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The night was starting to wear on him. He had started this contract nearly a week ago and, though he usually finished quickly, this particular woman was a slippery one. He plopped heavily onto the train's hard seat and lazily kicked his foot up on the front seat's backing, much to the dismay of the man sitting in front of him. Kris narrowed his eyes menacingly at the fat man who quickly realized he had better things to do. The red head snickered to himself and leaned back with his arms over his head.
It would be a long train ride from Haven to Fumehat and one he did not want to make. This contract had led him on a wild goose chase as it was and it was beginning to get on his nerves. He kicked the seat in front of him to get the attention of the man.
"Hey old timer, why do people run?"
The man turned back, bushy mustache brushing back and forth in irritation. "I beg your pardon?"
"From their problems, I mean. Folk pay good money to see someone either killed or saved, yeah? I'm not complaining of course, but people like me wouldn't be necessary if the target would just accept their punishment instead of running."
The man bristled at the comment and turned back around. "Do not speak to me. Please."
Kris shrugged at that but left him alone, instead opting to look outside the window and admire the scenery. A twinkle of wonder sparked in his red eyes and a faint genuine smile played on his face...until a figure approached his seat that reflected in the window. Garbed in a filthy brown traveling cloak with the hood pulled up, Kris could only identify the small physique of the silent person.
"Can I help you? Look if you're hungry I got some dried chicken in my pack we can split...maybe you can entertain me while we wait?"
He pat the seat next to him with a half cocked grin. "Come on now! I don't bite!"
The lights on the train went dark without warning and a flash reflected in the black. Kris felt something dig into the seat and, just as the lights came back on, the figure was gone and a dagger was dug into the seat just between his fingers. A note was tied around the hilt and as he pulled the weapon out, blood leaked from a cut on his hand.
"Son of a bitch..." He murmured as he read the note. "Do not pursue Tahlia any further. Cease your contract and return home, Mercenary. Leave or suffer the consequences...you have been warned."
Kris pondered the note and the precision of his assailant. Though it was alot of money on the line and this girl was also running scared! If an assassin as dangerous as this was on Tahlia's trail, then she stood no chance without Kris's help. If anything he felt even more encouraged to find this girl and bring her home...after all, Fumehat was no place for a regal girl like that.
After several hours of quiet retrospect, sharpening his sword in peace, Kris had finally arrived at Fumehat. The bog where he had spent most of his life with friends that he had cared for. Somewhere he called home. But for now his home would wait because Tahlia was out here somewhere and she was both lost and scared.
So the Mercenary made a beeline to the bar where he would seek out whatever information he could find on the girl...and maybe get a tad drunk while he was at it. It was a dangerous task, after all, and there was no way that Kris was getting started without a few drinks in him first. And who knows? Maybe he could get chummy with one of the locals for info!
Post by Riina de Bastille on Nov 16, 2019 4:15:18 GMT
WORD COUNT: 627
TAGGED:
TAGGED: Fluffy
Out back, doing the dishes quietly and by herself, was a rather peculiar female. Humming to herself while rubbing the washes in a batch of water and soap, she pulled it out of the sink, inspected it, deemed it clean enough, dried it up and put it on it's place. There was hardly anyone in the bar at the current point in time. Usually the regulars would be there early in the morning to get the day started, or late in the evening to celebrate having survived another day. Thats why the girl spent most of the midday cleaning. That is, the few days of the week the owner actually wanted her assistance. The small bell above the door rang, indicating that another customer had entered. Loosening up her shoulders, she untied the apron from around her figure, before immediately heading into the bar proper.
This bar was an ancient one of the sort. The wood having seen so much spilled alcohol that even the floor was uneven. There were unlit candles on the tables, making the whole place seem incredibly damp and dark. It had an odd smell of food and alcohol. Mostly alcohol. Mostly the cheap alcohol. Stepping out from the kitchen and in behind the bar, Riina finally came into view. Atop her head, two very visible cat ears pointed directly at Kristoffer, honing in on him. As she stepped sideways, her ears seemed to adjust, somewhat like a radar, pinpointed on him regardless of where she moved. Each adjustment being nothing more than a small twitch. The deep yellow eyes with black pupils looked at him. Looked through him. Without even asking him what he wanted, Riina placed a glass onto the table, began filling it up with alcohol, placed it on the desk in front of her, pushing it towards him in a very subtle motion before breaking the silence with a simple: "That'll be five silver coins. Do be warned, if it's too strong and you barf all over our property I'll make you clean it up yourself... and don't for a second think I won't." The liquid inside the glass had an odd yellowish color. It's scent was a mixture between a strong ale and honey. It'd pack quite the punch.
Riina was very clearly a ragged kitten. Everything about her was slightly dirty, ripped, torn, and makeshift. Patches, sewn threads that were loose and about to pop out. Still, there was a strong air of dignity around her. Like Kris would be unable to push her around to get what he wanted. It was very much an attitude of I am in control. That is precisely why she, without having let him order, decided what he wanted to drink, that he was willing to pay the coin for it. He was very much a man on a mission. A man with a certain goal in mind. These types of people never just entered a random bar without a reason. Either he was waiting for someone, or he had come here seeking someone or something. Facts that Riina was not at all blind to. The weapon at his side. The odd marking on his hand. The necklace around his neck. It was very clear to her that he was one abnormality. It wasn't the first time she had encountered someone with an interesting job. Smirking softly, she placed her hands onto the counter. Placing her head into her own arms, like a comfortable kitten, her eyes never weered off of him... Her tail swishing behind her playfully.
"What else are you in the business for, mmh?... and more importantly, what are you willing to pay to get what you want?"
Glowcap was not a city that Kris was all too familiar with. It was too clean to be a proper place of Fumehat, so he kept to the lesser streets most of the time. The seedier bars that felt comfortable to him where he could get into a good fight or two with the riff raff. But this city was newer and nice, so most likely the bar would have the information he needed.
