Completed The Purview of Strangers

[Aren]

Nyka, Celestial Square: 59th of Spring, 513 AV - Noon "This is high way robbery..." Aren couldn't help but think, when the administrator of the Safe Haven Hostel told him the price of accommodations. When he had stayed here yesterday, the akalak had assumed that the only reason anyone would willingly stay in a place like this was because it was extremely cheap, if not free. He had soon learned that this was not, in fact, the case. The issue arose when he discovered that there weren't many options available to visitors. In addition, there may have been some cultural stigma associated with asking to buy a meal, Aren thought. It was odd; he had spent the morning attempting to ascertain the scarcity of food, but everyone he talked to seemed more nervous than the last. Finally, someone was kind of enough to tell him that his best bet was the Hostel, and that "someone like him" was not likely to fill his belly anywhere else in the city. Aren did not fully understand, of course, but what would have been the point of asking around if he was going to ignore the advice of the locals? And so, that is where he currently found himself, waist to face with the serious looking landlord of his future residence. "Single room, two silvers a day. Double room, four. My prices do not change for the likes of you..." the woman, whose name he had learned was Vysia, barked. Eyeing the woman cautiously, Aren seriously doubted "her prices" changed for the likes of anyone. Unfortunately, it seemed that he had no choice but to acquiesce, lest he wanted to sleep on the streets. In truth, he might have been inclined to do just that, but the limited information he had gathered seemed to indicate that this was a bad idea. He wasn't sure why, exactly, but he doubted it would have been wise to ignore the locals in this, either. Accepting these facts, Aren grudgingly dipped into his dishearteningly light purse and out came two gold mizas (ten days worth of rent) after a few moments, adorning his palm. Placing it on the counter of his new overseer, Vysia replied merely by handing him a stale looking loaf of bread, which the Akalak took to mean was his ration for the day. "Fifth room on the right," the rigid looking woman said, almost as an afterthought. Aren acknowledged her with a nod, and was out the door a few moments later. He needed to find some way to make money, or he would soon have no place stay, and no food to eat. Unfortunately, he considered his only two real skills to be fighting, and tolerating foul tasting swill. Doubting that anyone was going pay him to drink, the akalak figured his best bet was to find someone that would pay him to fight, but that notion had it's own problems. Aren didn't consider himself a mercenary or a thug, so he would not be inclined to hurt strangers simply to obtain a little coin. As the akalak wandered the streets of the Celestial Square, his mind attempted to figure out a solution to this perplexing conundrum.

[Rabbit]

Rabbit looked at the strange blue man with curiosity. There were really three reasons he was even paying attention to the obvious warrior. One, he was not from here, and his skin was, of course, an extremelly strange color. Second, the massive scythe that sat on his back was a curious weapon, one that the Pycon wanted to learn more about. Last but not least, he wanted to meet the man to see if he would me decent competition, and what kind of person he would be. Fighting a Pycon was a very strange way of fighting, since they were particularly hard to hit, and attacked back differently too. What Rabbit wanted to know is if this cerulean man could stand up to any opponent, or would fail miserably like most of the random drunkards the clay rabbit fought. Though honestly, this man didn't look intoxicated in any way, shape, or form, which might make things a little more challenging. Still, things could turn out interesting... Finally deciding how to approach his target, the Pycon hopped up a few feet in front of the man and sat there, waiting for him to stop moving. If he was stupid and didn't notice the creature in front of him, Rabbit could always roll to the side, like he always did. He had a lot of experience avoiding the feet of the un-observant. Deciding it was best to speak first, he called up to the man. "Sir. You don't look like you're from around here" He talked a lot more polite then he was in truth, since it was best to put up a good front to any you meet. Rabbit always kept a part of him hidden, normally the cynical, self-centered part that people just didn't expect from a cute little Pycon rabbit. Oh, and that brought him to the subject of 'cute'. Rabbit didn't do 'cute'. He found it irritating and useless, and the complete opposite of his personality, but for some reason people insisted on hugging him and petting him, and he had gained quite a lot of practice in changing his form to escape their embrace. This man didn't seem like that kind of person luckily, and actually set a face of a sensible person who wouldn't treat the Pycon like he was the idiot. Good.

