The Non-Human Society Chapter 147 - One Hundred and Forty Six – Vim – To Sit

"He's still there," the woman giggled to her friend as they headed away from and down the hallway.

I ignored the two, not just because they were harmless... but because I was in no mood to even glance at the human won who kept walking past , in an attempt to get to talk to them.

"Wonder why Herra said he's taken?" the one not giggling asked.

"She's just trying to claim him," the giggling one whispered.

The two continued their gossip as they headed farther down the hallway, heading towards the bank. I was just barely able to block out their opinions of my face, and body. I wasn't in the mood to hear their complints, nor their minor insults.

No mood at all.

Across from the hall the gossiping humans were heading down, was another. One that led to the depot. Behind , sowhat smaller and plainer without rugs or paintings, was the hallway that led to one of the Society Doors. They all t together, here where I sat, and before was the biggest of them. The hallway that led to Gerald's office.

I could just barely make out his office down the hall. Thanks to the lanterns and the way the hallway angled just a tad, I was able to tell where it was simply because I knew where it was. The door opened inward into the office, so I wasn't able to see the door nor the door fra around it... thanks to us having built it recessed into the wall a little.

Such doors looked fancier, and was sothing not seen in this part of the world.

Taking a small breath, I ignored the scent of the one approaching behind . Pierre walked up behind slowly, and rounded a little more than he really needed to. He nodded at , and waited until I nodded back before he smiled and spoke, "It's been a long while since I've seen you on guard like this," he said.

"Hm... when was the last ti?" I asked him.

Pierre frowned, as if surprised I couldn't rember. "Forty odd years ago, I suppose. When you brought Sally here," he said.

Ah. Yes.

"Sally," I nodded.

"Sally. Though... that is why I ca to find you," Pierre coughed a little, and glanced around. Once he was sure no one else was nearby, or even within earshot, he stepped a little closer and lowered his voice. "Monroe passed away this morning."

I blinked, and although wasn't surprised at all to hear the news... I was still a little shocked.

Surprised because I had completely forgotten about that human, since so much had been happening lately.

"I see. Does he have anyone to handle his remains?" I asked. If not I would handle it.

"We can't leave, of course, so Lawrence has gotten a group of humans we can trust to handle it. He'll be buried next to Sally," Pierre said.

I nodded; glad... yet not, to hear it. He deserved to be buried by one of us, not people who didn't or couldn't understand what he had sacrificed. Let alone what his wife had given up, for him and all of us.

But it wasn't Pierre's fault, or anyone else's. They had voted, and that vote still stood as law.

No one was allowed to leave.

Well, technically I could. I was not bound by such laws... but...

That would defeat the whole purpose.

"Just figured you should know," Pierre said as he nodded.

"Yes. Thank you. I had said goodbye to him, not long ago. He paid his dues," I said.

Pierre nodded in agreent. "Him and Sally both."

Yes. They both had.

Pierre turned and left, heading back down the hallway he had co from. He really had co just to tell the news.

As he left an older woman approached from the depot. She was carrying a small binder, probably ledgers headed to Lawrence's office. "Oh? Still sitting Mr. Vim?" she asked.

I nodded. "I make a good statue," I said.

She laughed at as she passed by, and headed towards the bank. I knew she'd not reach the bank however, and instead take a right not too far from here. To head down the stairs to reach Lawrence's office.

As she left, I noticed movent out of the corner of my eye. An odd kind of movent, which drew my eyes to it.

I found Renn, just a small part of her face at least, as she peered at from around a corner not too far down the hallway that led to the depot. She stared at for a mont, and I noticed she was now wearing the leather hat Lellip had made her. Not a hat of the Animalia Company.

She didn't stare at long, and turned away. She didn't step out into the hallway, which told she had left.

That hadn't been the first ti she had peered at , but it was becoming more common.

I had been sitting here for a few days. Today was the third. She started staring at from the end of the first.

Although she hadn't said it, nor had anyone else told ... I knew she was frustrated.

Renn most likely wanted to suggest to that she wanted to be used as bait. To lure out the predator who was stalking her.

I couldn't however, even if I wanted to do so as well. I couldn't since they had all voted against it. No one here had been willing to endanger or sacrifice Renn for their own safety.

She hopefully didn't take it the wrong way, since it did not an they didn't trust her. Far from it. It ant the opposite. It ant she was seen as a genuine, in full, mber of the Society. She was as cherished as the rest.

So ti went by without anyone else walking down the hallways, and I watched a few people co and go from Gerald's office. Brom entered, and then left. He like his sister were now carrying their spears around at all tis. It glead a little as he headed out of Gerald's office, heading back towards the main entrance lobby. The gleam told he had been keeping it clean and possibly even polished.

