'I swear, what would he do without me?' She thought walking towards a shady shop with its name lit up dimly compared to the lights of the city. The name barely legible to passing citizens.
Braxtons fine goods.
'Here, I thought I'd never have to see this man's ugly face again, god dammit ra-ra' sophie thought while turning to face the reinforced door that was attached to the run down building. As she went to lift the handle however something suddenly it swung open smacking her right in the face.
Whack!
"Ah! What the fuck was that?" Sophie snarled her radiating heat already seeping from her body, ready to lash out at the nearest body to her without issue.
"Oh crap, my bad miss! This old coot just decided to throw me out all because I questioned the authenticity of one god dam book!" A young man said in a hurry with an apologetic smile on his face.
The young man seemed hardly older than sophie, yet she didn't take her eyes off him studying everything she could visibly see, to make sure he wasnt an actual threat.
He was of a broad build with a high and tight haircut resembling those of the local military forces. His high cheek bones and turquoise blue eyes made his face easy to look at for anyone who saw him, and his charming smile seemed to portray someone of high social status.
'Cute or not I still wanna break at least one bone on you for hitting me with a fucking door.' She thought while looking the man up and down. A deep frown still affixed to her face.
"Ok so? Is that your way of apology or your excuse because depending on the answer, I'm going to hurt that pretty face, dude." Sophie snapped, her pearl hair touching the ground still as she didn't make a move to stand up the only motion she exerted was piercing the strange young man with her scarlet ember eyes.
"I think we got off on the wrong foot, miss." He said as he shyly rubbed the back of his neck.
"I truly didn't intend to hit you with the door, but if you want to blame anyone blame old man braxton. I'm sorry if I hurt you or offended you in anyway, so let's try this again. My name is erith it's a pleasure to meet you, well considering the circumstances of course!" He smiled widely with one hand extended to Sophie.
Looking at eriths hand with a bit of apprehension she took it. After being pulled up to her feet she calmed herself as to not burn the strange man in a wave of heat, and create even more problems for herself.
"My name is sophie, it's nice too meet you as well erith." She said dryly, she didn't know who this man really was but she was in no mood to exchange pleasantries any further.
"Now if you'll excuse me I have matters to discuss with the old man." Turning to walk into the shop a second time, erith grabbed her shoulder.
"Look I'm pretty sure all his goods are either fake or stolen, it's in your best interest not to get tangled up with a shady man like him." Erith stated sternly.
Suddenly feeling a burn touch his palm like he had placed it on a red hot stove, he pulled away as fast as he could but the damage was already there. Looking down he saw a fresh third degree burn on his open hand that appeared in an instant.
"What the hell..." He gazed at his palm in utter confusion and disbelief, then looked up at the strange woman he had just met,her face was a mixture of calm,and composure but underneath the mask he saw nothing but rage.
"I'll decide who I associate with and if you value your safety you'll do good to keep your hands to yourself motherfucker." Sophie snarled the anger lacing her words with a venom. Entering the shop she left the stunned erith outside without even glancing back.
However as she walked in she lightly touched her shoulder and grimaced, 'it still happens even when I restrain myself...' She thought while rubbing a similar burn to eriths.
"Hey! If it isn't my favorite demon-kin,the hellfire princess herself! What can a humble old man do for you today my dear sophie?" A man bellowed out after seeing a young woman approach his counter.
Braxton was a man of decent height standing at a fair five feet ten inches, he was a bit taller than sophie. His face painted a clear picture of someone who lived in the slums nearly their whole life and climbed their way out. With scars and wrinkles lining his face covering just about every millimeter it was easy to mistake him for a veteran even though he never participated in a genuine battlefield. His attitude seemed lax for someone of his age but the look in his beady eyes showed a shrewd man capable if ripping anyone off with out an ounce of guilt.
His shop smelled of old chemicals and deterioration as if the items have been on the shelves longer than the city has been standing. The place was in dire need of repair making any potential patron think there was nothing of note here, however some items looked to be of immense value.
Before even responding to the old man sophie started to look around the shop taking in everything in her line of sight it didnt take her long before she noticed multiple items from ra-ra's home. Most notably....his sword,the silver blade was far too beautiful and unique to just be replica or a fake.
'I was hoping to be wrong but it seems there is more corruption among the authorities than I expected.' Sofie thought with disappointment.
It was unfortunate but also just a facate of the society that was built here. People stealing and selling the same day to make a quick credit when their salaries could barely feed a family of three. It's no wonder they sold all of ranikas possessions.
Finally looking at the old man sophie said,"You know why I'm here braxton, the authorities raided my friends home under a pretense of a crime scene and I'm here to get all his shit back."
"Just because you have a bit of power don't presume you can make such claims haphazardly princess, if I have something you want pay for it like the rest or get the hell out." Braxton snapped knowing full well his bravado was a front, but a well rehearsed one. Growing up in the dirt and grime of the city taught him to never fold under pressure.
"Bring me everything those corrupt cops stole from my friend and then tell me the price old man, I could give a shit less about threatening you. I have credits to spare." She said confidently before thinking to herself.
'Of course they aren't my credits but ra-ra won't care will he?'
A few minutes passed before braxton brought out a box filled to the brim with notes,books and ancient texts that even sophie couldn't begin comprehend the words feeling familiar but also vague and distant,and on top of all that was the blade that shined like the moon and stars. It's beautiful silver sheen was truly gorgeous, like a star forged into a weapon befitting a god, with its purple grip seemingly wrapped in soft amethyst it was truly stunning.
"Where is the armor braxton?" Sophie asked a bit frustrated and disappointed to not see ra-ra's sleek midnight obsidian armor in the pile.
"I wasn't given armor princess, if it wasn't brought to me then I don't know who has it to be frank, im sorry. Now the price is thirty thousand credits are you gonna pay or not?" He said matter-of-factly, his voice sounding even but the tone of what he was saying hinted that he was eager to get this done and over with.
'If the princess is the one hunting these items then that friend of hers is someone I'd rather not meet.' He thought.
"Yeah, hold out your terminal old man I'll transfer them now." Sighing in resignation she transferred the full amount then grabbed the box without so much as a goodbye to the old coot. The way she moved made her appear agitated however...
'It may not be everything that was stolen but I'm sure this will make ra-ra happy right?' She thought with a smile on her face.