[Aren]

Aren was truly at a loss as to just how he was going to procure the money he needed. He was in a strange city, devoid of any contacts or many friends. In addition, the looks the citizens of Nyka gave him tended to be a mix of dislike and trepidation. As he walked, the akalak occasionaly flexed his sore knee and arched his uncomfortable back. It was clear that he was not a hundred percent, yet the discipline of his race should have allowed him to ignore such petty discomforts. Unfortunately, yesterday had been a rather eventful day, and he was feeling his wounds much more keenly. Before he really had time to dwell on it, however, his line of sight was suddenly interrupted by... something. After the events of the previous night, Aren wasn't sure if it was his own mind playing tricks on him, but after what had happened he wasn't willing to discount the notion. Soon enough, however, he realized that this was not the case. Something HAD stepped in front of him, and that something was still there. It's voice, unless he was imagining that too, told him that much. As the comparatively massive giant looked down, attempting to trace the origin of the sound which accosted him, he found it belonged to some kind of... animal. A ceramic looking one. That spoke in common. Kneeling, although not without difficulty, Aren found himself nose to nose with the owner of the voice, "Very astute, Mr. Rabbit," the akalak stated, hoping that he wasn't actually going insane. Honestly, he didn't think so, as he did know that magic was capable of many things. "My name is Aren. What can I do for you...?" the giant asked, the sentence left open-ended so that his new acquaintance could introduce himself.

[Rabbit]

Rabbit was slightly humored that the man seemed largely confused by his appearance. Most people who didn't know much (or anything) about Pycons were entertaining to deal with at the least, and they often though they were going crazy. The blue man, Aren, seemed very polite, or at least sensible, since he'd replied with equal politeness. Deciding that explaining his race would probably not be required, the Pycon introduced himself "I am Rabbit. Just Rabbit." He replied to Aren's introduction. He raised a small, rabbity eyebrow. Though he was a Pycon, he was unusually detailed, with small grooves to imitate fur and everything. This made raising an eyebrow actually possible for him, considering that most of his kind didn't have eyebrows at all. "I was curious about your... weapon, and noticed that you seemed to be a warrior." Was the answer to the man's question. Rabbit, deciding that this would hopefully be a humorous confrontation, with the joke on the blue warrior, left out a lot of important information. Sure, he has answered the question, but he had not answered any unspoken questions, or explained any confusions. Indeed, he didn't even explain why he wanted a warrior. Rabbit planned for the whole event to be under his control, manipulating Aren. It would work out pretty well, as long as his 'prey' was as stupid as most warriors the Pycon knew.

[Aren]

Aren acknowledge his new acquaintance's introduction with a nod, somehow managing to contain his amusement at the notion that a rabbit-like construct would actually be called Rabbit. "I am at that," Aren confirmed, a mix of pride and caution evident in his voice. He had simply had too long a night yesterday to find himself in another, utterly unnecessary, shit storm. "But tell me, Rabbit," The akalak said, his golden eyes inspecting the little creature as thoroughly as they were able, "What, precisely, can I do for you?" Reiterating his earlier question, Aren was trying to determine how he could be of service. Honestly, he couldn't fathom what interest the little guy might have for his scythe, it being many times heavier than something someone of his size should be able to lift. Although there was no question that the blue hued giant wasn't entirely sure WHAT Rabbit was, he seriously doubted that such a diminutive individual would be capable of budging the weapon, let alone actually wield it. "He's angling for something..." Seros volunteered, his voice audible only in the akalak's own mind. "Why do you have to think the worst of everyone?" Aren replied, disagreeing, but not outright dismissing the notion. He was, after all, trying to be more sensitive to the needs of his brother.

