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The Huang Place To Be Pt. II [Job/Solo]

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Vardreth

Vardreth
Ω-Tier
Ω-Tier

There were few moments in time when Garret had free reign to go to the capital, Remano. It's various merchants and restaurants, and the thought of dining within them, made his mouth water. Garret was sitting at his desk, doing paperwork and figuring in schedules for focus meetings on various issues that had cropped up. It was getting close to noon, and almost time for lunch. Garret paused from his work momentarily and leaned back, looking up to the ceiling of his room.

His musings lasted only for a moment as he went back to work in order to hammer out the last details necessary for the current bit he was reading on. As he just finished his morning paperwork one of the butler staff had come into Garret's office after having knocked. Lunch came with it, which was a fairly simple meal that he had ate several times in the past month already. It would be remiss of him to divert extra funds to the quality of food he was able to enjoy, not to mention corrupt. The butler also handed him a letter.

The letter was from Serene. He had recently heard that she had stepped away from the slavery business once and for all, which surprised Garret. There was a story behind that, most definitely, and Garret wondered what the letter could possibly contain. He finished his meal quickly, after which he opened the letter in order to view its contents. He read over the letter a few times, confused. It looked like he was going to have to meet Serene in person.

Garret didn't really feel he had the time for it, but when he saw that the meeting place was to be The Huang Place To Be, and that the meal would be on her, Garret's desire for well-seasoned food stirred. He didn't consider himself a man of vice by any means, but it had been a while since he could enjoy a good meal. He began to rationalize the visit as a necessary business trip to reassess the business relationship the Kou operatives had with the ex-slaver and determine what to do with that relationship from there.

OOC:

363/1500


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Vardreth

Vardreth
Ω-Tier
Ω-Tier

Garret called in Acius, to discuss with him that he would be out the next day. "Acius, I need to check in on some of our resources in Remano. I'll be out from early morning tomorrow for about three days time. Draw out enough from the coffers for an Inn and meals for three days." Garret would travel over there, meet up with Serene on the first day, and spend the second day in leisure. His third day he planned to speak with Azix about the general state of affairs in Remano, and what information he knew.

"The usual fill-in work for you while you're out, then?" Acius had a glint of amusement in his eyes. He knew that Garret was a field agent first and foremost, and understood that whatever Garret was really going out there for wouldn't take the entire three days time to perform. There was definitely something else going on there.

Garret nodded his affirmation, and dismissed Acius. He finished his evening paperwork after working out in the courtyard with Fusao and improving his Judo techniques. He was antsy, and ready for the next day to come so he could make his way to Remano and enjoy a few days. It was something to look forward to.

When the time came, Garret left early in the morning after his usual routine of jogging and bathing, picking up the funds and making sure to bring his equipment as well when he left. He made good time on horseback, using a secret courier system that had been set up in order to relieve tired mounts and run straight to the city, arriving to Remano just before evening. He made his way to Serene's office, going through the normal security measures. He was showed in shortly, however, and was able to see Serene nearly immediately.


OOC:

363+306 = 669/1500


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Vardreth

Vardreth
Ω-Tier
Ω-Tier

As Garret walked past the reception desk, his gaze lingered on one of the employees working there, who pointedly ignored him. There was a scar on her left arm that she covered as he walked by. Garret's inner self was at conflict, though he fought to continue to move towards Serene's office. He had permanently scarred the woman while he desperately searched for implications that Li Cao was a traitor shortly before he was sent to prison. Various thoughts and feelings passed through him at the same time; I should have killed her and hid the body... A twinge of regret, at having left a loose end. I couldn't end her life now. That would leave a bad taste. A twinge of guilt at the thought of finishing her off. Partially because she had provided the information to him that he had asked for, and partially because of his recollection of the torture he was on the receiving end of. A stubbornness ran through Garret. He would not apologize. Her work from that time in her life was a dangerous line of work. They both did what had to be done.

Garret stepped through the door into Serene's office. The woman seemed a lot less worried and concerned than he expected her to be. She motioned for Garret to take a seat, which he did. It was nice to relax once in a while. Serene asked the first question. "So, how was your trip here?"


Garret looked around the office, noting slight changes here and there. "It was a rough ride out, but I made good time." He held back on asking her about her business at first, instead holding back his curiosity. "I see you have some new staff..." There were more people there than last time, and many of them looked quite lively.

