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ROAD TO RESPITE - LATE AFTERNOON - 5 YEARS AGO
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Bracvar hums under his breath as the caravan moves along with his cart at the tail, taking advantage of every bit of sunlight, even as the road begins to be swallowed in the forest's shadow. The second switchback lies ahead of the group, hiding the road ahead and the lead cart from view.
Nesseth strides along with the caravan, walking alongside Bracvar's wagon with an easy gait. He has his crossbow out and loaded, but he doesn't seem all that bothered as he scans around on his side of the trail.
Bracvar looks along the tree line, his eyes falling to Nesseth as he chuckles. "You look fairly relaxed fer wandering through an unknown forest, Nesseth." He's not tense himself, though the effort of pushing the cart uphill most of the day is in his voice.
Nesseth hums thoughtfully as he looks over at Bracvar, then hitches up a bit of a grin. "The trees and greenery aren't any trouble, Bracvar. Unless there are bandits or something along the trail, I might as well just relax and deal with things as they happen."
Bracvar nods, chuckling quietly as he glances toward the trees again. "Yer right about that, haven't been attacked by a shrub yet along this road. Don't go giving us back luck by inviting fate, though, aye?" He chuckles again, looking forward.
Nesseth laughs and nods. "I'll try to avoid cursing us with a leafy doom, yeah." He takes a few seconds to scan again, then looks over at Bracvar once more, noting he's starting to show signs of fatigue, "How are you holding up, by the way?"
Bracvar grunts, but his eyes show his smile. "Not horribly, I reckon. If you don't mind, there's a bit of a flat spot ahead, could use a few minutes to breathe."
Nesseth nods. "Sure, I don't mind a short breather. When we pull on the side to take a break, I'll just let one of the other guards know I'll stick with the wagon until we're ready to get a move on again."
Bracvar nods, letting out a huff in agreement. "If'n I were moving anything other than food, wouldn't be too concerned about stopping. Hell, almost any other cargo wouldn't be as heavy as all this ice." He laughs, shifting his grip on the pushbar.
Nesseth hums in agreement. "I can imagine. It's probably like you're pushing a giant fish tank around or something with so much ice in there. A few minutes' break shouldn't hurt, though."
Bracvar chuckles, feeling the weight of the cart shift as they reach more level ground. "Of course, we're getting close to a camp clearing, but I appreciate yer concern." He breathes a sigh of relief as his cart slows, then crunches to a stop.
Nesseth shifts off to the side as Bracvar pulls the cart out from the trundling row of wagons and makes his way over to one of the guards watching the wagon behind them. A few quick words are exchanged before he makes his way back to the crab. "Okay, the rest will just keep going until we're ready to rejoin the caravan. We just need to slide into the line again whenever we're ready."
Bracvar steps under the bar and moves to the side of his cart, stretching his joints as he goes. He keeps track of Nesseth, nodding when the explorer approaches him again. "Aye, thank you Nesseth. Yer quite professional about this, hm? How long did yeh say you've been in the guild?"
Nesseth shoulders his crossbow with a smile, his frills flexing a little as he listens to the caravan's wagons continuing on their way. "Only for a few years, so far. Joined up at the local guildhall in Orela, then traveled around to Sarn and Vamas, doing whatever needed doing at the time."
Bracvar nods, stretching his arms across his torso before crossing them and relaxing slightly. "So yeh've already seen that much of the world? That's impressive, lad! Sometimes I miss travelling, meself."
Nesseth grins happily. "Oh yeah, it's amazing how different the continents are! Orela's really nice, but Sarn's magitech colleges are beauitful, and even if I didn't really like the cold, fresh snow in Vamas looks like nothing I've seen before."
Bracvar chuckles, nodding. "Aye, the snow and ice are certainly wonderful, though my eyes don't much care for the brightness. Did yeh get a chance to visit the merchant's square in Sarn? A lot of interesting bits o' Magitech there, s'where I got my ice generator."
Nesseth tilts his head thoughtfully. "The merchant square... Is that the spot with the really big statue of that engineer that created the design of the first generator? The one that's about a block away from the university's administration building?"
