Chapter 32: 30- Mercenary Duo

"Yo.  If it ain't the lad.  Been a hot few days since you been around here.  We got a few jobs set up that you could do, if you're looking, but nothing too big for solos right now.  Wait there!  Is that what I think it is on your ear?  Did you really get yourself your first wife already?"

This was the receptionist that hat taken over a few months after Marik had started training here with D and Mer.  His name was supposed to be Brak or Barik or something along those line but everyone called him The Bear or Bear.  He was a large bearkin standing a little over 210 centimeters with rippling muscles that were so large by themselves that they ripped the sleeves of most of his shirts just from him moving around.  Contrary to his terrifyingly large body he kept his brown hair short and well groomed and almost always had a smile on his face.  He was generally considered a nice guy. as long as no one made him angry, and was so good at his job that everyone relied on him heavily to keep the place running these days.  He was also really respected by a lot of men for having four earrings when most beast guys only managed to get three by the time they settled down.

"Hey, Bear.  Ya, that gorgeous thing being shy in the door is mine.  Actually, we came here to get here set up as my partner, too.  Truth be told, she could probably kick my ass, so...try not to get her too angry?"

"Aw, you know me.  I wouldn't do no harm or be so mean, especially to such a cute little thing.  Come on over here, lass.  Let's get you set up right as you need."

"Umm," Sai timidly tried to start speaking as she came forward.  "Hi?  Mister Bear?  So...what do I need to do?"

This was a new side of Sai that Marik hadn't seen.  He didn't even know Sai could be shy or timid from how her usual self was.

"Relax, Sai.  When have you ever been shy before?"

"But.  These are people that you know, right?  If I mess up and make them hate me then they might try and do something and then I'd have to kill them and then you would be sad and I don't want you to be sad so I'm worried that something like that will happen and I'm trying to be a good girl so I don't cause something like that so it's not that I'm shy but I'm just a little nervous because I'm trying to make sure nobody hates me or anything..."

"Sai.  You're so cute."

"Huh?  Is it time for sex already?"

"No.  Much as I hate to say it, no.  Right now we're trying to get you registered before whoever Granny sent to meet us gets here.  Relax and just be you."

"Okay.  Right.  So, hi Mister Bear guy man.  How do I register or whatever to make Marik sex me more?"

The Bear started laughing a deep rumbling laugh along with about half the guild while the other half stared at them with dumbfounded looks on their faces.  He started pulling some papers out from under the desk and placing them on the counter in front of Sai and Marik.  When he had finally managed to stop laughing enough he started his explanation to Sai.

"Have you learned anything about how the guild works?  No?  That's fine then, lass.  We got some papers here for you to look through.  Normally we'd try and get you set up with someone for training and to make sure you can do what you need to, but you got a vouch from the lad so we'll just do some little tests in a bit to make sure and call it there.  Rules are pretty simple:  don't break the laws of where you at, follow through with the contracts you sign, check in with your nearest guild when you can and often so we don't think you're dead, don't try and abuse your position as a guildmember, and we try to take care of our own so don't go bringing personal grudges into here and make sure your work stays as such.  Ah...that last part might be a bit confusing, huh?  Sometimes we got people hiring us to protect them while someone else hires us to take the first guy down.  When that happens sometimes we got some of our guys fighting each other.  The job is the job, though, so once it's over don't hold no grudges about whatever and if you can't do that then at least don't bring your grudges in here.  Understand everything so far?"

Sai nodded her head and Marik started hugging her from behind after seeing how cute she looked.  Her tail started swaying immediately and her ears started to twitch around a bit but she kept her attention mostly on listening to The Bear's explanations.

"You guys are pretty great together.  Anyways, let's move on.  Pay and rank is next, I guess?  You'll get paid not just by the job but by your rank.  Ranks are tenth to first for the normal ranks and some kind of color coding after that.  You don't gotta worry about the color ranks for a while since there ain't even one in nearby kingdoms much less around here.  When someone comes to drop a job off for people to take then the guild will mostly be what makes sure the appropriate rank is set on it.  Higher rank jobs pay more and higher rank members that take the jobs get paid even more up to a limit.  It's not too complicated but I'm sure the lad can help you pick it up in no time.  If you think you pretty much got all that then all you need is to look at some of these and sign where I point.  We'll go ahead and get you a bit of testing set up and see how you do."

"Mm," Marik thought for a moment.  "Sai, no showing off special stuff here, by the way."

"Right.  Okay, so no special stuff, no killing, and try not to hurt people too much...wait.  Isn't that almost all the things I can do?"

"No, you gorgeous vixen, it's not.  You're also really smart and good at pushing through to achieve your goals.  Whatever tests they set up, you'll be fine."

"No worries you two," The Bear interrupted.  "It'll be simple.  I'll be observing as judge.  All she has to do is make it outside and capture whoever we choose as a target.  They won't be running or nothing so no chasing needed or anything.  It should be ready by the time you finish this annoying paper part."

