Interlude: An Average Interview

The rain in Vacuo while gorgeous in viewing, seemed to be reviled by anyone who wasn’t a farmer. The ground would get incredibly muddy and could sink unsuspecting victims. That’s not even mentioning the grimm who could travel easily within the soften ground. Then they could pull you into the ground never to be see again.

The more mundane reason being the incredible humidity that would follow after the rain. Making it barely breathable to step outside, much less to actually work out there. Not that I could really understand such a reasoning, as I’m much too accustomed to the constant feeling of A/C on my back at all times. Even when traveling. The privilege of being rich, I suppose.

The sound of mud meeting boots rang out before a series of raged breathes followed. My eyes drifting from the little urchin bleeding out as he laid flat on his back on the ground in the rain. Mud coated his ragged clothes and threatened to take his knife if his grip wasn’t strong enough. His eyes were glassy and unfocused as they took in the sky.

That was one thing I could understand about the hatred of rain in Vacuo. Mud getting on your clothes was rather annoying. As aura, even those as pitiful as mine, couldn’t protect you from it. Thus, if you wanted to clean those exact clothes as quickly as possible, it would take your maids about two hours to clean them. At least.

Vacuo seemed to be rather incompetent when it came to cleaning, it seemed. As back in Schnee Estate it would take thirty minutes, tops. Though Atlas didn’t really have mud. Or the expertise of Klein.

“You know, that was quite possibly one of the rudest introductions I’ve ever been privy to.”

My hands that were at my side now waving around my surroundings, indicating the numerous guards I once had. Had being the operative word, as they were all dead now. He didn’t really respond, instead just sucking in air as he laid there, slowing sinking into the ground as if to get away from his current reality. So, I continued on.

“Twenty-two hunters. All dead. Do you know how much that’s going to cost me? I didn’t think much of it when I signed the part with death benefits. Because why would I? What are the odds that someone will die and I’ll have to pay nearly double to their families?”

A groan of frustration left my lips as a groan also left the urchins. Whether it was frustration, pain, or just an effort to interrupt me I didn’t know. But at least I wasn’t venting to a wall. A very expensive wall that cost me a lot of money.

My legs carried me over to the Urchin as he seemed to try to pick himself up off the ground. He had little success of course, the ground not really stable enough to give him a solid grip being the least of his problems. The blood making his grip that much more slippery probably be the greatest.

“I’m starting to think that it was some sort of insurance racket. You know, maybe they didn’t even really train these guys before sending them off. Maybe they actually train thirty, forty percent and the rest are just livestock. Doesn’t seem efficient to me, but I’ve seen worse. Since we’re on the topic of money, I don’t suppose you have a drop location for your payout?”

My boots were planted on his left side, as he finally seemed to give his last attempt to get up, only to give up. His eyes darted towards me, and I was surprised by what I saw.

You have to understand that I deal with White Fang assassination attempts on a weekly basis. This was no grand false bravado over a dying assassin, this was just me griping about my Thursday. So, when the assassin has time to die slowly, they usually have a few choice words for me. Their eyes belying anger, rage at either me for having the gall to still be alive, or at themselves for failing. Sometimes it was fear. Talking to your pals about how cool it’d be to fight the good fight and go out in a blaze of glory was all fine and dandy until the threat of death was at your door. Then they suddenly aren’t ready, getting cold feet. It was alright when they held the power, but now when the tables have been turned it’s somehow unfair. Why should they die for their actions?

So, when his eyes simply lacked any real emotion in them, I was surprised. It wasn’t the expression of someone who had just given up, it was the expression of someone who had been just asked what time it was by a random stranger. Just ambivalent of his current situation. As if he wasn’t minutes away from dying.

“I don’t suppose they paid you half upfront, half at the end? I’d very much like some reimbursement after you tried to take my life. How much did they pay you to take my head? 200 million lien? Four hundred? Speak up, or I’ll have whatever family you have left to tell me instead.”

That threat seemed to get his attention, as his eyes widened in panic. Of course, there was practically no way for me to follow through, unless something on his person gave me the information that I needed. Murderous urchins were a dime a dozen in Vacuo after all. The only thing that was even slightly unique about him was the semblance he used to take out the hunters, but it’s not like there’s some sort of registry for such things. He murmured something, forcing me to bend down to his level, getting even more mud on my boots. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were completely unusable after today.

“Seven…”

A whistle left my lips at his barely hearable mutter.

“Seven hundred million…I can definitely see why you were so eager.”

“Seventy…thousand…”

My eyes zeroed in on him.

“…I’m sorry?”

“…Seventy thousand…lien.”

A certain silence invaded the air around us as I digested what he just said.

“You were paid seventy thousand lien to kill one of the richest men on Remnant? I’m going to be honest with you, I’m extremely pissed off right now. I’m not angry that you took the job, after all, it can be hard to get even that much money in the slums. No, what I am livid about is that you decided to not even ask me for a counter offer. You dumb fucking…”

I felt like kicking him while he was down, but the only thing I’d get out of it was more mud on myself, so I refrained. I wasn’t even sure the kid was still alive as his eyes were practically closed. But I continued on with my tirade.

“Do you even know how much money I’d offer for you to kill your employers? Triple. I’ve never even paid an assassin less than ten million. Seventy thousand…that gets you what, a third-rate hotel room for a few days? You needed the money that badly huh?”

“…My…mom…sick…”

“Boohoo. I didn’t ask for a sob story. I’m not going to feel pity towards a person who tried to kill me.”

Taking care of his sick mother by working as an assassin. I can respect the dedication to his family if nothing else. Though the best assassins shouldn’t have them, as that makes them too easy to control.

Hmm. Now there’s an idea. He may not look like much, but his skills were definitely the real deal. The hunter’s may have been fresh out of school, but it still takes some real prowess to be able to take them down that fast. His semblance was rather strong as well…

My eyes tilted back to the kid. How he hasn’t died yet is a mystery to me. Then again, I’m neither a hunter nor a physician, so i don’t really know how much blood is too much or too little. In the end it didn’t really matter. He had impressed me, that’s all that mattered.

“Hey kid. I’ve decided…maybe it’s not late for you, or your mother. I’ll fly her all the way out to Atlas, get her a cushy job, nice house, and some of the best doctors around. All I ask for in exchange is you to serve me for the rest of your life.”

“…”

“Well? Speak up, I don’t have all day.”

“I…”

His hand limply reached out ahead of him. Clawing at the sky as if to wave around the air around him. It would seem he wanted to shake on it with his muddy, dirt encrusted hand that he used to kill everyone around me. It was disgusting and I had the fleeting thought to kick him for the sheer gall of it all.

But I grabbed his hand.

“It’s a deal then.”