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9:48 Dragon - Nubulis / Drakonis
"Can you believe Ashur sent me with you for this job?" asked Ayda.
She took a subtle but sharp breath while side-eyeing who Ashur had deemed her backup. Now walking beside her, she noticed Ayda Mercar was on the taller side, her confident yet sometimes awkward stride making Neve wonder if she'd ever actually grown into her legs. Neve had watched her run into doorframes and trip up stairs almost regularly, yet the woman always flowed through fights like second nature.
A mage. Fire. Carried an actual staff instead of a scepter like Neve had taken to. What she found surprising about the staff was that it had a tucked away trigger on the side that released an internal mechanism, drawing a blade from the bottom end. While peering in on some fight training in the hideout, Neve had also learned that Ayda knew how to fight impressively well in hand-to-hand and with her staff. She still wasn't sure what to make of everything she had gathered about Ayda since their first meeting.
"Honestly, you're lucky he picked me and not my brother."
The corner of Neve's lip flicked upward. "It seems Ashur listens well to requests."
"Wait," said Ayda. "Did you ask for me, or did you ask specifically not to have Altan paired with you?"
"His flirting distracted him from the job and only caused unnecessary trouble."
She now barked out a laugh. "That's rich. But I get it. Not your cup of poorly brewed coffee?"
That made Neve turn her head. "Have you been watching me, Ayda Mercar?"
Ayda shrugged, grinning as she casually plucked at a loose string on her sleeve. "About as much as you've been watching me, Detective Gallus."
She hummed, then turned her attention back to the puddled streets of Dock Town. "Glad to know my partner for this is more astute than I originally thought."
"I've been in this business for a good while now."
"Is that so?" questioned Neve. "How long is a while?"
"Long enough to have known Thorold. Now, you said the flirting distracted Altan from the job, but not you." A rather quick change of subject. "So, do you still want the flirting part or no? Not clear on the requirements you'd like from me."
Exhaustion settled into Neve's bones, but she actually liked Ayda, and her flirting was more banter than horrible pick-up lines. It helped that she also had an odd sense of humor. "Depends. Can you stay focused at the same time?"
"Oh, I promise you that I can focus through most anything."
"Is that right?" asked Neve.
"Is that you asking me to prove it?"
Neve huffed, refusing to dignify or validate that question with an answer.
"Well, after a shaky first impression, I'd say this second impression is going well?" questioned Ayda. "Maybe?"
"So far, so good." Neve continued walking in silence, but one thing kept turning over in her head. "How much else have you noticed?"
"Hm?" Ayda responded before fully realizing what had been asked. "Oh, you know, little things. You arrive at the same time every day, you make your rounds in a certain order, and then, hm, I don't think avoid is the right word, but you actively dodge the areas I'm in yet watch me from afar. Am I a person of interest to you? Trying to solve the mystery that is me?"
"Maybe," said Neve. "Why haven't I seen you around the hideout until more recently?"
Ayda went quiet, the smile gone from her lips. "I've been in Ventus."
Tarquin had told Neve a decent amount about Ayda and Altan, but everything he brought up had been about them in Minrathous. Why had she been in Ventus?
"Before that, Altan did a few odd jobs for Ashur, and I did work specifically for Mae, so I was in and out of the hideout at even odder hours before going home."
"Not one for taking up residence there?"
"No."
Ayda's tone and mood had shifted at the mention of Ventus and Neve pinned it in the back of her mind to dig into potential whys later. Though part of her wondered if it was better to leave it be. Ayda wasn't bringing something up for a reason. A haunting piece of her past, maybe? Or a job that Maevarius and Ashur had her sworn to secrecy for?
As much as she wanted to pry, Neve held back and kept the topic casual. "I've got a small apartment down the road from the hideout. No bigger than a small matchbook. Has a good view of the water, though. Helps me think."
Ayda hummed, not taking the conversational bait.
Neve tried to continue once more. "You said you worked specifically for Mae?"
"I think we should just focus on the job."