[amanda784]

Piper
((This thread is marked for possible light violence and/or language. However, all my threads always follow a PG-13 rating. I just go where the characters take me.))

Pipers first job was to bring back one of two creatures. The first, was the baskerville. This creature was less of a creature and more of a pet. Piper would have to search sites of death and immense violence. Catching this kind of creature would take help. Laura, the resident researcher, had told her to seek out a sorcerer to give her what she would need to capture a baskerville. Piper only knew of one sorcerer in the slums and his methods were far from usual. To say visiting her would be dangerous was a massive understatement.

[amanda784]

Piper's second option was at first glance more appealing. The sabbit looked harmless enough, but was indeed a carnivore. They were most active at night which worked well with Piper's own nocturnal habits. However, these creatures dealt in luck. If Piper were to make one angry it was likely to make Piper's luck turn for the worst. Piper couldn't afford a streak of bad luck during her first job ever. Both options would be extremely difficult. Piper had yet to decide which path she would take. Did she risk her luck or should she risk a meeting with the sorcerer?

[amanda784]

There was a third option. There was a chance she could catch a creature that wasn't in her file. If that were to happen the payout would likely be much smaller. Still, there was a talk of pets having moved through these parts for the season only. These pets were far more rare than anything she could ever hope to find, but still she did have hope. There was even talk about Khuna sightings in these parts. One of those would set Piper up for a long time.

Piper would go after the sabbit first and if that didn't work out she would try for the baskerville. She had already picked out a spot to search too. She would stake out an abandoned casino tonight.

[amanda784]

Technically it was a not crime to walk into the abandoned casino without prior permission as long as it was without owner and getting permission risked getting told "no". That was not a risk Piper was willing to take. Piper found a door that while boarded up, was easy enough to get into. Piper wished she had brought Farley along with her. The rattegan's fire would be helpful to light Piper's way. Piper was cursing herself for not bringing any light source. She would have to wait until her eyes adjusted to the darkness before exploring.

[amanda784]

Immediately at the entrance there were rows of different gambling machines. Most of the machines were the slots type, but a few held games like keno or black jack. The building was set up to have all the machines along the edges with the gambling table in the center. Between the tables and the machines were four different bar areas. At the vary back of the main room there was a door with the letters "VIP" on them. Piper knew inside would be the tables that required a high buy in. Everything in this place was from a slightly older time.

[amanda784]

Piper pulled a lever on one of the slot machines, but without power and money nothing happened. Laura, the researcher, had explained that this particular casino had gone under because of new casinos in the area. The new casinos had more sabbits on staff. This created the illusion of more wins at the other casinos. In reality, the sabbits at these casinos would give the occasional person a crazy win streak. It would be the kind of win streak that would cause others around to gamble harder. At the same time, sabbits would give all other customers a losing streak. This made for high profits in new casinos. Some people just didn't want to leave luck to chance. They chose instead to trust in sabbits.

[amanda784]

The problem with trusting sabbits was that they only worked for themselves. Sabbits could not be bribed. Sabbits controlled the luck of those around them and were extremely powerful beings. Piper had seen casino's go out of business because of one rogue sabbit running it's luck into the ground. This casino, at the time of it's prime, only had one sabbit. This sabbit was promised to be nothing, but a mascot. It was hard to believe a sabbit would exist without playing it's tricks. Piper knew all to well that when you have a talent for mischief that it is not easily left behind.

[amanda784]

Piper did his best to move quietly through the abandoned casino, but felt almost impelled to touch every surface. Suddenly, the sound of a machine whirring to life caught her attention. A single machine was on in the VIP room.

Sabbit, thought Piper.  Maybe this job would be easier than she had originally thought.

Piper made her way to the VIP room, no longer trying to move quietly. It was apparent that she had made herself known. Sure enough, there was a slot machine on in the VIP room.

"Is anyone here?" asked Piper. "I want to talk to you."

[amanda784]

"Insert keystone," the lone machine replied.

It was odd that a machine in the VIP room would cost the lowest possible price point.

"Okay," said Piper to the darkness. "If I play your game will you talk to me?"

Piper did not have extra keystones to give, but he supposed playing the game was the only way to appease the sabbit. Piper inserted a keystone and pulled the lever.

"Winner!" the machine cried out as ten keyestones popped from the bottom.

"Okay," said Piper, "Can we talk now? I played your game."

"Insert keystone," replied the machine.

[amanda784]

Piper had been playing the game for what felt like minutes, but in reality a half hour had passed. She was now down five keystones and was becoming more frustrated by the minute.

"So what?" asked Piper. "Now I'm on a losing streak? Now my luck is gone?"

Piper cursed herself for playing the game to begin with. She had let this creature control her luck and she had lost it all.

"Don't do this!" cried Piper, bring a fist down at the machine, but it never connected. The machine was gone.

[amanda784]

"Your luck is the same as it has always been," said a voice from the shadows. "I'll even reimburse you your losses. Though, I doubt you'll trust them to be real."

"Who are you?" Piper shouted into the darkness.

"A hunter like yourself," replied the voice. "Unfortunately, both of us have been unlucky tonight. You talk of luck so I assume you are also hunting sabbit? There are none here. Even if there was I doubt you would be strong enough to capture one. You do have protection for your luck, don't you? I know you carry no protection against magic."

[amanda784]

Magic. That's how the machine had worked. Still, Piper wondered what creature made objects disappear out of thin air. Then it clicked. The same creatures that can conjure them up. She was dealing with a master of illusion.

"You are a Meji," said Piper.

"And you are a foolish child," replied the Meji, stepping out from the darkness. "My name is Maverick. I've been hunting sabbits for days now and have so far come up empty handed. Still, it is a better fate then losing my luck. That is the fate you face if you do not carry some sort of protection."

Maverick

[amanda784]

"What item can protect my luck?" asked Piper.

"Why there are tons of magic blocking items. I've known hunters of my kind to carry glasses that can see through any illusion. Most sabbit hunters carry one of these," replied Maverick, holding up a sabbits foot.

"Those aren't legal," said Piper with a gasp.

"No, but neither is changing the luck of others and sabbits still do that. I would even be willing to part with one if you promise to stay off my hunting grounds. I will let you know my planned hunts and you will stay away. If I find a hoard of sabbits I will let you know and you can hunt after me. I promise to leave you one or two."

[amanda784]

Piper eyed the sabbit's foot with disgust.

"I think I will have to decline," said Piper.

Mavericks eyes flashed with anger.

"I will respect your hunting grounds, but I must not carry illegal objects. I don't work for myself," said Piper.

"I see," replied the Meji, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "This company you work for, they didn't warn you that you need some sort of protection?"

Laura had told Piper to meet with the sorcerer first, but Piper had assumed that was only to get items to catch the spirit creature. She didn't think she would need any help capturing a live and physical creature.

[amanda784]

"I can see in your face you have already ignored the instruction of your superiors. What's one more rule broken?" asked Maverick.

"Immediate fire," replied Piper. "If I ignore an instruction for my safety, I put myself at risk. If I do something illegal my company's name would be soiled. I won't do that."

"Wise words from a young creature," said Maverick. "I like you Piper. I'm not one for illegal acts either."

Piper watched as the sabbit's foot faded into nothing.

"Your moral code proves you trustworthy," said the Meji. "Try not to be angered at me for testing you."