The door squeaked upon him entering, with a bell chiming to signal his arrival. Though he was a bit taken aback by the lack of patronage in the dingy establishment. It was like a ghost town in here! Dim and uninviting with no staff to be seen...had he come to the right place? Just as he was about to step back outside, the back door opened and out stepped a small girl. Kris could hardly make out her features, so he cautiously moved toward the bar with one hand resting on the pommel of his blade.
She never took her eyes off of him and, in the dim light, her eyes had a sheen about them. Her ears were black and feline, not fake like some of the fashionistas of Vantalux, but real! Kris felt a shiver run down his spine, like an urge to grasp at the faint light of the bar but not quite touching it. He glanced down at the glass as he sidled onto the stool gently and then back up at the girl.
He never broke his gaze from her unnatural eyes as she pushed the drink toward him. Kris reached into his side pack and set five silver coins down on the table and lifted the glass to his lips, downing it in one swift gulp before setting it carefully upon the table. The smell of the place flared his nostrils and the drink's own scent almost made him gag...yet the taste was quite sweet. It burned all the way down and set his chest ablaze, but he still never took his eyes off of her.
The tail moved on it's own as she relaxed on the bar, so Kris followed suit by setting an elbow on the bar and resting his head in his hand. While it wasn't unusual to see an Afflicted, he supposed only a place like Fumehat would offer one a job. It was one of the many reasons he loved this city, especially after his ties to a certain girl...but that was neither here nor there.
"It's nice to see an Afflicted around these parts. One who knows what she's doing no less!"
He smirked at her lazy nature, slightly mesmerized by her ears twitching. He tried to stay focused, but the alcohol was already making him a tad tipsy. Still he was alert enough to keep his wits about him to continue his contract.
"I'm looking for a girl. A little taller than you with long black hair, a bright green dress, and a squeaky voice. She might be traveling with a slender figure in a brown cloak. She's in danger, so if you know anything...money isn't an issue. Money or whatever you'd like if it leads to her safety."
Post by Riina de Bastille on Nov 16, 2019 6:00:21 GMT
WORD COUNT: 791
TAGGED:
TAGGED: Fluffy
As Kris began speaking, the girl's demeanor immediately changed. The curiosity, the slight playfulness, it dissipated rather quickly. First he addressed her as an afflicted. Riina was well aware of the title other's placed upon her, yet it wasn't something she used to define herself with. Off of the top of her head, Barkeep, maid, kitten, girl, would've been far more acceptable in addressing her. The second reason for her mood being soured, was his approach to his dilemma. He was looking for a girl with the intent of saving her. Money was not an issue, the girl's life was more important. Riina was fairly sure that was the same kind of words that her own family had used at the time of her own disappearance all those years ago. Yet here she was, still free, still on the loose and no one would do a damn thing about it as long as she got to decide. Riina seemed oddly cold... "You're looking for the little princess, because some bad people are looking for her, huh?... What was her name again... Tali...lah?" Worst thing about it all, was how he probably considered himself a hero. Storming into a bar, declaring, essentially, that value could not be placed on the life he was attempting to save. What an illusion, what a pathetic way to look at life. Everyone had their price. Everyone had something they were unwilling to part with. Everyone. It was just about pressing the knife against the place that hurt the most and people would relent. Riina crossed her arms, her tail once again moving around playfully. Eyes once again growing warm. Like a kitten playing with a butterfly.
"Alright then, mister White Knight in shining armor. If this life you're so desperately trying to save is worth so much that I can name my price, as you so put it, then..." Riina points towards him, the slickest smile on her lips. A dramatic pause, as her feline eyes locked with his. The tension mounted and mounted. The girl wanted him to feel the pressure, the unease. This would be where he would reveal his true nature. Where she finds out precisely what his morals were. "..Trade me your necklace. I shall take you to the girl. Do keep in mind I will not be held liable for whatever has happened to her since I last saw her. Your necklace is all I want, the price is non-negotiable." Riina, as soon as the tension of her question hit the desk, immediately began fidgeting with her nails. Cleaning them, sharpening them, blowing cool air on them. Watching him, inspecting him, a brief moment passed. Before Kris could muster up a reply, Riina continued ranting.
"...I mean who can really put a price on a life, mmh?.. A poor, innocent little thing, facing unspeakable dangers. In comparison to that, how much could a little insignificant necklace be worth?.." Riina leaned in over the table, getting all up in his personal space. Lifting the bottle of alcohol to his glass, she began pouring him a second drink of the same, yellowish liquid. The yellow feline eyes looking directly into his as the sweet scent of honey emerged. The glass was pushed into his open hand.
"That'll be five silver for the drink. What else are you in the market for..? Personal pride and gain... or your morality?" With his little spiel, he had managed to push one of the few buttons that actually got under her skin. Initially, she had been fine with simply charging him a few extra silvers for the drinks and keeping the rate of profit for exchanged information in a reasonable light... but now he had gotten on her wrong side. For when Riina was on her own, when others were meant to look out for her, she never knew whom she could trust. Some of those coming to get her were sent by her family. Trustworthy, kind, ordered to do what was best for the black haired feline girl. The other half were sent by her uncle. They didn't care about the methods, had no similar obligations to keep her safe and content. Riina had heard rumors that it had even been a running joke to force her into a cat carrier to be presented to her uncle like an animal. Good people did exist, yet all good people also held within them the potential to do a lot of bad. A lot of evil. This man before her seemed to believe in the honesty within himself. So Riina was going to expose him. Simply by hesitating she had made him value life versus material. Riina had already won.
He noticed the tonal shift almost immediately as his eyes focused on the cat girl. Her stance had changed and even her tail rhythm was off from before, but she still didn't pose much of a threat. At least not an open one, so Kris still held a hand on his sword. What was with her tone? It was mocking and condescending in the worst way...he didn't understand where this was coming from.
