by You're waiting at the town square next to the fountain, up at hours that only farmers witness. You're expecting to meet someone here. It's not that the two of you arranged to meet like this, it's just that this is the only time you could possibly talk to him freely. The rest of the time, he's simply too busy.
You hear the rapid tap of steel on stone-laden road. Hearing such a fast-paced sound in a town, one would guess horses instead of reindeer. In this town, one would guess the ginger man rather than horses.
"Yo!" an energetic voice called out to you. It was gentle and light with a childish energy speaking to you and everyone else like dear friends indiscriminately. Jinn was running towards you, only one steel-tipped boot touching the ground with each step, his curly red hair bouncing with each stride.
"Hey! You're here again," Jinn beamed brightly, trotting to a stop in front of you, a hand holding his bowler hat in place. This man is always running, never stopping for a second. That's why you have to ambush him around this time on his way to his office at the Expiate headquarters.
He smiled at at you brightly.
"You're around quite early. Are you waiting for someone?"
You stared daggers at him in silence before he busted out laughing.
"Okay, okay, sorry! I just wanted to tease you a little," he stated, digging a hand into his jacket pocket. "It's that day, huh? Don't worry, I didn't forget. Here you go, my return gift."
He pulled out a package wrapped in a clear plastic tied with a red ribbon. Inside were brown human-shaped cookies decorated with icing and gumdrops.
"Gingerbreadmen!" Jinn declared proudly. "Don't hold back now. Just enjoy!"
You stared at him blankly. He tilted his head curiously.
"What's wrong? ..... Eh? I give these out all the time?" Jinn looked genuinely confused. "Not true, not true. Yesterday was cookies. The time before was toffee. There's a difference, a difference!"
Jinn scratched the side of his face awkwardly in thought. "Okay okay, so maybe me handing out sweets is a bit normal. But gingerbread is special! You know, there's a story about gingerbreadmen."
Jinn tugged a slight opening in his packet and slipped two fingers in.
"There was once a queen who impressed a party of nobles and diplomats with gingerbeadmen. You know how? She had them modelled after each of her guests."
Jinn pulled out a gingerbread and now that you look at it, the shape resembles you, down to your favorite outfit.
"Another fun fact," Jinn continued. "They say gingerbreadmen are loosely related to a method to counter curses. See, they take your place and act as your substitute to evil directed your way."
Then before you could react, Jinn took the gingerbread that looks like you and tapped the back of the head against his lips. He smiles at you, returning the cookie back into the package before tossing it to you.
"Better get going," Jinn stated with a childish smile as he started jogging off waving at you. "See ya, my precious subordinate."
He ran off to fulfill his duties just like any other day, leaving you standing there with a bundle full of gingerbreadmen.
You hear the rapid tap of steel on stone-laden road. Hearing such a fast-paced sound in a town, one would guess horses instead of reindeer. In this town, one would guess the ginger man rather than horses.
"Yo!" an energetic voice called out to you. It was gentle and light with a childish energy speaking to you and everyone else like dear friends indiscriminately. Jinn was running towards you, only one steel-tipped boot touching the ground with each step, his curly red hair bouncing with each stride.
"Hey! You're here again," Jinn beamed brightly, trotting to a stop in front of you, a hand holding his bowler hat in place. This man is always running, never stopping for a second. That's why you have to ambush him around this time on his way to his office at the Expiate headquarters.
He smiled at at you brightly.
"You're around quite early. Are you waiting for someone?"
You stared daggers at him in silence before he busted out laughing.
"Okay, okay, sorry! I just wanted to tease you a little," he stated, digging a hand into his jacket pocket. "It's that day, huh? Don't worry, I didn't forget. Here you go, my return gift."
He pulled out a package wrapped in a clear plastic tied with a red ribbon. Inside were brown human-shaped cookies decorated with icing and gumdrops.
"Gingerbreadmen!" Jinn declared proudly. "Don't hold back now. Just enjoy!"
You stared at him blankly. He tilted his head curiously.
"What's wrong? ..... Eh? I give these out all the time?" Jinn looked genuinely confused. "Not true, not true. Yesterday was cookies. The time before was toffee. There's a difference, a difference!"
Jinn scratched the side of his face awkwardly in thought. "Okay okay, so maybe me handing out sweets is a bit normal. But gingerbread is special! You know, there's a story about gingerbreadmen."
Jinn tugged a slight opening in his packet and slipped two fingers in.
"There was once a queen who impressed a party of nobles and diplomats with gingerbeadmen. You know how? She had them modelled after each of her guests."
Jinn pulled out a gingerbread and now that you look at it, the shape resembles you, down to your favorite outfit.
"Another fun fact," Jinn continued. "They say gingerbreadmen are loosely related to a method to counter curses. See, they take your place and act as your substitute to evil directed your way."
Then before you could react, Jinn took the gingerbread that looks like you and tapped the back of the head against his lips. He smiles at you, returning the cookie back into the package before tossing it to you.
"Better get going," Jinn stated with a childish smile as he started jogging off waving at you. "See ya, my precious subordinate."
He ran off to fulfill his duties just like any other day, leaving you standing there with a bundle full of gingerbreadmen.
