Characters involved are: Collin (RED), Brin (ORANGE),
Logged by Brin

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Bledavik, Northeastern Residential Area
This area stands at the base of several other buildings, each towering over this path with a resulting effect of making a sort of 'tunnel' out of this road. Above your head, green shuttered windows lie open to the hot desert air, with every attempt to rid the adobe and stone city of the unbearable heat. A strong wooden <arch> leads to the west of here, while the road continues on to the <south>. A single <doorway> stands here, leading into one of Bledavik's residential homes.
Contents:
Collin
So much to see, and another new town to circumnavigate. Hotter this time, anyway, as Brin makes his way along the path, his robe slung over his arm, Reoite padding along at his heels, being deftly ignored as he attempts to trip Brin at every step. The sun stil beats down, and Brin grabs a corner of the robe over his arm, and wipes his brow. Hot work, this wandering. Perhaps there was an inn somewhere he can shelter from the oppressive heat. One can only hop.e
Quite indeed! Hot definately to the Solarian, but at least he'll get a nice tan out of it. Collin himself, though, he seems to just be wandering around, almost like that of a tourist. He seems to be the one to suffer more than Brin, though, looking rather sunburnt as he goes, still apparently not used to the heat as he brushes back his long black bangs in an attempt to get a bit of breeze about him. Ah, sure, a little Ether wouldn't hurt in /creating/ a breeze, but it's really not that useful in the overall scheme of things...
Brin continues his plodding sojourn, new beads of sweat already forming where he had wiped his brow. My, it really is hot. He stops for a while, to catch some shade in a n overhanging porch before continuing, and glances furtiveily out at the people passing. How can they stand living in this heat? They seem almost unfazed by it. Except for that one person. Probably another outsider, or tourist. Or... Brin peers out from beneath the canopy, at the person walking toward his location on the path, as recognition dawns on him. He steps a little out onto the path, in order to be seen, and is at least glad to have another knowing how he feels. "Hello, Collin.".
A brief pause from the young man-- Oh /shit/. He definately needed to work on /not/ being known to so many... sure, he cut the ponytail off, and there's that new scar above his left eyebrow, but it's still not good. Especially in his current line of work... Collin turns slowly, offering the same sort of innocent beam that he had at Fort Jasper all that time ago... "Why hello, Mr. Brin!" he chimes nicely. It's almost as if the suffering of heat is nonexsistant, too...
Brin smiles, as he is not mistaken. "Hello, Collin. Fancy meeting you here...", he thinks. In plain clothes, feeble attempt at disguise? Strange, yet nothing to comment upon. In fact, the stare is broken, as Brin tries to change the subject. "Curse this heat. You don't happen to know of an inn, would you?", the castle beyond the range of what Brin wants to walk right now, he only smiles amiably, seemingly none the wiser for what Collin is up to.
Collin nods a bit. "Indeed. I must say, however, the heat is rather unbearable." A problem. The man is a problem. His cover could be blown rather easily right now... sure, the Fort Jasper meetings went well-- and the city was Gebler-infested, but ... it's a problem. Something that could actually be called irritation is in his eyes, though his smile, almost childlike, completely betrays it. "I'm not entirely sure, actually. I was looking for one myself... I arrived pretty late last night, and camped out just inside walls of town."
Brin only nods, oblivious to anything untoward. "I see. Are you here on business, or simply passing through? On your way to Jugend?". A wild guess, since Brin has no idea where Jugend is, let alone that Collin would need to go back there. Still, to make conversation...
Collin shrugs mildly. "I'm actually on vacation." he says, his expression almost going... well, to that same version of pure wonder. "They even gave me a full month, too. It's strange." Ah well! No, no, the student-- former student, anyway, won't be answering to the Jugend question, anyway. A pot of coffee, though, would be rather nice to him at the moment... "Perhaps we could catch up, yes? I'm sure you've done much since you left Fort Jasper?" Don't speak my name aloud. Don't tell my name to others, or remind them of who I am. Yes, that's his big thought in mind...
Brin nods, and smiles, and thinks. Possible, I suppose. But only that. "Of course. Let's find somewhere, and catch up...". And he emerges from the canopy completely, switching the robe from sweaty arm to sweaty arm, squinting again as the sun tortures him once more. "Do you know anywhere? This place loses me the more I explore it". A smirk, almost, degenerates into a smile.
Collin shakes his head. "I personally can't think of anything nearby... but I'm sure if we explore about, we could find something absolutely wonderful to suit our needs, no?"
Brin (OOC) asks, "Er, okay. Relocate?"
Collin (OOC) exclaims, "Sure!"
