to each his drink [c]

[Cain]

Well, this was just ridiculous. Cain sighed as he rested his cheek against his left palm, the elbow propped against the counter of the bar, as his right fingers holding a shotglass right above the wooden counter, circling it around lightly. He had been here for hours, and yet, his mark had yet to arrive. And this had been his God-knows-how-many glass already. He grumbled softly to himself, wondering just how much longer did he have to wait, as he brought the shotglass up. Resting it against his lower lip, he cocked it back, his head leaning back as well to accommodate to the act. And the liquor rolled into his mouth, over his tongue and down his throat, leaving a burning sensation in its wake. He'd slam the shotglass back down onto the bar, before raising his right hand lazily towards the bartender. "Another." The bartender would stare at him briefly, evidently disapproving of the foreign customer, but Cain would simply stare back until the older male succumbed, pouring Cain another glass. "Thank you." And the mercenary sighed, as he straightened his posture, both hands holding onto the edge of the counter. He had bene hired by some rich merchant a rather impressive sum of money to find a man who went by the title the Dodger, a rather infamous thief that had made Cain's client his latest target. And unfortunately for the Feroxi, the man's traces had led him here all the way in Ylisse, in this little by-the-road village. In particular, its tavern. Apparently, this was where the man was going to be, as he had been the past three nights. He could only hope the man's hangover hadn't gotten to him yet, and he chose this night to drink his reward away too. The mercenary sighed. To think his work would ever bring him out of Regna Ferox. He chuckled at that thought. Well, it was indeed a large sum of money. Of course he would work for it. Another man wandered into the bar, and Cain would snap a look at him. At the same time, his left hand would reach into the pocket of his pants, pulling out a photograph. He glanced at it, before looking back up at the man. Nope, not his target. Another grumble, and he dropped his head. Just how much longer would he have to wait for his mark to arrive. Or was just this another dead end?

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[Trinity]

Trinity cursed under her breath as she found herself bumhell right in the middle of nowhere because she had chased a thief that attempted to steal one of her prized possessions; a crimson bracer she was in the middle of polishing, which was why it was off. Eventually, Trinity managed to subdue the thief and promptly cut his head off with a specially-made dagger, putting it in a brown sack Trinity originally kept money in. Sighing, she continued to follow the path she had chased the thief on and found herself approaching a quaint little town by the road, and the first thing Trinity decided to do was to go to the tavern and indulge herself in some drinking. Still carrying the bag, the moment Trinity stepped inside the tavern, she was met by the now horrified glare of some of the bar patrons, and the bartender himself didn't seem to really care. Slowly making her way to the counter, Trinity sat herself next to a lazy-looking individual who held a photograph. Judging by his posture, it seemed to be clear that he had been waiting here for somebody for a long time.

Trinity called the bartender politely and asked for a drink, just one, paying up front right away. "Stupid thief," Trinity said silently. "Thinks he can snatch my stuff. Who does he think he is, the freaking Dodger? Maybe I ought to throw out his head on the street to show other stupid fools an example of what happens when people try to steal my possessions." Trinity ranted to the bartender who had inquired about the burlap sack Trinity had hefted into the tavern. It seemed he figured it out quickly because he silenced himself and pretended he didn't hear what Trinity just said. The blonde woman clad in red then turned to the fellow with the photograph.

"Hey, you. That guy in the photograph, or picture, or whatever. He looks kinda like the guy I killed earlier, little snitch trying to steal my bracer. Y'wanna see if that guy's head is in my bag? Seems like you were waiting for him. Or did ya wanna kill him yerself?" Trinity asked.

[Cain]

Evidently annoyed, Cain would slap the photograph down onto the counter with one finger, before placing his glass over it, as if to spite the very person that was within the document. This guy was getting on his nerves with every passing second. The mercenary would give the photograph a single glance, before releasing a sigh. Then, planting his eyes at the display of drinks at the back of the bar, he decided to distract himself. Just momentarily. It wouldn't be long, though, for Trinity would soon come bursting in through the door. Cain blinked, before looking over his shoulder, noticing the beautiful blonde make her way towards his direction. What was this about? Who was she? Coiling his fingers around his glass, and with the other hand, sliding the photograph back to him, he would allow his lips to be hidden by the drink, as he swallowed another sip of it. The photograph, of course, would slide back into his pocket. He didn't know who she was, so, she couldn't be trusted, automatically. And then, her words broke the silence that once surrounded Cain. Stupid thief? Cain's eyes widened lightly. Wait, could it be...? And her following words shocked the hell out of him, as Cain's hand would place the glass back on the counter. His posture would straighten, as he stared right at her with wide eyes. His head? And that was when she revealed the bloody sack. She was kidding, right? That couldn't be the Dodger, could it? Someone who was so famed at getting away had been caught by this blonde? To say the least, Cain's head was filled with questions, and not a single one escaped his lips. Not that he did not want to, but he did not get a chance to, as she would suddenly address him. "I'd... Rather not." Cain replied. Sure, he had done some grotesque things in his life, especially when hunting his targets, but never before had he kept any of their heads. And for no particular reason, at that. She had killed him because he had tried to steal from her? What was the point of taking his head? She was truly a peculiar girl, wasn't she? His eyes then came upon the sack, before he released an audible defeated sigh. He had been paid to catch the man alive and bring him back, if not retrieve the items that he had stolen. How was he going to do that now?

