Livelihood Searching

Tsun walked through the streets, helping where she could as the citizenry rebuilt stuff destroyed during the attack. She also took the opportunity to ask around for work. Even though her home was free, food for her and her mother was not. So far, she had had no success in her search, though she had gotten a bit of food for her efforts in helping the townsfolk.

"I guess no one wants my help." She sat on a bench, barely noticing her sole wing brushing against the back of the seat. She sighed, conjuring up a bit of electricity, eating a piece of fruit that she had been given.

Having spent the past few months lost in the forests and plains, mountains and valleys away from human civilization proper, Jason Kenistan allowed himself a slow and gentle stroll through the streets and walkways of Arakai. Having no real home to seek refuge in, he had taken up shelter in a hostel near enough to the main market districts to grant him a short and pleasant stroll before arriving. This day was no different as the lone mercenary made his way into the market district after recently having been made disparate from the brothers and sisters that he so loved and adored.

Adorned in a simple pair of black featureless slacks tucked into equally plain all-terrain boots with a dull grey shirt that loosely hung off his toned and muscled torso, Jason’s eyes took in the surroundings in slow and methodical scrutiny. His ears remained ever vigilant as he listened to all the sounds that came to him. His ocular and cochlear implants only afforded him a heightened awareness of his surroundings as he ensured that all was well. A person of his nature was never too careful.

He made his way towards a bakery with intent to buy a few sweet rolls that his stomach yearned for. The mere smell of it attacked his gut and threatened to wrench it free of his body as even in his state he desired nothing more than to devour what only civilization could allow. He walked idly towards the shop, passing what his mind only barely registered as an anomaly; though he mostly ignored it. Winged creatures were common enough in human cities that most were ignored, if held in a little sense of contempt.

Tsun sighed. Her power was still the same, at least. Perhaps she should hide her wing again...then again, most of this town knew her, so that wouldn't solve anything. "Well...I cannot give up. I must work, for mine and mother's sake..." She stood up, adjusting her clothes to hide her mangled wing. If she could appear to be a normal human, perhaps she could find employment. With that, she set off, passing by a stranger on her way back to the market district. She could always put her electricity to use...

It was often rare for Jason to not pick up on the goings-on around him, be it the sounds that gave clues to the lives of those abound or the sights that gave hints to the states of people’s minds. It was rarer still for him to take most of it to heart as he most often ignored everything that went on around him. The cybernetics grafted to the gray matter floating about in the calcium shell of a skull afforded him abilities far beyond the average civilian.

A by-product of the daily grind that was the life of a soldier, Jason Kenistan now only resided on the fringes of human society. He wholly and entirely subsisted on the work that was never spoken of given out by those that never had a face. Anonymous, clean, and efficient. That was the work expected of him. Often, it never came out that way. It always involved a name or a face, a time or an incident; it always was messy; and it rarely was efficient. Everything had to be public. Everything had to be known. A statement. That was all his work ever came down to. It had to be a statement.

A cycle.

“For your mother’s sake?” Jason commented as he turned to face the woman that had muttered to herself. Of all the conversations that flowed around him; of all the events that transpired in his immediate vicinity, the mercenary picked out those few words.

A family. What a concept.

“And what for your mother’s sake?” the mercenary inquired, his body fully facing the creature of one wing, barely hidden by the robes affording only meagre modesty.

Tsun turned, a bit startled by his inquiry. She blushed a little, realizing that she had spoken aloud to herself again... "Oh...well..." She sighed. Someone was at least taking interest in her problems, even if they were personal ones. "...I...live with my mother, and neither of us have income. I was given our domicile for free...so shelter is not an issue, though food and fresh clothing is. I am searching for somewhere from which to derive a living income for us...but being half-demon, half-angel, it seems like no one wants my help..." She looked away, a bit ashamed of her own situation.

Emerald eyes embedded in a chiseled face of stoicism, lips set in a hard and fine line that matched the scar below his right eye. Wrinkles between his brows hinted of the constant scowl that he had on and off the battlefield, while slight lines around his eyes showed that he had at least some form of humour. The man nodded at the woman’s plight before offering the lightest of shrugs.

“I have no work for you, woman,” Jason began, his tone strong and firm, but to it held a slight hint of softness. After all, it was a plight it had heard before. What’s more, it was one he had experienced before.

“But I feel I may,” he continued. “What are your skills?”

Tsun conjured up an orb of electricity, holding it out in front of her. "I can use electricity, and I enjoy technology to a degree..." She looked at him, her look changing to a stern look. "...however, if you wanted me for killing, please look elsewhere. I will not take a life..." She let the orb fade, looking away as she remembered the demon she had killed. "...never. Never again..." She sighed. People assumed she was a killing machine, the moment she mentioned her demon half.

“… Never again … ”

Jason had heard those words uttered more than once and from far too many sources. He had nodded gently at the woman’s testimony before letting his mind be taken away by a digital input to his senses. His eyes become unfocused as he read an update to a series of contracting firms; though, he quickly ignored them. Nothing interested him at the time. All he wanted for now was to live a peaceful and quiet life. Maybe this was a start?

“I couldn’t do that to someone I didn’t know,” Jason commented then gestured for the woman to follow. Whether she did or not was entirely her prerogative at this point, but he had intent to make it to the market at least some time today.

“What I can do is help you find some work,” Jason continued after a few steps, his words landing on the breeze under faith that the woman followed him. “I know a few places looking for help. Your ability to conduct and control electricity will be more than helpful.”

She followed him, nodding. "Just about every person in this town knows me, you know...I am known to be a non human. They reached the market district without issue, a few people giving Tsun a wider than normal berth, even though her wing was hidden from view. "So, as you can see...they avoid me, even though I am nice...they think I am a killer, since I have told them I am part demon." She sighed, walking along with him, staring at the ground as they went.

“I see…” he breathed and shook his head. Silly enough to already be ostracized for her looks that she went on to even admitting that part. At least to most, it could have been explained as a half angel and half human with one wing completely torn off due to a traumatic event. Still, he did not debate the decisions people made, only question them.

Jason said nothing else as he continued into the market plaza that rang with the cacophonous bellows of merchants hawking their wares. His eyes inspected what goods he could catch glimpses of while his ears listened to the bartering that took place about them. Sharp tangy odours assaulted his nose as different shops tested out what was best of their abilities, while sweet and spicy fragrances guided the mercenary towards his ultimate goal.

Despite all this input, the mercenary took care to think on what the woman tailing him could do. Her ability to control electricity was more than useful. Often, things needed to be powered by some form of electricity, and often enough, most people who need the most power want to pay the least for it. So, Jason had to wonder: How much power was the woman capable of producing?

“Two sweet buns, please,” Jason ordered quickly as he walked up to his favourite little shop, one that rarely opened in the same spot in the market plaza. It was not that the shop owner opened up too late or simply did not care about his placement. He simply changed his location in order make the most efficient use of new areas with new peoples.

“Ah, make it four,” Jason added quickly before the shopsman could bag the sweets. Jason smirked at the owner as the owner merely shook his head, bagging them quickly, and handing them to the mercenary. He smiled then turned his attention to the woman, handing her one as he began to walk again.

Tsun gingerly accepted it. Lately it seemed that she was accepting charity, but it was okay. "Thank you, sir." She took a bite, smiling. It was nice, the sweetness of the food reminding her of better times. She started humming a little as they walked, having finished the snack. It was best to keep her own spirits up, rather than dwell in the darkness and succumb to anger. She knew what her anger could cause...and she didn't want that to happen again. "So, you said that you may know some places who could use my help?" She looked at him. "Do you know places in town that I do not? Or are these places far from my home?"