"Look, stop messing around. I've been on this contract for a while now and I just want to go home, alright? I-"
She cut his words off by calling him a 'White Knight.' What in the hell was she on about? Why was she pointing at him? At...his necklace? He clutched at it gingerly, mouth agape as he stared back at her. The small little rock with tiny scratches and a rough carving of a heart etched upon it. A symbol of his love. Love that he paid for in blood at the hands of one he trusted.
He wanted to speak up, but the girl kept taunting him. It was like some sort of sick game to this tiny thing! Someone he could easily cut asunder, but instead he pathetically sat there with a stunned look. Fumehat never seemed to disappoint to prove to the young man that it was a wretched hive of scum and villainy.
Kris was no longer scrupulously studying her as she leaned in to pour another drink. No, now he showed a shocked look of disgust. She was messing with him, clearly manipulating him, and she was enjoying every moment of it. But he knew that...if he pissed her off then he wouldn't get any information out of her. He wouldn't find Tahlia.
So he set another five silver on the bar and, leaning in close to Riina, drank the yellow liquid down and slammed it on the wooden bar. He watched too many children perish in his lifetime and if he could do something about it, then he would. He couldn't let Lexi down...and this girl's family knew something about a certain girl. A blonde girl who called herself Noir. Kris had to know! He had to find his sister again! No matter what it took to find her, even if he had to work for royals.
Even if it meant his pride...
Still clutched tight in his grip, Kris raised his precious necklace above his head and set it carefully on the bar, sliding it to Riina. With it went his love, his anger, and all of his sorrow.
"Take it. Take it and let's be done with this..."
Kris was no longer smiling or even frowning. His face was blank, as was his mind. This girl had crushed a small part of him, reading him as some hero...she was wrong. But he didn't care. The world would see him however it wanted...as long as he could see his family again.
Post by Riina de Bastille on Nov 16, 2019 7:03:28 GMT
WORD COUNT: 842
TAGGED:
TAGGED: Fluffy
Watching this would be hero squirm pathetically was, in fact, bringing the cat eared female quite a bit of joy. Pretentious and stuck up individuals never got far when they were faced with an unwinnable situation. That is how life was, in many cases. Unwinnable, unfavorable, harsh and cruel. Of course he couldn't see all the blue marks on her skin, she did everything to hide it. Of course he couldn't see her fear or anxiety, for she buried it so deep down that only the arrogance and self confidence surfaced. Demonstratively he downed the drink. Perhaps attempting to signal that she wasn't the one in control. Laughable. Regardless of what he might've thought, all he did was play right into her hands. The girl knew full well that he was aware. Hurting her would only result in him not getting what he wanted. Trying to play a position of power when he had nothing she wanted wasn't going to happen. In short, he was always only going to submit. There were several ways in which he could submit. Stepping back on his initial statement would be a damaging blow to his pride. It meant that his worth was, ultimately, not to be trusted. That he would say things he couldn't stand by. In short he would admit to being a loser. Alternatively, he could stand by his code and his pride. Try to find the Taliyah girl his own way. Try another bar, perhaps. Walk out in anger. Yet time was of the essence for him. He'd risk not achieving what he set out to do. Finally, he could surrender that which Riina had asked for. Knowing his type, she found it highly unlikely that he would hand over something of such great value to him. Heck, even the thought seemed to make him grasp his sword tighter. So, Mercenary, what would it be?...
Much to Riina's surprise, he had chosen the path of humility. Tilting her head to the side, the necklace was pushed towards her. Tentatively, as if expecting him to grasp her hand and cut it off, she took it between her fingers. Rolling the chain across her skin, she inspected it. An odd machination, not something which she could relate to anything. Beautiful, intricate. It held emotions for him. It was personal. Which, ultimately, meant that one of two things were true. Either he truly was the embodiment of a hero, or the real reason he was out here was personal as well. Riina rose her eyes to meet his. Nothing in her demeanor had changed, barring the tail no longer swishing playfully. The butterfly had escaped her paws. The girl was no longer enjoying the situation. "..I guess the princess is a lucky girl." Riina said in a dry tone, picking up a sign that read Closed from behind the bar. Walking past Kris, she hung it on the door... yet where Kris may have expected the raven haired feline female to walk out onto the street, she instead returned to the bar proper. "...Follow me." The girl spoke in a very annoyed voice...
Down in the basement, were huge barrels containing mead and ale. There were bags of cornflour and other things which were usually kept cool, most of the sacks ingredients for cooking simple meals. There, on the floor, inside a sleeping bag on top of a few blankets, laid a girl. Not just any girl however. It was the girl he was looking for. "...Mister Knight, meet Taliyah... The girl came here, frightened, hungry and despaired. I offered to keep her here, on the condition that I'd be allowed to sell her to whoever came looking. Seems she was right to place faith in her connections for being willing to pay more than the other pursuers. Either that, or she was lucky you came here... Either way, she's been with me a few days." Riina explained in a matter of fact way. Almost like there was no empathy to the female feline...
An odd creaking sound of heavy weight against wood was heard. Riina's eyes started to glow neon, she seemed startled. There was something off. "Wha-" was the only thing Riina managed to mutter, before she set into a sprint towards the girl on the floor... It all took but a moment, as Riina began cursing in pain. In her left hand, she had grasped a throwing knife by the blade. The tip was touching Taliyah's forehead. Blood trickled between her fingers. Another throwing knife was stuck in her arm, having narrowly lodged itself into Riina's flesh instead of Taliyah's torso... "...you f..king idiot you brought him here!?" Riina hissed in a very, very angry tone... Taliyah wasn't reacting to the noise at all. Simply breathing calmly. Perhaps a bit too much ale - or one of Riina's tricks - had been used to keep the girl quiet and manageable...
...but why had the cat girl just hurt herself to protect a girl she moments ago had tried to sell out?
