Somewhere Someplace

She stared at the slouched patron walking ahead; not as though she had much a choice, for he was, after all, walking in front of her. She maintained synchronous pacing with him, maintaining her fixed preset distance, as a strange and cold silence ensued. His demeanor had changed to a degree; the air around him, likewise. She eyed the roofs above, noticing that same strange corvid was trailing and following along still.

Hmm…it was not just him himself…something about this entire sudden ordeal was…off. Although she had no reason to care too much or be overly guarded, the way she held her handbag changed somewhat, now gripping it with both hands as she held it to front, her right-hand positioned in a way to easily reach within—a simple precaution.

Minutes and minutes of continuous silence passed, the patron’s eyes and head fixated on the path ahead. He finally sighed; “So, still nothing, huh? Not even after all that?” he remarked rather bluntly, the tone of his voice noticeably colder than before.

She…tilted her head; “…what do you mean?” she inquired with naive innocence.

“Well, many things, but mainly: you haven’t beaten me up yet. I was sure that was gonna happen once I started groping you and doubly so after I slapped your ass for the second time already, but nope…” he replied, his tone much noticeably flatter.

Her head tilted even more; “…ehm…why would you think…that I would…do that? Clearly, you appear to be stronger than me, being the man and such” she replied and remarked rather innocently, though with slight pinches of…sarcasm.

“Hmm…” he responded in a mumble, no words spoken; “For a lady who’s leading what should obviously be seen as her potential rapist straight to her home, you seem to be very calm, collected, and social” he finally remarked.

“…well, I am not truly…leading, you are simply following me like the annoying insect” she replied, somewhat changing her affect to be more blunt.

“Hmm…‘annoying insect’…you just say, aye? Hmm…” his thoughts murmured out loud in response again; “are you being intentionally naive, or do you honestly just not understand the danger you’re in? Surely you know what ‘rape’ is? Since that’s what most ladies would be petrified of right this moment…and especially of the fate after the fact” he remarked.

She tilted her head…before evading away somewhat, silent.

“Hmm…” he murmured out again, treating her silence as a response in of itself.

He sighed; “You’re a weird one alright…” he stated rather bluntly; “definitely an aloof and naive one at that…though, you know what I think? I think you’re also a gal who gets trapped in her head a lot, thinking and calculating…kind of like me” he remarked.

“Uhuh…I see…” she replied, failing to really see…where any of this was even going, though she was preceptive enough to pick up on the changing cues in his demeanor—the fine details in his voice most especially.

“And you know…I spent quite a time studying that nice figure of yours, in more detail than most men; sure, you’re a bit skinny and petite compared to many ladies in these lands, a bit weak-looking too, at least underneath all those cloths haha! Sure definitely have more of a lighter chest on you than most but at least you aren’t completely flat and you’ve got a nice ass too teha!” he so suddenly…remarked, the tone of his voice reverting back to his…usual.

She sighed with a slight groan; “…oh how you…flatter me so…as always” she replied, donning discomforted and annoyed affect.

Though…as much as his voice seemed more back to his…usual, it also seemed somewhat…incongruent with his observable demeanor and affect…which seemed cold and static and disinterested, insincere.

“Lady-looking in all the good ways, certainly…” he continued on, “but…I like to study in detail, and I plucked out a few things. I can tell…you’re pretty athletically sound, those hips, legs, and thighs…especially. And not just average peasant lady built, rather I get the sense that you’re someone built for moving around a lot and fast too…an emphasis on agility and speed and flexibility, bending and hopping about, quick-mobility and that sort” he remarked.

“Uhuh…” she mumbled out in response…interesting observations, rather perceptive for what should be…a perpetually intoxicated blubbering thing of a denizen; she…still did not really know where he was going with this…but it was clear…he was implying something, even if it was masked and made vague by his voice.

“And I mean…just from how fast and quickly you sprang into action and yanked that dumb bastard off that table…which I did manage to get a peek at, that wasn’t normal, not at all…oh and don’t get me started with your handling of all those other…dumb bastards, you were half maid, half enforcer, you know? I get the sense you’re experienced and skilled, more than capable of snapping an arm” he remarked further; “…that’s why I thought you’d eventually beat me up…but no, no…see, you must be skilled in fighting, so much so that…I am just that beneath you, not worth the effort or time…and, you must be extremely disciplined to tolerate all my harassments and not snap my neck even though you could’ve at any point” he added.

She nodded her head along…processing; “uhuh…” she mumbled out…again, so rather observant and perceptive.

