You'll be Missed (Job w/ Masha)

Gaia was sitting in the tavern down in Ace of Spades this morning, deciding to have a single glass of wine while she read over her cards once more. The most she'd ever drink would be a single glass of wine, followed by some water to clear her mind. She pulls a card, and frowns at the upside down card. "Page of Wands... Reversed..." Noya perks her head up to look at the card. "Lack of direction, negativity, and feeling caged. That's what the card usually means." She murmurs to the ferret just as the door to the tavern is opened and a tall man in a slick black pinstriped suit came in. He had given the area a quick look around before his eyes land on Gaia and walks up to her.

"Excuse me, Miss. I have a letter that is for you." He says. Gaia looks up as she stares at him. He seemed like and old man, with combed back wire hair, and was probably using illusion magic to make himself seem much younger than he was. He sets the letter on the table before her, before he turns on his heel and walks right out without another word.

Gaia blinks as she moves to hesitantly open it. Noya was still perking her head forward, wanting to hear what the letter had to say. "'Dear old friend I don't know if you remember me but I need your help. A strange cursed has swept across my home land destroyed most of the population. I managed to escape, and am now in hiding, but while I was escaping from those creatures one of them bit me. Within the envelope I have placed my current location I am currently at an old cabin in the cursed lands, please come as soon as you can as I am beginning to feel rather feverous. Yours Truly, Rysthin.'" She pauses after reading the letter. That was a name she hadn't expected to find... ever. Hell, she never expected anyone to be able to find her. She then grips the letter in her hand and quickly shoves her decks back into their pouch and crumples the paper in her hand as she races out of the tavern, not even finishing her wine at all.

With a skid, she stops in the doorway of the tavern, and bites her bottom lip. She had no magic still... she needed to help them out. Her eyes trail around outside the building, as well as inside before she spotted a red head not too far. "Masha..." She breathed, having met her once before she believed. She quickly rushes up to her, wherever the other girl was, and grabs her arm a bit. "Can I ask of you a favor? I'm still trying to get the hang of my magic and I need to go help my friend. Can you come with me to help them? Please? Since we're in the same guild together?" She begs a bit. "It's in the cursed lands, and I don't want to risk being killed..." She realizes she was holding onto the other girl, and quickly lets go as she has a small blush on her cheeks from being grabbing her like so without thinking.

Words: 543

Masha looked at the girl that had grabbed her arm with a raised eyebrow. Did this girl want some now? She hadn't had to fend off many advances here which was nicer than what she was used to. This girl might actually be the first to ask her to sleep together. A quick once over didn't give Masha any apparent issues. She wouldn't be opposed to sleeping with this guild mate. Ruvel didn't seem to be all that interested in her as it was at this point. Hearing the guild mate's actual reason for grabbing her, Masha smiled. She needed to stop assuming things that had been commonplace in Savage Skull. Standing up, Masha threw back her head to finish her drink. After slamming her cup back onto the table, she hoisted Lover's Kiss onto her shoulder. "Sounds like it'll be a smashing time. Let's go...Gaia wasn't it?" Masha threw a few jewels onto the table. She had learned paying for things was kind of important. She didn't want to be yelled at again for 'stealing'. Not that that made too much sense to her in the first place. Masha grimaced as the jewels left her hand. "Where we be headed to?" She didn't wait for a reply instead heading straight for the door to begin their journey. It had been too long since she had been on a job. Hopefully, she would make a new friend on this one.

WC: 241

Gaia smiles a bit and nods. "Y-Yeah! Oh! Thank you! I'm sorry for asking something of you even if you don't know me too well." She rubs her arm as she watches her throw the coins on the table. She quickly was on her heels, and eventually slipping in front of Masha to leads the way. "Um... We're going to an Abandoned Cabin in the Cursed Lands." She shows the other the letter that she was given. The girl blows out her cheeks, and takes a deep breath. "You sure you're okay with it? With helping me?" She had managed to hail a carriage to take her and Masha to the other side of the mountains. She slipped in and looks to Masha with a small smile.

On the way to the Cursed lands, Noya decided to slip off of her master and over to Masha to investigate her some more. Gaia takes a deep breath and shakes her head. "You've met her before, Noya... That's Masha." She mumbles to her ferret. Noya just looked at Gaia before she went to climb up Masha's shoulder and investigate her face better. Gaia rubs her forehead as she chuckles nervously. "Guess she's in an explorer mood today."

