Another Mercenary Among Merchants

[Aveilthé]

OOC: So finally that damned one-year long roleplay has closed a chapter in it's long-term plot, and continues with more plots and adventures and stuff. So yeah. Uhh. That one day in the roleplay lasted a freaking year for us all to type! Wtf. *Cries* We have no lives... Annnnyway, we've moved the Mercenary among Merchants board here, because we felt like it was time for a new one. Huzzah!

Oh, and for those newbies that wanted to join/and or wanted to read the fantastic roleplay, you might want to start at the beginning: shinkou.proboards20.com/index.cgi?board=coastescavas&action=display&thread=1137349351&page=1

Oh yes, and the part of Rosaline will now be portrayed by Fely/Foxie until further notice, bless her heart.

The morning sun crept from the farthest reaches of the world,
shining down upon all that was Escavas. Merchants of the city
were already awakening, and lumbering out of their houses
and greeting eachother jovially before proceeding out to their
ships for a day of fish catching. A particular shout of "Get your
fish right here, freshly caught! Largest and plumpest of all fish!"
can be heard as a rough-looking man yelled across the street
and morning passersby, all of whom were beginning to crowd
around to get the best deals on his fish.

A tall man stood in the front of the crowd, poring over the fish
hanging from the small pavilion by wooden stakes. Poring over,
indeed, for he was taller than the rest of the people around him,
bless his soul. He didn't seem to care, for he had a callous,
unyielding look to his face. His hand was about his chin as if he
were thinking, but in truth he was scrutinizing the bantering
old coot before him that was trying to trick the man into buying
more than what the fish merchant has asked for.

"I'll buy two for twenty-six Es.," Taro persisted quietly, the round
bronze coins glistening in his large fists as he brandished it before
the salesman.

"What, for these two large sea critters? There ain't no way in hell
I'd sell them for so little! That's only enough for one."

Taro, or at least that was what this mysterious man was called,
grimaced a bit and grunted as he gave in to the man.

"Here you go," Taro growled, thinking to himself that it was best
to keep his temper. When he's hungry, he usually becomes very
temperamental. At least later he'll have something to cook over
an open fire which was good enough for him.

Taro dropped the coins onto the mahogony desk beneath the
pavilion before taking the nicely wrapped fish into a large bag.
With that, Taro left, making sure that he had all that he needed
with him, for he traveled lightly.

His beady brown eyes surveyed the area with a bit more relaxed
air. It was his first time in Escavas, and he had only arrived just
this morning. It was he who had passed by this morning by the
pole with the 'Wanted' sign for a particular vampire. The thought
of this had intrigued Taro a great deal, for he happened to be
a mercenary. The money that was provided made him almost
drool and melt like putty, and he would do anything to get it,
regardless of whom he was dealing with. As he was mulling
these thoughts over, a sudden noise issued somewhere
behind him.

"Huff," said a wheezy voice. Taro turned his bald head around,
his brows raised in curiousity. "Huff!" said the voice again, and
with that, Taro looked down.

What he saw was a very large old dog, mangy and grey with
matted fur. It looked like a leather handbag purse, with chipped
thick claws scraping the cobblestoned street. He looked like an old
Great Dane, but a bit smaller than average. Taro, feeling small
pity for the animal, ignored it and kept walking, but the dog kept
following as if it made up it's mind. It had the most decisive
dull cow-eyes, and it's skin was heavily wrinkled with age. It
was so old, in fact, that it couldn't bark. It's tail was even a bit
crooked, and he looked slightly mal-nourished.

"Stop following me, you mangy mutt!" Taro muttered, picking up
his pace, but everytime he did so, the dog would keep up, it's
big legs racing in a blur. His eye was on Taro's raunchy-smelling
bag.

Taro kept moving, looking back every now and then at the stalking
animal. For a while he thought of putting it out of it's misery, but
he had better business to take care of.

