[Jessari]

Roscoe looked up, peering with unseeing eyes as footsteps drew closer. Judging from the smell, it was FOR. The boy stood, waiting, hopeful.

[Jessari]

FOR reached the boy. With an emotionless grunt, he reached out a scabbed hand. He grabbed hold of the boy's sleeve, then began walking the way he had come.

[Jessari]

Roscoe stumbled at the unexpected 'assistance', but a large grin crept back over his face. Holding his beggar's cup tightly in one hand, he trailed after the larger beggar. In his mind, he imagined the weight of his cup after walking through the crowd.

[Jessari]

They had no trouble making it to the conference building. None of the Slum's rougher sort tried to give them trouble, whether from FOR's intimidating figure or the emptiness of their cups it was uncertain. Then again, Roscoe thought, it might have been because of FOR's eye-watering stench.

[Jessari]

"Millennium hand and shrimp," FOR muttered. "I warned 'em, I did." Roscoe ignored the words. There were only a few words FOR had in his spoken vocabulary, and he had long since learned that none of them made sense.

[Jessari]

They were nearly there when they began hearing the voices. Apparently the topic being discussed in the conference was controversial, because many of the voices were raised in anger. Roscoe took a closer step towards FOR, despite the smell.

[Jessari]

Although Roscoe was beginning to rethink his decision, FOR seemed not to notice the rise in tension. People tended to leave him alone no matter how angry they got. He walked on, not slowing.

[Jessari]

When they turned the corner, they were surprised to see (or hear, in Roscoe's case) the large amount of people standing outside the conference building. None of them looked happy, and some of them looked ready to either storm the building or start fighting other people in the audience with differing opinions. FOR began moving through the crowd, holding his sign proudly in front of him.

[Jessari]

"Hey!" one man yelled as he was jostled. His protests trailed off when he turned and saw who had bumped him. When his nose picked up FOR's scent, it was as if he'd been punched in the face.

[Jessari]

Seeing this as a sign of encouragement, FOR remained right next to the man, pointing at the sign. The man's face was growing red as he held his breath. He reached into his pocket, dropping spare change into FOR's waiting hand.

[Jessari]

"Starlight, starbright," FOR muttered, nodding his thanks. True to his word, or the words on the sign, he moved on once he'd been paid. Roscoe clung to the man's jacket, afraid of being left alone in the unfriendly crowd.

[Jessari]

They made their way slowly through the crowd. Roscoe made out well, with people dropping coins in his can out of pity because he was attached to such a monstrous person. FOR, however, made out much better, with nearly every person he passed dropping a coin or two in to keep him moving.

[Jessari]

Although it was hard to make out individual voices, Roscoe could tell the crowd was getting more and more upset as time went on. He clutched the cup, fuller than it had been in a long while, to his chest. "Maybe we should get out of here soon."

[Jessari]

FOR, still not catching the rise in tension, simply grunted. Things were going well, judging by the weight of his cup. He didn't plan to leave until he had covered the crowd.

[Jessari]

Over the noise of the disgruntled crowd, Roscoe thought he heard the large doors of the building open. From the direction of the building, a man began shouting. Although Roscoe didn't understand the large words he was using, it was apparent that he was disclosing the results of the conference.