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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2011 1:00:47 GMT -5
A black portal opened up in an empty alley. Out of the alley stepped Red Loki. Upon entering the world, the first thing that hit Red was the stench. There was a scent of garbage and filth hanging in the air. Coming from the slums of Gaia, it was hard to believe that any place could be worse. The Slums of the Enchanted Domain was that. And for Red, it was home.
It was odd walking out of the alley and into the main street of the slums. In the distance, Red could make out the Enchanted Castle. It was odd to think that they were actually not that far from the rich. In the wealthy parts of the town not a single stench or garbage could be seen. Soldiers patrolled the streets, something that was never seen here in the slums. They were too afraid to come to the slums.
The slums themselves were set up in three district that surrounded castle city and the Enchanted Castle. The slums were ruled by three gang lords. They paid the captains of the guard to not enter the slums. It was quite surprising that the king let such actions take place in the city. However no one in the slums ever spoke of their majesties. They spoke of Klock, Tarren, and Mogwai though.
Red had opened the portal in Tarren's land. It was here that he grew up. Walking down the street, Red knew they needed to find some place to lodge. That was the first order of business. There was only one inn in Tarren's district.
As Red walked down the pathways, his companion following at his side, he could feel the eyes of the people who sat on the street. They watched him with interest. It was a surprise that no one recognized him. Then again the last time he had been here was a year ago. He had changed.
Keeping his hand on the hilt of his weapon, it kept the eyes at bay. That was until they came to an overhang. Standing on the overhang was a teen, about his age. He was dressed in ripped pants and a green shirt. He had a large cut on his forehead, and held a knife in his hand. "Can't pass here unless you pay." He told them.
Red said nothing. He stood and watched. The teen stood and let out a whistle. As if it was a call, nine others popped out from various hiding places. Another thing Red noted was that their ages differed. The teen who had spoken was the oldest. The other ages ranged from ten to fifteen and varied in gender. However all were dressed in rags, and held knives.
"I'll repeat myself. Can't pass her unless you pay. It's ten Munny from the two of ya." Red was ready to fight, and draw his blade, but as he squinted his eyes to get a better focus on the leader of this gang, he stopped.
"I see you became leader, Ogre. Always said you would." Ogre squinted and his eyes suddenly went wide. He dropped the knife and suddenly ran over to Red and threw his arms around him. Placing a kiss on his check, he smiled.
"I can't believe it. It's you!" Taking his hands off Red, he looked him up and down. "Look at you, I haven't seen you since...." The words trailed off, and Red felt a lump in his throat. There would be time to think about it later. "Whose the whore?" He asked indicating Jean.
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Post by Sprow on Mar 24, 2011 1:33:44 GMT -5
Stepping out of the portal after Red, Jean looked at what met her eyes. The smell here was much stronger than what the slums on Gaia smelled like. Walking out of the alley, following Red, Jean noted that they had to be in the slums of this area. People they passed looked like those in Gaia's slums. A depressing area to be in and Jean certainly felt out of place as she followed Red.
Just like she would in Gaia, Jean was careful not to make any eye contact with the people they passed by. In the corner of her eye, she could tell people were watching them with interest. Obviously, none of them seemed to recognize Red and they certainly didn't know who Jean was. The attention made even Jean put a careful hand on one of her sword's hilts. If anyone tried to attack them, she would be ready for it. As they walked, Jean was careful to hold a posture that suggested that she wasn't one to be messed with. After all, this appeared to be another place where the strongest survived.
It wasn't long before they came upon an overhang. It was here that trouble seemed to arrive on the scene in the form of a teenager with a knife in hand. He was adorned in raggedy clothing and by the look on his face, Jean knew he was probably the rough sort. Coming to a stop, she looked back at the kid as he spoke to them demanding pay. According to him, they couldn't pass unless they paid him first.
Like Red, she just looked back at the kid with a raised eyebrow. Since it was Red's homeworld, Jean refrained from doing anything unless Red reacted to the situation first. He had this world's smarts, no doubt so it was best to keep from doing anything rash. As they stood there, the teen whistled. As if summoned by the whistling, nine others appeared and all of different ages. Most of them ranged from ten and up, the teen that had spoken to them being the oldest of the group.
'They're only children and already the youngest of them is holding a knife!' she thought. It seemed to be much worse than the slums of Midgar in Gaia. Children there at least were much happier and didn't have to act like these kids here in the Enchanted Dominion slums. As she stood there, the teenager repeated himself. This time telling them how much each of them had to pay so that they may pass.
It wasn't long before Red finally spoke to the leader. His name was Ogre and it seemed like Red knew him. Realizing it was Red, the teenager hurried over to hug him and even went as far as to kiss his cheek. Thinking nothing of it, Jean let them speak to one another. This was Red's home after all.
However, the situation got a bit rocky as Ogre went on to question Red who she was in a rather rude manner. 'Is it me or does every kid seem to think of me in a negative way?' she wondered, giving Ogre a very flat look. "For your information, kid the name's Jean. If I were you, I'd learn to watch my tongue unless you'd like for someone more violent than myself to one day slice out your voice box or cut off your tongue!" she retorted coolly. Where her expression was hardened, she had no intentions of doing him real harm. Jean knew he was young and therefore still had yet to learn some manners.
She definitely didn't have a good first impression of this Ogre. Still, out of respect to Red, she refrained from doing anything else. Neither would she anyways except probably in the future argue if the teen were to become annoying toward herself.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2011 15:26:28 GMT -5
Red wanted to palm his face. He couldn't blame Ogre for what he said. There was a reason Ogre had thought Jean a whore, and it wasn't because he thought negative of her. Red had been raised in a whore house. It was custom for him to travel with many of the girls who worked there. So Ogre was simply putting one and one together.
Before he could comment, Jean pipped in. Ogre looked her up and down. "She's not from around here is she?" He asked Red. Simply shaking his head, Ogre threw his arms around Red's shoulder. "I haven't seen you in a year Red."
Walking ahead, Ogre's gang separated so that they could walk through. "Scoot, your in charge while I'm gone." A girl, perhaps a year younger than Red, nodded and the other eight kids vanished in their hiding spot.
