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Post by CJ on May 24, 2015 10:19:12 GMT -5
It was a cool, fall day and this particular group of Renascence was taking a break in their travels. Already, they had ventured out for a day and a half, on foot, since they couldn’t always rely on Elrond to fly them to wherever they needed to go. Qi opted to ride on her summon, Sheep, but she desummoned him for the break period so they both could rest.
The world had been quiet for a while. No word was heard of the Oracion Seis or of Achlys and this craziness. These days, the guild of Renascence took on typical jobs and was starting to conform to the standards of a normal guild. It was something that many guild members found to be boring, but for Qi, it was something she greatly enjoyed.
Her boyish, small figure and clothing made her look like a regal, young Chinese prince. She was very unlike her ancestor, the infamous Joan Ruby, who stood tall with an arrogance that could be felt miles away. No, this mage was timid and, as her guild mates later discovered, somewhat weak willed. She was recovering from an addiction to dark magic, which could be seen even now as she gripped her face to halt a shiver. She took the opportunity to adjust her square pair of spectacles that she had never been seen in before today. She made no explanation toward their appearance and acted as though everything was usual.
“Wish we knew more about this mission,” she said with a frown. “Elrond can be a bit unreliable with intel but, even when I double checked, I couldn’t find any information about the stolen artifact in question. I know it’s only supposed to be Normal Rank, but I can’t help but be concerned. All we know is that someone stole it and the town of Everafter isn’t too happy about it.”
She turned toward the group with beaming, sparkling eyes.
“You know, there’s a pretty hefty reward for this job. 50,000 Jewels for each of us (approx. $500)! I was thinking maybe I could get a comfy, cute couch to replace the one that my summon Horse crushed! What do you guys want to do with yours?”
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Post by Shark a' Pult on May 25, 2015 0:09:13 GMT -5
"I'll probably send it home to my mom. She could use the help now that my brother's moved out."
Maisie managed to keep up well enough, and occasionally strummed at her guitar along the way when ideas for songs came to mind. Wearing a pinafore with a long blouse and leggings, and a small coat, she was dressed more appropriate for the season. She still had her wide brim straw hat though, which jarred with the rest of her outfit. When asked about the job, she stopped strumming out of politeness, but didn't need to think about her answer. The fondness in her voice about the subject though, was plain to tell.
"What about you, mister Lesage?"
"Bullets cost money."
Alden's response required no thought either, but it also carried no emotion. In a way Maisie felt humbled by this, because as usual he seemed to operate on a completely different level than her. She joined the guild as a way to hone her magic skill and to make friends and see new places, any money or fame she made during that time was an added bonus, but it all serviced her dream of a musical career. Alden though, as she had known since the first day she joined, didn't seem to be working towards anything at all. For him, his job... his life was this, a mage hunter. Before they departed she thought about what clothes to wear on the trip and what sorts of sights they may see, while he was just thinking about how to return the stolen artifact.
It was that level of professionalism, she felt, that made him the senior guild member. At the same time though, she didn't feel any envy over that, because at the end of the day she still had her dream to follow and her family to return to.
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Post by Mise™ on May 25, 2015 9:46:19 GMT -5
After the event with Achlys Jupiter had returned all the expensive items he could never have paid for and now was back wearing the same outfit he always did; nothing had changed, other than some new holes appearing on his scarf the older it got, and it was quite old by now.
Jupiter did not mind these kinds of missions as he had been doing them for years and they were large part of this line of work. Though usually Jupiter worked alone.
When asked what he would do with the 50 000 jewels (approx. 450€) Jupiter did not really know and thus answered by saying ”Dunno.” Jupiter wasn't very good with numbers or money all he knew that the 50 000 jewels (approx. £320) was a lot. Or at least he thought it was.
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Post by CJ on May 28, 2015 16:38:53 GMT -5
"A majority of my pay goes to the local orphanage," a quiet voice sounded. "I don't really have need for money... the rest go to building my Alden shrine."
Briar Rose leaned out from behind a lonesome tree. He was typically paired with Beauty on low level missions, but today it seemed he had joined this group for perhaps what was . The two seemed to be almost an item at this point but it seemed he was up to his old antics again. He abandoned his love for Jupiter after the Achyls incident, but quickly adopted a new person to obsess over.
His long rabbit-like hairs were hidden underneath his hair, which was tied into a ponytail. He was more comfortable about his demon heritage with members of Renascence, but he rather wouldn't express it in public. It seemed he felt comfortable with a magic tattoo though, which was etched on the right side of his neck. Since Renascence had become more official, a vote was called as to what its symbol should be.
In the end, they decided that an elegant design of a sun should be its symbol.
"Excuse me, are you all from Renascence?"
Perhaps it was Briar's or the others' tattoos that tipped off the passerby or maybe it was the eccentric way they were dressed. Nevertheless, a rather professional looking woman who appeared to be in her late twenties approached the group. She was dressed all in white from head to toe with stark black hair tied tightly into a bun. She seemed to have no problem walking in the grass with ridiculously tall high heels.
"You're the team Everafter hired, right? I'm Winter Blank, Secretary to the Mayor."
