Altosk's Brat

    Karol did a small hop to get in front of Harry, then turned to walk backward, slinging his arms behind his head and groaning, “Harry, we coulda died. If yer guild hadn’t been pullin’ the strings? Think about it! I was thirteen-” he said, as if he weren’t sixteen now, “- ‘n yer not that much older. We didn’t have a chance against a buncha guys like that.” Then again, Karol had also helped deal finishing blows on many a stronger enemy. But fighting people… that always sat wrong with him. Even Duke had turned out to be a much more splendid ally than foe, and that was one of the more grisly fights he’d ever endured. 

    He much preferred monsters. It was pretty straight forward. Do they talk? No? Then kill ‘em. Yes? … possibly run. Possibly chat.

His gaze softened before he rolled his eyes.

        “You kiddin’? You were rushin’ in there, I’m pretty sure they were terrified for their lives against yer hammer.”

Of course they weren’t. Harry was teasing Karol. Arms crossing over his chest, he looked forward into the cave again. He wasn’t scared. Everything would go fine. It wasn’t like before. And besides, there was only two of them this time around. It wasn’t an entire patrol.

Which meant, even if something did go wrong, there was less likely of a chance for anyone to get hurt.

Karol focused forward again, rubbing his eyes, and Harry moved inward, his eyes already growing accustomed to the dim light as he patted Karol’s shoulder and gave a sideways grin. 

“That was the plan! I work Raven pretty hard, and he’s always bellyachin’ over something. Needs a break, and I’m sure tonight will be a good one!”

Not just for Raven, but for them as well.

                “And through this ol’ man’s jaw. Felt like it, anyway. Boss sure knew how ta throw’em, didn’e?” Gramps’ fist was no joke; could have sworn it was bigger than Raven’s head. How did someone get massive hands like that anyway? Is that going to happen to Harry at some point too? Damn, better start being nice…

           “It took two weeks to fix the hole through the window since he tore a bit’a brick out with some of the glass.”

Harry glanced back at Raven over his shoulder, his fingers having settled against the wall by said-window he’d nabbed Raven from. There was an understanding ... Raven had probably been meant to assassinate Don, but, one things he probably should have been aware of was that the Whitehorse’s were used to it. Even Harry had dealt with an attempt or two.

But that was a story for another day.

               “He sure did. Gramps is ... was, pretty good. Could clobber anyone. Dunno how he could seem to sense people who were hidin’ around here, though.”

But, even he would admit ... eating with anyone was better than eating alone. It always felt too quiet when someone did.

Pushing the door open, Harry let Don in, already hearing the audible growl of his stomach. Harry snorted softly under his breath. His laugh was ... stupid, but he was glad to see his grandfather at least appreciated it a little. Giving a half grin, Harry swatted at Don’s hand lightly, following him to the table.

    Karol groaned, shaking his head. “It wasn’t cool, that’s all I’m gonna say.” He glowered. “Couldn’t ya have done some kinda like, verbal test or something? Hypotheticals? We coulda really gotten hurt!” Oh, you could actually tell he was maturing- realizing in hindsight that horrified night-diving into Caer Bocrum looking for bandits without telling anyone where he was had been a terrible idea was the mark of a growing boy, you know.

    He shook his head with a wave of his hand. “Whatever. Passed, so I guess I’ll let ya slide.”

        “Nah. Verbal tests are all fine an’ dandy, but you gotta be facin’ the real thing to know someone’s actual character.”

Besides, in case Karol forgot, Harry had been testing him verbally along the way. Asking him questions, probing into his guild affairs and everything along that sort. Even as just a ‘friend’ everything had a dual purpose. Grinning partially, Harry looked over at the wave of Karol’s hand.

        “But ‘m glad you realize we could’a gotten hurt now.”

To be honest, Harry had wanted to stop him at first, but, as Karol pointed out, he had passed, and he had done well. Good thing, too! Harry’s suggestion for pointing Brave Vesperia to the Unions five slot took a great deal of his credentials, and if Karol had failed ... well, Harry would have been in the hot seat.

Probably would of had to interview the Hunting Blades.

While there was no offense meant for them, Harry didn’t trust the Hunting Blades quite yet. They felt ... wrong for higher in the chain. They were good at what they did mind, but what they did was not political balance and keeping the guilds together. They fought monsters.

He hadn’t explained any of this to Karol, either. What was the point? It didn’t happen, after all. No use worrying (or fussing) over something that didn’t happen.

       “Aye now, it was a test of your ability to think on th’ spot and judge a situation.”

Something Harry had to, thankfully, never go through personally due to his already pretty stable sitting in the guilds. It helped that his Grandfather’s guild was already one of the top five, but, in the end, Harry had proved himself in other ways.

As well as perhaps shown how much of a goofball he was.

       “Pffft, well, think’a it like this, we never stole anything.”

Harry was smirking now.

       “We just prolonged borrowing it.”

He paused, arms crossing over the back of his head as Karol asked about Raven, his gaze looking forward, an innocent whistle escaping his lips.

