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 |  Subject: Hands Dirty (Quest)  Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:25 am | |
| Returning to one place did not make it home, but it was as close to a ‘home’ as the newborn had. After the dangers of Vector, she had parted reluctantly from her new found… comrade (?) and under Mogum’s direction returned to Midgar. For one reason or another, Alpha found she did not like the city or the vibe it presented. She kept succumbing to the feeling that someone wanted to hurt her, or at the very least be rude for reasons she did not understand. Perhaps it was just the nature of these people… or perhaps Mogum had some obsession with the rude. Either way, she was troubled trying to navigate through the city especially when the stares of passersby to her attire made her very skin crawl.
After the debacle in Vector, the strange woman found herself without clothing again… but oddly enough, not her without her book her staff. Her long care could only provide so much of modesty for the people before they began to protest. In fact it was by an audible woman in a fuss that she was given a long shirt and belt to wear. It was itchy against her skin, a beggar’s garment at the very least. And with her unmarred appearance (or just very well healed) she looked the part of a prostitute stumbling aimlessly around the city with an all too cheery moogle. Still, she was ignorant in the ways man and creature could think, but she imagined the combination was not a flattering one.
‘If only you could change your appearance…’
She could do that? Strange. She had never really thought to try.
A soft ‘kupo’ took the newborn from her thoughts and to the fluttering wings of her companion as he hovered. She humbled softly to let him know she was listening, but rather than speak he pointed to a hastily pressed sign on the wall of a building. ‘Cleaners needed. Instant pay. Inquire here:----‘ and beneath was an address. Mogum looked all too happy for this and gently tugged his companion to what she assumed was the address. She looked like a child being led by her stuffed toy; smiling for no reason other than the enjoyment. Afterall, the little winged-creature’s mood was contagious.
It was not long before the pair of them reached the factory with the same kind of flyers posted on its exterior. There was a foreman at the front of it, all large and imposing with a ‘no nonsense’ scowl. The kind of man you wanted to avoid getting on the wrong side of. It did not take much for Alpha to understand that.
When they had asked for cleaners, they meant thorough cleaners. But from what the woman could see, many of her fellow hands were not consistent. It had taken a little bit of time to secure this small job; many questions asked that could not be answered until eventually her foreman gave in and handed her an unflattering suit. It still stank of sweat and body odor, perhaps more revolting to her nostrils than the gunk on the filters themselves. The job was simple, but time consuming, and from the whispers she gathered ‘dangerous’. She wasn’t too sure what Mako was, but understood there was a reason why the suits were worn. The filters were ‘radioactive’ which she quickly associated as ‘bad’. Harmful particles could attach themselves to her and be spread to others… is she was killed first.
‘But it would take something more than tiny particles to do that…’
Alpha smiled to herself as she picked off a caked on sliver of residue. She did not know why that thought made her suddenly feel powerful, but she did like that notion. It would take something terrifying to bring her demise. A flicker of white crossed her mind’s eye at the implication of death. The charred body of the man rising from the ashes… how alive he seemed yet lost just the same. Plopping down on her rear, she let her palm rest beneath her covered chin. She scrubbed with the abrasive brush with one hand, then supported her head with the other as she thought on that nameless man. Where had he gone after Vector, she wondered. Was he off in another battle? Was he saving someone else?
“HEY!”
Alpha was snapped from her thoughts and nearly dropped her brush. Had she not already been seated, she might have toppled over in shock. “Y…yes?” she looked up to the imposing shadow of the foreman, his humorless brow furrowing with a righteous anger. “Watch what you’re doing kid!” He lead her eye back around to the filter. One of the grates had collapsed, presumably with too much force pressed against it. Alpha recoiled. “I’m… sorry. I’ll pay attention-“ “Don’t bother.” The foreman cut her off with surprisingly less anger. “The shift’s over anyway. Really girl, we have to use special machinery to bend those. You must be something if you bent it like that without even knowing.” She did not know what this ‘something’ was, but it must have been good if it earned even a tiny smile from the large man. But it was so hard to smile back when he looked so… dangerous! “Come’n and get your pay.” “Y…yes.” Immediately she rose and followed him back to his office (after stopping to decontaminate and change back into her casual peasant garb). For an office of its size, it was surprisingly empty. A few chairs were turned here and there, but little more than that.
“…and the last one is for you.”
Drawn from her thoughts, she turned to the foreman with an envelope outstretched. “Oh… thank you,” she whispered as she reached for the parcel- then had it withdrawn. “Look kid, you seem nice… and I don’t know what got you into-“ he waved the envelope at her attire “-this, but you know there are other options right? Have you thought about working construction? I mean… with your strength, you could do a lot with it. Or, is that not your thing?” Alpha shuffled uncomfortably. She wasn’t very good at talking with others just yet. It was Mogum’s job to be the interpreter… and from what she could guess, he was napping. Either that, or the foreman had strange taste in chair décor.
“I am… not sure.”
She answered honestly, hoping the man would understand even if her linguistic skills were severely lacking. “Well if not that, what about your little friend over there?” He gestured to the moogle. “Those little guys have a mail service. And from what I heard you don’t ‘have’ to be a moogle to work for them. At least it’s better than… whatever it is you’re doing.” Finally, he held the check out for her properly allowing for her to take it. “There’s always something else, kid. You just have to be willing to look. But seriously, if you change your mind on construction, stop by and ask for Swar.”
“I will… thank you.”
She smiled as she went to collect the napping moogle. With a few more gil in their pockets they would be able to find a place for the night (or so Mogum had said). Then she would have a little word with him about the job of his people.
Words: 1222
Quest Complete:
+300 exp
+Raw Materia
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