She reached her hand out for Qi to shake it, somehow correctly guessing her as the leader of their group. The small mage shook back, but her nervousness and helplessness got the best of her. It seemed she would need some assistance.
"I... uh... we're..."
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Jun 2, 2015 4:04:23 GMT -5
Because it was a quiet voice, Alden didn't even hear the stalker. Actually, he might not even have been aware of Briar's presence. Or maybe he was just avoiding whatever contact with him he could, because he didn't magically just forget the previous ordeal that the guild went through. Either way, there were much more interesting things to focus on now, what with the approach of the stranger.
"Your first name is Winter?" Maisie asked amid a chortle, before her sense of decency caught up with her and she repressed the laughter, looking rather ashamed, "I mean... sorry."
"Does the Secretary to the Mayor have information relevant to the job, that wasn't already outlined in the description?"
It might have been a bit out of place for Alden to be speaking for them, but then he didn't announce them as the guild either. Maisie like the others carried a guild mark, in her case in a reverse manner on her hand so that when she played guitar, people watching or otherwise facing her would be able to see the guild's symbol clearly. Alden though, didn't visibly display the mark, and the others would probably know he didn't have it at all. They might have had their own reasons, from recognition to guild pride, but his mindset was roughly the same as when he joined; that his arrangement with Renascence was strictly temporary. Getting a tattoo or magical mark was just one more way to tie him down, which he didn't want.
In that respect, in more than just his raggedy appearance, he fit the bill for dirty mercenary.
"Gods, you're not planning on tagging along are you?"
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Post by Mise™ on Jun 2, 2015 12:47:39 GMT -5
Like many members of Renascence Jupiter also had the guild crest tattooed on his body and he had in considered getting it on his head, but instead he had decided to get the tattoo on his back. The tattoo was quite large and covered most of Jupiter's back, however since Jupiter almost always wore his jacket the guild logo was rarely visible and this wasn't one of those rare cases.
When the mayor's secretary approached the group and asked them if they were the group assigned for this task Jupiter waited for someone else to respond, but since it would seem like no one was going to do it he eventually did response aggressively with: ”Yeah. What of it?” Customer service wasn't his strongest suit.
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Post by CJ on Jun 18, 2015 14:49:19 GMT -5
Winter only looked at the others coldly, starting with when Maisie laughed at her name. She didn't find the girl's humor very funny at all. Even worse was Jupiter's lack of care, Briar's wide eye stare and Qi's stuttering. And worse than that was Alden's obvious disdain.
"Hmph. If you don't want me to tag along, then I won't. I was going to help you on your way since I was passing by but I'll just go on ahead."
The air became chilly, but not just from Winter's attitude. She removed her high heels and jumped into the air.
"Ice Make: Skates!" she shouted.
Her bare feet became encased in ice shaped in traditional ice skates. She then began to glide across the ground. The grass froze as she traveled along it. She noticeably stayed away from the road, so as to avoid turning it dangerous. The group would have to pass over the very minor danger to get back to the road, however.
"Alden, why were you rude to her!" Qi suddenly quipped. "She's going to tell the mayor that we were awful people!"
Of course, Qi herself didn't do anything to help the situation. For a leader, she sure wasn't doing anything to help.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Jun 28, 2015 23:56:06 GMT -5
"Wait, I'm- we're sorry! Please don't go!"
Still feeling bad about it, Maisie tried to pull her foot out of her mouth and apologize to Winter as she went to leave. It didn't do any good though, and she felt worse than before. Grasping her hat, she tried to hide her face till the shame subsided.
Wow for once it actually worked.
It was Alden though that looked pleased for once, to see Winter actually take offense and leave like a normal person. Qi turned on him but he didn't take offense and said what had been on his mind since the assistant had first shown up.
"It's obvious she was up to something. Can you count how many times we've been tricked or manipulated in pretty much the same way by the same sort of person? Maybe she's not responsible for the situation with the artifact, but color me surprised if she doesn't stand to personally benefit from it. Go on, tell me you didn't imagine her coming with us, and then at the end revealing some obvious secret before taking the artifact for herself or someone she secretly works for."
He answered her to be polite, but he didn't honestly expect Qi to believe him and gave her a look as though he were reading the plot synopsis of this adventure. He was just sick of being played like a fiddle almost every job they went on, and he had enough common sense to learn from his mistakes. Of course, he could totally be wrong, but statistics were on his side.
"If you're really worried about what the Mayor thinks of us, then prove her wrong when we get there."
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Post by Mise™ on Jun 29, 2015 15:49:36 GMT -5
Jupiter did not really care all that much when secretary Winter got upset and left them behind. She didn't seem very useful so for him it was better if she wasn't there to get in their way.
”Ya know, Alden's right. Better be careful with strangers.” Jupiter had been always wary of those he did not know well. Since joining Renascence that hasn't mattered much though, since even if Jupiter wouldn't trust someone, someone else certainly would.
”Though you're supposed to trust your client. So I've been taught... Though I guess she ain't our client, but the mayor is, so whatever.”
