When the Winds of Change Blow [Marschal Leigh]

Job Description:

Knock. Knock. Knock. Marschal's fist rapped lightly on the door of a beautiful, yellow-painted home. He pulled his hand back and stuffed it into the pocket of his jeans, leaning back on his heels a little as he waited for the door to be answered. Inside, he could hear the light thumping of feet as someone moved around, and before long, the door was opened. Upon the door opening, a young woman, though much older than he happened to be, stood in the doorway of the home. She beamed him a soft smile, but she was overall confused on who he was and why he was on her doorstep. Seeing the confusion on his face, this was where he cleared his throat and picked at the collar of his shirt, then spoke.

"I heard news that you were looking around for someone who would be able to help break some. . . bad news," he affirmed.

The woman tilted her head a little, blinked her eyes, and finally, it dawned on her that she had sent out a flier for help. "Oh! Yes. . . yes, I was the one who sent out a request for some help with my daughter, who just recently lost her goldfish. Please, come in," the lady answered, moving off to the side a bit and beckoning with her hand for him to come in.

Marschal did as was requested of him and stepped inside of the home, letting his golden eyes rocket around his surroundings. Just as the outside was, the inside was beautifully decorated with elaborate paintings and complimentary items, such as lamps and side tables. However, this was just the hallway, and as the woman closed the door behind him, she'd walk ahead and say, "please, make yourself at home. We can discuss this a bit more in the living room, but we have to keep our voices low since my daughter is upstairs."

"Thank you, ma'am," he responded with a slight nod, stepping around the corner to follow her into the living room.

"What's your name, by the way?" she inquired, looking over her shoulder for a brief moment before proceeding to sit in a comfy-looking chair.

"Marschal Leigh," Marschal answered as he settled down across from her in a chair that looked similar to the one she was in.

"I'm Felicia Trapani; do you align with any of the legal guilds?" the woman continued to question the young man.

"I used to be a part of Black Rose, which happened to be a neutral guild at the time, but I hear that it recently went legal. Unfortunately, I was kicked out a few short years after the birth of my son, so I'm now just a lonely beggar. . . I mean guildless mage," he replied.

Felicia giggled, covering her mouth and smiling behind her hand, only to cut the laughter short and get to the point. Clearing her throat, she started to explain why she had called for a mage to handle the current situation in her home. "As of recent, you know that my daughter, Susannah, has lost her dearly beloved goldfish and I can't bring myself to tell her I found it upturned in its bowl. I was wondering if you would take it upon yourself to tell her that her goldfish has since passed away. The goal here is that you get her to stop crying and focus on something else, but I do plan on buying her a new pet: a cat this time."

Marschal nodded in compliance with what the woman wanted, standing to his feet and stuffing his hands in his pockets again. "No problem. I would be more than happy to help you get this situation sorted out and your daughter happy again. Nothing more than the happiness of a child means more to me than anything that this world can bring."

She would stand up as well and walk over to hug him, which slightly surprised the former guild mage as no one had hugged him until now. He awkwardly hugged her back before pulling away, "all right, I'll be back when I've successfully calmed her down." Marschal gave the woman a smile, patted her on the shoulder, then turned away and headed back into the hallway. A right turn led him to some stairs, where he vigorously climbed - more like stomped - his way to the top. It was a decently empty hallway, but he noticed a door that was slightly creaked open, with a bit of light shining through the opening. The mage quietly sauntered his way to the door and paused, knocking on it lightly with the back of his hand.

"Go away," came a soft, nearly choked, voice of a little girl from deep within the confines of the room.

"Susannah, your mother sent me up here to talk with you about your missing goldfish," Marschal stated, pushing the door open. His golden optics landed upon a young girl resting on her bed, holding an empty fish bowl close to her chest and sniffling. "Hey, don't cry, please. . . it's not the end of the world that your pet fish went missing; in fact, I know exactly where he went to."