“That’s why I can’t help but…fancy you…you know? You’re just very appealing” he continued on…his words suggestive yet his voice…vague and ambiguous of his context and actual intent; “and I mean…your languages also, you speak something that sounds like butchered Trinitarian and another that…sounds…vaguely Elklander but isn’t…you speak apparent Far Western tongues but not any dialect I’ve ever heard spoken by any major nations and peoples, and I’ve heard plenty before…and I mean sure…they say you’re from some New World colony…but, again, not one I’ve ever heard of” he remarked; “so yeah…weird, you’re a weird gal for sure” he added.

“…I see…” she began to say, “well…the world is the big place…with the many places not yet found” she replied somewhat more flatly and disconcerted in voice.

“Well…yeah, but I’ve been around this big old world…I’m not even from these lands—which is something we have in common” he replied rather frankly.

She did not necessarily appreciate where this was so suddenly going…now her guard was beginning to rise as dots began to connect, realizations being made…was that why…he had been so interested in her tongues? And…never mind…all those other odd and peculiar details and affairs he had seemed so interested in, which most others never cared for…but she never paid any mind to.

She tightened her grip on her held handbag, her right-hand now more…firmly within it than outside, now more ready to respond quickly if needed—just a precaution. She could tell by this point that his interests were beyond simply procreation…and had been so…this entire time, yet it was still so shrouded in such ambiguity.

The patron retained his fixated gaze on the path ahead as the foreigner began to slow down in her walk; he had yet to even turn his head around at all.

Silence persisted for a few moments, before he began to speak again; “Another thing…I picked up on…you know…this sense from just the way you conduct yourself and organize and interact with things…even the way you responded to your former ass of a boss…‘soldier’…yeah, for some reason I can’t help but see…a soldier in you. Your movements and walking and…so much about you…just screams ‘drilled’ and ‘trained’ and ‘disciplined’…and not just because your mamma beat you a lot” he remarked.

She finally paused and halted in place, the patron doing the same. “You think…that I am the warrior? Do I look like a warrior? Most clearly not. I am neither a warrior nor this…fighter you so see” she replied, donning humored and confused affect, brushing it off…even though she was rather guarded on the inside, for indeed…very observant, now even more suspiciously so than before.

He sighed, finally turning around and glaring at her…his bagged eyes cold and calculative…were they…always like that? She did not know…for only now was she attending to such details. Indeed…she had not really been paying that much attention…at all…to such irrelevancies in all those past encounters prior.

“That’s the thing…isn’t it?” he began to say, “I said ‘soldier’ not ‘warrior’, there’s a difference…especially in my true tongue…but even in these lands, there’s a difference”

“You don’t look like a warrior or knight at all, you’re more of a trained and disciplined professional, one who’s…and get this…sense…lost and stranded in this dump…from wherever fuckwhere, seemingly lost and without purpose…which is another thing we have common…I mean, why else would someone like you end up as a fucking tavern maid if she didn’t know what the fuck she’s doing anymore” he remarked in reply…rather frankly; “but yeah, I’ve spent quite while around soldiers, so I know when I see one” he added.

“…I see…” she began to reply, “…but…no lady can be in the…armies of these lands or…most places, no?”

“Yeah…I know right? That’s what makes it all so…weird: a lady soldier…I mean, very rare but it happens…and it’s what I see, and I know what I see when I see” he replied…his words spinning around almost; “and…also, you come from this New World colony where ‘elves and humans live in harmony’, which…already is more than fiction enough…so adding lady soldiers in wouldn’t make it any more unbelievable” he added.

His cold eyes stared into her, seeing through the masquerade she donned…her guard only rising as she began to see through his very own…yet only to see shadow and vagueness underneath, his motivations and intentions…shrouded in so much ambiguity. It was hard to even gauge his true threat-levels.

She sighed; “…rightly, fine sir…there is the imagination to you, the very strong one…but for what reason…are you rambling around about these things?” she inquired…with a bit of a cordial charm yet…also cold, blunt, and threatening, her mask was slipping as finally she began to take this situation more seriously. “There is clearly the point to this” she added.

He shrugged; “…well, I mean…I was just trying to…highlight these things I noticed since, you know, you remind me of someone” he began to reply with…rather the tone; “…ever heard the name ‘Gunslinger’, by chance?” he suddenly inquired.

Her grip tightened ever-more as her stance stiffened in place, her right-hand’s fingers now gripping and ready to draw on demand; indeed, it was quite the coincidence that he would ask such a thing to her.

