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 Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:29 pm
Adhira’s latest mark sent Eliazer across the ocean. At first she’d been determined to go after the target herself when the bandit proved too slippery for the pair, but Eliazer pressed the issue. If it was part of his job to bring him back then that’s what he would do; no matter the cost. Plus, the security sector would pay more for a cross-continental bounty and he might even be able to extract some from Tendaji as well. So, he’d packed up a light rucksack and got on the first airship he could find.
Now that he was here, in Matori, Eliazer only had vague descriptions to go on. He’d landed in Sauti and followed the man’s trail all the way to the shore. If he didn’t catch him now then he’d have to board a ship to Yael and Eliazer wasn’t about to let that happen. All he needed was to find someone who knew of a Lightning man with a burn mark on his cheek so why was this so hard?
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:30 pm
[Corny via Discord]
Honi sighed softly, paying far too much attention to how long the shadows were stretching along the ground. The evening was wearing on, and her hands were sore from working with clay all day. The teen was determined to hone her craft until she could make a living selling her goods, and that would require hours upon hours of practice! Unfortunately, Honi wasn't the best at keeping her nose to the grindstone either. She had assigned hours to complete each day, and she was aaalmost done!
After heaving out another sigh, she cracked her knuckles and dunked her hands into a bucket of cool water to soothe and clean them off. She had just a bit longer, but maybe she could count clean up time as part of her hourly quota? The nearby port was still bustling with activity and she wanted to get in a little shopping before making the trek home.
Gods, how did adults work all day and survive?
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:31 pm
[2/10]
Getting information was arguably the least glamorous aspect of his profession. It would have been difficult for an average bounty hunter, but in his case walking up to strangers, holding out a pamphlet as well as his notepad and hoping they would at least stop long enough to read it was frustrating. More often than not they would simply walk past him like he was some sort of peddler or if they happened to see his notepad they might give him a few sympathetic coins without really reading the whole thing.
I’m mute.
Have you seen a Lightning traveler? Little older than me, scars on cheek, blue eyes, can’t open mouth all the way.
With a huff he saw the nearest passerby – a younger girl – and took his shot. Approaching from the front, he waved his hand to get her attention before holding out the well-worn notebook.
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:32 pm
[Corny via Discord]
The threadbare towel she used barely got her hands dry. With a quick glance around to make sure that her family wouldn't see, she smirked and finished drying off on the front of her dress.
There! Now she could- huh?
A stranger approached her with a notepad. "Oh, hello," she chirped in greeting. Head cocking curiously, she reached out to pull the notebook closer. Her lips moved silently as she read the words, eyes widening with interest. "I.. don't think I have. I've seen a few lightning people around, but unless they came to the stall, I didn't look that close." She tapped a finger to her lips. "Do you have any clues where your friend might be?" Because of course this stranger was searching for a friend! People didn't go looking for not-friends!
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:33 pm
There was something off about her that Eliazer couldn’t figure out. She looked like every other Matorian around them, and yet something was just off. It didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things he was just…incredibly curious.
She read over his note and…then his shoulders fell. He couldn’t help it; he’d never been one for hiding his emotions and this search was getting aggravating. Thinking on it, he nodded his head and reached for the notebook. Eliazer pulled a piece of kohl from his pocket, flipped to a new page and scribbled out a few words before handing it back.
Likes to gamble and drink. It was a long shot, especially in transient towns, but if Eliazer’s ‘friend’ was here then he wouldn’t miss out on a fun night.
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:34 pm
[Corny via Discord]
Honi handed the paper back, waiting patiently for the coming response. Her head cocked slightly when she took the notes back and read it over. "There's a parlor on the other side of town. They usually keep things civil there, but.." she looked around again before leaning closer with a sneaky smirk and lowered voice, "they actually have a basement where they have the big games. The local smithy lost a bunch of money there and her wife kicked her out!" She wasn't usually one to gossip, but sometimes a topic was just too juicy! "Do you need help finding it?" (edited)
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:35 pm
[4/10]
A parlor? That sounded as good a place to start his search as any. With any luck he might be able to get a few good solid leads before returning in the evening when the ‘undesirables’ would likely come around. He cocked his brow when she leaned forward, and couldn’t resist giving a smirk to the theatrics.
On his notepad Eliazer wrote, That so? Must have been a lot of coin. If you have the time I would appreciate the help. Can’t tip much though. If she was in it for a sum of her own she’d be wasting her time.
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:36 pm
On that note, Honi could only shrug. "I don't know for sure how much, but yeah, had to be a lot. I hear they're working it out, but the smithy is still staying at the shop." She could only imagine how much it would take for her father to lose in order to be kicked out! She snorted at the tip comment and waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about paying anything. It's just some directions and it's not far. But I have time, yeah. I was hoping to go do a little shopping before going home, so this is going to be on the way anyway." It probably wasn't the best idea to go with a strange guy looking for another strange guy who frequented parlors... but surely nothing bad would happen!
