Blood, sweat and even more sweat [M]

[Medievarad]

For fuck's sake, it's hot.

Quicksilver caught her breath by the edge of a small pond in an oasis. She really needed to prepare more if she was to travel the desert again. She had heard tales of dangerous creatures in the desert. Monsters that lurked beneath the sands. Yet there was one prowling the usual trade route. And so, she was here. Smelling good pay and a trophy. The latter mattered most to her.

She opened her satchel to pull out a flask of water and take a swig, swishing it in her mouth and swallowing the water, before letting out a quenched sigh. It was already afternoon.

She leaned forward to scoop water out of the puddle and refill her water reserves, before standing up, pulling the large crossbow over her shoulders again.

"A monster won't kill itself," she happily chirped to herself, skipping down the route again. Using her own body as a bait.

[Fukurou]

Zaryn strolled along the main road, absentmindedly whistling a tune he heard over and over again in the last tavern. He had been hired to take care of some monster that had been terrorizing caravans and travelers alike but to tell you the truth, he had no idea what he was looking for or where to find it. His plan was to just walk up and down the main route until this damn thing showed up.

He walked for hours. Honestly, this desert was an absolute hellhole. For the whole time Zaryn had been walking, he didn't see anything except... wait a second... is that a human girl? Zaryn inspected her a little closer. It was apparent that she was no stranger to combat for she was well armed, but was she... skipping?

What the fuck is she doing?

"Hey there, sweetheart." Zaryn approached the woman, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. He gave her a smile, but couldn't help it as a hint of confusion seeped into his expression. "What are you doing... er... frolicking out here?"

[Medievarad]

Her ears practically twitched as she heard a voice. And in a split second, she pivotted on her heels, pulling the large crossbow from her back and loading a massive silver bolt on it while she dropped to.one knee in firing position. Bolt aimed precisely between Zaryn's eyes.

Yet she didn't fire just yet, letting out an almost musical giggle as she lowered the device. "Don't sneak up on people like that, you silly~" she stated. Almost too cheerful for the scene. She stood up straight again and unloaded the bolt. "Scawy monsters threaten innocent traders!" She beamed happily, before a grin spread across her lips. "Just hunting."

[Fukurou]

"Woah woah woah," Zaryn said, putting his hands in the air as the woman aimed her crossbow between his eyes. "Easy there, cupcake. I just wanted to know what's up." He put his hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow at the way she answered his question. "Huh, you sure are enthusiastic about hunting down some monster, aren't you. I mean, I guess it's sort of fun, but... wait a second." His playful demeanor dropped into a more serious one at his sudden realization. "Did you say..."

Before Zaryn could finish his question, the ground shook. Sand was flying everywhere and the way ground rumbled made it difficult to maintain solid footing. Zaryn dove to the side, drawing his two scimitars as he rolled to safety. He was lucky. Right about where he had been a giant serpent serpentine monster burst from ground, mouth agape and fangs glinting under the hot sun.

[Medievarad]

Quicksilver smirked as the ground started rumble beneath them. She rolled backwards, raising her crossbow as the serpent rose from the sand with an open mouth. And there was her shot.

With a loud clunk, the bolt was shot, piercing through the creature's mouth and piercing through the cerebrum. A soft glint in the sunlight as the tip of the bolt worked through the skull. And the creature dropped to the floor. Dead.

Quicksilver shoukdered her crossbow again with a soft giggle, skipping over. She grabbed the tip of the bolt and started to wrench it out ofbthe skull, blood splattering everywhere as she let out another giggle. "That smells like shit~" she hummed under her breath.

[Fukurou]

A cloudy yellow liquid coated his blade as he dragged his tongue across the edge. Zaryn dashed forward, one blade out in front of him and the other behind him, ready to strike, but just as he reached the monster, it fell stiff to the ground.

"Huh," Zaryn stopped in his tracks. "Well then." He watched the woman as she yanked at the bolt lodged in the monster's skull. Once she had retrieved her bolt, he approached the creature's gaping mouth. "You've certainly made my life a hell of a lot easier, sweetheart. I hope you don't mind that I take one of these..." Zaryn grasped the serpent's fang and started sawing away at it, letting the venom soak his arm.

