Post by Osranger on Nov 1, 2014 1:43:24 GMT -6
"Fine," you nod. "Keep the rifle on one condition."
"Very well," he replies, looking relieved. "Anything."
"Take off your shirt."
"W-what!" He suddenly splutters, flushing red. "You want me to... strip for you?" He looks at you uncomfortably, leaning away slightly, and you can't help but grin a little at his discomfort, which seems to embarrass him more. Fimally, you shake your head, "Look, in the dark, that shirt of yours will stick out like a Ley in a marketplace." You pause. "You could probably conceal that rifle in that trench coat of yours, but when we hit the building, you should probably ditch the coat until our job is done."
"Wait, you want me to rob a building topless?" He asks incredulously, cheeks flushed an angry red. "Do you just get your fun out of making me uncomfortable?"
You roll this question over in your mind for a moment before replying, "Yes."
Archer opens his mouth to retort, but before he can, you cut him off, "however, Archer, I'm a professional. I don't let my feelings cloud my judgement. Do I need to remind you that the reason I'm asking you to do this is because you won't let me steal better clothes for you." This strikes the nerve you intended it to, and Archer looks down at his shoes with sudden intensity. "Now," you continue in a more reassuring tone, "if some stolen garments matter this much to you, show men because this is the next best option behind forcing you into some new clothes, which, believe me, I'm sorely tempted to do."
Archer gives you one, final, hard stare. "It's not about the clothes," he mutters as he sets his rifle on the ground and begins to slip off his trench coat. He glances at you watching and looks mildly annoyed. "Do you mind?"
"Do you expect me to keep my eyes shut the entire night?" You ask skeptically, arching an eyebrow.
"It would make this part less awkward." You sigh, and feign turning away, still watching as he takes off his coat. This is the first time you've seen him without that long, loose-fitting monstrosity, and are quite surprised to find how inaccurate your first estimations of him were. Under his coat, hides an almost stocky, muscular physique, wiry and strong, his arms made of rippling cords of muscle. As he takes off his shirt, he reveals a broad chest, crossed with several scars, testament to most likely vicious fights. Despite his youthful face, he suddenly seems much older, not at all the slim youth you had suspected him, and suddenly. You are aware of the dual purpose of his loose, long clothing, disguising his actual size, strength, and even age. You are also aware that you have underestimated Archer.
He slips his trench coat back on, his rifle concealed neatly inside. He nods to you curtly, not revealing whether or not he knew you were watching him. "Come on, Strider, if we want to get to the before nightfall, we should leave now."
"We don't need to rush," you reply, but Archer has already taken off at a brisk walk, forcing you to keep up. As he checks on you to see if you're following, he seems to shoot you a look that says, "I'm a professional too."
--
Hours later, you flit about as a shadow within shadows, through the misty, moonlit night, sliding through the darkness. You left Archer in a small side alley three doors down from the barbershop to hide his trench coat while you scout for entrances to the Willow's Lisp Tavern, as well as other dangers. A flicker of torchlight alerts you to yet another patrol of guards, the second in ten minutes, clearly the work of a few well-placed bribes. You dearly wish to fight bribes with bribes, but you left coin pouch at the Deckhouse. Besides, Lancer would want as little evidence of the theft as possible, and only dead men don't tell tales. After the guards pass, you wait a beat, and dash back across the street so that you stand across the street from the tavern, shielded from view by the shadows of an overhang. You stare across at the tavern, a wooden structure, with a stone foundation, smoke drifting from its chimney. It is two stories tall, probably has a basement based on the building style. The cobbler and barbershop also are two stories, but the barbershop has an overhang above the entrance, held up by two red poles. The tavern's front windows are shut tight, probably its back windows too. They would most likely be easier to break into, but quite possibly more annoying to get through stealthily. The door is obviously locked, and quite out in the open, she would need to pick the lock before the guards come back. She gives the tavern another once over. All of the conventional entrances look shut tight from here. If she were to get a closer look, she would risk putting herself in the open. Still, a patrol just came by. It should take a few minutes before another patrol comes back.
