nysalogs | (closed) Running like a dog never making connections

Richard was not the first anyone would suggest for going on any kind of manhunt. Although he did patrols, he had never been assigned one and had mostly involved him wandering through the city and getting lost until he called a cab to take him home. With how many times he had been lost, he really should have learned the layout of the city. But unfortunately this was the King who would sometimes get lost in his own castle if he didn't have someone with him. He was doing little better now.

"Well, we're looking for the shadiest part of town, right? So I've been following my tried and true method of getting there." He tapped his nose. "The shadows will lead the way."

It had been before noon when they set off. It was now after that. This posed a problem because in that time, the shadiest part of town had moved from west side of Olympia to the east.

Olivier stops to stare at him completely dumbfounded. Did he really just mistake shadiest (as in questionable) with shadiest (meaning cool or dark)?

"We are looking for areas criminals would gather not which side of town the sun is opposite." This was a test. It had to be. No one was this inept, so they had to be testing her to see what she would do in a stressful situation. A stupid move considering things were stressful enough, but she would prevail. "Besides, you do know you can't smell a shadow, right?"

"Of course you can't smell a shadow." But no, she had a good point. Of course the shadiest end of town wasn't going to be on the town most shaded. That much was obvious. That was a piece of information that he was fully and completely aware of now that she had made it sound stupid. He coughed. "But you know, I think we're all well investigated in this sector. This next one, I think, will be more revealing."

He'd heard stories of the so called Red District. It seemed like just the sort of place that lowlives would congregate. And he was almost certain that he actually knew where it was, too. Once he figured out where they were, he could even get them there.

How could anyone be so dense? Olivier had dealt with enough idiots throughout her career but this one was special. Still, she was new to the guard. She'd have to climb her way back to the top and if that meant standing around waiting for her chance by working with people like Richard, she'd do it. Olivier was good at playing the game to get where she wanted to be.

"We can certainly hope so."

Another half or more of navigating the parts of the city that were in dire need of a GPS, Richard had at last navigated them into the very heart of the so-called Red Light District. The more livelier parts of the entertainment area had gotten quieter, darker, and a little bit more revealing. There were already examples of men and women standing in front of buildings coyly trying to draw attention to themselves.

"These poor people," Richard comments quietly to Olivier. "So destitute they can't even afford all their clothing."

He caught a shirtless man casually flexing a muscle and quickly looked away. If you looked at a poor person, they would probably ask you for money.

Olivier's eye twitches at the display. She's seen enough of her brother Alex showing off that one more man doing so didn't do anything but annoy her. Richard's display of stupidity, or perhaps it was naivety, bothered her more.

"Did you live in a religious commune of some sort before coming here? You can't honestly tell me you have no idea what is going on in this section of town." She might be from the 1910s and an elite family, but Olivier recognized the signs, and usage, of a brothel. "They are dressed like that for a reason."

Richard shrugs a bit sheepishly. "I admittedly didn't go mingling in towns that often. I didn't really fit in."

For some reason going into the rough part of the neighborhood wearing a crown just didn't have the effect you would expect. People got all weird about him and his armed guard showing up with him. Either way, she's made her point and he looks at the people in a different.

"... my God, do you think they're dressed like that on purpose?"

There's a very tiny part of her that wants to ask if he ever fit in anywhere that she squashes down quickly. She's also squashing down the fact that she did something similar not too long ago, for other reasons... oh hell, she was no better than they were."Yes, yes they are. They have a service they are selling and it's how they attract attention and therefore, customers."

Why be coy when you can be blunt? "Seriously, what kind of man doesn't recognize a whore?" Maybe she should have been less harsh with her words but other than hitting him over the head, Olivier wasn't sure Richard was going to catch on anyway.

Richard stares at her, his mouth agape. He couldn't believe she would go so far as to throw accusations around like that. He turns to one of the women and smiles apologetically as if to excuse Olivier's callous words, then turns back to her and whispers sharply back at her. "You can't call them whores! My God, these are hard working women deserving of respect in spite of their wardrobe malfunction and economic misfortune!"

So maybe he thought of 'whore' as only an insult, as that was basically the only context he ever really got to hear it in. He had some pretty traditional views on marriage and sex which did not in any way leave room for anything else.