"So what brings you and.... your companion, back to the slums. I figured you'd be back someday, not this soon though. Things have changed since you left Red. Tarren has control over more than half of Mogwai's district. Things have cooled down, but word is that Klock isn't too happy with Tarren's expansion."
For Red the words were familiar. Glancing at Jean though, he thought that she probably had no idea what he Ogre was talking about. As they continued down the walkway, it should be noted that the eyes that followed them before no longer did so. One look at Ogre and people turned away.
"Tarren's the Gang Lord who runs this part of the slums. Mogwai controls land next to Tarren's and Klock controls the slums on the north, behind Enchanted Castle." He hoped his explanation was good enough for Jean to understand.
As they walked, a tall building towered over them. It stood two stories and was easily the best looking building Red had seen so far. Spotting a sign hanging on a post above the door, it read "Fortune." Red recognized the place as the only inn/ tavern in the town. The inn keeper paid thirty percent of his makings to Tarren.
"I need to get back. Scooter's good and all, but she tends to be lazy. I'll come by later tonight. Maybe we can catch up." Ogre gave Red a hug, and turned to Jean. He grabbed her hand and put it up to his lips kissing it. "Sorry about the comment earlier. Any friend of Red's is a friend of mine." Bowing, Ogre left. Red watched him go.
It was good to be back. But he wasn't looking forward to where they needed to go. "The only person who might have information that we can use is Tarren. I'm not all to happy to see him. He wasn't a big fan of...." Red's words trailed off. He couldn't say her name. Just thinking about her name brought a lump in his throat and a tear in his eye. This was not going to be easy.
"Let's just go inside. You ready?"
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Post by Sprow on Mar 24, 2011 20:12:56 GMT -5
Jean didn't know that Ogre didn't know that she wasn't what he thought she was. In her shoes, it sounded like he was insulting her thus why she had such venomous words. As Ogre looked her up and down, Jean looked back with a flat look. Hearing his question, it was Red to shake his head to confirm that she wasn't at all from around here. Well, of course she wasn't. If Jean realized what it was here, she wouldn't have been so spiteful with her words. Still, it was insulting to her to be called such a word. Jean never did such a thing.
Judging by the way Ogre reacted, he obviously wasn't bothered by what she had said. Death threats were probably a common thing out here in the slums. She should've realized that at the very least. Oh well, she silently simmered down as she watched Red and Ogre. Ogre began leading the way through the cluster of kids and Jean followed Red and Ogre. She glanced over at one of the girls as Ogre told her that she was in charge until he returned.
They scampered off to leave the three of them behind. As Ogre lead the way, Jean hadn't a clue whom they were talking about and had narrowed her eyes a little when Ogre had to stop himself to refer to Jean appropriately. 'That's right!' she thought grumpily. Red seemed to catch on with the fact she didn't know what they were talking about and did his best to explain. Apparently, gang lords lead certain areas of the slums. It wasn't a real surprise to her. The slums were once sort of controlled by a mafia boss, Wall Market namely. "I see."
It wasn't long before they came upon an Inn called the 'Fortune'. Here was where Ogre would take his leave. After giving Red a farewell hug, he had turned to her and took one of her hands in his and pulled it up to his lips. Jean raised an eyebrow at the polite gesture as he apologized for the remark earlier. "Apology accepted. Good bye, Ogre. Thanks for your help." She watched as he went before turning her attention onto Red again as he spoke.
Tarren was the one that would have their information that they would want. She wondered at the way he trailed off but didn't dare question him. Memories weren't probably the best for Red here. It was best to not make him relive the incident. "Alright then, this is your lead here, I'll be with you every step of the way."
Jean meant it too, she wouldn't turn her back on the kid. She would stick with Red throughout, no matter how bad it got. Hearing his question, she gazed up at the Inn. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be." With that, she waited for Red to enter before following him inside.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2011 1:22:32 GMT -5
Stepping into the inn, Red had the feeling that the owner had spent a lot of time making the place look nice. Well as nice as it could be for a tavern/inn. The floor was wooded and swept clean. Tables were set up here and there, with lamps hanging from hooks from the cealing. There was a single bar, that also acted as the main desk, with red stools in front of it. Paintings were hung on the wall, and gave the place a homey feeling.
Unsurprising to Red, a woman stood behind the bar. She was dressed in nice pants and a polo shirt. Her body was slim, yet her arms were muscled. It was quite clear that the innkeeper was very capable of keeping care of herself. Not only that but Red noticed the hilt of a sword hanging from her belt.
"Not that bad huh." Red commented. Seeing as it was still the middle of the day, there were very few people. Some sat at the bars, but were passed out in their own drool. Strolling over to the bar the innkeeper / bartender gave Red and Jean a smile.
"New to this area huh. I suppose you need a room?" The innkeeper asked.
Red answered with a nod. The innkeeper reached under the table and pulled out three small brown envelops with numbers on them. "Now rooms are fifty Munny a night. These are the only three double bedded rooms I have. Now the fifty doesn't count an evening meal per night. However pay twenty more and you get breakfast and dinner. Liquor is not included in that, but dinner comes with a glass of wine."
It was quite clear from the way that the innkeeper spoke, that she was a sales person. This wasn't something uncommon here in the slums. Everyone was after more munny. Sighing Red simply nodded. Compared to the rates of any other inns, seventy per night wasn't that bad. Besides Red trusted the innkeeper.
Reaching into his pocket, Red pulled out seventy munny. Handing it over to her, she gave them the key. "Wonderful. My name is Amelia, and I'm the owner of this place. If you have any questions feel free to ask me."
"Thank you." Taking the key, Red indicated for Jean to follow and headed up the stairs. As he climbed to the second level, he continued down the hallway until he came to their floor. Taking out the key, he placed it in the lock. ""I'm really glad your with me Jean... I don't think I'd be able to do this alone, so thank you. And well find some way to get rid of Silver. You can count on it."
