Kon had been in Magnolia town for only a few days and he had already started to regret his decision in coming to the town he had only just recently attacked. Oddly there had been no Fairy Tail members what so ever in the town since he had been there. He had even been told by equally confused citizens of the town that numerous members had gone without a reason. He wasn’t going to complain about the circumstances as it gave him time to do the things he needed, including completing some odd jobs swiftly and efficiently to earn some money. Fortunately he already had one job lined up already, Barras, a smith of that town of whom he had already had prior interactions with learnt of his presence in the town and formally requested his presence.

He was more than happy to assist the smith with his jobs knowing that while the job that he requested of him would be hard he would be well compensated for his work. In any event however he would be bringing his staff a custom that he would do not matter the situation. If he didn’t need it he would just put it aside, if the chance of it being stolen became apparent he would cast some summons to protect.

Before he could start working for the smith, Kon would first have to prepare himself for the daily activities by first having a quick shower albeit with some slight hesitation ever apparent from his change in race, before giving himself a close shave with a straight razor wearing nothing save for his towel. Eventually having removed the hair from his face, he donned his clothes and headband. Finally he wrapped his right hand and forearm in thick, white bandage, with the remaining portions being tucked into itself tightly.

Leaving his temporary residences without breakfast, he nabbed up his staff and had his Zebstrika companion, Sparky follow after him with a gentle tap. “Come boy, follow me.” Leading him to the smith, he looked upwards to find that a light drizzle was starting to fall from a cloudless sky. “Odd.” he thought to himself, though overlooked it. The Smithy was relatively close to the inn where Kon was staying meaning that there was little to no rush for him to get there. As usual on a day like this the doors for the building were left open to allow for proper air circulation to pass through it.

Wanting to reveal his presence to the hard working smith who was bent over working away at a block of heated metal he tapped his staff against one of the doors. “Barras, you wanted me?” He shouted at the worker repetitively with him being unable to hear. Finally to truly get his attention with the man still hammering away he entered the room and tap him directly on the shoulder. Alerted by his presence, Barras clutched onto his hammer slightly harder before turning towards him, as he did realising it was Kon, he placed it down casually. Removing some pads from his ears, he commented to him. “I can’t hear you with these in, you know.”

529/2000

Acknowledging the comment, Kon simply nodded, before questioning him about the job he wanted him for. “So Barras, what do you need from me?” Removing the gloves from his hands, Barras scratched his chin. “I need you to collect some goods from me, specifically some high quality ore that I’ll be using to make some weapons with, curious thing is the price the seller is asking for it.” Realising that Barras wanted him for protection in case things went south, he responded. “And you would like me to protect you if things turn sour?, or do you want me to look after the entire situation myself, I’m comfortable doing either.” “For me completely, everything has already been established and they don’t know what I look like so you’re perfect, do we have a deal?.” Stretching out his hand to finalise the request.

Accepting the job without hesitation, Kon shook the man’s hand then departed the Smithy after receiving information regarding the sale itself. They would be meeting at an alleyway near the outskirts of the city, he was perfectly comfortable with it being there though it did raise his suspicions further. Wielding his staff with his right hand, he tapped it casually against the ground as he walked towards his destination.

Eventually he came to a small caravan being headed by a sleazy looking merchant and an aide. The caravan itself was odd in construction particularly considering what it was suppose to be used for, carrying heavy metal ore. Eventually the aide spotted him and his Zebstrika as they got even closer and spoke the other man inaudibly at this distance. The two stared directly at him with hostile intentions easily visible in their gazes. Kon was standing a fair distance at the time well within talking area which would give him enough time to cast down summons all around or even directly attack himself if the things turned violent.

Wanting to get the deal over and done with, he spoke to the more merchant looking individual. “Are you Tim?, I’m here to buy your ore.” A perplex look fell onto the man as he scanned Kon from top to bottom. “You’re Barras?, you don’t look like a blacksmith.” Speaking with urgency and nervousness. “Yeah, I’m Tim, it’s not like it matters anyway.” Remaining stationary and waiting for Kon to move closer, the aide instead now spoke. “Well are we going to do this or not?” “Yeah, yeah.” The merchant retorted with Kon remaining mute.

With the deal at a standstill as a result of his hesitance, the Holy Knight made his way to Sparky placed the staff onto a strap of his saddle. Returning his attention to the men, he spoke to them once more before removing a brown, leather bag full of jewels from his pocket and clutching it in his left hand. The funds being revealed, Kon didn’t have much time at all before the merchant and aide pounced upon him. While he did look like he was completely weaponless now that he had relinquished his staff onto the saddle, he did still have his claws, a new racial characteristic that he had yet to use.


