[Jessari]

The man's announcement acted as a spark set to dried brush. The shouting intensified, growing aggressive. No matter how smelly FOR was, it didn't stop Roscoe from tucking in close to his side, terrified of the danger he couldn't see.

[Jessari]

Things were beginning to get bad. The first thing that told FOR this was the fact that he'd been standing next to a finely-dressed woman for over a minute now, and she'd barely noticed him. Most people, male or female, could only stand about fifteen seconds of his stench. He raised his head, mumbling under his breath as he looked across the crowd.

[Jessari]

Yes, the crowd had definitely grown more aggressive. People who had been giving them ample space because of FOR's smell were now jostling against them, beginning to press towards the steps. Roscoe gave a frightened little cry, nearly losing his grip on FOR's coat. If he lost FOR, he'd never be able to find his way out of this crowd.

[Jessari]

With an irritated grunt, FOR began to push his way through the crowd, trying to reach the edge. It was ten times harder than before. The people who had moved out of his way so easily before were all pressing forward as one, shoulder to shoulder, chest to back. It was like trying to push through a solid brick wall.

[Jessari]

FOR began doing some pushing of his own. Although he was fairly strong, it didn't have as much effect as he'd hoped. If he was pushing one person, it would have knocked that person down. As closely as they were packed, however, he wasn't just pushing one person, but the five or six people behind that person as well.

[Jessari]

It took forever to press through to the edge of the crowd, or so it seemed to Roscoe. By the time the press of bodies around them lessened, he was shaking, frightened nearly out of his wits. He'd heard stories of people falling in riots like this one, then getting trampled to death.

[Jessari]

Still mumbling and jingling his cup full of coins, FOR began to walk away from the crowd. It was time to eat. He knew where he was going to go, too.

[Jessari]

Roscoe continued to cling to the man's coat. Although he knew the general area of the city they were in, he was afraid to be alone at the moment. With his cup this full, he worried that some of the meaner inhabitants of the Slums would try to take it from him.

[Jessari]

"Where are we going?" he asked. It was hopeless, trying to get an answer out of FOR, but one could always hope. Hopefully they were headed towards food.

[Jessari]

"I told 'em," FOR grumbled. He'd almost forgotten the boy at his side. He didn't mind him tagging along as long as he paid for his own meal.

[Jessari]

Roscoe sighed, but decided to stick with the man. Maybe he'd get lucky. He jingled his cup slightly, and smiled at the comforting sound.

[Jessari]

FOR steered them towards the finer part of town, not that the Slums actually had a fine part of town. With this much change, he wasn't settling for a soup kitchen. He was going to treat himself out to something really delicious.

[Jessari]

The first sign Roscoe had that his hopes were going to be fulfilled was the warm scent of good food that filled his nostrils. His fingers tightened in the fabric of FOR's filthy jacket as his stomach clenched. When had he last had a filling meal? Had he ever had one?