isleofavalon | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

🧙 WHO: Elza + OPEN
⚔️️ WHAT: An assassin walks into a bar... Or around the neighbourhood
🕒 WHEN: First week of June
🗺️ WHERE: in and around Camelot with a dash of the Red Springs
⚠️ WARNINGS: N/A at this point in time

The fields of Camelot CLOSED

It had been a number of weeks since Elza had skirted her death and found herself here in this world of Avalon. She hadn't expected to live beyond a few more minutes before she'd been ripped from her demise and pulled here to fight a battle she had no interest in. It was a cruel fate in her mind and this extended life was something she couldn't accept. The bitter part of her knew though that whatever her thoughts on being here were, once again she had to continue living until she was returned to him.

Sturm, the long rifle, lay quietly in the grass beside her as she sat in deep thought underneath an outcropping behind the walls of Camelot which protected her from the relentless rain. The weather was too hot for her liking, but the rain at least meant that it was unlikely anyone would happen upon her location.

How many years has she spent like this? Hiding between towns and settlements on her own. It had been far too many but the gunner had become accustomed to being by herself that she now found it more work than she cared to give being around too many people for too long.

She watched as the rain hit the rocky cover overhead of her and saw how the water trailed and dripped from grass, rocks and the compacted dirt. Elza could have almost deluded herself into thinking that she was back waiting near Sajah Village for him to arrive. Yet the phantom ache in her chest from the bullet wound did well to remind her all that she had lost.

Clive. He had been so close to being able to return to the Garden.

That thought had her attention dropping down to the rifle that lay beside her. In a moment of emotion, the gunner reached down to lay her hand against the cool metal.

"You should be with him," She softly told the gun. It felt the conviction in her words and seemed to hum with power beneath her touch.

Regret... It was a heavy weight in her heart. How much longer did she have to keep feeling its impossible weight. The world could be cruel and she was being reminded once again just how much. She had almost been free of it... Almost let him be free, but frozen or not back in her time, he was still shackled and unable to return to the Garden he so needed.

Pulling her hand away from the cold metal, the gunner's thoughts drifted over to this land and the Harmonian she hadn't expected to see ever again. The fact that he was here wasn't a comfort but at the same time it wasn't uncomfortable either. She couldn't quite pin down how she felt about someone here who knew her in the way that he did. It was inconvenient, but at the same time not so as there was so much more she could ask Nash... But she couldn't bring herself to ask the one question burning at the back of her mind.

A shadow formed over her, drawing the gunners attention to the figure now floating in the air not far above where she sat in deep in thought.

"I suppose you're here to mock me," she murmured before glancing up at the IronMoon who stared down at her with its piercing amber coloured eyes. That smile it gave seemed tease her as it wordlessly spun around on the spot before slowing to a stop.

"Heh," She sounded as if she were having a conversation with herself. "I find that hard to believe."

She was quiet for a long while as she regarded the floating moon. It slowly turned left then right as it hovered in the air before slowing to a stop once again.

"You've picked the wrong person for this job," Elza said in reply. The moon shook lightly and rapidly up and down before fading out then back into existence. She found herself glancing away as she said, "Perhaps... But I have little interest with involving myself in this war."

The IronMoon faded back out of existence after she spoke, leaving Elza once again alone with Sturm. She didn't have to touch the rifle to know it was beckoning her. The gunner didn't resist and reached out to slip her fingers around the barrel of the gun before she moved to stand up in one fluid motion.

Crowds or not, she needed a drink.

Around Camelot OPEN

Elza made her way back into Camelot. The streets were filled with people busy with their day. With her hood up to obscure her face, she seemed to make walking through a crowd untouched seem effortless.

The city was nothing like she was used to. The sheer amount of technology was daunting and the fact it was surrounding her in every direction was unsettling. They say it made lives easier, but she couldn't see how that was. Perhaps she was set in her ways too much or maybe it was that overly cautious side of her whispering in her ear, but at the end of the day she didn't trust it.

She came to a stop at the corner to get her bearings. While she'd learnt much of the city there was still so much more she needed to map out. So the gunner wordlessly slipped through the crowd to do just that.

One never knew when it would come in handy.

Tavern OPEN

The afternoon reflection hadn't exactly brought her solidarity she had tried to sort. Moving with graceful silence, the gunner slipped through the doors to one of the local taverns.

Her cloak dripped on the floor while she stood there observing her surroundings. Reaching up, the gunner pulled the hood back away from her head as she scanned the crowd. There were a few patrions already inside. Three groups of various sizes and a number of individuals. Taking note of everyone's location, Elza approached the bar to order herself an ale along with a bowl of whatever food they were serving.

Nodding her thanks, the gunner sought out the booth the furthest from the doors and away from any windows. Taking the seat pressed against the wall, Elza pulled Sturm from her back and placed it to lean against the wall beside her.

[ooc: happy to play out anything else. Feel free to hit me up via message or plurk (ozzypoos)]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Elza could hear the clanging of metal while a group trained in the rain. She had to admire their dedication to training while she sat in the dry comfort of the tavern, but was it dedication or foolishness?

