The Quiet Collector
Zace: ...Hah!
Ranzal: Hot damn! Ya took that fiend down in one strike! Those are some skills ya got, Zace.
Zace: ......
Ranzal: C'mon, say somethin'. Yer startin' to weird me out over here.
Zace: ...Ah. Right.
Ranzal: Huh. Man'a few words, I guess.
Zace: ...My apologies.
Ranzal: Er, ya don't need to apologize for it.
Euden: Ranzal's just worried about you, Zace. He's afraid you might be having a hard time fitting in.
Zace: I see. Sorry to trouble you.
Ranzal: Aw, I'm just bein' nosy. Not every day we pick up an ally as dependable as you, after all.
Ranzal: Back in my merc days, I had my share of tangles with the Azm Tribe. I know their strength real well.
Euden: What's the Azm Tribe?
Ranzal: A group of hunters that live waaay far from here. They're known for makin' tools and whatnot out'a animal bones.
Euden: And is that why Zace wears armor made from bones?
Zace: ......
Ranzal: Hey, if the guy keeps fightin' like this, he can wear an outfit made of tin cans far as I'm concerned.
Ranzal: And on that note, let's get goin', Zace. We'll celebrate our victory with some grub!
???: BWAAA HAR HAR HAR!
Ranzal: Heh. Sounds like somebody's happy to be here.
Hunter A: Feast yer eyes on that gigantic skull, boys! Them fangs're right scary, ain't they?!
Staff: Eeek! P-please stop.
Hunter B: C'mon! Ya really gonna give us attitude after we went to the trouble of takin' down a huge beastie like that?
Hunter C: This varmint mighta attacked the village! You oughta be thankin' us for our service!
Staff: O-oh, I'm quite grateful! Really I am! I just don't especially want bones shoved in my face like this...
Hunter A: Like you'da believed us if we didn't show ya! Now go on—give it a real good look!
Staff: Noooo! EEEEEK!
Hunters: BWAAAA HAR HAR HAR!
Ranzal: What a bunch of creeps. I'm gonna go—
Zace: It is shocking how you people have such brazen, unearned confidence despite your every word being utter nonsense.
Euden: Uh, Zace? What are you—
Hunters: Who the hell are you, bone boy?!
Zace: That skull comes from a species of hippopotamus called odotamus.
Zace: Its body may be quite large, but it's a docile creature that feeds only on grass. It's nowhere near the brute you described.
Hunter B: Ya got any proof of that, pal?!
Zace: That skull's front teeth are fang-shaped, but the molars have the flat, millstone-like structure characteristic of the odotamus.
Hunter C: Uhhh...
Ranzal: You guys wanted everyone around town to treat ya like a couple of big dogs, yeah? Guess it didn't work out for ya.
Ranzal: Maybe you oughta scram before ya embarrass yerselves any more.
Hunters: D-dammit!
Euden: You sure know your animal bones, Zace. Is everyone from the Azm Tribe like that?
Zace: ...Roughly.
Ranzal: Sounds about right for a buncha folks what make weapons and armor and everyday goods outta bones.
Zace: ...That's not exactly the whole story. I am simply a fan of bones.
Zace: My hobby of collecting bones is unusual even among the people of my tribe.
Zace: In fact, I joined you all because I believed it would be a good chance to collect rare fiend bones.
Euden: Is that right?
Zace: I'm sorry for not mentioning it. I was worried it might seem distasteful, and so kept the matter to myself.
Ranzal: What're you on about, Zace?! Ain't nobody got a problem with it!
Zace: ......?
Euden: He's right. You don't have to keep the things you like a secret.
Zace: T-truly?
Ranzal: Truly. In fact, here's my secret: I love stuffin' my face with food! Pretty sure it blows Cleo's mind on a daily basis.
Euden: Ha ha! You might be right about that. So as you can see, Zace, there's no need to hide your passions with us.
Zace: I didn't realize... Th-thank you.
Ranzal: Wait, is that a smile? I didn't know ya COULD smile! Well, ain't that a first?
Euden: Heh! I guess you're getting used to being with us, huh?
Zace: I suppose you may be right.
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