Running Late

[Max]

Open to CAEsAL (but imma tag a few people because this thread is getting buried Zona K. Noakes Elaine Anncroft Jasper "Anders" Pickett )

---

Max’s first couple days of career hunting hadn’t gone so well. She didn’t have the personality for acting (unless she was supposed to play an emotionless blob), dancing was too showy for her tastes, animals didn’t exactly like her (let along listen to her), but she was rather good at knife tricks. Juggling a couple of them, tossing them around, she could get rather elaborate with it if she practiced. But she felt like knife tricks along wasn’t enough, like she needed to do more.

But that more would have to late, she was already late for her temp job because knife practice had run late. Normally she was able to slip into the guild hideout without many members there, but since practice had lasted until after sundown, she was sure to see a few familiar faces while she posted new jobs on the board. Which would lead to questions for the young rogue, she was sure of that. No one except Edelweiss knew of her retirement from the assassin life.

She descended the stairs anyway, a stack of papers in hand, and walked up to the board, trying not to make eye contact with anyone who was down there already.

[Jasper "Anders" Pickett]

    Jasper entered the theater as he always did; smiling and giving small nods and waves to the actors and actresses he passed on his way to the cellar. As he ducked through the thick curtain and made his way down the stairs, he spotted the hooded girl tacking up new contracts.

    "I always expected you to be one to take down contracts, not put them up." He said with a wink as he continued to walk her way. "But then again you've always been a kind of lone wolf haven't you? Anyway, got anything for me? You know, drug smugglers, slavers, the usual." He waved his hand of to the side as if it was a trivial activity in his life.

[Max]

She scoffed at him, never having taken a liking to Lullaby. But he was a guild member, and he did his job, she couldn’t complain about him. Handing him the next paper on the stack without looking to see what it was, she continued to work. “Don’t take jobs anymore,” her voice was plain and without emotion, as if it didn’t matter. Which in her mind, it really didn’t.

[Jasper "Anders" Pickett]

    Jasper took the page with a courteous "thank you," but avoided read it; the girl's words had piqued his interest. Something was different about the way she said it - not physically, of course, after all, she always seemed to speak with the same monotone voice - but somehow her words inspired a different feeling than normal - a bit of curiosity and concern, and maybe a dash of anxiety.

    "Is everything alright?" He asked cocking his head to the side like a confused dog. "You can tell me if something is wrong."

[Elaine Anncroft]

Elaine waltzed down the stairs humming to herself well on her way to view the board. She didn't plan on taking a job tonight but if something peaked her interest she'd consider it. Coming down the stairs she saw a familiar hood belonging to her guildmate Max and then she saw her newest acquaintance Jasper. "Hey everyone!" She called to them cheerfully. Then her gaze turned questioning. "So are you the one who's been tacking up jobs lately?" She asked Max with a bit of a teasing tone. Elaine hadn't seen the girl around for awhile. Jasper on the other hand she had seen not but a few days ago. He was the playful one who barely had a serious bone in his body. 'What is he doing down here with Max?' She thought.

[Max]

“Nothing’s wrong.” Just as she said that, Elaine descended the stairs; it seemed that more than one person would catch her today. Her eyes drifted to Elaine, her head giving a nod in greeting, before her eyes returned to the notice board. The old jobs were already at the front; she just had to finish pinning up the stack in her hand.

She wouldn't talk to Lullaby, but if Elaine asked, she might share a little about what had changed. It was no big deal though; nothing to be worried about. The way the first assassin had reacted was odd to her, but it couldn't be helped.

[Edelweiss Fjäril]

Edelweiss descended the stairsteps not so long after Elaine did, her eyes perscruting the room while going downstairs. It felt good to be back, even though that little stuffy room of theirs wasn't a 5 stars hotel. Seeing Max along the others was a bit of an unexpected sight though. Oh well, not a bad one either. She greeted the ones present with a nod a still motion of hand.

[Jasper "Anders" Pickett]

    "Well if you say so." The blue-haired assassin said more to himself than his guildmate, scrunching his features into a worried face. "Persuading" her was always a valid option, he thought to himself, but decided against it. His talents were meant for emergencies. Well, that, and he didn't like the idea of manipulating the hooded girl - it just seemed...wrong. Despite his childish antics and what others, including Max, thought of them, Jasper legitimately cared for his fellow assassins. Shaking off his thoughts, he started to skim over the info on the page before the voice of another, friendlier, member struck his ear with its pleasant tone.

