An unlikely Pair (Toxic & Parisu)

Karina had traveled through the day without a break. She wore a hood and the weapons she wore were concealed beneath a cap she had bought a few towns back. She had kept to herself for the last two years and simply traveled from place to place. She never stayed more than a few weeks and gave no one a chance to really get to know her. The few that even had the luck of knowing her name were only able to do so because they requested the name of the woman who had came to their aid.

Thats how it was now, traveling from one place to another. Helping those she came across and simply surviving. She had no family, no lover, no home to talk of. If anyone asked her where she was from or what she was doing here, her lies usually covered her well enough that they left her alone.

Coming up to a village that looked as small as the one she grew up in she immediately saught out shelter and food. She was pointed in the direction of a market place. After some calculation she found what she was looking for. When she walked in she felt the eyes turn on her and grimaced. It was unwanted attention. Dropping her hood and brushing her hair back out of her face she walked up to the owner. "Board and meals for a week." Her voice was quiet but had a melodic tone to it. She wanted no extra attention and made it clear as she talked to the keeper. After paying she went over to a table with a plate that the keepers wife gave her and immediately sat and started to eat. Her table was convienently by the door and kept her back to the wall. It was what she usually looked for.

A weary traveler walked in. He asked for shelter and food and paid it all with gold pieces. He walked to the table and saw the young female warrior sitting across the inn. She seemed to be very strong, and to him this was always a good sign, he looked for a strong companion so he asked about her and got information that she had not given a name but paid for board and meals for a week, this sparked in his mind. Seemingly if he were to tail her for the time being he would discover more about her in due time.

Wearing his usual red cloak and a green vest over a Puffy Shirt. (If you know the actual nae of this Shirt Tell me) he wore grey cotton pants and leather boots pretty much the standard for any red mage.

He finished his meal and waited for her to move before doing anything himself.

She was eating when she saw another enter and pay in gold peices as well. Her eyes followed him for a moment but not seeing any weapons she lowered her green eyes to her food. She was filling up quickly but viewed that as good because she was tired and didn't need to awaken to a hungry stomach. In the morning she planned to look around the village but for now she stood and discarded the empty plate and mug of water in the bin and then headed up the stairs for some much needed sleep. Speaking not a word she passed people and ignored words or looks she got.

She entered her room and took off the hooded dark red cape, taking pins carefully from her hair so she did not get stabbed by them she put them in a specially made pouch to keep the poison safe on them. She pulled off her boots and walked over to the window and opened it. The moonlight was bright in the bedroom and she laid her knives, short sword and chain inside the chest at the end of the bed. Once she felt the room was secure and she was comfortable she laid upon the bed, her red hair fanned beneath her as she fell right to sleep.

He finished his meal being a cook of sorts as most alchemists were, he was rather disappointed, in the flavor of the food but he had no intention of complaining he grabbed his rapier sword he had concealed within his cloak and after leaving his dirty dish and mug he also took off to his room luckily enough it was the one across the female warrior he had set his eye upon this would prove tailing her much easier.

He entered the room and began unpacking some of his things he carried inside an enchanted bag. This bag had infinite space within and allowed him to carry his tools of the trade anywhere he liked. He took the cauldron he used for synthesis and some components to make things he needed if he was to stay there for a week he might as well be ready to work to make money and pay for his stay.

The next morning Karina woke to the rays of sun shining down on her face. She yawned and stretched before grabbing a small pouch that was tied and changing her clothes. She slid on her knives, put her hair up and pushed the pins into it. Affixing the length of chain to her hip she strolled out of her room and down the hall to where breakfast was laid out.

She took an apple out of a bowl and with gawking stares at her back she left the inn. She strolled with ease through the marketplace which was now busy with people. She fed her apple core to a horse that she passed and petted.

