Snippet #2578882

(This is a collaboration by Alle, roomrider and Zalgo.)

Hope wondered about it for a moment. Double or nothing for the two, which was reasonable enough. He was going to have to make some changes to the accommodate them though, since there were only two chairs. Maybe he could sit on his pack? Or he could stand up for the whole session. Hope also might need to hurry if he was to make it on time. Hope smiled and said pleasantly "Pleased to meet you too, Axel, Cat. Sounds reasonable enough. I'll have to make some changes to the decor if I want to make it fit three, though, hold on."

Hope turned and closed the door. While he was locking it, Richard's voice came into his head. 'Are you interviewing the man in the red scarf?'

Hope gave no indication that he was replying someone mentally. 'Yeah, just about to. I'm meeting his partner at the same time as well.' Hope replied cheerily. Uona must have met Richard, then. There was no one else who knew that he was holding meeting with Axel right now.

Hope walked purposefully towards the table, continuing his mental conversation. 'He's actually got a cape instead of a scarf. Since he's an assassin, his partner might be one too. Not too sure if he's out to kill you though, but I'm not going to say anything beneficial, like the pact, in case he is. Or Validus. Validus is awesome. Still not sure whether to call Validus a him or an it or a she, though. Anyway, I'm not that much of an idiot.'

Cat was fidgeting a bit, and a look from Axel put a quick end to the unnecessary movement. He then diverted his gaze towards their interviewer. Hope was on the shorter side, 3'6 at most. Blonde hair and hazel eyes. The man's body type didn't make him look particularly threatening, but looks were deceiving. Furthermore, Axel spotted a quiver and crossbow on Hope's person.

"Explain?..." Richard was a bit confused about what Uona just said. From what he remembered Hope said little to nothing about distracting anyone over their connection. Something wasn't adding up and that had him a little concerned.

"This seems suspicious" Validus cautioned him. If Richard was considered paranoid then Validus was triply so. Validus's innate design and purpose was to protect him first and foremost. The first thing that would ever cross the golem's mind was what threats, potential or otherwise, were around. Richard listens to these warnings well but often looks at the situations more objectively first, weighing the potential risks seen by Validus and reducing the possible threat of danger by about fifty percent before considering the actual danger. He wasn't one to jump to conclusions about things but even he felt that there was something fishy about this.

Deciding the test the waters a little he gave Hope another message. "What about the distraction?"

If Hope didn't know what he was talking about then it would confirm that Uona made that part up. He wasn't happy about it but considering the situation he was in it was not outside of calm logic to worry about potential assassins.

Hope grabbed a hold of a chair, lifting it. Inwardly, he replied to Richard 'It's going pretty well, they'll be stuck here for a while.' he lifted the chair and carried it around to the other side of the table. 'I'm not sure how much time I can give you, but it should be enough. Ask Uona for details, she helped me come up with this.' hope placed the chair directly beside the other chair, then began to walk towards the empty side.

Assuming the chairs were for Axel and himself, Cat plopped himself down in one only to be uprooted by Axel. Cat's manners weren't the best, it just wasn't the man's style. The duo waited a bit awkwardly for Hope to ask of them of sit. Things were going regularly, as far as the two could assess.

Hope continued to walk past the table and towards the window. He had to give himself more time to answer Richard, so... open the window! Hope had to check if he could sit on the windowsill anyway. He inspected the windowsill, opening the windows to add to the space. It was... much too thin. it was hardly wide enough to stand on, let alone sit. Drat.

Well, no matter. Closing the window and walking over to his pack, Hope grabbed it and walked over to the table, standing at the side without chairs. He looked behind him towards the window, checking to see if it was closed. Yup, it was. Placing his pack down on the ground beside him, Hope faced Axel and Cat, saying happily "I'm done! Sorry for taking so long. Here, take a seat, I'll start then."

Axel and Cat both sat down on the chairs, Cat gave a questioning look towards Axel. The man with the red cape kept his gaze on Hope, ignoring his companion's eyes. "Oh it's fine really." the man's tone was relaxed and carefree. "Thank you for agreeing to interview the two of us at once.