[Rabbit]

Rabbit sighed inwardly, now realizing that his plan had been crushed, just by a simple statement. The Pycon knew that the stupid strain of fighters probably would have said 'yea I'm a warrior? Whad'ya want with me?' rudely, being overconfident. They were the perfect kind to fight, always useless against his style of fighting. But the blue man, Aren, seemed composed, and intelligent, which was a compliment Rabbit didn't give out very often. He never assumed people were normally good, nice people. Instead, he always thought the opposite until proven wrong. Also, the intelligent ones were almost always the better at fighting too, so the Pycon's chance of success was greatly lowered. He never took on a battle unless sure he could win. "What are you? I mean, with the blue skin and all?" Rabbit asked with great politeness. Not planning on fighting the man in front of him, he had decided to ignore the previous statements and questions and focus on the first thing that had drawn his attention. Maybe later, if they got to know each other better, they could practice duel, but things like that were never certain. Instead, he decided to play the cute, innocent, Pycon. No one ever thought he was a fighter in any way, shape or form, even when they did notice the whip on his back. Considering the appearance of the situation, the rabbit-shaped creature chuckled inside. Here was a cute, innocent rabbit, staring up at a massive giant. Though Rabbit disapproved of the concept of cuteness, he had to admit it worked well to trick people, something which the Pycon enjoyed greatly. Mentally observing the scene in his mind again, he realised with some humor that there was some joke on Aren. He was a massive, blue man, with a giant scythe on his back. And he was speaking to a little bunny, who was at the current moment staring up at the warrior with adorable little eyes. Well, you could assume they were adorable, but there really wasn't much expression on the Pycon's face. Even then, it was hard to read the rabbity features, especially when the eyes had no pupils in the slightest. The only thing that really showed Rabbit's emotions were his eyebrows, and occasionally his mouth. Glancing at the weapon on Aren's back, Rabbit considered offhand the ways he could defeat it. It would certainly be harder than any sword, dagger or fists he had faced before, but it was possible. Maybe if he wrapped his whip around the handle, then when the blue warrior rose the scythe to shake the Pycon off, he could swing on the mans back and deal some damage. Again, it all depended on Aren's fighting style, something which Rabbit was clueless about. And the rabbity creature hated being uncertain... it always led to trouble.

[Aren]

"I am an akalak. We are the men of Riverfall," Aren replied, wondering what this question had to do with his earlier one. Assuming that the two questions were not unrelated, the azure warrior began to suspect that maybe Rabbit might be in need of a burly bodyguard. Perhaps, if Aren was lucky, he was a tiny little merchant looking for some sort of protector. "Our skin can be of many colors, but conflict is our birthright, and discipline our nature," Although waxing a bit poetic, the akalak figured there was no harm in a little shameless self promotion. If Rabbit was a prospective employer looking for some kind of warrior, whatever the task, then it stood to reason that he would want to know as much as he could about any potential hire. "May I ask the same question of you, Rabbit?" As interested in him as the little guy was in the akalak, Aren was eager to know more about the individual who might well be paying for his meals, in future. For some reason, perhaps because of his desperation, the scythe-wielding giant seemed to have almost convinced himself that Rabbit was the solution to his problems. His questions and politeness just didn't seem to make much sense if that wasn't the case. Or, at least, that's what Aren told himself. Of course, he was conveniently forgetting that he was also known to ask questions and be polite himself. When you were a wanderer, traveling from city to city, an inquiring mind was a necessity. Finding yourself in a new place, with new laws and people, questions were generally the best means to get acclimated. Politeness, on the other hand, was the method why which you convinced others to answer those questions. In most places, nobody was going to even bother talking to you if you did not display the expected level of cordiality for the area you were in. "You're assuming he has money, but he certainly doesn't look like it," Seros again volunteer, less prone to flights of fancy than his brother. "Why do you have to be such a downer, huh? Yes, I'm assuming he has money. If I don't, then I have to assume he has NO money, and then that means I have no leads on how to solve our financial situation," Aren's face visibly contorted, although an outside observer would be hard pressed to attribute a reason. "Why do you have to be such a dumb-ass?" Seros queried in mocking tone, before resuming his silence, much to his brother's annoyance.

