POV: Cid
Location: Lawless City.
After yesterdays experiences, I did some research around town about this mysterious boss named Leon. Apparently he is the leader of an armed group of bandits situated here in the Lawless City, who offer their services for those willing to pay a price. Basically mercenaries but for illegal stuff. And it was this group which I encountered last night.
So this should mean that he was offered a deal by some shady individuals to retrieve that important looking gemstone from the secret hideout. And it should be these exact shady individuals who are the ones that I need to track down! How convenient that my first lead was simply handed to me like this.
And I also did some more looking into around town, specifically the current location where I would find this Leon guy.
And this location is where I am at now.
A public bar huh.
Sounds like fun to me.
*BAM*
The doors to the bar swing open with a loud sound, gaining each of the attention of all the residents inside.
Make a dramatic entrance, check. Stand menacingly in the doorframe, check. Wearing a cool mask to hide my identity, check. Hehe...
Witness the secret art of 'playing the secret badass at a bar'. I smile internally but the key in these situations is to act stoic, like you have some important business that needs attending to. Right now I must act perfectly as John Smith: the elite agent in the middle of a crucial mission.
I take a few steps forward, all the eyes follow me. Such an exquisite sight. I pretend to not notice the stares and make my way to the front of the bar with heavy, decisive footsteps.
Now... I mean that's gotta be him right. An incredibly buff looking dude wearing a beastkin-fur cloak with a greatsword strapped to his back sits alone on the table ahead of me. I mean this guy has intimidating villain written all over him.
I order a glass of wine from the bar and walk over to the seat beside where he sat.
"Leon I presume?"
The man turned, revealing numerous battle scars on his face and studied me for a while before responding in a harsh, gruff voice.
"Yea that would be me. So what the hell do you want?" Oh yes, he's even more of cliché minor villain than I imagined.
"I simply want to have a conversation with you, nothing more nothing less."
"You know... I don't really appreciate your type around here, punk."
"Oh? And what if I was to mention that I dislike drunkards like you?" Ride the wave come on!
By now all actions in the bar had halted and all eyes were on our exchange.
"Hey Leon are you just gonna take that."
"Me personally, I wouldn't take this level of disrespect."
"Come on Leon show it to this rando!"
"Yea do it to him!"
Yes! This is perfect.
"Hey punk, I suggest you rethink who you are talking to. I'm gonna give you 10 seconds to get your scrawny ass out of this place or I'll make sure you never have a painless night again."
"And would that be a threat? I just want to have a friendly conversation between us."
"To hell with your stupid conversation! Did you hear me right? I said move it!"
"Oh please, as if I'd need your pity."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY PUNK!" This seemed to really piss him off as he drew out his greatsword in response.
But I acted quicker.
My fist moves at lightning speeds as I grab Leon by the neck and pin him up against the wall. I start to choke him slowly while speaking in an assertive tone.
"I really do just want a friendly conversation. And one way or another, I will get my answers."
And for the final clincher...Get into a bar fight, piss of some intimidating dudes and defeat them in seconds, double check! This has always been something that I wanted to do for a long time so I should savour this moment while I can.
"Now... who was it who gave you the order a few days back to break into the crimson Tower..."
"Wha- I don't know what you mean-"
"I said" Choking his neck harder in response. "Who was the one who got you to do the job?"
"I-i don't know. The guy was anonymous! B-but I do know that he should be currently located in the Midgar k-kingdom."
Midgar...huh
"N-now please let me go!"
"Indeed you have been of a great use to me..."
"However, I will punish those taking what is rightfully mine."
"Wha- what do you mea-"
Last night...
YOUR GUYS ROBBED ALL THE GOLD COINS THAT WERE AT THE BASE.
MY HARD EARNED MONEY!
*SNAP*
I snapped his neck with my hand and I dropped his lifeless body down to the ground. Vengeance has new been achieved, the Lawless city is really quite convenient.
But it seems now that I will be leaving after my weeks stay.
I guess I'll be going home now.
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POV: Cid
Location: Midgar City, market square.
Overall, I'd say my time in the Lawless City turned out to be a pretty productive experience. I ended up making it out with about 2 million zeni worth of expensive coins and items donated from the various criminals around town but sadly the number is far lower than what it should be due to some unexpected developments.
And so here I am back in the kingdom of Midgar, searching for the next lead in my little quest. Unfortunately, it turns out finding some guy just based off vague location is pretty hard to do. Let alone if this guy is supposed to be some secretive evil genius.
"Hey Cid where were you this last week?"
Oh yea Hyoro and Jaga where here too for some reason.
"Oh my bad, I just had an urgent business pop up and had to take a trip out of the country."