Brin (OOC) says, "Do you actually know of a place, OOC? :)"
Collin (OOC) says, "Actually... no. ^^;"
Brin (OOC) flails!
Collin (OOC) scratches his head.... Hmm. Search around the city, then. :D
Brin (OOC) goes to look.
Brin (OOC) says, "Bah"
Collin has arrived.
Brin (OOC) exclaims, "Best I could find X_x. At least there might be a breeze here. And a beer tent!"
Collin (OOC) says, "Beer tent... :D~~~"
Brin (OOC) grins.
Brin (OOC) asks, "Whose pose?

Shakhan Square, East
Tents of all colors, shapes, and sizes lie scattered about this grass-patched oasis, each bearing a sign of their wares or specialty. People sit joyfully out in the open air in this area, delighting in the drinks, cakes, and other goodies sold on this side of the square. A noticeably light atmosphere hangs about the place- much unlike the fierce bustle of the sothern part of the city. The square continues to the <northwest> and <southwest>, and to the <west> is a gorgeous water fountain.
Contents:
Collin

Collin (OOC) says, "Yours, I think."
Brin (OOC) nods.
Brin enters the square alongside Collin, and making his way toward the nearest tent that looks like it might provide reprieve from this heat, preferably in liquid form. "It never ceases to amaze me how this place can feel like it's celebrating every day...". Colourful bunting, some from the tournament, some just for the hell of it, stretches across the square. "I can see how this might be a good place to take a holiday. Not for me, though, I fear..." He wipes his face on an undrenched corner of the robe again. "This place, or a holiday.", he adds, grinning a little at the thought.
Collin weaves his fingers behind his head as he seems to be smiling more. "Yes. It's good to be festive around here, it takes people's minds off the heat. I dunno... it could be nice if you live here awhile, though." he says, nodding. Kill him. But that wouldn't be right. It would ruin things. It would ruin everything. But Brin knows who he is.... a spy being known isn't good. Could he trust the man to be silent...? It's a risk. "Still, it /is/ rather hot, isn't it?" he chimes, beaming yet still.
Brin stops by one of the tents, and retrieves two large tankards, handing one to Collin, before he can argue. "You're aware of my living here, then? I assume The good Lady Doctor informed you...". Walls have ears, I suppose. Best not to give away more then he had to, I suppose, even if nobody would recognise that name here. Still. "You're spending the entire month here, Yes?".
A headshake. "I might move on before the month is up, see a little more of the world." Collin says, tilting his head a bit. "And actually... no, I haven't seen our mutual friend in a really long time. It'd be nice to talk to her again, though." You have your gun... you have a silencer. But there's guards all over the city. An odd stare is given to the tankard, though, and he sniffs it lightly before taking a small sip of the contents. Shouldn't have too much of something if you don't know what it is, after all... His mind continues to race, however... the only true testimony to anything is the dulling glint in his eye, not a cheerful shine anymore...
Brin can only nod, as Collin sips at the perfectly innocent brew. "She was well, last time I saw her. I'll send here your regards? I may or may not be in contact with her soon. Who knows?". A sip is taken from his own tankard. Not the nicest of beverages, but it serves its purpose. Cooling down slightly, he smiles, and muses. "I'll never understand solarians, and their need to change their appearance. First the Doctor, and now I almost didn't recognise you...".
Collin sips at it again, nodding a little bit. Interesting taste, even if he really shouldn't be drinking at his age. It takes a long moment, though, before he nods slightly. "That's okay. I'll probably be up to Fort Jasper after the vacation is over, if she's still there." Why are you still talking to him? What's the problem? Why? It's easy... An actual look of discomfort falls on the lad's face as he rubs his forehead some, fingers scratching at his forehead just above the fresh scar above his eyebrow. "I more or less had to do it for the job." A short look about, and Collin nods aside. "C'mon, it's kinna shady over here..." the student says with a mild clearing of his throat-- nevermind that it's toward a small alley between stalls.
Brin (OOC) gulps.
Brin only nods, accepting it as Collin says it. After all, what could he do but trust a person with the ear of Luka herself? It is only logical, as Citan might say. "I understand..." he says to the comment about the change of appearance. As Collin makes for the alley, he takes a quick glance, and muses "Yes, I suppose it is...", and follows.
Collin looks left and right, allowing Brin to go in ahead of him. The student's smile remains the same, though, even as his fingers slide delicately around the pistol tucked into his pants at the small of his back, the length of the vest over his t-shirt keeping it well-covered. Kill him. Why? There's no reason to... he's a friend of Dr. Luka, too! But he might know too much... Another small sip from the tankard. "A strange drink, this is. What's it called, again?" he asks chipperly.