“You know, and just to maybe get your memory running, that once well-renowned Onyx-ranked adventurer…‘best shooter in all the world’…mother to some very annoying yet important top-eggs…long thought to be dead…you know, half-elf…dark-blue hair…always wearing a fancy colorful masquerade…is any of this opening a door?” he added…rather pointlessly, for she knew who that was.

‘Gunslinger’, the adventurer pseudonym of her former associate, who had been…apparently quite the adventurer in decades passed; however, by the time they had met, her former associate had long been…‘retired’ and lived under a different name…wearing a different mask…a different face…living a different life.

“Yes…I know of her…somewhat…and she is dead, so…why do you…what is the point?” she answered and inquired.

“Yeah…‘dead’, there’s a little funny thing about that…there was a lot of noise, you know, about her…randomly popping up again a bit more of a year back, you know about the same time…that fuck-festive between the Gods had happened back down central in Huckleberry…apparently, she popped out from wherever fuckwhere and headed straight into that fucked-zone…and some even said that she headed back up north with someone else afterwards” he replied and remarked.

“And…didn’t you…have another…co-worker? A masquerade gal like you…who was also a …half-elf? One who…randomly brought you in one day…and was vague about who you even were?” he remarked in inquiry, his head tilting with a faint smirk.

“…yes, but she had the green hair and…wore a different mask…that may not seem to be the important detail but…to us it is…our masks are very important” she answered.

Her former associate had dyed her hair green after she had ‘rescued’ the foreigner…at that time the foreigner herself did not really understand why, but now…she was starting to understand the why. It was…not just those unknown hostiles which her former associated had to worry about…but denizens too.

“…and my…friend…is dead…also, so…I still do not understand where you are arriving to” she added further.

The patron exhaled a faint ehing breath; “Yeah, I know your friend…is dead…apparently got murdered on a random road…ahem—sorry I was wandering off path in my head there…no I only brought Gunslinger up because…you just remind me of what I’ve heard of her…though, not like there was much to hear…she was notoriously secretive and private…far more than even you, since I learned so much more about you than I or anyone ever did about her” he replied.

“…and…why? I do not see where this is arriving to” she stated rather bluntly, reiterating.

The patron sighed before yawning, for it was starting to become rather late and he was becoming rather tired; “Yeah…sorry, I sometimes just…go off and away in my words…but if you listen in between, you can hear the answers…but—ahem anyway…I just started…mentioning all this about you…because, well, you’re struggling for work, rightly? Been searching all around to only be met with the little opportunities ladies have in these lands…I bet you even tried to join the guard because of the familiarity, but failed because…again…lady” he replied and remarked.

Her attentive mask-obscured eyes…lingered away somewhat, his remarks were…accurate, suspiciously so.

“Soldier and fighter…lost and stranded, clearly someone athletic and built for light and agile combat…you know every time I looked at you, and how much you remind of Gunslinger, it’s just…always first in my mind was ‘that sexy ass ought to be an adventurer, she looks the part even if she doesn’t’…” he remarked further.

“I guess…that’s all what I wanted to suggest in my word-words…now that you’re free, why don’t you do just that? Join the one and only Adventurers’ Guild” he finally suggested.

The foreigner tilted her head…her guard lowering somewhat as she began to…contemplate; “…the ‘Guild of Adventurers’, you just said? I have…heard of it…but it is with…the bad health, no?” she remarked.

The patron chuckled somewhat, “Teyeah, it’s in a real shit-found position, on death’s doors as a whole but the Coastfield branch…I’ve heard is still alive and kicking well” he replied; “But…look at it this way…you can’t join the armies of these lands, you as a lady soldier can’t be true to what you really are in most lands…but ladies can join the Guild…in truth…it’s the only real way most ladies can become fighters and warriors…” he added; “And…you know, ‘quests’…they’re basically just orders with tasks and objectives that are laid-out with clear expectations, all straightforward and with no ambiguity…and I bet you might have some kind of itch for something like that…and you get paid for doing them too…” he added further.

The foreigner…evaded away even more, silence being her answer. Though, quickly she snapped out of this…contemplation, her glare fixating on the suspicious patron. “Hmm…enticing, but…there are already some plans to me…” she replied.

The patron, however, scoffed somewhat at this; “Ahh…now now, let’s be more in reality here: you’re no scholar or student, you’re a soldier from wherever fuckwhere…your talents and skills, even your fancy alien magic, would be wasted at the Collegium…as some novelty pet of theirs. No…I see greater potential…and not just me…no, no…not just me” he remarked…conspicuously yet vaguely.

Yet, the foreigner froze in place, words having been heard, her mind…processing…realizing; « Quid? Quid modo diçhet? Quomo? » she mumbled out loud as everything…suddenly all come connecting together into sensibility.

