Sea of Fortune - Flash

A/N: See comment for details. this chapter is a Flash chapter, it was too small to make into a full chapter, explanations in the comments.

“Rar rar rar” you say as you snap a clam shell open and closed. Mimicking speech on the very dead crustacean.

“What are you doing?” Fortuna asked, coming to stand beside you. You are currently outside of Tarentum, along the rocky shore.

“Playing with a clam” you reply before tossing the shell at Fortuna. Predictably, she started and stumbled over a loose rock allowing the clam shell to neatly fall into her hands. “Got a trade for you” you say and the girl quirked an eyebrow. “Would you be able to fill the seas with that clam? I could do it myself but that’s your territory now” you ask. Fortuna looked down at the clam in her hand before a smug grin settled on her face.

“And why would I do that?” Fortuna asked, putting a hand on her hip as she grinned at you.

“Uhh, you’ll get more worshipers?” you try and the girl huffs, her insufferably grin only getting wider as she turns her back on you.

“I am worshipped by everyone who sails to sea and anyone who gambles utters a prayer to me” she tells you “What need do I have for a few fishermen as well?” she asks.

“I’ll give you something well worth the infinitesimal effort it would likely take to do this” you say. Fortuna turned around to eye you speculatively.

“Alright then, let’s see it” she demands, holding out her hand. You snort in amusement before conjuring a twenty sided die, holding it up for the goddess.

“Where I’m from we use things like this to determine actions in games based on numbers” you explain. Fortuna cocked her head in a confused expression, you don’t blame her, you weren’t very eloquent. “It’s difficult to explain, basically 20 is a critical success and 1 is a critical failure” you explain, showing her the dice.

“It’s . . . so . . . random” Fortuna mutters, reaching for the die. You snap it back before she could grab it.

“That’s not how trade works my dear” you tell her, sticking your hand into the air as Fortuna attempts to grab it anyway. You hold back a chuckle as the girl attempts to reach your hand, even jumping a little to get at it but, unfortunately for her, she is average height for a woman of this time period. Finally, Fortuna stops trying to get the dice from you anyway and twirls around with a huff.

“Fine! I don’t want your stupid die thingy anyway!” she snaps.

“Fair enough” you mutter with a sigh. You suppose there had to be a point where people just won’t do the things you want just because you asked nicely but still. You take one last look at the sea, knowing your own actions have closed the medium off to you before turning around and heading off. With that avenue of cloth closed to you, you remember that people were turning Bamboo into cloth as well.

“Wait! Where are you going?” Fortuna asked. You stopped and turned to face her, noting the guilt in her eyes.

“I have more important things to be worried about than myself, if you won’t help me, that’s your prerogative” you say before turning to continue.

“Fine” she sighed “I’ll do it” she said. You looked at her for a long moment before tossing the die to her and walking away. Before you’d gotten quite out of earshot you heard her aggressivly muttering “stupid stupid stupid” to herself.