By him saying this, Susannah perked up and looked toward the half breed, staring at him with wide eyes and hope in them. "You do? Really?!" she inquired, bouncing on her bed some, causing the water to slosh around and spill over the comforter and floor. Marschal frowned and walked over, reaching out to take the bowl from her hands and setting it aside for the time being. He plopped down on the bedding beside her and stared at the now open doorway that led out into the hallway. "Mommy refuses to tell me where he went to, but if you know, she must've told you where he went, correct?" The mage nodded his head in reply, though currently kept his mouth shut while Susannah spoke to him.

Quietly, Marschal would wrap a burly arm around the young girl's shoulders and pull her close to him, looking down to her. "What was the name of your goldfish?" the hybrid inquired, rubbing his hand up and down the girl's upper arm.

"His name was Steve," Susannah answered him, looking up at him and smiling brightly when she was asked the question.

"Well, your mother told me that Steve decided to go see his family and that he missed them so much, he doesn't really want to return. He appreciates that you took great care of him when he was bought from the pet store, but now he wishes to stay home, with his other fish family," Marschal stated. He'd reach his other hand upward and bop her lightly on the nose with his clawed hand, chuckling and smiling lightly. "You'll remain his one, true best friend for the rest of his life and thereafter, at least that's what I heard from him, myself!"

"You talked with him?! Can I see him? Please?!" Susannah jumped when she heard him say that she spoke to her pet goldfish.

"Unfortunately, where he's at, you won't be going there for a long time," Marschal chuckled as he answered her. "But don't worry, I'm certain that you'll be able to meet him once again when your time comes to visit him."

"Oh. . ." she said, her gaze falling to her lap and making Marschal pout a little from the way she reacted. A sniffle from her informed him that she was back to crying and he heaved a soft sigh before giving her shoulders a squeeze. "I want him back. . ." He could clearly hear the quiver on her bottom lip and he stood up, falling to one knee on the ground. With her tiny hands clasped in his calloused, large ones, he looked her in the eye and bent his head a little.

"Your mother promised to get you a new pet though. . . I hear it's one that you've been wanting even more than a goldfish." This is when he heard her perk up again, though felt a tear drop splatter onto one of his ears, causing him to flick it.
"I think you could guess what it is, I mean, just look at my ears!" he exclaimed and flicked both of them again.

Susannah's eyes grew wide again and she clapped her hands together after pulling them free of his, bouncing a little. "Kitty!" she yowled out, reaching her grubby hands forward and pinching his ears with her chubby, stubby fingers. Marschal winced as she tugged on his ears, but he'd snatch her up and bite at her belly while she played with his ears. She'd scream out and giggle, wiggling in his arms and trying to pry herself free of his attacks, but to no avail. Eventually, he stopped assaulting her and pulled his ears free, so that he could look her in the eye with his golden orbs.

"So, stop crying will ya? It's not the end of the world and you can always get another pet to help with the loss of another," he stated with another smile.

"Okay. . ." Susannah giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a big thank you hug.

He'd hug her back and purse his lips before speaking, "let's head down to your mother, so we can tell her you'll be okay." She nodded in response and he turned around, heading out of her room and back down the stairs to the living room.

Felicia was waiting at the base of the stairs when they started descending, looking up quizzically at him. He simply gave her a nod and she smiled up at them, reaching out for her daughter and taking her from. "I can't thank you enough for the help you've proven to be for me," she spoke up, shaking his hand with her free arm.

"Not a problem, ma'am, and if you ever need anything more, just send a note my way and I'll be here before you know it," he answered her, giving her a wink. She'd giggle and show him out the door, now clearly smiling from the flirtatious comment he had made toward her.

"Bye," she stated, giving a cutesy wave before closing the door as Marschal headed down the steps of the porch. There was a slight smirk on his lips and he flipped the collar up of his button up plaid shirt with a rather successful look on his face.