Fantasy I Was Supposed To Become a Hero but Got Stuck in a Deadend Job Instead

[Samevi]

Tony B. Mont
Interactions: JayOokami (Jayce) | CasualTea (Hekate)| TanteRegenbogen (Aenera, Yfie, Kren)​

Tony thought for a moment as he watched the group, pondering what answer he should give. "Yep," He replied, purposefully vague. "It's usually a sort of ritual o' mine. To celebrate a job well-done with a drink." The cup turned to nothingness and he turned to the others in sequential order: "Nice to meet ya, Jayce. Hekate. Yfie. Kren."

Once he'd finished going around the table and saying hellos, Tony decided to wave over a waitress, asking her politely for a non-alcoholic beverage. He didn't exactly want to get drunk in front of a bunch of people he just met, and he knew if he didn't stop drinking right now, he wouldn't be able to stop for the rest of the night, so this was his solution. He glanced over in Aenera's direction... He really did think she was pretty, but he hardly knew her. Last time he made a move on someone like that, well... It didn't end well. Shaking his head to get his mind out of that place, he leaned back in his chair and lowered his hat while he waited for his drink.

 

[Xafin]

Jax salutes Hekate casually, acknowledging her need to remain silent on the matter. Another sip of their drink is taken, "I guess you do have pretty good instincts when it comes to making friends, Aeane. I mean, we're friends, and I'd like to think I'm an okay friend, at least." They grin at the group roguishly, rotating their glass in their palm. "Or, if not, I'm fun to be around." They ask the waitress, when Tony waves her over, for another drink. This one seems to be a fruity monstrosity, very sweet and kind of gross to most people because of it. They are a person who contains multitudes, apparently.

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

"Interesting." Aenera says to Hekate after she explained the extent of her magical ability regarding the elementals. Tony seemed to have waved over the waitress to order a drink. Meanwhile Jax mentioned that Aenera seemed to have pretty good instincts when it came to making friends. "I guess I have a good gut feeling when it comes to people." Aenera chuckled. When Jax said that they considered themself an okay friend, Aenera replied: "You are more than an okay friend. You are a great friend and I am glad to have you around."

Soon the waitress came back, not only with Tony's and Jax's drinks but also the group's food. When Yfyrrin got his food, he began to salivate since it all looked so good. Aenera's food also looked pretty good. "Tony, are you hungry too? I can order you something if you are hungry." Aenera asked Tony. She turned to the others and then said: "How about we check out the academy grounds after we are done here? Normally they allowed the public to traverse the gardens when classes were over. I hope they didn't change that rule."

 

[JayOokami]

Jayce had been sipping his original drink, not wanting to gulp it down quickly. He looked at his burger impressed with how tasty it appeared, "it could be interesting to see the grounds. I have wondered how a school of magic would look for a while." Jayce the began to dig into his meal. He didn't have much else to say. He hasn't been with the group long, but considers them friends. He still feels wary though, the word still feels like it means something else entirely.

 

[CasualTea]

Hekate didn't really focus into the conversation as the smell of the food in the air was spiking her appetite and was making her feel really hungry. Which is why once she got her food she immediately started eating, smiling a bit childishly. One bite into the burger filled her whole mouth with bliss and she could forget about her own problems for that moment. When Aenera said that they could check out the school grounds after dinner, she raised an eyebrow before speaking, of course swallowing her food before she did because mannerism. "We can check out the academy grounds late at night? Really?" She asked since she always assumed that normally, schools would start locking things up after dark. If there were any activities that went late into the night, it would still be pretty tight security on things as long as the activity that was taking place didn't need those areas.

 

[Samevi]

Tony B. Mont
Interactions: TanteRegenbogen (Aenera)
​

Tony zoned out there for a moment. Realizing he was staring at the pretty lady for what was probably an awkward period of time, he turned away. "Oh, nah. Don't need anything to eat. Just a warm drink'll do for the night." He said, scratching his stubble. "I probably have something leftover in the fridge and I'd rather not have ya pay your hard-earned money on me." Tony glanced off to the side. He wasn't really the type who liked having things paid by others for him -- he always tended to feel guilty when people did that, so he always tends to politely decline. He just hoped she wouldn't push it, since when it's a pretty lady trying to convince him, he tends to wilt like a flower in winter.

"Anyways, academy grounds?" He said curiously, hearing her talk to the other people at the table... And trying to change subjects in order to make it harder for her to push him to get something to eat on her bill, even if she never had those plans to begin with.

 

[Xafin]

"Thank you for saying so, Aenera." Jax pauses, listening to the group, before replying, "Oh, I love gardens," in a happy tone, taking a small bite of their food to try it. Their eyes widen slightly at the taste, and they look down at the food as if their expectations were low and have been blown away. The seasoning on the fries, the cheese on the burger- it's all higher quality than they expected, but then again, they are kind of from a place where most bar food is mediocre at best. "This is honestly better than it had any right to be."

