Building up a County [Job/Solo] Pt. 1

Job Name: Building up a Country Pt1
Job Rank:D
Job Location:Balbadd
Job Reward: 3,000 Huang, 50 Exp
Job Prerequisites:None
Job Overview: Things are taking a turn for the worst in the country, it can't be taken sitting down any longer. Life in Balbadd for a law-abiding citizen means working twice as hard because half of what you have will be stolen. Take a stand against crime, and talk with the local lawmakers about getting help.

Sirius proceeded to walk through the streets of Balbadd gaining attention from strangers as he usually did. Something about a Fanalis not in chains blows the people's minds. As he entered the marketplace, in hopes of finding some food, his stomach began to growl in intemperance. He had nought to eat since his long boat trip, and it was becoming bothersome. He was extremely hungry. Passing by many stalls, he found one selling practical and small foodstuffs, something to tide him over until he made his way to the casino. He walked over and looked at the stall, finding some fresh pork  and rice.

"Hey, how much for those?" he asked, pointing at the fried pork loins.

The old stall owner turned towards him with a smile on his face. "100" he answered.

Sirius leaned back and sighed. Things have not changed much in Balbadd since he last visited. Food was still an issue with money. "Pretty expensive stuff," he commented.

"Well, I only serve the best," replied the stall owner.

Sirius considered whether to take and run, or just lay low. He had caused a bit of a ruckus the last time he visited in the casino after confronting a slave trader he had been tracking. This time he wanted to have fun so he did not want to start trouble before he had a chance at redemption.

"Hey, farmboy!" roared a voice from down the street, catching Sirius's attention from his thoughts. A group of men stood in the middle of the street, blocking the path for a young man carrying a large crate upon his back. They carried long sticks and wore loose toga's, flaunting their attire as they stood before the young boy. The man stopped in his trek back home, looking up at the men that forced him to stay.

"Why not hand over all of that?" persuaded the ringleader, tapping his club upon his shoulder. "I'm sure that's too much to carry for someone like you."

The boy merely smiled. "I'm fine with everything," he replied, trying to avoid unnecessary conflict.

"You sure?" asked another man, his face thinner than the leader's and almost resembling a fox. "We could take it off your shoulders."

The boy once again smiled and shook his head. "It's okay."

The crowds began to walk slowly by them, watching the antagonistic atmosphere that was brewing about them. The stall owner sighed, watching the scene unfold before everyone in the street. Sirius looked towards the stall owner, curious.

"What?" he asked assumingly.

The old stall owner turned towards him, his face weary and full of concern and disgust all at once. "Those men always pick on that fellow," he replied. "It's like he's got a target written on his head."

Things never change, thought Sirius, looking back at the scene, finding the men now crowding around the young boy. He noticed two others within the group as they did a stout short man and one with handsome features on his face. Along with the ringleader and the fox, they were still in their persuasive mood all the while being rejected at the same time. No trouble had brewed yet, but the tension between them was thickening at a fast rate.

"You know him?" asked Sirius, curious about the stall owner's personal attention to the boy.

"I serve him everyday. In fact, he was just here a while ago," he replied, fulfilling Sirius's queries. "He's a nice young fellow trying to make ends meet. My shop's the only one he goes to. The criminal activity has gotten out of control to the point and  our officials seem to turn a blind eye to everything as though it's of no concern."

Before Sirius was able to say another word, a crash resonated in the streets. The ringleader had grabbed the boy by the collar, carrying him off the ground with his cargo upon his back. With their faces so close to each other, the ringleader ran out of patience with the persuading.

"Hand them over!" he yelled at the boy, almost breathing down his neck. "We're starving!"

The boy looked back at him with no complies. He merely allowed himself to be handled this way. The pretty one of the group walked beside the ringleader, staring up at the servant with his striking eyes.

"It's only some rice and bread," he commented in a persuasive tone that matched the fox. "Nothing of value."

The boy did not reply.

"We could change your mind the hard way," threatened the stout man, tapping his stick on his hands. The looks in his eyes were almost murderous as he smiled all the while he stood below the group.

The boy looked back at the ringleader, finding his face red with anger and impatience. "I've gotten enough of that last week," he finally replied.

"No jokes!" threatened the ringleader, throwing the boy on the ground. "Hand them over now!" He raised his stick and immediately swung it towards the boy aiming for his head, his patience now wearing thin from the confrontation.

The crowd gasped as he attacked the young boy. Luckily, the boy was attempting to stand from the fall, warranting a whack to the box he was carrying behind him, and thus protecting himself. The others joined in the fight, swinging their clubs towards the boy, hitting his legs and his arms as he protected his body from harm's way. Eventually, the force of four men was too strong that they cracked the wooden box on his back, spilling out the contents of his foodstuffs. Water ran onto the street as well as now spoiled rice and bread. The boy lay on the floor, still trying to protect himself. Welts and bruises were appearing on his arms and tears were streaming down his face. The people of the marketplace stopped still in the streets, watching the beating that was occurring before them. None thought of intervening, thinking better that they themselves did not get involved in such brutality.

