In search of work

[Rassius]

(Reserved for Caliginosus)

Standing amidst the outskirts of Scara Brae the young rogue fellow stared at the farmers hard at work, earnestly working for thy daily bread. The scarf of his mantle came up with a sudden burst of wind and enshrouded the lower sector of his face. 'Heh heh.. if everyone worked that hard, that noble I might not have a purpose..'

A small chuckle came across Ras' lips, briefly contemplating the path he chosen, comparing it with those before him. Lightly walking forward as his bright eyes glanced toward the cloudless sky. "It's said when there are no clouds, people lose their way."

Suddenly one of the many hard workers had spoken to Ras. Looking over his left shoulder, Ras glanced to the farmer. Slowly turning around. "Well then.. maybe you could direct me to the Docks?"

---------

A good thirty minutes later, Ras finally achieved his destination. The docks the root of any good adventure. Ras came to hopefully find adventure on the sea, and get his feet wet. With no luck none of the yacht owners were willing to take such an unruly swordsman upon. As he began to leave the docks, Ras halted. From the corner of his eye he glanced at what he had previously over looked. The sea-side taverns, surely there a fisherman or another would hire him.

Stepping inside, Ras found the tavern dim litted and filled with the scent of the sea. Walking straight forward, the boy went to the bar. Immediately he was halted by what appeared to be a pair of seamen. "Who the hell are you? I haven't asked for a fool's dance."

With Ras' foul mouth he was immediately swung upon. Strucken once across the cheek, Ras laughed arrogantly. It was then that an elderly bartender had stopped the seamen. "Pops.. I didn't.."

Ras withheld himself from finishing that. Taking a few steps forward and leaning across the counter he glanced at the old man. Suddenly Ras slamed his fist down on the counter. "What?!"

"I don't have anything for you squirt, just go home."

Pride taking such an ugly face, Ras was coarsed through his own emotions to take immediately action. His left hand grasped the collar of the gentleman and held him tight. While apprehending the man in one hand Ras raised his right hand high, ready to punish the geezer for his impudence.

[Caliginosus]

Caliginosus sighed heavily. After he had quit his job as a gardener for some of the more wealthy locals, his pouch of gold had decreased in mass significantly. He hadn't payed for his lodgings in the "Snout and Rifle" inn for almost a week now. If he hadn't worked for the inn keeper and gotten to know him pretty well, he'd probably be lying out on the streets right now, rather than on a fairly comfy bed.

I guess I'm just not a good adventurer... He thought as he recounted his time spent exploring the island of Scara Brae. He made a little money doing odd jobs and performing magic, but he didn't really know what to do or how to be an adventurer. He guessed he was supposed to sleep out in the wilderness and hunt and stuff, but he wasn't very good at that sort of thing. Plus, killing animals for food was hard for him, as he saw it as needless bloodshed.

He'd tried camping out and eating various berries and plants, but he had gone hungry only three days after leaving the town, and he wasn't a good camper to begin with. Putting these thoughts aside he thought more about his current situation. He felt really badly not paying the inn keep... He would pay the man back eventually, but he hated living off someone's charity.

Deciding he should just give up his life style as an adventurer, at least for now, he swung his legs off the bed and stood up. He straightened his robe and ran a hand through his hair. It was slightly messy at the moment, so he ended up bringing his hood up and over his hair. It barely obscured his face, but the hood was long enough to cover his hair so it served its purpose. He yawned and stretched his arms, and then walked out into the hall way. As he walked down towards the tavern at the front of the inn the floor creaked under his weight. He wasn't heavy or fat, the inn was just old, and as business wasn't very good at the moment, the inn keep hadn't found the resources to fix up the wooden floor. Caliginosus nodded to the inn keep and gave a grim smile, and with a quick push he was outside and in the calm afternoon of Scara Brae.

Taking a deep breath he started walking in no particular direction down the street, looking for employment. He figured he could probably get his job back from a few of the land owners as a gardener, but the pay wasn't very good and it was a very dirty job. He walked almost an hour, zig zagging along various streets, occasionally popping into stores to see if they needed any helpers, before the path ended at the docks. Not wishing to become a fisherman any time soon, he turned back with a sigh and started to head back to the center of town.

However, as a door opened to his left he heard some harsh words and a yell, as well as the sound of a punch. He turned his head and looked through the window into the dimly lit tavern, and was about to walk on when he saw a man grasping the bartender, who seemed to be fairly old, by the neck. Despite his urge to keep walking and not get involved, he couldn't let the old man just be beaten up. Shaking his head slightly, he turned and ran into the bar.

"Hey! Let him go!" Caligin said loudly, running up to stand a few feet to the man's right.

