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Chapter Thirty-Five: Criminal Element
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Chapter Thirty-Five: Criminal Element
“How can I help you fine people on this beautiful morning?” the golden-haired man, Crispin apparently, asks.
Kayne, my team, and I stand in the center of the opulently decorated concrete building — Kayne acting bored, and the rest of us looking about in wonder. I’d been completely on point with my assessment of Crispin looking like he belongs in a boutique store on the skyway; the Mercurial compound looks almost exactly like one on the inside. There are fancy rugs and drapes on the walls, as well as paintings that look like they cost millions of yen. In short, they’ve done their absolute best to make this place feel inviting and not like a concrete box surrounded by smog.
Blessedly, the air is also just as clean and clear as it is in the GDF Headquarters — clearly showing that the Mercurials had spared no expense in making this place welcoming, if not accessible, to their patrons.
The most notable things about the room are the signs above the curtained off passages that lead down the various tunnels and the multiple attendants that stand near the edges of the room with arms behind their backs. Each passage way leading deeper into the Mercurial compound has a sign directly above it detailing out what wears could be found in that direction, and standing beside each passage is another of the black-armored Mercurial guards.
I find all the guards and attendants in the large room to be more than a little off putting. Each one I look towards either gives me a smile or a friendly nod, and they all watch us as if just waiting to be called into action. Honestly, it kind of creeps me out.
Kayne shrugs at Crispin’s question, seeming completely indifferent to all the attention on him. “The kids mostly need some of your basics, but Serena here is looking for some more specific items. If you’d be amenable to it, could you show her around while some of your attendants help us find what we need,” Kayne explains, gesturing to me.
Crispin offers Kayne a beaming smile, “Of course, Kayne! Anything for you!”
Kayne nods, as if people falling over themselves to follow his orders is exactly what he expects of them. “Good,” he says before glancing at me. “Don’t hold back with the monetary spend on your weapon, Serena. Get something that will last and won’t break the second a mildly powerful volcora breaths on it. Before you make your purchase, come check it off with me. Audrey gave me very specific instructions on what qualifications your bow needs to meet.”
With his piece said, Kayne waves his hand to the others and starts towards one of the hallways with the familiarity of a man walking through his own home. With a few hesitant looks thrown my way, the others follow him — three of the room’s attendants also trailing after the group.
“So, Serena, was it? Do you mind if I call you Serena?” Crispin asks, his easy charisma calming the nerves that had started to grow within me at being left on my own.
I shake my head, “No, I don’t mind.”
Crispin grins, “Serena it is then! Now, Serena, what can I help you find? Kayne mentioned a bow but also that you were looking for something specific.”
“Yes,” I say, doing my best to stop from fidgeting, “I need a new bow. Also, though, I’m looking for something that can help my teammates and me see through mist. I can create and control mist, and while I can kind of sense things through it, it blinds my teammates completely. Kayne mentioned you have some contacts for smog that might work?”
Crispin strokes his goatee and scrunches his brow as he thinks. “Yes… the contacts would work, but they aren’t reusable. I can’t have you wasting your credits and your yen every time you need more.” Suddenly, Crispin snaps his fingers, “Ah, we may have something that will work perfectly. We call it the All-Seeing Amulet, a bit of a dramatic name, but it allows you to see through non-solid obstructions. We normally sell them to sentinels with fire domains to allow them to see through their flame and smoke. It may just work for your mist as well.”
My lips twitch upwards as I realize what Crispin is doing. Guiding me away from the contacts and instead to a permanent, if much more expensive, solution. I don’t bother to call him out on it though, a permanent solution will work better for me anyway. “Would that work for my teammates as well?” I ask Crispin.
Crispin nods with another grin, “By default, the amulet will only work for the wearer. However, if you would be willing to set aside… oh, ten million yen, we can get a modified version ready for you that will work for everyone in a large radius around you that you deem friendly. Note, though, that you have to actually think of them as friendly for it to work, if you aren’t sure then the amulet just won’t work for them.”
I pause, thinking. That… that would work perfectly. I could envelop my team and all of the soldiers in my mist without having to worry about them being impeded. The mist would only be a visual impediment for my enemies and not my allies. Still, the price tag makes me wince. That’s a lot of money for a necklace. After that, I will only have 60 million yen left from my sign-on bonus.
Still, something like this would absolutely pay off in the long run. It would turn the biggest downside of my mist, that no one could see through it, into a complete advantage — not just once but forever.
“And how much would it be to use it in terms of GDF Credits?” I ask. I only have around 4,000 credits remaining after my purchases from the hub, if this would make it impossible for me to get a proper bow then I’ll have to come back another day.