Marik sighed since he had seen this test before.  He stopped hugging her and backed off a little so she could write without being restricted.  He looked around and saw several people starting to line up along the way to the door.  There were a few men who leered a little at Sai's back as the did so but most of them decided to not line up after seeing Marik glaring at them.  One particular foxkin woman with dark hair and a bunch of visible scars on her face and arms started walking towards Marik.  He nodded a little and turned in Sai's direction.

"Sai.  As soon as your done it'll be your test and not mine, okay?  This lady here is the one you'll have to capture just outside."

"Who," Sai asked as she turned around to see who she was going after.  "Her?  I just have to catch her, right?  Do I drag her back in here after that?"

"If you want.  As long as nobody can doubt that she was caught, though, it's fine."

"Hmm.  Okay.  I'm almost done reading all of this and signing it.  Aaaannnnd...done!"

Marik stepped away and the scarred foxkin woman smiled as she turned to run outside.  The Bear checked the papers real quick and readied Sai as he put them to the side.

"Looks good to me.  There's another two to sign if you pass but I'm sure you'll do fine, lass.  As soon as that door closes your test can start.  I'll consider it beginning when you take your first step or leap or whatever."

"Hmm.  Those people are going to block the way, huh?  Marik?  Can't you stop them?"

"*sigh* I can but if I just help you when you ask me to then it's not much of your test, is it?"

"Hm?  Hmm.  So what if I pay for you to help?  Is that allowed?"

"You don't have any money, though?"

"Hmm.  Ah.  Remember those things you wanted to try when we were having sex but I said no?  I'll let you do one of those things for every person you keep from stopping me!"

"Done!  Ahem.  I mean, that seems like a proper payment but I don't think I can stop all of them by myself."

"Hmm.  For anyone who helps hold back the others, I'll give you one head pat with an ear rub!"

There was a look of slight confusion everywhere as Sai's words slowly became understood.  Suddenly a few guys grabbed the nearest person to them and tried to throw them backwards.  Sai smiled and started walking forwards with Marik swiftly moving just in front of her to try and deal with anyone that might try and stop her.  A few weren't tempted by Sai's payment and had avoided getting into what was rapidly becoming a chaotic brawl but every time they tried to move forward to block Sai or hold her back either she would dodge or Marik would trip and throw them off to the side.  As they approached the door, a final few tried to come at them together.  Sai leapt backwards while Marik did his best to start fending them off.  He managed to trip and throw one of them but two more immediately grabbed him and started pinning him to the ground while the last two went for Sai.  She quickly juked them with surprising swiftness and immediately gabbed the door handle and threw the door open so she could jump outside.

The ones pinning Marik down sighed and got off of him while the chaos all around began dying down.  The Bear calmly but quickly strode past all of them and went outside.  Marik brushed himself off a bit and went outside along with the rest of the curious crowd to watch how she did for the last part of her test.  The scarred foxkin had on a set of metal knuckles as she waited in a fighting stance for her opponent who was swinging the weighted end of the rope-sash in preparation.

"Ah.  This might be a little difficult..."

Several of the nearby mercenaries gave him a questioning look to which he responded.

"Sai's fighting style is a natural counter to brawler types.  It'll come down to skill and experience at this rate."

Everyone nearby nodded and soon calls for bets were being taken.  Sai sent the weighted end of the rope out in a quick attack which the merc dodged.  The merc tried to use the opportunity to get in close but Sai was already pulling the weight back and moving into her next attack by swinging the rope wide and making the merc duck and step off to the side.  Sai relentlessly kept her attacks up until the merc finally decided to try and stop it by shoving her arm in the way and getting the rope wrapped around it.  The merc smiled at her victory of taking charge of Sai's weapon and Sai smiled back and charged while wrapping her own arm that was controlling the weighted end while releasing more rope from the other.  The merc frowned a little and tried to bring it to a brawl but Sai's rope started wrapping around her more as loops from the middle came flying out.  It didn't take long before Sai had the older foxkin lady on the ground and tied up.

Marik started clapping and soon the other nearby mercenaries joined in for Sai's applause.  The Bear nodded and walked up to the two foxkin, still wearing a friendly smile.  Once he got there he looked down at the scarred woman with a soft look before moving his eyes over to Sai.

"That's good enough.  You passed, lass.  If you don't mind, though, I'd take it as a great favor if you released her sooner over later.  Sorry, dear.  Looks like the new lass got you on this one.  I'll buy you dinner and some drinks later, okay?"

"Wait," said Marik as he came up to them.  "That's one of your wives?  How did I never know this?  Ah, whatever.  Congrats, Sai!  Very few people actually manage to capture their target.  It's usually just to see what the newest recruit can do."

