03/29/21 - Sharks
[Orchard]
Limsa, a quiet day, the sun just barely reaching noon. The shadows draw close to their owners, almost vanishing beneath them. Hawker's alley is fairly quiet. People are taking their breaks, eating their lunches from pails and boxes. And there is Orchard, standing where sun-bleached stone meets metal rivets and wood, hands upon her hips as she looks over the rounded intersection between the two halls. Amber eyes locked on Eligor.
[Eligor]
Eligor had been busy buying spices with a woman covered head to toe in a hooded robe carrying what appeared to be a fishing rod. This continued for a while until they were satisfied, and appeared to be heading towards the Fisher’s guild soon after. Eligor caught sight of Orchard on the way however, and sent the woman on ahead, seeing that he was being stared at. Rather than talk to Orchard however, he continued on towards the aetheryte.
[Orchard]
“Ye keep strange company jack. Like folks don' wanna be seen wit ye.” She says, it's a empty enough area that for the moment she doesn't have to speak over anyone, casually striding over to the aethryte. “Gonna hop without a friendly chat?” She herself was garbed rather plainly, clearly not in uniform at the moment.
[Eligor]
Eligor was also wearing a robe like his departed companion, but had not bothered to raise his hood.
“I thought it was decided already that we should not be speaking?”
[Orchard]
Orchard shakes her head. “Now that ain't no fair to me, what if I wanna talk ta ye? Get to the bottom of why yer bein' so dodgey. Clearly this has somethin' ta do with me husband that 'e hasn't told me about. Least ye could do is tell me yer name so I can ask'em.”
[Eligor]
He looked past the aetheryte, seemingly lost in thought.
“You like drinking right? How about I buy you ale instead, and we can just forget about anything else. Names are bothersome at the best of times.”
[Orchard]
She frowns, baring those pointed teeth again. “Pretty shoddy way ta buy off a lady, not that ye could buy me off anyways. Don't like goin' up that creek none.” She tilts her head, leaning closer and sniffing. “Ye some kinda voidsent 'er somethin'?”
[Eligor]
“Of course. That’s why I was buying ingredients from the market. Obviously I need to season my captives before I devour them.”
“Besides, buying you off implies I actually get something from doing so.”
[Orchard]
“Well hypothetically it would git me off yer arse. Which ye seem keen on havin'. What did ye and Lan do? Are ye beddin' him? He tryin' ta hide it so Pip don't find out?”
[Eligor]
“As per the terms of my promise, I should not actively approach you. But I can do nothing if you keep coming to me, you know. I just know there is no merit for either of us treading down this path. My time is limited, and busy.”
He turned to look at Orchard.
“You don’t seem to be working. Do you intend to ‘hunt’ me because of free time?”
[Orchard]
“If you mean to say I'm gonna toddle behind you all day prodding ye wit questions. Nah, not now at least. Hafta see what ah can pry outta me husband first, see why he don't want ye comin' near me.” She narrows her eyes.
“… Ye ever picked up an axe?”
[Eligor]
“Hasn’t almost everyone?”
[Orchard]
Orchard snorts. “Most folk I know wit sharp teeth make a habit of usin' the axe.”
“It ain't no lucky coincidence neither. They say some folks turn intae right monsters when they tack up the axe.”
[Eligor]
“I’m afraid that is not me then. Most of my axe usage has been limited to terrorizing lumber I’m afraid.”
“I’m what people call a runner, not a fighter. Using such a heavy object for anything other than chores would make that difficult, wouldn’t you say?”
[Orchard]
“Bit too level header fer a runner in my opinion.” She murmurs standing back up straight. “Runners ain't got sharp teeth neither.”
[Eligor]
“I’m very confident in my ability to run away actually. It’s my specialty.”
“How about a little bet?”
[Orchard]
“What kinda bet?”
[Eligor]
He smiled.
“You tell me what color you think about when you look at me. If it’s the same as someone else I know, I’ll do one thing you want, provided I can actually do it. Fair?”
[Orchard]
“Alrigh', and I'm guessin' if I git it wrong ah hafta let ye go on yer way then?”
[Eligor]
“I never said that. You’re going to keep approaching me, so the evasion solution is a failure.”
