originally posted in:The New Dojo
She didn't speak when she got close, instead making eye contact to get her attention, then making a series of gestures with her hands, odd at first, as it wasn't clear what she was doing.
After a bit, she repeated them, and then it was clear what she was doing; sign language.
[u]Understand me?[/u]
English
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The girl wasn't exactly the most proficient with sign language, but she got the gist of it. She nodded in response to the mute woman, raising her right arm to pull down her scarf, revealing her face. Her face had a somewhat unnatural beauty to it, having a round shape combined with a sharp, angular facial structure, along with unnaturally pale skin, thin lips, and a small nose with a perky tip. "I understand you," She replied. Her voice was soft, and the other woman would barely be able to hear it over the sound of the rain.
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The odd woman looked roughly similar, except her features where more sharp, defined, almost chiseled from marble. Her eyes being a liquid silver in color, shining in the light, something about them seemed off, contacts maybe. It wasn't hard to imagine she had a name to match her features. She formed gestures again, quickly able to do them, most likely years of experience. It was hard to keep up. [u][i]Nice kill, turning invisible like that and silencing the phone too.[/i][/u]
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The girl's eyes blurred as she read the gestures, and she was silent as she ran through them in her head and translated. After a moment she had translated what the woman had said roughly, and replied. "... in the eyes of the gods, I would say that killing for money is a sin, and especially not praying during the job," The girl replied. She couldn't've been very old; likely not even eighteen yet. "But I suppose. Thanks."
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The woman let out an amused huff then, after hearing what the girl said, shaking her head in disbelief. She started again, signing more words. [i][u]Killing for money is what you make of it. A job for some, like me, and others kill for free.[/u][/i] As she signed it, it became clear why she was dressed the way she was; the suit and tie most likely what it seemed at first glance, and under the coat, there was most likely weapons hidden.
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It was another few moments before the girl could get a rough translation of what the woman had said formed in her mind, and she would reply after knowing what the woman had signed. "I understand that; trust me, I really do. But is it so wrong to dislike killing?" She frowned slightly, averting her gaze as she stared off into the distance, her rich, brown eyes blank. "I just... need all the money I can get. That's why I did it."
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She snapped her fingers to get the girl's attention then. Calling her back to reality. Moving her hands again and gesturing, she signed more. [i][u]It is why I do it, for money, and there are bad people out there.[/u][/i] It was tough for her to fully form coherent sentences, but she managed so far.
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At the snap of her fingers, the girl would turn her head back to read the next few sentences in reply. After translating, she simply smiled halfheartedly at the woman, nodding. "Well, you have a profession. Better than I, really." She noticed that it was becoming a little difficult to continue forming full sentences in sign language–it was also difficult for the girl to translate. "Um... would you like to find someplace inside one of these buildings? I don't live too far from here, and I have some paper and pencils where I live. You can write instead of sign, makes it easier for both of us."
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[u][i]That would be nice, yes.[/i][/u] It was obvious she was willing to comply, gesturing to the girl to lead the way then.
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The girl nodded, before continue to walk along the way she was walking before. After a short while, they would arrive at what looked to be an abandoned 7-11, dilapidated and old. A light inside the building was flickering, and the windows were smashed. "Well... this is my place," She said, entering through a broken window. She sighed, twisting her soaked, white hair to get some of the rainwater out.
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The mute woman didn't seem to care on the appearance, let alone the woman, as she slipped inside with an elegant grace. Once inside, she glanced around, her silver eyes soaking in the details.
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The 7-11 was, of course, stocked with food–nothing really of sustenance. Chips, soft drinks, beef jerky, mostly just unhealthy stuff that takes a long while to expire. The girl went through the aisles, finding a notebook and pencil, before giving them to the woman.
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Now armed with a pencil and paper, she waited then for whatever else the girl had to say.
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"So... well, I guess I should ask why you came to talk to me?" She stated as she pulled her scarf down to reveal her face. It had an unnatural beauty to it, with strangely pale skin, angular features, a small, perky nose and thin lips.
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She didn't write yet, instead signing again. [i]Because not everyday do i see magic, or someone young killing for money.[/i]
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"... reasonable," The girl admitted. "I don't like killing. But here I am, cutting heads off for some spare change. Really, it was a one time thing; the 200 credits could possibly get me a good meal or two." She sighed, sitting down at the 7-11 counter, tilting her head slightly at the woman. "Do you have a name?" She asked–it was actually a legitimate question. Many people she met had either forgotten theirs or have never received one. "Mine's Christina. Most call me Chris or Tina."
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She started writing then, taking a bit, seemingly in thought. Eventually she handed the paper over. [i]My name is Athena. I can help you, make a deal, actually. I can get you out of this place in exchange for your services down the road. It depends what I need you for, time will tell though.[/i]
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Christina took the paper, reading it through several times. She looked up at Athena, replying hesitantly. "I'm gonna need more information about what I'll be doing than 'it depends'."
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She signed then. [i]It really does depend. Although with skills like yours, it could be anything.[/i] Winking then, the message was clear, and the girl had an option; Take the deal, and live a better life, but owe Athena something in return, it refuse and be stuck in a 7/11 for unknown years.
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Christina placed her elbows on the counter, locking her hands together and placing her chin on them, deep in thought. She had lived a rather dull life for a while now, ever since that night. As she gazed at Athena, Christina simply hoped that 'anything' leaned more towards fighting or things magic related than other possibilities–like prostitution. After maybe a minute of silence, Christina sighed, looked down at the counter, forehead on her hands. "Alright. I'll accept."
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Athena didn't seemed phased, as she pulled a small item from her pocket, and set it down, then gestured to it. Picking it up, there was a button, upon which opened its center. A line was down the middle, making two sections. A thorn lay on the top edge of the medallion. It was clear what it was, a blood pact, sealing their deal until the girl fulfilled her end, whenever Athena needed her.
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"This seems like some sketchy shit," The girl replied as she placed her palm on the thorn. "I'm guessing I just... cut myself?" She did so, allowing the blood to drip onto one side of the device.
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She pointed then at the white pad, the two sections, and made a pressing motion with her finger.
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"Okaaaay?" She gently placed her over so slightly bloodied hand on one of the two sections of the pad.
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Once she did, and pulled it away, Athena took it again and sealed it. Once she pocketed it, she looked back to the girl, and signed a few things. [i]Blood contract. Don't cross it, or else I will take back everything I give you.[/i] At that, she pulled out her phone, and typed a few things, and then wrote on the paper again. Then she handed it over. [b]X___________ Sign your name, date, and birth. Take it to a bank, and show them this, and they will let you access it. 85k to start you off.[/b] She still held her phone in hand, most likely needing it to setup the girl's account.
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"A... bank?" After signing something as sketchy as a blood contract, a check seemed horribly... vanilla. But 85k was irresistible, and so Christina would quickly sign it with a pen which was rather low on ink. "Thanks," She said gratefully. The first thing she'd likely do is get a cheap phone to keep in contact in case anything were to happen.