Bracvar nods, making a vague gesture as if pointing to things in front of him. "Yeah, that's the place all right. And off the left is the workshops. Buy yer stuff then get it custom fitted. Very efficient, those Sarn folks. Terrible salespeople, though, get so sucked inteh their details and schematics and features." He chuckles again, waving as the last trailing cart passes by, approaching the switchback.
Nesseth laughs a bit and nods. "Then yeah, I got a chance to pass through the place a couple of times. I didn't have much time to really look around, though, but I should probably do that the next time I find myself going that way." He reaches a hand up and gives his crossbow a bit of a pat, "It'd be nice to see what all I could do to tune up this thing a bit more."
Bracvar looks to the crossbow, tilting his head slightly. "Oh? Yeh've got a bit of Magitech in yer weapon, then? Hadn't noticed."
Nesseth slips his crossbow off of his shoulder and holds it sideways to show Bracvar some of the extra bits and pieces attached. "Yup, it's not much, but it does make it a little easier to work with. Easier draw, less tuning, things like that."
Bracvar bends to look at the crossbow, humming. "Very nice, not overly complicated, practical choices." He straightens up, nodding with a grin. "An excellent weapon yeh've worked out there, Nesseth!"
Nesseth chuckles. "Thanks, Bracvar. Though, most of this stuff was already attached when I got the crossbow from the guild. I just added some small bits and bobs here and there just to reinforce it."
Bracvar hums, settling a hand on his hip. "Oh, didn't know the guild provided such fine tools, always thought it just drew in folks with good taste." He grins, shrugging. "Perhaps a mix of both."
Nesseth smiles as he sets his crossbow against his shoulder again. "Well, I mean... 'travel and see the world, explore uncharted territory!' makes for a pretty good draw no matter how you look at it, though the gear is a nice bonus. Of course, they only assign the gear after you've been with them for a while, so people don't try to steal the stuff."
Bracvar laughs, shaking his head. "Would be a bit stupid to steal from any guild, really, but yours and the guild fer bounty hunters are rather closely tied, aren't they? Be like walking into an armory and expecting to walk off with some swords."
Nesseth laughs again. "That's entirely true, but there are people stupid enough to try, you know. Sometimes, the targets are just a bit too juicy for someone with sticky fingers to ignore."
Bracvar nods, the tendril-curtained grin clear in his voice. "Oh I believe it, doesn't really take away from the lack of brains. Not that I have any stories t'share."
Nesseth chuckles, amused. "I mean, some folks might be clever enough, but being in the guild usually is good enough to dissuade the ones that stick around long enough."
Bracvar hums in agreement, turning to his cart and raising himself up high enough to pull the hide cover back at the corner, a wave of icy mist spilling down to the grass as he quickly digs a huge water skin out, hooking the cover back in place. He pops the cork as he turns back to Nesseth, cordially offering the first sip of the ice cold water to the lizard. "That's a bold idea, there. Get some work in the guild and collect pay, and then trick the guild into trading some of those weapons for useless coins."
Nesseth happily accepts the water skin and takes a refreshing drink before passing it back to Bracvar with a grin. "Bold, yeah, but folks generally earn their keep with the guild anyway. By the time someone sticks with the guild long enough to get to keep their gear, the guild's earned more than the gear's worth."
Bracvar takes a drink as well, then proceeds to dump a portion of the water over his head, sighing in mild relief. He listens to Nesseth, chuckling as he speaks and fighting back a laugh by the end. He shakes his head, settling a bit before responding. "I was playin' a bit, lad. Saying a thief would be smarter to get a bit o' honest work with yeh rather than tryin' t'pinch yer gear!"
Nesseth laughs after a moment. "Oh yeah, it's a way smarter option, definitely." He blinks and tilts his head a bit, thinking, "Much as I hate to speculate... a couple of the more veteran explorers might even have done just that, now that I think about it. They've got that... thief-y sort of air about them, you know?"
Bracvar laughs, nodding. "Oh? And what sort of air does a thief have? A bit of creep in their walk perhaps?" He mimics a slouched walk, looking side to side with an exaggeratedly suspicious expression.
Nesseth chuckles. "Wary, watching their back all the time, trying to stay unnoticeable, things like that. Just suspicious enough to draw the eye, but nothing overt."
