[PP-PT-F01 to F04] Fortunate Encounters

[Vex Vexxus 1]

I rolled onto my stomach and pushed myself to my feet with a small ‘hup’ I started to dust the snow off my white suit, humming to myself. Mari was annoyingly astute - I could swear black and blue I wasn’t here to follow her, hell - I doubted that she’d believe me even if I hadn’t been. She was far too on guard, and…who could blame her really. Banging one of the top brass of the Laughing Coffin would have one do that to you. Eh?

“Alrighty! Alrighty! You caught me!” I said as I held up my hands in defeat “I assure you, my sweetest Emilia had nothing to do with me being here.” I said with a sweeping bow toward the trio. It seemed that all three of them were rather annoyed with me. Well, maybe not the lad - but I didn’t really know what his deal was. I gave him a wink and a couple of double finger guns, “Yo, Yo!”

“I’m fine, and its Mrs.”

OHO! My eyes lit up at that. Since when did the two get hitched!? I clapped my hands together. “Mazel Tov! Mazel Tov!” Honestly? It was cause for celebration - maybe the two could chill each other out a little. Would make it harder for me to play my games with the woman - doing so would probably have me blown up. But still…this was most fortunate news!

[Khione 0]

Married? Khione shifted her gaze to Mari. To…Lancaster? The woman didn’t believe it, but a quick glance to Mari’s left hand and…yes, there was the ring. “Your reputation really tends to be exaggerated.” Khione said, shifting her weight to one side as she placed a hand on her hip.

“Mari. The Pink Pker. The Poisons Master. One of the strongest in Aincrad, who tore through countless souls. Rumours would say with no remorse but…” Khione paused. She knew those rumours were wrong, to an extent, at least. Mari had no remorse at the time, because she was too crazed. Driven mad by the death of her daughter. Khione wondered if Lancaster truly understood the weight of that. Or if Mari truly understood just how deep Lancasters sins were. Khione may be in the Coffin, she may hand over unsavory people to her superiors. But She hadn’t killed, nor did she condone violence against anyone young. Thankfully, in the recent years whatever powers that be had reigned in the uncontrolled chaos that was the LC beforehand. Now, it was less… violent. Even more so now with perhaps one of the most violent of them all cooped up playing house somewhere.

“I know they aren’t true.” Khione finished with a sigh. “Still, one thing was true. Cold, aloof. Yet Married. Congratulations?” She asked. Khione shifted her eyes to Reytac - the poor bastard. Khione invited him along to continue their conversations - since she didn’t mind his company - but perhaps this was a bad idea. “Sorry, didn’t expect such a mess.” She said to him.

[Reytac 0]

Reytac gave Khione a slight nod, the majority of his attention on the other man there, who still had a self-satisfied smile on his face as he looked towards Mari. There was something about the white-dressed man that had the hairs on the back of Rey's neck prickling, something that was just ever so slightly off that he couldn't place. Not that he was flighty - Rey had met people in life who had attention spans that short, but at the same time… This man had been tracking him, or perhaps, more likely, Mari, for an extended period of time. And now that he was being confronted, was now distracted, or distractible? Rey shook his head, breaking his gaze finally before looking to Khione to respond to her.

“To be fair, I kind of was. I don’t know Mrs. Mari very well here, but I don’t think she’d take to being followed very well. I’m just glad she didn’t respond to him like she did all those wolves that attacked us before.” He switched his attention to Mari. He’d been one of the impromptu witnesses to Mari and Lancaster’s rampage through the Town, so calling her just ‘Miss’ had been more a slip of the tongue or habit for politeness than anything.  With the initial discomfort, or anger perhaps, of being confronted by the person who had been stalking them before passed, and the sharply-dressed man at the very least was attempting to diffuse by celebrating her marriage..

If he wasn’t pretending to be happy about it, that is. The way he had almost immediately seemed to lose track of what he was saying at that point had Reytac uncomfortable about him. He’d have to keep an eye out for the other man in the future - he knew that Mari would already be doing that, but if Vex now had it in his mind that Reytac and Mari were associates - or if he knew that they were actually now guildmates - there was a chance  that he would start trying to track Reytac too. Or maybe it was just paranoia on his part - the man had seemed taken aback at the fact that Mari was married, so maybe the person she was married to was bad enough that it gave him pause? Which, considering the rumors already out there about Mari, had to be someone who was also a drastically dangerous person.
Reytac frowned slightly. He could ask the guy why he was following Mari, Rey was fairly certain it was Mari the man was after, but it wasn't like the man would actually answer him. It'd be too easy for Vex to pretend he'd forgotten - he was already acting forgetful of things he'd said moments before. The leather-clad man folded his arms over his chest and shook his head slightly - he hadn't stepped away from Khione, since even she seemed a bit annoyed with the fancy man. 