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[Trinity]

The stranger immediately put away the photograph by the time Trinity had come around, so it was a good thing that she had seen it just as she walked in. Trying to mask his emotion through the drink, he only reacted properly after Trinity had talked about the man she had just murdered out of sheer annoyance and anger. The guy's eyes widened a little bit for some reason, but the way he looked at the sack Trinity had now casually placed on the counter, to the disdain of many of the patrons who seemed far too terrified to tell Trinity off about it told the blonde that perhaps he was looking for him. But not because he was a friend. When the young man drinking had mentioned he would rather not see what was in that sack, Trinity simply sighed and shrugged.

"For a quiet guy like yourself who doesn't want to verify some things, you sure are interested about what I'm keeping in this sack. Look there, fellow, you just seemed quite disturbed about what I just said, so I offered an opportunity for you to verify and to confirm your suspicions," Trinity said idly. "I mean, the thief as fast as hell and I thought he was going to get away, but there's not really a whole lot my magic can't do. I got really mad at that, so I decided I'd lug his head around for a bit until I decided whether I wanted to throw it into a lake or into some compost or something" Trinity continued, shrugging as she took a swig of her drink.

"Well, mister, if the guy I killed really was the Dodger, does that put a wrench in your plans? As I entered the town I heard a lot of chatter about him. There's apparently a bounty on his head - hah, did you see what I did there - but sadly not his dead head. He needed to be alive or something. Oh well!" Trinity shrugged as she spoke very casually about the whole thing, which served to increase tensions further.

[Cain]

"Oh, I don't need to verify anything. You already heavily implied what's inside that bag of yours." Cain snapped back, rather frankly, raising an eyebrow as he stared upon the beautiful female. He knew that there were some peculiar people in the world, but in Cain's lifetime, she was perhaps one of the most he had met thus far. He certainly did not want to be on her bad side, that was for sure. A brief thought of having his own head in a bag made him feel a bit... Queasy. So, she used magic to catch the so-called Dodger, huh? Well, that explained a bit. The man had made quick work of the merchant's guards, but they were just simple sellswords. Experienced, sure, but nothing more than an average man with a sword and a penchant for money. Something like Cain, but the golden-eyed Mercenary carried a lot more than they did. He was skilled with a sword, and carried great potential in the art of battle. And to think, he was but a son of a blacksmith. "Well, mister, if the guy I killed really was the Dodger, does that put a wrench in your plans? As I entered the town I heard a lot of chatter about him. There's apparently a bounty on his head - hah, did you see what I did there - but sadly not his dead head. He needed to be alive or something. Oh well!" "Oh, well." Cain repeated, as he slunked back against his seat. Well, this entire trip had been for naught, hadn't it? He neither had the Dodger alive, nor the stolen goods, for he had no lead to work on now. He could keep searching, but really, what was the point? He might as well just come back and declare the man to be dead. He'd need proof of that, but the idea of carrying a head around didn't sit well with him. Sure, he often massacred his targets in the battlefield, but he'd leave their bodies their, on the field of battle, instead of carrying them around like trophies. Grabbing his drink, he'd swing it back, downing the entire glass as he slammed it back down. A deep sigh escaped his lips, as he allowed himself to stare blankly towards the front. And a small laughter would be released. Just his luck, huh?

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[Trinity]

The man snapped back, raising an eyebrow at Trinity. The way he stared made the woman laugh. "Apologies. Though I guess judging from the look of incredulity on your face compared to the other patrons' looks of pure horror, you don't know who I am," Trinity grinned. The bartender shook his head as if warning the male mercenary not to pry further, cued by multiple whisperings of warning towards him as well. Trinity shrugged and soon realized that the man she was talking to looked very downtrodden. "Hey now, don't be so down in the dumps. Let's try to work out an arrangement. If you were hired by someone to capture the guy alive, we'll just have to figure out a way to get the message over to your employer. I know this business pretty well, I'm a sellsword just as much as those trite mercs you see on the street," Trinity sighed.

