[Jaykobell]

The two groups went their separate ways as agreed, with Sergio and Heulog going back to where they had left off, while Clovis and Hark went off in a brand new area of town. Surely, one of the two teams would find what we they were looking for.

As they headed out and walked down the streets, Clovis noticed Hark being particularly quiet. Some peace and quiet wasn't unwelcome, but to keep his annoying mouth shut really wasn't like Hark at all.

[Jaykobell]

Regardless, their goal was to find a boat for cheap. Clovis assumed Hark was still a bit shaken from Heulog's stunt, and that he was putting the God's advice to good use. Granted, Hark listening to anyone but himself was an anomaly as well.

There weren't as many boat shops in their area, but there was still a respectable handful of them to check out. It made it a bit more manageable, a strange way. But with Hark staying quiet, the haggling became Clovis's responsibility.

[Jaykobell]

While he had managed to get a good deal once or twice, ultimately, none of those shops could provide what the team needed. Either the price was too high, or the boat itself seemed more rickety than their budget for it. Only one shop had come close to giving them a good deal, but...

"Well..." The owner put a hand to his chin, and his face twisted into an expression that was deep in thought. "I guess maybe we could work something out..."

[Jaykobell]

Being patient and understanding wasn't really Clovis's forte, but with Hark refusing to help and Sergio absent, he had no choice but to bite his tongue and play the part. "That would be great," he replied to the owner, his patience, which had been running thin, recovering a little at the thought of finally landing a good deal. "We would really appreciate it a lot."

"Well, I guess," the owner said. "But I'm still not sure if this is a good idea," he admitted.

[Jaykobell]

"You're not giving me a whole lot of money for this," he pointed out, and suddenly, all hopes of working out a deal seemed to have evaporated. "And if you are heading out to fight whatever's out there..." His face shifted, fear flashing across it for just a moment. "Who's gonna pay for damages if something happens to my boat?"

The urge to smack some sense into this man was unbearable. For the sake of the group, Clovis did his best to keep a smile on his face.

[Jaykobell]

He probably would have managed to force a sweet reply out as well if Hark hadn't decided to get involved. "Oh, for God's sake," his impatient reply came as he stared coldly and annoyingly at the owner, "who gives a shit about your stupid boat?"

Clovis's expression almost emulated the owner's as they heard Hark's words. Clovis was more mortified than anything else, but the boat owner was definitely more enraged. And with that expression alone, Clovis knew any hope there had been for this deal had truly disappeared.

[Jaykobell]

There was no time for Clovis to try and stop Hark from speaking, or even for him to get between Hark and the boat owner. "What did you just say?!" the owner snapped. "Who do you thi—"

"You heard me," Hark interrupted, and he walked closer, bringing his face closer to the owner's. "We're willing to go out there and get rid of your problem," he pointed out, and he gritted his teeth. "And all you care about is your stupid boat?"

[Jaykobell]

The boat owner looked taken aback by Hark's aggressive response, but the shock didn't last long. "I make my living off that boat!" he argued, and the anger in the air was only getting worse. It was so powerful that one could almost cut it down with a knife.

Hark's reply to that sentence was just a large, sadistic grin. "Well," he spoke quietly, a soft tone that oozed with cold and hurt, "much of a living you're doing, cowering in your shitty shack because of that monster out there."

[Jaykobell]

"Hark!" It wasn't so much as an opportunity as it was Clovis forcing his way between the two of them. "I think we should go." How embarrassing. There was nothing more for them to do here.

With a bit of coaxing, Hark finally cooperated as Clovis pushed him away from the boat owner. "Come on," he insisted, pushing Hark away so the two of them could move on.

"At least your friend has better ideas than you do!"

[Jaykobell]

Things could have been left at that, but Hark wasn't in the mood to let that scumbag have the last laugh. Forcing his way around Clovis, he glared at that man, and he would've said something back, too, if he hadn't been interrupted.

Clovis could only flinch when he saw that empty bottle flying straight for Hark's head. He pulled his arms up instinctively, and he jumped when he heard the sounds of breaking glass. Hark yelled in pain, and the shards scattered all around on the ground.

[Jaykobell]

"What the hell was that for?!" Clovis screamed the question as he also glared back at the owner. "We were leaving!" A few sailors had displayed that sort of nasty attitude earlier that day, but none of them had actually acted on it.

"You better be!" the owner screamed back, and without skipping a beat, he threw another bottle towards them. Whether by chance or on purpose, the bottle missed Hark and Clovis only by a few feet. "Get outta here, and don't come back!"

[Jaykobell]

Without thinking, Clovis grabbed Hark's arm and pulled him away. They scurried away, and without really knowing this town, Clovis didn't know where else to bring Hark but back to that small park in the middle of town.

Running away was equivalent to letting that aggressive boat owner win, and while that did leave Clovis seething in anger, his focus had to be Hark, in that moment.

He stopped and let go of Hark's arm only once they were well inside the park.

[Jaykobell]

He took a few seconds to recover his breath. "Bastard," he whispered. "Who the hell even does that?"

He turned to Hark. The deity had one hand over his head, right where the bottle had hit him. Clovis's heart quickened when he realized Hark was bleeding. "Are you... are you okay?" He got closer, and he hesitantly stretched out a hand to touch Hark's. "How bad—"

He stopped mid-sentence when Hark's other hand shot up and smacked Clovis's away, making Clovis take a step back in the process.

[Jaykobell]

Only after being pushed away did Clovis take a closer look. Only then did he notice Hark literally glaring back at him, the look mingled with the messy and bloodied hair. "I'm fine," Hark hissed, the sound seemingly both from pain and anger.

His reaction caught Clovis completely by surprise. Not only that, but his reaction was completely uncalled for. "What's your problem?" he asked harshly, his own anger flaring up. "I'm not the one who hit you with a bottle!"

[Jaykobell]

Hark didn't answer. Instead, he let go of his head, and he brought down his bloodied hand. He stared. The concept of bleeding was still a somewhat bizarre thing for him; for a being like him, who wasn't usually exposed to such a consequence. And the pain; that bottle hitting him had left an annoying ringing in his ears.

"So now..." He narrowed his eyes, and he gritted his teeth. His eyes shifted from his hand to Clovis. "So now you care?"