Watching and Listening - An Empires SMP AU

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           "What are you trying to buy? We've got lots of good wares and goods and products in Gobland! And all for a very good price too," fWhip said in a sales voice. Yeah, good price for the people selling, False thought. She slipped her computer out of the sling bag and showed it to the goblin, who appeared very interested in it. "A friend of mine damaged it. I was trying to buy some parts to fix it but now I can't without diamonds." 

           fWhip looked at it from various angles. "That computer looks like someone hit someone else on the head with it," He said. False blinked. That's exactly what happened... Why does he know what a computer that had been used to hit someone on the head looks like?! "I think I can help," fWhip added musingly. False felt her hopes go up. "Really?" She asked, trying to not sound too eager. "For a price," fWhip added. I should've known that was coming. 

           fWhip lead False through the maze of stalls and stands, seemingly looking for a particular place. As they walked, False was struck by the weird goblin aesthetics and fashion. For one thing, goblins seemed to have a very obsessive love of gold jewelry. fWhip had a pair of heavy gold earrings that dragged his enormous ears slightly downward, and they'd passed by some goblins who wore gold necklaces and bracelets and sometimes even headdresses, or had them as buttons or brooches on clothing. 

           "You guys really love gold," False remarked offhandedly. fWhip shrugged and continued perusing stands. "It's an inherent trait," He said, and when he spoke, False could see he had a gold tooth. "Some theorize that we're related to piglins. I mean, love of gold, big nose, pointy ears, it makes sense. Although we're green and they're pink." "What's with the fish ears?" False asked, catching sight of a large group of goblins passing by them who all wore accessories over their ears that looked like fish fins. 

           "It's because of another theory of who we're related to," fWhip said. "There's this legend that a long time ago goblins didn't exist. They used to be fish people who could live on land and underwater. Then one day there was this big disaster where the oceans drained away and the remaining fish people who survived fled underground to where all the water went. Eventually they evolved and their gills and fins and stuff were replaced by stuff more suited to mining. The only thing we have left of our heritage is our pointy ears, which used to be fin-like." fWhip twitched his ears as he spoke. 

           "That's complicated," False said, reeling slightly from the overload of information. fWhip shrugged again. "Hey, it's history. Blame Pix, not me. Oh, we're here!" They were in one of the deeper alleys. Ironically, it was less suffocating down there, with barely anyone else around to form a crowd. There weren't that many stalls either, though, but False could see some hardware stores at the end of the street.

           fWhip started to knock on all the doors and soon the curious shopkeepers came out to see what the matter was. They seemed to know fWhip well, since they all started to greet each other warmly. "This person needs some help with her computer," fWhip said, gesturing at False. As she pulled out her battered device to show the goblins, fWhip's use of the words 'this person' made her realize that she'd never told him her name.

           I'll need a psuedonym, since he knows the other False. Okay, what's a good replacement name? Maybe True. Yeah, that'll be a good one. It's the opposite of my real name. "My name is-" False started, but the other goblins shook their heads. "We don't take names down here, missy!" One of them shouted and the rest nodded in agreement. Well, that's just really convenient. This place feels like a black market.

           "Can anyone help with this?" False asked, showing the computer around, A few of the goblins attempted to take it from her but she kept her grip firm, making sure she didn't get pickpocketed again. "I might have some parts that will work," A goblin mused. "But I need to check." "Me too," Another said. False went into all the shops and found some stuff she thought she needed. But then the problem of not having any diamonds came up again.