He watched her with a blank stare the entire time. Not at the necklace, but at the girl herself. Kris was done playing games and if she were to trying anything, then he would be sure that she would live to regret it. He saw that she was no longer amused with the situation, but he didn't care. All thought of care went out the window when she decided to mess with him in such a way. To poke and prod at him in such a dire situation.
This was a game to her, but it was far more to him. This was about the promise he made to his family, but he wouldn't tell her that. She didn't care and Kris wouldn't bother wasting his breath on explaining his sympathy to a low life like her...she gave the Afflicted a bad name. It made him angry that he even showed a hint of kindness to her.
She threw a sign up and, much to his surprise, walked toward the basement. Wait, she didn't just have information? No...she wasn't actually keeping the girl here, was she? Kris's eyes widened for a moment as he followed the cat girl down into the basement where it was unbelievably cramped. Still he kept an eye on her, anticipating any shenanigans, yet none came. No, instead she led him to a sleeping bag where the rich girl was blissfully sleeping away in ignorance to the world above.
"No surprise she was taken by your charming demeanor. But no, faith didn't save her. Just my own stupidity and recklessness. Now then, I'll just-"
With his focus on Riina, Kris noted the flash of light in her eyes and prepared for her to strike. He clutched his sword, annoyed at the cramped conditions that lay before him. Yet she didn't go for him...no she went for Tahlia? What was the cat up to?
Then he saw it! The daggers going for Tahlia, but blocked by the cat. They were aimed with fine precision and from the stairs Kris saw the cloaked assassin. The figure was already moving toward the girls as Kris unsheathed Carmilla. No...he was too slow! A knife flashed in the dark toward them and the cat girl was already cut up from the blades...and she was in the assassin's way.
The two locked eyes and Kris knew immediately that the figure would deal with Riina first. He couldn't deal with this threat. If they fought now, they would all die. This was just business to the assassin, so Kris would swallow his pride and live to fight another day.
He rushed forward with Carmilla, activating the gimmick to alter the blade into a whip. Kris flung it around, distracting his opponent as he looked back at Riina.
"Girl! We do not win this fight! Abandon Tahlia and run for the stairs! I'll be right behind you!"
Kris would only be able to hold back the deadly killer for a few seconds, but he had faith that the cat girl would escape by then.
"You win. Take her, damnit!"
He dodged to the side, allowing the assassin an opening which he used to close in on the girl. Just as Kris dove out of the way, he heard a scream. A cry of pain and terror pierced his ears as the assassin had plunged a dagger into Tahlia's exposed chest.
And vanished without a trace. Leaving him alone with a corpse of a girl who had only mere moments ago been happily snoring away. He looked at the body with a blank stare, his eyes narrowed in frustration. But instead he turned away from the body and walked away towards the stairs.
Post by Riina de Bastille on Nov 17, 2019 0:40:02 GMT
WORD COUNT: 818
TAGGED:
TAGGED: Fluffy
The mercenary was acting like a baby that had lost his most precious toy. It was actually quite annoying. At the very least, Riina figured it would soon be over. That is, prior to having noticed a person approaching. A person who was wielding the thin throwing knives. It was thanks to her Vel Power and a surge of uneasiness, otherwise Riina would've never noticed the pressence of the assassin. He was quiet, quick, precise. The situation became clear exceedingly quickly. Kris was completely outmatched. In fact, if Riina was to put a word on the expression portrayed by the assassin, it would be mild frustration. The kind of frustration you'd feel, if a flailing toddler was attempting to keep you from having a second slice of cake. Reacting on instinct, the selfish desire to survive kicked in. Dying pointlessly to protect a girl, which Riina honestly couldn't care less for, wasn't on the girl's agenda. Riina abandonned the defenseless girl on the floor, ceasing protecting her in an instant. Getting to her feet, she began fleeing. Running straight for the stairs, no longer being an obstacle for the assassin. With that happening, she narrowly noticed Kris step aside, letting the assassin have his prize. Business is business, work is work. The kid was murdered, swift and effectively, the assassin made his escape. Riina, still on the move upstairs, felt her heart pounding and her ears ringing from adrenaline. Rushing into the kitchen, she acquired a wet rag to immediately begin cleaning her wounds. The knives were precision weapons. Delicate, honed for their craft. The wounds the feline female had suffered were surface level at best. As such it was honestly more a survival instinct of taking care of herself, than an immediate need...
There, at the stairs, while tending to herself, Kris began walking up. Addressing the girl directly, her yellow feline eyes stared at him in disbelief. Kris was seeming surprisingly unaffected by the turn of events. His expression one of mild frustration, rather than... well, Riina wasn't sure how she had expected him to act, but given how he had been willing to go so far for the girl so recently, this nonchalant behavior seemed oddly hypocritical. So Riina, ever the optimist, began speaking in a startled tone. It was clear that this experience had sunk in deep. It wasn't often that someone died in your arms, afterall. "Oh I am holding up great. Really, I was just waiting for something like this to happen. It always does. Children out here don't meet happy endings. Especially not pretty girls like her. At least she wasn't struggling against older men like some of the others. Yeah, this was bound to happen. Just nature going it's course." Riina, with the hand that hadn't just grabbed a throwing knife by the blade, began undoing the necklace...
