Beliefs

[Zerrif]

"Full too?" Gerik said, frustratedly. D just nodded, stepping out of another small, yet homely looking inn. Izlude wasn't by any means a large city, and all the inns being full didn't exactly leave much place to go. "Bah, it was nearly a day's walk from Prontera! If we went back now, we'd have to leave within an hour or so just to make it back within daylight!"

"Sorreh." The Blacksmith replied, looking over at the Bascht. The Mage still hadn't taken off his mask, sitting on the cart idly petting his lunatic. "But hey, I know a couple guys out here. Not an inn, but I might be able to get us something. Y'mind keeping an eye on him?" D asked, motioning his head over to the mage.

"It's not like we have much of a choice, do we? Let's just hope that it pulls through." The acolyte replied. If he had trained just a little more, he might have learned how to use Blue Gemstones to make a Warp Portal, but as it stood now he had other things to focus on, or so he deemed appropriate. Bascht just looked up at him as the Blacksmith walked off. "Right?"

"Yeah. It's getting dark." Came the muffled Mage's voice, from behind the smiling mask. Gerik looked up. The sky was a deep purple, nearing the black void of night. Starts would soon be coming out, matting the sky with gleaming lights, and a breeze washed over Izlude. Being a port city, it was generally cooler than Prontera during the spring and summer seasons-- he was glad the Acolyte robes were warmer than usual adventuring fare.

His eyes caught a glint, however, in the corner of his vision. He stared over, seeing only empty, and closed down vendor's carts. He knew his mind wasn't playing tricks on him-- it was far too dark to be doing so. He drew slightly closer to the cart, before he saw it again. He was sure of it, this time!

"Hey I'm... gonna be over there real quick." Gerik said, albeit a little shakily. He made his way over to the stalls, not even waiting to see if the Mage would stop him-- though he doubted he would. He seemed stoic and kept, but he knew that Bascht was tired from the walk. His slump on the various bags and goods that D always carted around told him so. "Hello? Is someone around here?" He called out, walking into a small clearing.

He was surrounded by carts, all closed. Another eerie, chilling wind blew over and he shivered, holding onto his arms and rubbing them frantically. His legs suddenly felt warm and he stared down to see a Nine Tail wrapped around his legs, nuzzling his left knee contentedly. Since when did they venture this far into a town? And since when did they not attack on sight?

His questions made him unaware of the presence behind him, arms suddenly around his shoulders. He jumped, and yelped, before he heard some sort of laughter behind him. More than a giggle, it seemed childish-- a laughter of pure amusement, taking delight in his fright. "Hee hee~ Sorry to have disturbed you! My little friend there seems to like you, though, and I've been looking around for him all night! Thanks for finding him, kon."

Gerik blinked, and suddenly pushed away from the figure behind him, tripping over the Nine Tail. He fell to the ground unceremoniously, turning around to stare at someone who seemed to blend in the dark just naturally. He had katars attached to his hands, and he had an unruly, brown mop of hair, held down by a hat that seemed to be shaped like a Nine Tail itself. "Sorry, kon! Hee hee, I keep forgetting it's not nice to scare people from behind. But it's just too funny!"

"... Funny. Right." Gerik mumbled, from his prone position. "Er... I guess you're welcome for finding your pet?" He asked, sitting up. The Nine Tail made its way over to him and nuzzled at his hand, nipping it greedily. He figured the beast just wanted some attention, and he started to pet it-- finding it comfortably warm. "What's his name?"

"Amoren!" The figure said, offering a hand, with the katar turned round so it wasn't pointed at him. "My name's Konkon. Just your friendly neighbourhood Assassin. Well... I guess that's a lie, kon. Not so friendly, and this isn't my neighbourhood." The Assassin giggled again, making the Acolyte blink. Was this guy for real? "Anyway, I heard you guys were looking for a room? I got a room, with a couple spare beds, if you guys wanna pay me for them."

