(no subject)

[impossibilities]

Who: Grainne, Open
What: A day in the life of a retired Servant. Running errands, skeleton bashing, turning in bounties and general kerfluffles. See prompts!
When: Month 12, Day 13
Where: Around Blackway
Notes & Warnings: TBA


#1

Skeletons seemed fairly easy these days. Grainne practiced and kept her skills sharp, using the skeleton's weak points against them. She actually felt like she was getting good at hunting, though some enjoyment of that was mitigated by the fact most of it wasn't her doing, but the Servant abilities granted to her.

Her feet were silent where she padded on the grass, barefoot, enjoying the silky feeling beneath her skin. It made her feel closer to the wild, and lifted her spirits where nothing else could these days. It was quite a walk around to the other side of the town, but she had lost count of the trips she had made already.

---



#2

When the day came, and the numbers of skeletons went down, Grainne turned toward the security office to turn in the few bones she found and collected. Money had no real value to her except for a few curiosities here and there, but she saw no reason not to collect it for some rainy day occasions, or new clothes.

She waited her turn, as usual, for someone to come and record her bounty, hoping they wouldn't mind a short chat. It might be the nostalgia she had earlier running through the area outside of town, but she felt a little lonely today.
---



#3
Whoever had volunteered her for the race may as well have given her a mouse to ride on. The large cat that's supposed to serve as her mount was the most obnoxious, contrary creature she had the misfortune to meet. They may as well have given her a mouse. She hadn't been thrown... yet, the cat could move when he wanted to, but when she rode he just sat down.

Rubbing her rump, she walked into the gardens, wishing they had at least gotten a decent saddle for the beast. Cheetah, she remembered, as she sat down on a bench.

The gardens were a nice spot, though she didn't spend as much time as she used to in there, and that was very intentional...

Anyone who passes by the rose plants may notice that some of the blossoms have been mangled into a petaly pulp, and a few telltale petals may stick to Grainne's skirt and shoes...

---




#4

[Need a particular prompt? Have something we need to finish off? Pick this one!]

Comments

1

[ratkicker]

While Jade enjoyed the time spent actually relaxing and not worrying about DomZ attacks or affording the power bill, she was growing restless without a chance to practice her sparring. Back home, she had plenty of chances to work on her fighting, but she somehow couldn't get the same experiences with the monsters she ran into in Blackway.

Hearing about the skeletons, she thought they might serve as good practice. Easy to break with a staff, don't explode, it would be all familiar to her.

After her morning meditation, Jade left the town's protective walls and got straight to exploring the wild, taking care to step softly and listen to the sounds of incoming attackers.

[impossibilities]

Something sounded slightly off up ahead, and Grainne paused in her padding and stilled her breathing to hear better. It was not a skeleton, it didn't move right, and neither a spider.

Taking a risk it was one of the patrol, she called softly, "Who is there?"

[ratkicker]

The noise stops, and there is silence for a few moments as Jade recognizes the voice.

"Grainne? It's me, Jade." She turns around and walks through the bushes, not caring about staying quiet for now. The sounds of her footsteps grow louder until she's visible through the greenery.

[impossibilities]

Alarmed now, Grainne stepped forward to check Jade over for injuries, apparent or not. "Jade? It is very early to be up, isn't it? Did something happen?"

The same questions could be asked of herself, she knew, but she had good reason to worry. "I was just out patrolling for skeleton bounties."

[ratkicker]

"What? No, of course not." She stands still and lets Grainne fuss over her and find nothing. "I decided to come out here for some training. It's been a while since I got some real practice."

Though she also wondered why Grainne was out alone, too. "By yourself? Wouldn't it be easier with backup?" She smiled confidently as if she was offering to team up with the other woman. "You never know when you'll need a partner to get you out of trouble."

[impossibilities]

"I am out here every night and there is little they can do to me that would hurt..." Grainne replied thoughtfully, wondering if that was really true anymore with the... changes she noticed in her body recently. She brushed back some hair that had fallen forward and returned the smile. "But I would not mind some company. I could show you my magic. I remember you were curious about it on our, ah, trip."

[ratkicker]

"Really?" Jade asked, leaning closer. "Is it because of your magic?" She was still curious as to how magic actually worked in battle. "If it helps with the bounty, I'll be glad to help."

[impossibilities]

Placing a few fingers over lips, she frowned slightly and thought on how best to answer.

"It is more like because of what I am, but it is related. We did not really get into the topic on our trip because of... well, time and circumstance. I could show you. Have you noticed any skeletons around?"

[ratkicker]

She nodded and continued down the path.