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"Huh?  So I didn't have to actually catch her?"

"Well, you had to try.  If someone doesn't say that not catching the target is ok then nobody would try as hard or show their skills as much, right?"

"I guess.  I'll be taking some of your pay for not telling me, though.  Hmph.  Let's get everyone else's payment done now or I'll forget who helped."

Sai left him behind and started running around to pet various heads and rub various ears.  Marik felt a little jealousy at watching that but wanted to make sure nobody tried to get more than they were owed.  Only one guy started moving his hand towards Sai's rear but it met the sharp end of her weapon as she stabbed his palm with it before ignoring and proceeding with her task so Marik decided it was okay to just go back inside.  He waited near the reception desk until The Bear the and Sai came back and finished up the paperwork to officially register her as a guild mercenary.

"That does that.  Welcome, lass.  You're now a right and true guild merc.  You're only tenth rank while your husband here would be eighth if he finished his papers.  At seventh you'll be registered at all the guild on the continent, so be careful about going too far yet.  Now.  Since you got a partner for work, lad, I can get you some good duo starters we got in recently."

"Thanks, Bear, but I have to wait a bit.  Someone is being sent to meet us at some point today and we need to get set up for staying in town a while.  If whoever shows up looking for us gets back before we do, we'll be back in a bit."

"Ah.  Which inn you thinking of, lad?"

"Not sure, yet.  Eventually I plan to make the Edge Inn home until it's time to move on but money's short at the moment.  If you know the best place that's cheap and doesn't care about noise so much..."

"Noise, huh?  I see.  There's a place by the blacksmith down the way.  They've had to fin ways to deal with loud noises but people still don't go there too often.  Good place to try and little known."

"Sounds great, thanks.  We'll be back right after...scratch that.  We'll be back around evening time.  I hope."

"You guys have fun."

The Bear sent them off with a smile and Marik guided Sai in the direction of the blacksmith to find the inn.

"Why did you change your mind to evening?"

"Because we might take a while to find an inn.  Hopefully this one is fine but best to be prepared.  Also.  Payment.  I demand my payment."

"Oh.  Sex time?  Yay!  I thought we had to wait until night.  That's okay then.  Let's hurry and go!"

---

"Okay, so maybe some of those things were better than I expected..."

"Oh?"

"Mhm.  I'm a little sore now, though.  Maybe we can try some of that again later.  It kind of makes me want to try other things on you, too..."

"Oh."

"No!  I tried some of the things you wanted and even liked some of it.  It's only fair if you try some of my ideas, too."

"*sigh* Fine."

"Mhm.  Good!  Now put your pants on if you don't want Kiara to see you."

"Uh...okay?"

"We're alone now.  She should respond soon."

Soon a portal opened slightly in front of them.  It was different form the portals that Marik was used to in several ways.  It was a small oval shape, maybe twice the size of someone's head, and was wreathed in pale blue flames.  The sound of it opening was different from what Marik had gotten used to as well and the largest difference was that he could see what was on the other side, which at the moment was a view of Kiara behind a desk about a three meters away from the portal.  Before anything was said Kiara began sniffing the air then scrunched her nose up a little.

"Really?!  You couldn't wait until after you called me to screw around?  Now the smell's going to be all in here, too..."

"Umm.  Sorry?"

"No.  You're not.  We all know it, too.  I had better get the juiciest details later."

"Hold on, you two.  Is our sex life a constant discussion between you?"

"Well, ya.  I may not get to enjoy it myself but I'm not going to just let my sister go off with the guy I'm in love with and screw around without something in return."

"I...words...no comment.  So, why are we having you open a portal to us?  How did you open a portal to us, even?"

"Huh?  Oh ya.  Surprise!  Like my new spell?  I can open a portal to Sai now.  I tried to use your hair to open to you before but I can't make it work.  Yet.  Only Sai.  But now you two won't have to miss me and we can still talk and stuff!"

"In other words, you were worried nobody would be around to hurt you anymore..."

"Of course not!  Mostly!  I can't try to find a way to spend time with the people I love?"

"*sigh* So, is there something in particular you need right now or did you just want to surprise me with your latest connection to your sister?"

"Mostly that.  Ah.  I'm helping Master with some of the paperwork and I'm going to be a receptionist or something for her.  People are supposed to start visiting more often soon."

"That sounds more like a secretary, honestly.  So we aren't going to be getting surprise portals all the time, right?"

"Who do you think I am?  I'm not nearly lucky enough to be able to catch you in the act.  If you actually let me know ahead of time so I can watch sometimes then that'd be nice, though."

"Mhm.  I'll convince him that it's okay sometimes.  Don't worry."

*sigh* I...don't even feel like trying to argue this.  Come on, it's getting late.  We still need to go find out who we're supposed to meet and all that."

"Oh.  You guys haven't met up with her yet?  I'll let you go then.  Bye bye."

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