Hope smiled and said "Its no problem, really. I'm guessing you're wondering about the job requirements." Hope's smile turned serious. Time to get down to business. "My employer is currently at odds with the Dinius High Academy of Wizardry Wizard's Chess Club. They are out for his blood, and will not rest until he is dead."

Hope paused and took a breath, placing his hands in his pockets. "To survive, he has hired people for protection. However, he is also in need of an information network. To this end, he is recruiting people who can get information about his enemies. Locations, weaknesses, plans, anything. you might have to fight them, but it'll probably be mostly information gathering. Once the threat to my employer has been neutralized, my employer will pay you through me one hundred gold. Any questions?"

"100 gold each? Or for the both of us? Either way, it isn't much. Will there be any other benefits I should know about?" Axel was hoping for much more than a measly 100 or possibly 200 gold. Then again, he and his companion didn't necessarily need to do any of the dirty work, but it was always good to push for a better deal nonetheless.

"100 gold each, achievable upon completion." Hope said effortlessly. It would be a bit harder than earning 100 gold, but he could do it. Worry how later. "there are no other benefits, unless you count traveling with Uona as one. the ogre lady from before. she'll be able to contact me to send the information."

This information did nothing to make Axel any less reluctant to take the job. "Anything up front?" This would be the last hope. If the employer could give at least 20% of the original payment up front, the chances of receiving a fair payment on completion went up considerably. If not...things would look grim.

"I see no reason to pay you upfront." Hope stated baldly. Besides, he didn't have that much money on him right now. 200 gold is not good for carrying, especially if you wanted to stay alive. "You have not given me information about my employers enemies. This requires mutual cooperation, where both parties have to trust each other to get what they want. I trust you for accurate information about my employers enemies, while you trust me to pay you after the mission is completed. And besides," Hope added, his voice softening, almost regretful "I cannot pay you even if I wish to. My employer has all the money, while I have none."

He was smart, not letting anything slip, but he got the man on something. "Could there be a circumstance where I could possibly...know without a doubt that you will pay me? Or more specifically, can pay me.

"Well..." Hope frowned and cupped his chin in his hand, thinking. So far, it seemed to be going well, but how could he verify... ah. wait.

They needed a way to get information to Hope, and since Uona had the same job and a way to contact him, well...

"You remember what i said before about Uona? She's got the same job and knows how to contact me, so you can send information through her to me. She can vouch for me. Other than that, I can't do anything. I can't pay you until you accomplish the mission. I haven't even been paid yet" - Hope made sure to sound a bit exasperated by this. It was of his own volition, but Axel and Cat didn't need to know that, - "so I'm in the same boat as you. Sorry." he said, smiling regretfully.

Right then. He confirmed back to Hope over the telepathy they were currently connected by. Looking back towards those of his group who were gathered he looked over them until his eyes finally stopped at Uona. "I was told by Hope you'd be able to explain the rest of his plan. Come, I trust you're up to explaining yourself over some travel." He informed her before turning towards the path down a main street. "Best not to let his efforts be put to waste. We leave now." He announced to the party, taking to steps before remembering something which prompted him to look over to Altara and her companion Lyra.

"I've got provisions for her but if need be it might be necessary to hunt for food. Just a worst case scenario though, think nothing much of it please. If you really need to stay for a period longer however now's the time to say." He didn't want to seem harsh or confrontational in any capacity but all this finagling about that dealing with Hope has lead to has left him with very little of the fellow's namesake. He was not at all confident with the people he was dealing with save for possibly Altara since she interested him in an intellectual capacity given the strange events she's brought up without much motive or prompt. Still, dealing with these people has not been like dealing with any mercenaries he has seen anywhere else and he didn't like being outside of his range of knowledge. Not knowing things was dangerous and the last thing a man being hunted by peers who he feared needed.

With nothing but doubt to go on he and Validus set forth towards the gates of the city, trying to leave with the faintest of hopes that it remains as uncomplicated as it sounds. It wasn't a great hope but there was nothing else to hope for. There was nothing else he wanted more than to be less accompanied right now rather than more.

"Sorry for taking so long. Go first, I'll tell you when I'm done. I'm really sorry.' Hope thought back, still smiling regretfully.