Brin turns, and leans against a solid, semi-permanent tentpole, looking back at Collin, deadpan now. "I'm not sure. I always have to point it tout. The nomads have a name for it, but I can never remember, or manage to pronounce it..." he muses, almost hurriedly, a slight tinge of nervousness in his voice now. He looks straight ahead, at a poster on a wall opposite, advertising...something. No training prepares you for this. However, it does prepare you for knowing the most popular hiding places for firearams. He turns, and looks Collin up and down. "Are you going to use that?" he asks solemnly.
A long silence is emitted from the individual as the silencer is slowly screwed into place. "You know me. It would be unwise-- no, it would be too hard for me to continue my job around here if someone could give me away so easily." His smile is still full and innocent as ever-- Collin looks as if the emotion that once came naturally to him, something that seemed to be the only way he acted for his whole life... is being /forced/. The weapon aims and settles on Brin, though the tip of the barrel seems to quiver slightly. "You know who I am. It's ... dangerous."
Brin stands away from the post, and faces Collin, his voice on the point of breaking. "Am I?". This is the crux of the matter, of course. "It comes down to that. The Yggdrasil is moored here. There are at least a dozen people wandering this city who know who you are. Are you going to kill them all?...". Of course not, but that's not the point. Think, Brin. Make yourself to be not a danger. That is paramount. "For what it's worth, Collin, I have no idea what you're up to, and don't want to know. I'm perfectly happy to avoid you, if necessary. This..." he tries not to make a sudden move, but indicates the pointed weapon. "This is doing you no favours. Let us both walk away, and leave it at that.". He bows his head slightly and thinks. After a few seconds, he looks back up, and adds, in accented Solarian, ~We are all of the one side now. Remember~.
Collin narrows his eyes a bit, his thumb gliding back a bit to snap the hammer to half-cocked. "I can't... have anyone knowing..." he says, almost looking distracted. The Yggdrasil... that would make things difficult. He could still run, though... and they wouldn't be able to catch him. Pull the trigger. Do it. But it would ... still ruin everything. Everyone got along so well at Fort Jasper...! Now speaking his own language...? It's driving him mad... His mouth quirks, the smile breaking into a frown for a moment. "I... ..."
Brin raises his hands in an almost plaintive shrug, and spreads them in what he hopes is a conciliatory manner. "Knowing what? Who you are? That you are here? These things are easily forgotten. And there is nothing to be gained by violence. We are allies. Leave it at that, and go.". Although he is in shade, he begins to sweat again. "Please...".
The tip of the gun shakes more... Shoot. Do it. Just fire... Collin's eyes narrow some... and finally, it snaps. The student drops to his knees, the shell of his seemingly only emotion broken, and pounds both fists against the ground. "Grah! Dammit! DAMMIT!" he shouts-- almost fortunate to the pair, too, that nobody's trailed down the alley to investigate. The gun is smashed against the ground, and out of the lad's hand as his head smacks against the ground, his hands clasping against his temples... certainly an odd reaction, but... it's what's happening, that's for sure. His shoulders shift visibly as he pants loudly, eyes wide as they stare at nothing but dirt, forehead pressed against the ground. His knuckles are white, as well, fingertips almost digging into his skull with pressure. "Dammitdammitdammitdammitdammit..."
Only a slight sigh is audible, as Brin steps forward, and kicks the weapon out of the way with a practiced flip, as it lands in some soft sand, which has drifted against the nearby wall, out of reach. "Get up!", he growls, no sympathy is shown now, this person was about to kill him. For no good reason. Nothing angers him more. "What were you going to do? Shoot me? What would that achieve?" ... He stands over the hunched figure. No pity for the sinner. "...There is no redemption. Any fool can regret yesterday...", he recites, the words spilling out automatically, as he fingers the butt of his own weapon. "Go in peace, Collin. I think I shall...not have a problem avoiding you.". With that, he steps around Collin's hunched form, and makes his way out toward the square, never looking back.
Collin remains hunched for a long moment, his eyes still wide and blank. The sunburned lad makes no attempt to recover his weapon either, as he just stares ahead at absolutely nothing... It really does seem that something inside him just snapped. He never had a problem shooting at the training ranges... never had a problem in practice. Why? What was so different now? He makes no attempt to look back at Brin, either, as the man continues past to leave the student in the alley. A student indeed... unexperienced at best-- or is that the kindest way of putting it? Perhaps Miriam did have a point in Nortune...
Brin (OOC) says, "That look slike it about wraps it, I think."
Collin (OOC) says, "I think so. I actually planned on freaking out and running away, at first... ^^;"
Brin (OOC) grins. Well, this suited just as good, I think ^^