're a bad man Hector, and I'm leavin'."

Tes pressed her hand into Hector's chest, eyes blazing, and pushed him onto the table.

"Goodbye, not-brother."

The sun was out, for a change. Tes scampered down through the boggy snow towards the little-used road that would lead her out of the forest and towards the big mountain. She hefted her little satchel over her shoulder and hummed to herself merrily.

Freedom.

She'd never been able to do whatever she wanted before. There had always been someone telling her what to do, or what not to do. Now, she was her own boss. And she knew just what she was going to do.

She was gonna go find herself a bona fide Pandaren monk and learn everything she could!

Catching a hidden root, Tes tripped and tumbled down the rest of the muddy slope. Spitting out a clod of grass, she sat up and tried to wipe the sticky icky stuff from her clothes. No avail. Heaving a sigh and a shrug, she picked herself up and trotted along more carefully.

Two days later, she finally made it to Ironforge's gates. The size was impressive, even moreso considering it was housed by Dwarves! People wandering all around, from all over. No Pandaren though. Not yet, anyway. Hawkers mingled where the crowds were thickest, calling out offers and deals to anyone listening. Guards with passive faces watched the bustle.

Tes could barely contain her happiness.

The little Gnome drew more than one glance, but she ignored the people. Mostly. Quick as a fox, she darted between legs and under the bellies of mounted beasts. This was merely a pit-stop. Her real goal was further South, and she needed to get on the Tram to get there!

She stopped at a little shop and picked up some supplies. She hadn't left the cottage empty handed, after all. Her heart hurt a little to spend the gold coin, but her belly was empty and she needed food! It was a good thing Zabix had given it to her.

Thanking the shopkeep, she shouldered her burden again and scurried out into the streets. Nothing was going to get in her way.

Oof!

Except maybe some kneecaps and shins!

((Grins down at the little gnome and suggests swimming would be a nice alternative mode of transportation. Kidding. This is enjoyable. Is there more?))