Completed Just Before Departure.

Raphael Thrice

Rich-Boy Renegade
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Never hurt to stock up before you abandoned your entire way of life for something that could get you killed. Maybe if the young mage had any sort of life skills, he'd know exactly what he needed. Rations, water, a map, that sort of thing. That is not what Raphael had learned in his twenty-four years. What Raphael had learned was attachment to the material. Especially when it came to things that held no intrinsic magical or otherwise value.

So here he was shopping for a trinket. The sort of thing that has meaning attached to due through nothing else but imagination. It's not like it would have been given to him by passing family member or found after a skirmish. Raphael had never known that kind of hardship. No, he would create its value. The way all art is valued, perhaps.

He wondered the oddity shop with his hood up and eyes scanning the multitudes of carved statues and faux daggers. Nothing so far had caught his eye while he was perusing. Just a bunch of mismatched nothings amid the crammed space the shop offered. Shoulder to shoulder whenever another patron passed him, he was beginning to grow irritated of the place. It was headache inducing at this point.

Until he saw it. A dainty brooch that would fit right on his jacket. A pink rain cloud with lightning shooting from it. It must have been stained glass, and excellently crafted at that.

It was perfect. He picked the brooch up with zero intention of paying and turned to the nearest customer as he put it up to his chest.

"Hey, does this look immaculate or what?"
 
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Oliviana turned to look at the blonde man with one dark brow raised. Her eyes traveled from the mans attractive yet smug face to his jacket where the beautiful brooch sat. Immaculate? Yes, but not on him. That brooch was too nice for a man who looked like he had never seen a day of hard work in his life. She knew his look well because she had seen it many times. She was of noble birth in Tyre and she had a very similar look until she ran off to the Empire after her sister.

Yes, those seven words and his look were enough to convince her that he was a douchebag. Luckily for him, she had been on her way out from visiting her cousin in the city and she was feeling a bit sassy today. Talmanese always brought her attitude.

"It looks like shit," she said in her sweetest voice possible. Her brilliant smile and tone did not match the words that had left her mouth.

"Pink isn't your color," she added as she turned to look on the table that she had been perusing before his interruption.

Liv had not come in here looking for anything in particular but she did not make the trip to Alliria from Ragash very often so she figured she might as well get some trinkets if something caught her eye.
 
If there's one form of combat you learn in high society, it's the form of passive aggression. It was delicate. A dance of thrown words. It took years to master to hide your true meaning behind the twisted tongue you held so sharply in your mouth.

Then, there was whoever the fuck this was, running her mouth like a carriage without a driver. What the hell was her problem?

He looked her up and down and snorted.

"Guess that's what I get for asking advice from someone that can't even do their own hair right."
 
Oliviana ever so slowly turned back to look at the man. The boy. The asshole. Her head cocked slightly to the right at the same time a smirk curved her pouty lips. Oh she liked him. Well…not liked him…but it was nice to have someone who gave it back to her for once. Her little Hands back home were all yes men when she got them. New, eager, and ready to please her.

“Of all the things you could possibly insult about me…you pick my hair?” A single brow lifted again. He was a curious one. Were the nobles here in Alliria so different from her own people?

“Let me help you for the next time you feel so inclined to best your elder,” she assumed he was younger than her twenty-eight years. “My clothes are those of far off lands that look strange in this city, my boots have seen better days,” she paused as she thought of another insult to herself.

She had nothing else. She was pretty perfect as she was.
 
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He was gonna leave it there. Of course, with his word being the last. Now though, that wasn't how this was going to play out. He wouldn't let her steal the victory for her own humility. She ran her mouth first.

Raphael posed with one knee bent and a hand on his mouth. It would be obvious to anyone that he was appraising her. The way an architect would his own buildings.

"See, I don't think that's just it." He said, matching her obnoxious tone.