OOC:

669+309 = 978/1500


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Vardreth

Vardreth
Ω-Tier
Ω-Tier

Serene nodded. "They used to be slaves. Now I have them working for me, instead. They owe me quite a bit, as they have each sold themselves into slavery to pay bills for their families. But now, well, I'll save that for later." She had a distant look on her face as she stared off, before shaking it away. "You know, Jessica is quite self-conscious of that scar..."

Garret stared at her blankly, not quite understanding who she was talking about for a moment before realizing she meant the informant. Garret's face tinged a color before he brought himself under control. "..." He had no comment in regards to what she had said.

Serene, noting that he was going to be stubborn about it, simply shrugged. "Well, if you don't want to say anything, that's up to you. I believe we have an appointment at my restaurant, though?" She arched an eyebrow at Garret, who was still preoccupied with thoughts of the woman 'Kirine', or 'Jessica' as she was called now. Tapping her fingers on her desk, she paused and leaned back in her chair.

The mention of the restaurant pulled Garret from his thoughts, and he smiled weakly. "I've been to the location to the north. I'm looking forward to taste of the food here." Serene was wearing rather sharp business-like attire, and the two of them made their way to The Huang Place To Be while talking about various things. Garret learned that she had suffered a large loss in the Heliohapt slave auctions. It turned out there was a huge disaster there, and many slaves were lost, killed or stolen. Then there was also the advent of the demonic child that had killed off quite a lot of individuals. There was quite a bit of news about Heliohapt that Garret wasn't particularly interested in, but that he had listened to and even provided probing questions about various things on occasion.


OOC:
978+322 = 1300/1500


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Vardreth

Vardreth
Ω-Tier
Ω-Tier

The two of them sat down as she explained how the slaver business was high reward, but the risk was too high as well and she was pulling out of the business, moving her assets to a more traditional means of merchanting. As they were half way through their lunch, Garret's mood was at its peak. He was enjoying quite a meal, and it lost nothing to the other location north of Remano on the other side of the mountains. The staff were friendly, though he supposed that could just be because the owner had come. He sat back in his chair and relaxed, closing his eyes. He felt great, and the food was great.

Serene laughed at the state Garret was in. Garret opened his eyes to look at her, about to say something, when he caught an individual approaching Serene from behind. Before he had a chance to say anything, the man had already made his move. The look on Garret's face, however, did cause Serene enough concern to glance over her should just in time to see a man's chains wrap around her. "Good job, Mo! Used the ol' Chainer on her!"

Two men came up from behind the first. The man, Mo, snickered. "See that, Bo? Jo? We'll show her slaver justice. You don't go around breaking the pact." Mo paused, looking past Serene and at Garret, who slowly stood up from his place. They were ruining his lunch, and attacking Serene. They were ruining his lunch.

"You're ruining my lunch." Garret jumped to the table-top and burst forward towards Mo through the use of River Styx Style: Raging Current and landing a knee to the man's face, smashing his nose and breaking it. Mo passed out as Garret continued onward towards the man named 'Bo'. As his right fist came flying forward, Bo brought his head downward performing a Headbutt and causing Garret's fist to move outward and away.

"Now you've gone an' done it, kid. You'll sell for a lot, I think." The man revealed his own right handed punch, equipped with a little something extra. "A gift of dreams, little hero." The Brass Knuckle Punch came to Garret at a decent speed, but Garret did not hesitate with his River Styx Style: Tranquil Parry. His left hand made a motion from left to right, palm pushing the punch out of Garret's way and deflecting the blow even as he cocked his right arm back into 'hiki'. Garret followed up with a River Styx Style: Tranquil Strike, which was performed in the form of another palm strike that came from below. Garret's right hand palm struck the man square in the chin, dropping him down.

All that was left was the man named 'Jo.' Garret turned to him. "So, you took down Bo and Mo, eh? My swordsmanship won't be so kind." The man pulled out a blade and began attacking Garret with a Blade Storm. It began with a strike to his feet, which Garret dodged with his River Styx Style: Water Falls in Reverse, jumping straight up into the air. As he began falling down, he noted he had made a mistake. The man stepped back and prepared for Garret's landing, sending out three more strikes which hit his Borg. Eyes widening, Jo cursed. "A filthy magician, eh?" He turned, as if to make a break for it, but Garret was not about to allow that to happen. He quickly shot his hands out, performing River Styx Style: Sealing the Magoi Meridians. It was a technique he hadn't used in some time, but he was able to strike down a leg and the arm the man was using to hold his sword.

