ROTM: 1.20.2
Something is following you. Everywhere. No matter where you go, it's there. What is it? What will you do?
Wandering through the market place, Iolaus paused at a fruit stall and picked up an apple.
The merchant eagerly held up two more just like it for his inspection, perfect in shape and color. "You won't find any better in Thalos," he proclaimed, beaming.
"I'll take-"
"Hold on there, partner!" With a clatter of metal, Joxer jostled Iolaus aside. "I'll take care of this! You've got to know how to haggle with these people."
Iolaus gripped the apple hard enough to bruise the flesh. "I'm perfectly capable of-"
"Just leave it to me," said Joxer, cutting him off with an imperious wave of the hand. "Now listen to me, good man," he continued, turning to the merchant. "You've probably heard of me. Joxer the Mighty, hero of story and song? The guy who taught Xena everything she knows? Well, that's me! And I think, as a token of your gratitude for us heroes keeping you safe, you should maybe donate a few of those apples to a worthy cause. Like us!"
With a low growl, Iolaus stepped up and knocked Joxer back a few steps. "Here," he told the merchant, handing over a coin and accepting all three apples. "Ignore him," he continued with a glare at Joxer as he slipped the apples into his belt pouch. "He's been hit on the head too many times."
"Heeyyyy! I have - WHOA!" Joxer yelped as Iolaus grabbed a fist full of cheap leather jerkin and hauled him away from the stall.
"For the last time, will you stop following me?" demanded Iolaus in angry frustration. The warrior-wannabe had been shadowing him all over the small village, mimicking everything Iolaus did and constantly under foot. "Just what in Hades do you think you're doing, anyway?"
"Haggling! And you ruined the everything," complained Joxer, jerking himself free. "Didn't anyone tell you, you should never pay full price?"
"That wasn't haggling. That was graft," snapped Iolaus. "Where I come from, that's just another kind of stealing."
"Stealing? What stealing? I was haggling! Besides, we're heroes! That guy probably wouldn't be alive today to sell those apples if it weren't for guys like us keeping him safe. He can spare a sinking apple or two."
"Guys like us?" Iolaus sighed and rolled his eyes heavenward, as if seeking strength from the gods. "Look, Joxer. Get this through that thick head of yours. We help people because it's the right thing to do, not because there's a reward."
"Yeah, sure . . . I know that. But, not even a little reward?"
"Maybe a meal or a bed for the night if it's offered, but never money." Iolaus held up one of the apples. "And never because we demand it. Chew on that for a while." He tossed the fruit at Joxer who, startled, fumbled and barely caught it before it hit the dirt. "Now, STOP FOLLOWING ME!"
Wandering through the market place, Iolaus paused at a fruit stall and picked up an apple.
The merchant eagerly held up two more just like it for his inspection, perfect in shape and color. "You won't find any better in Thalos," he proclaimed, beaming.
"I'll take-"
"Hold on there, partner!" With a clatter of metal, Joxer jostled Iolaus aside. "I'll take care of this! You've got to know how to haggle with these people."
Iolaus gripped the apple hard enough to bruise the flesh. "I'm perfectly capable of-"
"Just leave it to me," said Joxer, cutting him off with an imperious wave of the hand. "Now listen to me, good man," he continued, turning to the merchant. "You've probably heard of me. Joxer the Mighty, hero of story and song? The guy who taught Xena everything she knows? Well, that's me! And I think, as a token of your gratitude for us heroes keeping you safe, you should maybe donate a few of those apples to a worthy cause. Like us!"
With a low growl, Iolaus stepped up and knocked Joxer back a few steps. "Here," he told the merchant, handing over a coin and accepting all three apples. "Ignore him," he continued with a glare at Joxer as he slipped the apples into his belt pouch. "He's been hit on the head too many times."
"Heeyyyy! I have - WHOA!" Joxer yelped as Iolaus grabbed a fist full of cheap leather jerkin and hauled him away from the stall.
"For the last time, will you stop following me?" demanded Iolaus in angry frustration. The warrior-wannabe had been shadowing him all over the small village, mimicking everything Iolaus did and constantly under foot. "Just what in Hades do you think you're doing, anyway?"
"Haggling! And you ruined the everything," complained Joxer, jerking himself free. "Didn't anyone tell you, you should never pay full price?"
"That wasn't haggling. That was graft," snapped Iolaus. "Where I come from, that's just another kind of stealing."
"Stealing? What stealing? I was haggling! Besides, we're heroes! That guy probably wouldn't be alive today to sell those apples if it weren't for guys like us keeping him safe. He can spare a sinking apple or two."
"Guys like us?" Iolaus sighed and rolled his eyes heavenward, as if seeking strength from the gods. "Look, Joxer. Get this through that thick head of yours. We help people because it's the right thing to do, not because there's a reward."
"Yeah, sure . . . I know that. But, not even a little reward?"
"Maybe a meal or a bed for the night if it's offered, but never money." Iolaus held up one of the apples. "And never because we demand it. Chew on that for a while." He tossed the fruit at Joxer who, startled, fumbled and barely caught it before it hit the dirt. "Now, STOP FOLLOWING ME!"