"The tattoos are clearly tribal but, Gods, are they ugly. Hideous even. Nowhere near a palette meant for your tone. They're a closer hue to those dreadful bags that drag your eyes. Seen some shit, have we? You and every other adventurer who comes galivanting into town. Careful, someone might mistake you for pretty if you did literally anything different."

A shit eating grin peeled itself across his face, beckoning for her retort.
 
Oliviana let out a genuine laugh of amusement and clapped her hands once. Some of the other patrons turned to look at the two and she just waved her fingers at them until they got uncomfortable enough to return to their shopping.

"There you go, sweetie," she cooed. "You are a quick learner!" A quick wink followed.

She laughed again and walked away from him slowly. She had shopping to do and she liked to get the last word. She currently had that last word and she intended to keep it.

Otherwise, she was going to punch the boy. She could only be entertained for so long before her attitude got the best of her. That happened quite often.
 
Her lack of being upset was now starting to really upset the arrogant spellcaster. He found a great deal of fun in these flights of tongue. Now she wanted to just stop arguing with him? That didn't make any sense!

After all his time as nobility he'd never once seen someone turn tail at the sight of a challenge such as this unless they were utterly, truly beaten. She clearly wasn't. She was just toying with him.

"Really, that's it? You've come all this way to put up that little a fight?"
 
Oliviana liked to play with her food before she ate it. She knew that her walking away would ruffle his feathers and she was proven right a few moments later.

She put down the small intricate mirror that she had been admiring and turned back to look at him again. The Hand could see the irritation in his eyes and that mischievous smirk crossed her lips again.

"I did not want to bruise your precious ego, princess,"
she said with a little extra emphasis on the last word. "The amount of gold I would give to see you and your attitude out in the real world where your rich parents cannot protect you..."

It was a high amount. He would likely have a broken face within the first five minutes of setting outside of Alliria alone. She would also place gold on the fact that he had never left the city without his parents or their guards.
 
A furrowed brow with a scoff to indicate her ploy had worked. Raphael felt disrespected, accosted, and worst of all not worshipped they he definitely thought he should be.

He pointed a finger square at her.

“Yeah, it looks like you’re out here doing reeeeaaaallll important work. And you think I can’t handle myself? Okay then. Let’s hear it. If you’ve got soooo much money to throw around at frivolous endeavors let’s test that notion.”

He stood proudly and looked her dead in the eyes.

“Prove it. Hire me. Send me somewhere.“
 
The smirk never left Oliviana's face as he spoke. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked him up and down for the first time.

"I don't have soooo much money to throw around but I appreciate your confidence."

In all honesty, she had no idea where to send him or what she would have him do. This was not her home ground and she did not really know much about Alliria. She also did not really know how mean she wanted to be. The poor boy was so eager to prove himself all of a sudden.

"First pay for the brooch and then I will think of some good task for you," Oliviana knew full well that the arrogant pup had no intention of paying for the brooch and she could not allow that.
 
Raphael rolled his eyes. He turned around and walked over to the counter as this one had demanded so readily. But she did wear armor with a crest, maybe she had the money. He had plenty already but more never hurt.

He strutted to the counter where a young elvish woman stood behind the counter. Whispered flirtations and quick flashes of a smile were hidden to the rest of the store. Of course it was hidden until the clerk promptly slapped him dead across the face. The impact was loud and sharp and his head had turned sidewise from the encounter while she walked away in disgust.

That was, however, enough for the switch he’d make. A pink statue, swooped from the shelf, that he’d set up on the counter after being harshly rejected was made to look like the brooch itself. Meanwhile the cute little reminder of his magic was shoved deep into his pockets as he turned away looking defeated.

A small grift, but hopefully enough to evade the prying eyes of mit’s tough shit, who was waiting for his return.

“Damn, lighter pockets and no date. What a day.”
 
Oliviana watched him get slapped and just chuckled. She couldn't blame the girl since she wanted to hit him too. She could only imagine how much more insufferable he was when he attempted to flirt. She was grateful that she was not pretty enough for him. Small mercies.

