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...
[He smirks a little, but it seems almost bittersweet.]
Sometimes, you just have to be who you have to be to survive.
[He smirks a little, but it seems almost bittersweet.]
Sometimes, you just have to be who you have to be to survive.
Exactly right. You have to adapt, no matter what.
[A grin.]
But of course. Isn't this a wilderness, of a kind?
But of course. Isn't this a wilderness, of a kind?
Do you really think so? Murders, locations, magic, trials, and much much more. Just because it looks civilized doesn't mean its not wild.
We just have to adapt, as best as we can. Some have done that better than others.
[Some have adapted well where others have floundered. Rufus straightens to answer when a bubble pops against Hansa's shoulder from behind.
In a dimly lit room, Rufus stands in front of a desk that separates him from a smiling man.
"Hey, Rufus. You were excellent last time."
Rufus' face crinkles in visible displeasure.
"What nerve. I wasn't expecting you to bring that up. Was it not a big case? You lied about the reward."
The man's smile stretches into a grin as he replies, "I didn't lie. People make mistakes. I just received a small fee for referring you."
"Don't you think the reward and fee changed?"
"Yes!" answers the man, gleefully. "That's what you didn't learn from Tristan. You have to check the contract carefully! Be careful next time, because there are bad folks out there who exploit others. Think of it as a lesson fee."
Visibly frustrated, Rufus turns his back to the man and mutters, "I suppose that was naive of me. Let's see if you can get away with it next time."
In a similar room at another time, a woman and her companion corner Rufus.
“Hey, kid!” shouts the woman. “Don’t you know who we are? How could you do that?”
Rufus turns to them with a frown.
“What was that? All I hear is the howling of beaten dogs. I won a fair competition.”
“I don’t know if the process was fair,” says the man. “You tailed us.”
“Do you have evidence? If you’re saying that you let me be when you knew I was following you, then you intentionally yielded the prize to me. All I did was accept your kindness.”
“That’s because we didn’t think you would backstab us! Who would’ve thought Legis’ son would turn out this way?” huffs the woman in disbelief.
Rufus’ frown deepens.
“You don’t have keen eyes; that’s why you followed someone like him,” he says. “Allow me to advise: don’t expect anything. You feel betrayed, because you had expectations. I abandoned my expectations of you long ago, and that was for the best.”
The man pauses when realization dawns.
“Do you . . . resent us?” he asks. “Because we left with your father and weren’t there when Melanie collapsed?”
The silence that falls between all three of them is deafening. Uncharacteristically, Rufus breaks it first.
“Did you not hear what I just said?” He glowers at the duo. “That’s when you have expectations. I refuse to involve myself with irresponsible people like you.
“I am aware that the bounties on you two are still active. Please leave now.”]
In a dimly lit room, Rufus stands in front of a desk that separates him from a smiling man.
"Hey, Rufus. You were excellent last time."
Rufus' face crinkles in visible displeasure.
"What nerve. I wasn't expecting you to bring that up. Was it not a big case? You lied about the reward."
The man's smile stretches into a grin as he replies, "I didn't lie. People make mistakes. I just received a small fee for referring you."
"Don't you think the reward and fee changed?"
"Yes!" answers the man, gleefully. "That's what you didn't learn from Tristan. You have to check the contract carefully! Be careful next time, because there are bad folks out there who exploit others. Think of it as a lesson fee."
Visibly frustrated, Rufus turns his back to the man and mutters, "I suppose that was naive of me. Let's see if you can get away with it next time."
In a similar room at another time, a woman and her companion corner Rufus.
“Hey, kid!” shouts the woman. “Don’t you know who we are? How could you do that?”
Rufus turns to them with a frown.
“What was that? All I hear is the howling of beaten dogs. I won a fair competition.”
“I don’t know if the process was fair,” says the man. “You tailed us.”
“Do you have evidence? If you’re saying that you let me be when you knew I was following you, then you intentionally yielded the prize to me. All I did was accept your kindness.”
“That’s because we didn’t think you would backstab us! Who would’ve thought Legis’ son would turn out this way?” huffs the woman in disbelief.
Rufus’ frown deepens.
“You don’t have keen eyes; that’s why you followed someone like him,” he says. “Allow me to advise: don’t expect anything. You feel betrayed, because you had expectations. I abandoned my expectations of you long ago, and that was for the best.”
The man pauses when realization dawns.
“Do you . . . resent us?” he asks. “Because we left with your father and weren’t there when Melanie collapsed?”
The silence that falls between all three of them is deafening. Uncharacteristically, Rufus breaks it first.
“Did you not hear what I just said?” He glowers at the duo. “That’s when you have expectations. I refuse to involve myself with irresponsible people like you.
“I am aware that the bounties on you two are still active. Please leave now.”]
...
[He doesn't know what to make of it, at first. Its a dispute of sorts, but...this is personal. Between him and the man,between him and the pair.]
["We left with your father and weren't there when Melanie collapsed?"]
[He stares at Rufus for a moment.]
...That man. In the beginning. Is he the one you want to have your revenge against?
[He doesn't know what to make of it, at first. Its a dispute of sorts, but...this is personal. Between him and the man,between him and the pair.]
["We left with your father and weren't there when Melanie collapsed?"]
[He stares at Rufus for a moment.]
...That man. In the beginning. Is he the one you want to have your revenge against?
...And what happened to him? Did you take care of him?
[It's noon.
They never coordinated a location to meet, so Rufus sits in the lobby of the inn. It's less private than his assigned room and not nearly as public as wandering outside. The miniature wolf accompanying him for the week sits next to him while he seemingly waits with the PHS in his hands.]
They never coordinated a location to meet, so Rufus sits in the lobby of the inn. It's less private than his assigned room and not nearly as public as wandering outside. The miniature wolf accompanying him for the week sits next to him while he seemingly waits with the PHS in his hands.]
And here's the man of the hour himself.
[And here Hansa comes up, with a pretty sizable paper bag, and a wolf of his own trotting at his heels, though this one has an eyepatch like him. He offers the bag.]
[If Rufus should take it, he should find:
- a heated can of drinkable tomato soup
- a peanut and butter jelly sandwich
- a bottle of some kind of soda
- an apple
- a twinkie-equivalent pastry]
Hope its to your liking.
[And here Hansa comes up, with a pretty sizable paper bag, and a wolf of his own trotting at his heels, though this one has an eyepatch like him. He offers the bag.]
[If Rufus should take it, he should find:
- a heated can of drinkable tomato soup
- a peanut and butter jelly sandwich
- a bottle of some kind of soda
- an apple
- a twinkie-equivalent pastry]
Hope its to your liking.
I don't know, I think its the right amount of stuff.
[Hansa's wolf just looks between the two of them, before approaching Rufus' wolf, sniffing at it gently.]
Now you'll be well fed.
[Hansa's wolf just looks between the two of them, before approaching Rufus' wolf, sniffing at it gently.]
Now you'll be well fed.
I don't know. Are you?
[He says, lightly. His wolf gives her tail a single wag.]
[He says, lightly. His wolf gives her tail a single wag.]
That's good. Doing bounty hunting must be hard work. Can't do that on an empty stomach.
[And a pause.]
Do you mind if I sit?
[And a pause.]
Do you mind if I sit?
[He does so, moving to sit right by Rufus. The wolf, in turn, moves to sit right next to Rufus' wolf, again wagging its tail. Hansa lets out a low sigh, leaning back on the couch.]
Hard to believe its been five weeks, huh.
Hard to believe its been five weeks, huh.
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