It didn't take them too long to reach the cursed lands, as it was on the other side of the mountains that Ace of Spades resided in. The carriage stopped right outside the lands, and Gaia pauses. Noya quickly jumps onto her shoulders and cuddles up to her. Gaia was trembling slightly. "This place... is r-really unsettling..." She pulls out the letter once more, and looks to Masha as she gives her a small smile as she goes to lead her to where they were supposed to go. As they walked, Gaia held her cloak closer around her, using it like it would protect her on it's own. "Rysthin, I so hope you're okay..." She mumbles before she yelps from hearing something in the trees in the distance. It was a bird flying away from where they were at. As they walk farther, Gaia feels like something is following them, and looks over her shoulder a bit.

Words: 362
Total: 905

Masha sighed heavily as Gaia constantly checked that she was okay with helping out. What was it with these do gooders? She had already said she was up for it, hadn't she? Masha barely looked over the letter when she was shown it. All that mattered to her was the potential for a new friend and some much needed cash. The why for Gaia didn't matter so much. "Hun, listen. I said I would help you out, ya? Why do you keep trying to make sure I'm okay with this? I said I wanted to do it already. Besides, the Cursed Lands can't be all that scary." Masha grinned confidently in the direction of the other female. The grin faltered as she felt something vaguely familiar floating about Gaia's person. It felt... male but it was different. Warm. Home. Family. She had never gotten that kind of feeling off of anybody. She didn't get anything but lust mainly. Whoever it was had been near Gaia recently enough that the other mage's thoughts were on him or Gaia had some powerful feelings for him forming. Masha grinned mischievously. "So ya go on any interesting jobs recently? Maybe meet someone? A handsome stranger maybe?"

Noya coming over to Masha was a great surprise. Animals didn't tend to like her very much. She supposed it was because she was unnatural. Maybe it was the pheromones she sometimes exuded. Whatever the reason, Masha was delighted that Noya had come to her. "She must be quite smart." Masha said carefully running her fingers down Noya's back. "Few animals seem to like me much" She fetched a cracker from her pouch and held it out to Noya. She hoped the tiny creature would take it.

Masha stepped from the carriage, a shiver of awareness going down her spine. She agreed with Gaia's statement. Masha put a hand on the other mage's arm. "It might be strange but we've got this. We're strong independent women." She flashed a smile at Gaia. Masha stayed close to Gaia as they made their way forward. Mainly it was for the protection of the other mage. Gaia didn't seem too sure of herself to Masha. The little shriek she gave at a bird flying gave that impression. Masha felt a little tingling as they continued, something that usually happened when she was being followed. "Hun, I think we've got a few things following us. Don't turn around. That might provoke them." Masha pulled Lover's Kiss from its sheathe. It paid to at least be slightly prepared.

WC: 426
Total: 667

Gaia bit her bottom lip hard when Masha asked why she kept on trying to make sure she was okay with it. How could she answer that without making her feel bad for her outburst of whatever? Gaia decided to just drop it and shrugged her shoulders to the last bit about the Cursed Lands not being all that scary. "I've never been there... but I have heard it was quite dangerous... I don't want to underestimate the area because of false hopes." She mumbles a bit. She rubs her arm a bit as she takes a deep breath. She indeed was thinking of someone and how their last job had gone down, when Masha begun prying. Gaia's eyes grow wide as she quickly looks to the mage while her face went bright red and she quickly shakes her head as she bit her bottom lip. "N-n-no! I... I just I went on a job with a... a... a friend recently." She seemed to have not known what exactly to call Kyran at first. Her cheeks were a continuous blush from then on out, ears even having a pink tint to them as her blush went to the backs of them. She honestly couldn't wait to see him again in reality though. Masha asking about it had her thinking more of him, and she softly whined to herself.

The little black haired mage smiles softly as Noya seemed to be behaving herself before Masha. Her compliment on Noya being smart, made her smile. "I think she is as well. She does like showing the way for me from time to time." She chuckles. At the sight of the cracker, Gaia seemed to panic a bit. "N-no! Ferrets can't have crackers. It'll upset her stomach. She eats raw meats usually, or raw eggs as treats." She says as the little ferret seemed to be investigating the cracker at first before she backed off of the cracker. It didn't smell to great to her. Gaia ducked her head a bit as she felt a bit embarrassed with herself for her outburst to Masha about her pet, but she couldn't risk her accidentally hurting her precious companion.