[Medievarad]

"Oh. I very much mind so," Quickeilver replied as she raised the bloody bolt to rest against his throat. Sharp enough to slice it right there and then. "My kill," she hissed softly. "You have no right on a tropy or loot."

[Fukurou]

Zaryn's electric blue eyes examined the bolt, then shot up to meet the woman's. "Sweetheart..." He gave her a big grin. "I don't think you understand. This was my contract kill..." He outstretched his arm and rested the blade of his venom-soaked scimitar onto her vulnerable skin. "And you stole it." He gave her an intense look. Yeah, she had every right to deny him of a trophy, but he wasn't about to let a little lady push him around. "Here, you're pretty cute and all so I'll make ya a deal. Let me go with this one fang and I'll give you half of the pay. However, if you decide to kill me, which is up to you, you're coming down with me. But I'm warning you: one of our deaths will be a lot more painful than the other's and I'll tell you right now that it won't me mine."

[Medievarad]

A sickened grin spread on Quicksilver's face as she took several steps back, loading the bolt up on the crossbow again. She raised it at him, aiming for his chest. A woman like her would most likely go for any artery or vital organ.

"Oh, you see," she held the crossbow up with one hand, flicking out a knife and stabbing through a flask on her belt in her leg. Her eyes widened as she became intoxicated with the contents of said flask. "I can't feel pain now. And everything moves much slower." She let out a soft giggle as she raised her hand again in a blur of motion. Her speed obviously increased.

"You really want to die for some coins?"

[Fukurou]

"Who said I was gonna die, sweetheart?" Zayrn gave her a cocky smile as he playfully tossed one of his scimitars into the air. "We could fight, but that would just be a waste of my time. Now how 'bout you put away your toys and we discuss this like adults, hm?"

[Medievarad]

"One of these tje ugh your eyeball," a soft giggle left her. "I'd severely doubt you not dying."

She let out an insulted huff. "You want to get kneecapped by this toy?" She inquired with a threatening hiss to her voice. "But start talking. I'll tell you when I lose interest and decide to put this thing to use."

[Fukurou]

"Eyeball or kneecap? Make up your mind, sweetheart." With his scimitars still clutched in his hands, Zaryn crossed his arms. "Well, before your attention span runs out let me ask you something: why are you so territorial over this leathery sack of shit?"

[Medievarad]

"I got multiple bolts, handsome," she replied, venom obvious in her voice. "And why? Firstly, you don't steal a huntress' quarry. Secondly, you have no right to claim a trophy. Thirdly, this is also my pay you're sawing off there."

[Fukurou]

"Tch..." A look of irritation painted Zaryn's face as he scowled and seathed his scimitars. "You're a real pain in the ass, darling." He crossed his arms. "Since it means so much for you, have it your way. A measly little fang isn't worth killing a little girl."

[Medievarad]

"It's a gift," she answered with a soft giggle. "Though right now, I'm.pumped to the extent of smelling colours. So you better shut the fuck up and stop to try provoking me," she gave him a wicked glint. "I'll force feed you your own balls. So shove off."

[Fukurou]

"Aww but you and me, we're getting along so well!" Zaryn pouted mockingly, his eyes still twinkling with amusement. "You even called me handsome and by the way we fight... well, it's as if we're already married."  He cuckled a bit. The idea of marriage, or even of monotonyin general didn't sit well with him, nonetheless with someone like her. At least marriage life would never get boring.

"And tell me, darling, if you can smell color, what do my eyes smell like?" He batted his eyes. "I'd like to think they're rather pretty." Electric blue on black. A few have described Zaryn's eyes as 'charmingly demonic,' but even when the comments aren't as nice they akways turn heads.

[Medievarad]

Quicksilver frowned. "You tryin' to get in my pants?" She inquired with a playful giggle, before going all serious again. Foul," she replied with a soft snort. "Curious, but foul."

[Fukurou]

"I'm just tryin' to make friendly conversation, darling." His fangs gleamed in the hot summer sun, mimicing those of the snake. "Tell me, my dear. How does curious smell like anyway?"

[Medievarad]

"And I'm influenced by potent painkillers and drugs that heighten senses and speed, you sound so slow," she answered with a giggle. "And how it smells. Just curious. Can't explain it."

[Fukurou]

"Oooooh I seeeeeee," Zaryn said extra slowly, with a cheeky grin framing his face. "How're those painkillers going for ya? Must've been expensive."