[Felypsa]

The moment December stepped out of the great manor, she felt lighter, more refreshed. It was now well into morning, and the clear light did wonders for her health. She had gotten no sleep last night, but a single moment bathing in the morning’s rays was enough for her. Angels never slept anyway, and while December was fond of sleeping, she didn’t need it as much as her human counterparts.

Imi, on the other hand, was drowsing peacefully, wrapped around December’s neck in the form of a very small but very warm ermine. December walked carefully so that her tiny adorable friend would not accidentally drop off her resting place. She wandered through the marketplace, looking hungrily at the various wares that the vendors were selling, but having no money with which to purchase it. The fish looked especially appetizing, for Escavas was most famous for its fishing industry. December wished she could contribute to it, but she simply could not afford it.

She thought guiltily of the wanted notice. How hard would it be? She would go to the person who desired the mercenary, offer her services, walk back to the mansion, explain to Fortuné what she needed to do, and then…December paled, and her hands trembled slightly. I cannot, cannot do it, she said to herself. No matter what the price. December would never have done that before for anybody. She would have handed over one of her merc friends in exchange for a proper salary. But she would not, could not kill her friend, the foppish vampire. He simply didn’t deserve death, despite the lives he’d taken in order to survive…

Should a wolf be killed for eating a rabbit? December asked herself. Should an eagle be killed for eating a fish? Vampires are the natural predators of humans. They do what they do because they must. Forgive me, father, she prayed, but I won’t kill this one creature of darkness. His kind may be swallowed in night, but his heart is as pure and light as mine. Which was not saying much, considering how many people December had killed in the past.

She walked past the poster without glancing at it once. She would not be tempted. She would simply have to find work some other way. Maybe, she could try the castle, as she had planned to do yesterday. Glory and mercy, she thought with surprise, that was only one day ago? It feels more like an entire year.

December walked past an old mutt that was following a giant of a man. She stopped to watch as the malnourished dog chased after the man’s bag. She frowned a little as the man spoke angry words to the dog. But she could do nothing. She had nothing to give to the mutt to get it away from the man. She approached the dog and took out Seraphim.

“The poor creature won’t live another day,” she said softly, affectionately. She wished there were some better alternative, but even if this dog were fed now, it would be back in the same position only a few minutes later. “He is too close to death. I will give it to him, sir, if you do not protest.” Knowing the dog would certainly protest, she approached it carefully, cooing at it softly so it would not panic. She did not intend to scare it away.

As she did so, she had a terrible thought. The old man whom Fortuné killed was also close to death. He killed for survival, and I’m killing for mercy, but when it comes down to it, we’re both murdering an innocent creature. What is the difference between us? She did not halt, however, instead she crouched down so the dog would not back away from her. She did not recognize the man immediately, though he did remind her of someone from her past.

[Aveilthé]

The voice behind Taro made him halt in his tracks, but he didn't turn
around. Instead, he spoke gruffly. "Nah, the pooch is just hungry."
With a bit of irritation, he took the large fish that was slung over
his back and tossed it down to the old dog. The dog's ears flew
upward and attacked the fish with fervor. "Now get lost, damn
doggone flea-infested mongrel!" The dog simply looked up at the
man and wagged his tail, it's drooping lips oozing with drool as it
finished it's meal. Now, it possessed a lot of strength and promptly
ran in circles that made Taro grin in spite of himself.

"Nah, don't kill it, though it does look like something ran over it.
Ack, gerroff--!" The dog was jumping up on the man and attempting
to lick him, but Taro was up too high.

"Sorry if we're botherin' yah, I'll be on my..."

A glint caught into Taro's eye. It was a familiar steely glint, and it
made him reminisce a time in the old days when he was partnered
with the most amazing girl he's ever known. Taro turned in the
spot, his beady brown eyes wide with surprise.

