The little jingle from a store is heard as the four of them enter it. "Go ahead, grab something, don't think you guys have eaten since we've met. Unless Gris went ahead and did whatever she can and gave you some type of nutrients while you were knocked out, but still go ahead and get something at least." And that they did, they each grabbed their own drink and snack while Cassian was talking to someone else there of was and when at the time as they did find things for themselves.
And soon after they got their things, and Cassian got done talking to the person he knew who was also there, they left. However, once they get somewhere so that Cassian can put down the portal to go to the black market, someone almost immediately falls out from the other side. The person, who seemed to be an angelite with halo and things resembling wings behind their back. They quickly scramble to close the portal before looking back at the four as they spoke.
"If I were any of you, I would not want to go there right now." A simple sigh was let out by Cassian as he looked at this figure, "Let me guess, Gris st-" "Started the Black Market Beatdown? Yeah." After that was said, Cassian rubs his temple as he tries to gather his thoughts. "Great. Of course she did. I wasn't expecting this for another few months, but I was also expecting the unexpected from her kinda like I do with Willow and V, so it doesn't count." He said, trailing off from his initial thought before returning back to reality.
"So, what's your name?" It was Mike who decided to ask this question first as the one got up and dusted themselves off. "Name's Garrett." He said, getting up and dusting himself off. "And you are?" He inquired, wanting to know all of their names. And after they had said all of their names, he gave a slight nod to them. "Alrighty then, so where exactly am I right now?"
He wanted to know where he was at the time, but, instead, Pat decided to ask him a question as well before he could get an answer, "What's the 'Black Market Beatdown'?" Yet again, Cassian took it upon himself to answer the question instead of letting Garrett since he was already used to answering their questions.
"Well, in the black market, there's usually this tournament held for both assassins and mercenaries to determine who the best one around is. It isn't really a big deal, it's really just going to stroke the egos of those who enter it if they win the thing. Of course, the assassins are more like hitmen, but everyone's come to a universal agreement to just call them assassins because it sounds better."
Mike then asks, "So what happens to the winners and losers of them?" "Oh, nothing much. It's just really a cash prize that they get from winning it. As for the losers, they just get to say they participated. And a lot of people want that money, so they'll usually scramble to try and get their name on the board to participate in it. Which I'm guessing is why you jumped through so you didn't get trampled?" A nod is what Garrett gives before rubbing his eyes, "Yeah, that's pretty much the gist of it."
"And Gris is the one who runs the entire thing?" Alex ponders, before Garrett is the one who is able to answer, "She's been the one running it for the past... what has it been now?" Not even he knew how long it's been. But as he wondered, Cassian also started thinking about it, unsure as well. That was until Pat spoke out and shocked pretty much everyone there. "At least three years."
They all looked at him, but while Garrett was doing so in a form of remembrance to being told as to how long it's been since he obviously forgot. Cassian, Alex, and Mike, however, were in a form of wondering how he knew that. And even he had a surprised reaction at the fact that he also knew that. All until Cassian scoffed at this, "Gris, you crazy bitch." After saying that, he let out a chuckle and walked over to the teleporter that Garrett had turned off.
"I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting any of you to remember anything so soon. But, guess that's a good start. Maybe you others will get an idea on what to do soon as well. But, for now, we still have to get this demon blood to Gris. I wouldn't be surprised if this is why she wanted us to go get it." He activates the teleporter again and looks back at the main three he was initially with.
"Okay, if everything's right, we should be placed somewhere safe so that we don't got to deal with any rush and so that we can find her easier. And then you can go ahead and get yourself a nice view of the tournament." He begins to walk through alongside the others until Garrett asks, "Hey, can I tag along? I've never actually met her, and I've always kind of wanted to. And all of you seem to be accustomed to knowing her. So, can I?"
"Yeah, sure, c'mon, I don't think anything bad'll happen if someone else were to tag along. I've already had these three stuck with me for a while. One more won't hurt." Jokingly Cassian said as he motions for the others to follow him through the portal. Both Mike and Alex follow right behind him as Pat is still shocked at his own revelation, still stuck in his thoughts.
Garrett chooses to let him stay there for a moment as he goes through. "Oh, no, wait, was it actually five years? Or was it three?" Pat pondered to himself, wondering if he somehow got his own somehow now known knowledge wrong while walking through. The portal's opening closed behind him as he did so.