To Each Their Own

Huh?

Is that Ewella?

Hey, Ewella!

Heeeeeeey... Eldo.

Eldo?! Seriously? My name's Aldo.

Are you sure about that? I'm pretty sure I heard Eldo. Anyway, sorry... Names are just so hard to remember.

Like, I can remember the concept of the name, but the rest gets kind of fuzzy.

Fuzzy you say?

(I get her feelings though. My memory's like a sieve when it comes to the difficult stuff!)

Now then, what is it you wanted to talk about?

Nothing, actually? I saw all those people around you and was just wondering what was going on.

Oh... I see. Well, if you have to know, I was working.

That was work?

That's right. I was selling these amulets that act like protective charms.

Really?! That's impressive, Ewella. I had no idea you could do something like that.

*giggle* I appreciate the compliment. If you're so interested, why not join me for a bit? I was just about to move onto the next city.

If you don't mind? Sounds like fun!

I do not mind at all. My next stop is in Acteul. Why don't we head there now?

Now that we're here, all we have to do is wait for people to gather.

Sounds simple enou...

Finally! There ya are!

Ewella, right? The one selling those all those amu- who'sa whatsits? I tell you what. Those darn things have been a real thorn in my barn door, if you get my drift.

My, my... A customer already...

A customer?! This guy? He just seems kind of mad to me?

Yer, darn right, I'm mad! I'm as mad as a bashed-in beehive!

But, I am also a customer! I'm mad, and I need an amuwhatsit! People can be two things at once!

You're a complicated man, I see.

So, you DO want to buy an amulet?

Like the desert needs the rain, I do! My old lady said I needed to fetch her one, or my hog is tied!

Oh, so it's your girlfriend that needs the amulet? Good thing you found Ewella, then.

Ain't nothin' good about it!

Okay, yeah. You lost me.

If there is a problem, please, don't hold back.

People say your am-yu-lets grant all kinds of wishes for folks. But when the misses got one for herself... It ain't done a darn thing! Thing works as well as a pig in a three-piece suit!

Not working, are they?

Yeah! You see. My honeykins was born with the worst luck. I know gnats more lucky than she is. She'd cut her hands openin' a can of beans. She'd break her leg gettin' into bed. She's so unlucky... She'd buy a lottery ticket and it'd be last weeks winnin' numbers! I tell you what!

So she bought an amulet from Ewella thinking it'd improve her luck?

Yeah, but she didn't just buy the one! She keeps buyin' em and buyin' em. Ain't nothin' changed a bit!

Seems like I take my eyes of her for a second and monsters come runnin' like she's covered in mon-chow!

That's...pretty unlucky.

Okay, I think I understand the situation...

I see... I think I understand... But...you still want another amulet?

I keep tellin' her. "Honeybunch, you gotta stop usin' those am-lets!" But then she just starts cryin' like she broke a nail and well what's a guy to do?

Why?! What is it about these amlerts she trusts so gul dern much?! I just don't get it... I'm as clueless as a chicken goin' scuba divin'. But all I know is you gotta make her a new one. A special one. One that's just for my little honeysuckle. OR ELSE!

Woah there buddy...

......

It is of no trouble to me. I'll create a new amulet just for her. And I'll make sure that it is far stronger than the ones I typically make.

You're not trying to pull a fast one on me, are ya?

That's what she wants, isn't it? Just think of it as a way of telling her "thank you for your patronage."

A thank you? How 'bout you make the dern things work in the first place?! If this one's a dud, you better believe I'll be takin' this up with the Amooley Makers Association! And if that ain't a thing, I'll prolly just beat ya up or somethin'!

Now you listen here you...

It's fine.

When I'm done, I'll deliver the amulet to you directly. Just tell me where you live.

We live over in Ratle. You better show up, or I'll come lookin' for you!

And YOU! You goodie-two-shoes, ain't let a lady defend her self, sword bigger than his vocab-havin so-and-so! You better make sure she makes that hamlet or I'm gonna put a whoppin' on you, too!

Woah!

What was the deal with that guy? He was as mad a rained-on rooster. I tell you what!

Pay no mind. We'd better get moving before other customers see us.

Where's our next stop?

In order to make an extra powerful amulet, I'm going to need some special materials.

Makes sense... So what do you need?

There's a round mineral that glows like the sun called "flamestone." We need to find one in the Vasu Mountains. The strong glowing light locked inside will make the amulet more potent.

Got it... One flamestone from the Vasu Mountains coming right up!

Nope, not seeing anything like you described before.

The mineral is fairly rare and not often mined. Finding it is not going to be easy. You have to look closely at each rock until you find something like I described.

This is gonna take forever...

It very well could... Take a rest if you need one.

No way! I'm just getting started!

But still... This has got to bother you.

Oh, this kind of work is no trouble for me. Don't worry about me.

That's not what I mean... I meant that guy with the temper.

*giggle* Oh, that?

You said before that the amulet was something like a charm, right? I find it hard to believe that a charm can make any wish come true... It's all got to be in their heads or something, right?

In a way... But it's not quite so simple.

What does that mean?

Elven amulets do in fact grant wishes to their bearers...