The men still continued to hit the boy, finding the activity addictive. The stout man laughed almost sadistically.

"Come on! Show a little backbone!" he questioned now kicking the boy in the ribs as the others continued to whack him with their clubs.

The boy held his ground, coiling in a fetal position to prevent serious injury. He knew there were days like this. He still had bruises from the last encounter a week ago and the cuts on his right leg were still healing. Despite many others from the his household wanting to keep him indoors and change job responsibilities of the house, he would decline and continue to buy products from the marketplace. He never wanted others to feel this pain.

Suddenly, the beating stopped. The boy slowly opened his eyes and found a pair of feet before him standing before the group of men who assaulted him. He looked up, finding a tall red haired figure in front of him. Sirius stood before the group of men, grabbing the ringleader's club in his left hand with ease. The ringleader stared at Sirius with angry eyes, trying to take his club back from him.

"Why don't you pick on someone who can fight back," he spoke, throwing the ringleader off of his footing with a push of his club. Sirius rubbed the nape of his neck nonchalantly and looked back at the group before him with a smirk on his face. "Not that you weaklings could match up."

"What was that?" asked the fox, poking fun and aggravating the ringleader even more.

The ringleader, outraged by such interference, pointed his club towards Sirius. "Get him!" he yelled, ordering the others to run towards Sirius.

The three ran towards Sirius, readying their clubs in attack formation. They swung them over their heads and struck Sirius atop his head. The crowds around them gasped in horror, fearing the worst outcome. The boy himself cringed to avoid seeing the inevitable. Three whacks were heard, but no sound of pain emitted from Sirius The boy looked up at his saviour, finding him grabbing the three clubs with his hands. The men, like their ringleader, tried to retrieve their clubs from him, but to no avail were they able to do so.

"Why would I even bother?" murmured Sirius, prompting to crush the men's weapons with his hands. The sticks splintered and soon broke under his force, leaving the men bewildered and with no weapons in hand.They looked at the Fanalis now with fear in their eyes.

"Run!" cried the stout man, turning tail first, followed by the pretty one and the fox. All three ran past their leader, leaving him behind alone with Sirius. Panicked, he dropped his club and ran after his men, screaming to high heaven at them for leaving him.

Sirius sighed. He hated people like that, picking on the little guy and feeling good about it. Things truly have not changed in Balbadd in his opinion. "Hey," he called, turning towards the servant who sat up from his fetal position. "You okay?"

The boy looked at his hands and arms now red and stinging with bruises and welts. He looked up at Sirius and nodded. "Y-yeah," he replied weakly. "Thanks for that."

"Ah, it was nothing," replied Sirius nonchalantly, opening a hand towards the boy. "They really should do something about the crime here..."

The boy reached out for it, grabbing his large hand and pulling himself up from the dirt floor. Now wet on his backside due to the incident, he looked up at his saviour and studied his face, realising that he was no ordinary man. A Fanalis. Sirius looked back at the broken box behind the servant, finding the flies now circling the spoiled food on the floor.

"What about that?" he asked, pointing at the contents.

The boy turned towards the contents and sighed, rubbing the nape of his neck in defeat. "I'm sure my boss is able to forgive me for this," he answered, turning again towards Sirius. "She usually is a friendly sort when these things happen."

Sirius's curiosity perked. The stall owner previously mentioned a how no one had been trying to make a stand against all the chaos before the situation broke out. "The Crown" he asked looking at the young man before him. "Where is it?"

The boy laughed at such a question, warranting a strange look from Sirius. "It's that way" he pointed northeast through the crowd

Shrugging, Sirius walked away from the boy, heading for the stall he was previously at. The stall owner then handed him a pork loin, of which Sirius immediately bit into as soon as he had it.

"Thanks," gratified Sirius, walking away from the stall as he did. He really wanted to go out go out for fun, but as fate would have it...his gut was telling him he needed to try helping these people. Something wasn't right. "I'll go see what I can do...maybe the words from an outsider will break through."

Soon after that, Sirius stood before a channel of Balbadd officials. Each of them seasoned with utter looks of disinterest as he went on to explain the people's misfortunes due to this increase in criminal activity and what it will likely lead to if they don't shape up.

"I'm telling you, before you know it even the citizens following your laws will eventually turn to crime themselves and fuel the fire even more!" He shouted as they looked on, glancing between each other in silence.

"We'll take your words into consideration. Good day." The head official wearing a black toga's said in a slightly supercilious tone when addressing Sirius. He was a large, raw boned man. His lined face was lean, as muscular as his body, dominated by deep jade green eyes behind a high forehead.

"But--!" Sirius started again

"I said good day" and with that, they all departed the panel and left Sirius standing in the room alone.

Teeth and fist clenched as he watched all those old buzzards disregard him and exit the room. Was this some sort of joke? Surly they were old enough to see and hear logic. "Something's never change." He muttered and made exit. Balbadd had been on the ups and downs for as long as he could remember, but now as wanderer, free to get involved in whatever he wanted, he decided to take a personal interest in getting to the bottom of the corruption.

WC: 2091