With a smile, Red turned the handle and entered the room. There were two single beds next to each other. Between the beds was a small wooden table with a lamp on top. Spotting the bed Red threw himself down on the one nearest the door. Stretching out he said, "This actually feels quite comfortable. Do you mind me taking this bed?"
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Post by Sprow on Mar 25, 2011 2:35:41 GMT -5
Jean looked at the state of the place upon entry. Surprisingly, compared to the outdoors, it was much cleaner looking. Obviously, the own at least did their best to keep it appealing enough even if it was located in the slums. It was still an Inn though. That was quite apparent when Jean set her eyes on those whom were congregated in the main lobby. Some scarce people were passed out on the table before them, sleeping in their own drool.
Looking over at the bar, she saw a woman there. Judging by her appearance, she was like Jean in a way. One that didn't take anyone's bull crap. In a place like the slums, she had to be in order to keep business going here.
When they approached her, she spoke and gave them a smile. Jean nodded at the question when she asked if they weren't from around here. That much was true. Jean hadn't been from here nor had she even been here once. As she talked, it sounded like they would be paying seventy munny a night. Compared to what Jean had to pay for a night in the slums of Gaia, it was much cheaper. She was fine with that. Also, she could do well without alcohol. Jean never drank to begin with. She preferred water anyway.
"Thank you, Amelia." With that, she set off with Red. If she had to, she'll pay the seventy for the next night. Jean would at least be useful in that aspect too. She wasn't just going to let Red pay for all of it as they went to find their room. Heading up the set of stairs and to the second floor hallway, they found it. As Red put the key into the lock, she listened to what he was saying.
"You're welcome, I couldn't let you face this alone. You supported me, now it's my turn." When the subject turned to Silver, she was reminded of what transpired prior to coming here. It was a lucky thing they had reached the Inn first. It were like a heavy burden suddenly fell upon her shoulders just then. Her father was possessed by that vile thing that called itself 'Silver'. Just thinking about it again angered her and saddened her. Forcing herself to push away the depressing memory, she watched as Red finally opened the door.
Inside were two beds separated by a table with a lamp set at its center. Seeing Red plop himself on one and comment on how comfortable it was, she just smiled a little. "You can keep it. A bed's a bed to me, Red. I've had to sleep on rough ground outside in the past. An uncomfortable bed wouldn't bother me any." With that, she closed the door behind them and wandered over to the other bed. Undoing her belt that held her swords, she set it down on the side of the bed and stretched. Laying down on her own, she gazed upward at the ceiling.
"I take it we rest first then?" she inquired. Jean felt pretty worn from their adventures on Gaia. Especially with the drama that ensued concerning Silver. Her father would probably be like that forever now if she didn't win the next challenge. That thought was going to bother her for a while. It wouldn't be simple to just get over it.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2011 12:10:07 GMT -5
Letting out a yawn, Red nodded. "There isn't much we can do until Ogre gets off of work. He's my only contact to Tarren. Its not going to be easy to get a meeting with him. We might be here for quite a while." Burying his head into the pillow, he rolled over so that he was facing Jean.
"I think its strange that were practically traveling together and I know nothing about you. Since we have some time maybe we can get to know eachother a little better. I hadn't been on Gaia for all that long, so I don't know much about it. But I still want to get to know you better. Your risking your life for me after all."
Red smiled Jean's way. He figured it was about time that they learned about each other. Especially since they were going to be stuck with one another for quite awhile. And of course Red would answer any question Jean might have for him as well. This was a two way thing. You give a little and you get a little, that's how things go.
Ogre would be busy working the streets till the night. Then, knowing Ogre, he would return with a bottle of liquor and three shot glasses. Even though Red was only sixteen, he was considered an adult in the slums. If he was good enough to get dragged into working for a gang lord he was old enough to drink. It was the mentality of most in the slums.
The majority of the children here were homeless. They were either sucked into groups of pickpockets, like Ogre's group, or were forced to survive on their own. The slums was in very bad condition compared to the rest of the Enchanted Domain. It was like civilization was left behind as soon as you entered the slums. Murder was something people were used too. If someone saw a body in the street they didn't look twice. It was simply accepted.
This was the home that Red had grown up in. And Jean was probably going to learn more about the horrors of living here very soon. Most likely as soon as she asked Red about his past.
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Post by Sprow on Mar 25, 2011 15:06:02 GMT -5
Just gazing up at the ceiling, Jean listened to what Red was saying. Well, she didn't expect them to be out of here as soon as possible. She knew that things like this were going to take time. Jean had a full year before she would need to return to Gaia. She owed it to her father after all. If it hadn't been for her dad, she wouldn't have ever gotten to the level she was. Hearing how Silver had disposed of one of her father's past best students was unsettling.
Her father trained his students quite well. For someone like Arnold Wong to get possessed as simply as that, it was an injustice to the skills he had. Her father never told her about his students in Shinra. So, she was going to assume that he was treated by her father like a son he never had. Whomever else Silver had taken the souls of in possessing their bodies, Jean would avenge them all. No one deserved to be taken against their will like that into whatever the heck Silver was.
"So I guess a nap would be fine until then?" she inquired, coming out of her thoughts. Turning her head to look over at Red, the kid was already facing her on his own bed. It was then that he suggested they should learn about one another better since they were traveling together. Come to think of it, they didn't have much time to know each other than they did on Gaia. Gaia, they had so many events that took place, it had been a hectic and busy time then.
"Well...where to begin?" she said aloud, looking back up at the ceiling. Where would she start? In her eyes, her life hadn't been all that interesting. At least, not to anyone outside of it looking in. "I lived in the little village called Kalm next to Midgar quite a ways. I still live there today with my dad. My father used to work for Shinra as a soldier, not the SOLDIER unit but the normal infantrymen. Mom used to raise me at home but...she fell ill and it got so bad that we couldn't save her unless we had the gil. Which, unfortunately, dad didn't have at the time. So, she passed away from an illness that could've been treated if we had the gil then."