"Wha--"
"Cid why didn't take us?!!?!?!?!" I wonder why.
"Yea we want to go hit on some lovely foreign women too!!!"
"Heh, I'm sure they would instantly fall for our masculine Midgarian tones."
"Hehe...Yea you are sure right my friend"
We already know you are delusional... so please stop jojo posing.
"Uhh... sure."
"Anyways Cid, did you hear about that overseas meeting party supposed to be taking place this week?"
"Yea Hyoro and I were thinking we should sneak in and mingle with the lovely damsels from abroad. So if you wanna come too then that's fine."
An... overseas country coming to Midgar at exactly this time...
Wait.
Coincidence, I think not!
"Hold up, tell me more about that party."
"Heh I knew you would agree with us." Please don't look so excited.
"Sure. Now about that party-"
"Ok Cid, you're gonna be our distraction for the guards while we sneak inside!" Please don't sound so satisfied with yourself.
"Yea sure, now about that-"
"Don't worry we will make sure to share you some of our pictures with the ladies."
"How generous, now seriously about that party, what else do you kno-"
"C-cid.."
"Huh what?"
"C-c-cid look b-behin y-you."
What do they...?
"CID WHERE ARE YOU! YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ME, I JUST SAW YOU RIGHT NOW."
Oh god- I recognise that creepy voice.
"YOUR SISTER WILL FIND YOU CID!"
I completely forgot about my sister help.
"Alright boys gotta dip."
I sprint out of the crowds of the market and into a nearby alleyway.
Phew, lucky I got out of there before it was too late.
Wait.
"Hey you two! You're the orbiters that hang around my brother! I just saw him right here, tell me where he ran off to!"
Hold on why are they pointing in my direction.
Wait no please don't.
Traitors, how could you!
"~Cid!"
*Bam*
Well this is awkward.
"Hello dear sister, now could you please refrain from pinning me to the ground."
"Hehe, now that I have you I will be sure never to let you escape me again." How charming.
"Now... why did you lie to me again, Cid?"
I did kinda promise her a week back that I'd spend the holiday together just so she'd get off my back. But then I got kinda carried away with my roleplay... and then completely forgot about it.
"I am deeply sorry, I was out of the country and performing incredibly important actions that required my immediate attention."
"Don't even try to lie your way out of it, I know you have nothing interesting to do ever."
"Ouch, that one was personal"
"Well all that matters is that you promised me that we'd stay the break together. And then like last holiday you disappear on me."
"I completely regret my actions and am humbly asking for your forgiveness. Here." I hand her an item from my jacket pocket.
"Cid this is... a really expensive new perfume from Mitsugoshi.... But this costs a fortune, how did you get this?"
"I uhh..." Stole it from some guy who stole it from someone else. "...I took out a Mitsugoshi bank loan."
"Oh Cid, you should be more careful with your money... but if it is for me then..."
Wait what? Her tone just immediately changed from that of a deranged yandere into a caring sister?
Well I guess it was that easy.
"Anyway, now that you can see how sorry I am, can I go now?"
"THERE IS NO ESCAPE!"
Oh never mind, back to default settings I guess. I thought that would work, what a shame.
"Since you so generously bought this new perfume for me, I guess I can let you off the hook for now. However there is still something I need to say to you. As you know, after I graduate from the academy, I plan to join the knight order. However, due to a lack of knights and since I am the winner of this years Bushin festival, Princess Iris pulled some strings for me and got me a trial mission for the Crimson Order. The assignment handed to me was to appear as a guard in the upcoming meeting between the Midgar Kingdom and the Servian Lands."
So this is this so called overseas party...
And the Servian lands. I'd heard of them before. I think they were that newly established region across the ocean from Midgar. And despite being a small nation, they are at the world's forefront in military and technological power. I can guess why Midgar would want to be on good terms with them.
"And... for this mission. They gave me the option to bring along a single person." Ah I see, so this is how I get roped into this.
"So Cid, what do you say?"
Hmmm.
"Do they provide expensive clothing for the mission?"
"Yes they do."
"Is there free food at the party?"
"Yes there is."
"Are there gonna be lots of loaded noblemen at the venue?"
"Yes there will."
Sweet.
"Then I'm in."
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Ahem this is the author here
Chapter 2 hmm.
Also ignore any major plot holes due to Clair being awake and here to talk since this is supposed to take place after volume 6...
If you don't know what I mean, don't question it.
If you do, let's just call it plot convenience for now.
Anyway,
Goodbye lawless city and elite agent John Smith.
Yes, sadly he shall be no more.
But don't worry.
Cid still has 4 other personas to look cool in for some reason.
Ahem cya.