Needle in a Haystack

[Mikhail]

The light was in his eyes again as he stood shakily. "Always trying to blind me, woman." It was quiet, sort of. I mean you could hear stuff. But after all that thrashing around and yelling and fighting and what not, the lack of all that was powerful.

The light moved down to the thing in the slop and then back up to him. Fortune's gift- well, that was what it was, after all. And it seemed he had passed her test. Aced it. And didn't even need to cheat, neither. No copying off someone else. No sleeping with whatever ancient aide the teacher had working for them. Passed it honest to God on his own.

The Gift was there now. He didn't need of the lighter, not anymore. It was still his lucky charm, though. He wasn't about to get rid of it. I mean, it had been his pop's. He figured that they way things had gone downhill with him and then ma, well, it had been about the most unlucky thing in the world. Well, the way Mik saw it, that seemed to have used all its bad luck up. 

Had to have. Because when Mik had been in a bind all those years ago, that little lighter had done more that strike a spark. It had introduced him to the Lady all proper-like. It was a meeting that changed his life.

For Mik, it was the beginning of his new life. And her his companion...who just so happened to like to kill him everyo once in a while, to see if he was worthy of her attention.

So far he was doing pretty well, if he said so himself.

So anyway, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, so he's holding the gift and can enjoy in much finer detail the stenches and sounds of down here.

Rune's question was laced with awe and a touch of humor. And so Mik leaned into it. "Yep. Way i figure, he was just lonely. Maybe a bit hungry too. Couldn't decide what he wanted to do. So...I gave him a hug." He shrugged. 

"I guess I don't know my own strength." Then he added- dropping the act because they both knew it was just a joke- "Jesus, that thing was strong. Guess I got lucky with his neck."

The feel of wet at his back and butt and legs and shoes was not great. Nope. And the Gift made it worse. It was getting cold against his skin "Gah, this stuff is nasty. So, I'm not sure if it's drinks or milkshakes after something like this. But if you're game, I gotta at least hit my place to get cleaned up."

He remembered the way her threadbare clothes fit. She wasn't really doing too well. And he'd had fun. He didn't mind offering. "Maybe get some warm food into you, anyway, too"