 

[Mari 1]

Mari sighed, this wasn’t how she expected to spend her day - so much for trying to find new guild members for Jacobs Ladder. It’d be a miracle if the poor bastard stayed after this debacle. Vex still hadn’t told Mari why he was there. And there was something inherently off about the way he acted. How excited he seemed to get when Mari mentioned she was married. “Why do you care what my marital status is?” Mari asked Vex.

Vex bounced on the spot, giddy - like a child who had just been given his favourite candy. “Oh I just…” He would twirl his fingers around in a little circle. “It’s crazy! You know! First there’s just explosions and FIRE! And then….”  Vex  would clap his hands together loudly, causing both Mari and Khione to jump slightly, seeing this seemed to make the grin on Vex’s face grow. “Nothing. So yes. I am V-e-r-y interested Mrs Mari.”

“Explain.” Mari said again, this time - pulling out her weapon. “As the man said….” She’d gesture toward Reytac. “You’d not want to see the mess I can make. As the woman said, and as you said before they came here. You know very well what I am. Now, I don’t like making threats. Nor do I make them lightly - but Vex…” Mari swung her weapon around, the blade of the halberd mere inches from Vex’s throat. “I will not hesitate to cut down anyone who even breathes  in our direction wrong. Last chance. Why are you following me? Why the interest?” Ever since she had met him, the man had an odd interest in her - and Mari brushed it off. It wasn’t the first time someone had been fanatical around her, but how he reacted when she mentioned her marriage…dots began to connect. And Mari would not hesitate to cut down him, and anyone associated with him to protect her little pocket of happiness. Let her become the monster the rumours spoke of. 

Vex grinned then laughed as he clapped his hands, practically dancing on the spot. “Oh! OH! I thought you would have guessed by now!” He pushed the blade away from his neck with an index finger only to have Mari thrust it right back into his face. “Okay! Okay! I’ll come clean! I was makin’ sure you were yanno…safe.” He paused then continued. “A non threat to the Coffin!” He would snap his fingers at her and give her a double thumbs up. “And wouldn’t you know it! I deduce you as A-Okay!” He would wink at her as Mari finally lowered her weapon.

The Coffin…Mari should have figured as much. “And why?” Mari asked. She glanced over at Khione and Reytac. Did they know? Khione stepped slightly in front of Reytac, her eyes narrowing. She shoved a teleportation crystal in Reytacs hand and held fast to one in her own - ready to get the both of them out of there if she needed.

It didn’t seem like Khione, or Reytac knew. Come to think of it…. Lancaster wasn’t familiar with Khiones name either when Mari mentioned it to him the first time. So for now, those two were safe. Vex however…was not.

“Why? Oh my sweet little Mari! You Married a head honcho of our merry troupe!” Vex exclaimed with glee, clearly not caring about the delicate information he was sharing. Vex was never one to care about such politics. “You tamed an important man and I was curious as to how and why! But oh… it really does seem its just for love!” he placed his hands over his heart. “Bless the cockles of this lonely jesters heart! Oh how you warm it with hope! A shining beacon for all!”

“Reytac…” Khione said as she took a step back. “I think…we should leave.”

Mari rushed forward, knocking Vex to the floor and shoving the halberd straight into his chest. She twisted it sharply as the man did nothing but laugh at her sudden aggression. Mari had to ensure she didn’t kill him. She couldn’t. Wouldn’t harm members of the Laughing Coffin unless they attacked her first, but this man was a threat.

“This is your only warning.” Mari hissed. The woman was usually docile. But in that moment there was a grim precision with her strike. No hesitation in the risk of killing another. Cold eyes like glass as they stared down at Vex, consuming him as though he were little more than prey.

“Come near me, or Lancaster again - and it will be your fuckin’ head.”

Mari turned her gaze up toward Khione and Reytac. “And you both best forget what you saw here today. The less you know of the Laughing Coffin. The safer you’ll be.”