Why were her men still in stasis when she needed them?

"I am not disrespecting them for it." She might not completely approve of the job, but Olivier was a practical woman. If there wasn't a need for such a position people wouldn't take it up as employment. The women and occasional men kept morale up for troops and other patrons.

"They sell their bodies for sex. They are literal whores."

While the women nearby start to laugh at Olivier's explanation, and her obvious exasperation, one of the prettier men on the street calls out to them. Hey sweetheart. Come back when you're not working and I'll show you both a good time.

Richard pauses momentarily to shoot finger guns at the pretty man who had promised them a good time. It was only the polite thing to do since it was pretty darn nice of him to be so friendly. Richard was always for a good time, especially when it involved games!

But he grows grave as he turns back to Olivier. "Oh, so you mean... whore whores." He frowns thoughtfully as he watches a man walking away with one of the women and wonders if the man knew too. "Well I am disrespecting them, then! That's terrible!"

Olivier went to amend her statement so it included the men and then just closed her mouth. It wasn't worth it. At least the man seemed to finally understand the situation.

"They're still the same women they were two minutes ago when you had no idea what they did for a living. And it won't do to disrespect them. We need to ask if they have any information regarding the bombing."

"You think that just because they're low life sex paying miscreants that they'll know about the bombers?" Richard pauses, then seems to accept this as a likely scenario. "Oh, very good. I'll have to remember that for later. Tucking it away."

He walks away from Olivier and over to one of the women who is flaunting enough cleavage to hold a parade through. He fixes the whore with a very stern look. "Young lady, I think we both know why I am here."

After this is over, she's going to find a bar and order the most expensive thing she can afford. And then several of the least expensive things she can afford. She will have earned it.

"Well as long as you've got the silver..."

Richard smiles wanly, only a little put off that he's being asked to pay up. It wasn't really a good idea to try and pull something like this with a guard, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Oh, I think for the right price we might arrange something."

"Oh do tell."

He slyly removes a few coins from his coin purse and presents a whole five of them. "I'm sure this will get you talking."

"Honey," she says as patiently as possible. "Talking is the only thing that'll get you."

At this point, Olivier has had enough (of Richard, of this whole damn mess, of this planet) and decides to break into the conversation to save everyone from any misunderstandings.

"I'm sorry, but we're here officially." She taps the stone on her chest, "talk is all we want."

The woman has the decency to look a bit offended at that, but a silver's a silver and talking doesn't take long. So talk.

It was best to get right to the point. "I know this part of town is full of --interesting people, but have you noticed anyone that seems out of place or extra shady of late?"

"Besides you two?" The woman laughs, even as she takes the silver from Richard. "You two are guards, don't you know already? Shades Darker is where you want to go. It's not a bad place, but some of the people who go there, well...."

Richard claps his hands together. "Oho, sounds sinister!"

"It's a brothel, honey."

"Oh." Richard looks at Olivier. "I really feel like this is a dead end. Let's not."

He was not emotionally prepared to walk into a brothel. God only knew what would happen to him if he did.

While she didn't mind the idea of entering such a place - even she knew they didn't do anything out in the open, or at least she assumed so - she was not about to walk in there with Richard. Someone might get the wrong idea.

She's still able to smile, sort of, and be gracious, "Thank you ladies for your time and assistance," before grabbing Richard by the arm and pulling him back the way they came.

Richard uselessly gets dragged along because frankly he's likely to loose a contest of strength with just a regular woman, much less Olivier. He scampers after staring aghast at this whole new part of Olympia that's been exposed to him.

"I really should reiterate it's a dead end."

It wasn't about what people might think of him walking into a brothel with her. His concern was how did he even do anything in a brothel. He was a complete neophyte in the ways of... brothely things! He'd never fit in!

Once they are far enough away she lets go of him. "Of course it is, but I wasn't about to leave you there." No matter how entertaining it might have been she wouldn't have done that to anyone. Those women didn't deserve it.

"You can go give our report," what there was to make of one, "and I'll head off to do something else." Most likely get a drink or find someone to spar with, either would do to clear her head.

(closed) Running like a dog never making connections

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