Roofrats 4

"You're too inquisitive for your own good. It'll do you some harm in this town." Wirin turned and left without further ceremony.

Weft said "Don't worry. It's me she'll have a grudge against. Those people can't think of more than one thing at a time."

Nico answered with a wry smirk and a shrug, "Worst thing, I cut my time here short.

Who are those people?"

"Bad people," Weft said firmly. "Who will stop at nothing to cause trouble and destabilise everything. They're very dangerous; not all as stupid as that one. But you don't need to worry about that. Probably."

He looked down into the street and seemed satisfied that all was as it should be.

"And why would they cause trouble here?" Nico nodded in the general direction of the shop.

"Oh. I don't know. I didn't ask." He blinked and looked confused. "I know they import dangerous drugs and use tourists sometimes. That's probably why she talked to you. Hey, have you eaten yet?"

Nico wrinkled her nose at the thought. "She didn't offer a thing."

Had she eaten, anyway? Yes... "Breakfast." She didn't look happy about that, either.

"I'll show you a lovely little place when I go off duty. I just have to talk to my replacement first." Weft seemed enthusiastic.

"Soon?"

"Yes, soon," he said. "Want to meet another monk?"

"Why not?" With a relaxed smile she said, "Thanks for your help."

"Thanks for alerting me she was there," he countered, followed by glancing over Nico's head towards another rooftop.

Nico snorted, disgruntled about the whole silly affair, and looked over her shoulder to see if she could find what Weft found interesting.

It was another male, approaching fast. He was wearing the same green as Weft, with not much pink, presumably because it wouldn't have looked so good against striking ginger hair.

The newcomer attained the roof of the distillery with indecent speed. He had clearly spotted the two of them from some distance away, because he came -- no, bounced -- over, hugged and touched cheeks with Weft and chirped "Hi, brother! Who's this?"

He looked half Weft's age or less, at a guess.

"Brotherrr," Weft greeted him in return. "Nico, this is Triviality."

"Pleased to meet you! They're letting me out on my own now," said Triviality.

Nico beamed up at him. "Great! Out of what?"

"Out of the monastery (an it please the divine). On real missions and stuff!" Triviality spread his arms abruptly. "Like this. That's why Snags and I are here."

"They've sent Snags, have they?" Weft asked.

"Mm. I hope I see something. Then I can report it!"

"Snags is good (by the divine's generosity)." Weft seemed satisfied.

Nico looked from one monk to the other in bewilderment, unable to follow all of that. The monks' names were a point of confusion.

Her stomach growled.

"Are you sick? Are you going to die?" asked the ginger monk. (Perhaps he was closer to a third Weft's age...)

"Shut up, Triv. It's an alien thing, means they're hungry." Weft looked at Nico and cocked his head, as if to say ...I think. "Shall we go?"

Nico nodded at Weft and gave the younger monk a wave. "Nice to meet you."

"Bye! You're a nice alien. I hope you don't die." Triviality turned to look avidly at the street as soon as Weft moved away from the roof-edge.

"Sorry about him," Weft said once they were halfway down the nearest fire escape. "He's bouncing back from the last time he was disciplined. Bit... enthusiastic. It's through here, across the avenue. They do good fish paella."

"He's nice. Is he really named 'trivial thing'?"

"Yes. You know we're all named describing words, not proper names? Like why I introduced myself as Weft" (he said this last in the interworld language) "instead of Weft, in my language?

"Well, it's the same thing. It's a religious tradition. A generous thing to show we're loved and valued." Weft's eyes unfocused and he blinked once or twice happily. At the same time he batted a child's paper dart out of the air without seeming to notice it had been aimed at them. The child stuck her tongue out and scampered up the stairs to her own rooftop.

"Nice they value trivial things," Nico commented doubtfully.

"The idea doesn't translate very well, maybe," Weft said. "We believe in seeing the whole person. If we're petty and street-cornerish, like him, or manipulable and unimaginative in my case, that doesn't mean we can't do good. Here, isn't it gorgeous?"

Their destination was on a relatively narrow street with tables, set with cream cloths, arranged on the pavement. Nearby buildings threw plenty of shade around. Hanging baskets, full of creepers spilling flame yellow and orange trumpetlike flowers over the sides, gave off a fresh soda-and-limeish scent. There were a few other customers, lazily curious, ignoring them or busy holding hands and gazing at each other.

Weft pulled out a chair for Nico, having picked up from somewhere the idea that aliens liked this. He hadn't chosen a place right next to the street.

Nico had only time to wonder if he was kidding before Weft changed the subject. She shelves the thought for the moment and answered with a content smile, "Yes."

One she sat, her smile got a little bit more pointed. Eyes still nearly closed she raised an eyebrow a little and fell back into interworld, "So, is that going to be a flirt?"