He was odd like that.

A depot worker walked by, only nodding at as he did so. I recognized him from the previous days I'd been sitting here. Out of all the humans who walked past , he'd been one of the very few who didn't seem bothered or concerned over at all. He either didn't care at all about what I was doing, or believed I was doing sothing particular. Maybe he thought I was being punished, or committing so strange audit.

"Want a real chair, Vim?" Brandy asked as she walked up to . She had been walking with a pair of human won, but those two left us alone as they hurried to the bank.

"Why would I?" I asked. The small chair I sat on was more than fine.

"That's a footstool, not a real chair," she noted.

"It's working," I said.

"You look uncomfortable," she said.

"You're making feel uncomfortable, if anything," I said to her. I felt fine. It was just a stool, but it wasn't a very low one. My knees weren't too oddly pointed while I sat, nor was it too small for . I honestly felt fine sitting on it.

Brandy shrugged at . "Fine. Gerald received a formal letter from a small guild of southern rchants declaring economic war. They plan to outbid our guild in any and all opportunities on shipping spices or ores from the south dunes," Brandy said.

"Those people will pour out their treasuries to win such a war," I told her.

She nodded. "They would. And will. I plan to intentionally ship as much ores as I can to force their bankruptcy," she said.

I wanted to glare at her, but instead stared down the hall that she had co from. To Gerald's office. Renn had walked into the hallway for a mont, but then hurried into Gerald's office.

"Did we not a few years ago eliminate a few rchant families from the dune kingdom?" I asked her.

She nodded and frowned. "We did. About... well, almost twenty years ago I guess. Why?"

"They rember that stuff, Brandy. Those people down there have long mories. If you destroy too many families, rightfully or not, the kings and lords of that nation will begin to notice. They won't wage war with coins," I warned her.

Brandy smirked at , and shifted a little. For a tiny mont my eyes left the hallway in front of , to her. I didn't like that smirk on her face, it only ant trouble. For , mostly.

"What?" I asked her. Nothing I had said had been wrong.

"You're right. Like always. I just wish sotis you wouldn't be so..." she shrugged, as if not wanting or sure on how to finish her statent.

"I wasn't saying not to do so, Brandy. Just a level headed warning, was all," I said.

She nodded. "I know. I'll bring your warning up to Gerald and the rest. You are right... We also destroyed a few others not too long after we made this place, too. Rember those ships? The red ones?" she asked.

Yes. I did now. "Even more reason to solve this war peacefully," I said.

"Possibly. I'll sit with them and we'll talk about it. Though... you had done most of that one, Vim. What had it been? Five ships?" She asked.

Seven. "Who can rember?" I lied.

"Sure, sure... Also, not to change the subject too much, but did you know Renn and rit have beco close with one another?" Brandy asked.

"I have. Or well, I suspected as much. rit's seed oddly protective of Renn," I said.

Brandy nodded as she crossed her arms. A feat, considering her chest. "Indeed. Wonder how she did it. rit still won't talk to unless needed."

"You tried to sell her to a king, Brandy. You can do such things with , but most others would find that very troubling," I said.

She smirked and waved at , as if I had said sothing silly. "Please Vim! I'd not get anything for you, so why bother trying!"

I smiled and nodded, though I had sowhat hoped to have finally heard and apology from her instead. Should have known.

"Hm... Well, I'll go back to work. Don't collect too much dust, Vim, else the humans will start dusting you too," Brandy said as she stepped away.

"Dust. Sure."

As if.

After Brandy left, I noticed Renn peering at from Gerald's office. She frowned at , and before I could smile back at her she stopped leaning out into the hallway and went back into Gerald's office.

I huffed, and wondered what she was doing. It was adorable, and made want to go up to her... but I couldn't. I'd not leave this seat until...

Well...

"Thirsty?"

I blinked and turned my head. A young woman, in the black attire of a banker, was holding out a small cup to . She had a tinge of a red blush on her dark skinned face, and I gently smiled and took the offered cup. "Thanks," I said as I took what seed to be fresh juice.

Her blush deepened, and before I could say or do anything more she turned and ran off. Her flat shoes sounded odd on the rug she ran down, as she headed back to the bank.

Watching her go, I wondered why humans were so odd sotis.

Looking into the cup, I took a small sniff before drinking it. Not that I really doubted the woman, but...

"She's a newer hire. A family hire. Her mother had worked under Sofia for many years."

