Small Coal Town

[Artorias]

​

Oweton, it started out as nothing more than a mine and a few pitched tents for the miners to live. Now, after several years of the mine leading deeper and deeper, more coal being mined and produced. As more coal was found, more people inhabited the land. They found out that this was becoming a major landmark in the world and wanted to be around all the visitors, sell there things and get rich fast. Well, it worked for awhile but now the Town has taken a turn for the worse. Miners are having difficulties finding coal, people are resorting to stealing and selling things at a lower price. The story takes place at a small shop called 'Fix'N'Sell', a small shop that fixes items, turns them around and sells them for a profit.

~~~~
​

"Come on! That price is a steal and you know it Richard!"

"I'm sorry, that is what the price is set at. I have to make a Profit."

"Come on, we both know one another. We are friends, do me this small favor"

The man bargaining for a better price was Mr. Monroe, he was nothing more than another coal miner. Mr. Monroe was in his shop, asking to buy Richard's latest gun that he fixed up. Lately a string of murders have been going around and people have been buying guns and what not to protect themselves, it was Richard's largest profit at the moment. "I wish I could, but I can't. Sorry Mr. Monroe but instead of the Shotgun, how about a pistol?" He offered the man a weapon in his price range, just not the firepower.

"Fine. Sell me the damn thing, but if I die. It's on your head!" He slapped his money down for the pistol and a few bullets. Richard gladly sold him the weapon and watched him storm out of the store. His cleaning lady didn't clean the front of the store much seeing as it was really just a counter and some space for the customers.

Sliding his gloves back on, he let out a sigh and went into the backroom. It was cluttered, but not as bad thanks to his hired help. Because he wanted things clean, he had to up the prices on some items so he could pay her without causing him to become broke either. She hasn't complained about the pay though and that was always a blessing.

Richard was saving up money, he wanted out of this small and smelly town. He was born here and always wanted to leave, but he never had the money. Now with the murders happening and the Guards doing nothing but straying away from the killings, he was beginning to think that someone needed to do it. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he was the man to do it. He was the only one willing to dirty his hands to save the people and then it would make it safe for travel once more.

"Ms. Lovette. Are you in the building?" She hasn't been showing up as often and because of this, she hasn't been being paid as much. A mess he made earlier, he was fixing up an old cart that could be hooked up to some horses. The excess metal and scrapings were on the floor still and it was beginning to annoy and bother him. What the hell did he hire her for? He would have to dock her pay if she continued this, though how much he was paying her was barely enough for anyone to get by. It wasn't his fault though, he was barely getting by himself.

 

[ZsafineGypsy]

The dark sun shined in Yalune's eyes as she walked towards the shop "Fix N' Sell". Everyday she was there not because she wanted to though, Yalune worked there as a maid to keep the shop clean. In the middle of the run down town of Oweton the was a small river that ran through the middle, the water was a murky brown which she despised and made her irritated that she had to live in such a place. After weaving in and out of the busy path she reach "Fix N' Sell", Mr. Monroe was there again storming out rather upset. "What could possibly be his issue this time? Not wanting to pay an extra pence is it?" She walked passed him closely as he was distracted with his bought pistol in his hand grumbling, Yalune softly reached into his velvet pockets grabbing a few pieces of coin. It was a "terrible" habit of hers being such a thief when she was younger but it really didn't bother her. Being short on coin was tough and her job didn't pay enough to help her survive, she knew it wasn't her boss's fault though because as long as she worked for him, it was clear he was struggling too. Rubbing the few pieces of coin she swiped from Mr. Monroe she put them in her side pocket before she stepped into the store. Richard was calling for her in the back. Before she answered his call though she took a piece of coin and placed it on his desk. Despite the fact she was struggling, she had an felt the need to help Richard out secretly. After the bronze coin was rested on the counter she headed towards the back where Richard was stopping behind him.
"Of course I am in the building Mr. Felix...I am your maid after all." She spat out rather rudely but not on purpose. Yalune stood before Richard in a short Maid Outfit that looks like it has some wear on it along with her black stockings. Attached to her pack was a small machine that looked like it had no purpose but was actually a cleaning device she worked on awhile ago with the help of Richard when it had a few issues with it. Her piercing brown eyes showed no signs of any other emotion except a regretful anger.

 

[Artorias]

So his maid was in the building, he wasn't too happy of the fact she gave him attitude. She was late to work and the floor wasn't cleaned, he had the right to call out for her. Looking back to the counter her noticed a coin. He must of forgotten to pick up all of the money and grabbed it before going into the backroom. Various tables holding assorted tools, broken machines, or the back back of the shop holding the much larger items that required more work and more parts. "So Ms. Lovette, what do you think of all these murders going around? This town already has enough problems and murders being thrown into the fray...well this town is probably going to crumble on itself." He muttered as he walked up to a table that held a broken radio.

