Upon being deposited back near an entrance to the Dwarven tunnels, Orig'lat makes some tsk-ing sounds, painstakingly unties the rope on her arm, and starts peering nearsightedly at the ground. She wanders over to a nearby brook clattering down the mountain, seeming to have forgotten all about Grog'tial.
Grog'tial, after dusting himself off, follows his grandmother to continue the conversation which was interrupted by the Shadowy figure's abrupt ending to the proceedings. "Grandma!" he begins, "You can't be serious about this shadowy figure fancying you! We have to find some way to block him from coming for you a second time. I don't know exactly what a 'garden shed' is, but it doesn't sound good!" Noticing Grog'tial as for the first time, Orig'lat carefully stoops to pick up a large rounded pebble, and examines it closely, before pocketing it and turning to address him. "Oh Timmy, you youngsters understand so little of love! It's not your fault, really. I remember how it was when I first encountered your grandfather in Sigil. We spent
months being all confused, having near-misses..." She drifts off in reverie for endless minutes, before suddenly stooping down to pick up another large pebble and continuing the conversation as if nothing happened, "...but don't you see, at my age it's all so much clearer. Didn't you notice how as soon as I'd spoken the words that that nice young man fancied me, he immediately tore down the entire circus? He's trying to play hard to get! He wants
me, to chase
him! Ooh, I haven't had this much fun since playing portal hide-and-seek with your grandfather after he finally got his courage together to kiss me!"
Orig'lat carefully straightens up, and takes a step closer to Grog'tial to peer in his face, "...and if
anyone shouldn't lecture me about love, it's you!" She pokes her grandson in his ribs with surprising strength. "Tell me, how've you been doing with finding love, eh?"
Grog'tial winces, and then rubs the spot where Orig'lat poked him in an attempt to make it seem that that's what the wince was all about. "Grandma!" he whines, "that's really not the point!" Upon noticing the wince, a calculating look enter Orig'lat's eyes, and a note of steel enter her voice, "Timmy! Tell me! I'm not getting any younger here, y'know. I! Want! Great-grandchildren! Now fess up!"
Grog'tial winces more. "Well, there was this mermaid..." "Oh no, Timmy! Mermaids are bad business. All conniving and manipulative. That's nothing for a nice boy like you!"
"...and, well... There was this Halfling lass. Her meals were divine. But..." He shuffles his feet, "I messed up there, grandma. I don't think she wants anything to do with me anymore." Orig'lat shakes her head. "Nonsense, Timmy! You can't just go around
assuming things like that! You go find that girl, and apologize! And by the time you get back here, I expect great-grandchildren on the way, y'hear?!" Stooping down another two times in short succession, Orig'lat pockets another two large pebbles, before carefully placing all four pebbles on the ground in a straight line, at the end of which a swirling vortex of many colors suddenly bursts into existence. "Now if you'll excuse me, I don't want that nice young man to think I'm not up to the rigours of the chase! Don't wait up for me!" With a mischievous grin which takes several decades off her lined face, she shuffles through the portal, which promptly winks out of existence, leaving behind her grandson with a mess of conflicting emotions running through his mind.
---
Doc, thank you once again for an amazing giveaway. I look forward to the continuation - and erm... sorry not-sorry for having another member of this family go chasing after the shadowy figure! I think it's a family trait... :D