"Ah my God!" He exclaimed, rushing over to December without
thought and attempting to pick the girl up in a one-arm hug.
"Geez, girl, it's been a longass time!" He was grinning from ear
to ear. His voice rumbled into a hearty chuckle when he tried giving
her a noogie as well. "And you're skinny like a poll. Like one of them
polls," he nodded, pointing with his elbow at the lamp-posts with
his other elbow. "But I swear you've grown a foot since the last
time I saw ya, but I can still see down at you! Shorty... haha."

[Felypsa]

“Oh, how kind of you…” December said, gladly sheathing Seraphim, though it caught the light as she did so. She gladly watched the mutt prancing around, rejuvenated by the meal the man had bestowed onto it. She still knew that death was close for the poor mongrel, but at least she did not have to be the one to deliver it. Executioner…she shuddered, reminded her of dilemma.

Then all thoughts whisked out of her mind as the giant before her picked her up without as much as a by-your-leave. She gasped, shocked, trying to grab Seraphim in case he was hostile…but in the same instant, she recognized him. “Taro!” she cried out gladly, patiently suffering his affectionate noogie, as strands of her hair broke loose from her tight braid. “I have not grown an inch,” she protested. “You must have shrunk. Let go of me.” But her protest was weak, and she was grinning.

“A long time, indeed,” she agreed, gently struggling to pry herself loose from his bear-hug. “I haven’t seen you since you were reassigned…and then I left the Sunfires.” The Sunfires had been the mercenary group that she and Taro had both belonged to, back in “the day.” “I never expected to see you again. And to the truth, I liked it that way.” She grinned and winked.

The excitement had woken the Imi-ermine up, and she was squeaking in protest until she, too, saw the gentle giant. Eyes lighting up, she instantly turned into a small crow and flew over to poke Taro on the nose. December chuckled, remembering that Imi loved being a crow around Taro, for some reason. “She’s obviously pleased to see you,” said December, smiling. Fortuné was momentarily forgotten.

[Aveilthé]

"Oops, sorry," Taro said, trying to flatten December's hair, but
being a guy, and owning no hair whatsoever, he might have made
her look worse. Knowing this, he stopped.

Now, Taro's voice possessed a gruff, cheery low tone, and bore
a strong New York-like street accent, and he was terrible with
grammar. As a matter of fact, he never knew how to spell, but
could read well enough to get by. He had an Asian look about him.
He had adequately tanned skin, with many blemeshing scars
about his entire appearance, but were hard to see unless an
individual looked close enough. On the back of his bald head,
a winding black Chinese dragon coiled and rose upward in a still
motion, with it's mouth wide open as if it were about to breathe
fire. He had absolutely no hair on his body - that's right, even his
eyebrows had no hair. It was a disease he carried with him since
the day he was born.

"Where's dat little... oh, dere she is! Whassup Imi!" Taro cracked
himself up heartily as Imi turned crow fluttered about him. He loved
her crow form. "Damn, yer good at dat. I almost forgot you do dat,
you smart lil bird."

"Yeah, da good ole days." Taro nodded his head, scratching his
shiny chin. "I miss all our stories. Remember how we used
to tell one anothah about our missions?" He laughed some.
"Ohh how time has flown. It's been, whut... oh snap, I forgot
how many years since we been splittid' up! Shaw, it's been
quite a period. So how 'bout you, Dec? What 'choo been up to?
You didin' change all dat much, 'cept yer more bootiful."
He nudged December with his elbow. He put on a dramatic face
and clutched his heart in response to the seraph girl. "Awe,
you hurt this ole man's feelin's, but I see how dat is." He grinned
again. "Oh, you still have yer sword, I see. Remember how you
used to stick it on muh head and it would stay there like magnet?"

[Felypsa]

December gently held her hand up to stop Taro from messing with her hair. “It’s fine, Taro, really,” she said lightly. “I’ll survive.” Though Taro was one of the loud, crude mercenary guys she’d been forced to go on missions with, he had a special place in her heart. They weren’t lovers and never would be, but they had a relationship like that of a brother and sister. In fact, Taro was the closest person to a brother December had ever had.

