[]-x-[] RAVEN FEATHERS []-x-[] CHAPTER II []-x-[]

Instructions

-x- Adria had been having a good day. She’d gotten a letter, a briefing from Anubis, the second in command to the Guildmaster, and had been excited about the job. So much money, for so little? It was exactly what she needed after a year of excruciating silence and solitude. And there she was, standing in the doorway of Horus’s office to meet her new partner, when it hit her who exactly that partner was. She knew that frame, just slightly taller than her, that messy black hair that always fell into his green eyes, that olive toned skin with freckles scattered across it like constellations. She knew who that was. Theodore Crowing, the most annoying bounty hunter to date, and the bane of her existence. There went her good mood. “Seriously?” She had blurted out the second she saw him, unable to stop herself. *This* was her partner? This irritating, pretentious, uptight pest? She had spend at least two weeks with *that thing* of all people? “You have got to be kidding me,” Theo’s voice cut through her thoughts, his mind clearly echoing her own sentiments. “You had to pair me with *her* out of all the hunters available?” “Oh, shut up, emo boy,” Adria glared at him. “If anything, you were paired with me. Can we replace him?” She asked Horus, ignoring Theo’s eye roll. “Actually, Horus will be replacing you with someone more competent,” Theo said, also turning to the Guildmaster, who looked quite uncomfortable under their gazes. “Unfortunately,” he began, smiling nervously. “You both were specially requested to work together. So either you both take the mission or no one does.” “I-” Theo dragged a hand down his face. “No. Absolutely not. You cannot expect me to babysit her.” “Babysit?” Adria raised an eyebrow, her voice thin with anger. “I am the most successful and skilled out of the guild, and one of the youngest hunters. If anything, I’d be babysitting you.” Theo glared at her again. “Oh please,” he scoffed. “You? Babysit me? We’re equally ranked, and you can’t pull the ‘youngest’ card just because I’m like- a month older than you. And, I’m quite competent, I’m not a child.” “You sure have the emotional range of one,” she muttered under her breath, meeting his glare with her own of equal intensity. Horus sighed, pinching his nose bridge. “Okay, enough.” He said firmly, his voice taking on an undercurrent of danger that immediately put an end to their bickering. “Either you two take this job—this *amazing* job, may I add—together, or you don’t take it at all. Have I made myself clear?” The impatience and clear threat in the Guildmaster’s voice and the way he nearly hissed at the end made Adria realize who exactly her boss was and she nodded silently, as did Theo. In an instant, he was back to his normal persona, smiling in satisfaction. “Good. I’m glad we’re all on the same page. So what will it be, hm?” Adria was the first to answer, glancing warily at Theo before looking back at Horus, her stance firm and confident. “I’ll do it.” “And you?” The Guildmaster turned expectantly to Theo, who exhaled softly before answering. “...I’ll survive,” he muttered under his breath before meeting Horus’s eyes. “I’ll do it.” “Excellent!” Their boss exclaimed, clapping his hands together as he brought out a contract. “Just sign this, to formally accept, and I’ll have it sent in. Then I’ll get the full briefing done and you two can be on your merry way. Capiche?” “...mhm,” Adria nodded after a second, steadying herself. She wasn’t going to back out now, even if the thought of having to pretty much live with Theo made her sick. She’d had a number of run-ins with him before, and each time they met, he became more and more insufferable. Always talking down to her and disregarding everything she said, it drove her insane. At the same time, Theo made his own affirmation, examining the contract carefully. Adria did the same, wanting to make sure there wasn’t a trap clause, even though Horus usually eliminated all such documents. Once they both confirmed it was acceptable, they signed their names. Adria’s in quick yet legible cursive, Theo’s in a weirdly neat calligraphy-style cursive handwriting. She’d never actually seen his writing, now that she thought about it. “Well,” Horus grinned, leaning back as he put the contract away. “You can go now. I’ll summon you for your separate briefings soon. Goodbye.” Theo nodded and vanished in an instant, thanks to his magic shadow-teleportation. “Show-off,” Adria muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes as she walked to the door. “Thanks Horus, by the way. Bye.” “Goodbye, Adria,” he said, with a strange undertone to his voice. But Adria didn’t have time to decipher his words before the office doors slammed shut behind her and she was alone again. Great. What exactly had she just gotten herself into? -x-