Bracvar ends his mime act, returning to the cart with a grin and moving to put the waterskin back into it's proper place among the ice. "Could just be old habits or reasonable paranoia, of course. Wouldn't be fair fer judging 'em. Not until they grab something, anyways."
Nesseth nods. "Yup, like I said, they've been around for a while, so I'm guessing they just have some old habits they can't quite get rid of."
Bracvar shrugs, tying the cover back in place and stretching one more time before crouching under the pushbar again. "A mystery probably not worth diving into." He grins, gripping the bar. "Appreciate the moment to breathe, Nesseth, but we should probably be catchin' up before one of yer guild brothers has to wander back fer us."
Nesseth nods as he takes a moment to stretch his legs in turn. "Yeah... can't get too far behind them, or folks will start worrying about us. Feeling good for the rest of the day's hike, then?"
Bracvar chuckles, slapping his left foreleg. "Could go through the night! It's just a shame we'll lose all this shade in a couple days."
Nesseth nods. "I'm bit of a fan of the warmth. Still, just means we'll have to pick up the pace once we're out in the sun, or the ice won't last long."
Bracvar chuckles, tilting his head a bit. "Aye, would be a shame to lose more fish'n what gets ate on the road. But if it's the warmth you like, you'll love Respite Falls. This road is a terribly false promise."
Nesseth laughs as he finishes stretching and waits for Bracvar to set the pace. "Well, I'm looking forward to seeing what the town's got to offer. The road's been really nice, so far, but I know we're heading closer to a desert."
Bracvar lets out a disappointed sigh, though he's clearly still grinning as he gets the cart moving with relative ease, only slightly hampered by the grass. "That's a shame, I was looking forward to a bit of surprise from yeh when we made the last crest. Ah well, maybe you'll forget before we get there."
Nesseth chuckles, grinning. "I can still act surprised, if you want to see how it goes."
Bracvar laughs, shaking his head. "Wouldn't be the same, I'll figure out how t'get some genuine shock from yeh some day. Just don't be surprised when it happens. Er..."
Nesseth shoots Bracvar a curious look as he starts walking with the wagon again. "Got some big, nefarious plan plotted out to surprise me or something, Bracvar?" He chuckles a bit, clearly joking.
Bracvar shrugs, some of his focus shifting back to the road ahead as they get back up over the previous caravan pace. "Yer smart, perceptive. That's a challenge of sorts, I suppose." He gives Nesseth a sideways look, chuckling quietly. "I'll try to keep it a pleasant one. But since yeh've already spoiled the sand surprise, what else have yeh figured out about Respite? I'll let yeh know if yer information's good." He puts one hand on his chest briefly. "No tricks fer now, promise."
Nesseth shakes his head a bit. "Not much, I'm afraid. Desert edge town, kind of small right now... Covered by a magitech shield to ward off sandstorms, I think?"
Bracvar nods, looking ahead again as they start through the switchback. "That much is true, aye. I've not seen a bad one meself in my years coming here, but there are stories about them being bad enough to warrant a shield. Just a good idea to have in general, I suppose." He nods toward the campfire smoke barely visible through breaks in the canopy ahead.
Bracvar and Nesseth catch up with the rest of the caravan, finishing their friendly chat before the lizard regroups with his guild-mates, enjoying a quiet evening under the stars.
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RESPITE FALLS MARKETPLACE - MIDDAY - PRESENT DAY
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Gareth sighs a bit as he walks with Brunilda and Fiora through the marketplace, wearing his full complement of gear, including a set of cuffs that had been delivered to him not long ago by a fox. He keeps his voice low as he talks to the others. "So, this should be a quick in-and-out job. Once we've got the target bundled up, we don't have to worry about the other hunters causin' problems."
Fiora nods, the opposite of quiet in her armor, holding her helmet in the nook of her arm for the moment, axe slung over her back. "It's one Kobold. I doubt they'll struggle, but if they've got stolen tech who knows what they might pull out. And you don't have to say it. I know. 'They're wanted alive, Fiora, so no traumatic force.'"
Brunilda walks alongside the two, looking just as dressed up for a fight... if a whole lot less confident about this. She gets a bit of a sinking feeling as they stride through the marketplace. "...if you say so." She gives Fiora a dubious look, but doesn't comment on her attitude.