“Oh, we had grand missions!” December laughed. “Remember the time you and I fought of an entire band of robbers just by ourselves? The satisfaction of seeing their astonished faces would have been reward enough, but then we got so much gold from that…” She let out a fond sigh; those were truly the good old days. “It’s been quite a few years, Taro,” she admitted. “I’ve really missed our Sunfire days. Nothing has been quite as profitable since. And no one’s been nearly as entertaining as you.” She grinned, but an unexpected thought creeped across her mind: Except, perhaps, the foppish Fortuné.

“I’m not more beautiful,” she protested modestly, then ruined the effect by saying, “You’re just not used to seeing girls as pretty as me.” She winked. Imi squawked in mocking laughter, and December glared at her. “Not a peep out of you, spoilsport,” she muttered, making Imi squawk all the more.

December flashed a smile and brought out Seraphim, and gently stuck it to Taro’s head. “I could never figure that out,” she said, watching the phenomenon occur yet again. But she took her sword back after only a moment, sheathing it. She was getting stares from passerby, who were clearly unused to seeing a woman with such a sword. She did not like the attention, which she felt was negative. Besides, she did not want to advertise to the whole of Escavas that she was a mercenary—not yet, anyway.

“What brings you to Escavas, Taro?” December asked, returning her attention to her longtime friend.

[Aveilthé]

"I'm Sword-Man kickass," Taro said, flaunting his cranium with the
sword stuck there. "Brilliant lil piece of metal. Yuh, bald people
have that thing where their heads attract shiat. That 'cause I'm
hotness, n' yer sword is in love with muh head. And as fer
bein' in Escavas... oh, is dat whut this place's called? Yuh, well.
Lookin' 'round fer a bit of business, if yah know whut I mean,
n' I think I already found one." He chuckled at Imi's warbling.

It was at that moment that his eye caught a very round man.
This elderly man passed by December and Taro, but was whispering
loudly to his wife.

"You see, Clarisa, those are the kind of people--"

"Why dun yah just shut yer trap and keep walkin'," Taro growled
loudly, stepping up in front of December and narrowing his eyes
at this man. The man grabbed his wife, and freaking out, scrambled
out of site as if Taro possessed rabies. But in truth, the dog
that Taro had fed moments ago, was beginning to snarl at the
fat man, and was chasing both of them down the road.

"It's mad!" cried the man from afar. Taro heard this and shouted,
"Yeah, KEEP RUNNING." Feeling a bit agitated, Taro looked to the
seraph girl. "Lets go get a cuppa Joe or somethin'. I can use a
breakfast bagel." The dog came back, wagging it's tail a million
miles an hour. "Dog, you ain't so bad. I call yuh Dog."

[Mama Z]

(Satts it was just a joke..)

[Aveilthé]

OOC: LIES! Lmao yeah yeah, I knooow... well I couldn't tell. ^^; Sooooorryyyy.

[Felypsa]

“Already found…?” December tried not to look nervous. He’s probably found something else…surely there are other people looking for mercenaries, and for different reasons! Maybe if he’s found something else, we can partner up and split the profit…as long as it’s something else. “Do tell,” she said, hoping she looked interested.

At that point, the gossipy couple walked by. December would not have even taken notice of their insulting whispers, had Taro not growled fiercely at them. And then the cur went tearing after them, much to Imi’s amusement. She squawked with laughter; even December smiled. “A good dog,” she agreed with Taro, grinning at her fellow mercenary’s unimaginative name. “Dog. A good name for a good dog.”

“I’d love breakfast; I’m famished,” she informed Taro, gladly following him. The last thing she had consumed had been those cups of cocoa that Fortuné had made the night before. Hardly something to sustain oneself throughout an entire exciting night. Strange how I keep getting reminded of Fortuné, she thought, a little crossly. “I’m warning you, though,” she said to Taro, “either you’re paying or we’re stealing.”