    He gave her a partial glace and a small wave. "Oh hi, Elaine." He turned his eyes back to the page and continued reading.

    Unfortunately, through his quick actions, he only caught a glimpse of orange hair before he turned to his page.

[Max]

As the guild leader descended the stairs, Max felt the need to greet her. It was one thing to be cold and rude to people of the same rank, and to Triune as well, but to Edelweiss? Disrespecting her was asking for trouble.

“Afternoon, Epikuro.” She opted to use the codename because they were in the secret space.

[Jasper "Anders" Pickett]

    "Epikuro? Really? Where?" The juggler thought to himself frantically as his neck craned and his head swiveled every way except the most practical. Jasper had aspired to meet his guild leader since he'd joined, but the only person he'd ever seemed to see was the sourpuss second-in-command. Once he regained his wits, and control of his head, the assassin directed his attention to the stairwell. "Master Epikuro!" He almost shouted in surprise, "it’s a pleasure to finally meet you." He said, his boyish attitude and accent all but disappeared as he dropped to one knee and took a long bow.

[Elaine Anncroft]

"Say Max where have you been? I haven't seen you around in awhile." The girl cast a smile in Jaspers' direction. Hearing someone descend the she turned to see Edelweiss. "Hello Epikuro!" She stepped to the side as Jasper greeted her like royalty. Elaine couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Is there anything you, or Max, need done?" Elaine wasn't used to offering to do anything other than the posted targets. But she wasn't in the mood to do hunt someone down today. She hoped that Max would want help so she could talk to the blonde girl. But she would settle for anything right now.

[Edelweiss Fjäril]

"She's been doing some diverse work on my request." The redhead replied about Max first, a safe response and not really a lie either. It had been Edelweiss who had put Max in charge of the board until the freckled girl found something else to work with. Although the way how both Elaine and Jasper referred to Max make her doubt the two had already informed them of Max's retirement or not. "There's nothing I require at the moment though."

"Good evening, Lullaby. I heard of you before." She then looked at the kneeling lad with an amused grin. Now that one was new. "No need to kneel, let me see your face."

[Jasper "Anders" Pickett]

    "As you wish." The now mature-acting juggler responded before standing slowly and giving their leader a smile - not his usual goofy, children's smile but a humble, respectable, "pleasure to meet you" smile, "and please, forgive me if you find my praise unwarranted, but you are virtually royalty in Lodan's secretive underworld, and above all, my superior and head of this organization. I believe you of all people are worth far more than my simpleminded admiration, wouldn't you agree? However, I can stop if you'd prefer." A short bow of the head signified the end of Jasper's short speech. Each word had slipped smoothly from his lips as if he practiced this presentation every day prior to this encounter.

[Zona K. Noakes]

Well... Zona had a hard time making it to the theater. She knew someone would blow a fuse if she didn't do at least one job this week so she figured she would pick and easy one, something that wouldn't take much skill and where she didn't need to move all that much. "drat it."  Zona cursed quietly as she walked in nearly stumbling over the seats in the theater. At first glance she would have seemed to be dunk but upon further inspection it wasn't that at all. The fight that happened between Eryn, her and the green hatted man who wanted all Anders dead didn't end as well as Zona would have liked. Instead it left her like swish cheese, all covered in bullet holes and wounds that hit nearly everything important. Oh well, at least she was wrapped and on her way to heal.

Zona slowly made her way to the back of the theater where, surprisingly, she was able to walk to the back and down the stairs without anyone noticing. "Thank God." Zona though to herself as she began walking down the stairs, taking it one step at a time but stumbling and falling down the last few steps, causing her to come crashing to the floor, "drat these legs!"  Zona cursed as she rubbed her head.

[Max]

“I’ve been doing this,” she held the stack of papers up for Elaine to see as she pinned another one to the edge of the board. As Edel began talking to Lullaby, Max returned her attention to Elaine. “I’ve been working the theater some too.” But it seemed that just wasn’t destined to have a conversation as Zona came tumbling down the stairs. Max didn’t jump to help her, knowing very well that Diva could handle herself, so she returned to pinning the papers to the wall. Only a few more and she’d be done and could leave. If the group of people allowed, that is.