Instantaneously, her right-hand drew the strange revolving pistol which she had been keeping within her handbag at all times, a handbag which dropped to the ground as both hands gripped the firearm; hammer primed and barrel aimed, finger away from trigger; her stance, posture, and grip clearly trained; “How do you know that? So…you have been…‘stalking’ me, then? What do you want with me?” she interrogated, her feinting persona dropping completely as her voice turned flat, empty, and frigid.

The patron, however, was unaffected. He simply smirked; “Ah…the real you, then? Or maybe just some of it? You getting lost in all those feigns?” he said and remarked, before turning his bagged eyes to her peculiar firearm in hand; “funny, Gunslinger had fancy revolving pistols like that too…and you don’t typically see those beauties in these lands, nope” he remarked further.

Her firearm’s pointed aim, however, only became sharper; “Answer.” she demanded sternly and coldly, threatening intent emanating from her voice.

The patron, however, exhaled a type of breath as he began to…simply walk, her targeted aim following…yet not acting as he walked right past her…with utter indifference. “Oh…don’t need to overreact…a few birdies just happened to fly on by and tell me…maybe you met her or him or both” he answered…vaguely; “and…as for what I want, well…I want many things…too many things…but in this case…I just hope that maybe one day…the two of us could have a…special relationship, but…I know I’ll probably end up with competition, not with a person though…just a bunch of eggs above” he went on…vaguely.

He continued to make way down the street opposite to her path home, ignoring her firearm’s pointed aim behind. She tsked; she did not want to actually shoot him…she was bluffing and he had called her bluff.

“…now then, I think I’ve taken enough time…my throat’s getting…butchered, we can talk another time…but yeah…you should give the Guild hall here a visit and…see how you fit in…but it’s up to you in the end”—he suddenly flicked a shiny gold coin into the air up high, which landed directly in front of her—“that’s to cover the entry fee in case you do want to join, oh and…if you do join, be sure to not get rid of that shiny token-marker I gave you a bit back…might unfold to be important someday…very important…but don’t worry…I’ve got extras just in case” thus he stated in finality.

He yawned as he stretched his arms, before departing off and away, fully and with haste, only waving a simple silent goodbye…one which clearly implied this was not going to be the last time…they would encounter each other in such a way.

She sighed, lowering her revolving-pistol… « Qualem hemonculos parvulos texents…phí quomo ménimë vidí príore? » she mumbled to herself; what a little weaving denizen, how did she not see it before?

Everything about their prior interactions and her prior discontents…began to make sense and connect together. He had been prodding her, testing her, collecting and gathering information about her from her words, reactions, and behavioral responses. Gaging her limits, responsiveness, inclinations, inhibitions, and…tolerances.

Never mind that he had somehow managed to spy on her without her augmented senses or essence even noticing…truly…such happenings were so difficult to detect when she already had…watchful eyes on her…whose presence clouded her senses. To think…she had let the locals…figure out so much…all the while she had remained utterly blind. She had not any the idea…as to what his agenda was—only that he had one.

She sighed for the nth time this very day, picking up her handbag from the ground before carefully placing her firearm back into it. Her eyes stared at the gold coin laying on the ground. Oh well…free coin was free coin; she quickly picked it up, before departing away, finally making way for home at last…her mind lingering in cogitation.

Hmm…that ‘Guild of Adventurers’. She was familiar with them and their ‘quests’…obviously, but she just never…thought much about it. Though, now…hmm…missions and tasks…objectives to do and waste time as she…remained stuck here waiting all of this out. She did have such…an itch deep down on the inside…one which nothing she had done so far seemed to be able to scratch at all.

Hmm…certainly…it seemed close enough to a military setting, generic humiforms such as her were actually permitted entry seemingly, and she had just been given the coin to pay its apparent ‘fee’. There was…no harm or cost to her in…simply inspecting.

She trusted none of this at all, yet despite all of that…she could not help but feel…enticed deep down inside…indeed she was curious in more ways than she ever cared to admit.

She sighed yet again for the double nth time; fine…she decided…she will bite this viper’s bait and inspect this ‘Adventurers’ Guild’ tomorrow…not as though she had anything better to do or needing to be done.

Though, I would say you certainly do

There still remains that certain something…

Lingering in your mind, always

A certain task you perhaps might be feeling you are neglecting deep down within…

Even if you cannot comprehend it

Even if you are always reminded of it,

Because of a certain lingering presence, always felt

Though, as you may have realized now,

You have other observing eyes interested in you than simply merely such