PM to join Get a move on [Job Thread]

[Koruma]

OOC: Season of Fall, Day 9, 514 AV, the Establishment The sounds of chatter echoed in the dimply lit lobby as a several different conversations happened at once. One rather bulky looking gang hung close to the boards where job postings were listed, each member talking loquaciously as they argued. Each member was covered in thick leather armor or metal plating, weapons dangling on their sides. Their leader, or so it might seem, even boasted fur on his padded shoulders that accentuated what was already, a rather large feature. Scars littered his crossed arms as he stood in the middle of the group as the other members gestured at one posting or another. One of the women got rather animated and ended up pushing a poor wretch of a man beside her. For a brief moment, it almost seemed like a fight would break out. Thankfully, the leader placed a calming or perhaps stern hand on their shoulders and the woman returned to her argument with the rest of the group. Others within the small crowd weren't nearly as noteworthy, their clothing drab and poor like the rest of Sunberth. Some were discussing fees with the clerks while others were posting up notes upon the large boards that covered one side of the lobby. Master Tua was in the back, out of site and out of mind for most of the patrons. Off to the side was a pair of shadowy figures, their genders indistinguishable as they muttered to one another in hushed tones. It wasn't the only conversation done in whispers, but it was the closet to the corner where Koruma perched on a stool. The young boy wore his white shirt and dark blue pants as he sat upon the stool, alone in the crowd with his back pushed against the far corner. One section of his long bangs was pushed behind his ear and revealed part of the scar that marred his forehead. His ashen eyes remained fixed on the two figures until one glared right at him. Koruma instantly dropped his gaze to his lap. The boy's dark blue, almost black, cloak was spread over his lap. His hands rested on his legs, his left hand holding his dagger while his right cradled a half-carved wooden block. Various thin strips of wood clung to the cloak, curling around one another as they fell between his legs. Koruma gave a slight huff before he returned to his work. It was his most recent project. The small piece was elongated and Koruma had stripped it of the bark long ago. Now, his dexterous hands worked carefully as he pulled at the wood, trying to coax forth a fish from the wood. The rounded head held no distinguishing features, but the block slowly tapered before fanning out into something that resembled a tail. He even left a lump on the back where the top fin would be and two strange triangle jutted from the "fish's" sides. There were no details on the amateur piece, but Koruma worked as best he could. Pushing his knife along the edge of the wood over and over again as it slowly took shape. He had been there for an hour, waiting for Master Tua to give him his promised assignment. He was supposed to deliver a package, but the old man had yet to actually give him the package or even tell him where he needed to go. Instead, Koruma sat, whittling away at the wood as Master Tua went about his business. Koruma didn't mind though and spent his time quietly in the corner as he worked in silence while customers came and went.

[Shakune]

Shakune was a proud woman, and took such pride in the name and reputation she built for herself throughout Sunberth. She had been a courier for some time now, and though to begin with she had been scatter-brained and forgetful, now she had an organised system. Her clients trusted her, and it was for this reason that many of them would reuse Shakune for each delivery they wished to make.

So it certainly deflated the young woman's ego when she actually had to search for work. Usually jobs would come to her, either with a knock on her front door with a reminder left at one of the taverns (which Shakune frequented most nights). But recently, Shakune had not been getting as many clients as usual. Such was the patchy schedule of a courier, but it made Shakune restless and nervous. The reason she enjoyed her job was the travelling it promised and the chance to meet a wide variety of people. Having no deliveries meant Shakune prowled the streets of Sunberth like a hungry bear, stalking for prey and parcels alike.

Fortunately, word of mouth had finally promised something; Master Tua apparently had a few things he needed delivering, and so Shakune headed down to the Establishment to offer her services. She had worked for Master Tua only twice before, and though the older gentleman had seemed happy enough with her service, the courier knew that a great many rivals would also be sniffing around this particular job. Should a certain courier win Master Tua's favour over all others, they would almost definitely be set for work for the rest of their days. There was nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

She entered the Establishment briskly, in a way that she knew would catch the attention of most people inside. Indeed, many faces turned towards her, and Shakune smirked. With her exotic appearance and black eyes, she was not easy to forget. Being memorable was important if one was to be a successful businesswoman.

Shakune spotted the short form of Master Tua bustling through the crowd, speaking loudly to someone over the general hubbub of voices. As she made her own way towards him, the courier released the top two buttons of her cotton shirt, revealing the tempting curvature of her cleavage. Master Tua was a small man, and if memory served her correctly, he was just at the right level to appreciate her ample bosom -- another trick Shakune used for potential clients.