Gareth shrugs a bit. "If they struggle, a little bonk on the head won't harm anythin'." He gives Fiora a look, "A little bonk on the head, though. Not like that time we had to try and convince the person that issued the contract our target was the actual target, because their nose didn't look at all like the description."
Brunilda frowns as she listens to the banter she's now listened for a day or two, still not sure how to take it. Is bounty hunting really for her? She's no stranger to violence, but... she shakes her head. "Let's just do this."
Fiora sticks her tongue out at Gareth, "I said I know!" She glances at Brun and nods. "Yeah. You said just outside the Market right? I'd best finish the look." She raises the helmet up, setting it on her head before extending the rings around coiled upon her shoulders to lock into place to protect her neck. The helmet clicks into place, and Fiora gives a thumbs up.
Gareth nods as he casually rests a hand on the handle of his cutlass, still sheathed at his hip. With his free hand, he points over at the alleyway in question. "I think that's the spot, there. Hopefully the mark's present, today."
Brunilda looks at the other two, then at the alley. She pauses in her steps. "That... this alley? 'Shit. I was afraid of this', she thinks to herself. She swallows and follows, her thoughts darkening by the minute.
Strix was in his 'workshop', shaping what appeared to be a glass hand. He was focused, goggles down, working with tongs, and his own metal hand over a flame, delicately pulling and pushing each of the fingers into shape. His tail was curling a little, he was jussst getting it into the right shape, and it would be soon time to take it off the heat.
Gareth perks his ears as he approaches the alley, hearing what sounds like the cheerful crackle of a small fire. He slows his stride a little, then peers around the side of the wall to see what the situation might be.
Fiora glances at Brun curiously. Helmet is already on. The alley just up ahead. She really hopes the Elephant isn't getting cold... feet? Cold whatever those are. She tilts her neck a bit and motions Brun forward. Her voice sounds distant, hollow, different within the metal helmet. "You don't have to fight. Just take point. Gareth and I will handle the kobold. Just make sure no one interferes."
Brunilda looks at Fiora, nodding slowly. She steps behind the two, hesitating: "I am not sure about this..." she mutters, mostly to herself as she becomes rather certain of who their target is. Target that she has hauled to the Clinic once or twice.
Strix is paranoid, and always on guard, he is deep in concentration however, and it's in a very delicate part of the process..so he reallly doesn't want to break away just because he hears something. His ears have perked however....
Gareth notices the 'workshop' set up in the alley, then nods as it seems to be pretty clear at the moment. Listening to Fiora and Brun for a few seconds, he glances over his shoulder at them. "Target's there. He seems unaware, so we can approach casually. Be on yer guard, o' course, all the same."
Fiora nods silently. She's not quite taking her axe out quite yet, but she's clearly alert and ready to go. Currently planning to follow behind Gareth carefully, 'the muscle', if needed.
Brunilda stays behind, her eyes on Strix. Some part of her wants to yell a warning, to interrupt Gareth. She doesn't, though. Not yet, at least.
Strix is nearly done, and is moving to put the hand down, so he can investigate whatever it is that he's..hearing? Something like that, just that little bump of paranoid trouble that he's been paying less attention to recently..he'd heard about the bounty, but with nothing on that happening for so long, he'd been finally starting to relax...just a little.
Gareth gives Fiora and Brunilda one last quick look, then nods and turns to stride into the alleyway at a casual pace. He smiles as he speaks, a cordial note in his voice. "Ahh, here we are, I think. Are you Strix by any chance, sir?"
Strix jumps back, going on the defensive, looking around "Yes! Why asking?" He was ready to run, right then and there, but then he sees Brunhilda. He trusts Brunhilda. So..he relaxes, just a little....
Fiora strides around to the other side of Strix, cutting off an escape from that venue.
Gareth holds up a mollifying hand as he steps a little further into the alley. "Because I was told to come here since ye have some good knowledge fer magitech, and I've an issue that ye might be able to help me with. We don't mean ye any harm, sir."
Brunilda stands on the side some steps away, feeling (and probably looking) conflicted about this. Her expression isn't really completely neutral anymore.
Fiora rolls her eyes in her helmet, always hating the 'talky' part. Still, if an asset comes willingly it's easy money.
