It's Just Business (Finished)

[corvus]

Darkness falls across the town. The hour was late, and many people had called it a night. After all, nights in Castle Town had the potential to be a bit...dangerous. Cutpurses and cutthroats and whathaveyou.

Corvus, tired from a long day of cleaning, sat on the rooftop of the home of his best friends. They were lonely at night, aside from each other. Corvus came by sometimes and played flute for them. This was one such night. They didn't come up to the roof, Corvus was no pied piper. Instead, they listened by the fire as Corvus played.

It was a mellow tune, and despite it having the sound of a flute, it sounded a bit like this. Of course, any music was wonderful to them, but Corvus always strived to be great. It wasn't the best performance, but it would do for the time being.

[Merik Dragmire]

A young man, dressed in an old set of Knight's armor, turned a corner and began approaching the fire. He had spent the day tracking down this particular thief and the trail had brought him here...to the fireside of a bunch of bums.

Looking up he spotted the source of the music that was audible across the area and smirked as he realized it was his target. He knew the armor would make him stand out a bit more than he'd like, but he needed to be prepared in case he had to save Nairore in a hurry.

So he listened to Corvus playing, being completely obvious, as he waited for the thief to finish before working on a way up to the roof.

[corvus]

Corvus looked down and saw the knight. He flinched temporarily, as a knight in his little zone of comfort was never a good sight. However, the beggars knew what to do. A couple of them approached him, asking for any small amount of rupees. Corvus continued to play until his song was over. It took him a couple more minutes, but when he finished he put his flute away and decided to meet the man on the ground. Giving the beggars a green rupee apiece and a pat on the back, he looked over the man. He knew a few of the knights, and this was one he didn't recognize.

"Hi. Sorry if I was disrupting the quiet, but I like to play for the beggars. Distracts them from their unfortunate circumstances." Not entirely false, but it was an established facade for those who were suspicious. All part of the setup he had created for himself. Sometimes he was a cute little kitty who let them pet him and he killed rats for them.

"Anyway, how can I help you?"

[Merik Dragmire]

As the beggars started living up to their title the apparent Knight placed a purple rupee into a few lucky hands before turning over his, now empty, wallet and the thief dispatched them with a few more rupees.

"And were I a Knight I might have a problem with the disruption as it stands the armor is just an heirloom, slightly useful for protection but mostly for appearances." He replied once it was just the two of them left. "My name is Scott Williams and I represent a powerful man who has been searching for a man of your skills for a particular job."

He waited for Corvus' response, contemplating whether the younger man might try and make a break with the knowledge that someone was on to him.

[corvus]

Corvus was put in a tight spot. The man claimed to be representing a powerful businessman, and this man wanted the help of someone with the ability of someone of Corvus' talents.

"Then you're going to want to step inside this building. I think I know what you seek." Without another word, Corvus opened the broken down, barely working door and stepped inside the darkened building. Some beggars were just getting into the rags they called beds. Thanks to his cat blood, the blonde cat-man had little trouble getting around in this building, dodging broken bits of wall and scurrying rats. Pisshole was an accurate term.

Eventually Corvus got to a small alcove, cut off from the rest of the building via smart use of walls. Corvus stopped here and leaned against the wall, waiting for his new employer's representative to show up. As he did the cat leaned against the wall and smiled.

"Sorry for the seclusion, I don't want to wake the beggars" he said, very hush-hush. "Now then, on to business. Before we begin, you mentioned a powerful man. Now either you're trying to pull my leg or you represent someone who is looking for me, for one reason or another. I'd rather not have this take too long, I've had a long day. So why don't you just tell me why you're master has taken the time to sniff me out." It would be a shame if this were to get ugly. Employment opportunities were always nice, and Corvus really didn't like killing. Then again, he always had outs, excuses. He covered his tracks well.

[Merik Dragmire]

Scott followed behind Corvus as they went inside the building. Though he avoided stepping on any of the bums, he did nearly crush a few rats along the way. Once they had reached the end of the hall and the Minish stopped he leaned up against the opposite wall.

"My employer has kept an eye on you for some time because he considers you to be the main source of his competition. However he does recognize that a little competition is good to keep his employees on top of their game and that you'll wind up taking your share of the heat from the more law-abiding types in time." the human replied as he brushed some hair out of his eyes.

"Now would you like to hear about the job? Or shall I tell my employer that you aren't interested in working for the competition?"

[corvus]

As he spoke, Corvus began to chuckle. In Hyrule Castle Town Market, he had no real competition. Sure there were freelance thieves, those who thought they were good enough to operate without help, but he controlled the biggest enterprise in town.

