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Strange Magic [Dragonsong]

Started by Zero, August 15, 2016, 04:06:13 PM

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Zero

"Idiots that claim to be half-demon are usually just that - fucking idiots." Most of the men that Joss had heard boast about being part this or that monstrous creature were just men who wanted to sound scarier than they really were. It worked on the masses sometimes, but he wasn't stupid enough to believe it.

Still...the money might be worth it since Joss was broke. If there was decent money in it for him, at any rate.

"...so...what's the pay like?"

DragonSong

He could smell the beginnings of the sale, even if he wasn't the one technically making it.

"Definitely worth the perceived risk. Though if you're right and it's just some idiot trying to drum up a reputation, then we're getting vastly overpaid." He grinned. "Does that mean you're in?"

Zero

Joss really had to wonder if dealing with Calen for even longer than he already had was worth any price. The man was an absolute irritation, but again the fact that he was broke did make a good argument to grin and bear it a while longer.

"Yeah, whatever. This'll be a cakewalk, easy money." Joss finally sighed, glancing around with a frown. "Weren't we supposed to get something to eat?"

DragonSong

"Oh, right!" Calen actually flushed a bit and tried to flag down one of the servers. Seemed he'd gotten a bit sidetracked.

One of the servers wound his way over to them and stood waiting expectantly- more irritatedly, actually. Calen just gave him a bright smile, unperturbed. "Stew for me." He and the server looked to Joss expectantly. 

"What's your preference then? On me."

Zero

He wondered who pissed in the server's oatmeal, but then Joss really didn't care if the guy was irritable. It wasn't his problem.

"Yeah, stew's fine. Just give me some of that." Joss wasn't picky, especially when it was free.

As soon as the server moved away from the table he frowned at Calen, wondering if maybe agreeing to do any job with him was far too much. "So when do we go hunt down this asshole? Right after breakfast or do we go bathe first?"

DragonSong

"Well..." Great. Now the fun part. "I may have to...actually get us hired first." He quickly raised a hand to cut off any protest that might be coming. "My contact's solid, and I'm positive he'd be fine passing this job along to me, but he did recommend I snag a partner. Which is where you come in. Which is why we need to meet up with him before we make any real moves."

Zero

Joss felt a flash of annoyance. So there wasn't even a job yet? Then why had he just had to listen to Calen prattle on about one? His scowl deepened as he glared at the ice mage with clear irritation.

"Well if he doesn't give the job to you, that just means I can be rid of you sooner." Either option had its own merits.

DragonSong

Calen placed a hand over his heart and rocked back in his seat, swooning dramatically. "Ouch. Cut me deep there, cut me real deep."

He might've continued to make a show of it, but then their food arrived and he was instantly chipper again, digging into his bowl of- at best- second-grade stew like it was ambrosia. "Go on, eat. Got a bit of a long day ahead of us, it seems."

Zero

The little show of theatrics was met with nothing more than a roll of his eyes. Joss doubted very much that he could offend the mage enough to drive him away. After all, he'd been purposely pretty rude since he met Calen and it hadn't gotten the man out of his hair yet.

"The more I have to listen to you talk the longer it gets." Joss told him sourly as he tucked into his stew. It wasn't the best he'd had, but he hadn't expected it to be amazing.

DragonSong

Calen just waved a hand at him with a quick grin, obviously not taking anything he said to heart. He finished off his meal very quickly, then sat back in his chair and glanced at Joss, looking him up and down.

This would be interesting.

"Alright, ready when you are," he said with a bright grin.

Zero

Thankfully he was able to eat his meal in silence. Well, at least until Calen was done scarfing down his, then Joss groaned softly as he glared down at the last few spoonfuls of stew in the bottom of his bowl.

"Stop talking." He grunted before making a show of taking his sweet time in the last few bites. Just because it wasn't great stew didn't mean he shouldn't enjoy it.