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

"Then it is decided! We will head to the academy grounds afterwards and traverse them." Aenera said. She continued eating and looked up to Tony: "Are you sure? Even if you want something small like finger food, just ask. I don't mind this evening." Yfirryn already finished his food. Kren was almost done with his. "Another two drinks!" Aenera called out to order for her and her brother.

"You don't have to. Last time we went a bit overboard." Yfirryn said to Aenera. Aenera then chuckled and said: "You should at least get a little tipsy. Don't worry. I wont make it as bad as last time. We both know that we dont want that happening again." The barmaid then came back with drinks. Aenera ended up downing a third of the bottle immediately when it got to her and another third when she finished her food. She was definitely feeling the alcohol now. It was mild intoxication, but still her face was flushed and her mood was up. Meanwhile Yfirryn tried to drink slowly.

Kren hoped that Aenera wouldn't try something funny later on like she used to years ago. "Anyways, the gardens tend to still be open in the evenings and the are still some staff working late at night. However due to past incidents, they have at least two people on call to make sure that people don't cause trouble in the academy gardens." Kren explained.

 

[JayOokami]

"It's not like any of us have any intent to cause trouble right? We have nothing to worry about." He says having just finished his meal and sips at the remains of his beverage. he leans back in his chair, "though there's no telling if any of the student will try to start things with us. most of us are outsiders and also we're with Aene. If anyone recognizes her there's bound to be something."

 

[CasualTea]

After assessing everything about the academy and how their openness works, she just nodded as she was finishing her meal. Though, Jayce did bring up one good note. Students and probably staff would start causing trouble towards them or think it's the vice versa happening. As she finished whatever was left in her drink she spoke. "Well if anything like that ever happens, let's try to resolve it peacefully. I don't want to get on edge again tonight." She said referring to when Childe pretty much introduced himself to the group in the most crappiest way possible and left Hekate in such an emotional pickle. "Plus, we have Kren. I think with Kren being there, they won't think about causing trouble or making assumptions." She said remembering when the table was greeted by a group of students passing by who recognized Kren.

 

[Samevi]

Tony B. Mont
Interactions: TanteRegenbogen | CasualTea | JayOokami | Xafin
​

Tony glanced at Aenera once more, blinking a couple times as a response formulated itself in his head. "Uh. N- No, really. I couldn't impose like that..." He said, trying to keep a friendly smile. But he knew she was going to win with one more push. IF she pushed, anyways. "So! Uh, you... Get into trouble often?" He said, trying to board the group conversation and shake this dang lady off of trying to buy him somethin'... Oh, wait. That was probably a bad thing to ask. Tony froze, glancing around the table for some facial reads, trying to pick up on the mood. Never before had he met a group o' strangers this tightly knit, yet so welcoming and/or absolutely crazy.

He sighed softly so as not to tip anyone off to what conflicted feelings his poker face was acting as a front for. These people seemed well-meaning, at least, so he didn't really wanna ruin their opinion of him right off the bat. And how could he, when one of them looked so happy devourin' their meal?

 

[Xafin]

Jax snorts at Tony's question, taking another bite of french fry. "You could say that, I suppose. Trouble tends to follow her and we're just unable to get off that ride." They grin teasingly at Aenera, looking somewhat smug at their well meaning joke. They observe Tony's reaction to Aenera's insistence, and nods once at him in solidarity. They, too, have been a victim of her generosity. "She just can't help it, I think."

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

"Suit yourself." Aenera said to Tony regarding her offer. Then Jayce said he hoped for no trouble and something could happen if someone recognized Aenera. Hekate plead for resolving conflict peacefully shall it arise and considered it to be safer having Kren around. Tony then inquired whether it was common for Aenera to get in trouble.

"Well, I have a history of getting in trouble I guess. My probation just ended a couple days ago. So now I can be a little more rowdy without risking jail." Aenera said with a grin. "Dont worry, I will try to stay out of trouble. If trouble happens this evening, then someone else started it."

In response to Jax, Aenera said: "I am sorry if the trouble troubles you. I didn't intend to pull you into it. Shit happens."

She downed her drink and said: "Well I am ready when you are. It has been so long since I have been to the academy gardens. Last time I was there I was being led out by the police. I wonder if they will even let me into the building to explore the academy, just for the nostalgia. Maybe Kren can lead us since he works there."

