Short Tempered Searching

[Kade Lazarus]

Dealing with people was actually sort of something Kade was good at, except lately. Lately he was bad at it. For some reason he headed to Magnolia. The town of someone he hated. Sure he’d met Verity, and she was a nice young woman, but she wasn’t on his mind. He didn’t have any plans to go burn down the guild hall or anything psychotic, he just found himself travelling here. Maybe he would do some of their jobs because the town certainly didn’t have a good dragon slayer. His irritation was bleeding out again, he should probably… stop that. He happened by a quaint little theatre. He had a lot of cultural influence in his raising, but he couldn’t exactly claim to be a good person for theatre right now. What with his general mood and sulkiness. He wanted to train, to fight, to physically improve himself so that he could feel better. It was immature enough that he actually realized it, but he couldn’t do much to help it.

“Hey… you,” some man said. He was cold, serious looking, spoke in a level tone. He had almost messy black hair and a black suit. He was taller than Kade, but Kade didn’t mind that at all.

208/500

[Kade Lazarus]

“Yes?” Kade asked, his hands in his pocket. He still had his bow on his back, and he’d since washed his clothes from the lovely blood he’d gotten all over them. His fist was wrapped to cover the scratched from nearly breaking that tree. He looked like a roughened adventurer, and apparently that was why this man was talking to him. Also Kade’s Lamia Scale tattoo was visible on his right shoulder.

“You are from one of the guilds. I have some work that needs done.”

Oh, that was great. “Really? And what is that?” Kade asked, arching an eyebrow.

“We have costumes missing, and we need them for the performance. You’ll be paid if you find them.”

“… Find some costumes?” Kade asked. It was almost insulting sounding, but he didn’t have his usual tact. How was this supposed to help him gain strength as a fighter? Well, this was Fairy Tail territory, and he would gladly step on a few specific toes. This wasn’t his town, huh? Well screw that. “I’ll gladly do it. Name’s Kade Lazarus.”

“A pleasure,” the man said without sincerity, “I am Fred. It pays fifteen hundred jewels, but no pay if the costumes are damaged, or if you interrupt rehearsal. Bring them to my sister Isobelle. I suggest you get to it.”

427/500

[Kade Lazarus]

Kade nodded and headed inside. The building was large, but with his senses he knew it wouldn’t be a complete maze. He avoided the stage easily, listening to the dialogue even from a distance. The story might have interested him in other circumstances, but for now he was on edge. He walked around the edges of the building until he heard someone talking, just outside. I have them inside. Do you have the jewels? I’ll be right back. What were they talking about? He saw a short auburn haired girl walk inside and let her get out of his vision. From there he followed her scent beneath some stairs.

“Hey, wh-what are you doing here?” she asked, her tone short and irritated. She had the costumes behind her back and looked startled.

“… so you stole them and you’re selling them?” he asked her bluntly. Her eyes widened. Her immediate response was to tell him to back off, but when she tried to walk past him he grabbed her by the arm, spinning it around to pin her arm behind her back. She dropped the costume’s in the struggle. “So… you can let me have them… or you can turn them in yourself. That’s the deal. But you’re not taking them and selling them anywhere…”

642/500

[Kade Lazarus]

The girl tried to break free, but Kade wasn’t letting her go. He could tell from her strength that she could hold her own, but not against an annoyed dragon slayer. It wasn’t her finest moment, but she didn’t stop struggling. She kept saying something about them being hers, and needing the money. And insulting him. She spent a lot of time insulting him. He could feel her anxiety though, and said, “If you calm down… I will let you go, but if you try to run, I will catch you.”

“… fine,” she mumbled.

He slowly released her arm. “Alright… why do you need the money?” he asked her once she seemed a bit more calm. She glared before looking away, crossing her no doubt sore arms. “Well if you won’t tell me, I’ll turn you in. I guess there is no point-”

“I just… do! Okay, my family needs it. Not that you care, you’re just some jerk.”

Kade sighed, frustrated, “I do care… look. Alright, here. Here’s what you do, okay?” he wouldn’t be Tatsu. He wouldn’t be like that… person. He needed to help, even if he’d already ruined this job by being tactless. “You do to…. Isobelle. Fred asked me to take these to her. You say I found them, I am getting my pay, but you’re delivering it for me because I had something to do. You can keep the money. So… there, just… don’t steal anything else, alright?”

She seemed surprised by the offer, but readily accepted. He watched her enough to make sure she took the outfits to Isobelle, before walking out of the building. He really needed to find more jobs, because his head was not clearing up at all.

931/500

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