1058/2000

Allowing the bag to fall to the ground where he would be able to pick it up later, he drew up both of his hands into fists as if to shield his face from potential blows. As he did so, he also released the claws that were hidden within his hands to puncture through the soft tissue between his knuckles. These claws he then used to surprise his oncoming targets who seemed to be attacking him with nothing but their fists. While Kon wasn’t the greatest of fighters himself preferring to coordinate fights than go head on the claws would give him the advantage.

The aide was the first to reach him and thus attack him, it was clear that he was a component fighter on par with his own abilities, however his advantage was clear when Kon after cutting and slashing enough of the man slowing his reactions, landed an unintentional fatal piercing blow into the man’s right eye as he wiggled between the man’s defenses. The mans final actions resulted in him clutching onto Kon’s forearm as blood dripped onto the ground. The merchant meanwhile could do little beside kick and hit him, it was truly pathetic. Kon merely looked downward at the merchant who he had otherwise ignored for the time being as he allowed the aide to continue twitching with his claws remaining in him keeping him up.

While the man wasn’t long for the world he still managed to speak at least in a garbled fashion to the other. “I pfft told you uggh this was blargh a bad time.” Before finally letting go of both Kon’s arm and his life altogether. Acknowledge the death of his comrade, the merchant attempted to turn tail and flee however he would be escaping anytime soon. His fate was equally made for him, when the merchant slipped on a nearby puddle created from the slight downpour earlier.

Looking up at the blonde haired mage, he pleaded for his life. “Please, don’t kill me, I have so much to give to this world.” Scoffing at the man’s comment he retorted. “Based on what I’ve seen here today that won’t be happening whether or not I let you live, better to kill you and use you than to let you roam freely to harm and steal from others.” Gripping the man’s ratty clothes, he pulled him up and questioned him. “Where did you get all this ore anyway?” “We stole it, now let me go.” For a moment he was almost tempted to based upon his earnest response, but that was not to be as he casually slid his claws against the man's throat.

Releasing his grasp on the man, he watched as Tim grasped his neck as if to stop the bleeding however as Kon was impeding his ability to leave and potentially seek aid, he could do little but slowly die. A pool of blood gradually formed from both of the men eventually merging as they expanded, he was forced to move back to prevent his shoes having blood on them. As he moved back, he also picked up the bag of money. The good being stolen meant that he would be unable to deliver the ore to Barras. The mission essentially failed and the risk of him being arrested for committing double homicide ever increasing, Kon fled the area with his Zebstrika still in toe.

1626/2000

He would need to return to Barras to explain the situation both of what had occurred and the outcome. Returning to the forge faster than when he left, he spotted Barras outside who seemed to be waiting for him. A look of disappointment was evident on the man’s face as the obvious truth was revealed. Wanting to discuss the mission with Kon, Barras came to him just as he did as well. Once in speaking range, Kon spoke. “Unfortunately it was a trap, the ore itself was stolen, by whom I do not know, nor will anyone as the merchant and his aide attacked me.” Finishing with a shrug as if it was an everyday thing for him to do, which in reality it pretty much was.

Revealing the bruises he had earnt in the fight by turning his faces slightly. “I was forced to defend myself and the two of them are no longer alive as a result.” A look of shock and horror fell upon his face as he figured out what he meant. “You killed them?” “Indeed I did.” Shaking his head, he was shocked about the extremity he had taken but otherwise moved past it. “While I don’t approve of murder, thank you for sticking your neck out for me, take that money.” Relieving Kon from further work for the day with a flick of his wrist while not even making a single backward glance at him. He left and returned to his forge leaving Kon alone with his Zebstrika, remembering that his staff was still attached to his companions saddle, he removed it to relieve the stallions load somewhat.

Having completed his task, he would retire and have something to eat as he hadn’t had any food for the day. “Hmm, I think I’ll have a pie.” He said out loud to no one specifically. Leaving the streets, Kon made his way back to the inn of which he was staying at in order to clean himself up, he hadn’t had the chance to look at himself personally as a result the shocked expression that those around him confused himself slight. When he entered his room and later his bathroom it became clear as his fists were soaked in blood from his own self inflicted injuries as well as specks of blood on his face.

Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to eat until he’d clean up he stripped himself while separating the bloody from the clean before stepping into the shower once more. Blood trickled from his body his wounds screamed in pain though he refrained from screaming himself, once he had cleaned up as much as he could left the shower and bandage himself up. Putting on new, clean clothes, Kon left his room to get some food to eat. The partons of the inn had since grown nervous of the mage with his violent appearance, because of this Kon left the inn and made his way to another establishment to have his lunch.

Total word count: 2127