Financial Stability (Jack)

[Ellwood]

Few things were like an adventurer's tavern. The danger and wealth of that lifestyle drew people from every race, every culture. Anyone who had the skill and the willingness to face the dangers of the world head on could find a place in the guilds. A savage-looking young man could fit right in, even with four swords upon his back.

Ellwood pushed his way into the grand wooden building, shoving both large doors aside to make way. Immediately he was assaulted by the raucous noise of two dozen adventurers, a good half of which had to have been drunk already, with more alcohol on its way. That was something he could go for himself, and why he headed for the bar instead of the board.

He noticed a few eyes on his approach. That was normal. People had a tendency to look at him with suspicion regardless, but adventurers tended to be more paranoid than normal folk. It helped extend their life expectancy.

The hairy young man motioned for the nearest barmaid, and had no trouble getting an ale full of the semi-bitter liquid.

A woman shaped out of water and clad in interwoven vines leaned against the bar next to him. Her skin shimmered with the hall's light, and the slightest ripples flowed down what passed for hair. He'd seen a water elemental before. He'd seen many things, what with all the journeys Sakuya took them on. The surprise, however, was that she had also seen people like him.

"I know what you are," she whispered, her words instinctively interpreted as a threat. Eyes, literal pools of water, had an unsettling way of looking at and through him, as if they could see the sabertooth hidden inside and was only just brave enough to stand that close. "You're not here to cause trouble, are you?"

The beast in him shook a growl from his chest.

The man took it around, quickly scoffed it off and flashed a toothy, carefree grin back at her.

"Of course I'm here for trouble. But I'll see what you have on the job board before I try scrounging it out myself."

[Jack]

Shore leave came with two rules.

1. Be back at the ship on time.

2. Don't get into trouble.

Jack was always back on time. He could say that much, at least. He wasn't about to start breaking the second rule either, not when he'd only reached the bottom of his first mug.

Catching the fresh ale as the bartender slid it over, he raised the drink and took a healthy swig, savoring the jolt from the potent brew. Sharp eyes wandered the room from behind the camouflage of the mug, taking in the motley crowd. With a week to kill and the regular handful of rumors afoot, he just needed someone to work with. Preferably someone who could carry their own weight in pilfered goods. Someone who could start up a good ruckus.

Thickly bundled grey robes and a wide-brimmed hat caught his eye for a moment. Probably not. They'd both trip over his or her or its petticoats before they could reach the exit.

Guy with a red tricorn hat. Cape, but no shirt. Broadsword glowing with blue runes. Bragging about something to a delicate-looking elf maiden - or man, sometimes it was impossible to tell - who looked like he'd much rather be at a different table. Too conspicuous. Nice hat, though. Should steal it.

Daylight flashed as the doors swung open to admit one crudely shaved bear in a sleeveless grey vest and thick khaki trousers. Two arms. Four swords.

Four swords?

Jack scanned the gruff-looking newcomer from unkempt head to bare feet and noted him down as a "maybe".

There was something about him. Something in his build, in the way he walked. The... wildness. He'd seen a crewmate with that condition, though the nervous Ruthenian was more likely to bolt than to start trouble. He leaned back, feigning a general disinterest with the world as the man joined him at the bar.

The following round of small talk had his ears twitching with interest as he nudged the man up from a "maybe" to "almost definitely".

"Of course I'm here for trouble." Teeth shone, a little too sharp for a regular human, framing a voice that was mostly a man's and slightly more feral. "But I'll see what you have on the job board before I try scrounging it out myself."

"No need ta head over, mate." Jack slouched lazily against the bar. "Not much beyond the usual fare. Goblin party in the woods that needs crashin'. Someone's took a bounty out on a den full o' wyverns. There's a thing in the woods that's been followin' travellers for weeks, makes the locals uneasy, but no one's stepped up ta check it out yet."

He pushed himself upright long enough to drain half his mug in a single gulp. "Question is, which one lets me watch ya put all four of yer swords into action?"

[Ellwood]

"No need ta head over, mate."

Ellwood tracked the voice to a new figure: criminal mischief walking on two legs, with a face to match and an undeniable lanky strength in that compact muscular body of his. The open vest and kerchief around the roo's neck was a distinct look not to be found in an area like this. The young were drank from his ale while he wondered what brought him there.

"Not much beyond the usual fare. Goblin party in the woods that needs crashin'. Someone's took a bounty out on a den full o' wyverns. There's a thing in the woods that's been followin' travellers for weeks, makes the locals uneasy, but no one's stepped up ta check it out yet."

The roo then pushed himself upright long enough to drain half his mug in a single gulp. Ellwood subconsciously took it as a challenge and did the same with his own. "Question is, which one lets me watch ya put all four of yer swords into action?"

"I didn't know I had a fan," Ellwood teased the roo. Then the saberwere glanced back at the water mystic, noting that her cautious curiosity had been sated. She remained on the other side of the sabertooth simply because she had no better place to be.

"He's not with me," she protested something unsaid, crossing her arms over her chest.

Then, with another laugh, Ellwood turned back to the roo.

"Why don't I just do them all?" he asked cockily, swirling the last remnant of liquid in his mug. "I could use the work-out."

Shoulders rolled back, stretching his bare arms out. Corded muscle showed beneath the surface of tan skin, attesting to an overabundance of exercise if anything.