It felt like almost a lifetime ago since she was last here even if it had only been a few weeks. Nursing her ale, the gunner sat alone with her thoughts in the tavern.

There had been the odd person who had approached her during her time there, but she had dismissed their offer of company. Thankfully they'd taken the hint the first time around. While she didn't want to draw attention to herself, Elza wouldn't have hesitated in making an example to others about those who persisted with their unwanted company. It made for a peaceful early afternoon.

Soon enough she'd head back to Camelot to finish making a mental map of the city, but until there she was perfectly content to relax and listen to the rabble and the rain while she nurse her ale.

The inn was the place of their first meeting. Given that it was the only lead Chris had on her, it made sense to scope the place out and see if she'd come back, so she'd come in more casual attire than her armour. Fortunately, her appearance was distinctive, and Chris has only been nursing her drink an hour or so when the gunner enters.

It's another fifteen minutes before Chris finally pushes her half-empty mug away and rises. It had been easier the first time, when she didn't know Elza's affilitations...

...her former affiliations. Chris was trying to remember that. And that her family's break-up was inevitable even if the Howling Voice hadn't come for her father. And none of it was Elza's fault; thanks to Nash, Chris knew Elza had been a target of theirs as well. And unlike Wyatt, they'd apparently succeeded in eliminating her. Chris tries to remember that...but it's still a bitter pill to swallow.

She finally rises, knowing she can't put this off any longer, and then approaches the seated woman. "Good afternoon, Elza." She says, but her tone is...clipped. "May I join you a moment?" She'd watched the woman wave off other attempts at interest, but perhaps their previous interaction will help convince the scarred woman to hear her out, despite her...more serious demeanour.

The murmured conversations surrounding her brought out a comfortable atmosphere. It was an easy thing to tell the mood of a crowd by listening to the way they chatted amongst themselves. There was an undeniable sense of ease embedded within the conversations she was partially privvy to. It allowed the gunner to relax.

Gliding her finger around the rim of her glass, her touch trailed down the curvature of the handle in a delicately precise movement. Her fingers wrapped around the glass before it was raised up to her lips. Elza by all accounts appeared relaxed in her seat as she sensed someone approach her position.

The amber liquid was smooth as she took a small drink of it. Glancing up at the woman who approached, she lowered the glass back down to the table.

Elza recognized the woman from one of the first days she'd arrived in Camelot. Their meeting had been brief but one which was difficult to forget given the giant boulder which had landed soon after. Yet that helpful near optimistic attitude had changed since that day. She could feel that change in the air around the woman while she made her approach.

Then that clipped tone was uttered along with her name. There were only two people here in this world that knew her name. One of which wouldn't have any connection to what she was back in the world she'd been pulled from. Which meant that whoever this woman was had a high chance of knowing Nash.

That sense of ease surrounding Elza didn't change, but as the question was asked, there was a sharpness etched into her gaze as she casually replied.

"I've no interest in sharing a table with someone who has me at a disadvantage," Elza said in return. Could this woman be one of the few Nash had mentioned was from their world? The way this woman held herself and her clothing didn't scream of being a mercenary from Caleria.

Damn. The name had slipped out and Chris had all but forgotten she'd never given it during their first encounter. And she doesn't fail to miss the sharper tone in Elza's voice. "...You're right. Forgive me." She apologizes. This is already going poorly. "My name is is Chris Lightfellow, of the Zexen Federation." A pause. "IS 475, to be precise."

If she hasn't already put the Nash connection together, giving the year should be the clincher. Maybe that will help, maybe it won't. She gestures to an empty seat.

"I ask again. May I join you?" She's not armed, visibly at least. There's no sword hanging at her side.

The Lightfellow family name meant nothing to the gunner. However she had heard of the Zexen Federation. The date was something she certainly took note of as it was the same year that Nash spoke of. There was no doubt now that it was where the information regarding who she was had come from. That wasn't to mention the concern Nash had with the Latkje name and why he wanted it squashed.

Giving away none of her thoughts, she watched the gesture towards the seat. If Nash had told this woman about her, it was for a reason. The tightness in the way she had spoken made the gunner wonder if this Chris Lightfellow had had a history with the Guild be it personally or through someone she knew. If that were the case then it could point to her being of a certain standing in society.

All of that though was speculation. Perhaps the way she appeared was merely due to the reputation of the Guild. However, she doubted Nash would have made mention of that connection to this woman without reason.

If nothing else... She was midly curious to why she was being approached. Which was why she offered Chris a small easy smile. "You may."

"Thank you." Chris slides into a chair, opposite from Elza. She regards the Gunner for a moment, before sighing. "...I apologize." She says finally. "My family has a history with the Howling Voice Guild." Elza doesn't need the specifics, she likely doesn't care, but Chris does owe her an explanation of her change in mood. "I understand you haven't been affiliated with the organization yourself for some time, but I'm afraid the scars run deep. I'm trying to work past it."

That explanation given, she settles into the reason she's sought Elza out. "As to why I'm here, I'm looking to put together a small group of highly-skilled individuals to track and capture an exceptionally dangerous target. He's here, in Camelot. Whatever my feelings regarding your former employers, I have a feeling your skill set would be remarkably useful in this endeavour, and so I would like to recruit you for the mission. And you come highly recommended." No guessing who might have done that.

