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    Thank you, kind sir! It is lovely to meet you. Can you tell me where we are? I''m new to the area don''t quite know the nam—


    River means water, water means people. Eventually. He didn''t know how he knew that, but he knew it. He also knew people were his best chance at finding more sources of magic.


    It was no accident, Roux said helpfully, the fish were aiming for that bucket from the start. The whole thing was a setup.


    Rude, thought Roux, and unhelpful.


    Thanks for the ride, you can drop me off here. Roux said politely. The gull spontaneously shed a few feathers, and immediately dropped the lemon in fright. Roux tumbled down the side of a roof, rolling onto open air before hitting another roof. He tumbled down again, clattering against the clay tiles, until he fell again. He hit an old fabric awning and bounced to a rest at the bottom of a small alley. It was dirty, filthy really, and quite occupied. A gang of children even dirtier than the alley had surrounded something. They were shouting, kicking, spitting, and throwing things at the center of the circle. "Dead meat!" They chanted. "Dead meat!"


    Excuse me, Roux whispered into their minds. He was trying a whisper, thinking maybe the usual volume was too loud, and that was what scared people away. I''m looking for sources of magic and power.


    I sure can, Roux replied with a mixture of pride and weariness. It was really getting to him, the way nobody ever stuck around to talk. It was almost as if he—


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    You, child, Roux said curiously, you are not running away.


    I beg your pardon! I am a lemon. Can''t you see? I guess not with that swollen, bruised eye, but the other one? You saw me walking, just a minute ago! Roux huffed. Demon indeed. Wait is that why people keep running away? They think I''m some sort of soul eater?


    I will eat your soul was quickly becoming a favorite of his, though it didn''t really matter what he said. Lemons are yellow also had people running for their lives.


    see how it will turn out?" The wizard''s voice, which had started low, clear, and authoritative, was becoming higher-pitched with every sentence. "How can we—"