It didn't bother her as much anymore to know her mother was gone. Jean had long since made peace with that fact but it still sometimes saddened her from time to time. "Being my only parent, father had to quit his current job and come to Kalm to raise me. I was...I think only seven at the time when mom passed away. It wasn't easy for dad but he always managed to keep going with just the two of us. In the mean time, he taught me how to fight. If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't have been able to fight like I do today." A lot of the credit, she had to give to her father. He could've easily given her up for adoption but instead, he stuck it through and took care of her. Even though they didn't have much gil, they had a happy life.
"Life was pretty good even though we weren't exactly wealthy. I aspired to become a warrior like my father. Turns out that when I went to get hired by Shinra, I was assigned into an organization working for it. I'd tell you the name but I can't remember it. Anyways, they had me as the general of their army branch as we traveled the worlds. I've been in many battles before Silver." She took a moment to pause as she considered what else to tell Red. Life hadn't been all that eventful for her, other than adventure and fighting. She made friends but only temporary.
"Tom was one of our fellow informants, he could crack any code in a computer and dig up what you wanted to know. We both worked under a branch of Shinra with that Organization. That's why I called him for information on Arnold Wong earlier." Pushing herself up, to sit up, she stretched. "Then, I got tired of the life I had and left for the sell sword job since the branch I liked in Shinra had disbanded. Everyone went their separate ways."
Looking over at Red then, she continued. "I've been working as a mercenary up until now, living with my only family, my father. I owe him a lot for having raised me as a kid. As for anything else in my life, I've never been married or in a romantic relationship so I've been pretty much focused on my career aspect in life more than anything else. So, that's all there is about me. How about you?" She was done with her life story. Now it was Red's turn to tell her his own as she turned to face him.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2011 16:15:44 GMT -5
Jean's story had captured Red's interest until all of it was finished. Red was surprised to hear how many events Jean went through. From the death of her mother, to signing up with an organization in Shinra. Red could seem any parallels with his life and hers. At least the part about the mother was the same.
Taking a deep breath, Red prepared to tell his story. Still laying down, Red's gaze was fixed on the cealing over them. "I was born here, in the slums of The Enchanted Domain. My birth mother was a whore in a brothel house. I was told she died during child birth. My father was a customer. I don't know who he is."
Sitting up, Red continued with his story. "Seeing as I was an orphan, I grew up in the brothel house that I was born in. I had a lot of people to take care of me when I was younger, but the person who I grew to call mother went by the name Big Mama. She was the owner of the brothel house and every other brothel house in the city."
Turning to Jean, a tear fell from Red's eyes as his lips pulled into a smile. "She was a wonderful person. She was kind, caring, compassionate, and never afraid to kick my ass." Red said with a small laugh. "Me and Ogre were part of a gang of pickpockets. We grew up together, and remained friends until I left the gang when I turned seven."
"On my seventh birthday, Big Mama told me that I didn't have time to be in the group anymore. She had bigger plans for me. For the rest of those years I trained as her apprentice. I learned the dirty business of the trade along with the perks of it." When Red spoke of perks he talked about things such as reading, writing, mathematics. He spoke of the education that all the wealthy children received.
"I was taught how to fight by an ex commander, a friend of Big Mama's. He had been a commander in the king's army, but had retired. Then everything changed a year ago." Even though Red's eyes were looking towards Jean, his eyes were lost in a distant memory. "I was in the main lobby. I had finished my studies early that day, and I was going to go meet Ogre by the bridge. That was when six figures dressed in hooded cloaks walked in. As soon as my eyes locked on them, I knew something was different about them."
"One of them carried something in a brown cloth. It intrigued me. After my time with Ogre, I returned and found out that the six were staying at the brothel. I sneaked in the room that night, and grabbed the item. There was a leather casing under the brown cloth, and I dared not open it in the room."
Red's eyes turned to his skeleton like left hand as he stared at it. "Ogre and I have a hideout. Its a place where we stored are treasures and stuff. I went there. When I took off the cloth and broke the letter I found this." Artemis picked up the sword that hung in its sheath. He had taken it off before jumping on the bed.
"I put my hand on the weapon and drew it." Repeating the action, Red drew the blade from its sheath. "That's when my left arm seemingly died, and left this skeleton arm in its place." Placing the weapon back in its sheath, Red put it on the floor. Now it was time to finish the story.
"I remember wrapping my arm in the tape and leaving the weapon there. I didn't know what to do, so I left it at the hideout. I remember walking back to the brothel, trying to think up an excuse for why my arm was like this. I never saw the smoke... I never smelt it in the air. I didn't know that the brothel was on fire until it came into view."
Red's eyes once again seemed to look past Jean, lost in memory. "I didn't know what was going on. I could hear the screams. I could only stand there mesmerized as I watched the girls trying to get out. Someone had locked the door from the outside. I watched burning girls, ones who have looked after me all my life, leap from windows on fire. That was when I noticed it..."
Red's voice paused as tears flowed freely from his eyes. His breathing became heavy and he was doing his best to stop from sobbing aloud. "They were there. The six figures, standing in a circle in front of the burning building. There hoods were all focused on one person in the middle... I couldn't see who it was. I had to get closer. I wish I never did. I wish I just stayed where I was..."
"It was Big Mama. She was on her knees, pleading for them to open the doors. The one closest to her asked where it was? She said he had no idea what he was talking about. That was when the.... the keyblade appeared in his hands. It wasn't your average keyblade, darkness radiated from it like light from the sun. Then the blade came down and...." Red couldn't finish the words. His hands were shaking uncontrollably and tears continued to fall from his eyes. He was clearly shaken up. Yet he knew that he needed to finish the story.
"So I ran... I ran and haven't looked back since."
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Post by Sprow on Mar 25, 2011 20:11:46 GMT -5
Jean had been here and there. Her skills were what had allowed her to even get the job she had enjoyed. Her father had been very proud of her. He had always wanted for one of his children to make it above himself in Shinra. Even though Jean had been his daughter, it was an honor to him for her to have continued his own legacy and more. In fact, there hadn't been a time where she had disappointed her father. Jean wasn't just able to defend herself well, she had managed to obtain general rank in one of the branches of Shinra.