Crispin once again appears to consider for a moment, “The magic of the amulet is more complex than truly powerful. I would estimate that it would only take 300 GDF Credits from your bank to allow you to use it. You should have Ratchet give you a second opinion on that, but I can’t imagine it being higher than 400 credits.”
My eyes widen in surprise. Crispin knows Ratchet? I suppose that makes sense; they are probably the two that sell the most powerful magical items in Shinara.
I take a second to evaluate the price before nodding to Crispin. I have plenty of credits after the mind flayer fight, and I want to be kitted out and ready for Friday. I’ll spend every yen and credit I have if I feel it will improve our odds.
“If you can have it ready before Friday, you have a deal. Ten million yen,” I tell Crispin with far more confidence than I feel. What was it Audrey had said? That you don’t need to feel brave to be brave or something like that?
Crispin claps his hands with excitement, “Wonderful, Serena! I’m so happy we were able to find something that will work so quickly! We will have the amulet hand-delivered to you before the end of Wednesday. That way, you will have plenty of time to test it out before whatever you are needing it for.”
Crispin gestures to one of the attendants, a beautiful, lithe young woman. “Please get the amulet sent out to the inscriber for the update immediately.”
The young woman nods before disappearing down one of the passages.
“Now,” Crispin continues, a tiny bit of nerves beginning to lace his otherwise calm voice. “Shall we go look at the bows?”
I nod, “Let’s.”
***
I still vividly remember the first time I’d visited Ratchet’s shop with Audrey. Seeing the lineup of bows on the wall — each one a work of art — had truly been something to behold. Now, though, I realize I hadn’t known anything.
The room Crispin had guided me to is filled to the brim with bows and bow paraphernalia. Where Rachet’s inscriptions shop held maybe two dozen bows, this room alone holds what must be almost a hundred — each one vibrant and glittering with deadly promise. More than that, though, the room has items that look to be things one might want to pair alongside a bow. Quivers, arm guards, and barrels of arrows are neatly arranged, all shimmering with dense inscription work.
“Wow,” I breathe, my voice full of wonder, “this place is incredible. Did Audrey… or, sorry, Stardust Angel, buy her bow from you?”
“She did!” Crispin exclaims some of the nervous tension that had built up around the man, starting to dissipate with conversation. “I helped Miss Solara pick out her current bow in this very room only a year ago. She has come far in such a short time. As her protegee, I’m sure you will do the same.”
I wince internally, rubbing my arm awkwardly. “That’s a lot to live up to.”
Crispin gives a knowing smile, “Every sentinel thinks that — I promise you. Each one of my customers comes back having exceeded even their own wildest dreams; I have little doubt you will be any exception.”
“Anyhow,” Crispin says, gesturing wildly to the wall of bows. “What kind of weapon are you looking for? If you can give me some idea of that and your price point, I’m certain we can find the right fit.”
I bite my lip, both considering Crispin’s question and Crispin himself. He doesn’t seem like the type to pass up idle conversation while browsing; I wonder if he has something else to do. Maybe he’s worried about the idea of Kayne rampaging through his shop without him. That seems very plausible.
Taking a moment to consider how much I’m willing to spend, I just end up redeciding on my previous thoughts. I’ll spend as much as it takes or as much as I have. Whatever comes first.
“Audrey wants to teach me blade style, I’m certain,” I start, still thinking as I speak, “I’m not sure how a bow can have blade limbs and still function properly, but I’m willing to give the idea a try. As for price point, I’m fine with anything under 50 million yen. I’m willing to go up to 60 million if it’s more durable, though. My last bow was destroyed in its first incursion, and I’m not looking to buy a new one every week.”
Crispin grins at this, the nervousness vanishing from his posture. “Of course!” he exclaims, “Right over here.”
Crispin moves over to one side of the room, and I follow, looking up at the dozens of bows displayed there. Honestly, there are so many options that I don’t know where to start. I’m about to ask Crispin if he has any ideas or recommendations based on what he’s heard so far, but before I can, a loud crashing noise comes from behind me.
I whirl on the noise, my mist unconsciously starting to swirl around me with increasing speed. The noise had come from behind a black velvet drape in the corner of the room, I’m certain of it. Suddenly, I feel like a fool. The drape seems like it’s covering the entrance to a small room at the back of the displays. It’s probably just some employee who had dropped something.
Still, better safe than sorry. I don’t know how or why there would be a threat to me here, but I’m not going to take it lightly while I’m separated from the others.
I glance to Celeste on my shoulder, “Can you take a look?”
[Of course, I’ll let you know,] Celeste responds in an instant, invisibly hopping off of my shoulder and moving towards the curtained-off area.
