The Non-Human Society

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty Six - Vim - Heart's Stock

      The city of Lumen was growing.

The little booth that used to make up the common locals stock market was now a full blown building. There were different divisions, for different sectors, and there was also now an entire department to help people buy and sell. It was no longer just a place to watch the prices and trends, but an actual market.

This massive building was almost as big as the Societies depot, and it was more busy. There were hundreds of people here, from all walks of life, and they were hurrying and running around in all directions.

Some were making deals. Some were messengers. There were younger people in brown clothes that were the market's workers, and then there were obvious servants and employees of other guilds here in Lumen. There were even a few blue and white colors mixed into the crowd, telling me that Gerald and Lawrence kept people here to watch even though there was no need to.

It was... almost terrifying. I had blinked and all of a sudden the world had taken another step forward.

For me that was no big deal. I knew where the world was going. I knew the future that was coming. But those who I was responsible for... those in the Society...

They could not survive in that world. They could not afford that future to arrive.

Yet it would. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"Oh no, thank you though," Renn turned down an offer of employment again as she walked towards me. She barely gave the older man a single thought as she hurried up to me.

I stared at the older man, who studied me, and then with a huff turned away. He hadn't been intimated by me, but had given up all the same.

"Vim, they even have our company up there," Renn said happily, pointing to the main board over on the right.

I nodded. They did. "I see that," I said.

"Does that mean they can buy and sell our company too? How's that work?" she asked.

"They can't. They use that board with our symbol to let people know when we do something in the market. For instance if the Animalia Company purchased a bunch of wheat, they'd put our company's logo on that board next to the wheat to let them know. If they were able to find the price we paid they'd put that information there too," I explained to her.

"Oh... So they're using us as a way to gauge the market," she said, understanding perfectly.

She was scary sometimes.

"Basically. There's very likely many people and groups that don't even do anything until they find out what we do," I said.

Another failure on Brandy and Gerald's part... but I couldn't do anything about it. Not anymore.

"I didn't realize we were that influential," she said.

"We shouldn't be," I said softly.

Renn looked up at me as I watched a woman climb up onto a small podium behind the main counter. She had a large bell in her hand, which she went to swinging wildly. To get everyone to look over at her.

Suddenly the whole building went dead quiet.

"One hour to close! One hour!" she shouted, nearly screaming.

Renn's hat made noise as her ears shifted, and then we watched as everyone renewed their business with vigor.

"Let's go," I said, reaching over to put my hand on Renn's waist.

She nodded, happily letting me guide her out.

As we left, I noticed the few men who had approached Renn when she had gone to all the boards to examine them. A few had wanted to employ her, one had wanted more. They stared at us as we left, but did nothing more.