Having slumped a bit in the bed, she rolled over a little to look at Red and listen to him now. It was his turn to give her information on himself. Information that he would be willing to give. She wouldn't press him further for anything he didn't want to reveal. Looking at him, she listened as he explained to her that he had been born here in a brothel. His mother having worked there had passed away in childbirth and he hadn't a clue who his father was whom had been a customer.
Red was raised by the women of the brothel, especially this Big Mama he mentioned. Jean was quiet as she listened to all that he was telling her. Big Mama had served as his mother figure and taught him many things. The woman sounded really caring and a good person despite being the owner of brothels.
Ogre was Red's best friend, that explained his reaction to Red earlier. He and Ogre were pickpockets and Jean could understand why in such a place like this. Anyone would do anything in order to survive in the slums. For one so young as Red, he had quite a story to tell. She sat up a little when he started on the subject of a fateful day. She could feel the tension in the air as he got to this point. This was where he would tell her about the people chasing him for that sword.
Red was looking at her but his eyes were distant. Just like that time when he had cut himself short. Red was reliving the whole thing as he told her the story. The hooded figures, six of them, had been the ones with the weapon. Red had taken the weapon and when he unsheathed it, it had killed the flesh on his arm and made it skeletal. Just hearing it made her wince. She didn't want to think what kind of pain he must've felt then when that happened. Concealing the weapon, Red had gone back to the brothel to find the place up in flames.
The women he thought of as his mothers had been locked inside and Big Mama was...well, she was obviously killed. Someone with a dark keyblade had killed her too. Hearing that, Jean was admittedly worried to hear that. Keyblade warriors were strong in heart than most warriors. As for skill, Jean had never fought one before. Knowing there was one that they might be dealing with in the future, it wasn't good news. Still, she wasn't going to back out now. She had come here to help out Red and that was what she was going to do.
Seeing Red crying, Jean got up off her bed and wandered over to him and hugged him gently. "There, there. It's not your fault. You didn't know." It was true what she said. How was Red suppose to know the six hooded figures would react the way they had? It unsettled her to think that they were up against a dark keyblade wielder. As for the others, she wasn't sure. Jean knew they were in a predicament but she wasn't pulling out of it like a coward.
"I'm here. I'll help you every step of the way. We'll find them and we'll put an end to them."
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2011 21:01:39 GMT -5
Blinking away the tears, Red hugged Jean back. He listened to what she said. She was correct of course. He had no way of knowing how the figures would react. That didn't mean he wasn't to blame though. Red couldn't shake the fact that if hadn't stolen the sword, none of that would have happened. Big Mama would still have been alive. Those falling burning bodies... These were the horrors that made Red grow up faster then he ever should have.
Letting go of Jean, he whipped away the tears on his shoulder. There was nothing he could do now. All that he could do was avenge Big Mama. That he planned on doing. But before that was even possible, Red had to find information about them. That was why Red needed to see Tarren. He knew every person in his slums. If there was anyone who knew who those figures were, it was Tarren.
Even though Red felt like he could cry some more, he tried to compose himself. Red had cried enough when all of this first happened. "I'm sorry." Red said, apologizing for getting so emotional. He couldn't help it. Still Jean shouldn't have to deal with it. Taking a deep breath, Red looked back at Jean.
"Thank you... Really. Thank you. I think we should take that nap now." Red said with a light hearted laugh. "We have some time until Ogre gets back. Enough time for a two hour nap anyway." Red didn't know about Jean, but he really wanted a nap. After everything that had happened today, a nap was a good idea.
Laying back down on the bed he buried his head in his pillow. He slowly let his eye's fall and sleep take him.
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Post by Sprow on Mar 26, 2011 0:07:55 GMT -5
Jean felt sorry for Red. She knew what it was like to lose someone you cared about. For a kid to have to see such a thing, she understood why he acted like he had. Jean was lucky her father allowed her to still be a kid when her mother passed. He never forced her to work or anything. Sure, she matured faster mentality wise but other than that she was still allowed to be a kid back then. Red, he didn't have that chance. The horrors he saw that night had forced him into the adult world's harshness.
"There's no reason to feel sorry for letting it out, Red." That had been her response to his apology for being so emotional. Releasing him from the consoling embrace, Jean peered back at him as he regained his self composure. It pained her to think what he went through...what he was still going through. Those fiends had taken away his family from him all over a sword.
She just faintly smiled in return when Red thanked her. "Anytime, Red." She chuckled a little too when he stated that he would take that nap now. In all honesty, she needed it too. She was wiped out from what she had gone through today. A two hour nap sounded pretty good right about now. As Red informed her that Ogre will be a while, enough for a two hour nap, she went to her own bed and laid down on it.
"Let him take his time for a bit. I say we both are in need of one anyway." As Red drifted off into sleep, Jean could only wonder about that keyblade. If a keyblade is what they were up against, they were in for a lot of trouble. Jean, where she was good, had no idea how she would do against a keyblade wielder. If they were a master, she would be really in for a lot of trouble. She hadn't mentioned it to Red since she didn't want to scare him but the odds were against them at this rate. Hopefully, just maybe the keyblade wielder wasn't a master. Knowing their luck right now though, she wouldn't be surprised if it did turn out to be a master.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2011 0:46:00 GMT -5
Red dreamed. His dreams drifted on the edges of neutrality, neither happy nor nightmarish. They were simply dreams and that was all. Having a tendency to turn every so often in his sleep, Red did so every so often. When he finally did awake, it was the sound of the door opening.
Upon opening his eyes, the first thing Red noticed was that it was night. It seemed they had slept through the rest of the day. Stretching his arms and letting out a yawn, Red tried to wake the rest of his body up. The person who entered the room was none other then Ogre himself. Dressed in the same clothes as before, Ogre bore two plates of food in his hands.
"The inn keeper gave told me to take them up to you guys." Placing one plate in Red's hands, Ogre left the other on the night stand for Jean to eat. Red watched as Ogre took a seat at the corner of the bed Red had slept on. "Things have sure changed since you left Red."
Red's eye lifted up in curiosity. "You should be thankful that you don't look like you did back then. Seems you've been given the responsibility of killing Big Mama and burning the brothel." Red, who had just begun to dig in on the fine meal that the innkeeper had given them, spit out the food in surprise upon hearing those words.