[Orchard]
“Well ah assume ye git somethin' outta this if ah git it wrong. Wouldn't be much of a bet otherwise.”
[Eligor]
“I suppose you tell me why the identity of a nobody interests you so much.”
[Orchard]
Orchard looks Eligor up and down once, putting a hand on her hip again. “Alrigh' fine. Ah'll tell ye wat color ye remind me of.”
“None of'em.”
[Eligor]
“Suppose you’ve lost then. Are you going to fulfill your end of the deal?”
[Orchard]
“Ah'm interested in ye because Lan don't keep secrets from me. If he told ye ta stay away from me then yer either mighty dangerous, or there is somethin' about ye that I'd want me hands on.”
“An' if yer dangerous then ah wanna see how dangerous.”
[Eligor]
“It’s not really his secret. My promise was with Pipino.”
[Orchard]
She sniffs once. “So ye know Pip then…”
[Eligor]
“Should I not?”
[Orchard]
“Ye wat, 'er da 'er somethin'?”
[Eligor]
“No. Who are you supposed to be anyway? You know little for someone supposedly close. Are you the violent type?”
[Orchard]
“What's that 'pose ta mean? Ah'm Lan's bleedin' wife is who ah am. An' maybe ah am a lil violent. What of it?”
[Eligor]
“Seems that you’ve projected a number of your personal traits onto me is all. I’ve never heard of you, so I was left to think you might be a stalker or something.”
[Orchard]
Orchard snort. “Eh? Well ah 'pose Pip don't have a reason ta talk 'bout me. We ain' married ta each other or nothin'.”
[Eligor]
“Interesting.”
He turns back around.
“I’ve learned a lot I suppose.”
[Orchard]
“Well fine, off wit ye then. Yer Pip's somethin' er another. Back ta yer skulkin'.”
“Prolly jus' worried about me tarnishin' her pristine appearance.”
[Eligor]
“Eligor.”
“That is the name you wanted. Do you have one? Or should I come up with my own?”
[Orchard]
“Feh ye got short memory or ye don't care. It's Orchard. Scorching Orchard.”
[Eligor]
“Probably both.”
“I’m really hoping your intent is not to harm little Pipino or hound her next. That would be inconvenient.”
[Orchard]
“Pah! We live together, I ain't got no reason ta hound 'er. Will ask 'er about you though.”
[Eligor]
“I’m right here. What could you possibly gain from someone else when the source is right here?”
[Orchard]
“Ah just wanna know why she don't want ye approaching me.”
“Yer suddenly keen on answerin' questions.”
[Eligor]
“Bothering her is an inconvenience I’d much rather avoid. She is….fragile. Prone to overreaction.”
“And I’ve too much to deal with right now to focus resources on her as well.”
“In the long term, satisfying your curiosity here and now will prevent a larger headache later.”
[Orchard]
Orchard raises a brow. “Ye think she's that delicate she can't handle ah single question?”
[Eligor]
“Not if I’m involved, no.”
[Orchard]
She snorts.
“Alrigh' fine, tell me.”
[Eligor]
“We will have to leave the city then. I’m still completing other tasks at the moment, and I do not know what you’d like to hear specifically.”
[Orchard]
Orchard scratches behind her ear. “Ah jus' told ye. Ah jus' wanna know why she don't want ye comin' near me. Seems like ah simple question.”
[Eligor]
“She believes me to be a villain of sorts. In her head, she has concocted a nightmare I could not hope to live up to.”
He begins walking towards the bridge heading out of the city.
[Orchard]
She blinks a few times before she starts to laugh, practically doubling over. “Hah! That's it? She's afraid yer some kinda… villain? Ah poor lass she must think she's protectin' me.”
“Pah! Ye shoulda jus' lead wit that, wouldnae hafta cared a lick about ye.”
[Eligor]
“I doubt it. You’d already be aware of me otherwise.”
[Orchard]
Orchard walks along, catching up with Eligor. “If she thinks yer some kinda trouble fer whatever reason ah 'pose ah should take it seriously but her askin' ye not ta approach me fer that? S'a bit hilarious ta me.”
[Eligor]
“She believes that i corrupt people. Naturally that would include her friends and loved ones. Why make the risk when it can be avoided altogether?”
“But if I’m the one approached she can hardly complain.”
