*Bing-Bong*
The writer of this work would like to make it known that he is aware that it seems mildly annoying to have all of these chapters focused on antagonistic side characters, but would like to make it known that this is important for the later chapters and not because he has writers block and is trying to stall for-.
|Stop calling out!|
MAKE , BITCH!
*Bing-Bong*
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"Jasper. Why did it get dark all of a sudden? And why does it sll so bad in here?"
"I’m not sure Janice, but I’m going to stop cutting open the bag for now to try and stop the sll from coming through."
"Okay."
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"So we’re lost and sohow ended up in Rot Oyster, great...,"Simo grumbled.
Graff for his part just stared daggers at his companion.
He had been the one steering the gondola for the past few hours and did not appreciate all of this sass from a guy who’s main job was essentially making a blanket made of energy.
Graff was very tempted at this point to pull the paddle out of the water and smash it over Simo’s head, but stopped when an unexpected voice called out to him and his friend.
"Hey guys! You alright? You two look lost as hell?"
"Huh?"
"Who’s the guy with the ssed up teeth?"
The person who called out to the two of them was a skinny fellow with an outrageous looking set of teeth.
Judging by the sheer number of teeth and how they seed to grow every which way and back, the two of them assud the man to either be a bloodliner or born with so kind of condition, they just didn’t know which one it was.
The man in question was currently smiling at them, and while most of the ti such an action would alleviate concerns and put one at ease, sothing about this man’s particular smile felt...greasy.
Then again, that feeling of greasiness could have been coming from the putrid water they were floating in or the local fried "at" stands cooking nearby.
They had asked soone what the "at" was one ti...they got three different answers, none of them good.
(Un)aware of Simos and Graff’s feelings however, the skinny man continued his spiel.
"The na’s Victor, and you two look like you need a guide," the skinny man said as his smile seed to grow wider.
"Uhh..."
Simos and Graff stared at each other for a mont, unsure of what to do with Victor’s friendly deanor.
They knew that Rot Oyster had a reputation for being deceptive, so they weren’t sure if they could trust this toothy man or not. He seed friendly, but they knew such a persona tended to be coated in poisoned barbs.
’Hmmm, maybe I should throw them a bone?,’ Victor thought to himself, as he sensed their weariness towards him. He needed them to access Miss Venus, and the best way to get soone trust you is to do them an impromptu favor.
Usually.
"Tell you guys what," Victor began to say in his friendliest voice, "as a sign of trust between and you, I’m gonna let you on a little secret for free."
"Huh?"
"There’s a hole in your bag."
"What?!"
Graff and Simos freaked out the mont Victor said those words and proceeded to look over their bag with increased focus.
Seeing the aforentioned hole, the tow of them worked quickly to seal it up via a quick aether patch job.
"Fucking told you we should have bought a new bag."
"This is new!"
"It’s used!"
"Sa difference."
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’Shit! They found the hole!,’ Jasper ntally cursed as he watched the hole repair itself.
He still had the coin so he could cut open a new one, but now he had to be more careful as to not catch the kidnapper’s notice again.
Hopefully he could make the hole big enough for at least Janice to escape.
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With the hole now patched, Simos and Graff let out sighs of relief, alongside developing a newfound sense of trust in this weird toothy fellow nad Victor.
"Thanks for the warning," Simos nodded in gratitude, "We almost lost our pay day."
"Don’t worry about it," Victor replied while waving his hand off in dismissal, "now then, is it safe to assu you two are heading off to the slave market then? I don’t think any of the ones who handle in minor affairs are in for the day though."
Graff looked at Simos, looking for approval on whether or not they should share their plans, receiving a nod from the latter in turn.
"Actually, we’re looking to try and make a deal with Miss Venus. Ever heard of her?"
"The Peddler of Thousands? Of course I know of her, any black marketer worth their salt know of her...wait, you two are trying to cut a deal with her?" Victor feigned surprise. He had already figured they were going to do so, knowing the reputation of Miss Venus’s activities, he just needed confirmation.
As the two of them nodded, Victor’s smile grew just a touch wider than before.
"Well then, my new friends, today is your lucky day. For I happen to know where Miss Venus is going to be and how to arrange a eting with her," Victor said with a touch of flair.
Simos and Graff were about to tell Victor off about knowing where she was, even they knew where she was, they just didn’t have any sense of direction. However, the mont Victor ntioned about arranging a eting, the two of them stopped themselves from doing so.
"Uh...arrange a eting?"
"Why of course," Victor chided with a laugh and a shake of his head, "you two didn’t think you could just walk into whatever venue she was performing in for the evening and a cut a deal that quickly, did you?"
"Uh..."
"Honestly...yeah."
Victor’s smile turned a tad stiff at this answer.
’What the hell am I about to get myself into?,’ Victor asked himself as he realized the ineptitude of the people he was dealing with.
On the one hand, this ant that he could easily manipulate the two of them into doing whatever he wanted or needed from them. On the other, this ant that he had to put in more effort in making sure these two idiots didn’t do anything to sour the deal and/or get themselves killed.
’The things I do for my teeth...’
"Well then," Victor continued without missing a beat, "in that case, why don’t I propose sothing? A...win-win deal, as it were."
"Uhh...okay?"
"You two are in need of a eting with Miss Venus, correct? In that case, for a small percentage profit you two are sure to make from such a eting, why don’t I help to arrange in the first place?"
"..."
"Well?"
"...how much are you asking for?"
"Twenty percent?"
"What?!"
The mont Simos and Graff heard the frankly outrageous amount being asked for by Victor, the two of them imdiately beca outraged.
"That is way too much money!"
"Pfft! I think it’s a fairly reasonable sum given the circumstances," Victor mused while blowing air through his teeth, "but fine, if you don’t want to, I can just go and find sothing else to do. I’m sure you two can figure out how to contact her people, how to arrange a proper venue that is respectful for soone of her status and I have no doubt the ’goods’ you’re attempting to sell her are of the highest quality and et her very, very specific demands. Good day gentlen."
After finish saying all of this, Victor proceeded to turn around and walk in the direction opposite of the way Simos and Graff were floating towards.
This was a deliberate move on his part.
When Victor explained about all of the little "details" that Simos and Graff seem to not understand in regards to dealing with Miss Venus, he made sure to pay attention to their expressions.
Over the course of this little speech, Victor watched as the two of them went from looking downright angry, to surprise to utter dread as they realized that they were essentially way over their heads.
Victor only had to walk a few feet forward when he was called out by the two.
"Hey! Wait!"
Victor imdiately stopped walking, but he slowly turned towards the duo with a punchable smile on his face.
"Yes?"
"We can’t do twenty percent," Simos stated, "but we are willing to give you a percentage of the profits."
"Oh?"
"Can you introduce us for...eight percent?"
"Pfft! Eight?," Victor repeated in offense, "you want to arrange a eting with one of the most prolific traders in the underworld for a asly eight percent? At least make it eighteen!"
"No way!"
"Good bye then."
"Wait!"
This back and forth went on for awhile until the three of them settled on a nice and even twelve percent.
It would have been ten, but Victor managed to push just enough to get them to go a touch higher than that.
’Cool...now I just need to contact a few people...’
If everything went according to as Victor planned, this ti tomorrow, he would have brand new teeth.
Of course...life had a way of making even the most well-laid plans a touch more...chaotic than necessary.
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