#anywhere

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The next day Adam has been busy. A morning run and work out, afternoon katas and solo sparring practice. He keeps an eye on his Knight's Heart app, looking for work. And he cruises the library, virtually; normally he's not much of a book person, though.

"Hey, brought you more bits of poetry" His mother says in the hallway

"Thanks!" He bounces up and opens the door to recieve them.

She hands them over "I'm told you're transporting folks?"

"Uh-huh." In the affirmative as he looks the poetry over.

"You're not going to that apartment complex are you?"

"No, mom. I mean, not unless I get a fare."

"mmm" She frowns "Are you really hurting for money and dross that badly? I..." A sigh "No. I'm not going to second guess you when you're not doing anything wrong. You're trying to do this for whatever reason, but I shouldn't stiffle it. I need to learn to ease up a bit I think. I'm making your FATHER Look mellow and he's the troll"

"No, mom, you never let me hurt for money." A moment of honesty from the teen. "I know if I need money I can come to you."

"Good. Why ARE you doing this?"

"Uh...." He looks up from the poetry. "What? Working?"

"Working for dross as well as money? " she says dubious

"Well? I mean.... it's like money, right? But you can't really buy dross with money, right?"

"I see." She says

"So. Yeah. Thanks for the poems!" He heads back into his room.

"You're welcome" And she leaves him be

He checks for work again, and barring any, goes back to his laptop to pour over the library site again with a puzzled frown.

He makes a few selections to check out e-books with a shrug and a 'how bad can they be?' attitude.

They're horrible! Wait..maybe not

He reviews his new reading materials - "How to think like a Roman emperor: the stoic philosophy of Marcus Aurelius"; "The Chieftain"; "The warrior knight and the widow"; "Captured by her enemy knight"....

And of course, the poetry from mom.

"Whatcha doing?" A whisper

A small jolt; he was rather focused on his laptop. "Huh?" He looks around.

His sister has snuck in "pardon, what are you doing?" She enunciates better.

"Jeeze, Lily.... scram. I'm working, I'm busy."

"i'm a sluagh. I'm supposed to spy on others. this is me trying to be polite about it"

primly

"Well go spy on someone else." He turns his screen off.

Her little eyes narrow "i see. i shall henceforth be out of your sight in your room"

and with a mmph sound, she heads out.

"No, don't come in here at all! I'm -doing- stuff!"

the door closes behind her.. as if she didn't hear.

"Hmmf." Adam puts the screen back on and looks over the titles again.

He shrugs helplessly and picks one, and starts reading. His phone is set to alert him if a fare pops up.

After a moment, he checks it... his thumb hovers over the text icon.

Ride request. For two.

His eyes light up, and he grabs the fare. He pulls on a dressed-down highwayman voile and grabs his stuff, password protecting his laptop after a second thought.

She'll never guess Sportsballchampion69

And down the stairs he goes "Gotajobmomgottagohomelater!"

"This is me trusting and loooovving" She calls out

why's she got to make it embarrassing?

Adam blows that off and hits the road.

There, he picks up a Beaver Girl Pooka and.... Zane.

"Hey, Dude!" A wide, happy grin.

"Hey, this is Reb. " he says "Don't know if you met her. Her family's into construction. " He opens the door and slides her in

"Masher" She says. Cute overbite.

"Can we get a lift to the lake?"

"Hi Reb, hop in. Sure thing, Zane."

And they do..."Fantastic. Reb and I are having a late night picnic"

"That sounds awesome!"