"Instead o' drinking your sorrows on the bottle, ya should try to figure something out to get yourself out of the hole you're in?" Trinity shrugged, not looking at the man anymore. For real, Trinity was trying to be reasonable and thoughtful for once towards a stranger, but only because she could tell that his position was a troublesome one that she had been in in the past, when she was still starting out - then again she was a mere child compared to what she was now. "Ya better tell me about that arrangement and maybe I can see what I can do to fix things up."

[Cain]

"Not a clue." Cain replied to her first statement regarding her identity. Well, how was he supposed to know who she was, exactly? He had never been to this country before, really, and this was the first time he had met her. Furthermore, Cain cared considerably little about the other power players of the country, caring only about his own progression and those he was paid to kill or protect. Considering her acts, though, Cain found himself rather piqued. Even more so when he was warned against it. It was just that innate curiousity found in many people, where they often challenged dangers and warnings just for their own knowledge. In a way, Cain wanted to know more about her. She then proceeded on to inquire about his job arrangement, evidently trying to find a way to help the disappointed mercenary. Cain raised an eyebrow, as he stared at the drink held gently in his fingers. His lips would curl into a soft grin, then, as he adjusted his seating posture so that he sat up right again, left elbow resting on the counter top, with his cheek resting on his palm. His chin stretched slightly towards his shoulder, he'd look at her, giving a reassuring smile as he did. "It's fine. I'll just tell him what happened. If he believes me, then good. If not, then what can I do? It's part and parcel of the job." A chuckle escaped his lips, as he lifted his head off his palm, resting his left forearm upon the counter, as he let go of his drink. Stretching a hand out towards the blonde, he'd give a nod of his head as a form of greeting, an evident gesture for a handshake. "Name's Cain, by the way. Pleased to meet'cha."

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[Trinity]

Trinity blinked and looked at the man before her who simply stated that he had no clue who she was. Then, she smiled and sighed solemnly, looking at the bartender, away from the gaze of the man. The bartender looked visibly spooked, subconsciously backing himself into the corner. Then, Trinity looked back at the mercenary whose mark had been, ironically, stolen by the Crimson Witch herself, who had killed him because the thief had been trying to steal. Though, the man seemed unafraid, more curious. He said he would tell him the result of the proposition and deal with the consequences. Fair enough for Trinity; she liked people who could take responsibility for muck-ups. Then, he nodded and extended his hand forward for a handshake. The crowd gasped as Trinity took the hand and shook it politely but firmly. "I am Trinity." she simply said. "Pleasure to meet you as well, sir Cain." she continued, as several of the patrons now began to leave. Fortunately they had already paid for their drink so the bartender wasn't technically losing business, but...

"As you might have realized, people seem to consider me more dangerous than the person you've been assigned to hunt. Not that I can blame them, if stories of my brutality have reached this corner of the woods," Trinity grinned. "They make me out like some sort of demon, honestly. Well, I guess in some ways I am... But I promise, I haven't gone off the deep end that I'll start randomly razing towns, I'm not that kind of person... maybe" she said, jokingly, introducing herself briefly under the description that she knew most people would give her, as the Crimson Witch.

"But, you know, them's the breaks. I've focused and dedicated my life to the art of killing. It's only fair that I get this reputation of fear."

[Cain]

"Please, just Cain will suffice." Cain replied with a soft smirk, as he let go of her soft hand. Quite delicate feature she had, didn't she? A scoff escaped his lips, as his hand would slide back to his drink, lifting it up and resting it upon his lips. As he did, he'd glance over his shoulder, noticing the bar quickly emptying up. She really was some big shot down here in Ylisse, wasn't she? Perhaps in Regna Ferox too, but as mentioned beforehand, Cain never really updated himself on the to-knows in Ylisse. She'd explain the situation, though. So, she was notorious for her brutality, huh? A quick glance at the head in the bag convinced Cain that she was not lying, no. That act itself was pretty messed up, as it was. "But, you know, them's the breaks. I've focused and dedicated my life to the art of killing. It's only fair that I get this reputation of fear." Cain would chuckle, as he downed a few sips of his drink, emptying the glass, before setting it back down on the counter. He'd then raise his hand once again, capturing the bartender's attention, before tapping his glass. The man would simply nod his head, looking at Cain as if he had just made the biggest mistake in his life. He would nonetheless pour the mercenary another glass full, and Cain would nod his head in appreciation. "Well, I kill people for a living, Trinity. Judging you would be hypocritical of me now, wouldn't it?" Cain replied, the corner of his lips tugging into a grin. True enough, Cain himself was messed up in the head at some point. Experiences and suffering had taught him that life was fickle, and was as worthless as it was valuable. With such a thing being so difficult to determine, Cain simply chose to allow the material money to decide the value of one's life, and his own perspective. He'd jump in front of an arrow for a friend as willingly as he would take the life of anyone that got in between him and his target. The value of life was twisted in Cain's perspective, in short. It was that perspective that made him the efficient warrior and killer that he was.

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