It never usually took long to find someone that needed assistance and that went no different today. She never asked for money but she never turned it down either. It was how she survived. This time was no different. Children ran by her and she noticed a cart that was set up was leaning badly from behind. She eyed it and then approached it. Sure enough, the woman merchant who owned the cart was getting hell from another merchant, a male.

Karina cleared her throat. The man turned his attention to her and barked at her to get lost. Her voice seemed to find itself immediately. "I want to buy something from this woman." He glared at her and told her nothing was for sale. Karina non chalantly fingered a piece of pottery. "I do believe you are mistaken." The man now becoming agitated took his attention from the woman and came to Karina, his plan was to teach her a lesson. No sooner did he get within arms reach did she make a single fluid movement and brought the blade of a knife to his throat. Anyone who was watching including the woman whom she was helping had to rub their eyes to be sure what they were seeing. Her movement was so swift and yet so smooth you barely saw it. "Walk away or Ill kill you." Her voice grew deadly.

He had been asleep for the night. When morning came he ate breakfast quickly and saw the woman from yesterday walk out with an apple in her hands, once she had left he walked after her using one of his many inventions a cloak made of alchemic fabric that blended in with his surroundings. He followed her to the part where she stopped the man with her knife. Her movements seemed to be the real deal.

He seemed to try and be summing her up. She rolled her eyes, "Not very smart idea. I would walk away if I were you." After a moments consideration he did just that. She sheathed her knife and walked away from the cart, past the woman and back into the mix of the public. Some openly stared at her, others seemed to move out of her way. It wasn't the reaction she liked but she understood being new in town did this.

She stopped by a cart and bought a single flower. Paying for it she walked out of the marketplace and towards a lake. Her strides were confident and slow but her body language and expression showed she was thinking on something.

Once she was a bit further away he removed his cloak and followed her this time it was his intention for her to see him but so far she had not noticed. In the time he had been tailing her she had proved to be very strong and compassionate as well. In due time he would appear before her and tell her the truth as to why he had been after her. But for now there was more to observe about her.

She glanced over her shoulder as she leaned forward and tossed the flower into the water. It was for her lost comrades. She straightened and walked around the lake some. Her hand readied a weapon as she waited to see if the man she spotted following her was going to do something.

He stepped a bit closer as he stepped outside the forest obviously not showing any intent of harming anyone. He looked at the flower that was floating in the lake and turned to her.

"Hello. I believe you must be the warrior lady that has been traveling around these regions."

He approached her.

"If you have the time I would like it if you listened to me for a few moments. I have a business propsoal."

Her hand tightened on the blade when he stepped out but then measuring him up she realized he was not much of a concern. She let her hand drop to her side and nodded,

"If your talking about the Rogue warrior then yes. I believe they can't make up their minds if I am male or female."

She let him approach without a problem and nodded her head, "I am listening. I don't like to turn down a proposal unless I have heard it."

"I have been observing you. You are compassionate and very strong, what I currently need to become a master Alchemist. I need a companion to gather materials to make powerful weapons and armor. As I am a spellcaster my magic takes time to cast so I cant do this by myself. If you are to cooperate I will pay you and give you weapons and armor made by me. The kind you wont get anywhere else."

He sat on the lakeside and gave her a smile.

"I find that you might like the kind of items i could produce foe you."

She listened intently and was surprised when he said he was a spellcaster. "So you need help. You decided on me. And I gain money and weapons out of it." She thought on it for a mere minute and glanced at the flower floating across the lake. In her distant mind she knew that there was no home for her, that doing such a long term job wouldn't hurt anything in her life.

She finally turned back to the Alchemist and nodded. "I will help you. I am currently unattached to anything so as long as no one comes for me in a more dire need than yours I will be at your service."

She brought out her hand, "My name is Karina."

"I am Paris. Well then I would like to have a little meal and gather some more things we will depart tomorrow in the morning if youre ready since there is nothing left here for me as well, we ought to be moving."

He said taking a step back towards the town

"Coming Karina?"