Strix does trust Brunilda..but she's looking very guilty, and Gareth isn't being encouraging..and Fiora just cut off his escape "...Strix not believe you!" He steps back again, trying to get some clear space between him, and everyone else in the alleyway.
Gareth stops his approach and sighs, his hand lowering a bit as he crosses his arms, though his expression remains easy. "Right... we heard ye're a little skittish, but that's the truth. We're in a profession that requires some heavy liftin' sometimes, but conventional things like lifts aren't mobile enough fer us. We heard ye might be able to help us with somethin' of a more unconventional design."
Strix looks to Brunilda, not trusting this at all..but if she's repping for the two of them....
Brunilda gives Strix a look that attempts to be neutral and not give anything away, but she doesn't quite succeed. She's worried.
Fiora is in a relaxed stance, ready to pounce if Strix makes the wrong move, just letting Gareth do his thing here for now.
Gareth doffs his hat for a moment, running a hand through the fur on his head before setting his hat back in place. "I know I look like a pirate, and yes I used to be one. I just like the style too much to give it up, if that's what yer worried about."
Strix: "Nope! Strix going now!" He winces internally, but, needs must! He swipes the glass hand he'd been working on off the workbench, and appears to crush(?) it in his metal hand..and..then..gravity appears to start repointing itself in a large number of different directions over the next five seconds, giving Strix a chance to try and grab his sachet, and make his escape!
Fiora moves the second Strix starts to turn to the bench. She's like a coiled spring, lunging out to strike the kobold with probably more force then necessary, but she doesn't trust any of this as she sees the Kobold going for the glass... weapon? The hell is that?
Strix is struck! But he's not KO'd, cranial injuries are a hazard in his line of trade, so he's good at staying going when he's whacked in the head, so he does get to shatter the hand...his movements are considerable more..woozy though.
Brunilda blinks as action starts happening around her, and for a moment she feels very lightheaded... no, scratch that, she actually feels like she's floating.
Gareth surges forward with Fiora, though he moves with less momentum, hoping Strix wouldn't panic. However, the moment she strikes, Plan A goes out the window, and he tries to grab hold of Strix before he can slip away. The redirected gravity makes him stumble as though he'd had one drink too many, but he manages to stay on his feet for the time being.
Fiora 's momentum continues after she's hit the kobold. She kicks her legs a moment, finding no solid ground beneath her feet as she careens into the wall of the alley with a loud thud. She takes a moment to look back at Strix, then at Gareth, as she quickly reorients herself, preparing to launch off the wall after Strix if Gareth's grab fails.
Strix is grabbing at his sachet now, scrambling for something..pretty much anything that can help, and he's screeching up a storm as well. Everything would flump back to normal after a few seconds, Strix being fairly well held. He's not very strong..but he's incredibly wiggly!
Brunilda wobbles for a moment, crashing down onto her rear as her legs fail her: "Umf!"
Gareth impacts against Fiora and quickly pulls out the bindings he'd received earlier and starts binding the Kobold's legs and arms. "Would have been a lot easier on all o' us if ye'd just ran with it, Strix."
Strix: "Strix heard that before!" Strix wiggles as the magical bindings are wrapped around him, and his hand manages to touch something inside the bag, he activates..whatever that is, and the furnace goes dark, all the little magical lights he'd been running around the alleyway goes out as the orb falls out of the bag, unto the ground, sucking up all the magic in the area...including the magical bindings, Strix attempts to make an escape, trying to get over Gareth, and by Brunilda...
Brunilda is either too stunned, blinded... or conflicted to grab Strix, as she watches him go.
Fiora braces as Gareth impacts into her with the asset. She hadn't quite launched off the wall, taking the time afterwards to get herself settled into position on the ground. She starts to sprint after Strix, shouting to Brunilda, "Stop him!"
Brunilda starts getting up, but rather obviously makes no move towards going after Strix.
Strix is still moving then! Though..he's not exactly the best sprinter in the world, he'll be at the entrance to the alleyway shortly, slowed a bit while his arm reboots from the mana-short.
Gareth curses as he gets up and coils the rope again. He gets his feet stable beneath him and takes off after Fiora. "Catch him before he gets out!"
Fiora grrr's in her helmet as she watches Brun freeze up. Her long legs don't take long to get her up to speed as she charges down the alley towards the Kobold, closing in fast as she prepares to push past Brun and grab the damn target.
