TRP: Bee, Finch, Jonn, Larkin, and Mishka (A Friend)

[Setting: day 382, the Redbirds brothel in Skyport]

It was a really nice place, Larkin had to give Jonn that. He'd been doing a great job running the brothel so far, as far as she could tell. Clean. No trouble with the patrons. Workers content. Even the food was alright.

She nodded to a couple familiar faces as she walked in, then navigated to common room over to where Jonn was having a chat with a server by the bar. She waved when he spotted her.

IZZY

Jonn nodded to her. He had been frowning as he talked quietly with the bartender, and gave them a meaningful look. They made themself scarce and he wove closer over to Larkin.

He was still frowning when he reached her, looking ... concerned. "Someone's here for you," he said, without any preamble. "I don't know'em."

JEN

That gave Larkin pause. She considered the options but couldn't really come up with someone who knew to find her here and who Jonn didn't recognise. Also, the look on his face. Bad.

"How many?" She asked. "What do they want?"

IZZY

"Just the one." He was picking at his fingernails. "'Bout our height. Looks unarmed. Human, I think." He hesitated and shook his head. "I don't know, there's something fuckin' weird about'em. I don't like it. They're in one of the private rooms, in the back. They just said they had something important to talk to you about, and I told'em you weren't here, and they said that you would be."

JEN

She frowned. Nope, this hadn't gotten any better. Somehow she a feeling that this wasn't a friendly visit.

"Hey, Jonn, can you do me a solid," she said, curiosity winning but her common sense not giving up without a fight, "you don't have to go in with me but I'd appreciate it if you could, y'know, watch my back."

IZZY

He nodded, and glanced over his shoulder at the rest of the brothel. Everything was running smoothly, and he'd deputized one of the baby birds to help him keep an eye out, so he signaled to her briefly to come get him if there was trouble. She gave him a thumbs up, and he led Larkin back.

There were only a couple private rooms -- the building they'd gotten hold of wasn't very big. One door was closed, and he led Larkin over to the open one. The rooms were mirror images, with very simple set ups -- bed, bedside table, a wardrobe to discretely tuck away accessories that the customers willing to spring for more privacy might also want. The visitor sat on the foot of the bed.

They were, like Jonn had said, around his and Larkin's heights, maybe a touch closer to hers -- looking a little shorter, even, without any horns. Pale-skinned, with tousled, messy black hair that might've been hiding pointed elf ears -- otherwise, though, they looked human, just slightly ... odd, in a way that was difficult to pin down. But they didn't look dangerous, and indeed weren't visibly armed, and didn't have an instrument to betray them as a bard, or any apparent jewelry that might be a magic focus, or even a bag -- just a soft black tunic, and gray leggings, and boots that looked like they'd seen some miles.

They smiled as Larkin and Jonn entered the room. There was a musical quality to their voice. "Hello, Ms Basha. You're right on time."

JEN

Well, this was some kinda person, Larkin was pretty sure. There was something about the eyes, though...

She pulled the door closed behind her without turning, then went to lean against the wall next to it, arms crossed. "And you are?"

IZZY

"My name's Bee," they said pleasantly, like they were happy she'd asked. They stood fluidly from the bed and held a hand out to shake.

JEN

Larkin didn't move.

IZZY

Bee dropped their hand, still smiling, and looking at her intently. "You're not someone who likes to beat around the bush. I'm here about the Church of Bane," they said. "I understand you want to do something about them, too?"

JEN

Internally, a dozen alarm bells went off. Externally, though, Larkin kept her face blank and unknowing.

"What church of Bane?" She asked. "Who's that?"

IZZY

"You don't need to keep up the act," they said serenely. "If you prefer, though, we can call it the Church of Helm. But I don't think anyone is listening."

JEN

Larkin glanced at Jonn, turned sideways and in Nighthand signed, full of shit? She kept it as short and abbreviated as possible.

IZZY

He narrowed his eyes a tiny bit, indicating uncertainty, and signed back, Seems legit.

JEN

"Well, alright," Larkin said with a sigh and returned to her position. "Suppose I've heard about this Bane thing. What about it?"

IZZY

"Well, I have two concerns," Bee said, looking regretful about putting them out. "Firstly, that this false church exists at all, dragging Helm's name through the mud after his unfortunate death. Secondly, I believe you've been offered help with disposing of them already. Haven't you? A tall man," they added, holding a hand about a foot over their own head. "He probably doesn't look like he takes care of himself."

JEN

This time she couldn't stop her face from giving her away. She raised both eyebrows, frowned, then tried for a blank face again but it turned into a scowl.

"You sure have done your homework, huh?" Larkin said, fixing their weird eye's. "But you still haven't told me who you are."

IZZY

"Oh, of course." They folded their hands. "I'm a missionary, of sorts. I was sent by the god Lathander."