As I took a drink, I turned to Lawrence. He had a familiar binder tucked under his arm, and was standing next to with a frown.

"Hard to hide our people, Lawrence, when you allow multiple generations to work amongst us," I warned him.

"She's one of the good ones. You very likely don't rember, but you and Sally had saved her mother. When she had first joined us. Likely the reason she uh... well," Lawrence shrugged, but I knew what he was implying.

"I see..." I tried to rember who he was talking about, but couldn't. Sally and I had saved her mother? Likely. Sally saved a lot of humans... and I had been alongside her on a few of those instances.

It wasn't often our kind actively tried to save and help humans. It was why I tried to support those who did, since it was rare.

"Renn reminds of her. Though, not as pretty. But that might just be my own opinion," Lawrence said.

Raising an eyebrow at that, I wondered what he found unpleasing about Renn. Sally had been beautiful, but I'd not put her above Renn in any fashion.

"Rather than wanting to save all humans, I'd more so say Renn likes to simply help those she can when she can," I said.

Lawrence nodded. "Definitely. Part of the reason I ca to find you. All of the eastern won are now at the Eastern Embassy," he said.

The little cup in my hand made a weird noise as I squeezed it a little too tightly. Thankfully it didn't break or shatter. It was just a common cup, found in any of the break rooms inside the company, but it was still half full.

"Already?" I asked. Had it not just been a few days ago the small group had left?

Lawrence nodded. "Lamp and the rest ca back this morning, they were very adamant that the embassy was safe. Lamp however, made it very clear to and Renn that she'll be back. As soon as the rest of the girls are situated, she will return. She might also bring a few others with her, by the sounds of it," Lawrence said.

I sighed.

"Oh? I thought you'd be glad to hear it," Lawrence said.

"I should be, shouldn't I?" I wondered.

"Yet not. Why?"

"Humans are heavy baggage. Especially for those like Renn. Like Sally," I said.

"Ah..." Lawrence nodded, fully understanding.

Staring at the liquid in my little cup, I wondered what I could do or say to Renn to keep her from becoming too attached to Lamp and her people.

Maybe that was why Renn was staring at lately. Maybe she wanted to co up and talk to about Lamp and the rest.

"We need those kinds of humans, Vim. Especially here," Lawrence said softly.

I nodded. "I know. How could I be upset over finding those we can call friends?" I asked him.

"Upset? You? Vim... please, don't insult yourself. When's the last ti you actually got upset at humans?" he asked.

"Just now?"

Lawrence scoffed. "Sure. Even though they still live, and my shoes aren't soaked with blood. Sure, I believe you."

I rolled my eyes as I took another drink. Did he think I hated humans that much? Sotis I did, but lately not.

"Honestly I have more pressing concerns," I said after I drank the rest of my cup.

"Yet, Vim, the world goes on. Danger or not," he said, and then held out his hand.

Staring at his open palm, I sighed and then handed him my empty cup. He took it carefully, as if it was precious.

"Thanks, I suppose," I told him.

"Hm." Lawrence nodded, and then turned and headed down the main hall.

While Lawrence left, Tosh walked up to . I sat up a little straighter as he walked towards , and I wondered if...

He stepped up to my left, and with his blank eyes... while staring lifelessly at the floor before him, he reached over and patted on my shoulder.

Staring at his blank expression, Tosh's hand slowly left my shoulder... falling limply to his side, and then he walked onward. Heading behind , down the hall towards the society door.

As he walked away, I couldn't help but smile.

So he was making progress.

Good.

Even if it would take hundreds of years, I'd be more than willing to wait to talk to my old friend.

Feeling a little happy over Tosh's little act of compassion, I sat alone and without a word as the world continued on around . People ca and went. Workers hurried past. So tried to talk to , others ignored . A few Society mbers went by, smiling or nodding at , while others stopped for a mont to tell about stuff that had happened. Things like the king of Lun coming into the bank again, asking about Renn. Or the depot having to shut down because a horse actually went limp, and had to be hauled away.

The day continued in such a fashion until the dreary, dark world outside beca even darker. The rain had stopped, but the thunder clouds still remained. Looming over the city threateningly. But the night was here. The wind was picking up, and the hallways were starting to darken.

As workers entered the hallways, to light the lamps and lanterns, rit walked out of Gerald's office. She headed straight for , and I frowned as she approached.

She looked upset...

And Renn was now staring at again, as she peered out of Gerald's office at us.

They had all been in there? All this ti? rit too?

rit really had taken a liking to Renn.

As rit got closer, I realized she was glaring and frowning at . She really was upset.

Brandy had wanted to know how Renn had done it... well...

too.