"Master Tua!" She called out, a hand tapping the man on his shoulder. He turned around to face her, and with a smug grin, Shakune saw his dark eyes rest happily upon her chest. She pouted her lips and folded her arms, pushing her breasts upwards even more, "I think you have something for me." The words were dripping with temptation. "A package?"

The man laughed spiritedly, this time his attention on her face. Though he certainly appreciated her physical appearance, he was unlike most other men in that he awarded the best work, not just the best tits.

[Koruma]

Working as a courier was certainly a new vocation for the young man and jobs for him were few and far between. The other couriers in the city already had established client bases and were well trusted by the people. Koruma paled in comparison. His need for money wasn't that big of a deal, especially because he was still able to get by off of the good will provided by the orphanage. However, his next birthday would see an end to the free food and he would soon find himself on the street if he couldn't make this job work. His fingers slipped and the knife nearly went flying. Koruma pitched forward as he fumbled with the instrument until it finally fell handle first into his cloak. Wood shavings bounced and several fell onto the floor in front of him. He could feel the points of the fish's fin dig into his abdomen, reminding him to breath. Koruma exhaled a shaky, but grateful breath before rising. Lanky fingers wrapped around the leather handle as he swallowed and sighed, thanking every god and goddess he could think of that nothing horrible had happened. A woman's voice broke through the crowd as she called loudly for Master Tua. It wasn't hard to find her through the parted sea of people and she stood out like no other. Copper skin covered her long body as black hair draped down her back. Her eyes were an equally intense ebony and she wore her confidence on her sleeve. All eyes were on her and conversation within the room had died down to a hushed murmur. Her words send a shock of panic through Koruma and he hastily began to clean up. His cupped hands rushed to gather up every shaving they could before he hastily balled the clump into his fists. "I do indeed have a package."Standing, the cloak fell from his lap and spilled his carving and dagger onto the floor as it wrapped around his feet. Koruma shoved the clump into his pocket, causing some of it to escape his grasp and litter the ground. "It's not ready yet. Just a few more minutes." Koruma knelt down, grabbing his belongings into a disorderly pile that filled his arms before rushing to Master Tua's side. Nervous and unsure of himself, Koruma glanced down to his bundled cloak and the carving that sat on top. He could feel the butt of the dagger dig into his arm beneath the cloak. His feet shuffled back and forth as he broke into the conversation with a nervous mutter. "Um... Master. I, ah, e-excuse me, but... it's just that-" A chuckle came from the old man as he turned his gaze to address Koruma. "Relax, boy. I haven't forgotten about you." Master Tua turned back to eye the women and her chest, an act that made Koruma roll his eyes. "Koruma is new to the courier business. Now that you are here, do you mind showing him a few tricks? The gods know he could use them." Koruma turned a deep crimson and ducked his head further, his shoulders hunching as he seriously considered hiding. A women dressed in plain dress with a single ornament hanging from her neck walked into the Establishment and approached Master Tua. The old man's face brightened slightly, but he paused before going to greet her. "Wait here while I go finish putting preparing the package." Master Tua turned and offered the woman a polite hand before exiting into one of the back rooms with her. Koruma's ashen gazed watched the two leave before he glanced up at the copper lady who had just tried to take his job away.

[Shakune]

Shakune's black eyes rolled casually over to the young boy, though thanks to her distinct lack of pupils, it was hard to tell where she looking. Business-wise, it was suicidal to share knowledge with anyone who wasn't an employee, slave, or relative. Unfortunately for the boy, he was none of the above, so all the half-breed did was give him a passive sigh and shift her weight from her left foot to her right.

She was an impatient woman, and as she waited for Tua to return. Two, five, ten chimes passed, and Shakune was growing bored of swinging her arms and puffing her cheeks in protest to the wait. Eventually, her eyes and attention began to slide back to the lad.

He could be useful, she mused, head tilted slightly as she pondered. The prospect of opening her own courier business was something that she had toyed with a million times before. Should she ever venture into such a challenge, she'd need employees. And a child employee would require a smaller payment than a grown man or woman...

"What's your name, lad?" She asked, briskly but not unkindly. It was not in Shakune's nature to be outright rude or cruel. "Only just started the courier business?" It was one of the better employment options for kids, she guessed; they could move through crowd efficiently and were easy to not notice. She imaged the infamous gangs of Sunberth employing hundreds of wide-eyed children, armed with questionable packages. "Sunberth's a decent place for such a job. Take my word for it." She winked playfully, and then twisted around to see if Tua was anywhere near finished with his other client. Whe she saw he was not, Shakune huffed and puffed some more, utterly frsutrated.