Pulling up a chair he took a seat and began to work on it. He enjoyed working on the smaller items that didn't require a lot of noises. He wanted to think for them moment. When he did have to work on much bigger things with lots of noises, that was when Ms. Lovette's second job was in place. She would alert him when another customer was at the counter and he needed to sell something.

His hands, despite wearing gloves, were nimble and picking apart the radio. Looking for the source of the problem. Good thing was, he got this for two bronze coins from the sweet old lady down the road. As his hands continued to pull and pry pieces off, not damaging them so he could attach them back on. He stumbled across the problem, one of the wires was shot. The radio would sell for several bronze pieces, a big profit on his part. Though it doesn't sound like one.

 

[ZsafineGypsy]

Yalune could tell that Richard wasn't too happy about her tone of voice. It wasn't like she did it purposely towards him but then again she didn't even know why she did in the first place. She followed his eyes move over to the coin then looked around at the dirty floor examining what needed done; everything. Before Yalune could decide what to do first Richard spoke about a rather touchy subject for her. "The murders? Yeah it's sad with this town but maybe it's a good thing...Ever thought about it?" She had an odd view about the matter and was hard to figure out why. The more the topic was spoken about the more she seemed defensive. Walking over to a pile of scrap metal, she begun to pick them up. Richard begun to work on a radio but Yalune didn't take too much notice.
She examined the pieces trying to figure out where they came from; "Got some scraps here, you saving them for anything?" She began to stack some of the smaller pieces into her arms.
While cleaning her thoughts were not exactly organized and was clear something has been bothering her. But she wouldn't let Richard catch glimpse of it not that she really thought he paid attention. The shop seemed messier than usual which bothered her. The scraps that were in her arms were placed on a table. Her main focus was to get the floor cleaned up first.

 

[Artorias]

He glanced up from his work as she began her own work? Deserved? Innocent people were being murdered and Ms. Lovette believed that it was a good thing? When has the murder of innocents ever been a good thing. The only people that should be murdered, are criminals and people ready to die, not someone that is trying to live their life everyday. "Good? How so...I don't see how any murder is good. It is wrong, this town are has enough problems. Income is low for everyone, visitors hardly ever show up, the mine isn't producing shit and adding murders ontop of it all is good?" He shook his head in disbelief to that. Murdering criminals that deserved death was still slightly wrong. Who gives another human being the right to take someones elses life? You didn't give birth to them, they have nothing to do with you.

He has been thinking about trying to put a stop to these murders, and it seemed like the only way of stopping them is with more murdering, but this murdering will end the bad murdering. It is always a difficult and hard challenge to convince anyone that murdering another person is for justice or the right cause. Murder is never the answer, or at least in Richard's eyes.

 

[ZsafineGypsy]

She grabbed an old broom that was resting nearby. The broom has been there even when Yalune first started at the "Fix N' Sell". Dust moved around from place to place not really being cleaned. Richard began to get very upset from her response as she tried to clean carelessly. "...I don't see how any murder is good." Echoed through her head like a church bell in her head. Yalune's brown eyes glared back at Richard in a dark manner, then went back to the floor. "You just don't understand." She thought. Richard went on in a ranting manner which was eventually drowned out by her. Yalune cared about Richard's feelings but this subject carried two different feelings and opinions.
After Richard was finished with his rant, Yalune didn't respond. She noticed had a strange look in his eyes as if he was determined about something but just continued to pick up other scraps and dust. A few moments of silence went by for them and a rather awkward one. "Ahhh!" Could be heard from the outside of the shop, it was a woman's scream, horrified and scared. Yalune looked up alert, but just let her head sway back down trying to cleaning.

 

[Artorias]

He continued working as she didn't respond to him, that was fine with him. Of course she wouldn't respond to him, she said that she thought they were good and he didn't agree with that. He didn't want to press the conversation on so he continued working and focusing on that. She didn't have to agree with him, but she was changing his view on her. Then he heard the scream. He lived in his shop, the small upstairs was his home and living space. Not much, but he made it like that so he could watch over his store. He didn't want people breaking in, so the best security system was living in the shop.

Hopping up from his seat he rushed over to the counter where he pulled a different shotgun out. Not the one Mr. Monroe was trying to buy earlier. It was always ready to be used, so hopping over the counter he opened up his door and glanced around the road to see what was going on. He had the shotgun lowered at the floor, but he was ready to pull it up and shoot whoever may attack him.