She plucked up her big cloth bag easily, despite it holding the last remaining bricks of clay that she hadn't gotten around to, and headed in the direction of the young man's destination. "By the way, I'm Honi."
[Corny via Discord]
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:37 pm
[5/10]
He took in the sight of her bad with a curious eye. Judging by the way it hung he knew it must have been heavy, but since she hadn’t yet gone shopping Eliazer wasn’t sure what it held. It really didn’t matter to him either way, but he had to admit he was curious.
When she started moving he fell in line beside her. Since his blunderbuss was strapped to his back it was easy enough to walk, one hand holding onto his notebook and the other his satchel, but anytime he needed to ‘walk’ Eliazer had to shift his things.
Honey? Like the food? Underneath her name he wrote out his own and his years of higher education paid off in the form of an overly ‘fancy’ signature. Eli for short.
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:38 pm
[Corny]
"Not quite," she mused, reaching out for the notebook and the writing utensil. She crossed out the wrong spelling and wrote it out below the other's signature. Seeing her own handwriting in contrast with Eliazer's elegant writing made her a little self-conscious, a bashful smile hovering when she handed it back. Maybe it was time to practice a little more! "That's a nice name. What about the guy your looking for? I feel like I would have heard about him if he's local, but the description is strange to me. Why can't he open his mouth? ...If you think he wouldn't mind me asking, of course."
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:39 pm
[6/10]
He leaned over to watch as she wrote and made a little hum in the back of his throat. It wasn’t the same sound that others may have made, there was a definite twist to it, but the act was simple enough. It wasn’t often that others wrote in his notebook, mostly because Eliazer tried to keep it that way, but he truthfully wasn’t as bothered by it as he might have been otherwise. She was being kind which was more than he could say for some others he ran into.
Why couldn’t he open his mouth? Ah, well, she likely wouldn’t like the truth. Instead, he wrote, Magic accident. He’s still learning. In truth he’d been attacked by the very people trying to hunt him.
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:40 pm
[Corny via Discord]
Honi couldn't help a blink of surprise. She didn't know many mutes, any really, and to hear any noise coming from Eli was a shock. What an interesting sound! She might have asked more, but reading the answer made her gasp anew. "How awful! Is that why he's here then? Taking a break from it all?" She held up her hands and wiggled them in the air. "I've burned my hands more than once cooking the pottery. Everything takes practice before you get good at it."
Now that she was popping out the questions more easily, she felt comfortable enough to ask; "Is it safe to assume you're Belrean? Umm.. Gey..Gii.. Geian, right?" The parlor wasn't too much further away, and she wanted to satisfy her curiosity before they parted ways!
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:41 pm
[7/10]
Eliazer felt the corner of his mouth twitch. Taking a break from it all? Oh yeah, sure, if you counted spending money he’d gotten from slaughtering innocents. Instead of writing all of that out the bounty hunter simply nodded his head with a feigned look of sympathy. Poor sod indeed.
So you’re a potter? That would explain the satchel then. Yes, Belrean and Geian. You? You’re not full Matori. Now that the questions were flying he felt safe enough to pop off one of his own. Aleksi’s mother was matorian so he knew what a pure blood looked like and she…just wasn’t it.
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:42 pm
[Corny]
"Uh-huh! Well, I'm training to be." Honi fiddled with the strap of her bag a little. "I like all sorts of art. I really like painting and have whittled a little. Nothing too complicated yet.. I'm still learning, too." She hooked her thumb over her shoulder back to where Eli had found her. "I use that spot to practice because sometimes I get lucky and someone passing by asks to buy something I'm working on. Maybe I should go sit by the parlor and get the drunks to buy everything." She would never, of course! Not really.. Not likely. Probably.
Seeing the question returned to her, she looked back up to Eli and grinned. "You're right. Mama is Matorian, but papa is Zenan. I look mostly like mama, but got papa's eyes." She grinned again. If only she could grow up to look half as good as her mother! "
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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:43 pm
[8/10]
An artist…Hmm, he’d seen plenty of those back at the academy. They were of a fancier sort, with tutors that could teach them the best techniques and they would have never been caught out on the streets like this. He tossed a look over his shoulder as they walked to look back at where they’d come before turning back to her.
The thought of someone as earnest as her voluntarily hanging around drunkards…It picked at a fresh wound in his soul and left it sour. Eliazer shook his head and tapped his notebook. Don’t. A drunkards coin isn’t any good.
Zenan, huh? He’d never seen one before but he knew the descriptions well enough. After I find my friend I’m come by to see you before I leave. Pick out your nicest piece and sell it to me.
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