[Aveilthé]

"Yuh, just a lil' somethin' I found dat I wanna look into...," he
replied meekly, subconsciously rubbing his chin that meant that
he was obviously hiding something. Taro was the very man who
saw the poster on the lightposts, but he hadn't the slightest
inkling that December knew of Fortuné, Zayn, and everybody else.
Hell, even Taro knew nothing of those people, let alone Fortuné.
All he knew is that he was ready to kill himself a vampire, and
upon thinking about it, he felt his double-ended katana, resting
in a folded position upon his back.

Taro indeed harbored below par imagination deftness. The only
thing that ever truly revolved around his head was violence,
and he only ever spoke in a raunchy, unchaste manner.
"Oh fine, I have a few coins left, dun get anythin' big or I'll
skewer yuh. Say, Dec, whut do blondes and cow pies have in common?"

[Felypsa]

December frowned a little; Taro was not forthcoming with details. But he was usually vague like that. She decided to let it go. But she still hoped he hadn’t decided to take the vampire-killing job. She knew that once Taro stuck his mind to something, he would follow through with it until he was satisfied. If Taro were on Fortuné’s trail, there would be no hope for him.

Which would put her in a very awkward position.

“I never get anything big,” she said lightly in response to Taro’s threat. “And I’d like to see you try to skewer me.” She grinned. At Taro’s odd question, she sighed and shook her head. She hadn’t heard this one before, but Taro was notorious for bad jokes. There was nothing for it; she just had to hear the answer and pretend to laugh. “I resent that,” she said, for her hair was blonde—though not completely, for it had a bluish tinge to it. “Blondes and cow pies have nothing in common as far as I’m concerned. But, go ahead, enlighten me.”

They were approaching a quaint café that was separated from the hullaballoo of the market, much to December’s relief. All the noise and people were grating on her nerves.

Rosaline sniffled. It was a horrendously windy day, and even though she was wrapped in her thickest jacket, she was still frightfully cold. And the grief of her grandfather’s death still lingered. So she sniffled, her nose red. She felt utterly miserable. Some passing people tossed her pitying glances, which she ignored. She knew what they were thinking: Such a pretty girl shouldn’t be so sad. And she agreed.

Why her? Why did she have to suffer? Wasn’t she good enough? Had she ever sinned to be punished so? There was only one time when her judgment faltered: last night. Fresh tears were brought to her eyes. The marvelous gentleman, the love of her life, was a vampire. She had walked into his trap. What would have happened if that horrid sword-lady hadn’t chased them? Would he have given her a fatal kiss? Would she, too, be a dreadful vampire, a very creature of hell? She shuddered at the thought.

Even though she avoided that awful fate, she had been so close. Close enough for the mighty deity whom she worshipped to strike down her poor grandfather? Oh, grandpa, she prayed in anguish, forgive me!

Irony upon ironies, was it true that her grandfather had been killed by a vampire? Her hysterical grandmother, the poor woman, swore up and down that she had seen the fellow. The wanted posters all desired revenge against a vampire as the culprit. Rosaline was slow, but she was not altogether stupid. She had met two vampires just last night—the same night that her grandfather died. It was so very possible—likely, even—that one of those vampires was the murderer.

She couldn’t bear the thought. A good-sized part of her was still very much in love with the gentleman—Fortuné. Another part of her was grateful to Fortuné’s brother for leading her out of the terrible darkness. And she generally did not like the idea of revenge. But, what could she do? One of them killed her grandfather—and their very existence sinned against God. They did not deserve life…not at the cost of so many humans’ lives…

But Rosaline had had an idea. It was risky, and it probably wouldn’t work, but…she had to try. She resumed her walk through Escavas. Before long, she had reached the church. It was not the holy day, but she knew that her priest was there. She gently opened the grandiose doors and entered the sacred place. She was going to fix things—and she was going to call upon divine intervention to help her.