DragonSong

Caleb blinked, startled, then nodded. "Oh, okay. If that's what you-" He quickly snapped his mouth shut, and a hint of color came to his cheeks as he glanced away, clearing his throat.

He could totally handle being quiet.

Within seconds his knee was bobbing and his fingers were drumming a rapid pattern on the table, itching to be moving or talking or anything other than sitting in silents. But he could do this.

He could definitely do this.

...at least for the next thirty seconds.

Zero

Oh. Fucking. Gods.

Joss looked up with a look of pure murder as that drumming started up. Was he really serious right now? Could he not be annoying for just a minute so that a moment of peace could be had?

Apparently not.

With a disgruntled huff Joss dropped his spoon back in his bowl and shoved his chair back as he rose from the table. "Just forget it. I'm out of here. Have fun with your "half-demon" hunt."

DragonSong

"Whoa, hey!" Caleb got to his feet and quickly reached for him, then thought better of that and jerked his hands back, holding them in front of his body in a peaceable gesture. "Alright, what'd I do now? You seemed fine with the idea a minute ago!"

He liked to think he was a reasonable man, but this guy was even starting to make him frustrated. But the sad fact was he needed a partner or he wasn't going to land this job- and on the off chance there actually was a demon involved, a demon hunter seemed like a good bet.

Zero

Joss actually recoiled slightly when Calen reached for him. The last thing he needed was this irritating idiot touching him.

"I don't have a problem with the job! I have a problem with you. You can't be quiet for two damn seconds. If you're not talking you're making some other annoying noise." It was enough to drive him crazy. Everything about Calen had been driving him nuts since he'd met the ice mage. He was too chipper and perky, he talked too much, and just wouldn't leave.

DragonSong

Calen glared and folded his arms. He didn't need a partner that badly.

But he'd give it one more shot.

"Look, you're not exactly the most pleasant person to be around either," he said bluntly, for the first time to smile disappearing from his face. "But it seemed like you could use the money, and I know I could. If you're as good as you claim, the job will be over quick and I'll be out of your hair forever, not significantly wealthier.

Zero

"I'm unpleasant on purpose because I don't like people. I didn't twist your arm to hang around with me this damn long. Pretty sure I've done nothing but drop hints that I would love for you to get lost - pretty sure I've probably said it outright." Joss really didn't care about the money anymore. He'd get paid eventually by someone, it wasn't like he was actually in this for the profit anyway - killing demons was the reward.

"To hell with any of this." He hissed, turning and making quite a show of storming out.

DragonSong

Calen threw his hands up as Joss stormed away. Whatever. He didn’t need to deal with this.

Grumbling to himself, he moved for the back door out of the establishment. Fine, he could try to sell his contact on this job without a partner.

It'd just...probably take more time.

Zero

Joss didn't stop until he was well out of Zantaric. It wasn't exactly that he was afraid that the annoying mage would try to follow him yet again, but he was totally worried that Calen would try to follow him again. He went home to Serendipity, seeking work on his home turf for a bit, because clearly something was up with his other favorite hunting ground.

It was a little more than two months before Joss even set foot back in Zantaric, but he was eager to return to work in the most corrupt city in the world.

DragonSong

Two months was a long time. In Zantaric, it could be a lifetime.

Calen felt like it had been a lifetime. He couldn't remember ever being so tired. He'd already been back in the city a week, but still he felt like he was on the road, constantly exhausted an always alert for danger.

It turned out that half-demon hadn't just been boasting. Calen had managed to quell the bandit threat, but he'd had to kill their ringleader to do it. And the little shit had cursed him, literally with his dying breath- who actually did stuff like that.

He had absolutely no idea how the curse would manifest, but he could feel it buzzing just against the surface of his skin, occasionally interacting with his own magic in sharp pops or sudden little zips of electricity up his arms.

He needed a drink.

Grumbling to himself, Calen left the inn where he'd been more or less hiding for the last few days, hunching his shoulders as he headed out into an overcast dusk. He didn't notice a piece of shadow detach itself from the alley he passed and start to follow him.

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