When they're in the forest, Gaia looks to Masha, and nervously snorts to her. Strong? Did the other mage not really see how she acted or looked? She didn't think she was all too strong. Of course, Masha sticking close made her feel a bit better, till she said they were being followed. She hung her head, and sighs deeply. "Of course..." She mumbles while giving off a shiver from the uneasy feeling she had. She glances to Masha, as Noya was on her shoulders and looking about them a bit. She clears her throat a little shakily, and lightly waves the note. "There should be a cabin up ahead somewhere... Rysthin should be in there." She says as she wanted to walk faster, but at the same time she didn't want to get too far from Masha.

As she stepped on a twig on the ground, something behind them stepped on another branch, making her freeze in place. She didn't want to know what it was. But the curiosity of what exactly was behind the two girls, scared her. A couple groans seemed to come from behind them, and it sounded horrid enough that Gaia shivered. She looks to Masha, wondering if she'd be okay with her looking back. A few thumps were heard as the creatures behind them were starting to get close. Gaia panicked and quickly turned to see three ghouls behind them. Her eyes were wide and she seemed to pale at the sight of them. She felt like she wanted to gag from the sight of their rotting flesh, and the bones poking out. She couldn't handle the sight as she was trying her hardest not to vomit right there. Noya didn't seem like she wanted to come close to those things.

Words: 661
Total: 1,566

Masha waved her hand at Gaia's assertion that the Cursed Lands were dangerous. She doubted it compared to anything she had been through. Even if it did compare, a little physical altercation was good for the soul. Right? "Danger? I live on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger." She chuckled lightly. Masha watched Gaia's reaction to her question with some interest. If she wasn't currently chasing a man, Masha would have put some moves onto this mage. She was quite the looker. Instead, Masha leaned in close, her hands clasped behind her back. "Oh? What's this? I think whoever it is isn't just a friend. Tell me more, Gaia. Come tell me more! I love girl talk! You have to tell me if he's dreamy or not! Describe everything!" Masha continued to pester Gaia if she didn't answer. She wanted to feel like she had a real friend for once. Talk about boys, giggle about the future, that kind of thing. Adalinda wasn't quite a friend despite what Masha had tried to tell herself. Maybe Gaia would be a better fit. Either way, Masha was going to find the Iron Dragon Slayer and challenge her to a drinking contest.

"Oop!" Masha said flipping the cracker out of the ferret's reach. "Didn't know that sorry. She rubbed the back of her head smiling sheepishly. She didn't know much about animals at all. Rummaging around, Masha found a piece of raw meat that she held out to Noya. "Here, hun, eat this instead." As she waited for the ferret, Masha began to hum softly. It was something she did absentmindedly more often these days. At Savage Skull, she would have been ridiculed or made fun of for it. Among the members of Sabertooth, Masha felt a little less self conscious.

When the ghouls came into sight, Masha leapt into action. Lover's Kiss flashed once, twice. The heads of the ghouls rolled off. Masha spotted more coming up the behind. "Gaia! Run for the cabin! There are more of them!" She waited a few more moments before turning and running after Gaia. She trusted the other mage to lead them swiftly to the cabin. If she didn't... Masha shuddered. She did not want to touch those things. Unfortunately, she might have to if it came down to it. "Come on, Gaia, move your cute ass!" Masha yelled trying not to overtake the other mage. She was barely using any of her speed at the moment and the horde was breaking into a run behind them. She could hear the snapping branches as well as the stomping. The ghouls' baying was a chilling sound that made Masha want to pump her legs harder.

WC: 460
Total: 1,127

As she was questioned about the person she went on a job with, Gaia nervously bit her lip as her face stayed a steady red shade. She wasn't wanting to answer at first, but Masha pestered her enough for an answer, that she started to spill. "W-well... he's... He's another mage of a different company. He's adorable and loves to read like me. He has beautiful red hair and blue eyes, and he has a nice tan and has..." She smiles softly as she sighs. "He has a bit of muscles, but he's not ripped. He's... he's perfect..." Her blush died down for a moment as she was fawning over the thought of Kyran and how he looks. Her hands aimlessly went to her cheeks as she muses softly to herself. She then slowly opened her eyes and gasps as she saw Masha there and her blush came right back while her mind came back down to earth. "I-I-I at least think he is!" She pushes some hair back behind her ear as she realized she was a bit more smitten with him than she originally thought she had been.