The politeness was wasted on Elza, not that she'd ever say that. She listened to the excuse, and what was predicted came true - Elza didn't care about any grievances this woman held towards the Guild. It just wasn't in her to care.

She took a moment to mull over the job request though. She wasn't as blinded as Clive when it came to jumping into bed with those who asked. Elza had lost interest in working for others regardless of desperation after her past with the Guild elders. She would, however, consider doing favours for certain people if the need arised.

"Whether you work through them or not isn't my problem. What would be my problem is if I allow you to hire my skills and I cannot trust that your personal inclinations towards my kind aren't kept in check," Elza simply stated in return.

Regarding the other woman assessingly, Elza asked, "So can I trust you, Miss Zexen Federation?"

"I'm a professional." Chris replies, lacing her fingers together. Right, down to brass tacks then. "I wouldn't be here looking to recruit you if I thought myself incapable of working with you. You have skills I believe will be beneficial to the task at hand, and you come recommended by someone who's opinion I trust. So yes, you can trust me." She worked for the Council after all; compared to them, Elza would not present a major issue.

"Is that a satisfactory answer?"

There was trust then there was trust. She trusted Nash enough not to throw her to the wolves and to have her back and she trusted Clive fully even if she'd abused that trust. They were the only two living people she had trust in. The trust she needed to know was whether, if the time came for less accepted methods, she could trust her not to interfere. So she regarded the other woman closely while she considered her choice.

Elza didn't care if her silence while she mulled over the offer unnerved or annoyed the other woman. She owed her nothing after all. Could she trust this Lightfellow? Elza though didn't have a definitive answer. In her usual situations, the gunner would have walked away and she was tempted to as well. However their mutual friend gave Elza pause. Nash had never been a foolish man when she had known him and she doubted that had changed over the years.

"It will do," Elza began before she offered Chris a charming smile. "But my services don't come for free."

She didn't want money, but if this woman was serious then she would show it.

The silence doesn't bother Chris, as it's clear Elza is giving her words serious thought. She waits patiently, though her gaze doesn't leave the gunner until she speaks again.

Payment. This was to be expected, so she merely nods. "I'm sure they don't." She replies, reaching down into a pocket and pulling out a folded piece of paper. "I have money tucked away from other ventures since I arrived. This is what I can offer you." She slides the paper towards Elza, and waits while she reads it. It's a respectable amount; not likely what an old Howling Voice contract might have paid, but Chris was clearly a woman of means.

"Half to be paid now, the rest once Yuber is in custody. Is that acceptable?"

Elza glanced down at the piece of paper as it slid across the table towards her. Reaching out to take it, the gunner slipped it into the palm of her hand but showed no signs of reading it. Any amount would do as she was certain this woman would know the consequences of breaking their deal. However Elza's gesture of taking the paper was her silent affirmation that she had accepted the offer.

"I'm assuming you'll have to get back to me with what services you'd like to call on," Elza said with an easy smile. Although... Elza wasn't always the easiest person to find or get into contact with. "Unless, of course, you already know what task you wish to ask of me?"

Chris watches Elza take the paper and tuck it away without even looking at it. So, it wasn't about the money itself then. The implications of taking Elza on as part of this venture aren't lost on her either, as are the consequences of trying to cross her. Not that Chris intends to do so; she looks after her people and with the acceptance of the paper, Elza is now "her people", even if they don't particularly get along on a personal level. The professional is what matters here.

Her eyes flick back up when Elza asks about orders. "You're right, I do." She says. "I want you to start running down leads on our quarry himself." Elza's an unknown quality; Yuber doesn't know her, would be less likely to see her coming. And the Howling Voice knows how to train its operatives not to be seen coming, a further boon in her favour. "You know how to move in the underworld, so I want you to use that. Our target's name is Yuber. He's tall, blonde hair worn in a braid. Red eyes, dresses in black. Favours dual blades, long and thin ones. He moves in the shadows, but so do a lot of other unsavoury characters. Someone's seen something. Get me anything we can use to narrow down his hunting grounds, or where he goes to roost, and we can proceed from there."

Chris pushes back her chair and starts to rise, since their business is concluded for the most part, and Elza's feelings aren't going to be hurt. She reaches for her belt as she does so, and unhooks a small pouch, tossing it onto the table. The clink of coins inside can be heard. "As promised, half now. I'll be waiting to hear from you."

Elza mulled over the information supplied to her with professional care. It didn't seem to be anything too troublesome which was a bonus. However the detail of the individual in question did spark the memory of a man she had met near those boulders. He seemed to fit the description sans the weapons this woman spoke of. She wasn't going to jump to conclusion though. That just made for sloppy work.

Inwardly filing away the information, she watched impassively as her companion moved to stand up. Chris was correct in her assumption that Elza wouldn't be fussed by her gesture. The sound of the potch purse clanking against the table went ignored while she reached up to casually brush the blonde hair from her eye.

"Very well," was all Elza offered in return.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(no subject)

Closed to Chris

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject