Egil approach the door of the mechanist's shop in the artisan district. The fire was still a few districts away, so the shops pretty much stayed open; probably thinking the mages will figure it out before it gets here.
He had the demons monitoring her for a good week, figuring out her schedule... and picking her locks... and emptying illegal firearms...
Deep breath. And he pushed through the door. The inside looked rundown. It featured suggestions that it might have been nice once: a wrap around counter, probably meant for more goods than were actually on display.
There were about three mixers, similar to the ones seen at the bazaar. Inspired weapons parts hidden within consumer machines. The wood of the interior was grey and water worn. It didn't help that this district was close to the docks.
"We're clo-" Squeak! The rapid sound of footsteps across wood. Some rummaging noises. That would be the mechanist. What was her name? He forgot. Maybe he remembered it wrong.
The sound of something tipping over. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Nooooooo!" The sound of something crashing.
Damn, at this rate she simply might not find the revolver she's looking for. He rolled his eyes, looking around the shop. A gadgetry genius, and she's stuck making this... he snipped the bowl mixer with his finger... cheap mundane shit... Why didn't she just build machines to mass produce these?
Based on the conversations his demons spied on, it seemed like most customers saw these things as curiosities, rather than actual machines. For some reason, she didn't appear to have a relationship with the actual mechanist guild.
More rummaging.
He laughed. For fuck's sake. He pulled out five gold coins, and the treatment for her friends who caught the local water bug. He raised on gold coin up to his shoulder, where it was gently picked up by the smoky imp. "I have a feeling she might be a while. Can you offer this coin to her, so she at least knows Im here on business."
It leapt to the counter top, and began hopping across the counter in the direction of the noisy chaos. How could she not love that?
The door to the shop opened. Dark skinned. Toned. White hair. Strategically form-fitting cloth corset, and simple pants. Distracting to all but the most oblivious. Recruited by the jinn to compensate for Egil's 'rough charm, and total lack of foreign language skills.' Aziza, the succubus of Morocco.
"We've been hearing a lot of noise from outside..." She started, but then got distracted by her new surroundings. "This place has personality... and assumed you were either fighting or fucking. You ok... ... need help?" She said with a smirk.
"No! Never gonna happen!! ... Fuck! Where is it!?" The mechanist yelled from the back.
"Is she still...?" Aziza started asking if the mechanist couldn't find the sole weapon she had for self defense.
Egil hoisted himself up to a seated position on the counter. "Still here for business. Its cool if you wanna stick around for this."
"Could be fun." Aziza leaned against a wall.
Still more rummaging noises.
"Have you tried the right most drawer in your desk?" Egil called out. That was where the Motoko left it, after making off with all the ammo.
"Really...?" Aziza commented.
Silence... then the sound of sliding wood. More rapid steps.
The mouse-sized imp preemptively reached out with the gold coin in both hands.
The girl pointed the gun at him.
"Oh, she *is* cute." Aziza judged the new girl.
"I heard about your attack! Nobody believes me about the demons! You killed a noble! Get out of my shop!"
Why does she care what happens to a noble?
"...a little ditzy." The succubus continued. She knew Egil's planned offer was pretty good.
The imp strained, reaching with the coin, much like it did with the pendant the day of the attack.
The mechanist upon noticing it, slammed her hand down, scaring the little demon, causing it to drop the coin, and hop back.
"I dont want your money!"
"Yeah you do." Egil responded. ...or at least she should.
"Get out of my shop! Dont think I wont do it!"
"The gun's empty."
"GEEET OOOOUUUUUT!!!!! Get out! Get out! Get out!"
She raised the mouth of the gun to the roof for a warning shot. She closed her eyes and tilted her head against her shoulder, in what was probably a vain attempt to preserve some of her hearing. Click. ...click... click click click.
She popped open the cylinder.
The man turned to Aziz. "That was a double action trigger. Already better than what you can typically find on the black market around here."
"Double action what?"
"Instead of having to pull the hammer back-" His explanation was interrupted by the sound of her dropping the gun to the table, slamming her elbows to the wooden counter surface, and wrapping her arms around her head.
That was his cue. He slid off the counter, holding a pouch of her friend's medicine. He stood over her, seeing the tears get absorbed into the wood between her elbows. He held the pouch in front of her.
The imp wasted no time hopping up his arm, resuming its perch on his shoulder.
"I told you, I dont want your m-" More of a pouty voice this time. She got ready to swat the pouch away, when he caught her hand, forcing her fingers into the pouch.
That got her attention. She yanked the pouch looking into it.
"Its to treat your friend's-"
She brought the pouch towards her chest. "I couldnt find anyone who had it."
"I need a weapons smith, who's smart enough to understand magic. We've kinda commandeered a library. Nice place... though with the amount of magic we've been experimenting with, it might take a little getting used to."
She still wasnt looking up from the pouch. "What if I want to stay here?"
He looked around. It was grey, and depressing. "You dont. But Ill find someone else if necessary. You get room, board, food, meds, compensation, and the freedom to use your new skills as you see fit once our arrangement concludes."
Egil's role as a 'provider of demons' had been well compensated, up to the disaster. His existence up to summoning, had made him used to 'living lean.' He'd have to find other sources of revenue, soon, but for the time being, he could keep this going.
"I dont know." The mechanist sounded conflicted.
Egil knew her situation sucked, but it was also up to her to take the chance. He tried applying pressure in the past, and it only made the resulting decisions... dumber.
"Its up to you if you want to shoot yourself in the foot. You wont be harassed by me or anyone on my team after this." He started towards door.
Egil was technically serious about not coming back. 50% of the challenge is talent, the other 50% is desire. Missing one or the other was useless.
"Wait." She said as he was halfway to the door. "Did you kill those people?"
Open book policy, for better or worse: He turned around to face her. "I killed the guy manning the shop, and I finished off the duchess. In a straight fight she would have defeated me, but a coup caught her by surprise. When I found her half alive, I planned on taking her shit and she tried casting."
"How did you do it?"
"Straight stab through the heart. As good as any of us can hope for."
"Ok, Ill come with you." She replied, sticking the gun behind her back, and stepping around the counter.
"What? Now?"
"I hate this place. I'll take care of the arrangements tomorrow."
Egil and Aziza exchanged looks. Damn. That was quick. "Yeah, sure. We'll get you set up."