"What the hell? Are you kidding me Ogre? Why would I kill Big Mama or burn that building down?" The frustration on his face was quite clear as he questioned Ogre's claims.
"Now, I'm not saying you was the one who done it. I'm just saying that your the one they placed as guilty. It was your sudden disappearance that did it. You just vanished and so it was rightful to think you done it." Ogre crossed his arms as he glanced at Jean. "Looks like you just met a lady friend huh?" Ogre said with a wink.
Red shook his head quickly. "No no, its nothing like that. We actually just met a couple of days ago. She's.... my sister." It was a lie, but it was much easier to pretend that Jean was his sister, then to tell Ogre the entire story of what was going on. Shooting a glance he tried to apologize with his eyes.
"No way!!! Like legit! Your actual sister! On what side? Don't tell me... You found your father?!" Red was regretting the lie now. He hated lying to his friends, but he was trapped in the lie now.
"No... just the sister. She's an orphan too. We have the same last name. Look it's not that important. I need to talk to Tarren. He probably knows whose really behind the whole incident. It's vital that I find out what happened. "
Ogre was clearly not liking the idea. "I don't think that's such a good idea. Tarren and Big Mama never got along you know that..." Ogre could tell by Red's stubborn look that he wasn't going to let this go. "Alright I'll get you a meeting. But this time you say goodbye before you take off."
Standing up Ogre walked over to a brown bag he had left outside the room. Out of it he took a single large bottle. "You ready to have some fun?" He asked with a smile. Red shot a look at Jean.
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Post by Sprow on Mar 26, 2011 17:00:14 GMT -5
Jean didn't take long to wake up when she heard the door suddenly open. Immediately, her hand went for her sheathed swords as she leaned on the end of the bed. When she saw it was just Ogre as Red woke up too, she let her hand retreat back to her side. After the whole assassin and Silver business, she was a bit paranoid and for good reason. Calming down, Jean merely stretched a little bit to wake herself up better.
Looking toward the window in the room, she noticed they had slept well into the night. How long, she didn't know as she turned her attention back on Ogre and Red when Ogre spoke. He had two plates in his hands and had set one down on the nightstand. Hearing what Ogre said, the innkeeper had asked Ogre to give it to them. "Thank you, Ogre."
Quietly, allowing the friends time to catch up, Jean picked up her plate of food and began to eat. As she did so, she looked over when Red nearly spat his own food out hearing what he was held accountable for. It was a very good thing then that Red looked different than he did then. Depending on how the crime lord that ran this place was, it might be even more difficult for Red to get the information he wanted.
It wasn't long before Ogre had asked Red if he had met a lady friend already. Almost choking on her food, Jean looked over at them as if to question if Ogre was actually serious. Whatever gave him that idea anyway? Jean was ten years older than Red! Red immediately reacted, shaking his head no and telling Ogre that Jean was actually his sister. Jean's expression grew even more confused as Red gave her an apologetic look. She wondered why he was lying like that and not admit they were merely just friends. Taking the look he gave her as a hint to play along, Jean did her best to not act like this was all a big surprise to her.
Hearing Ogre's new set of questions, Jean wondered how the heck Red was going to wriggle free of them. Should she try and mention the father? She refrained from butting in, she didn't want to ruin any thoughts that had come to Red's mind. It would only reveal he had lied to Ogre. She merely nodded in agreement to what Red said in reply, making sure to not act surprised before Red turned the subject back onto the Tarren thing.
From what Ogre said, it wouldn't be easy. Ogre eventually caved in to giving Red a meeting with Tarren. How that will go, she didn't know. She knew she'd better be prepared though for when they would go and meet this crime boss. No telling how he would react to Red. Especially if he hadn't gotten along with Big Mama. When the subject turned to whatever Ogre had in a brown bag and asked if Red were ready to have fun, she just merely raised an eyebrow in Red's direction. She wasn't his mother or relative so she didn't have a say in the matter. What he chose to do was his choice but she wasn't going to let him kill himself.
"Do as you will. I'm content drinking water though." Jean never drank.
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Out in the darkened streets, a new figure roamed them. Unlike the people who lived here, she was clearly out of place. Oddly enough, no one seemed to notice her as she walked casually down the streets. Attire wise, she could easily be mistaken for someone that dwelled in the richer part of the world. Then again, not quite. Annalese's skin was almost sickly pale and there was an air about her that suggested otherwise.
Recently, she had just fed off of someone. She hadn't killed them or turned them, just taken some of their blood to satisfy her needs. However, whenever someone found the puncture marks in their neck, there was usually a cause for alarm as to how they even got there. Before that happened, she had been long gone from the victim she drank from.
Dressed like a medieval Victorian almost with a red corset and black form fitting pants and leather knee high boots, it was hard to tell if she were really from this world or not. Short jawline length teal green hair was parted at the front to reveal very rich purple eyes. Right now, the pupils were normal in appearance as she silently walked the streets. She was only five feet and four inches but she was beyond fragile unlike her flattering curves suggested.
On her right finger, she wore a silver ring. This very ring was the reason why she could walk in the daylight. Anyone who dared take it would find themselves in deep trouble. She wasn't one to kill someone but if she had to, she would. A regular looking whip was strapped to her side as she wandered the area. She only paused a moment when shouting reached her ears. Blinking, she looked over at the source. A lady was running away from three men. 'Now what have I come across?' she wondered.
Hearing the woman's calls for help, Annalese sighed. How dishonorable to pick on a lady by herself against three. Her pupils turned cat like as she unstrapped her whip and disappeared into the shadows heading in their direction. It was clear that Annalese wasn't human. Those men were about to find out the hard way too.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2011 17:53:58 GMT -5
"And then... she tripped." Ogre said slurring his words. He weaved back and forth and Red followed suit. They had been drinking for a good hour and a half now. Red was listening to Ogre's adventures in the last year. The more they drink, the more exaggerated and impossible the stories became. Red found it all absolutely hilarious.