Interacting with Xafin JayOokami CasualTea Samevi

 

[JayOokami]

Jayce nods, "I suppose I' suppose I'm ready to go." he finishes his drink, the only one he had the only duration of their time here. he couldn't help but chuckle at Aenera's response. While hoping nothing happens, should anyone pick a fight he will try to be the one to resolve it. It isn't that he doubts his friends' abilities, but he doesn't want to see them hurt either. He couldn't help but frown at an unpleasnt memory of one of a few times he was fooled into hurting an innocent person that a so-called friend lied to him about. apologizing just was never enough. He lets out a small sigh as he stands to his feet, ready to go.

 

[CasualTea]

Hekate had finished up her meal and her drink so she was pretty much all ready to go. She nodded and looked at Aenera. "I'm good. Thanks for the meal Aeane." She said before looking towards Tony and shrugged. Trouble just seems to follow them now that she thought about it. Life is just one really big shit show, isn't it? "Trouble just comes, I guess. Follows us in our youth and it don't stop comin'. But at this point, we get used to it. It's just the way it is." She said with a light chuckle in the end. She then supposed she could wave the waitress over to them so they or Aenera could pay the bill before they left. It'd really be bad if they just had an accidental dine and dash right off the start of their trip. Unless that was the intention, which would really suck if it was. But it couldn't be.

 

[Samevi]

Tony B. Mont
Interactions: TanteRegenbogen | CasualTea | JayOokami | Xafin
​

Tony shrugged, chuckling a bit under his breath after spotting Jax's knowing eyes. "Well, I suppose there are worse things ya could be unable to help." He said. "I'm just glad ya ain't gonna get arrested. Can't imagine the cold prison cells are good for your health." Glanced around at the table once more, he decided to pose a question that's been stirring in his head for a few minutes now. "Come to think of it, I am interested in that academy. Mind if I tag along?" Truth is, though, he wasn't really interested, he was just looking for an excuse not to go home. Normally, when he did, he'd just get bored and end up sleeping up until his shift the next day, so looking for something new to do wasn't a bad idea in his mind.

As a plus, he'd get to travel with this merry band of people, seemingly led by the lady with the middle name of 'trouble.' That seemed like fun all around.

 

[Xafin]

"I, personally, don't mind if you join us. You seem... fun." Jax tries to smile intentionally. It looks awkward, but sincere. "I know that trouble started to follow me in my youth. And it's been a constant companion ever since. Mostly because I hang around even stronger trouble magnets than I."

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

Everyone seemed ready to leave. Tony politely asked if he could tag along. Aenera smiled at Tony and said: "Of course you can come along. You can hang around as long as you have the energy to hang around with us."

Aenera called the barmaid over and asked to pay. The barmaid gave Aenera the bill for the table and Aenera pulled out her coinpurse. "Here are 500 senzias, see the rest as tip." Aenera said. It seemed that Aenera gave nearly 20% tip. Enough money for a normal person to be able to buy two dinners for themselves at a restaurant.

Aenera then turned to the others and said: "Alright, let's go to the academy!" She led the way out of the pub and down the road towards the towers of the parliament and academy. It wasn't very far and they didn't run into any problems along the way else than some drunks sleeping on the sidewalk that they had to step over. Soon they arrived at the academy. The academy was walled off by a grand white wall. The front gate, which has chrome and gold tones, stood open. A guard sat on a chair beside the gate.

"We can walk the gardens, right?" Aenera inquired. The guard replied: "Of course, just don't cause any fights. Don't climb on the statues. And don't go to the toilet in the greenery. There are public toilets along the northern wall of the gardens. Otherwise I wish you people a fine evening." Before going back to ready his magazine, the guard said one more thing: "One more thing, The buildings are off limits to those without authorization. Trespassing in the academy carries a heavy fine and a ban from the gardens, in the worst case a week in jail."

"Okidoki." Aenera said. She turned around and said to the others "Come on you all. There is so much to see."

The gardens were huge and went around three sides of the academy. There were various different plants, walkways, a pond and a little creek that went through the gardens. The most disturbing thing though was the huge tear in the space time continuum that glowed in an eerie blue above them near the higher points of the garden. The light from it illuminated the garden and it seemed to affect the young plants in the garden which had blueish hues and seemed like distorted versions of their parent plants.

Aenera looked up remembering it. She went to bug the guard once more. "Say. You know how that thing up there came to be? Is it a feature of the academy?" She asked. The guard then answered: "No. It is not a feature. There was an incident ten years ago where a grand wizard was killed by a student of the academy. They say she created that thing as a time of remembrance, sort of like how you sign a document. The wizards have been trying to find a way ever since to get rid of it. But usually everyone in the capital knows about it. You must be tourists then. Where do you hail from?" "Me, I am from northern Fiordanfell, but currently live in Quarrytown. My sibling here still live in our hometown. These two are from Quarrytown [putting her hands on Jax's and Jayce's shoulders]. Kren here lives here but is originally from the far north. And I don't know where Tony is from, since we just met him at the pub."