Brunilda swings her arm towards Fiora's shoulder in an attempt to shove aside and gives Gareth probably the meanest glare she has ever given anyone: "Stop!"
Fiora takes the hit, getting blindsided by Brun with an arm into shoulder, killing her momentum and spinning her into the wall, dazing her for just a moment.
Strix is still running, stumbling, his metal arm still not working right, still woozy from the smack to the head..he's about at the head of the alleyway now, however, it opens out into a fairly quiet street..
Gareth puts on a little extra burst of speed and does his best to tackle the Kobold, as it seems Fiora and Brun are more than a little preoccupied at the moment. Rope held in one hand, and his other hand outstretched, he takes a few more long strides and leaps after Strix in one last ditch effort.
Strix: Strix is a very, very tricksy Kobold, and if this had started with Strix having a two feet of room to work with, he wouldn't have been caught...but Gareth had a hand to him from the beginning, his guard had been down, and so everything he had been doing was burning through resources...but..in the end, Gareth's leap lands on target, sending Strix down heavily to the ground, with the much larger mercenary on top of him..he's..quite out of it. There's nothing broken, Strix is a sturdy little thing, but there's a lot of bruising...
Brunilda is unable to stop Gareth due to her swing's momentum, but gives him a glare for what it's worth. "Damnit!"
Fiora shakes her head, coming back around from the elephant's strike, which was harder then it seemed. She glances to make sure Strix is being taken care of. "Nice, Gareth. I'll make sure no one interferes from this side." She brings her fists up towards the Elephant, stepping carefully to stop her from reacting towards Gareth and Strix. "The hell, Brun?!"
Gareth starts binding Strix up a bit tighter than before, this time with firm, sturdy knots rather than relying on the (now currently not working) magical effects. "Gotcha, ye little...!" He sighs, then grunts in acknowledgement with a bit of a sour look, then dusts his hands as he stands up again, "That should hold ye fer now. I'll give ye a chance to explain that yer not the target once we get this crap settled."
Brunilda glares at Fiora: "This isn't right." She glances at Gareth, frowning, but her focus is on Fiora now. She adjusts her stance, clearly ready for a fight if needed, now.
Strix isn't able to respond, other than groan, and certainly can't resist. Gareth acquires one (1) kobold inventor (Rare).
Gareth gazes at Strix for a few moments, then directs his attention to a more pressing matter nearby. He scowls as he draws a pistol, holding it up, not quite at the ready, but close as he glances between the two tall women.
Fiora growls, "The hell you mean it's not right? There's a bounty his head. This is what we do!"
Brunilda flicks her ear at Gareth's movement, but keeps her gaze on Fiora: "Bounty? All you have is someone's word you even haven't met. This isn't right, Strix isn't a criminal and this isn't how any kind of justice works!"
Fiora looks just as ready to fight Brun, tense as posed similarly to how she's done many times in their sparring together. "He's a bounty. Yeah, they're not always criminal kingpins, they're not always villains! We pick those hits whenever we can, but sometimes you take the jobs on thiefs to keep the system going. That's how it works, Brun! If you want out, then go." She points an arm down the street, away from the two of them.
Brunilda keeps glaring at Fiora, not moving an inch: "If he's not the villain, what does that make you?"
Gareth: "Pirates, freelancers, whatever ye want to call them, lass. We're not on the good side, but neither are we on the bad side as folks seem so keen to think. We keep life goin'."
Brunilda turns enough to glance at Gareth, her voice icy: "If you want Strix today, you'll have to go through me."
Fiora seems to hesitate a moment, hearing Brun's words, then Gareth's. She snorts, then tightens her fists. "...Damn it, Brun. You know how this'll end up. I won't go easy on you."
Gareth eyes Brunilda with cold determination as he levels his pistol at her. "Ye sure about that, lass?"
Brunilda glares at Fiora, then at Gareth. Last time she felt this determined, she dove into a building about to blow up. "Yes." In a move that somewhat belies her large size, she twists around to grab at Gareth's gun hand, the elephant full of not-so cold fury.
Gareth 's pistol discharges as Brun's hand closes around his, firing a round up and away from the alley, cleanly missing everyone. However, moments later, he sneers and uses the leverage to swing his other hand around, driving the pommel of his cutlass straight into Brun's gut. "Yer not very wise, are ye?"
