Scribing...
Scribing...
88 quotes (88 spoken, 0 mentions)
“Right, right.”
“Good, good. I was wondering if you needed any advice, what with you being so new. Normally, most Runners begin as Street Runners first. But you impressed the Guildmaster so much you made City Runner in two weeks. It was that or you’d run the rest of the Street Runners out of business!”
“The thing is, it’s a really good delivery. It pays well, it’s safe—well, mostly safe—and Runners like Magnolia. She tips well and shares her deliveries.”
“Ryoka, how’re you doing?”
“Exactly. We all like her. I know she wanted someone to deliver that blue drink she likes so much. Did she share any with you?”
“Right, well, it would just be best if you let another Runner take the request next time. Not that you don’t have a right to it—it’s just that we like to share the request. Give others a chance to take it easy, okay?”
“Just so you know. Good luck on your run! Let’s have a drink next time, alright?”
“Well, I noticed you took Magnolia’s request this morning. It’s a good run, isn’t it?”
“We just finished a run to a group of adventurers out near the old ruins. Albez? They bought a bunch of potions and supplies. And tipped well, so we’re going to celebrate.”
“Nah. I’m too tired for that. No, I just wanted to have a word with our newest Runner here.”
“We’re not stupid enough to get near the monsters. I saw a few undead, but we kept well clear of them.”
“Have you even met Ryoka? Remember what happened when she met the Guildmaster? She doesn’t respect anyone! If Magnolia shows up, she’ll probably throw her out of her room! Or—or—”
“That’s an old nickname, guys. And anyways, Ryoka’s faster. I wonder if she’s got some sort of Skill?”
“But we—we’re Runners. We don’t quit! Everyone who makes it past a year is a real Runner, Garia. We’re the people who keep the cities—no, the entire world connected. Without us, nothing would get done on time. So if people call us money-grubbers, well, let them. We’ve got our own honor, and we deserve every coin we get, am I right?”
“I heard it was just a bad break that the [Healers] can’t fix right away. Is it worse than that?”
“Well, let’s not have any more of those, are we clear? We’re all on the same team, right?”
“Ryoka broke a rule. They shouldn’t have gone that far, but I did warn her. We’ve got to work together, Garia. Even if one of us is faster, it’s better to share the wealth rather than compete. You’re new, but you understood that. Ryoka didn’t and now—well, now we’ve got trouble with Lady Magnolia and we’re down a City Runner. Besides—Persua did what she did. I don’t want you being her next target.”
“Okay. That changes things. Look, Garia. I’ll—I’ll talk to the Guildmaster after I see it in person. Persua’s gone too far, even if Ryoka broke the rules.”
“Are you finished with your deliveries for the day?”
“The Guild told her Ryoka was indisposed. We kept offering replacement Runners, but Magnolia kept insisting that she only wanted Ryoka. And now…well, it sounds like she came in person and demanded some answers just a few minutes ago. I was going to see what happened myself. Want to listen?”
“But frankly, even if they doubled the reward, no sane Runner would risk a delivery like that. Profit’s important, but our lives are worth way more.”
“Right. About that. I know Ryoka broke a few rules recently, but she is a good runner. And we need all the Runners we can get. I hope the [Healer] can sort her out, I really do.”
“So…Persua. I don’t want you or your friends to bother Ryoka again, okay?”
“That’s—no! I can’t believe it! They told me they wouldn’t—”
“I had no choice! Look, you know what Persua and her friends are like. I told them not to do anything drastic, but even if I’d stopped them, some other Runners would have organized something. You know the rules, Garia. Remember Perial when he broke them?”
“No, but it’s all I can do. Okay? And I don’t know that any injury would really cost a hundred gold coins for a spell, Garia. I’ll see Ryoka myself, but even if her bones are broken beyond a healing potion’s ability to repair, how bad could it really be?”
“We’ll see. I know a few good [Healers] and even a [Mage] that owes me a favor. If Ryoka’s really hurt that bad, I’ll call in a few favors and get the Guild to help out. She’ll be on her feet by the end of the month, I promise. But can we see what the commotion is?”
“What’s going on? Is there more trouble with Magnolia?”
“No. She wouldn’t do that. No one’s crazy enough to punch—she wouldn’t.”
“We’ve got to stop her. Or stop Ryoka.”
“Only the ones I like.”
“Garia! How’s my favorite City Runner?”
“See what I mean, though? We can’t be divided. Us Runners have to work together.”
“We don’t have many experienced Runners because no one who does this job lives very long. We’re the only people crazy enough to deliver. Most folks change classes after they earn enough.”
“Wow. Look at that unmarked request. Whoever’s posted it is offering twenty gold coins for a delivery. No, wait, twenty gold to take the delivery. ‘More upon negotiation’? Sounds like a trap. Or a scam, but who’d fall for that?”
“Dunno. Maybe a Courier will do it if the reward keeps rising. But it’s sort of…cheap for them to risk getting hurt. It’s more likely the one who posted it will give up after a month or two.”
“You won’t believe this, but for the last few days, Lady Magnolia’s been asking for a delivery. Trouble is, she only wants one Runner to do it. Guess who?”
“Twenty-three. I’m getting old, Garia. Please don’t rub it in.”
“Oh, I don’t know the details…”
“Even for me. For any Runner who takes it. I hope no one’s stupid enough to head out there, but with that reward—I think we might lose a few. I’ve been telling all the hotheads not to try it, and they seem to be listening for now.”
