“Come on, Rufus,” Farrah said. “You hit him so hard he had to drink a potion.”

“Which he did,” Rufus said. “So now he can get up.”

Rufus walked over to where Jason was still laying in the dirt.

“This is where he gets to choose,” Rufus says. “Is he going to be adequate, or is he going to be great? Stand up or lay down. What’s it going to be, Jason?”

Jason pushed himself up and onto his feet.

“You know,” he said, “Instructor Rufus is kind of a prick. Haven’t you heard of positive reinforcement?”

“All those openings you were showing,” Rufus said. “They’re a trap.”

“Well, some of them are traps,” Jason said. “It took you a while to go after the right one.”

“Only once you close all those real openings will you have made the style your own,” Rufus said.

“No,” Jason said. “Once I transform every opening into a trap, then I’ve made it my own.”

Rufus grinned.

“I like the ambition. You have a lot of work to do.”

76. Preparations

76

Preparations

“Mr Asano,” Gilbert greeted, “always such a pleasure.”

“Morning, Bert. Your message said you found something for me?”

“Ah, yes,” Gilbert said, looking reluctant. “Loath as I am to refer you to my brother, he does have something that meets your specifications quite neatly. Of course, I could offer you something adequate myself, but adequate isn’t the Gilbert’s Resilient Attire for the Discerning Gentleman way.”

Gilbert held out an envelope for Jason.

“Thanks, Bert. Good looking out, mate.”

Filbert’s Fine Leather Emporium was located in one of the other arcades within the trade hall complex, requiring Jason to pass through the main hall. He passed by Jory’s stall along the way, although Jory himself was still overseeing renovations. Instead, it was being run by Jory’s assistant, Janice.

“Hello, Mr Asano.”

“Hello, Janice. I don’t suppose you have any crystal wash back there?”

“Now, Mr Asano, you know what Mr Tillman said. We have to keep some for the other customers.”

“Janice,” Jason said, voice buttery smooth. “Can’t you just free up just a few little bottles? It can be our little secret.”

“Mr Asano, Mr Tillman only produces four crates a week, and after you were so generous with the construction funding he lets you take two of them. We keep having to turn people away because we've run out. He'll be stepping up production once his new workshop is up and running.”

Jason shook his head sadly.

“You're killing me, Janice. If I don't get that crystal wash, I'm going to end up all dirty. You don't want to be responsible for turning me into a dirty man, do you, Janice?”

Her eyes ran Jason up and down.

“I could live with it,” she said.

“Janice!” Jason said, voice filled with admonishment. “I’ve never heard the like! I think I’d better go.”