[Aveilthé]

Taro lumbered his heavy being alongside December. There was
a nasty grin on his face as his beady brown eyes glittered beneath
the morning light.

"Da older dey get, da easier dey are to pick up," he replied,
chuckling at his little joke and pointing at December wickedly.

"Oh, oh, I've got anudder one. What job function does a blonde
have in an M&M factory?"

Dog gave a hoarse huff behind Taro as he followed December
into the café.

[Felypsa]

December rolled her eyes and let out a haughty sigh. “I disagree,” she said, her eyes nevertheless twinkling. “I think I’m harder to pick up now. ’Specially for a jerk like you.” She grinned, knowing that Taro was only teasing, that he didn’t mean anything by it.

She grimaced. “Okay, I’ll bite. What job function, indeed?” She sat down at a table and took a menu, beginning to study it, though she already knew what she wanted. Imi fluttered around Dog, chirping enthusiastically at him, appreciating his presence as another animal companion.

Rosaline entered the cathedral, stopping to murmur a prayer and cross herself. The early morning light shone through the intricately beautiful stained glass windows that adorned the sanctuary. She moved reverently down the aisle; the church was so silent that she could hear her own heart thumping loudly. Eventually she saw a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair garbed in gold-embroidered white robes, bent over the great Book, perhaps preparing a sermon for the next holy day. He did not look up when she approached. Rosaline cleared her throat and said softly, “Father Hyde?”

“May God bless you, Rosaline,” said the priest, finally looking up. “Rest assured that your grandfather, such a goodly man was he, is resting in paradise with our Lord in Heaven.”

Rosaline smiled and felt comforted by the man’s words of solace. “Thank you, Father. But I have come to ask a favor of you.”

Hyde’s eyes became serious—they were a chilling grey. “Speak your mind, Rosaline.”

Rosaline did so, but haltingly. “Well, Father…there is someone…someone I care for very much…and he, that is to say…” She swallowed. “I am afraid that he is possessed by evil demons and is the one who murdered my grandfather,” she said very quickly.

Father Hyde’s cold grey eyes became even darker. “What is the favor you seek, then?” he asked, though he already suspected.

Rosaline cowered under the priest’s hard stare. Dry-mouthed, she squeaked out, “I must ask that he have…that he have an exorcism. I do not want him to die, I want him to live and be free from the evil spirits that possess him.”

“Exorcisms are difficult,” Father Hyde warned the poor girl.

“I know,” she said sadly. “But it is either that or death. I would not want him to die.”

“Why have you told no one else what you know?”

Rosaline sniffled again. “And my grandmother wants only revenge. She would not understand my desire to save the one who murdered her husband. And I know of no one who would support the idea of an exorcism. Will you do it, Father Hyde?” Her eyes were softly pleading.

There was a long pause while the priest turned back to the Book. Rosaline stood, shivering, but not entirely from the cold morning. She closed her eyes and prayed yet again. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa…forgive me, forgive me, forgive me…

At last, the soft but cold voice of Father Hyde spoke again. “I will perform the exorcism.”

[Aveilthé]

OOC: Gasp! An exorcism! What an intriguing new turn of events this is turning out to be!

The giant man squeezed his bulk on a chair opposite of
December and followed suit by picking up a menu also. Dog
crawled under the table and stuck his head on Taro's lap
and promptly started drooling as the man scratched it's filthy
head.

"Proofreading," he replied, followed by a hearty laugh and a
slapping of his knee that made people stare. He took one look
at the menu and snorted. "What the hell does this shiat say,"
he frowned, turning the menu towards December and pointing to
the following words:

#7: Pan-Sautéed Catfish with Parsley-Pecan Sauce - 12. Es.

"It's like... a bunch o' words all jumbled together. It hurts muh brain.
People dun use simple English words anymo'."