[Rabbit]

Rabbit looked at the… Akalak, in front of him, and gave a small twitch of a smile. This man was even more obviously a warrior, and he seemed like he was advertising his skills. But sadly, he still didn’t seem like the stupid type. Maybe it was more like he was looking for money. The Pycon laughed in his head, amused. Aren wasn’t going to get any money off of him, it was more like Rabbit was originally planning to get money off of the Akalak. There was also no way the rabbity creature was going to give the blue warrior money, or even worse, introducing him to his own trade. Or… was there? Rabbit was feeling slightly drawn to the giant in front of him, which slightly got on his nerves. It was possibly the promise of… adventure, and battles, that he could find associated with Aren. They could possibly even become friends… depending. Friendship was something the Pycon gave out rarely, if never, and he had certainly never done it before. But he knew from experience it was always good for those of his kind to make a friend of the bigger races if possible. Realizing he needed to answer the warrior’s question, he replied, finally giving out a decent amount of information, stated “I am a Pycon. To go into a little more detail about myself, since you did for yours, I ‘work’, in a way, at the nearby tavern.” Not really quite sure how to… invite the Akalak to join him (which would be very entertaining), he was hoping the man would leave him with a lead to answer. Rabbit was feeling slightly more open than usual, and friendly. He wasn’t quite sure what was going on in his brain, to tell so much information to a stranger, but he guessed the old Pycon need for adventure was kicking in. And it had been so long since the little creature had gone on an adventure. He could feel the need like a tug in his gut, which did slightly get on his nerves, but it was so tempting. Shaking his head slightly, the Pycon spotted the grimace on the giant’s face and could barely spot himself from smiling. It looked like he was having an internal argument, something which Rabbit could sympathise with. Practicality against curiosity… they constantly fought in his mind, though most of the time practicality won. This time though, he wasn’t so sure…

[Aren]

Pycon? Pycon... Pycon. Sounded familiar, but Aren couldn't really place the word. Maybe he had heard it years ago, or maybe he was just imagining he had. Either way, there was no point in dwelling on it too long. His memory stretched back over a century, and it was nearly impossible to keep track of every conversation he'd ever had, or every person he'd met. "Oh? Tavern? Please continue, my good friend Rabbit," Aren's entire disposition instantly became much more agreeable the moment he heard the word tavern. Frothy beers, full bodied ales, dark lagers... just the thought of all these wonders had his mind spinning out of control. After last night, he thought, a strong drink would be much appreciated. And, if by mere coincidence, he was fortunate enough to find himself with a generous patron? Well, strange little clay construct or not, Aren would be forced to consider Rabbit a comrade. "Perhaps on the way to this establishment, which you said was near?" The akalak prodded, eager to find himself surrounded by drinks of all types. He hoped that Nykan taverns, unlike their inns, were more or less like taverns everywhere else. That is to say they provided a great variety of intoxicants, for anyone with the coin to afford them. Aren was not, at present, one of those people, but maybe his new associate was. "And, once we're both well plied, I'm sure we'll feel like we've known each other for a lifetime," The akalak ascertained with a hearty laugh, trying to subtly guide Rabbit into the proper mindset.

[Rabbit]

The rabbit in front of him raised one furry eyebrow in response to the man's last statement. It seemed that Aren presumed that they would be drinking at the tavern, and that Rabbit himself would be joining in. To be honest, it was quite a legitimate guess, and sensible, but the Pycon didn't drink. Of course, the Akalak was perfectly welcome to drink all he liked, since it would possibly bring back the chance to fight against a scythe. The event would be entertaining, hugely so. Without a word, Rabbit nodded, turned around, and loped slowly away towards a tavern he liked in particular. It was a short, quick journey, and not once did the Pycon check behind him to see if his companion was following. Since the streets were not that busy at the time, the rabbit-like creature didn't have to exert much effort into dodging around the passerbys. This was taken as a welcome rest from the usual jumping, rolling and leaping. While running, Rabbit wondered curiously if from the back, his follower at all noticed the pair of fluffy bunny tails on his behind, or the strange curl of leather tied to the small of his back. Finally, Rabbit stopped outside of the door to the nearest drink-seller, and stepped back from the entrance, he held out one paw to the door, in an inviting, but also mocking gesture. His petite mouth was slightly curled in a smirk, but it was barely noticeable. "Please, go in" The Pycon told Aren, continuing the trend of sarcasm. He wasn't quite sure why he'd changed in moods, but it was possibly because he was on familiar ground now, and felt like he had the advantage again. Rabbit hated being at a disadvantage, and was irritated by being equal with someone. Being at the top was less risky, and much safer.