A. try the door
B. Try a window.
C. Examine part of the tavern closer (specify which part. You can ask me if a part exists to search)
D. Go back to get Archer before continuing.
E. Your own option.
"Very well," he replies, looking relieved. "Anything."
"Take off your shirt."
"W-what!" He suddenly splutters, flushing red. "You want me to... strip for you?" He looks at you uncomfortably, leaning away slightly, and you can't help but grin a little at his discomfort, which seems to embarrass him more. Fimally, you shake your head, "Look, in the dark, that shirt of yours will stick out like a Ley in a marketplace." You pause. "You could probably conceal that rifle in that trench coat of yours, but when we hit the building, you should probably ditch the coat until our job is done."
"Wait, you want me to rob a building topless?" He asks incredulously, cheeks flushed an angry red. "Do you just get your fun out of making me uncomfortable?"
You roll this question over in your mind for a moment before replying, "Yes."
Archer opens his mouth to retort, but before he can, you cut him off, "however, Archer, I'm a professional. I don't let my feelings cloud my judgement. Do I need to remind you that the reason I'm asking you to do this is because you won't let me steal better clothes for you." This strikes the nerve you intended it to, and Archer looks down at his shoes with sudden intensity. "Now," you continue in a more reassuring tone, "if some stolen garments matter this much to you, show men because this is the next best option behind forcing you into some new clothes, which, believe me, I'm sorely tempted to do."
Archer gives you one, final, hard stare. "It's not about the clothes," he mutters as he sets his rifle on the ground and begins to slip off his trench coat. He glances at you watching and looks mildly annoyed. "Do you mind?"
"Do you expect me to keep my eyes shut the entire night?" You ask skeptically, arching an eyebrow.
"It would make this part less awkward." You sigh, and feign turning away, still watching as he takes off his coat. This is the first time you've seen him without that long, loose-fitting monstrosity, and are quite surprised to find how inaccurate your first estimations of him were. Under his coat, hides an almost stocky, muscular physique, wiry and strong, his arms made of rippling cords of muscle. As he takes off his shirt, he reveals a broad chest, crossed with several scars, testament to most likely vicious fights. Despite his youthful face, he suddenly seems much older, not at all the slim youth you had suspected him, and suddenly. You are aware of the dual purpose of his loose, long clothing, disguising his actual size, strength, and even age. You are also aware that you have underestimated Archer.
He slips his trench coat back on, his rifle concealed neatly inside. He nods to you curtly, not revealing whether or not he knew you were watching him. "Come on, Strider, if we want to get to the before nightfall, we should leave now."
"We don't need to rush," you reply, but Archer has already taken off at a brisk walk, forcing you to keep up. As he checks on you to see if you're following, he seems to shoot you a look that says, "I'm a professional too."
--
Hours later, you flit about as a shadow within shadows, through the misty, moonlit night, sliding through the darkness. You left Archer in a small side alley three doors down from the barbershop to hide his trench coat while you scout for entrances to the Willow's Lisp Tavern, as well as other dangers. A flicker of torchlight alerts you to yet another patrol of guards, the second in ten minutes, clearly the work of a few well-placed bribes. You dearly wish to fight bribes with bribes, but you left coin pouch at the Deckhouse. Besides, Lancer would want as little evidence of the theft as possible, and only dead men don't tell tales. After the guards pass, you wait a beat, and dash back across the street so that you stand across the street from the tavern, shielded from view by the shadows of an overhang. You stare across at the tavern, a wooden structure, with a stone foundation, smoke drifting from its chimney. It is two stories tall, probably has a basement based on the building style. The cobbler and barbershop also are two stories, but the barbershop has an overhang above the entrance, held up by two red poles. The tavern's front windows are shut tight, probably its back windows too. They would most likely be easier to break into, but quite possibly more annoying to get through stealthily. The door is obviously locked, and quite out in the open, she would need to pick the lock before the guards come back. She gives the tavern another once over. All of the conventional entrances look shut tight from here. If she were to get a closer look, she would risk putting herself in the open. Still, a patrol just came by. It should take a few minutes before another patrol comes back.
A. try the door
B. Try a window.
C. Examine part of the tavern closer (specify which part. You can ask me if a part exists to search)
D. Go back to get Archer before continuing.
E. Your own option.
