sometimes i remember that there are people who prefer to play with their au ra modded to not have scales and whenever it happens i need five grown men to restrain me before i go berserker mode across the JCPenney parking lot

Three days Ty’at had been working at the Leatherworker’s guild in Gridania. Petra had introduced her to the guild as a way to make use of all the pelts Ty’at tended to accumulate from her hunts, as well as give the rambunctious Xbr’aali something to do with her boundless energy.

It was not going well. Even those outside the guild could hear the chaos within.

“Argh! Why is tanning so hard?! My leather keeps coming out so uneven, even I can see the faults! Geva can never be allow-”

A shadow appeared suddenly over the frustrated Ty’at. She gulped. She knew exactly what was coming.

“Ty’at, what do you think you are doing?! Even a child could tan leather better than this! Third-rate work like this will never be accepted by anyone! Do I need to tan your hide and show you how it’s done?!”

Ty’at was frozen in place. She didn’t believe she would ever get used to Geva’s harsh beratement. Why had she allowed Petra to talk her into this? Taking deep breaths, she collected herself and meekly responded, “My apologies, Miss Geva. I know I am struggling. I think I need help to figure out what I am doing wrong.” A wry smile crossed her lips for the briefest of moments as she thought of a retort that may just win the guildmaster’s favor, though she quickly collected herself once more. “You offered to tan my hide and show me how it’s done? If that offer stands, I would like to take it. My hide right here,” she gestured to the pile of hides she was struggling with, “is already laid out and ready to go.”

A moment past, then two. Finally, a weary sigh. “Fine. If you are willing to learn, I suppose that is better than most of my leatherworkers here.” She shot a nasty look at the rubbernecking guild members who had stopped their work to watch in. “Let me pass off my tasks to Petra and I will do what I can to assist you.”

As the rest of the guild scrambled back to their work, Ty’at let out a sigh of relief. She had taken up leatherworking at Petra’s insistence as a hobby, but Geva took is far more seriously than she could have imagined. Nevertheless, the opportunity to learn from such an accomplished leatherworker for her hobby was something she couldn’t pass up. While Geva’s back was turned, she did a little happy dance to celebrate her victory.

“Hey! You are here to work leather, not to dance!”

bug ahead
but Visions of brief respite...

^{Appraisals: 2}

Try reinforcements
and then Let there be beating to a pulp

^{Appraisals: 6}