JEN

"And who's your informer?"

IZZY

"About the Banites infesting your city, or our mutual tall friend?"

JEN

"Let's go with everything."

IZZY

"Well." They tilted their head to one side. "I've communed with my god. It's not exactly a secret, beyond the veil, that Helm is no more, so I knew that your church here was some sort of pretender. We have powerful clerics and paladins. We don't need informers. Does that satisfy your first question?"

JEN

Larkin snorted.

IZZY

They kept staring at her.

JEN

Larkin allowed herself half a smile and glanced at Jonn as if to check if he was hearing and seeing the same shit.

IZZY

Jonn was frowning, glowering at Bee openly, his arms crossed. They didn't seem bothered.

JEN

"Alright, you're being polite enough so I'm gonna be nice and level with you." Larkin unfolded her arms and held her palms up. "I don't know you but somehow you know me and where to find me. You come here with a lot of assumptions that, if they were true, would put my ass in real fucking danger. And you want me to admit to trying to go against our good protector the Church of Helm. You see the problem here?"

IZZY

"Of course," Bee said, smiling. "I wouldn't ask you to put yourself in danger. Let's say, theoretically, the Church of Helm in Skyport is actually corrupt and run by Banites. Let's say, theoretically, there were groups among the populace who didn't like that church -- regardless of what god they truly served. They prohibit worship of other deities inside the city. They mistreat prisoners. They overcharge for healing services and allow innocent, good people to die in the streets. It isn't just, Ms Basha," they said, "and my god is concerned with justice.

"Naturally, I understand that it might be concerning, the idea of fighting back against such a power. There are always the vocally dissident, though. There are always people -- strong-minded individuals -- who are willing to take that first step. Let's say, theoretically, you were one of those people. Would it be wise, do you think, to take on such a task without gathering all of the help you could?"

JEN

"Yeah, y'know, would be fucking wise to make sure you ain't getting any rats on board. Theoretically."

IZZY

Again, they tilted their head, their smile fading to a curious look. "Would it be wise, do you think, to contract outside help from a bounty hunter? Someone whose loyalties can be bought and sold?"

JEN

Larkin shrugged. "Don't think that'd be any of your business."

IZZY

"Unfortunately, Sam Obsidia is, specifically, my business."

JEN

"And how's that?"

IZZY

"He's a disturbed and dangerous man. It was in tracking him that I uncovered the corruption in the ... Helmite church," they said carefully.

JEN

"So you're what? A bounty hunter for bounty hunters?" Larkin didn't like this. Even if they were legit they'd need to know that the Redbirds weren't the good guys either. Nothing would stop them from turning coat at their earliest convenience.

IZZY

"I'm a friend," Bee said gently. "He needs a friend."

JEN

Larkin laughed. "Alright. Friend, huh? Sure. See, buddy, I don't really trust Sam Obsidia but y'know, at least he's got the right people backing him up. You, though," she pointed at Bee, "you're some weird-ass... whatever with a weird-ass name coming here with this vague story of how you just want to help. I don't know you, I don't trust you, and I'm not gonna go behind Obsidia's back with this."

IZZY

Bee was still smiling. "You're loyal. That's a good trait. It's respectable. I wonder if you would consider the idea that being loyal to a bounty hunter may not be the best idea, though. Sam has his own reasons for breaking into the church, and I suspect you'll find that, once his goals are met, he'll sell you up the river in a heartbeat."

JEN

"That's an odd way to talk about a friend of yours."

IZZY

"It's a realistic way," Bee said pleasantly. "As I said, he needs a friend. He needs help. I would hate for him to damage your cause with his impulsivity."

JEN

"That's very generous of you," Larkin said flatly. "Hey, what is it do you think is my cause anyway?"

IZZY

"I'm sure I don't know, theoretically speaking."

JEN

Larkin scoffed a little. "A good answer if anyone else were to ask it. Let me rephrase: why should I believe that you're not going to damage my cause?"

IZZY

"Oh, we're past that, I think. If you were willing to help me with Sam, I would be happy to take his place -- I don't think it would be very fair of me to ask you to give up the powerful warlock you bought to your side," they explained. "You must need him for something. But if you're not willing to help me, I'll have more important things to do than help you, I'm afraid."

JEN

Yeah. Great loss, help she'd never asked for.

"You got a thing wrong," she said. "I'm not loyal to Obsidia. I'm loyal to my family." She extended a hand at Jonn. "What keeps me from fucking Obsidia over for you is called integrity. I don't cross business partners without reason. So I guess you can go do your important shit. I don't want your help."

IZZY

"All right," Bee said, as pleasant as always. "Good luck, Ms Basha. Remember that I came to you."

They moved to leave, hands folded demurely.