Huh? So it's true?!

*giggle* Are you surprised? The amulet reacts to the owner's desires and then brings them into reality.

However, it's certainly no cure for all one's ails.

They're still pretty awesome though...

But why didn't the amulets have an effect on his girlfriend?

Well you see...

What was that?!

That's not good! Looks like it thinks we're lunch...

I'm guessing it's not too happy about us invading its territory.

Someone's gonna get hurt here... And I wanna make sure it's not us!

Agreed... We've got no other choice.

We have nothing against you...

But we must eliminate any threat without hesitation.

Alright... Now it's our turn!

That takes care of that... We'd better get back to our search...

That won't be necessary.

Huh?

It looks like a flaming stone popped out of that monster.

Woah, no way!

That saved us a lot of trouble... It's time we finished the amulet and delivered it to that young man.

Don't need to tell me twice! He said they were living in Ratle. Let's go!

Hello you two, how are you feeling?

Ewella! You really came!

As promised... I heard you badly needed one of my amulets.

Hey! That there omelet there better work this time!

......

Of course, just as I said I would. The new amulet will most certainly grant her deepest desire.

And if it don't!

Yes, I understand.

Now then, come over here.

Y-Yes ma'am!

Now, make your wish. The amulet will respond to your desire.

My wish... My desire is...

This time...

How about it?

......

Did it work? Is your bad luck gone, sweetums?

Seriously?! An earthquake?!

Woah!

Jeez, would you look at the size of that thing!

Where did that monster come from?!

Eeek!

Oh no!

Watch out!

Are you okay?

I'm fine but...honey crunch, you coulda been hurt!

Ain't nothin' but a bee sting, snookie-pie. As long as my little butter-biscuit is safe. I'm all right.

Now listen here, you. I told you to get me an umlaut that works! You gave us another phony piece of donkey-dung, and this time my little pumpkin spice coulda been hurt! Get outta here and never come back, you hear me! Scram! Waddle out that door and take your duckin' quack-u-let with ya!

If that is what you wish...

Ewella...

Don't worry. I've done what I sought out to do. Let's go.

Wait!

I wonder why the new amulet didn't work on her... And how could bad luck cause a monster to charge into their house?

*giggle* Well isn't that an interesting question...

But we've done our job. Shall we make our way back to Acteul? I still have amulets left over to sell.

Fine with me...

Ewella! Please wait!

Huh?

Oh hey, it's the angry guy's girlfriend.

Is something the matter?

Um... About the amulet...

Thank you so much!

Huh?

Once again, my wish came true th-thanks to your amulet.

Oh, then I'm happy to hear that.

W-Wait a second! What do you mean your wish came true? Didn't you want to fix your bad luck?

No, that wasn't it at all. My wish was...

To remain unlucky.

What did you just say?!

Because you see, if I'm still unlucky... Then honeypie will always worry about me and think about me! And that makes me happy!

You... But then... And him?

I'm happy your wish came true. If the effects are ever to your disliking, please come find me again.

I will! Thank you so much for everything!

I can't imagine anyone wanting to be unlucky... But if you really think about it, the whole monster thing makes sense.

*giggle*

Now then, since it seems our work is done here, it's about time we made our way back to Acteul.

W-Wait for me!

Looks look the amulets are sold out. It's too bad some people had to go home empty handed...

I always try to make more than I think I'll need, and yet I still manage to sell out every time.

That's just proof that they work. Your customer base can only grow from here on.

If you ask me, I'd prefer it that people didn't buy my amulets...

Why's that?

It's true that I've been selling the amulets... But actually I originally made only one for someone specifically.

Really? Who did you give it to?

*giggle* Oh, well about that... They're someone very special to me.

But now that word has gotten around, all I can do is give the people what they want.

So that's how this all started...

And that's why I don't usually take on special orders.

Yeah, I can see why...

But come to think of it, what about that woman we helped out? She said she wanted to continue being unlucky because she wanted her boyfriend to worry about her.

Yes, that's what she wanted. She told me that the first time she came to buy one from me.

But is that really going to make them happy? You're helping a woman stay unlucky for the sake of attracting a man who might get hurt again...

It's not for others to judge what makes a couple like that happy.

Every person out there has something unique that makes them happy. This is what the two of them want, and it's not up to others to judge them.

At least, as long as her mind doesn't change...

Doesn't that worry you, Ewella? If the amulets keep bringing her bad luck, then something really bad could happen.

Should it come to that, she will be responsible for whatever happens. No matter what awaits her...

As long as she understands that, I won't stop making my amulets for her.

It's not so simple as that if you ask me...

*giggle* Cheer up, Doldo.

Hey! I told you I'm Aldo!

There's something very strange about you, Ewella...

My my... Do you think so?

So... Can I ask you one more question?

Of course, I'll do my best to answer anything you want to know.

You said that happiness is different for each person, right?

Then what's the thing that makes you happy, Ewella?

Oh that? *giggle* What makes me happy...

That, my friend, is a secret for the time being...

A secret? Seriously?

Hm... When you said "for the time being," does that mean you'll tell me eventually?

*giggle* You never know...

But eventually... Well, I'll at least say that the day might come.