Right, money. He did train up as a thief, after all. It wasn't any surprise that he'd be after that. "Let me ask the others, er... Konkon. Unique name, by the way. I'm Gerik." The Acolyte said, taking the hand as he was lifted to his feet rather easily. He just made his way out from the stalls, the Nine Tail running past him, at the cart.

The first thing that happened, was that the Lunatic in Bascht's lap saw the incoming kitsune, and quickly hopped up onto his head. The second was a charged Frost Diver, fired right at the tamed vulpine. What happened next was a blur. Gerik felt a rush of wind surge from behind him, and immediately Konkon was on the Mage, a katar to his neck.

"How DARE you hit my poor Amoren! You should pay for that! Now he's frozen solid! Don't you know Nine Tails hate the cold? You're cruel! A big meany!" Konkon started to shout, pressing his katar closer to the now-exposed, pale neck. Bascht was using both hands to keep the katar just away from his skin, and Gerik blinked.

"H-He was going to eat my Lunatic! Maybe you should keep your pets on a tighter leash, or not be such a reckless owner!" Bascht shouted back, scoldingly. That only made the Assassin pinning him onto the cart growl, like a real Nine Tail would. Jeez, there was a "liking of foxes", and then an unhealthy obsession with them. "He ain't dead, anyway. And he'll unfreeze in a few seconds-- so if you don't mind--"

"I DO MIND!" The Assassin said defiantly. By this point, Gerik had come to his senses, and was attempting to pry him off, only being rewarded with a quick backhand. "You apologize, and you take that back! Amoren is a nice fox! He wouldn't hurt a fly, unless the fly was annoying him! You're--"

"MAMMONITE!" Came a cry from the side. The Assassin looked over to see where it came from, only getting a glimpse of a giant sack of zeny, before it smacked him right in the face. He went flying off of the mage, though he righted himself in the air, and landed on his feet. He stretched out his hands, and said a little "Ta da~", as if showing he was okay. "You okay, B? He didn't hurt you, did he?" The Blacksmith asked, carefully sitting the Mage upright. The mask was adjusted, and a silent nod was given, before D looked up, and glared. "Just who the hell do you think you are--"

"SILENCE!" Gerik shouted, far louder than he even seemed to realize. Everyone stared in his direction, and at that point, the frozen Nine Tail's icy prison shattered, and the vulpine was free. It quickly made it's way over to Gerik's legs, making it's way under his robes, curling around his feet. "H-H-Hey!" He stammered, suddenly losing his vigour from earlier, before he fished out the Nine Tail, cradling him warmly in his arms. "A-As I was saying... this Assassin, Konkon, was offering us some spare beds he had in his inn room."

"YEAH! I'm the good guy here, so stop attacking me!" The Assassin said, striding up to Gerik's side-- though the Acolyte took a firm step away from him to accentuate. "But I don't wanna let meanies in my room. Especially not ones that attack my poor Amoren! You can't stay!"

"That's fine." D replied, coldly. "I asked around with my friends, Gerik, and there was only one spare bed I could get. If you want we could just meet here in the morning again? Sorry I couldn't do any better-- but it seems we weren't welcome anyway." The Blacksmith's tone had a biting venom to it, though the reasons were obvious to the Acolyte.

Gerik heaved a sigh, before nodding. "Yeah, that's fine. You two erm..." He thought about it for a moment. 'Have fun' didn't exactly seem like the best phrase he could use at this point. "I'll see you both in the morning."

The Blacksmith cast him a worried glance, before he just heaved up the cart, and left without a word. Gerik sighed again, and turned to the Assassin, who quickly scooped up his pet, and nosed at it softly. Gerik blinked at the sight-- this Konkon really was quite the character. He was either some cursed child stuck in an adult's body, or just extremely... well, childish. "Well then. Shall we?" He asked, breaking the Assassin out of his nuzzling. Konkon just nodded, a big smile on his face-- as if nothing that had just transpired had really happened.

"Sure! This'll be fun!" Konkon said, as he spun around on his heel, and started to walk towards the inn that he had a room in. Gerik groaned.

"That wouldn't be quite how I put it..."