At that, the elemental spoke up again in indignation, annoyance outweighing any fear of the beast. "Hey! You can't just waltz into town and take a bunch of big jobs! Adventurers have a right to work local!"

"Fine. Psh. Come with," the sabertooth blew it off as he grabbed a second ale off a passing barmaid's tray.

[Jack]

"Why don't I just do them all?"

Dead silence in six words. "Almost definitely" received a swift promotion to "oh hell yes".

The beginning of a long and beautiful friendship stretched out before the stunned kangaroo like a red carpet over a road of golden bricks. The elemental's sudden rush of incensed noise tickled at his ears like a distant breeze.

"Ai call shotgun!" Sitting up straight, Jack tossed back the last of his drink and reached for his wallet. "Laike hell Ai'll miss this chance. When are we gettin' started?"

"Here -" He began hurriedly counting out a selection of dollar bills, silver pieces and bits of string. "Ai'll even pay fer room an' board if it means a front row seats ta this show. Whaddya say, mate? Partners? - those're real, honest." He added to the frowning bartender. The man ignored him and held one silver piece up to the light, rapped it against the glass, then bit it.

[Ellwood]

Ellwood's financial situation wasn't secure enough to pass by free room and board. If it was, he wouldn't be here in the first place, grabbing whatever mercenary work needed doing. He'd do a few jobs, get the experience and the cash, then keep moving. The wealth was immaterial. He just needed to get by, and keep on training.

Even before the introduction of certain beastly elements, he'd been fine enough roughing it in the wilds. His latest travels had been one constant hike through the woods - a run, whenever he thought himself just far enough from civilization to let the cat out of the bag. The big, sabertoothed cat, out of the fleshy, human bag. But supplies still cost money, and so did certain refinements.

"Sure. Whatever floats your boat," Ellwood said off-handedly, raising his mug up to his lips - one of many perks he'd done without. He had to admit, he missed alcohol. If he were more honest, he'd admit he missed the effects it was sure to produce, if only he could chug enough of it into his system to overcome that ridiculously effective healing system of his blood.

Two drinks, even as quick as that, weren't going to cut it.

"I don't do long term," Ellwood decided to set the record straight ahead of time, even as predatory eyes were on the lookout for another easily graspable mug.

"Well that's good because neither do I," the water elemental curtly interrupted. The saberwere wasn't sure why he felt the need to roll his eyes, but he did.

With a harumph, she added, "If we're going to claim the jobs, we'd best grab the fliers and introduce ourselves. You will call me Athene. And your names are?"

[Jack]

"Sure. Whatever floats your boat."

Jack scooped into his wallet with a triumphant flourish and scattered more silver pieces in the bartender's general direction. "Keep the change, mate." An incredulous raised eyebrow lasted only until the man exchanged glances with the nearest barmaid. The sharp-eyed mousefolk frowned at Jack, then at the rare coins, and gave a quick nod.

Another ale was poured and launched across the counter, caught and smoothly passed along to the heavily built man. "I don't do long term," Jack heard him say.

"Well that's good because neither do I," the Naiad cut in. Jack raised an eyebrow. "So yer joinin' us, then?" He motioned for a fourth ale. Weres could be heavy drinkers, he'd learned from fond experience, and they didn't have the size disadvantage of dwarves.

"If we're going to claim the jobs, we'd best grab the fliers and introduce ourselves. You will call me Athene. And your names are?"

"Jack," the kangaroo answered. "Long-term adventurah, at yer service. Really oughtta considah that, you two. Travel the world. Meet interestin' people. Keep 'em busy an' steal all the shiny stuff from their places o' heritage. Nothin' laike it."

[Ellwood]

The beastly figure pretending to be a real person gave loud, abrasive scoff, feeling a competition in the works. Ellwood would have been lying if he said he didn't happen to enjoy a healthy competition.

"Ellwood. Ex knight in training, new-term adventurer, professional demon slayer," the young man said between drags of his beer. Two and a half of them practically poured right into his system, and he was finally feeling some of the alcohol's effects. "You should try that. Free reign to commit so much violence and legally get away with it. And I'm only at your service if I'm really drunk, or I'm paid a lot."

The naiad seemed less interested in what kind of joke that was, and more interested in the first thing he said. The incredulous look on her face spoke volumes, and he didn't have to face her to know she was giving him the once over again.

"You … were a knight?" she asked in disbelief, the pool-like eyes widened to try and perceive the trick.

Sleeveless, ragged, too unkempt, too young - a knight in shining armor was not the image he cut. He had the build to spare though, and even more blades to spare at that. But any random warrior could pick up a few swords and call themselves a knight. Her disbelief was sustained through cynicism.

"In training," he added sharply as he put the latest mug down, freshly reduced to air. "Pay attention."

"Indeed," the elemental harrumphed with indignation, and momentarily forgot to whom she was talking. "And the 'ex' is because why, a universal failure to bathe? An inability to respect local politics? A phobia of trained hairdressers?"

Insults poked the disguised animal. A feral sabertooth suddenly pondered the state of muddy puddles in the tavern and the childlike stomping of them under his boots - a few dozen times for good measure.

"Sure, let's go with that," he glared at her out the corner of his eye. The predator must have shown itself behind those lids, because the naiad - again remembering exactly what he was - scooted just a little bit further back. He deflected a predator's anger with humor - his old recourse. "I mean, they wanted to cut my luscious brunette locks, but that's the source of all my power! I couldn't have that. I need them to commune with nature and shit."