Brunilda keeps her hand around Gareth's even as she is hit in the gut, her light armor not softening the blow that much. She tightens her grip to painful levels on the wolf's hand as she grunts, glaring daggers at the wolf: "N-never was!"
Fiora blinks as the gunshot goes off, clearly having been ready to fight Brun over this, but not quite prepared for Gareth's usual brand of efficiency as the cutlass goes into the elephant. "Dear gods... Gareth... I... Brun... just back down!" She takes a step back, still in a battle stance, but clearly shaken for some reason.
Gareth narrows his eyes, being used to the pain as he draws his cutlass back and angles the point towards her. "Next hit's goin' to be steel if ye don't let go, lass. Only warnin'."
Brunilda uses her hand still around Gareth's to swing the big-but-not-as-big-as-her wolf off-balance and to the ground: "I've seen blades before, pirate."
Fiora clenches her fists, "Fucking hell... Gareth! Just... take the target and go! I'll... deal with her!"
Gareth rolls expertly with the throw, landing near Strix. After a moment stowing his gear again, he nods and lifts the small reptile onto his shoulder, then turns and heads out. "Ye be safe with her, ye hear, Fiora?"
Fiora seems to almost relax as Gareth takes her advice. "Don't worry about me. You know I can handle myself." She steps between Gareth and Brun and back into combat stance.
Brunilda grunts as Gareth rolls out of her reach, but turns to Fiora as she's almost forced to by the giraffe's movement. Her anger tempers, but just a slight notch: "No such thing as dishonor, it seems."
Fiora snorts, "I am so pissed right now, and I don't know if I'm pissed at you for being a wiseass who refused to do the job I thought you were okay with..." She tenses, again visiably shaking with rage and doubt, "Or pissed at myself cause you're probably right, and I don't want to fucking hurt you but so help me..."
Brunilda snort-trumpets right back as she glances at the escaping wolf before turning to Fiora: "If this is the true you, doing whatever lows for the highest bidder, I don't want anything to do with you."
Fiora pounds a fist against her armor. "Then come on then! They're getting away, and I can't back down now, damnit! This is your resolve against mine! What's your friend worth to you!?"
Brunilda glares: "Worth more than certain giraffe." She throws a punch at Fiora, anger getting better of her sense once more. Anger at whom... that's a more complicated question.
Fiora is in a similiar position in terms of anger, taking the punch to the chest, a hard impact that pushes her backwards, and will surely cause a bruise, She growls nonetheless, "Is that all!? All that sparring and that's the best you've got!?"
Brunilda growls, wanting to push forward but with the situation she got angry for dissolved, she's rapidly losing steam: "No." She swings another time, towards Fiora's shoulder.
Fiora takes the hit again, rolling back as she brings her arm up to her shoulder, clearly feeling that one. She rasps out a laugh. "Better... but not good enough. That's what the world does to justice, Brun." The quiver in her voice is obvious. "Chews it up. Spits it out. You fucking want to make a difference, but it drags you down." She cranes her head in close, sounding angry and tired, "And there's just nothing you do."
Brunilda is about to swing another time, but pauses to frown: "Fuck that. If you don't keep trying to make things better, you're actively making them worse." Her anger seems to fade: "I'm not going to hit you again."
Fiora tenses, then drops her guard. "...fucking... hell." She steps aside, walking over to the alley wall and leaning against it, letting herself slide down it until she's sitting upon the ground. "Then I guess we both lose..."
Brunilda snorts at Fiora: "Only if you give. Win some, lose some-" She looks at the direction that Gareth went to and takes a step: "Fix things if you can."
Fiora sighs, putting a hand to her chest. Shit that hurts. Did Brun break a rib? She doesn't move to stop Brun either way. "...sorry."
Brunilda glances at Fiora: "I'm going after Gareth. Do what you want." She starts walking despite the obvious hurt in several places of her own body, her stubborn resolve winning over any minor pains.
Fiora nods. "Do what you believe is right, Brun. I... I gotta... I dunno..."
Brunilda ignores Fiora despite her heart wanting nothing more than to make sure she is right. She keeps walking, trying to look for signs of the wolf's disappearance.