"In the short time I have known you, I have no doubt that you are used to not having a date," she said with that irritating smirk again. She had figured out how to push his buttons already. It was fun and it was easy.

"Alright then...let's see if you are worth anything," she started to walk towards the door and waited for him to follow before she spoke again.

"There is an old manor in the Allir Reach that my Empress requested I go to in order to secure a package that she left there years ago."

Lie. Well...kinda. There was a manor but it belonged to a vampire and she was sure that the vampire would not be pleased to have this little boy show up on her doorstep. Either way, she would draw him a damn map before sending off into the woods to die.

"If you think you are really brave enough then you can go and retrieve it, right?"

The smirk was back. The smirk she knew pissed him off so much.
 
She didn’t have to rub salt in the wound. He’d already been struck for his folly, hadn’t he? And while Raphael was anything but a gentleman, he tried his best not to harass. Couple that with the fact that he flirted with her at her job and you get a very confusing moral compass!

He fiddled with the brooch in his pocket while he begrudgingly followed the woman out of the store. Tried to gauge the material; definitely glass. Smooth and well crafted. It was curious how it ended up in a shop like this.

The bell of the door indicated his exit and she began her explanation which he surprisingly listened to intently. It was an interesting proposition and one he was inclined to take. But despite his foolishness it did not equate to outright stupidity. He was no stranger to falsehoods.

“And so why then haven’t you gone yourself? Seems an easy task for someone as battle hardened as yourself.”

He crossed his arms. He didn’t buy the whole story.
 
Oliviana shrugged at his question like it didn’t concern her in the slightest. It didn’t. She didn’t care if he went or not since he was the one so determined to prove he wasn’t just a pretty face.

“I stopped in Alliria to visit my cousin. I don’t get to see him often and he is going to be traveling soon so I took advantage.”

That was the truth. Tal was going to be off soon and she hadn’t seen him in a few years. It had been time for a visit.

“I’m sure there’s something else I could think of if that’s too hard…”

She let the words trail off as she shrugged her shoulders and looked at the boy.
 
That last coy sentence was certainly aiming to piss him off. He was catching on to the leash she tried to drag him by. Even so, this was a presented opportunity. Something he wasn’t going to miss. Good life experience for what he was trying to live. He’d just have to be more cautious when it came to approaching this so called manor.

Raphael tapped his foot and looked upward as if he was in deep thought about the offer. Really, he was just feigning that. He’d made up his mind.

“Sure. What the hell. Where’s it at, what should I expect?”
 
Oliviana's triumphant smirk was enough to drive her crazy so she knew it would gall him.

"If I can get some ink and paper, I will draw you a map. As for what to expect," she pursed her lips and let a small shrug move across her shoulders. "As far as I know, it is empty. Mistress Medja left the package there for safe keeping away from the Empire."

The lie flowed so smoothly off her tongue. "It is not that far North of the Allir Stone but a map would be helpful for you."
 
Was he supposed to know who this 'Mistress Medja' was? Because he didn't. He didn't even know where she was from to begin with. It just sounded like a superior based on how she spoke. Or she was an actual mistress, he didn't give a shit.

As for paper and ink...

"You'd have better luck a little north of here if you're looking for crafts. I could walk you if it wouldn't disgust you so much."

He shot her a wry smile.
 
Oliviana looked up at the boys face and shrugged. He could join her, she supposed.

She started to walk towards the direction he indicated. Honestly (and she hated to admit it), she needed him since she was not from here.

"Lead the way," she said with a sweep of her arm in front of them.

"What is your name?" Oliviana asked as she realized that their verbal sparing had taken precedent over introductions.
 
See? He could be civil! Though he wasn't one to soon forget the cruelties laid before him. After all at the end of it was his own gain, anyways.

He did just that. Stepped in front but not too far ahead. He threw his hands into his pockets again and turned his head backwards as she spoke.