(The shotgun)
[spoili]

[/spoili]​

 

[ZsafineGypsy]

Yalune watched Richard's reaction to the female scream. He hopped up from his seat pulling out some sort of weapon but she had no part in it. All she could mumble was; "I wouldn't do that if I was you..." Though she was not sure if he was able to hear her and hopefully not. She only continued to clean as floor was swept, scraps were picked up and she just begun table tops.
Outside of the shop was a woman on her knees crying, no one was around causing her grief except those who gathered around her trying to figure out what was wrong. These people were properly dressed along with the woman who wore a corset of bronze and a black skirt. Very few people ever wore corsets of bronze which automatically made her suspicious. She constantly cried in her hands as she pleaded for help, once a fourth person rush up to her to see what was going on she slowly stopped crying. Instead she started to laugh! At first the attended people looked at each other confused but their confusion was solved when a loud crackle filled the sky. One of them fell to the ground, then another crackle leading to another fallen man. The rest of them began to run as the woman just continued to laugh. The crackle was actually the sound of a sniper from a distance but shortly came to a silence. The woman looked up from her silky hands and glared dead on at Richard. "Please help me!"
Yalune was able to hear all of this go down as it was not a quiet matter. She put down the broom and headed towards the doors. Her slight heels made a clicking sound against the hard floor. Once she reached the door a breezed blew her bronze hair past her cheeks. She was just behind Richard and gave a dark stare to the woman. The woman instantly perked up almost horrified, she got off the ground and rushed off into some dark alleyways. "Gonna chase her? Probably shouldn't, it will only get you killed and I would hate for that to happen." Yalune almost looked unsatisfied as her maid outfit was covered in dust.

 

[Artorias]

When he busted out of the doors and saw the crowd of people around the woman. He wasn't needed it seemed like and right when he was about to enter his shop, he heard the crackle of gunfire and people beginning to drop to the ground. He didn't know where they were being shot from but he was furious. More innocent murders. People trying to help someone that they believed was in danger and then slaughtered. When Yalune came from behind him and the woman ran away. He ignored his maids advice and began to take after her. He rather die then sit back and let more people die. He watched those people die and she was telling him to just let it happen? Hell no.

His shotgun was in his hands as he ran into the alley. He wasn't a fool though, it was raised and he was glancing every crack and corner. Making sure he wouldn't be attacked from anywhere that he might of overlooked. If the woman got away, he would find her one day. "Come out wherever you are..." He muttered, slowing his jog down to a walk. The gun raised, ready to pull the trigger on a moments notice.

 

[ZsafineGypsy]

Yalune watched her boss take off ignoring her advice. A sad day will be coming it seems and she would have to witness it unfortunately. She took a step back into the shop putting her utility backpack down on the counter as she managed to open it. The backpack never looked like it was capable of opening but inside was a piece of cloth and a mask, black and mysterious. Yalune looked back with an emotionless gaze, when there was no sign of her boss she headed towards the back and changed her clothes. Yalune was no longer Yalune. What stood in the back of the "Fix N' Sell" shop was actually a monster, a monster of pain and agony. The black cloth that was once in her utility backpack was now wrapped around her leaving no room for error as her disturbed mask covered her face. The monster walked out the doors of the shop as heels still clicked against the hard surface, once it hit the outside world it was gone. Mysteriously vanished like winds on a cold night in the depths of a graveyard.
As Richard roamed the corners of the street in the search for this woman, Yalune was making preparations in a nearby location with a group of people. These people were not your happy civilized people, they were cold hearted murderers.

"Don't kill him, but we need to get him off the trail."

"Are you crazy Ziki!? We can't just get him off the trail easily, he might remember a specific feature or something."

"Doesn't matter! Let's get going, or are you going to disobey me after all I done for you?"

There was a silence in the building as one of the members struggled to make his voice clear. Backing down, they all headed out to the rooftops. "Ziki" walked tall among her people signifying strength yet her people never even got a glance of what she looked like. One of the members pointed out the spot where Richard was walking around corners with his gun raised, cautious. "Telo, go." A man in his mid-twenties jumped off the roof scaling the wall near by landing to the ground silently. He wore a mask as well shaped as a laughing man with an outstretched tongue. Richard was only a few feet away around a corner, this man called "Telo" waiting for when he got closer. At a moment noticed, Richard was ambushed by this man knocking his gun to the ground as the other members watched from above. Telo intended little harm to him holding back his strength but attempted to make sure the gun stayed on the ground. Everyone from "Ziki"s group was silent including Telo.