#pervince

It’d been years since Hogger had seen his three former companions. He’d heard of them, sure, but who hadn’t?

Lailia had traveled the land, helping cure sick forests and bring back animals from the brink of extinction. She had taken Bowser Jr. with her upon Hogger’s insistence. Along the way, she’d found the magic users who had destroyed her forest and brought them to justice. She shrugged the fame and fortune off instead accepting peace and quiet in her home forest where she settled down and started building her home.

Andry stayed close to the major cities. Unlike Lailia, she’d accepted the money with open arms. She became the leader of a thieves’ guild, then went onto sit on the Thieves’ Council. After defeating a goddess, stealing from and assassinating nobles is easy after all. Rumor was she had taken on a some kid from the Jire as an apprentice, to pass on her art.

Pervince had returned to the Jire, where he sang songs of the Spider Goddess and the story of his companions (although, maybe it was a little blown out proportion). His family had accepted him with open arms and tears in their eyes. The Tosscobbles built a better home and lived a comfortable life with Pervince’s fortune.

Hogger, however, had faded away. His fortune was spent on ale and people of the night. He got into one too many bar fights, which led to him getting kicked out of cities. Most of his time was spent traveling, traveling, traveling.

He didn’t stop to sleep until he passed out on the road, and then his sleep was plagued with nightmares of the adventure he and his companions had went on.

On one of these days, Hogger found himself at a crossroads. To the left, there was Lailia’s forest. Straight ahead, the Jire and Pervince waited. To the right, there was a city Andry was rumored to stay at. Behind him was a city he’d been kicked out of for the third time now. Hogger paused, hoisting his backpack higher on his back.

On one hand, Lailia lay to the left. She was, one could say, Hogger’s first love. She was strong and decisive and could see through Hogger’s bullshit. And, as an added bonus, she had Bowser Jr. with her. Another choice, there was Andry to the right. They weren’t the closest out of the party, and probably had the most disputes, but Andry understood Hogger’s ways, as a fighter. The third choice was going back the way he came. But he doubted he could get back into the city he just got kicked out of. The fourth and final choice was the Jire.

Pervince.

He, despite Hogger’s great annoyance and disapproval, said he was Hogger’s best friend and continued to do so. He insisted upon it. Pervince was always there for Hogger. Throughout their adventures together, Pervince was a constant that Hogger needed when Hogger was down or upset.

Hogger gripped the strap of his backpack and headed straight ahead.

It took some asking around of some scared looking halfings (had they never seen a scarred half-orc with a two handed battle axe before?) but he had finally found the Tosscobble household. Before he knocked at the door, he stared at the ground for a solid two minutes.

The person to open the door was Pervince himself.

The halfling looked up at Hogger confused. A beat of awkward silence passed before sudden realization dawned on the smaller being.

“Hogger? My dearest companion? Oh my gods, you look terrible!”

Hogger attempted a half smile but it came out forced and awkward. “Yeah, well. I haven’t slept in ages.”

“Oh. Oh! Do come in, come in. My family is currently out at the Goodbarrels having dinner. Hogger we haven’t seen nor heard from you in years! We thought you had died!”

Hogger ducked into the small building, allowing Pervince to fuss over some wounds that he hadn’t properly taken care of.

The bard sang a few lyrics, his voice miles better than when they had first met. As the music filled the room, Hogger’s black eye reduced in size before it disappeared completely. His skin turned from black and blue back to its normal green color. A few cuts stitched themselves back together. His split lip healed back up. An aura of calm settled over Hogger as his tense muscles loosened.

“Thanks Pervince.” Hogger sat in the halfling-sized chair he was pushed down into. “I just. I needed to get away for awhile.”

“‘Away for awhile?’ It’s been years, Hogger!” Pervince shot back, glaring at the half-orc.

Hogger shrugged. “I’ve had a rough time. It’s just what happened to my mom… then going through all that… I was a kid! I couldn’t deal with it psychologically. I wasn’t as old, as mature as you three. I dunno. I just. I couldn’t handle it. Pervince I haven’t been sleeping for years. I wasn’t even sleeping when we were on our adventure. Even when I do get to sleep, I’ve been having nightmares. I don’t know what to do anymore, Pervince. I don’t--I don’t know what to do.”

Pervince’s scolding manner softened and he smoothed a hand down Hogger’s arm.

“Hogger I’m so sorry. You should’ve come to one of us sooner. We could’ve helped.”

“I know, I know. I couldn’t though. I couldn’t, but I don’t know why.”

“It’s okay Hogger. You’re here now, aren’t you? We can get through this together. You can spend the night here. We can talk in the morning. For now, let’s just get a good meal in you and maybe, maybe you can try and get some sleep.”

“Okay. You know how to heal; I’ll trust you.”