A New Family?

Posted on Sat Apr 22nd, 2023 @ 4:53pm by Regular Asa Nox & Team Leader Arani Ravenlocke

Mission: Welcome To The Jungle
Location: Hide Out

It had been a while wandering on the streets until she found the Help Wanted poster. Asa had almost not read it, but something stopped her. The spirits maybe? She didn't know. The poster was rolled up in her haversack right now though as she plodded slowly towards the location. Her steps methodical, a steady cadance. She kept her arms crossed in front of her, hands through the other sleeve, underneath the wrap around cape of the great coat she wore. The hood sank down to the rims of her sunglasses, almost out of place for with the dipping evening sun.

She turned the last corner and found the address, slowing her pace to a crawl. Her ears swivelled, tail twitched. Nothing. Didn't seem a trap. She picked the pace back up again getting to the door. She separated her arms and banged twice on the door.

Arani got up from her desk, having been looking over news on her notebook laptop, grabbing her pistol - a well cared for 9mm that had been popular up until the 80s - and headed for the door, cracking it just open enough while keeping the gun out of view.

"Yes?"

Asa stood still for a moment, looking directly at Arani. Her head tilted slightly. “Help wanted?” She asked carefully, an ear twitching. She unsheathed her paws from the opposing sleeve to show empty hands.

Arani took a moment to size the figure up before discretely tucking the pistol into the holster at the small of her back before opening up and gesturing to the repurposed waiting room of the garage, "Come on in. Sorry about the mess, the relator was a bit vague on a few things over the internet."

Asa nodded, following her host inside the door.

She closed the door behind them but made sure not to lock it. She grabbed two of the well since well worn waiting room chairs that were the least bad and set them down, "I'd offer a drink but I haven't gone to the store yet."

"I'm Arani. Arani Ravenlocke. You?" She said, sitting down in one of the chairs and offering the other two her guest.

"Asa Nox, former Monk of Monestary of Grace’s Elysian," She replied after picking a chair and gently sitting down. Each movement obviously intentional, slow, and steady. "Your poster was," She paused to think of a proper word, "vague."

"Deliberately but it's supposed to attract a specific sort because of that." Arani explained, "This is for a team of troubleshooters. We take work as it comes, so long as it's not contributing to the misery of this city, pay is split among the team, plus anything we happen to...ah...liberate from those who no longer need it."

"Due to certain loopholes in city legislature, it is technically legal. The result of the city giving away law and order to the lowest bidder." Arani commented with a snort.

"Long story short, I've been a mercenary since the late 80s. But unlike the thugs in movies or the news, I've kept the belief you don't need to sell your soul for a paycheck." Arani gestured to Asa, "So. How about you?"

Asa sat that for a moment, a blank yet pleasant face mulling the statement. "I am a child of the city's misery. Given a second chance by the Monestary of Grace's Elysian." She paused a moment, almost a reverence of a now ghost. "A nook in a wall of the underground. We helped those less fortunate." She paused again, choosing her words carefully. "It is physically not with us anymore. Wells, spirits, demons, what you may call them."

The Catian sat silent for a moment. "I am a healer, the world spirit has blessed me with this skill. I prefer answers other than force, but understand its need." She looked briefly at her paws, turning them over once before looking up again. "How many do you have on this troubleshooting team?"

Arani nodded, "I've seen similar orders around the world. Too few and many are fading fast."

She paused, then chuckled at the question, "Well. Right now, two. Possibly three. But as they say - we're a startup. We have room to grow."

"I've my own reasons for being here as well, but I know a warzone when I see one. This one just happens to be in a gilded cage." Arani explained, "So no UN or NATO peacekeeping mission is coming. And given your previous statements, I'm in need of someone who knows these streets and knows how to interact with those who reside here."

"At the end of the day, I'm an outsider. And not just because of my French passport." She chuckled.

Asa smiled slightly, though the pleasantry of the face didn't shift. "Why do you set up shop here if you are an outsider?"

"As I said, there are some personal reasons I've chosen to come here. But a wise man once told me that ignoring what's going on is how we get so much injustice in the world. I won't contribute to misery by inaction." Arani replied.

Asa closed her eyes for a moment, her face draining of the pleasantry to a neutral state. The silence drifted about for a moment before she opened her eyes again. "I believe you. I will join you for as long as our interests align," she replied.

"That's fair. And thank you." She offered her hand.

Asa took her hand in her paw, the firm clasp a signature on a contract.