 

[JayOokami]

Jayce waves, "I'm quite excited to see the grounds of the academy." He speaks politely. He is going to try to enjoy the gardens but still needs to decide on what to say when he talks to Aenera, more importantly HOW he will get her alone in the first place. perhaps it was wrong of him to try to keep he suspicions and the truth away from his friends but he doesn't want them to be burdened with having to keep this secret. Jayce follows the group but seems deeply lost in thought.

 

[CasualTea]

As Aenera introduced the group to the guard, she left out where Hekate was from but that was probably fine. She could speak for herself. She'd call herself a Snezhnayan but that would make her stand out. People from Snezhnaya aren't too different from other people, but they do look like that they're familiar with heavily snowy environments and have seen blizzards many times before. However, she didn't experience much about her home country in her childhood. It was pretty uncommon for Snezhnayans to bring their young out of their cold homeland and then bring the young back. But then it'd usually make them look like complete foreigners as their cultures and values were then different if they weren't taught correctly. Hekate was only aware of this and did want to return to Snezhnaya to report to her extended family about her parents and herself suddenly going dark and losing all contact why it happened. But alas, for now she'll say that she came from Quarrytown unless this guard was observant enough to tell that she's a Snezhnayan roughly from her appearance. Light colored features such has hair and eye color were pretty common in Snezhnaya due to the cold weather and maybe somewhat from facial features. Either way, it wouldn't do her any harm. "I'm also from Quarrytown." She added with Aenera's introduction to the group. She also made sure to secure her gun in her jacket so it wouldn't fall out when she moved around. Maybe she should buy a holster for it. She never really thought about doing that before.

 

[Xafin]

Jax looks to the guard and asks politely, "Sorry to bother you, but do you happen to know any history of the gardens themselves, or the buildings other than... that thing? If you don't, that's okay, was just wondering." They shuffle from one foot to the next, looking more awkward than ever before. It's rumored within their family that one of them had a hand in all of the gardens around the city, but that's probably just a rumor.

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about Hekate." Aenera said.

"Ah yes." The guard said replying to Jax's inquiry. "Back during the great ages, the first tyrant had the academy built to encourage the development and education of magic users. She first created the gardens as a place to grow all kinds of plants and herbs not native to the area. Soon after in the great war, the first tyrant fell but the academy was preserved and continued to operate but in service of the kingdom and to serve it. During the reign of the third tyrant, the academy was closed as the third tyrant feared a student of the academy could contend against him and be his downfall. After the death of the third tyrant, the academy was reopened and the garden was restored. Since then the academy has seen no war on its grounds and relative stability."

"Very interesting. Almost sounds like the first tyrant wasnt that bad of a person." Aenera said with a slight slurring of her speech. "Could she just be misunderstood or were there maybe rivals who stirred unrest during her reign?" "Who knows? Compared to the other tyrants, the first tyrant was the mildest." The guard replied.

"If anyone wants to wander the garden with me, just come along." Aenera said. Her brother immediately raised his hand.

 

[JayOokami]

He wanted to speak with Aenera but Jayce didn't want to ask yffiryn if he could go alone with her. It isn't entirely urgent so that talk can wait. He lifts up a hand slightly, "mind if i tag along?" He still knows so little of this city and it's contents, Aenera would know at least something despite her time away.

 

[CasualTea]

Hekate sort of wanted some time to herself to think about things so she raised her hand and waved it. "I can go around on my own. Just call me up if you need me." She said with a smile as she began walking towards the gardens, not waiting on anyone if they chose to follow her. She didn't mind if she was gonna be accompanied, but she did want to have some time to herself. She just began thinking about high school again and being a student, a carefree life with her parents covering for her while she built up her own confidence for independence. After all that, and then some, she definitely felt very independent to the point her only family was her landlord and her mentor. Both very opposite sides of the same coin as one teaches her to blend in with society while the other teaches her to be a ruthless and methodical killer. Thinking about it, how would the rest of her life make her out to be? Someone who fights only when necessary or someone who lusts for blood? It sort of made her chuckle to herself thinking how she got to this point. Ahhh... After this entire vacation, it seems like Aenera and her group of friends would change Hekate in some way. Perhaps maybe not. The future is scary which you just don't know what's going to happen next. But isn't it also exciting to see how it plays out?

 

[Xafin]

"Huh. Interesting, did not know that about the tyrants." They rub the back of their neck awkwardly, looking sheepish. "Now that I think about it, I don't know much about the tyrants at all. History was never really my forte." Jax adjusts their pants with one hand as they start to fall down a little bit. They've lost weight since they last wore these... How annoying. "The first tyrant doesn't sound nearly as bad as the others, though. Huh." They reach for Aenera, patting her on the back. "I'll go with you, gardens are meant to be enjoyed with other people."