Pirates and Thieves

[foriszecht.livejournal.com]

Character(s): Reddas, Flynn Rider
Content: Explorers meet and have a war of the words.
Setting: Clan Centurio Headquarters [I8]
Time: Week 31, morning
Warnings: Verbiage and smolder.

He pushed open the tremendous doors to the unmarked building. He came into the foyer as the morning sunlight came through the tremendous windows. For some reason, Reddas, former Judge Magister for the Archadian Empire, found the entire building to be something familiar. He thought he could see someone like Balthier or Captain Basch fon Ronsenberg saddling up to the tables and interacting with other similar warriors.

He thought he could hear a shift nearby and withdrew a sword he had purchased in the market, awaiting an introduction from the shadows.

Comments

[brokemysmoulder.livejournal.com]

"Hey, hey, chill." Flynn raised both his hands to show they were empty, the item he'd just picked up sliding deftly into a pouch on his belt as the motion was made, the action easily missed by all eyes but those trained specifically to watch for pickpockets...and even those eyes might not catch it either.

"No need to get all irrational and draw your sword on me here, I'm just a regular guy, looking around." He put on one of his most innocent faces, the sort of "caught in a bad situation but totally not red-handed" one that never quite worked on Rapunzel but always seemed to fool everyone else.

[foriszecht.livejournal.com]

He looked across to see Flynn Rider standing before him. The robber's playful eyebrows arched in worry, leaving Reddas little choice than to withdraw his hostile inquisition. "Normalcy does not constitute innocence, but I will yet spare you of an otherwise hasty sentence," he offered as he replaced the sword in its scabbard.

"Justa Regularguy, is it? Or dost thou possess a more typical title?" he asked with a bit of humor in his voice, rare to be found. He could tell that this character had just come across could use a spark of hope in an otherwise dim setting.

[brokemysmoulder.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, Flynn had no idea just what it was he'd pocketed, so he would have to find out later.

"The name's Flynn Rider," he answered, relaxing a bit now that there wasn't a sword pointed at him anymore. "What about you?" He made something of a show of looking around the place3 and admiring the architecture.

[foriszecht.livejournal.com]

"Flynn Rider. You seem all too familiar to me. Have you knowledge of one named Balthier? Methinks you would become fast friends," he said, before adding, "Thick as thieves, one would say."

He continued looking at the intricacies of the Clan Centurio, amazed by the familiarity of its architecture. "I am Reddas, ruler of the Balfonheim Port, and former Judge Magister for the Archadian Empire. Little it matters now, it would seem."

[brokemysmoulder.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, can't say any of those ring a bell. As for that Balthier guy I met him and Fran a few weeks ago. Nice guys. Though the rabbit ears kind of throw you off at first."

The "thick as theives" comment was being purposefully ignored. Much as it might be true, Flynn would rather the guy at least have some proof first.

[foriszecht.livejournal.com]

"My hopes were that my fellow swashbuckling acquaintances did not ill greet you. Their habits can be on the callous side but you chanced a warmer encounter with them," he said while crouching to the ground. He dragged his gloved fingertips gently across the floor and felt the dust accumulate across his digits. "Many here are as stupefied by the viera as you were. Strangely, some find the ears to be the most mystifying characteristic."

He turned back to the rugged delinquent. "Many here are bizarre in my eyes," he offered. "But I digress. What brings you here, Rider?"

[brokemysmoulder.livejournal.com]

"Oh, there's plenty mystifying about a girl with rabbit ears dressed in skin tight leather, but that's beside the point." Flynn shrugged, and took note of all the dust that had settled everywhere. Reddas didn't exactly seem like the type to be easily convinced by a lie, so a half-truth would have to do.

"Just thought this place looked interesting, really. Wanted to see if there was anything neat inside. Haven't found much though." Except for that thing he'd slipped into his pocket, but he still didn't exactly know what it was, aside from the fact it looked valuable--and who knew what would count for "valuable" in a city where gemstones somehow grew on trees.

[foriszecht.livejournal.com]

"I face surprise when remarks on the ears appear before ones on the rest of her appearance. On the other hand, her vestments are handmade of hides as the other keepers of the wood in Eruyt. Her abilities go beyond her unique appearance," he noted. Reddas looked across the floor and up to the finely crafted banisters, coated with a thick varnish of dust. "What can you tell me of this place?" he said with his hands waving to the perimeter of the building.

[brokemysmoulder.livejournal.com]

"Other than the fact it's old? Not much. This is the first time I've ever been here." Flynn thought it would be best to let the whole thing about Fran drop, since he didn't know anything about her. Commenting on her appearance seemed to keep getting him in trouble.

"Looks like it's been abandoned for t least a year though. There's so much dust it's hard to breathe."

[foriszecht.livejournal.com]

He squinted his eyes set under his silver-haired brow in disbelief. "These walls ache with history. Familiarity is apparent, but the memory is out of reach. 'Tis as though it were from the time and place of Balthier and Fran and I," he monologued, "I feel there used to be a proprietor here. Have you any knowledge of ownership in the town's ordinances?"

[brokemysmoulder.livejournal.com]

"I haven't been in the city long enough to have a clue, sorry." A casual shrug accompanied the answer. "Kinda weird that this place looks like something from your world, though. A little creepy."

[foriszecht.livejournal.com]

Reddas turned back to him with his typical stern countenance. "One should not find such a blessing 'creepy' in its manifest. For a city so driven on collecting the wandering and the forfeited, discovering a figment of the past is a rarity to be relished," he said while overlooking the last details to the foyer.

"My malice toward law's susceptibility to corruption still stands, yet that gives no reason for me to refuse bending it to its original will. A legal declaration may require witness testimony, and it is you, Rider, I place such importance. I will remain here as my Paixaoan residence until proven otherwise."

[brokemysmoulder.livejournal.com]

Flynn put his hands up again and took a step back. "Right...about that. I should probably warn you I'm not the best guy for any job involving anything with uh..."legal" troubles."

[foriszecht.livejournal.com]

"Regardless of your criminal standing, the sole responsibility of the witness to be present and accounted. Are you subject to a warrant or a search?" he asked politely with a knowing tone. "If so, I will keep this as a safe haven in exchange for your favor."

[brokemysmoulder.livejournal.com]

"...I'm subject to just about anything the guards from home come up with. Thankfully, they're not here. My point was more that I'm not the most trustworthy guy in the world, and if you need me? Chances are pretty good I won't be around."

Flynn didn't really see much reason to lie to this guy, at any rate, so he figured just coming right out and saying he wasn't the best to be relying on would be more likely to keep him out of what might in the future become something of a sticky situation. He didn't exactly want to get involved any property issues or anything.