Trusting Celeste to warn me if there’s anything worse than an attendant behind that drape, I turn back towards Crispin and the wall of bows, only to find Crispin visibly sweating under my gaze. Absently, I glance down at myself in my assault state garb. Am I intimidating? Is that what this is? I’ve never intimidated anyone before; I’m just too small, but maybe that’s what’s happening.
But… no. That doesn’t make sense. Crispin hadn’t been phased by Kayne, and Kayne is intimidating. This is something different, what is-
[Serena! There are three armed men hiding in this room! One of them is watching you right now!] Celeste’s warning screams through my head, and my eyes go wide. Is this some kind of trap? Why?!
My heart starts to race, and mist starts to build around me; I’m not about to be caught off guard. Hurriedly, I send a thick tendril of mist racing down the passage I’d come from. If I can get my mist to reach my teammates, I can teleport straight to them — no guards are going to get in my way.
I turn a glare on Crispin, not feeling nearly so friendly any longer. “Who is hiding in the backroom?” I demand, my tone fierce.
Once, I might have attempted to avoid a confrontation like this, and while I still feel uncomfortable, I’m not willing to let this go. Why would Crispin have armed men hiding and watching me? Even the thought makes me shiver.
Crispin still looks nervous, but his eyes burn with annoyance. With a sigh, he also turns on the black drape. “Adrian, just come out. Let’s resolve this like the civilized people we are.”
For a moment, nothing happens. Then, the black velvet drape is brushed to the side to reveal three relatively large men, and not one of them looks civilized. They wear street clothes and have yellowed teeth; each of them fingering the handguns strapped loosely to their belts.
Two things immediately jump out to me as I see the men — their life forces and their all-black armbands. Their life forces look the same as the man I’d seen on the skyway when I’d first gotten my title, greasy and tainted. Each one of them has a matching set of black, runic tattoos that run up their necks and down their exposed wrists.
The men are trailed by Celeste, who they throw nervous glances towards. Celeste, for her part, looks larger than I’ve ever seen her. About the size of a mid-sized dog, she has all four wings faired and claws withdrawn from her paws like a cat’s.
“Serena, this is Adrian and his team. When you all arrived, they requested to hide as they were afraid of sentinels. I, foolishly, honored their request. It is their misfortune that you were looking for a bow. Now, they are just leaving,” Crispin explains with an edge in his tone.
I narrow my eyes at the men, they do look afraid, but it seems something more than that. The looks they throw Celeste, and I aren’t just fearful, they’re angry. There is hate burning in their eyes, I can see it. Looking upon them, something feels profoundly off about the men, not just that they are clearly members of the Reavers gang, but something more. Those tattoos feel wrong, almost antithetical.
As I watch them, the men start towards the room’s exit, throwing glances back at me. Just as they are about to reach the door, I speak.
“Wait,” I say softly.
Despite the quiet of the word, the three men freeze in place, looking back at me. I turn to Crispin, “I’m going to fetch Kayne.”
Crispin shoots me a smile that is both nervous and confidant. “Miss Serena, I’m afraid you cannot give these men orders here. We are all equals, and violence is forbidden in this compound.”
I frown, contemplating. I have no idea what purpose Reavers might have in purchasing from the Mercurials, but I have no doubt that it will be bad. I pour my focus into my tendril of mist, reaching down the passageway and hoping I can find Kayne with it. The trouble is that trying to find anything with the mist tendril is like groping in the dark. Even if I run into a person, I’ll have no idea who they are.
[If we let them go, I can follow invisibly,] Celeste says in my mind. [I’ll find out what they’re up to.]
Doing my best to look disgruntled, I nod to Crispin. “Very well, but Kayne will be hearing about this,” I say, looking over the three men and memorizing their faces — I can draw them later. Crispin had mentioned that one of them was named Adrian, so I commit that to memory as well.
Glancing to Celeste, I pat the spot on my shoulder. Seeming to understand, she visibly shrinks and leaps through the air to land in her normal place.
“Stay visible for a few more moments. Then, turn invisible again. Try to make the men think you are going to stay on my shoulder,” I instruct.
Celeste performs her role perfectly, landing on my shoulder before seeming to settle down.
The three men look relieved at this and turn to go once more. I don’t stop them, watching them depart with what I hope is an impotent glare. Let them think they’ve won this round.
Casually, Celeste silently leaps from my shoulder and follows the departing men. No one looks in her direction or even seems to notice she’s gone — perfect.
[I’ll keep tabs on them. See if you can get any concessions out of Crispin. His behavior so far has not been exemplary; I’m willing to bet he will give a discount or other benefits if you push him.]
“Got it!” I respond before turning my glare on Crispin. I’d known what I was getting into coming to a black-market dealer, but I am not happy with him.
“So… let’s talk about my new bow.”