"Smart. A magician would be beyond your skill level to deal with. Too bad you targeted my lunch partner. I won't be letting you off easy." Garret lifted his right hand as magoi began to focus around it. Jo had fallen to the ground, his blade sliding outwards and away from him. Garret's face took on the look of a man desensitized to killing, as if it were an everyday thing to him. That blank, uncaring look sent a shiver of fear through Jo.

As Garret's hand came shooting down with a great force from River Styx Style: Ikken Hissatsu: Deep Sea Harpoon, he heard his name shouted out behind him from Serene. "GARRET!" his hand shifted, piercing the man's left shoulder. Jo screamed out in a terrible amount of pain, passing out.

Serene flinched when she saw the look on Garret's face when he turned to her as she called out his name. He pulled his hand from the deep wound in the man's shoulder, absently noting that he had missed the heart when turning to see why Serene had called out to him. He saw that she seemed frightened, not knowing that it was him that had scared her. He became concerned, which changed the look on his face, and approached Serene.

OOC:

1300+857 = 2157/1500 Word Count
150/300 Magoi/Stamina

Abilities Used:


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Vardreth

Vardreth
Ω-Tier
Ω-Tier

Garret brought his hand up, and Serene flinched as he thrust it forward from behind her and severing the Chainer with a sustained River Styx Style: Ikken Hissatsu: Deep Sea Harpoon. When she was freed, she rubbed her arms were the chains had dug into her skin. Garret raised his eyebrow. "A little jumpy?"

She looked at him, sighing and regaining her composure. "You looked ready to kill him. What kind of..." She stopped mid sentence. Her intent was to ask him what kind of life he lead, as she was concerned with his uncaring attitude for life. But the look of confusion on Garret's face stopped her. She recalled her days as a slaver, and how she was willing to stoop fairly low to meet her goals. What, and how much, was this man shouldering? She didn't believe he would truly open up to her. And she realized that she would not strong enough to shoulder those burdens alongside him. Sitting back in her chair, she threw her head back and began laughing. At her own silliness. At her luck. At her belief that she could eventually win Garret over. As she laughed tears began to fall from her eyes.

Garret wasn't sure what to make of it. "What's so funny? You were in a pretty bad spot there." By now, there were guards that came by, and Serene explained to them her position as the owner of the store, and that these individuals were attempting to mug her to take her money. She introduced Garret as her bodyguard. The guards took the men away, and she looked back to Garret.

"Your favors have been paid back in full, it seems, but your lunch has taken a... Fall." She pointed to where he was sitting before. During the scuffle after he had used the table to run at them, the force had caused the tablecloth to fall to the ground and pull his lunch down with it. Using the joke as obfuscation, she began to pull her feelings back together. She knew there would be a right one out there somewhere, and was simply grateful for Garret to have given her an opportunity to right her past wrongs.

Garret laughed as well. "That's fine." He dismissed it fairly easily. "I can always have lunch another time. Will your business be okay with this issue, though?" He was concerned. The Huang Place To Be should never be the wrong place to be.

Serene shook her head. "We should be fine." At this she looked at the staff working hard to calm other customers who were frightened, as well as take care of all the broken plates and tableware. She looked back to Garret, her face going red. "You know, I do have one last favor." She looked away from Garret's face, unsure and afraid of how he would react. "I've always liked you, since you had saved my employees and myself all that time ago."


Garret looked at her, his face had become serious. He did not stop her, and she continued. "I was... Hoping you would do one last favor and... Have a dinner date with me. As a couple would." She was incredibly embarrassed, which was strange for her. Normally she would have no problem trying to get Garret to fall for her, but something about the finality and seriousness of her request made it difficult for her to speak to him straight.

Garret continued to stare at her, and nodded slowly. He knew from the beginning that she had wanted to be with him. He was no fool, and she had come onto him fairly strong on several occasions. He also knew it was not meant to be. She was certainly intelligent and attractive, but she was missing something about her. Something that would be necessary for any whom he would court. "It would be a pleasure, and my honor, to accompany you." There was an unspoken agreement between the two that this would be a one-time thing.

[exit]

OOC:

2157+675 = 2832/1500
130/300 Magoi/Stamina

Abilities Used:


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