"When you finally get your hands on a package, that is."

oocApologies for the delay!

[Koruma]

Ashen eyes met with the woman's as she gave him a once over. Cheeks still burning hot, he dropped his gaze to his feet and reconsidered the wisdom of leaving. Her coppery skin, long limbs, and deep obsidian eyes marked her as one of the few non-human inhabitants in Sunberth. Her exact race was beyond Koruma's knowledge. She was simply not human and thus a rarity in the lawless city. Several chimes passed as an awkward silence passed between the two couriers. The rest of the Establishment resumed their previous engagements, busying themselves with their own work since the excitement was clearly over. Koruma shifted his weight as he tried to rearrange the mess in his hands. With careful and slow movements, his fingers began to search for the dagger that lay within the folds of his cloak. The rough material slid over his fingers as he dug into the maze of fold. When the chill of the blade brushed against his fingertips, he stopped, pausing before he proceeded with extra caution. He trailed his hand along the shaft of the blade, following it until the course leather graced his touch. A grin spread across Koruma's face and he plunged his hand forward as his digits laced around the hilt of the dagger. Struggling, Koruma shifted the position of his cloak as he pulled the weapon free. Koruma's smile fell as his wood carving tumbled from its precarious perch and clattered onto the floor. His head dropped into the cloak as he let loose a groan. With a quick sigh, Koruma pulled his head up and shoved his dagger into its sheath before bending down to retrieve the statue. As he rose, the copper woman spoke to him, asking him for his name. He blinked at her, wondering if she had actually listened to Master Tua or not. He gave her a quick shrug and quietly replied, "Koruma, and yeah." He bit his lip as he tucked the carving under his chin. He grabbed the end of the cloak with one hand and released the bundle. The cloth obediently tumbled towards the earth, unraveling itself. With his free hand he removed the carving and tucked it under his armpit so that he could fasten the cloak across his neck. Ashen eyes glanced at the women again as she spoke of Sunberth being a decent place to work. "Mmm," he grunted as he once again grabbed hold of the carving. Unsure of what to do with it, he rolled it over in his hands. "Can I... can I ask, what your name is?" When Master Tua finally reemerged, Koruma wasn't sure if he wanted to bolt or stick around to protect his job. His gaze followed the old man as Master Tua place two packages on the counter. One of the packages was thinner and about the size of Koruma's entire arm. The other was a smaller box that, judging from the way Master Tua held it, was of considerable weight for its size and probably just as valuable. Glancing at the copper woman, he strode towards the counter. The Master turned his gaze towards the two couriers and gestured for them to come closer. "Are either of you familiar with A Knife in the Dark?"

[Shakune]

The lad's reaction to her - either out of his shyness or awkwardness - made Shakune smile. It was strange to think that a lawless place such as Sunberth could generate children that still blushed easily under the scope of an adult. It was promising, perhaps, that the city had not yet crushed the boy's childhood.

The silence dragged onwards, and Shakune shifted from foot to foot impatiently. She investigated her fingernails, her boots, her coat. Eventually she started swinging her arms to and fro, like a frustrated child. In the end, it was a clattering sound from the younger courier beside her that caught her attention. He had dropped something, and though she had no chance to pick it up for him, Shakune saw that it was a wooden block. A carver in training, she considered, somewhat hopeful that her apparent competition had other ventures to steal his attention.

When he responded to her questions, Shakune replied in turn with slightly more warmth than previously. She gave her name with a slight smile, and then nodded to the wooden statue that the boy was now toying with. "What are you making?" The question came out of genuine intrigue. She had no real interest in any type of craftwork per se, but Shakune did appreciate that such a hobby required some level of skill that she just could not generate herself.

Tua's return, however, would end their conversation before it truly began. The man had bought with him two packages, and Shakune eyed them expertly. It was of course impossible to know what either parcels actually were, but she knew well enough that bigger did not necessarily equal better or more expensive. In fact, her richest patrons were usually those that sent the tiniest packages.

"Somewhat." Shakune replied mildly to Tua's question. The Knife was an enigma that nobody was really familiar with. Should anyone claim to know the Knife, or even more ridiculous to be the Knife, then that person was usually laughed out of whatever establishment had attracted their sorry attention. Some said that Knife was not a person, but instead a group of people. Shakune, truthfully, did not care. She had had very few dealings with Knife during her time in Sunberth, and the gender or race of this person (or people) were of no importance to her. "I reckon as much as the next person, anyways." She shrugged casually, her black eyes sliding to the lad beside her as she waited for his reaction.