[Rassius]

Through the back of his mind, the sound of the doors opening registered in Ras' mind, but it was something he thought was not best to pay attention to. It was something that would irritate the boy even more. "Shut up! Who asked you to speak!"

Ras yelled out, annoyed and irritated for no good reason other than things were becoming more difficult. He was tired, hungry and in need of work. With his left hand grasping onto the man's collar Ras shoved him back and took a glance at the new guy who just got too close for comfort. "Who the hell are you, is that geezer your father?!"

With his left hand now free, Ras brought his palm to slam on the counter in another display of aggression. "Hey pops.. I really think you should reconsider. Almost anyone with anything of value needs protection these days. It would be quite unfortunate if something were to happen, y'know rumors spread fast."

With a clenched jaw, he revealed his gritting teeth while leaning forward. Reaching behind his back and under his mantle, slowly Ras coiled his fingers around the hilt of his weapon, ready for more intimidation that he might need.

[Caliginosus]

"Shut up! Who asked you to speak!"

Caliginosus' mind raged in anger as the man shoved the elderly man backwards. The words didn't really affect him, he casually tossed them aside. He was normally not very quick to anger, but his current financial situation was making him act a little different. He took a deep breath and stared at the man as he turned to face Caligin. Caligin was a good couple of inches taller than this guy, and he was definitely older. "Quiet, you're still just a kid, you shouldn't talk like that to people who are-" Caligin began, but he was interrupted by the teenager.

"Who the hell are you, is that geezer your father?!"

"No, he's not. Unlike you however, I've learned how to be respectful to others. Perhaps you should take a class on it, as you don't seem smart enough to pick the idea up otherwise." Caligin said, his voice straining to repress his anger. The violent man slammed his hand down on the counter again, and spoke again to the old bar keep.

"He's obviously not interested in hiring a little kid. Why don't you go play with some people your own age." Caliginosus grunted back, but before he said more his eyes noticed the brown haired youth's hand straying downwards and under an article of clothing. Fearing the worst, Caligin took a step back and said, "If you're reaching for a weapon there's no need for violence, just stop talking and walk out of here. Now."

[Rassius]

His bluff was called, Ras didn't play the villian too well. He was desperate and in tmes like this he would engage in small acts of crime if he needed it to survive. Slowly Ras slipped out his trusty Knightsword and he stabbed it into the floor between the spaces of pillars to limit destruction. "Fine.. but bud, I'm going to make you take that last comment back."

In a tone that was not at all pleasing Ras took a few steps back and revealed his back to the geezer and Caliginosus. "Come with me outside before I do something that makes me sick. Y'know us kids are impatient so don't keep me waiting, or else.."

With Ryuuou in hand, tightly gripped Ras made his way out of the tavern and stood in middle of the street. There was enough room for a brawl. Ras had a good feeling about Caliginosus, someone as young as him had to know how to fight, he wouldn't have survived living this long. If Ras was wrong he was about to kill some townie.

[Caliginosus]

Caiginosus' eyes never strayed from the face of the youth. He took slow, measured breaths, getting ready in case the seemingly impulsive child drew his weapon and attacked Caligin or the elderly bartender. A few moments went by with almost utter silence in the bar; the patrons had stopped talking and were all watching. However, much to Caligin's dismay, the youth drew a sword out afterall. He did it slowly, in a less aggresive way, so Caliginosus wasn't too worried about him making a sudden attack, however he was put back on guard by the swordsmans words.

"Fine... but bud, I'm going to make you take that last comment back."

Caligin muttered, "I'm not your 'bud," but either the miscreant didn't seem hear or didn't pay attention, because he simply stepped back and continued.

"Come with me outside before I do something that makes me sick. Y'know us kids are impatient so don't keep me waiting, or else..."

With that said, he walked out of the bar and into the street outside. With an apologetic look and an eye roll at the older man, he trudged outside. "Alright look. There's no need for violence. We're not even that different, we're both seeking employment. I'm sure if you had just been a little nicer back there that the bar keep would've hired you if he needed some more help... Come on, put away the sword." Caliginosus said amiably, but sternly.

He was about five feet away from the youth, and the sun was setting over the water, making it fairly difficult to see if one looked towards the docks. The stone was a simple cobbled street, but it was most likely old as many of the stones looked crooked or loose. Caligin sighed and kept his eyes towards the youth, seeing what the final verdict would be.

[Taskmienster]

This thread has been sitting for a full year. Since no response has been made to create activity I am going to be moving this. If you would like it to be reopened please feel free to PM myself or another staff member and they will be able to move it for you back to Scara Brae.