The tarot reader was a bit surprised though. She honestly hadn't expected this girl to have a bit of raw meat on her at all. Most girls wouldn't want to touch something like so. She raises an eyebrow and runs a hand through her hair. "I-it's okay. You didn't know. Most people don't know. But... w-why do you have raw meat on you?" She tilts her head a bit. The curiosity was burning in her, and it was kind of clear by how she looked. Noya had jumped over to Masha's arm and clung around it while she ate the meat, resting her head on her hand when she was done with it and resting. Gaia listens to Masha humming, and smiles a little. "Do you sing? Or play an instrument? I... I can dance a bit." She smiles as she shrugs. "Haven't danced for a couple years though... I should start doing it again..." She moved her arms a little in a small area around her to not hit Masha, as if she were dancing to invisible music, or kind of in tune with Masha's humming.

Gaia was trying to get herself to move as Masha had lopped off the head of the ghouls. She quickly shakes her head as she was yelled up to run and quickly looks to the paper before she turns and is sprinting to the cabin. She was panicking a bit as she wanted to get away from the ghouls. Of course the Cursed Lands were scary. She knew they were! She was glad she was right this time. When Masha yelled at her to 'move her cute ass', her ears seemed to turn a bit red as she wasn't expecting a girl to tell her that at all. "The cabin is right up ahead!" She says as she points ahead. Through the trees was the wooden cabin that the map indicated, but it was barely visible right now. She whines a bit as this was a bit more running than she was used too, but she was pushing herself to go faster. Of course the fear was on her face as she wanted to get away from the beasts.

Noya was holding onto Gaia's sweater with her paws and her mouth to keep herself steady on her. The adrenaline was rushing through Gaia as she was panicking from the thought of there possibly being a huge hoard of ghouls behind her and Masha. As soon as the cabin was within reach, Gaia found a bit more strength in her to sprint faster and quickly throws open the door to the cabin. She bursts in and makes sure Masha is in before she slams the door shut. "We're safe!" She cries hysterically. She then had another thought. The ghouls would probably be there when they had to leave.

"Gaia...?" A voice calls out very weakly from another room off to the side of the cabin. Gaia's head quickly turns and she rushes to the room. What she'll see was a rather ghastly sight to her. "Rysthin!" She screams before she covers her mouth and shakes her head. Noya was immediately growling at the deathly pale guy with sunken eyes and blond hair covered in dirt. If he was healthy, he would have looked like a rather handsome guy. He grunts as his once nice clothes were torn to shreds on his body. The man groans as he was slumped against the wall, and slowly looks up to her. "Gaia..." He smiles weakly before he closes his eyes and slumps more. Gaia runs over to him and lifts his head up. "Rysthin! Wake up! Please? Wake up! You have to tell me what happened!" She cries out and has tears in her eyes. She quickly looks at Masha as she was in a panic of what she should do.

Before she could open her mouth to ask her anything, Rysthin's body jerked and suddenly went to attack Gaia. She let up a shriek as she stiffened to keep his corpse away from her and tried to kick at him while she was knocked over. He was viciously trying to go and bite her, but she was able to twist herself enough and smacked his face with her foot and scrambles away from him. The corpse of Rysthin was slowly getting up to be able to go after the girls, clearly all humanity was out of his eyes, and he only wanted one thing from them. Their meat on them. "We're too late..." Gaia murmurs, trying her hardest to not cry right then, especially with the banging at the walls around the cabin was around them. A few windows had the ghouls peering in, wanting to get to the two.

Words: 984
Total: 2550

Masha smiled coyly as Gaia described her Knight. She licked her lips, thinking that taking this man for her own might be a fun adventure. Too bad there was another that held her heart at the moment. Perhaps she should warn the girl. "He sounds like quite the catch. You better grab that and hold on with both hands. You never know when someone will come along to steal him away." She warned the other mage. Masha gave her shapely hips a shake for emphasis as she walked away. It was tempting to go after the clearly attractive mage. The scientist had pounded a specific kind of behavior into her. To tempt, seduce and conquer whatever it took. Gaia was lucky. Very lucky that Ruvel had shown her a different path. Masha shivered as she walked. The need to seduce someone laid thick upon her skin. She hoped this job would prove exciting enough to burn that need off even just a little bit.