[Koruma]

The silence that stretched between the two couriers was awkward and harsh on the teen's ears despite the noise that was created by the rest of the establishment. Even when their conversation began, it was in fits and starts as they waited for Master Tua to return. In the mean time, Koruma did his best to organize his belongings. With everything back in place, Koruma couldn't help but feel a small sense of excitement at the prospect of his next job. The copper woman questioned him about his carving and Koruma turned it over in his hands as he offered her an offhand shrug. "Nothing really. Just practicing. I was hoping I could make a fish but..." Koruma slid his hands over the elongated form, each finger moving independently as they rose and fell along the bumpy surface. He had been carving for a long time, yet his skills were still minimal at best. Even so, he was drawn to the cathartic movements and scent of wood. His skills with a knife were useless for fighting, but maybe he had some promise if he applied them in other fashions. A ghost of a smile appeared on the boys lips and his gaze glazed over for a moment. His thoughts were interrupted by Master Tua's return and Koruma placed the awkward carving on top of the counter. He didn't really need it anyways. The boy listened to Master Tua, trying to ignore the fact that his fellow courier never offered her name in return. His eyes widened as his mouth fell half open in surprise. A Knife in the Dark was something of a legend to Koruma. The stories that spread around the orphanage were always impressive enough and Koruma could feel his heart rate rise with his excitement. "I have tonight's location for you two." Aged hands dipped into his pocket and produced a small piece of folded parchment. The old man's eyes flicked between Koruma and the copper woman twice before his decision was made. He extended his hands towards Koruma and smiled at the teen as Koruma took the parchment with a tiny bow. That tiny piece of paper felt like it weighed as much as a giant and the rough texture was almost like sandpaper. Koruma glanced at his new 'partner' before he cracked the parchment open. The blood drained from his face almost immediately and his hands shook as he glanced down at the words scrawled onto the paper. Stumble Alley, Midnight. Koruma glanced up at Master Tua with dread before he looked tentatively towards the copper woman. He offered her the parchment without a single word and tried his best to find his courage. "The need for discretion should be obvious to the both of you. Return here with the payment the Knife provides you and I will see to it that you both get your wages." Koruma could only nod as he took hold of the smaller package. His fingers balled into a fist around the parchment and he glanced at the copper woman. "So... ah... I guess now we wait?"

[Shakune]

Shakune listened with casual interest as the boy spoke of his carving. He certainly came across as shy, and appeared unwilling to take credit for the wooden statue. Sure, it wasn't perfect but it was still an admirable achievement for a lad his age. "In a few more years perhaps you'll be rivalling Carver's skill." She encouraged, though the comment seemed too eager to please the young boy. Shakune bit her tongue, somewhat frustrated by the natural rises and falls of her words that could so easily come across as sarcastic.

When Koruma passed her the address, Shakune took it in her long fingers and studied it carefully. So they would both be searching for the Knife, apparently. It was an interesting prospect. She had never worked with another courier, and had not expected to ever share the experience with a lad as young as Korma. But still, the ways of her business and profit making were hardly ever ideal. She eventually nodded and smiled to Koruma, finally deciding to make an attempt to bond with him. It was important to do so, Shakune felt, especially if her ambitions to develop her own courier serve were ever going to develop. She might one day seek to employ him.

"I guess we do." She replied brightly, sliding the large package into her arms and turning to vacate the building. Upon exiting, the half-breed paused and faced the young lad. "So..." She started, but fell short of beginning an actual conversation. What was appropriate to say to a child? How old was this boy anyway? It had been a long time since Shakune had been left alone with anyone who was too young to get drunk with. "...Have you had to deliver a hand or foot yet?" The smile that accompanied her question may have created the impressive of someone on the verge of being psychotic, so in a panic Shakune extended her hand forwards. "I'm Shakune, by the way."
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[Amora Jade]

Congratulations, you've been awarded!

 

Koruma

Please update your ledger to reflect the season changes, one you have done so please send me a pm and I'll realease your grade for you!

 

Shakune

Skills

• Observation +4
• Seduction +1
• Rhetoric +2
• Socialization +1

Lores

• Self: "Being Memorable is Part of Being a Successful Businesswoman"
• Seduction: Using One's Womanly Assets to win over a Client
• Job: Deliver a Package to The Knife in the Dark
• Koruma: A Courier, and New Colleague
• Koruma: A Carver
• Socialization: Attempting to make Conversation with a new Colleague

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to send me a private message! Also, please remember to edit your post requesting the grade as "Graded."

With love,
Miss Jade