In a very nonchalant fashion, she threw it on the floor at his feet. To Riina, afterall, it had no real value. It was worthless. At best she could get a couple of coins for it. Yet, keeping it, keeping him here, having the mess continue to escalate and expand, could cost her her job. Being an afflicted, there were only so many places she could get a job, and the job at this bar meant far more for the raven haired feline than the few silvers. Heart still pounding, Riina really needed this mercenary gone from the bar. The sooner, the better. So giving him back something that he wanted with the express understanding that he was traded his necklace back to leave without causing a mess, seemed an appropriate course of action. "Take your bloody necklace. I want nothing to do with any of this crap. Grab the girl and get out. Our deal is officially over." The way Riina was speaking had a couple of cracks in the voice. There wasn't the same confidence or position of power as when Kris had needed her assistance. As when Kris had something he had wanted. At this point, she was weaker. No leverage to use, nothing to rely upon. The only thing she could hope, was that her willingness to follow through with her own word when push came to shove, was enough that he'd be honorable and leave. As long as he took the body out of there, the blood could be cleaned up and explained away... It would all go back to normal. It had to. The rag, which she was still squeezing into the cuts, had gone from a clear white color to crimson. As the adrenaline began to die down, the pain slowly began coming into fruition.
Grimacing softly, Riina let out a soft hissing noise. This wasn't exactly what she had had in mind, when the girl had been allowed to stay in the basement. In fact, this little transaction couldn't have possibly gone any worse.
It was yet another failure that he could add to his record. For every step that Kris took forward, it was two steps back. He wanted to give up so many times in his search for Yaz, but what else was there? His life was an endless trail of blood and death that he justified with vengeance...yet he took the gold all the same. The name of Noir held a reputation with it and Kris exploited it for all he could. Thus far it had garnered a decent amount of jobs, but the name was also cursed and he spent most of his time hiding from the government officials wanting to arrest him for treason.
Now his latest trail had gone cold. Colder than the lifeless corpse of the brat in the cellar that he was leaving. It pissed him off to have wasted so much time, but luckily the family was gullible enough to pay him advance. So for now he would drink his sorrows away and find another lead to go on, but first he had someone to deal with. The cat girl.
She was completely somber now, licking her wounds as it were. There were a few nasty cuts from the assassin's attack and they were starting to bleed pretty badly. She defended the girl for some reason, whether it be emotional or for profit. Regardless, it only led to disaster in the end...like most things. She practically spoke Kris's own feelings out loud which made him only grimace harder.
Children don't meet happy endings...the words cut him deep. It made him think of Lexi strung up, bringing up pain within him. He fought back the bile that rose in his chest when he thought of her final agonizing moments. Kris felt anxious at not knowing where Yaz was at that moment. If she was even still alive...and what she was doing right then. Still, he kept the thought buried deep down. So lost in thought was Kris that he nearly jumped at a clacking sound near him.
The necklace was yanked off of the girl and tossed to the ground as if she were flicking a piece of garbage away. Kris reached down without a word to grasp it carefully in his shaky hand. Looking down at the heart shape, he tightened his lower lip and put it back over his head and let it drop down to rest heavily upon his neck. His red eyes studied the girl hissing in pain for a few quiet moments and then he moved toward the door to lock it.
"Bar's closed for a private party." He announced.
The young man spun on his heel and sauntered over to the bar where he took a seat once again at the bar. Except this time he reached into his satchel and removed a gold coin.
"I messed up a job, so I'm feeling pretty shit. Would this cover a bottle of your best booze for two?"
As he spoke, his stomach growled and Kris breathed in deeply to let out a very long sigh. He set the entire bag down onto the bar in plain view of the cat girl.
"Tell you what. Let me use your kitchen to cook some food for us, share a drink or two with me, and I'll leave a very nice tip. I'll be out of your hair with the dead girl afterward."
He leveled his gaze to the girl and leaned casually against the bar with both arms resting lazily, crossed over themselves. His voice was calm and even, almost with a lazy slur to it as he spoke.
"What do you say? Let me make it up for getting you stabbed."
Post by Riina de Bastille on Nov 18, 2019 1:57:53 GMT
WORD COUNT: 612
TAGGED:
TAGGED: Fluffy
The girl followed him with her feline eyes, taken aback by his current demeanor and actions. There were so many wrong things with what he was doing. Riina couldn't quite tell if he w as simply being stupid, or if there was something else going on. Locking the door, was an enormous red flag to the yellow eyed feline. Shaking her head as he began explaining, she interjected herself into his little line of words, cutting him off. The girl was shaken, disturbed, uneasy on her feet, yet she was still ultimately attempting to be in control of the situation. What he had proposed wasn't necessarily bad. Yet the surroundings and the underlaying problems that came with it most certainly couldn't be ignored. Thus, Riina needed to rearrange the little deal to be favorable for her instead. Thinking quickly on her feet, she had rather quickly managed to conjure up on arrangement that would be favorable to her within her mind. Hopefully without upsetting him any further. Because, in earnest, the cat-eared female had no desire to fight against someone who wielded a Vanta weapon. Those were rather rare and typically wielded only by people who were more competent in straight up combat than she ever hoped to be.
"I cannot close down for a private party. I have obligations and directions from the bar owner. I'll get beaten to smithereens, fired from my job with no pay and put in the pillory for an entire twenty four hours if anything is found as wrong. If you want, I can cook you food, just take care of the nonsense in the basement." Riina explained, working through cleaning the wound on her hand. The more time passed, the more the girl bounced straight back into the personality she had been in when he had first encountered her. Calm, collected, in control and in command. Eyeing him, there was a hint of softness to the feline yellow eyes though. A softness that he hadn't seen during their initial interaction, when she had decided that she didn't like him or his little endeavour. Letting out a soft sigh, as if she was saying something she would undoubtedly regret, Riina spoke again. "If you're adamant about having my pressence, having a drink, making it up to me or whatever, then we'll go to another bar once my shift is over. I've got roughly two hours left on the clock." Those were the simple ground rules and terms that Kris would have to abide to have any kind of favor with the raven haired female. Attempting to weasel his way around it, would have Riina immediately run to a window and cry out that a mecenary was causing trouble in there.