Red had his arm around his gut as he laughed. Ogre leaned over the bed and picked up the bottle. There was only a couple of gulps in the bottle and he raised the bottle up to his lips and began to drink the rest. "Don't finish it all you twirp."
Reaching for the bottle, he snatched it away from Ogre's lips. Slurping down the rest, Red tried to place the bottle on the night stand. However in his drunken state, he missed the table and it fell on the floor next to the night stand. "Damn it Ogre! You got me drunk!" Red said for about the tenth time. Every so often he complained to Ogre for bringing the liquor.
Realizing that Jean was probably not having fun, Red suddenly felt sad. Attempting to stand, Red simply fell ontop of Jean's bed. Rolling onto the bed he laid next to her. "I'm sorry. You sure you don't want to drink?" Red said with a smile. He wanted Jean to have fun too.
A thumping sound from by his bed made Red lean his head up. Ogre had fallen off the bed and was now laying on the floor, laughing his head off. Red couldn't help but join in on the laughter. He watched as Ogre forced himself off the floor with the help of Red's bed as leverage. "Alright that's enough for me. I rented my own room down the hall. I'll leave you to your lover Red." Ogre said with a smile. Using the wall, Ogre left and slammed the door behind him.
Red was to drunk to move and he really didn't care either. "Night, night." Red said, more to himself really than Jean.
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Post by Sprow on Mar 26, 2011 19:12:56 GMT -5
Jean face palmed at the two teenagers' antics. Obviously, the liquor had them not in their right minds. She never drank because of the things people did to those who got drunk. People would end up used or who knows what else by those not drunk. It was much safer on her end not to drink. So, she was content in not doing so as she just ate away at the food on her plate. Ogre and Red could enjoy themselves as they saw fit. She wasn't going to judge them on their choice with that. If anything, she would be there for precautionary measures and make sure the two didn't get attacked or what have you in the state they were in.
They were quite boisterous in their celebrations. It was a little amusing to see how they were when drunk but Jean wasn't one to join in on that sort of thing. The more aware of her surroundings she was, the better. Being drunk only made your reaction time worse and befuddled your mind and perception on things. Jean would rather not have to deal with that or the hangover that would surely bring the day after. She also heard one too many horror stories of what happened to some people when drunk.
She almost dropped the now empty plate when Red had dropped the bottle on the floor. She thought it would've broken but it hadn't thankfully. Jean didn't want to have to pick up glass shards on the floor. Not soon after, Red had flopped onto the bed next to her and apologized asking if she was sure that she didn't want to drink. "Don't worry about me." She'd really not want to drink. She knew what happened to women who drank and she wasn't about to let that happen to herself.
There was a loud thump and even Jean looked over in wonder. There was Ogre, on the floor laughing his head off. Apparently, he had tried to move but wound up falling instead. It made the three of them laugh in response. It was just so random. Finally, Ogre decided that he had enough and bid them farewell. Jean only sighing and shaking her head at his remark.
With Ogre gone, she looked down at Red whom looked like he wasn't intending to move anytime soon. Hearing his words, he had fallen asleep where he lay. "You guys are...something!" she mused before getting off her bed and putting the empty plate on the nightstand. She moved Red a bit to let him rest on the bed better before going to the other empty one and sitting there. After her nap earlier, she was feeling wide awake. Some sort of commotion broke out outside. Hearing the noise, she got up and wandered over to the window to look out.
Two guys were running wildly, screaming. "...The hell?" she muttered. Something from the shadows lassoed the straggler of the pair and pulled him out of sight suddenly. Whatever happened to him, Jean didn't know but it wasn't settling to watch. The last guy managed to make it to the Inn! Frowning, Jean turned away from the window. Whatever was happening outside, she probably shouldn't get involved in. No telling what was happening and getting involved would only mean her and Red trouble.
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The remaining man of the three Annalese had been dealing with had managed to reach the Inn as Jean had seen. As he hurried inside, the other patrons looked at him in wonder. He ignored them as he breathed with relief, shutting the door behind him and slumping against it.
"Do you really think a measly door is going to keep me from getting in?" Annalese spoke. She had appeared from the shadows on his left, startling the guy. Eyes wide, he got up and ran up the stairs, Annalese just shaking her head and following him slowly up them. He could run but he wouldn't get very far. As she passed the other patrons, she just gave them a friendly wave. However, no one returned the gesture and just looked at her with shock.
What sort of girl had cat slit pupils? That and when she smiled, two very pointy and pronounced canine teeth made her seem all the more creepy. Ignoring the shocked looks, Annalese followed the guy up the stairs whom had tried to pry open the room Jean and Red were inside.
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Jean turned in alarm toward the door as it opened up, a guy stumbling inside and falling face flat onto the floor. If Ogre had still been outside the room, he would've seen the guy hobble past him with a girl following him as if she were the guy's Grim Reaper. "M-Monster!" he stammered, looking up at Jean before rolling over to face the doorway as the other arrived on the scene.
"Isn't that just rude? If anyone's the monster, it's you for ganging up on that innocent lady!" she stated, walking in and setting a booted foot on his chest. Looking over at Jean and the resting form of Red, she just nodded her head. "Sorry for the intrusion, making someone pay for the injustice he had done. He'll live." With that, she took her foot off the guy as he struggled to his feet. Using her whip, she lassoed him and dragged him out of the room as he wailed.
Jean could only look on perplexed. Just what had happened and why was that girl's eyes so...odd? When she looked out into the hall, the two were gone as fast as they had appeared. "That was...odd."
Locking the door for the night, Jean went to bed in the empty bed that Red wasn't occupying and fell asleep. The rest of the night went without incident.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2011 19:42:23 GMT -5
Thankfully for Ogre and for Red, both had been sound asleep during the entire event. Ogre had passed out the moment his face hit the pillow in his room. For Red he had slept through the entire episode. The next thing he knew his eyes were slowly opening.
The first thing he noticed was how oddly bright the light was. It hurt his eyes just to open them. Not only that but his head felt like someone had taken a knife and stabbed his mind with it. During his time on the run, Red hadn't the time to relax and drink. He was to busy worrying about keeping a low cover. That all changed though, when Ogre had pulled out that bottle.