"Raphael." He said casually. "You?"
 
Oliviana quickly caught up with Raphael so they were walking together. He had a nice name and a nice face but a terrible personality. It was a shame really.

"Oliviana," she said matter of factly.

Friends could call her Liv. Raphael was not a friend so he could use her full name.

"What makes you want to go out on this little errand?"

She knew it was to prove her wrong but what did her opinion even matter? He didn't know her so why would he care. No...there was more to it.
 
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Oliviana, pretty. Sounded foreign, too. Wherever she was from.

She certainly walked with a confidence he wasn’t used to. While irritating, it was a breath of fresh air from the ’aim to please‘ personality everyone here seemed to carry with them. Across men, women, apparitions and fauna, there were few real personalities.

He could tell her he was fleeing that. Tell her the truth of his boredom and desire to see and live another, sketchier way. But that was a good way to get someone to rescind their offer. It was best to water the truth down for now.

“I haven’t used my training for anything here. I want to do something… More important. Isn’t that why everyone chooses a dangerous life?”

That sounded right despite him not knowing anything about how adventurers operated.
 
Unbeknownst to Oliviana, she was having the same feelings as her unlikely companion. She was in charge of the new Hands and that meant that everyone was there to please her. Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am. If you feel that is the right decision. Do you think that is the right decision?

It was nice to have someone who didn't just want to make her happy. Not that she minded being happy (she didn't) but there was a difference between true happiness and people wanting to make her happy because they did not want to fail at their job.

"I suppose it is one reason," she agreed with Raphael.

Her reasons for leaving home were probably the only selfless thing she had done in her life and, if she were being honest with herself, would be the only selfless thing she ever did in her life.

"What exactly is your training?" There was genuine curiosity in her question.
 
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Ooooh he thought she’d never ask. He turned to face her and stepped in front of her with a witless, dorky smile plastered across his face.

“Alright check this out.”

Raphael held his arms up to the sky and let a string of blue electricity visibly crackle around his arm. More strands appeared as he continued to concentrate until a swirl of them were forming what looked like hand crossbows around his hands. As they began to form, a single red streak of lightning appeared in the midst and Raphael went ghost white.

“Fuck, wait, no!” Was all he could manage to get out before the whole thing turned a deep crimson and emanated an awful hissing sound. He yelled in agony as the bright red lightning seemed to constrict against his arm and the smell of burned flesh began to fill the air.

He collapsed knees first, almost as if he was praying before Oliviana, but his focus lay solely with the pain. Eventually the magic dissipated and showed his now ruined jacket sleeve, along with a very charred left arm.
 
He was actually...cute...when he smiled like that. Not cocky or self assured but like someone who was just excited to show off something he had learned.

She smiled as she watched the demonstration. It was very cool to watch the lightning come down and form across his hands.

How fascinating!

She was smiling until the red streak, Raphael going white, and then the curse. He hit the ground on his knees and Oliviana was by his side in a heartbeat. She looked him over to make sure he was not on fire because the smell was terrible.

"Shit! Um...here..." she said as she took off her overshirt without thinking about it. Someone was hurt and she had to help the someone. Her modesty (or lack there of) did not matter right now. It did help that she had an undershirt on. It was rather thin and definitely showed off her assets but at least she was covered. "Let me wrap your arm," she told Raphael.
 
A confident Raphael may have taken notice of the lack of modesty and made some sort of comment about it. Unfortunately, his head was occupied. And throbbing. The smell made its way to his nostrils and made him grimace.

He was embarrassed as much as he was in physical pain. It took a lot out of him to just look at the wound he’d created on himself. She’d already moved to help him and he noticed the brand that was left on his arm and how it coiled like a black snake. It was hideous. And fuck, did it hurt.

“You don’t have to do that.” Years of not understanding why anyone would be kind made him see kindness as embarrassing. It made him feel stretched out and vulnerable. Something he did not like.