         “Yeah, food. And it’s past dark, old man. You’ve been at this for several hours now.”

Harry often just let Don work however long he wanted, but he’d actually set down to make a dinner for both of them all the while feeling brave enough to nag his old man into eating with him. It didn’t happen often ...

Don’s shifting to begin to stand up had Harry pull away, allowing the older man to push himself upwards, arms going to move and cross behind his head at the small ruffle of his hair.

            “Psh, it ain’t that hard ...”

So an organized twenty-man unit squad doing rotations, minimum forty people, max one-twenty. He needed to be prepared for the max, even if Harry did trust Alvin’s gut instinct on the lower number.

Harry’s gaze didn’t lift from the papers, his face contorted into one of concentration and thought. How best to move his pieces around. If they were settled up near the Manor of the Wicked, they’d need to get a boat, or have one docked near-by to take the trip to Desier, let alone the trip inland to Temza ... Having the supplies to make a trip was one thing, but a boat was another.

Then again ...

      “I don’t know of a ruin south of Temza ... pro’lly just my shoddy memory.” Karol would, though. But Harry didn’t want to get Brave Vesperia involved until he could make sure everyone would be safe. “Though I do agree ... what they plan on findin’ there might be a problem.” He glanced over one of the earlier pages, “They’re organized ... that’s unusual for normal thugs. Did you get a chance to see the person leadin’ them at all? Or a means of transportation t’get to Desier?”

“Whaaaaat? Of course I’m classy! The key is that ya don’t look up their skirts when they see ya look’n- C’mon, any self-respect’n man knows that essential rule ta manhood! They know yer gonna take a good long gander, hell they’ll check your assets out too when they can. Lads and Ladies….we’re all out here ready for a treat ta the old eyes an’ anyone who says otherwise don’t know what they’re talk’n about! I should know, I mean look at me- my fans all over th’ world are just dy’n ta spend time with me. Yer just a young’n….I won’t blame ya for not know’n how ta work a woman’s heart yet.”

He gave a wink to the young man and a grin that spoke so strongly of his own mischievous nature.

      “I may be daft, but I ain’t stupid. No girl thinks it’s endearing to see a guy lookin’ them over like a piece of meat. An’ I’m more than certain they always know.”

Harry’s expression flattened as Raven coined his own grin, the mischievous nature that Harry could generally mimic. Though his own slipped more so to crude jokes rather than spying on women, no matter how much he took after (one of) his role models.

       “Old man, I think you’re too caught up ‘n yer own world. Make ‘em feel like it’s a game and they won’t treat ya seriously. Or yer feelings. Sounds stupid t’me. Need to be more straightforward or else you’ll just confuse ‘em as to what you want and what type of person you are.”

Cue the corresponding old man whining.

    This Whitehorse let out an irritated huff.

“Awww….c’mon, can’t a guy go an’ complain about stuff without you gett’n all naggy with’em. Don’t I get enough’a that shit from gramps?”

Letting his shoulders droop, the older man looked at the boy with the slightest of pouts. It was true, he was off doing things for the guild, some of which was that waiter duty he had been subjected to on and off for years but this time….but that really wasn’t what had him so overworked this time. It was his other life, the one he couldn’t speak of…the one that, to these people, didn’t exist….that life was what had him so worn down.

But, for the sake of keeping that kind of exhaustion secret, the older man gave the boy a playful wink. He was supposed to be helping Harry cheer up right now, not ruminating over his own problems.

“Can’t say they like go’n too easy on this old timer down at that tavern. Sometimes I think they pick on me in particular! Not that ,I guess, that’s really uncalled for ‘cuz I throw it right back at’em every opportunity I can. ‘S part of the good ol’ guild life, ain’t it?”

Elbowing the boy back, playfully, Raven gave a more genuine smile than he had before…even with the whining.

     “Hey, if I get teased, you can handle a bit’a yer own medicine.”

Harry chuckled lightly at the pout. Unmoved by it, apparently. Shoulders and hands falling into a much more lax state. He watched Raven carefully, noting the playful wink despite the underlaying tiredness. Maybe he ought to talk to his grandpa about the work Raven received and see if he could get the archer a little break. Just a day ... He didn’t like seeing Raven really tired. Especially when Raven was one of their strongest members. Harry generally understood what overwork could do to someone.

But, for now, until he could step over his mistake from earlier, Harry wasn’t getting anywhere close to helping lighten anyone’s schedule.

    “Pfft, heheh, yep. Besides, gotta do somethin’ to keep that old man brain’a yers sharp and attentive, don’t they? Especially if ya really are gettin as rusty as you claim.” 

There was no flinch, but a grin at the playful elbow, unable to hold back the small snort of laughter that escaped from lips. He shifted forward a little, hands slipping behind his back as he gave Raven a rather mischievous smirk.

     “Who? Me? Li’l Harry Whitehorse give you abuse? Since when have I ever done somethin’ like that?”

Harry practically sang the words. Unable to keep the shit eating grin from his mouth.