Jupiter wasn't overly concerned about what the mayor would think about him eiher. It was quite hard to get the wrong impression of him in the first place.
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Post by CJ on Jun 30, 2015 20:05:22 GMT -5
Briar actually made an attempt to speak, voicing his opinion as he hugged the tree nearby. He looked at his colleagues with a rather smug look on his face.
"I agree! On my last mission alone, I came across what I thought was a friendly squirrel but it turned out to be a second cousin of mine looking for money."
"I have to admit she is suspicious," Qi spoke up, completely ignoring Briar's odd statement. "She has the same magic as that man who helped the guild, Pollux Road. That guy was an ally but who knows where she got that magic from."
The petit mage gripped her staff tightly and sighed. She approached Alden with a sullen look on her face.
"Alden, I know I'm supposed to be the leader of this mission, but could you talk to the Mayor in my stead? It's clear I don't have the skill to talk to people like you can. Would you all be alright with that?"
"Yes," Briar said immediately. There were no objections on his part. Then again, he really, really liked Alden.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Jul 3, 2015 3:50:27 GMT -5
"I told her to get lost, and you want me to talk to the mayor? Well, if he's the employer... don't expect me to bargain with him though."
He didn't have a problem talking to people, and despite how it may have seemed, Alden could put on a face when dealing with others rather than always speaking his mind. In fact, from what he'd seen, Maisie was the worst offender of opening her mouth without thinking. Even Jupiter had common sense in that regard, though he wasn't always the gentlest with his words. It was kind of ironic then that Alden would have picked the singer to do the talking, since from what he understood she could actually entrance people. Qi was intent to let him speak for the group, but compared to someone with actual magic, he hoped she wasn't expecting him to perform a miracle
Then again, he was probably thinking too much about it. It was just something as simple as speaking to a mayor, for whom they were performing a service. Chances were they would be grateful out the starting gate. This was all well and good, but clearly not on Maisie's mind, for the young singer's attention was caught on something else entirely; the poor girl looked practically befuddled.
"Hold on but you're not even a real, normal animal, let alone a squirrel..."
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Post by Mise™ on Jul 3, 2015 9:47:31 GMT -5
"Sure. Yeah. Whatever." Jupiter did not really care who would talk to the mayor as long as it wasn't him. Sure he could talk to their client, but even Jupiter himself knew that he wasn't the right man for the job. Unless they were planning to intimidate the mayor. In that case Jupiter would be the perfect man for it.
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Post by CJ on Jul 19, 2015 22:03:15 GMT -5
Like Maisie, Briar was completely uninterested in who the leader was or the structure of their adventuring party. He answered Maisie matter-of-factly.
"Humans and other creatures are born of the combination of traits of their parents. Demons are born from will and imagination. One of my sisters is a tree of all things. Well, she's not a tree... and Stewart isn't a squirrel... we just look like certain things I guess."
In more relevant conversation, Qi sighed and looked up at Alden.
"True, but you are better than me."
She approached him and to whisper her rather stinging opinion.
"I can't rely on Maisie, Briar or Jupiter. You're the best bet I have."
Qi fumbled over toward the road but was shocked to see the grass caked in ice. Winter's magic formed an icy path between them and their destination. For the typical adventurer, it wouldn't be much difficulty. They could just shimmy over the three foot wide minor danger. But for Qi, it was much more difficult. She tapped the solid ice underneath her with her cane and looked toward the others in embarrassment.
"C-could someone help me over?"
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Jul 30, 2015 2:48:40 GMT -5
"I prefer trust to rely, but I'll see what I can do."
Alden hoped this didn't become a regular thing, his being relied upon, since it meant something to tie him down. He preferred to treat Qi as a friend rather than a business relation, he'd certainly known her long enough and been through enough to think so. They could be best buds though, and he'd still not feel suited to running the show. At this rate, the most sensible solution he could come up with, was that they needed someone else who Qi could rely on if she couldn't rely on the others. That could come later though, for now he stepped over and took of one of his gauntlets in order to hold out a hand and help Qi over if she was willing.
"Does that mean you can choose your form? Why would anyone choose to be a tree or a squirrel? Choose to be a humanoid obviously."
Maisie had no trouble crossing the patch of ice, but she did have trouble coming to grips with Briar's depiction of his relatives. She could already imagine him coming up with some clever or poignant rebuttal about not choosing to be human since that was clearly what she mean, but in her mind she held the logical high ground for reasons that were obvious to her.
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Post by Mise™ on Aug 3, 2015 17:06:22 GMT -5
Jupiter stepped on the ice and did not have much trouble keeping his balance, despite the slippery surface. When Qi asked for help for crossing the ice, after a moment Jupiter opened the bag hanging from his belt and let his marbles out and they formed a bridge so that Qi (or anyone really) could walk over the frozen road. However since Jupiter had very limited amount of marbles with him the bridge was very tiny and the marbles from the back would constantly fly to the front to extend it.
”Just don't move too fast or ya'll outrun them.” Jupiter didn't seem to notice that Alden also tried to help Qi. Despite making the bridge with his marbles Jupiter would still stubbornly walk on the ice.
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