It would've been incredibly easy for Riina to cause a scene that would be unfavorable for Kris. However, just because it would be unfavorable to him, it didn't mean that she'd be in any better position. With her current demeanor, there was a chance that they'd get out of this mess without anyone finding out about the corpse. In a cold, dejected tone, Riina then added. "If you aren't going to transport the body home to her parents, you could drop her into the swampy waters. Many children drown there on a yearly basis. The enforcers don't even bother checking most of the time. Just please get it out of here. I cannot afford to lose my job." The bloodied rag was removed from her cuts when she felt confident that it would no longer bleed profusely. Then, she simply eyed the mercenary, waiting for what his response would be. What his next move would be.
The young man sat there as he listened to her speak. Not just collecting her words, but also the way in which she spoke them. Her inflections and tone had changed from earlier, but that wasn't what bothered him. No, he went back to the start of their conversation and analyzed it as if he were studying a target before the kill. To the girl it may have seemed as if Kris was spacing out, but on the contrary he was focusing with every bit of his brain power.
He remembered Natali, with her sickly skin that was covered in fungus and mushrooms. An Afflicted who anyone would have sneered at her from her appearance, but she was someone who had such a kind and gentle heart on the inside. When he had first met her, he called Natali an Afflicted and...oh god. That was it. Kris's eyes widened as his mouth hung slightly agape, staring now at the cat girl cleaning her cuts.
"I..." He tried to speak, but cut his statement off with a simple grunt. "Forget the food. It'll take too long."
Kris looked away from her to hide the faint redness building on his cheeks and pushed himself off of the bar stool with ease. He collected his bag of coins to stuff it back into his satchel and approached the basement stairs, but turned toward the girl before descending.
"I said I'd like to make it up to you and I meant it."
It was strange, walking down into the cold and quiet room below. He had seen so many bodies in his short lifetime and it should have pained him every time. But no, it did nothing for him. When he saw a body, it was like looking at one of the many barrels in the room...a lifeless object that wasn't worth the cold ground it occupied. Kris wrapped the sleeping bag up tight, careful to avoid squeezing any unnecessary blood onto the ground and making any further mess for the bartender to clean up. The assassin did amazing work with an optimal slice directly to Tahlia's vital organs and with minimal blood. If it weren't for the annoyance of losing a contract, Kris would be far more impressed.
The Mercenary slung the wrapped up body over his shoulder, double checking that the body wasn't leaking any fluids, and then returned to ascend the stairs. He stopped by the bar and turned towards the small bartender as she gave him instructions on proper disposal of the body.
"The swamp, eh? Yeah, Fumehat has always been a dangerous place. It wouldn't be unreasonable that she took a wrong turn and happened to fall in."
He never did plan to ship the body back. It cost money for the shipping, the Enforcers would ask him questions that he wasn't prepared to answer, and usually it would also require him to accompany the body to ensure that it had safely reached it's destination. Plus, when it did arrive, Kris would have to answer to the family. This would mean a headache of answering their own questions, suffering their fury, and worst of all he would lose his pay. It would be so much simpler to just be rid of the thing.
It was the way life worked in Ordus. As a kid himself, Kris barely escaped the internment camp with his life...if not for Vincent, he would just be another number. Another faceless child claimed by tragedy. Kris was nothing special, he knew, but he was a survivor. He still lived because of luck and the will to kill, while many others died every day. Children like Lexi who was an unfortunate play thing to a sadist.
His eyes softened then, narrowing ever so slightly as he hoisted the bagged up corpse. "I used to be friends with someone like you. She got sad when someone called her an Afflicted and just now I did the same thing to you. It's an insult to her memory and to you as a person. So I'm sorry."
Kris walked toward the door, unclicked the lock, and peaked his head outside to ensure that no guards or Enforcers were passing by before turning back one last time.
"I'm Kris, by the way. I'll be back in a couple hours then if you're still up for it. If not, then keep the change for the trouble."
The red head left the bar, leaving behind the single gold coin on the bar counter for Riina to keep as he made a beeline for the murky and deadly swamp of Fumehat. He kept to the side streets when possible and stuck close to the shadows as necessary. On only one occasion did he have to duck into an alleyway to avoid a pair of patrollers, which really showed how lawless this place was. Despite his macabre task, it brought a small smile to Kris's face as he dashed out of the city proper and into the marsh lands.
Though now that he looked out at the desolate and stifling land, Kris felt his heart sink like a stone. The cat girl's words echoed in his mind about the vast number of dead children that lay at the bottom of these waters...and it made him hesitate. His mentor's word cut into his mind, always yelling at him for hesitating. It was hesitation that got Natali killed and now it was holding him back from finishing his job.
So he reverted to the doll once again. No emotions or sympathy to be had. He simply tossed the bagged up body into the water and observed it sinking into the waters, slowly drowning like his heart. If the fish and bacteria didn't erase her, then the gators would feast on her. Cycle of life.
"Don't blame me or the assassin for your death, girl. Blame the world. Find peace in the afterlife."
Kris spun on his heel, hands buried in pockets, and made the trek back into town. He had spent quite a deal of time being careful with the disposal of the body, but he doubted that he had missed his deadline. He approached the bar and reached for the door, stopping just short of reaching out for the handle. Hesitation...once again it held him back. But then he opened up the door and stepped inside to join the night crowd, approaching the far end of the bar to simply lean up against it while waiting for the cat girl to get off of her shift.
