Ashan 68 719
It'd been midday when Patrick had arrived what he used to call Dust Town, but that name now remained only a shadow of what it used to be. Now Patrick could hardly go anywhere without seeing a patrol, which in truth meant good for the people in this Quarter now... but if only it were sooner. Needless to say with the diminishing rate in crime it proved difficult to find contacts, subjects that new ins and outs with getting involved with the underside of Rharne. Even more challenging would be the attempt to reach the Shadow Quarter yet again, when he had come so close just shortly before he needed to depart from Rharne. But as of today....
Streets were busy with roaming locals as they worked or attended daily routine, and while Patrick had gone fishing among sources still considerably worth checking; he'd found a means of getting back into the game shortly afterwards. It wasn't going to be easy, especially if he needed to get his hands dirty. Hell just even going to that part of town still felt risky, when he remembered the sort of crowds it drew in. The Pits. How long had he avoided that place? All of his life if he could, there was a time or two he'd seen the sport they played there.
Any poor sod who wanted to test their luck and win over a crowd, they merely had to consort with the shady proprietors. Lately though it seemed to be less active apparently, and more of a background locale for types that liked to... make deals. It just so happened that the first supplier he needed to find would be there, but to win him over with nothing to go on was next to impossible. No... Patrick would have to be clever as well as brawny, relying on not just leverage but possibly brute force. But that was thinking too far ahead, right now he needed to find this dealer.
Patrick walked with a casual demeanor adorned with his green shirt and blue pants, the domain bag strapped to his shoulder as he moved to further along the street. Already his left turn took him down a part of the town just barely touched by the remodel projects, where the rundown area of the pit still remained with a group of men loitering in the stalls. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves with bottles of beer, but a whiff of the air and Pat could detect the burnt smell of herb. Whatever they were smoking... was inviting to the senses the closer he grew. There were about five men each varying in shape and size, and all had their eyes on Patrick now that he'd approached them. "It's a good trial to smoke." He remarked with a slight smirk to hide the nervousness. "Don't suppose any of you know where I can get some."
Each one seemed to speculate differently but their looks suggested a mixture of the same, which was either Patrick was daft or extremely bold in saying that. Three of the five hardly changed their stern serious expression, but the other two left appeared to grin after hearing that. "You smoke too?" A bronze skinned with shaggy hair with poorly woven braids on one side.
"Hell yeah," Pat remarked with a low tone of enthusiasm and an added nod, "Where I work at we use enhancers." Sure enough that statement brought very slight ease into the wary.
"Where's that?" The same man asked with fingers tapping against the hairs of chin.
"Harlot 'n' Hound. Heard of it? I'm sure you've enjoyed the company there once or twice." At that remark the bronze-skinned guy chuckled, and a moment later it looked as though the others tried not to.
"You seem like fun company," He remarked as his partner seemed to light a blunt, when he nodded and it was held for him to take; Patrick accepted it with his smirk a little wider. This was clearly a test now, and Patrick already had a hunch who the dealer of the group was. With the end brought between his lips the bartender inhaled to take a drag from the blunt, as he felt the smoke fill his lungs deep from the first hit he took off the substance. His cheeks flushed as he kept it in as long as he could, until finally the release produced a white cloud out of his nostrils. Now the group as a whole laughed lowly.
"Whew," He sighed as he felt his mind grow numb, "that's good shit."
"It's Reev, imported from Ne'haer."
"No shit?" Patrick raised an eyebrow as he looked at the blunt, happy to tag a name to the purple substance wrapped within the sheet. "Been a while since I visited there. Might have to go back." The bronze-skinned grinned wider with curiosity, noticing the halo around Pat's wrist as he took another hit of the blunt.
"Nice little gimmick you got there."
"Thanks," Patrick managed to utter through an exhale as the Reev kicked in, "I'd say it's for sale but unfortunately blessings don't work that way." This brought mirth out of the group now as they all seemed to visibly relax, the rest of them more curious as the dealer accepted the passing of the blunt. "You know it's actually kind of funny, Immortals mark who they choose and yet... I feel this is all just a sense of divine intervention."
"How so?" The dealer inquired with an eyebrow raised.
"I've got a good business deal going in the Earth Quarter, but need a few friends in the Dust Quarter. Maybe you're looking for a bit of a new business avenue?"
"Maybe... What's the business you're looking for?"
"Just simple trade really, some drug deals exchanged here and there. You've got people in Ne'haer obviously, and I've got people here in the higher places of Rharne." At that implication the dealer seemed intrigued. "You help me out and I'll help you. Whattya say?"
"I'd say you're pretty gutsy stranger." He responded as the blunt made it's way back to Patrick. "What's in it for me?"
"Aside from higher paying clients who'd appreciate the hard to get shit?" Patrick remarked with a modest shrug before hitting it again, after a few Bits passed he finally puffed a trail of smoke overhead with a long exhale. "You'd be helping me make more friends along the way, so naturally I'd be able to pull more favors for you as well."
"Higher paying clients does sound promising..." He considered with a finger and thumb curled at his chin.
"Yeah? I can hook you up with a few, pull some strings at the Harlot. The only thing I need is information."
"About??"
Patrick's lips widened into an incredible grin as he looked down at the drug dealer, knowing that this would indeed be the groundwork that'd get him started once more. "I'm looking to find two individuals in particular, one a blonde guy who is part of a private organization. He deals in drugs and shady shit here in the Dust Quarter, so you'll more than likely find a means of running into him."
"The fuck?!" The dealer sounded nervous suddenly, as if the description already agitated him... or maybe it was Pat's subtle implication that they'd already worked together. It was no surprise honestly as he'd hoped the guy's influence remained prominent here, what he failed to consider though was how quickly the dealer's buddies got riled up. Almost as if they were ready for a fight in fact, in which Patrick backed away with hands held up in surrender. "Who do you take me for?"
"Certainly not for a fool I assure you! He's a friend that I owe and want to pay in full, but he's difficult to reach so I'm just looking for a connection!" He eagerly explained as the men around the dealer paused to look at their leader, while he seemed to deeply consider the proposal at hand.
"Who's the other guy?" He finally asked after a few drawn out Bits, Patrick's nervous smile slowly developed into yet another grin.
"Pat", "NPC"
