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RESPITE FALLS GUARD BARRACKS - MIDDAY
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Gareth stands at the bulletin board fronting the barracks entrance, having noticed a somewhat prominent poster pinned on the front of a few smaller bills. He scans the poster, noting that it's a new-ish bounty, or at least new in that it's been freshly posted.
Victoria lets out a small chuckle from behind Gareth: "Finding anything good, big boyo?"
Gareth blinks, having been focusing on the details of the bounty, and turns first his ears, then his head towards the familiar voice. His gaze is angled lower than necessary, figuring Victoria's stalking behind him or something. "Finally found a bounty posted, at least. It-- uh..."
Victoria is leaning on a lightpost, grinning in all her now-anthro glory. She's wearing set of tribal-looking cloth pieces barely above 'loincloth' in covering department: "Didn't even need to ambush you this time."
Gareth blinks again and shifts his eyes up, noting Victoria's clothing style. After a moment, he rolls his eyes. "Well, me focus was on the bounty, since it's somethin' of me livelihood, now." He gives the leopard a bit of a smile, "And a change of form is somethin' of a big advantage for ambushin'."
Victoria shrugs, stepping closer: "Eh, if you wanna see it that way. Still, gotcha. So, what's the story?"
Gareth shrugs and nods over at the bulletin board. "Seems we got some kind o' bounty to hunt someone that's been stealin' magitech from some folks in Sarn. Was just readin' the details when ye showed up." He looks Victoria over a bit and nods, "I'd ask what's new with ye, but... that's a bit o' a silly question, considerin'."
Victoria looks at the board for a moment, clearly not overly interested. She then chuckle-snorts at Gareth's second comment: "What, I'm that obvious? I guess so."
Gareth laughs a bit. "Well, fer one, yer standin' on two legs instead o' four. Pretty big difference from our first meetin', at least."
Victoria grins, glancing at her hands and claws, then cracking her neck a bit, causing her long red hair to sway: "Big enough, I reckon. Works for me."
Gareth chuckles. "Still, similar enough that I'd know who's name to yell if ye actually pounced me or somethin'. Hard to mistake that fur pattern, after all."
Victoria shrugs, still smiling: "It's my one weakness, my unique beauty. Such a shame."
Gareth grins in turn. "Strikin', at least. Memorable, which is good when ye've got a reputation fer ferocity." He glances back at the board again and pulls the poster almost as an afterthought, "Good fer bounty huntin', that. Make the targets give up easier when they know who's huntin' them."
Victoria looks at Gareth, winking: "Dream on findin' me in there. I'm too good to be offered a bounty of." She glances aside and winces inwardly at that, but quickly hides it: "Besides, you'd get all confused~."
Gareth laughs again as he starts to roll up the poster to show Fiora later. "Well, that's why I think ye'd be good as a hunter. I heard tell from some o' the other guards that ye've got a reputation fer bein' a fierce fighter." He smirks and tilts his head, "And what makes ye think I'd get confused, lass?"
Victoria stretches her hands above her head and grins: "One wonders. I have a tendency to do that to newcomers."
Gareth crosses his arms, looking amused. "Ye'd be hard-pressed confusin' a ship quartermaster, lass."
Victoria sticks her tongue out as she crosses her own arms: "Well, can't blame a lady for trying, now can you?"
Gareth shrugs, chuckling. "O' course not. Though I can see ye'd be the sort to give it a good effort regardless."
Victoria grins, leaning on the board: "I always bring my A game." Her tail is swishing; she's clearly enjoying this, perhaps too much.
Gareth nods, approving of Victoria's stance on the matter. He takes a moment to mirror Victoria, leaning against the board as well, though being careful to not crumple any postings. "Always givin' it yer all, eh?"
Victoria shrugs: "Well, when it's worth it. Which is most of the time, but you know how it goes."
Gareth nods again. "That I do. Some days, ye just feel like takin' a break and relaxin'." He smiles a little as his mind wanders back to time spent on deserted islands in the past, if only for a moment.
Victoria considers Gareth for a second: "Guessin' you haven't had those quiet days that much."
Gareth shrugs a bit. "Eh... not so much since I started bein' a bounty hunter. Though, I've had nothin' but quiet days since me partner and I arrived here in Respite." He pauses, then chuckles, "Least, not countin' the days I spar with yer fellow guards, anyway."
Victoria grins toothily again: "Or the days you think are quiet an' I get to ambush your sorry ass."
Gareth pauses, then looks over at Victoria with a similar, toothy grin. "Then ye've been slackin' a bit, lass. Ye've not ambushed me since the first time we met and today. Had plenty o' quiet days in between."
Victoria shrugs: "What can I say? Busy with other stuff. You're not the only I get to keep on their toes."
Gareth chuckles. "Fair enough. Ye help keep a good number o' the guards alert, from what I hear."
Victoria sticks her tongue out: "It's fun."
Gareth smiles. "Yer an interestin' one, to be sure."
Victoria stops leaning on the board, cracking her neck once more: "You're not the most boring guy I've met in a while either."
Gareth tilts his head, grinning again. "Glad I can keep yer interest to a degree, at least. It'd be a shame fer a bounty hunter to be completely forgettable."
Victoria laughs a bit, teasing a claw on Gareth's shoulder: "Nah, you're not boring. Rough, perhaps."
Gareth chuckles at the touch, but doesn't pull away. "Fer a given definition of rough, sure. Got to be, to make a livin' huntin' others fer a livin'."
Victoria drops her hand, shrugging: "Yeah, makes sense. I mean, dependin' who you ask, I'm the prettiest desert flower, or a stupid violent bitch." She grins like she's proud of both titles.
Gareth uncrosses his arms and sets one on his hip, letting the other dangle against the board. He grins again. "I can see a bit o' both in ye. Maybe not the stupid part, though."
Victoria winks: "Thank you. You're not quite as dim as you look either."
Gareth lets out a singular laugh. "Thank ye kindly. So... what's yer plans for the afternoon, since ye managed to ambush me successfully?"
Victoria shrugs: "Not much 'til sundown."
Gareth hums a bit. "Mmh... care to get a bit o' sparrin' practice in or somethin'? Bounties aside, I was plannin' to smack around a couple o' yer companions to keep me abilities sharp."
Victoria nods, smiling once more as she shifts in her position: "Well, as long as you're good to lose some. I could certainly use the practice~."
Gareth nods. "I don't mind some losses, since that means I've got a good reason to do all this practicin'."
Victoria chuckles, then rolls her shoulders as she starts walking towards the training grounds, tail swishing excitedly gain: "Well then, let's go have a dance."
Gareth nods as he pushes away from the bulletin board and moves to follow Victoria towards the training grounds. He takes a moment to tuck the poster away up his sleeve for safekeeping. "I hope yer ready for somethin' a bit more vigorous than what yer friends in the guard can offer."
Victoria grins over her shoulder: "Always~. Bring it on."