Post by Riina de Bastille on Nov 20, 2019 2:19:57 GMT
WORD COUNT: 800
TAGGED:
TAGGED: Fluffy
The first little exchanges between them after the fact, showed that both of them had, to some extent, grown cold to the dark reality of this world. People were going to struggle, fight, suffer. Ultimately, quite a few would perish under the rule of the stronger. In a sense, anyway. For many of the stronger weren't strong individually. They were strong because of wealth, because of politics, because of numbers advantages. It made Riina sick to think that the ones who had really been responsible for this world being a shithole in so many places, were people she couldn't even get a swing at. Let alone get close enough to put faces on the names she had heard spoken in whispers as the true puppetmasters. The first bit, regarding really wanting to make it up to the feline, she didn't reply to. The second bit in regards to falling in, however... "That, and it's a convenient way for the enforcers to not deal with it. Also a convenient way to get rid of people who you don't want aorund." Riina stated as a matter of fact, shrugging with an atmosphere of indifference clinging to her. In Fumehat, disappearances weren't uncommon in the slightest. On top of that, it was equally as uncommon to find anything even remotely recognizable once it had been dropped into the swamp for more than a day. Leeches, bacteria and other wild animals would tear the flesh clean off the bone. To identify such a skeleton was borderline impossible. Not to mention, that over the main part of the swamp, in Glowcap, it was rather rare that anyone truly moved down to sift through the swamp waters. Afterall, it wasn't exactly the most hospitable or luxurious part of the city proper.
Kris, as he had introduced himself, had done the dishonorable yet reasonable thing of bagging the kid and agreeing that dropping her body into the swamp was probably the only workable approach to their dilemma. With the kid removed from the basement, Riina had cleaned most of the blood up, unlocked the door and essentially allowed customers back in. It was still a quiet day, yet it was working out somewhat in her favor. At the very least, all this mess wouldn't likely bite her too much in the rear. So when he was preparing to leave, the girl simply nodded. Seeing as he was willing to assist in cleaning up the mess, then... "Okay, then. I'll meet you after my shift is done." ...Riina would be willing to show him a little bit of good will. At the very least, if he had wanted to cause her headaches, destruction or misery, he had, at this point, had all the opportunities in the world to do so. Before he managed to get out the door, the girl cleared her throat, bowing her head ever so slightly. Only enough to be courteuous, though still without showing the proper level of respect towards a patron. "...Riina." The girl said simply, not really introducing herself properly. It was just a name, afterall...
...The two hours snaked by, slowly. Riina was cleaning up, preparing the barrels of alcohol, and by the goddess were they heavy, setting up the rooms upstairs for the inevitable drunkard that wanted a place to stay. Diced and prepared oninios, carrots and other vegetables and salads for the kitchen. Out of the tasks, Riina really enjoyed the prep work. While she wasn't very good at cooking, and the prep-work truly was just a slaves task, it meant that she could occasionally put something in her mouth under the pretense of making sure the quality is on par. The owner of the little bar came in, dragged Riina to the back room. When she left, she had a small coin purse at her belt, plus a large, shining red mark of a flat hand and fingers across her cheek. The hand large enough to cover everything from her collar to her temple, making it rather obvious that she had been slapped without any mercy.
Still, as she left the bar, her spirits seemed to be in an okay place. As if the mistreatment truly hadn't bothered her, or that the results usually were significantly worse. Afterall, today she had at least been paid. Looking around the streets of Glowcap, Riina pocketed her hands, scratching an itch on her inner thigh with her nails through the fabric. Now where in the world could that no good mercenary have gone to? Taking a few moments, she just stood there. If nothing further occured, she'd shrug, assuming he had somewhere better to be, and begin heading off towards another bar to get herself some grub and wine. Today really had been a fine day, all things considered.
This city was by and far his favorite in all of Ordus. Not just because it was his home for most of his life where he found true happiness with a father figure who raised him to be who he was, but also Fumehat was so lawless. It was a blessing and a curse. Kris was free to do as he pleased here when he was younger, learning the tools of the Mercenary trade. He fought creatures in the marsh, back stabbed thieves in the alley ways, and took the lives of those he loved. Loneliness and isolation was what ruled here, taking what you wanted for yourself and never giving back unless there was a knife to your throat. Beatings were common and death was to be expected for those who couldn't hack it.
The girl's name echoed in his mind. Riina. She seemed like someone who was barely keeping her head above water because of how she looked. It was an unfortunate truth of this world that reminded him of Natali. She was a leftover from one of Vincent's contracts that he easily would have sold into slavery for a few silver, but a naive Kris begged him to take her in.
Few cared for the Afflicted and even fewer showed them respect. They were different and people tend to hate what they don't understand. Why did Kris care to make things right with Riina? Was it misplaced thoughts of Natali? No, he had put that mistake behind him long ago...and it wasn't that he felt bad for the cat girl either. She seemed tough enough to survive this world, even if she was small and weak.
So maybe it was as simple as...Kris wanting a friend. The closest friend he had was Hilde back at Vantalux and she always managed to put a smile on his face. She saved him, after all, when everyone else treated him like cast away garbage. Nursed him back to health, so maybe he wanted more friends to rely on.
After waiting a few more minutes, he pushed off from the bar with a heavy sigh. She was nowhere to be seen, so he assumed she ducked out to avoid him. It was to be expected after the trouble he had caused...but he had to admit that he was a bit disappointed. Kris pushed off of the bar and made his way to the door, stepping out into the cool open air where he stopped in his tracks.
Standing in the open was the cat girl bartender in her mismatched rags. So she had waited for him after all...a feeling of elated joy threatened to spread across his face, but he quickly covered it up by clearing his throat as he walked around Riina. He peaked his head over her shoulder and grinned.
"Hope I didn't keep you waiting, Riina."
His eyes narrowed at the visible red hand mark across the girl's face, but he didn't say anything. Kris scratched the back of his neck at the thought of what she went through on a regular basis...so instead of showing worry, he hid it by pointing his thumb down the road nonchalantly with a tired expression on his face.
"Still game to get some food and get plastered? This has been one hell of a day and I need to unwind. Drinking alone is a sad affair, so I hope you can keep up with me."
As he turned on his heel to saunter in the direction of the nearest bar, Kris threw his arms up over his head and began whistling a soft tune. If Riina would join him, he'd find a nice place to relax as the day came to an end. This whole operation had been a mess, but he was hoping to salvage it with good company and maybe a good story to share.