"Well Scotty, I don't know what your employer tells you, but I assure you I run a perfectly legitimate operation helping out these poor men and women." An obvious lie, but a lie that carried weight. He had the beggars on his side, and despite their standing in society they were a valuable little crew. Stories are told of criminal masterminds using the beggars as eyes and ears, seeing and hearing the most private of information, but for the blonde little kitty, they were not so. They did, however, have a great many uses.

"As for the job, as long as the competition pays, I have nothing against it. Rupees are rupees after all, no matter the pocket. Now, what is it that I am capable of that no one in your organization can do?"

[Merik Dragmire]

Yeah, you're as much a legitimate, compassionate businessman as I am a Knight...[/i] Merik thought while resisting the urge to laugh. Most idiots should be able to see the use of the homeless.

"I would say it should be simple for one of your skill, but that would be a lie, and the ones he would usually trust with this job aren't the most subtle. What we need is for you to break into the dungeons and bury this..." he paused as he pulled out a small pouch and tossed it to Corvus. "Inside is two silver rupees and an orange, a vial of poison, and a stone that looks like this..." he slipped the Pirate's Stone out from under the armor for the cat to see before replacing it. "I'll provide you with thirty of these and you'll need to bury one in each cell; center of the wall opposite the gate."

He waited to see how the Minish would take the background on the job. It might be difficult but the payoff would be good if he agreed.

[corvus]

This job would be quite the number. To make this sort of drop would be no simple feat. However, it did give Corvus ample opportunity to do something else of great mention, something on the aside, for his own benefit while he was infiltrating.

"So let me understand this. I am to make a twelve thousand rupee drop, split thirty ways, as well as thirty vials of poison, and thirty.......rocks, and hide them in the cells around the dungeons?" Part of him wanted to ask more about such an odd request. 400 rupees didn't matter if they were prisoners, but together it formed many different things. Including Corvus' payment if this went sour.

"This isn't something that's going to be easy, and as such I'm going to need a time period for which this must get done. However, it will be done. Now that that's settled, let's talk about payment."

[Merik Dragmire]

"Fifteen thousand..." Scott replied automatically as Corvus summed up the job. "Though aside from that minor miscalculation you seem to have the objectives correct in mind."

Which brought them to the final points of the contract: time limit and the bill.

"We understand the need of time to make sure everything flows smoothly and my employer feels that ninety days should be more than ample time for you to make your plan and execute it." He replied as he quickly came to a decision on the matter of payment.

"You'll be paid twenty-five thousand for accepting the job, plus an additional fifty for successfully completing it without being discovered."

[corvus]

Corvus nodded. "Ah yes, you said two silver and an orange. In the end it makes no difference, as I assume the bags will be made prior and you did not hire me as an bookkeeper."

As the price was named, Corvus couldn't help but cough and look surprised, the promise of 75,000 even broke his facade. That amount of money could set a man up for a long time. and 90 days was more than enough to get done what was needed to get done.

"The contract is accepted. I just need the thirty bags and the acceptance payment. For someone who is apparently my main competition, you certainly pay well." And his boss certainly had deep pockets. He was dropping 90,000 rupees in one fell swoop.

[Merik Dragmire]

"It's true everything will be prepared ahead of time for you to handle." Scott said as he pulled out a large sack from behind his cloak and handed it to Corvus, smirking a little at the other man's loss of composure over his pay. "Here is the twenty-five for accepting the contract, I'll meet you back here in the morning with the other twenty-nine bags."

He chuckled at the cat's final words about paying the competition well as he began to walk away.

"As I said earlier: keeping some good competition in play ensures that my employer's people stay on top of their work; and if you manage this job easily enough we may have some more work for you in the future. Enjoy the remainder of the evening and I'll see you again in the morning."

He then continued on his path out of the building, being careful not to step on any people along the way and not pausing again until he was a few blocks from the building to get his bearings.

Well that went a lot smoother than I expected it to, probably could have secured his assistance with a smaller payment but this should guarantee that he actually sticks to the job... he thought as he recognized where he was and where he needed to go before taking off once more.

[exit]

[corvus]

As Corvus accepted the bag and the man began to leave, the cat gave him a nod and a quick smile.

"Pleasure doing business with you."

After he was gone, Corvus began to count the money. With such a large amount, discrepancies were a possibility. However, it seemed that their was exactly 25,000 in the bag. He would have to stash this away quickly. However, something else was odd. Curious, he pulled out the rock that would be in each bag and stared at it. It had to be significant, but it just looked like a regular old rock. Putting it back, Corvus slung the bag over his shoulder and snuck out. It would be a tough trip home, but he could manage.

EXIT[/i][/u]

[Midna]

Rewards given. Thread locked, and moved~