“Haaaa…” I exhale loudly. Welp, I made it into the Semi-Finals. I’m really looking forward to that reward money at the end of all of this.
If I win this championship and maybe pick up a couple more errands and- well, if I work super hard I think I’ll be able to afford this month’s rent for the farmnd. I really hate sharecropping and droughts and bad harvests.
At least lil sis is feeling better. Now, I hate how much they cost but I do love my family, don’t get that wrong.
All the Semi-Finalists are being herded together on the sidelines. I’m surprised they’re doing that. What if, like, one competitor sabotages another?
Alright, sooooo there’s a bunch of hog dirty muscle heads I could hang around orrr I could sit next to the rich lookin’ guy who seems to be philosophy-ing.
Well, I say guy but, like, they could be a gal. Whatever. I’m gonna use guy like how I say ‘what’s goin’ round, guys’ to my sisters.
Makes the internal narration easier. Ha. That’s funny. Momma always said that if my hands worked as quick as my thoughts, there’d be no work left ta do from now till next harvest.
I wish.
Anyway, so Rich guy it is. Maybe I’ll just shorten it to Rich. That’s quicker. But maybe I should ask for their name.
In any case, might as well announce my presence. I go ahead and give ‘em a standard fretting but they seem rather moody.
Now, I’ve got five older sisters and three younger brothers. There ain’t a type of moody I haven’t dealt with.
Time to get my smile on. Big sis says I could put the shine back on any pair of old shoes with it.
Ok, I got ‘em smiling back now.
Giving me a pseudonym instead of their name? Now come on, that’s just rude. You’ve got ta give a little something if you want to get along with others.
Come ta think of it, they haven’t asked for my name.
Alright, let’s give them another chance and ask.
Ey, ey, ey. What are ya getting at with that “call me Master” bit! You one of THOSE richies? This ain’t some master servant bit.
Alright, I take it back. I wish it was one of those flirty things them Capital people like. Better than one of them con artists.
Martial arts sect. Bunch of thugs and loonies. I remember the st time we had a ‘martial arts sect.’ Worse than a bunch of bandits.
You had to pay them ta protect you FROM them. ‘Fees to feed our members that risk their skin for the likes of you lot,” yeah, I believe that sure I do, I’ll swear it on my second best donkey.
Funny how no pce got robbed till them bunch moved in and some of the locals opted outta those ‘taxes.’ Lord above knows we pay enough of them to the crown, let alone having to pay ‘em to every school yard bully that got fed too well on other kids’ lunches.
Reform with new members? Nah, you just wanna line those silk pockets with more gold. Trick some of them louts and split the income 90:10 why dontcha. And leave the rest of us scramblin’ to find money to keep the nd.
The ndlord cleared the st martial arts sect outta town after no one had any money ta pay the crown with. Turns out those buggers weren’t reporting any of the fees they were taking to the local lord at all.
Ha, those suckers got shaken down for all they were worth. I mean, none of the money got returned to us, but better the well spoken crooks get the money than the brutish ones, right?
Well, let’s see if this fellow’s got any actual martial arts skills to back up that cim. If they’re just another crook, I’ll be able ta y them out when we get matched up against one ‘nother.
There ain’t no way any of these other louts will be able to knock me off the podium anyway.
And, if them Colosseum workers like the bettin’ money as much as I think they do, they’ll want me and them to face off visibly bigger opponents for the thrill of it and scoop off profit from all them idiots betting on brawn.
Pfft, if brawn was most important, neither of us beanpoles would be Semi-Finalists.
Too bad I don’t have an insider ta rig any bets. Wouldn’t want any of my siblings comin’ to a pce like this.
In any case…
See you at the Finals, Phony Master.