[Orchard]
She shakes her head. “Ah'd prolly be a bad influence on ye if anythin'. I ain't exactly lived a clean life meself but that's aside the point. Ah 'pose if yer willin' ta oblige her an' it causes less trouble ah'll leave ye ta yer avoidin' me business so she don' git worked up over nothin'.”
[Eligor]
“That would be best. Frankly, finally being free of the Grand Company leash makes me wary of getting close to anyone still wearing one.”
“And getting caught up in the mess that is about to unfold is even worse for my headaches. Too many things to juggle.”
[Orchard]
“It ain't a leash, but… aye there is a big fight brewin' an' it's gonna all spill over soon. Guess ye should consider yerself lucky ye won't be on the lines. Well, off ye go then. 'Pose I ain't got any reason ta bother ye. Ye certainly don't reek ah curses so I cannae exactly put ye in the gaol on Pip's imagination.”
[Eligor]
“Not a leash…well goodbye then.”
He continues walking, but there is something off. Something was approaching him from behind, unseen. If Orchard had bothered to look closely, she might see the vague outline of a person the closer it got to Eligor.
[Orchard]
Orchard sniffs and throws her hand up in the air. “Oi! Patter off on yer dewbeaters an' leave the jack alone. Keep it ta the darkmans or the commodore will 'ear about it!”
[Eligor]
Eligor turned at Orchard's outburst in time to see the technique wear off completely, a dagger coming for his throat. Far from some hooded individual, it appeared to be a person clad from head to toe in high-tech gear. He raised his pouch of spices just in time to block the blow, twisting it soon after to disarm the attacker before jumping back and looking at Orchard.
“Help? Authorities?”
[Orchard]
Orchard jumped, and dove a hand into her pocket, pulling out a… whistle which she began to blow as she charged the attack. She was more or less unarmed at the moment but that did not make her hesitate in the slightest. It was clear that the whistle was designed to summon others, whether Maelstrom or Yellowjackets it probably didn't matter because both would be arriving soon but not before Orchard attempted to leap upon the metal-clad attacker.
[Eligor]
Eligor took a moment to remove the dagger from his punctured pouch before throwing it on the ground. Seeing Orchard leap for his assailant, he opted to…turn and run away. True to his word earlier, his fleeing prowess was clearly real, and within moments he was nearly gone over the horizon.
Disarmed, the metal-clad warrior turned and aimed a punch for Orchard's face. It appeared that whoever was inside was an experienced fighter.
[Orchard]
Orchard charges right into the punch, causing her nose to get scrunched up and a squirt of blood to shoot out of it as she lets out a feral snarl. “They're gonna hafta glue yer fingers back on in the gaol!” She snaps attempting to grab the man by his arm and throw him to the ground.
[Eligor]
The warrior was like a deeply rooted tree, and Orchard's attempts found no success. Noticing that the whistle was quickly drawing the authorities nearby, the armored warrior looked off to the distance before speaking in a scratchy, robotic voice.
[Operation failed. Retreat.]
Then, as if getting rid of a scab, the part of it's arm that Orchard was holding onto suddenly shot off, the blood spurting out soon after clearly showing that the limb was real. Despite this, it did not seem to react much less care as it disappeared into a strange distortion-like teleport.
[Orchard]
“Thal's hairy balls!” Orchard dropped the limb, looking around for the assailant that had seemingly vanished into thin air as Maelstrom and Yellowjacket alike came running and it didn't take long for her to start barking orders. “Godsdamn I won't 'ave people committin' murder in broad daylight around 'ere we ain't Ul'dah! Ye find the one armed bastard, he cannae 'ave gotten far in that hunk ah armor 'e had on!” The guards someone in a panic as their ears are assaulted by the gruff lalafell start to comply though that would hardly matter to Eligor he's had plenty of time to run off by now.
[Eligor]
Eligor had indeed left by now, nearly halfway to the Mists by this point. He came to a stop on the road as a hooded figure that appeared to be waiting for him appeared. It was his companion from earlier.
“How many came for you?”
“Three.”
“They only gave me one, seems I was right. I cannot fight back properly if I'm being hounded by nosy local powers. Tell your sisters what happened. More than likely we should be planning for me to be taken from the board.”
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