JEN

Larkin stepped aside to let them pass, thinking this might be the best opportunity to take care of a potential threat, but also, she really wanted to know who this fucker was tied to. Behind their back, Larkin signed to Jonn, I want eyes on them.

IZZY

Once Bee was down the hall -- not too far to tail -- Jonn signed, Take care of it myself?

JEN

Take a few, Larkin motioned back, One to make a point, the others for real.

IZZY

He nodded and moved off after them.

- - -

Later that night, he reported back to the brothel, the baby bird he'd drafted to be his helper in tow. He sent the kid behind the bar for a snack, then met Larkin in the back office, chewing on his lip.

"I left someone watching them," he told her. "It seemed really fucking boring, though. They just, like, wandered around Skyport fuckin' sightseeing, or something. Looked like a fucking tourist. I'm pretty sure they didn't see me, but they were acting like someone who knew they were being tailed and wanted to waste my fucking time." He booted the leg of the desk in annoyance. "They just got dinner at this nice restaurant and then went back to some random inn."

JEN

Larkin grumbled and tapped her foot. "They meet with anyone? Talk to people? Any odd places they visited?"

IZZY

He shook his head. "They did go by the Citadel, but it didn't look like they were like, casing it, or anything."

JEN

She grumbled even more. "Well, alright then. We'll keep it up. I want birds on their tail day and night. Diviners, if you can find some. I wanna know if they do any sketchy magic shit."

IZZY

He nodded, arms crossed. "I'll talk to Finch about scrying on'em or somethin'." He chewed on his lip a bit more. "What d'you think about that shit they said about Obsidia? You think he'll sell us out? Should we cut him loose?"

JEN

"Man, I don't know." Larkin ran a hand through her hair. "I don't fucking trust any of 'em. Guess regarding Obsidia we got some time before he comes back. We ain't committed to anything yet, either." She wished Finch had been present, or Goro. He could smell bullshit five miles against the wind.

IZZY

"Yeah." He kept chewing on his lip, frowning in thought. "Okay. I'll update the tail and make sure someone stays on'em, and go talk to Finch."

JEN

"Thanks." Maybe she should tell Goro about this. He'd be interested in anything regarding Obsidia, especially when it seemed to be a threat. "I guess I'll be telling Azriel and Haeth then. Maybe they got more thoughts."

IZZY

Jonn nodded again.

- - -

A few hours later, he returned to the brothel with Finch, who looked pissed, though he normally looked that way. He did, at least, look clean and put together. Jonn nodded him towards the back office, and slipped behind the bar while Finch went to join Larkin.

🔥🌟🌸Today at 1:06 PM

A moment later, Mishka stepped in-- wearing the mask, as usual. He didn't particularly like being seen places or letting people know what he was doing or who he was allying with.

He wore his usual incognito disguise: he was himself, but he'd darkened his hair to black and his skin to ash. He didn't particularly like changing his body shape unless he had to, so the rest was the same. It was enough that his allies would be able to easily recognize him, but strangers wouldn't.

He did this around Larkin frequently; but he still signed Hello, it's Mishka at her briefly to make sure she knew it was him, then went to stand and wait.

JEN

Larkin acknowledged Mishka, then went to close the door and leaned against it. "Alright, so," she said, looking at Finch, "did you see anything?"

IZZY

Finch scowled and shook his head. "Couldn't get a bead on the fucker. I can't scry again 'til tomorrow -- might have Jonn take me around so I can actually see them with my own eyes. Makes it easier." He sounded fucking dour about it, admittedly.

COYOTE

"Cleric and paladins," Mishka said sympathetically. "Holy motherfuckers." They were incredibly difficult to scry on magically, which he didn't say, because he figured people like Finch and Larkin knew that, being experienced unsavory types like himself.

JEN

"The fucked up thing is I don't even think they've been lying to me. Or they're real fucking good at it." Larkin scowled over that. She'd never been as good at spotting lies as she'd like to. "Anyway, Jonn thinks something stinks and I'm kinda agreeing. They might have been telling the truth but sure as fuck not all of it."

IZZY

Finch half nodded at Mishka and muttered, "Yeah, I'm not fucking convinced I'll be able to scry even if I see them." More to Larkin, he grudgingly added, "I could talk to them. Maybe."

COYOTE

"Yeah, I had a thought about that," Mishka said. "What if I chat with them?" Mishka played with a coin, turning it over in his fingers. "I could tell this Bee person I'm interested, see what they have to say. I'm deeply curious about why exactly they're interested in Sam and want to stop him."

JEN

Larkin tilted her head in his direction to comment, "haven't told Goro yet. Bet he'd be really fucking interested, too."

COYOTE

"Aye. We should tell 'em. See what he thinks."

IZZY

Finch grumbled and nodded.

[END]