“Are you kidding? I still want to live. Didn’t you see the location? The High Passes. That’s a death trap for anyone. I might have some levels on you, but you’re right—it’s Couriers or a stupid City Runner.”
“Never mind. Okay, sure, a lot of Runners are interested in the bottom line. But isn’t that normal? Adventurers, shopkeepers, merchants…even nobles care about money. Why shouldn’t we charge what we do and prioritize the best deliveries? We work a tough job! And we risk our lives every day, running from monsters, dealing with bad weather, natural disasters…it’s enough to make most folk quit within their first week.”
“What kind of people have you been talking to, Garia?”
“We’re a team. Okay, sure we don’t all get along, but if every Runner was out for themselves, it’d be a mess. We work together to tackle hard assignments, and we share the wealth so everyone gets ahead.”
“…Third Runner we’ve lost so far. Pestrom.”
“Totally unlike the rest of her family, no matter what they say about her.”
“Wh—really? There’s a high-level [Healer] in Liscor?”
“So you did know what happened.”
“Sorry—I’m just so glad you’re well. Where did you go? Tenbault?”
“I always have time to chat with a lovely lady. How’re the kids? Are you—”
“Liscor?”
“I know. But you could, ah, suggest to other Runners not to take the request, right? Believe me, it would save lives.”
“Oh, yeah. Did you hear about that, Ryoka?”
“Then…what if this request just happened to be hidden below other ones on all the boards in the other guilds? It happens. Organization can be bad. It’s not against any rules, is it?”
“In that case, Garia and I will tell the other Runners to spread the word and let everyone know what happened to Pestrom. Thanks, Stenei, you’re a lifesaver. Literally.”
“Ryoka. It’s so great to see you! Your legs are healed—that’s incredible! That’s impossible!”
“We’d love to. Really. But Ryoka, it would be best if you took one of Magnolia’s requests first.”
“Nah, Ryoka. I think it’s all sorted, right?”
“We’d like to, really we would, Ryoka. But Lady Magnolia—no one tells her what to do, Ryoka. Take a look at her requests, won’t you? It wouldn’t even be that hard.”
“Lady Magnolia’s refusing to take any other requests until you deliver something in person. That’s hurting Runners in every city around here.”
“We wouldn’t say that.”
“But she wants a Runner. You, specifically.”
“If you’d—suggest to Lady Magnolia that she open up her delivery requests for every Runner, things would be—smoother.”
“We’re Runners. We might charge high prices, but we get the job done! And if some people don’t like that, it’s because they don’t understand how tough our jobs really are. We risk life and limb to help others.”
“We’re just doing our jobs, Ryoka. But you’re right. We’re working together on this, Runners and the Guild.”
“Ryoka, I completely agree with you. But please, look at it from the perspective of the rest of us Runners.”
“Persua. What’re you doing here? Don’t cause a scene.”
“The High Passes aren’t a place for Runners or even most adventurers. Whoever put that request in doesn’t know what they’re doing. You shouldn’t take it.”
“Not a good idea, Ryoka.”
“I didn’t know he was going. He talked about it, and I thought I talked him out of it. I guess he wanted to go in secret. We wouldn’t have known what happened if that [Shepherd] didn’t find his pack. Damn it. The Guild has to take down that request.”
“Stenei, don’t let any Runners take that open request. Spread the word to the other Guilds. Anyone who tries to take the High Passes request will die. We need it off the requests board.”
“So if we work together—if we help support each other—we’ll survive. Hundreds of Runners die every year, but the Guilds around here lost the least amount of Runners each year. We don’t take dangerous requests, and we team up if one of us is in danger. Sure, we might not earn as much as other Runners, but we know we can count on each other.”
“We don’t want to get in your way, Ryoka—”
“We’d like to believe you, Ryoka, but—”
“None of that matters in the High Passes, Garia. The monsters there—you’d need fighting skills or insanely high levels—something above Level 30 probably to get out unscathed. I told Pestrom that when he brought it up and he told me…I guess he didn’t take me seriously.”
“…Any interesting ones?”
“Ah. Well—well done on avoiding them. What about the client? I take it you got the request from him in person, right? What was he like? Or is it a she?”
“I just wanted to congratulate you on your delivery. Everyone in the city’s talking about it.”
“Ryoka, how are you? I was hoping I could talk to you!”
“The Guild—and I—would like to apologize. Clearly, you’re a great Runner, and we’d hate to lose you. We’ll talk to Magnolia, and if you’d like to take on more requests, we’ll be happy to let you take any one you want.”
“Look, I’m, ah, sorry about earlier. We didn’t part on the best of terms, did we?”
“So, um, how were the High Passes? Did you see a lot of monsters, or were you able to outrun them?”
“Is there, um, anything I can do for you? I know you’re probably still mad, but I’d love to make it up to you. Would you, say, let me buy you a few drinks?”
“Really? Well then, what is it?”
“Really?”
“Watch yourself. Persua left the Guild with her group this morning. She’ll probably try something. Even if the Guild’s watching her—she’s gone mad.”
“I know you’re still recuperating, but I’d love to go on a delivery with you sometime. Maybe you, me, and Garia could do a request?”
“Well, ah, I’ll be going. It was nice talking to you, Ryoka. And I’ll see you around, Garia.”