Protest participation is down and so are donations. All that training for nothing,” Rayner said, eyes downcast.Training given to him by the corporat... orphanages. The government had long since given up its duty to take care of the abandoned children. They passed the responsibility onto private corporations, who then used the children as the perfect poster children. Rayner's natural blond hair and clear blue eyes put him on many advertisements.Axel knew it was a sore spot and lightened the mood.. I sell spells and enchanteddevices, powders, potions and the like that achieve the deepestdesires of my customers through magic." The old man spread hishands out wide at the accent of the last word and held his stance.Tim and Ben held their tongues as long as they could, then onqueue, both started to snicker and then bray laughter. The old manlooked on with a kind, almost devious smile."So--" Tim started between bursts of laughter, "So-- You mean totell me that you're a magician?" "Yeah,. .. good... the beds are uncomfortable..." she heard them mutter and then they got back to the conversation at hand, a heated discussion about the women at the hotel bar last night and the number of cell phone numbers each had acquired."Ugh," Cynthia thought to herself, "where have all the good men gone." Actually," she questioned to herself, "were they ever here to begin with?." How long have you worked at the hotel," asked the cowboy sitting next to her. His question interrupted her thoughts. "Your mother became pregnant in your great-aunt's house after running a little short of money and she kept her husband's name for your surname. Unfortunately for her and you, he found she had been going overboard on fancy clothing so she could go out man-hunting, which is why she needed extra money, earning it on her back. She had her mother's genes, so have you."The one thing we taught our boys (note I didn't say 'our sons' as we usually don't know that, although that's not their fault) after.