"I like to be prepared. You never know when raw meat will come in handy." Masha said tickling the ferret under her chin. Her expression softened a fraction as she did so. She felt no small amount of relief that the animal liked her. It wouldn't be beyond the scientists to put something that repelled animals into her. Masha's free hand closed into a fist. When Gaia questioned her about singing, the succubus looked away. She didn't like sharing that part of her. It was close to her, precious. Not many things had been that in her lifetime. The scientists had enjoyed ripping them away, the Incubus always tainted them and Savage Skull hadn't left much room for them. Masha rubbed her chest. It reminded her of the new mark on her chest. Perhaps it was time to open up a little. "I do sing a little. Not as often as I like though." A light blush crossed the succubus' cheeks. She focused her attention on the ferret instead of the mage across from her.

Masha didn't relax when they entered the cabin. The smell of death hung in the air. It didn't look good. She stood back as Gaia tried to comfort, perhaps just talk to her friend. It didn't look like a moment to be interrupted. The changing of the friend into a ghoul didn't surprise Masha in the least. The source of this curse seemed to be anchored upon this man. He would try to transfer it now. That wasn't something Masha could allow. She darted forward. Lover's Kiss flashed twice. The ghoul's arms dropped off and the undead thing howled. Masha's strike put him on his knees. Apparently hamstringing still worked on the undead. The succubus looked up at Gaia as she swung her sword twice to completely separate the ghoul's head from his body. Her gaze was cold, her face expressionless. This wasn't anything new to her. Death was a part of her life.

The undead outside were still a nuisance to be dealt with. Masha was sure some had dropped dead when the ghoul had been defeated but clearly not all of them. "Can you book it to the carriage? I can create an opening in the horde for the mad dash to it." She wiped her sword on the corpse's clothing. "Mourn him when we are safe. Keep your mind on the job right now." The succubus' voice was emotionless. It probably sounded cold to Gaia though Masha had no idea. Without waiting for a reply, Masha stalked to the door. When Gaia gave her the go ahead, the door splintered under the force of Masha's kick. She yelled as she slammed her fist forward, channeling Mara's power. The horde parted before the shockwave. Zombies were thrown aside as the succubus ran for the carriage. She checked to make sure Gaia was keeping up with her. Probably wouldn't be a good idea to leave her partner behind. Once the carriage door slammed behind them, Masha signaled the driver to go. This had been a fun job. Not particularly difficult but a fun one for sure.

WC: 686
Total: 1,813

Masha warning her to catch the guy she liked before someone else would, made Gaia frown a bit. She honestly didn't think he was interested in any dating... or if he was, not much of it. She was pondering that a bit. When the other mage had mentioned never knowing when raw meat would come in handy, Gaia couldn't help but laugh quietly. That was something new she never expected to hear. Noya had looked back at Masha for a moment before she decided to jump back over to Gaia. "You'll take food from anyone... heavens forbid the enemy has a treat for you." Gaia teases her ferret before it went up to cuddle her cheek and plant little ferret kisses on her. A smile was on Gaia's face as she hear's Masha sings a little. "When you do sing more, would it be okay for me to hear? Unless you have stage fright? I don't want to pester you if you do." Her cheeks blushed as she felt like she was intruding in the others privacy a bit there, and quickly closes her mouth.

Gaia was glad that Masha was able to take care of her friend quickly. It pained her to see that he was cut up, but what really got her, was Masha looking at her as she decapitated her old friend. She closed her eyes for a moment, gritting her teeth as she knew that had to be done. She quickly opens her eyes as she looks to the other woman, nodding to her question. "Well, if I don't keep my mind on it, I may die. Can't go after my guy if I die, right?" She snorts to herself as she follows Masha a bit. The tarot reader felt her voice was shaky, she was a bit scared, but she wouldn't allow herself to be so just this moment. She was preparing herself mentally to make a beeline to the carriage with Masha.

When she nods, she's ready to run out right behind Masha. Noya had tucked herself in her sweater where she wouldn't fall off. Once in the carriage, Gaia seemed like she was a little lost at what happened. Kyran had saved her from the wolf before, and now Masha did from her friend. She was silent. No tears fell from her eyes as she glanced out the window. "Rysthin was an old friend of mine. We both grew up in families of magic, but were magicless among them till my cards found me." She murmurs. She takes a deep breath as she closes her eyes again. "Probably would have dated him if I didn't move..." She lets her eyes look down to her lap, then up to Masha again. "Next job, I'll have my magic unlocked and be able to help you better." She promises the other girl with a smile that wavered. Of course she was sad for the loss of her friend, but if she was wanting to figure out who did this, she'd have to keep her head leveled.

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Total: 3060