Now he was regretting his decision for even inviting Ogre over at night to begin with. "This is the last time I drink." Red said to himself, holding his hand to his forehead. Thankfully he didn't feel like throwing up. At least not yet anyway. There was still time to see if that was going to happen.
Sighing, Red wondered what time it was? Knowing Ogre he would wake up as if nothing had happened. In fact, Red wouldn't be too surprised to see Ogre in the same spot he had met them yesterday. Yawning, Red wondered if Jean's cura would heal a hangover? He highly doubted it. "Let this be a lesson."[/color] Red thought.
Standing up, Red did the best with his situation. As he glanced over the room he noticed a small speck of blood by the door. Red had no idea that someone had stumbled in and had fallen face first on the floor. He just figured it had been Ogre, tripping. Bending down and taking a better look at it, Red simply smiled. "Stupid Ogre."
Yawning once more he turned to Jean. "You ready to go down for some breakfast? Then we can figure out what we want to do today. I don't think Ogre will be able to hook up a meeting with Tarren until tomorrow at least."
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Post by Sprow on Mar 26, 2011 20:50:11 GMT -5
The night had passed Jean by without incident. She had fallen asleep and her dreams had been only centered around what took place last night among other things. In her dream, she had gone from that incident to seeing her past warrior buddies. When she woke up, the day had already crept up on them. Sitting up, she stretched as she blinked away the sleep in her eyes.
Her vision was a bit off as she rubbed them, getting the sleep completely out of them before she looked over where Red had been, she noticed how he had been inspecting something on the floor. Hearing his words, she wondered if it really had belonged to Ogre and not the guy from the night before. Come to think of it, Red had been asleep the entire time that incident took place.
"You...don't remember what happened?" she questioned him.
Hearing the question about getting breakfast, she took that as a 'no'. Ogre wouldn't be able to arrange a meeting for them with Tarren until tomorrow at the very least. That meant they pretty much had the day all to themselves. What were they going to do all this time? Well, she could train but she didn't want to do nothing but that all day. "Breakfast sounds good. Lets do that then."
Before making her way to the door, strapping on the belt that held the sheathes for her swords, Jean looked over at Red. "Well, you missed quite a sight last night. Some guy came running into our room and a girl with cat slitted eyes dragged him out with her whip. I don't know what happened exactly but she had been chasing him and a friend of his. Making them pay for something she called injustice. It was...strange."
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Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2011 21:09:31 GMT -5
Red paused at the door when he heard Jean's explanation of what had happened after he had fallen asleep. Had he really slept through it all?! "That's it. I am never drinking again. What if something had happened to Jean?" He asked himself. This is what happened when you partied. You missed possible enemies coming in the night to attack.
Of course from the way Jean explained it, this guy was just getting what he deserved. But what if he had made an attack against Jade before this... strange woman... appeared to apprehend him. "I don't know anyone like that..." Red trailed off, talking about the woman with the cat like eyes in Jean's description. "But Ogre might know. He knows everyone who walks the street. Nothing for us to worry about though. Let's go down and get some breakfast. I'm starving!"
Walking out of the room, Red followed the hallway and down the steps until he came to the main lobby. It was about as empty as it was when they first entered yesterday. Taking a seat at a table, Red folded his hands in front of him. He caught Amelia's eyes and was returned with small smile from her.
She walked along the hallway and disappeared behind a door that led to the kitchen. When she returned, a minute later, she bore two plates of eggs, sausage links, and hash brows. Behind her walked another server, holding two cups of water. Placing a plate in front of Red and a cup of water, she placed the other on the table as well. The server handed them a fork, which Red took eagerly.
"If you guys want seconds just let me know." Amelia said before returning to the bar. Red didn't wait. He plowed into the meal like a lion into a piece of meet. He was surprisingly very hungry. Before he knew it he had eaten the eggs and the sausage and was on his way to finishing the hash browns.
Finishing what he had in his mouth he turned to Jean. "Any ideas on what you want to do today? I can give you a tour of the slums if you want. There isn't all that much of interest, but it might be fun. Unless you would rather just stay here? I'm open for anything really." Red said, taking another bite of hash browns as he waited for Jean's response.
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Post by Sprow on Mar 26, 2011 22:41:45 GMT -5
Jean could tell by the look on Red's face that he had no idea what she was talking about. The explanation she gave though seemed to bother him a bit. He probably regretted having gotten himself drunk and missed the whole thing. Jean wasn't weak though. She'd be able to handle herself easily if she had to. Then, she would've kicked the guy out if it hadn't been for the girl dragging him off at that time. Her age, Jean assumed appearance wise was around Red's age.
"You don't know then? Huh...well, she looked to be around you and Ogre's age." Hearing what Red said next about Ogre maybe knowing, Jean shrugged. Maybe he would know who that was but she wasn't normal. Jean wasn't even sure if it would be that simple to find out who that had been.
Walking down the hallway and down the stairs into the lobby, Jean was reminded of how hungry she was. When they sat themselves down at a table, she looked over at Amelia as she headed out back. She knew they had come down for Breakfast and already came out with plates of food. Eggs and sausages as well as hash browns! Jean's stomach growled hungrily as she got a good whiff of the food when Amelia set it before them.
"Thank you!" she stated before digging in. Unlike Red, she didn't wolf her food down but she wasn't any better. Like him, she was nearly as ravenous but had enough restraint where she didn't seem to inhale it. She had only just gotten half way through the sausages when Red spoke. Looking over at him, her eyebrows raised. He was on his way to finishing his hash browns already and was nearly completely done with his meal. 'He's certainly a fast eater!' she thought.
Honestly, she hadn't a clue what to do with the day. Sure, train a little would be fine but other than that she didn't know what to do here. She wasn't from this world so she didn't know what others did for entertainment. "A tour wouldn't be bad. I've never been here before so it would be nice." That and she wondered if they might come across that cat eyed girl again.
It wasn't long before she finished her sausages and her hash browns. Looking over at Red, she spoke. "You ready then? Where are we going first?" she asked as she got to her feet, done with the meal.
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