Post by Riina de Bastille on Nov 21, 2019 6:00:58 GMT
WORD COUNT: 618
TAGGED:
TAGGED: Fluffy
Filthy female feline. Alliteration! Riina stared at him with a confused glare. The girl could not quite tell what was going on here. The expression which he carried seemed to be one of borderline relief. Perhaps even bordering happiness. Those emotions, everything taken into consideration, threw the girl for a complete loop. It was screaming at her that something was wrong. All of those thoughts, deliberations, considerations and machinations however, came after the girl had made her initial reaction. Kristoffer had chosen to approach her from behind, as the tired female had gotten out from the bar. Tired, exhausted, she hadn't been on the same level of alert, because she was looking for the patron that had come to her earlier. So, the initial thoughts that flooded her mind, when a shadow suddenly towered over her tiny frame, and a voice spoke so incredibly close to her ear, were of simple survival. Rapist, murder, kidnapping, worse, worse, worse! Every single cylinder fired in her body, amping her up with adrenaline, as she prepared to attack. So the moment she felt threathened, the feline female spun around, keeping her center of gravity relatively low, carrying the momentum of her bodyweight with her. Then Riina practically leapt forwards into him, placing her hands onto his chest for some counter balance. Slamming her knee upwards, the girl hadn't intended to aim for anything specific. It was simply about getting him to back off. To create room for an escape if he was someone bad. The result was that her knee became a projectile aimed at his groin with pure lethality. There was no pulling the punches, no mercy, just pure unadulterated intent to harm. Upon imapct, Riina felt a moment of softness. It followed with Riina almost able hear the sound of eggs cracking. It sent a shudder through her body. Immediately stepping back, creating space between her and the perceived threat, startled, the girl began addressing him in a high pitched voice, complaining about how he acted.
"What were you thinking sneaking up on me like that, Kris!? Y-you're lucky I didn't have something to stab you with. Oh my god, I thought you were a rapist or a kidnapper or something. Don't just approach a girl like that!! You startled me to shit!" Talking rapidly, breathing heavily, Riina hadn't really registered the situation which Kris found himself in. At least not immediately. When she did, the sense of fear soon dissipated from Riina's registry. Afterall, with how Kris was currently conducting himself, the immediate sense of fear and pressure that Riina had felt from him seemed unneccesary. Perhaps, one could go so far as to consider him harmless in this moment. In fact, this was almost kind of sad, really. Briefly, Riina felt a little responsible, but that was only briefly. Afterall it had been his fault for scaring her like that. "...I'm not going to say sorry, if thats what you're waiting for. I think you complete... ...does it really still hurt? It was just a knee... Come on, lets go?"
Yeah, Riina was well aware of the pain associated with nutcracker techniques. Though, due to having never experienced it herself, there was still some part of her that struggled to understand. Though, now that his expression was no longer one of strange, creepy happiness and contentment, the alert bells within the mind of the feline were also ceasing to ring. In fact, seeing him in pain and misery made a whole lot more sense to her. Everyone in Fumehat were like this, so somewhere, somehow, it made more sense to her world view.
In hindsight, it was a really bad idea. Like one of the worst ones he could ever do. It happened in the blink of an eye and yet time also seemed to stop for him as the small cat girl had spun around with deadly grace. He blinked in stunned confusion as she pushed against his chest, lifted up her knee, and delivered a blow straight to his manhood.
"Y-You kicked me in the dick...why? Why d-did you hit me in the-"
His eyes widened and he immediately felt his gut clench, pushing up leftovers of his prior meal. Kris keeled over toward the bar's door and vomited profusely onto the filthy, grimy ground below. The young man's entire body shook in pain and sickness as he grew paler by the minute. Never before in his life had he suffered such excruciating pain! He turned toward Riina with his mouth hung open and as he took a step forward, the red head dropped to his knees and gasped for air. Sucking in his breath like a hiss and shoving his face into his hands to smother a scream of agony, he felt tears threaten to blind his vision.
"H-H-Holy...shit! What is your...knee made of? Vanta? I think I would have...I wish I would have been stabbed instead of this! Oh gods above!"
Kris's voice was cracking and the octave in his tone was a high pitched whine. Like a whimper as he struggled to regain his breath in his broken composure. A few minutes passed as he sat completely still, solely concentrating on trying to relax. He tapped into his solar well to send healing light down to mend his pained crotch...though it felt like an eternity, it only lasted a for a couple of minutes.
He shakily dropped his hands and looked up at Riina as he breathed heavily. "Y-Yeah okay...I think I had that one coming. Never approach you from behind...noted. But by the Old Gods and the New! That...yes! Of course it still hurts! I don't think there's a stronger bone to hit with than the knee!"
Kris was still groaning and pouting as he shakily stood up on one knee and then rested his hands forward on the ground. Another deep breath and he pushed himself up to stand, although he almost lost his balance and fell over again! He caught himself and stumbled forward, bumping into Riina and catching himself on her shoulder to steady himself.
"Sorry...didn't mean to."
The red head quickly let go of her and staggered away, grunting in pain as he swayed towards the nearby bar. He didn't need any help. He could walk on his own. Hopefully it was cleaner than the one Riina worked at...and had a bag of ice he could buy.
"Yeah yeah, alright. Let's just get inside. The faster I can sit down and relax would be better."
He came upon the bar down the street and shoved the door open in a huff. Any who would turn to look would see a red haired, red eyed figure marred with disgust and anger stomp his way inside toward the bar where he would stare at the barkeep. He reached into his coin bag and produced five gold coins, slamming them down onto the counter.
"Get me a bottle of strong ale and whatever's ready in the kitchen. Oh and there's a cat eared girl who's trailing behind me. Get her whatever she asks, understood?"
The man nodded and took the coins from Kris without question while Kris turned to wander toward the farthest table in the corner. He kicked the chair out and collapsed down onto the seat, breathing heavily as he plopped his head down onto the table.
