Beast Toast - View Single Post

**Ristaron** · 07-26-2008, 12:23 AM

As Matthias left his house, he went over his brief image of the man from the café. As the initial image of the man's face -- full of anger and panic -- had become less potent in his memory. With some concentration, the immortal had picked out a few other details he had noticed. The man's dual swords, an uncommon (but not unheard of) style, his distinct red hair, and the prominent bulls-eye emblem on the back of his leather jacket.

From his brief meeting of the man, Matthias had made several conclusions about him. The man was obviously new to the Game, or simply didn't care if he gave away his cover. He was also very evidently paranoid, and therefore wasn't likely to have traveled far from his comfortable radius; and since Matthias had frequented that café and never encountered the man before was indicative that he likely avoided becoming a regular at any of the local cafés.
That being said, he was hardly inconspicuous.
Might as well start with the nearby cafés, then, Matthias decided, I need to find this guy before he blows everyone's cover.

The sun was waning as Matthias entered the first of the other local cafés. His initial questions didn't get him much information, though it seemed like it was perpetually teeming with activity, and would repel a sociopath anyways. Two other local cafés turned up similar results before Matthias came upon a smaller, hole-in-the-wall café.
I swear, Matthias grumbled to himself, if I have to buy one more cup of coffee for nothing...

Pushing open the door, a bell rang in "A" tune to alert the tender of the cash register that a customer had arrived. The café was similar to most of the local taverns, complete with the brass oak bar and booths. It was as if someone had simply converted the establishment from serving liquor to serving caffeine. Strolling up to the bar, Matthias took a seat on one of the cushioned stools.
"How's your evening?" the tender inquired.
"Tedious", Matthias answered flatly.
"How about a coffee to keep you going", the man offered, flashing a toothy smile. The immortal smiled at the sales technique.
"I'll just have a green tea", he said, "but maybe you can help me solve the problem that's been driving me to every coffee shop in this part of town".
"Oh?" the man's expression became quizzical.
"I'm trying to track down a friend of mine", Matthias began as the bartender placed the steaming mug of green tea before him. "He's hard to miss, red hair, about 5'7", maybe about two hundred pounds... kind of a dodgy guy, a bit frenetic. Wears a leather jacket with a prominent bullseye on the back".
Prior to the last feature, the bartender had maintained a forced-pensive expression as Matthias listed the description of hundreds of clients each year. When Matthias mentioned the unique leather jacket, however, the man's face lit up with recognition.
"Ah!", he exclaimed, "the owner of the pawn shop down the street! 'Stuff', I think it's called".
Matthias chuckled slightly. "That sounds like him", he said, playing up the disguise.
Finishing his tea, Matthias dropped the last of the change he had brought with him on the counter and left.

As the immortal made his way up to the shop he was looking for, he felt the unique sensation of another immortal's presence.
"I guess this is the right place", Matthias said to himself, ignoring the CLOSED sign and knocking on the glass pane of the front door".