Cat and Mouse

[Farryn Loragwyn]

Penthouse of a luxurious apartment building, New Santaissa ​

Another day, another failure. No matter how many times she visited her mother, the stubborn woman refused to see her. It hurt to be despised by one who had once lavished her with so much love, but it could not be helped. It was only natural after the lies her siblings had spread to ruin her reputation, and disgrace her.

"That woman does not know how to love, she has only ever seen others - us included, as pawns in her little game," Calix said bluntly, sensing his twin's disappointment resulting from the constant rejection she received from the woman.

"She's still our mother," Farryn reprimanded her disembodied brother as she entered the elevator.

"You mean your mother. That woman was never a mother to me," he corrected his sister as the elevator descended. "I think it's best that you stop coming here. All that ever happens is you getting rejected by that woman's servants while Faith, and Cecil smirk as they watch you get told to leave. You know the pair are dangerous, they want nothing less than your eternal torment."

"Even so, I still want to try," Farryn said as she walked out of the elevator, and into the bustling city of New Santaissa.

[member="Marcus Itera"]​

 

[Marcus Itera]

Another day, another dollar.

Being one of the prime purveyors of dirty work in the galaxy, it was not surprising that some elven queen had requested Marcus's services in taking one more life out of this plane of existence. Granted, it sure was dirty work in the fact that blood often got everywhere. That new flechette pistol was one of the handiest things he'd laid eyes upon - but it was messy. Very much so.

"Dealing with royalty again?" Miranda inquired, her cobalt hologram materializing on his HUD. "I thought that last skit at Empress Teta was our last contract dealing with those of 'higher' classes."

Marcus frowned, shaking his head. "If she's got money, I'm doing whatever she wants me to do. Simple as that." He sighed, thumbing the corvette's drives down as his vessel descended into the starport. "I do admit I remember moaning and groaning about that chit of a woman, but this one's a sugar mama - loads of dough."

"I see. Shall I brief you on them?"

"Have at it," he replied as the autopilot took over.

His HUD flickered with streams of data regarding the Loragywn family. Pictures of pointy-eared royals and flashy palaces. "Our target is a former princess, supposedly. The queen's stance towards her isn't on great terms but the siblings also have it out for her."

Now that was strange. "Are you sure the queen was the one who hired us?"

"Pretty sure, though I could do some checks. It would take a few hours at most, getting past their safeguards wirelessly won't be easy." Miranda's shoulders slumped before her avatar disappeared as she departed back into the realm of data. "Most of my runtimes will be devoted to validating her identity. Let me know if you need anything else, Marcus."

"Will do." The mercenary replied as he kitted up, then departed.

[member="Farryn Loragwyn"]

 

[Farryn Loragwyn]

Tears fell from her eyes as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the window of a high-end clothing store. Oh, how times have changed. A year or so ago, she would have been dressed up to the nines in beautiful dresses with her hair styled by the servants while being groomed by her mother to inherit her title, Countess Loragwyn one day. But now? Instead of beautiful dresses, she was dressed in ill-fitting attire, her silver hair up in a messy ponytail, and her once healthy complexion and glowy skin was now almost sickly. Clearly, life had not treated her well after Faith and Cecil's treacherous deeds.

"At least you're not living under that schutta's thumb anymore," Calix attempted to comfort his twin when he saw the tears fall onto her cheek.

"She may not have been a mother to you, but she was one to me," she scolded her brother, and wiped away her tears. "Let's head to the graveyard," she said simply and pushed through the bustling crowds of New Santaissa.

"To visit my grave?" Calix shot Farryn a look of discomfort. "Don't you think it's a bit weird since I'm still kind of here."

"Not at all, you're no longer here physically - only as a ghost. Plus, it gives me something to do," she replied.

"If that is what pleases you," he sighed, tempted to roll his eyes. Women, he thought, annoyed and shook his head. I'll never understand them.

[member="Marcus Itera"]​

 

[Marcus Itera]

Marcus peered intently at the mirror.

In full armor, he looked more like a droid than a humanoid being. Of course his movements were much more fluid than an automaton, but the principle was still there. A gleaming crimson visor, the faceless visage, plated steel and fabric - there wasn't an inch of humanness that the naked eye could perceive. Even beneath those layers of steel, several more resided deep within. Non-human eyes, an artificial heart and lungs, and bits and pieces of computing equipment embedded deep beneath his flesh. Even the blood that pumped through his veins was synthetic.

"Man, I look like a badass." He remarked, withdrawing his handgun and striking a pose. "Why am I not famous yet?"

Miranda sighed visibly. "Because. You're a mercenary, bounty hunter, and whatever you choose to call yourself at the moment. There's a lot of dangerous people out there."

Marcus curtly holstered the weapon and exited his ship. "Right, right. This is why i keep you around."

"Because you'd get all lonely and sad without a little company?" Her avatar flashed a childish grin. "You're just like a little kid."

The mercenary frowned. "I am not. Now, let's get back to business. Have you double checked those coordinates the client sent us?" The blip on his HUD faded in and out in a deep yellow hue.

"It's legit."

"Awesome."

[member="Farryn Loragwyn"]

 

[Farryn Loragwyn]

Emotionally exhausted from her mother's rejection, Farryn was not in the mood to take her usual scenic route to the cemetery and chose instead to take a quicker route to her destination. Under normal circumstance, she would've felt uncomfortable walking through the back alleys and roads less travelled by, but she needed silence. She needed to think. Alone - or as alone as once can be when in the company of a ghost.

Though Calix had told her that their mother was no mother and only used her children to further her goals, Farryn did not believe this to be true. She could not believe this to be true. She could not believe the woman who read her scriptures before bed almost nightly when she was a child was incapable of love. Even if the woman did not love her other children, she had to have loved Farryn dearly, there was no way she didn't.

"Farryn," her brother said, derailing her train of thought. "Are you sure you don't want to move to another city?" Calix asked.

"New Santaissa is the only place for me," she replied.

"I worry about the day Faith and Cecil find out where we've been staying. From my ghostly excursions, I know they assume you are living on the streets of New Santaissa somewhere."

"So I'm safe for now," Farryn said almost relieved as she turned into a quieter street.

[member="Marcus Itera"]​