"I think I understand. Your healing thing is completely different from your fighting powers, right?" And can probably activate in any circumstance, unlike her own. "I haven't run into anything yet, surprisingly. It's been quiet so far. What about you?"

[impossibilities]

"Yes, exactly." Tapping a bag slung over her shoulder with a few bones, she showed Jade the haul so far. "I have found three so far. There are at least a few around every night, but it is sometimes easier when the sun rises because they crowd into the bushes. Would you like to take point?"

[ratkicker]

"Sure. I've had a lot more practice with scouting, anyway." Her battles always went better when she had the first strike and her partner provided the heavy hitting right after. "So what do you need the bones for?"

[impossibilities]

"I turn them in to security for a small bounty. It is not much, but it is a living. There are other bounties, like spider eyes, though if I come across something that might be medicinal I bring that in as well." Not that she really needed a living; it was mostly to keep her situation stable and to counter anything unexpected that she would need money for.

She smiled and motioned for Jade to take the lead, indicating the direction she had been going in before their encounter. "I think I heard a few bones creaking that way, but they seem to have moved off."

[ratkicker]

"Huh," she said to herself as she followed Grainne's directions. "That's one way to get your income." It seemed uneconomic to spend a lot of time gathering treasures barely worth much, especially in dangerous situations like this. Back home, pearls, being the currency of the black market, were at least worth the risk.

Jade continued down her way, careful not to make noise as she listened for the sound of moving bones. About five minutes of walking, she stopped. "Sh. Hear that?"

[thumbsdown]

[It's not Boone's job to collect the bounties people bring in, but he is hanging around the room when Grainne shows up. Whoever records them is on a break right now, so Boone gets the chance to eye the bones Grainne has brought in.]

Good haul, huh.

[Skeletons don't always drop bones, so either Grainne got lucky or she killed a fair few. Boone finds the skeletons to be a huge pain in the ass, so he appreciates the effort.]

[impossibilities]

[She looks down at the bag, and shrugs.]

It was a profitable night. I came across a herd of the things on the south side.

[thumbsdown]

Good. Means there's less out there to cause trouble.

[It might not have even put a dent in their numbers really, but it's still less skeletons for everyone else to deal with. The less there are, the better.]

You spend a lot of time out there?

[He's never seen Grainne around here before, but maybe that's just because he doesn't spend a lot of time at the station. He's usually out by the fence, patrolling.]

[impossibilities]

[She nods once.]

Most nights, and I wander in the daytime as well, but not too far from town. You're on the patrol?

[thumbsdown]

Yeah. Do a lot of dealing with the wildlife too. Things aren't too bad since the new fence went up, since skeletons can't shoot through the fence anymore. People are safer that way. Started patrolling around the outside so I could still deal with them, though.

[He doesn't like to just let them wander around. He's not too worried about creepers since Rex lets him know if one gets close, and skeletons and spiders make a lot of noise. It's not too hard to take them out from a distance, before they've spotted him.]

[impossibilities]

That was a relief when it went up, if I am honest. I started out in this work just to protect the village since these things can be difficult for the unprepared. [Grainne looks down at her bag, shifting it slightly as if to look how many bones she had.]

It is strange, but I never saw myself in this kind of work.

[thumbsdown]

Yeah. Not everyone's equipped to handle what's out there. Better for us to deal with them.

[His job is to keep people safe, and he takes it pretty seriously.]

Think there's a lot of things about this place nobody expected. You're doing a good thing, though.

[impossibilities]

That is true, I remember how it is to feel helpless... [She smiles a bit, and looks back up at him.] I wonder if I would feel better about it if I did not accept the bounties though. Protecting others seems more noble when you do not expect anything out of it.

How did you get into the duty? Have you always been a protector?

[thumbsdown]

Figure if you're gonna do work, you might as well get paid for it. Don't think anyone out there's gonna be any more grateful for it.

Was with the military back home. After that I was guarding caravans. I know what I'm good at, so it was an easy choice.

[impossibilities]

[Grainne nods in apparent agreement.]

You have the bearing of a guardsman, I noticed. Do you like the work? You do not find it boring sometimes or anything like that?

[thumbsdown]

I can be pretty patient if I have to. Not always anything to fire at, especially during the day. Guess it does get a little boring sometimes, but it's my job. Can't just walk away because I'm bored.

[It's not always dull, at least. He likes the walk itself. When he was guarding Novac, he had to stand in the same place all night. At least here the job is more interesting than that.]

[impossibilities]

[She smiles slightly, giving her head a little shake.]

Ah, I can take some comfort then that it is not only me. I worry that meant I was not cut out to do it.

[A small hum, and then she seems to relax a bit more.]

I did not get your name before. Mine is Grainne.