Amongst the Orange Trees [story, ooc welcome]

[Naunet]

((Copy-pasta'd from RP done in the CRA's IC chatbox. This takes place a matter of hours after Limsa Loyalties. Also, I'm terrible at alliteration, so you get a non-alliterated title this time. We'll go with the excuse of: Ulanan is not present in this scene!))

 

***

 

Right outside Limsa Lominsa spread many farms, built by the pirates after their ships were sunk during the Calamity or to the Garlean navy. Without their usual means of living, most of them were forced to find new ways of surviving, and so they lived off the land. There were many orchards between these farms. In a particular one, there was a man: old, with grey hair and beard, wearing a straw hat and simple clothes, picking oranges and piling them up inside a basket. He was expecting someone.

 

The Duskwight's skin looked like a shadow even in the light, but this shadow was weathered and old, and it was wrapped in the humble linens of a wandering hermit. As he made his way through the orchard towards the human, her plucked an orange or two, and upon arriving, dropped them into the man's basket. Through a veil of dirty hair, his pale eyes sought those of the human as he greeted, "It is rare I see familiar faces since the Calamity. I hope this new world is treating you well."

 

The hyur didn't look away from his task, picking oranges and dropping them into the basket, taking a brief time to test them: applying pressure with his fingertips and smelling them.

 

"I have not been eaten or been burnt to death yet, so I would dare that, yes, it is treating me well." he said. "Did the Shroud finally kick you out?"

 

Megiddo chuckles, "Yes, actually," and, noting Ildur's actions, picks another orange and imitates them, humming to himself in interest. Tossing the orange in the basket, he explains, "I took a job from a company the CRA is affiliated with, but the job was no good. So I'm talking a leave of absence from the area."

 

Another orange was thrown into the basket. "How strange. When was the last time you had to step out of a job?"

 

"Decades. Obviously when one provides a service such as mine, one tends to finish even the bad jobs, if only to protect their reputation." He gives an orange in his hand a perplexed look. "When did you take up farming?"

 

"Never." he answered. "You said your employer was affiliated with the Agency."

 

"A Gridanian affiliate. Oschon guided me to him in his time of need. He feared assassination," Megs continues plucking oranges as he explains, "I should've known based on the fear. They've been bending the rules, and they were caught."

 

"I think I know who you speak of. I was afraid something like that would happen." The hyur tested an orange and grimaced at it. "A bad orange." He dropped it to the ground, and looked at the elezen.

 

"Oschon brought you very far. I'm thankful for that, but I wonder what breadcrumbs he left for you to follow."

 

Megiddo smiles when the orange hits the ground, and wears that smile as he answers the Hyur, "I've been following the target. More assassins were sent after her. She's a gifted investigator and did not catch the wrong-doings of your associate by chance."

 

"More." he echoes. Another bad orange plummeted to the ground. "Quite a desperate associate, that one. Did she survive those?"

 

"She did. And through no action of my own. Well, perhaps some, though indirectly. I believe..." He pauses and thinks, tosses an orange up in the air and catches it. "I believe she's become aware of things her employers did not wish. They will not let her live, in case she reports this do the Grand Companies."

 

"Is that worry I sense in your words?" the old hyur chuckled, still picking up oranges. The amount of thrown ones was slowly increasing.

 

"Oh, if I was worried I'd be in the city." He stops tossing the orange, takes hold of it, "Unless they can find an assassin on my caliber, they probably won't have much luck. She has a friend protecting her."

 

He looked at the fruit Megiddo was holding. "That's a good orange." he said. With a smile, he walked a few steps around the tree. "One of our less known associates in the city is making a fuss in the criminal underground. They want someone dead this very night, and are not hiding themselves very well. It would be quite convenient if these were the employer's of your target, wouldn't you say?" he added.

 

Megiddo huffs, "If they're so clumsy I'll be disappointed, but I often am these days. Times were better before the Calamity. People more cautious."

 

"There were also more people." His side of the tree had a large amount of bad oranges. Only a couple were found worthy of the basket. "I'd like you to meet them. A Lalafell and a Roegadyn. Paqirelon and Bleigarasyn. I can arrange the meeting...and you can dispose of all their problems."

 

The Duskwight makes a face of understanding, "Ah ha. I understand." He nods, and tosses the orange he's been holding into Ildur's basket. "It doesn't sound particularly challenging, but I may enjoy it anyway."

 

"Sometimes the simplest things are the ones that bring the most enjoyment." He extended his arms somewhat towards Megiddo, holding an orange. "Like picking fruit. The simplest of tasks!"

 

Megiddo chuckles, "And you really enjoy that? Or are we talking around something again? I'm afraid at my age, I start to lose track after awhile."

 

"I like simple things." he answered. He walked around the tree again, and ended up on the other side of the Elezen. "Just go to the meeting and give those two a good stab. They will kill someone tonight if you don't, and Maelstorm justice, while swift, is not very efficient in these matters." He looked down to the scattered oranges. "A bad orange can still sprout a fine tree, after all."

 

"It will be done just as you've requested, then." He inclines his head to Ildur, "They seek a skilled assassin and will find one. Is there anything else I can tell you or do for you?"

 

The old hyur bent over to pick the basket, now filled with oranges. "There is. What was the name of your target? She will soon be unemployed, and you have vouched so nicely on her financial abilities." he said with a smirk.

 

"A Miqo'te named Antimony. Not a common name for her people. I doubt you'll have any trouble finding her."

 

Ildur nodded. He turned around, looking up at the treetops. "There are still some good oranges there. You should take one before someone else picks the rest up." He started walking away, raising his free hand briefly in farewell.

 

Megiddo watches Ildur walking away, and mutters to himself, "And what did he mean by that? Ah well. To work, old man." And the hermit turns to walk towards Limsa. He does pause, however, to grab an orange.