Samurai's Burden [Open]

What was the dawn without dusk? What was light without darkness? What was good without evil? For every thing, there was its opposite. That was the way it was, and that was how it would always be.

"So what the fuck are we doing again?" her voice drenched in dissatisfaction and boredom. She had been sitting in the back of the store in almost pure darkness. A single rag in her hand, and thoughts dancing around in her mind.

"Kas, how many times do I have to tell you?" the man spoke down upon her, even though he was across the shop, counting the money in the register. "How you do expect me to buy us food when you keep fucking around doing nothing?" His tone was harsh, and his face hidden behind the man shelves and stacks of boxes.

"Ugh, that's so lame." She would say, getting up from her resting state, tossing aside the piece of armor she had been polishing for the last half hour or so. "We're both mages, why don't we join a guild to mak-"

"We do as Master Onihara tells us." the man spoke again. Kasey would walk slowly down the empty isles of the small armorers shop. She looked behind a single case to stare at the bald man's head. "Besides, he's the only one who knows all of the arts of the Manji Clan." He'd sigh, thinking about his childhood.

"Viktor." She would say, leaning against a stack of boxes. "YOu think the hooded man will ever come back?" she'd ask.

"I don't know." Viktor would say, "I really don't know..."

Without a word, emotions begun to flood the room. Both of them feeling it build up deep in their hearts. Not a single sound was made, nor the start of a sentence. She would simply set her rag on the counter as she walked by the man. There was nothing more for her to talk about.

She would push the door, a beam of light illuminating the dark and shadowed shop. Neither of them could recall the last time they really enjoy themselves outside of that store, and the home they were welcomed into. They needed to find time for themselves, but even so, their own sanity begun to slip away with the loss of a social network.

Standing just outside of The Iron Rose, Kasey looked up at the sun, only to shield her eyes with her sleeves. "What is there to do in this city?" she thought to herself, looking around. All she knew was training and selling. The basic needs to pay for the home she was allowed to live in. Not a single relative to call her own, just as the man. The only similarity being the old man that protected them.

Rasing a brow she spotted a man who was drenched in self advertisement, showing everything about a guild he would undoubtedly die for. Guilds seemed so petty to her, like glorified clubs. The leaders were always about themselves and furthering a goal while leading an army of mages too blind to see the truth. "What's a Sabertooth doing in Hosenka?" she wondered in silence.

"He's probably as corrupt as the last one." She sighed, throwing her hands behind her head. This city was quite and peaceful, only to be disturbed by people who wanted to make a name from themselves. It was a resort and a haven to most criminals. She only knew of this because her store was one of the few places in the city to get weapons. Everyone there knew exactly what they wanted, and thus the store was usually empty.

Following the man, she would make her way into the bar, her pockets full of money and a single ware. Without thinking, she was still doing her job. It was a mindless thing. To craft weapons and armor even for primitive mages and mercenaries. That was her life. And even if she was tired of doing so, she could not find anything else to amuse her.

"Kasey," the man at the door stared at her, "How many times do I have to say it?"

"I know, use the back door. I just needed to drop some shit off." she would tell him. "Needed to get out of the store, y'kno?" She didn't look at him, only looking for her target, as well as her client.

"Whatever. Just give it to Solomon already, and stay out of the open. You know you're too young to drink." He'd sigh, taking a step to the side, letting her pass. ". . . way too young."

She would walk in, pausing a few steps inside. She needed to give the package to Solomon. And perhaps the man was meeting with him too.

She wanted to say something, but alas, could not bring herself to it. Why would she talk to the man? Why even try to suggest some of the more under the table options? These people were not her friends, and were just another place for her to fill her pockets with her own business. Viktor was the only man to understand her, almost talking to her as if he could read her thoughts.

But even so, another mage would vanish without pay, and leave the mess to the rest of them. It was expected, as anyone else tried to do in this godforsaken town. Eventually she would have to make her way out of it, and hopefully the old man would allow it.

"My dear, did you bring the gift?" a tall man stood in the hallway hidden behind his suit of shadows. "I hate to be kept waiting~"

"Of course Solomon..." she said, ". . . Of course."