Still humming, Hiyomu led the group onto a cobblestone road leading into town. Buildings left and right were made of stone and wood. There was less order here than on the hillside. The road twisted and winded and spread in many directions, making it hard to know what was around the corner. More distracting was the crowd. They stared at the 4, just as the 4 stared back. There were armour, helmets, jackets, tunics, swords and shields, bows, staves and dresses. It seemed to make sense somehow. The ones who wore plate and chainmail were the warriors. They carried larger swords. The bows were archers. There was a wolf following one. Some wore robes and held staves with heavy heads. Some carried daggers and wore leather, with very little metal on them. Some carried shields with different designs.
The ones who weren't armed worked in stores and roadside stalls. They worked with their hands as crafters and artisans of all sorts. Sounds and smells of all sorts were there. A blacksmith hammered away at a piece of hot metal. There was a scrape of another whittling away a bow stave. There was one dressed in black armour and a curved sword haggling for the price of her bracer with the armoursmith. A baker brought out a fresh tray, its smell mixed with the open sewer drain. Further up that drain, someone scraping the fat off animal hides. Men with fat bellies sat on a table at the roadside, drinking from someone selling straight out of a barrel. Beside them, skewered meat and vegetables roasting over a row of coals.
Not one looked like the 4. The day was getting more tiring and confusing for Roland. What the hell is going on?
A cheerful call by Hiyomu brought them back to the now. They had stopped to stare back at the people in Alterna and Hiyomu had her head peeking out of a corner a distance away. As they approached, Hiyomu scolded them.
"Follow Hiyomu, understand? If you get lost, Bri-chan will get angry, very angry. Angry Bri-chan is scaryyyyyy", she said as she pouted in made-up anger. Brewary pinched a cheek and apologised sincerely on behalf of everyone, which she seemed to take. She led them to a 2 storey building. Roland groaned at what he saw. Some symbols were missing, but the sign was clear;
ALTERNA FRONTIER ARMY VOLUNTEER SOLDIER CORPS RED MOON
"The moon here is red, isn't it?"
"Of course, dummy! What other colour would it be? Yellow?". With practiced grace, she twirled and struck another pose;
"Jajajajajannnnn! Here's the Office of the Alterna Frontier Army Volunteer Soldier Corps: Red Moon!". How can she be so cheerful? thought Roland.
"Come, come!", she said gleefully. Demit entered first, with Hiyomu entering last.
"Bri-channnnnn! Four more! I'll just drop them off, byeeee!". They stood in an empty room with many tables and a shelf. It looked practical, where meetings could take place comfortably with drinks and food. Roland noticed the stools, chairs, tables and counters were thicker and sturdier, likely to bear the weight of people in plate armour. Maybe even to survive a few brawls. By the door was a large stand that could accommodate weapons of many sizes.
Roland looked away from the furnishings to find Brewary standing at the counter across someone terrifying. His hair was green, his build muscled. Somehow he could tell there was danger in that person. He had his blue eyes locked with Brewary's. His lips were glossy with lipstick and there was rouge on his cheeks. Roland heard a sound from Jakson and a quiet 'Sonofa…' from Demit. His face and neck was not the same colour and Roland knew how thick his makeup was. His gaze followed the neck to the chest and bare arms. There was no wasted fat on this guy. Despite how he looked, Roland recognised a killer. He felt especially frustrated at how he could somehow tell.
"My, look at what wandered into my lair", said this Bri-chan character, licking his lips. Brewary smiled and rested an elbow on the counter, leaning in.
"Welcome, little kittens. I am Britanny, your host. Also, Chief of the Volunteer Soldier Corp: Red Moon, Alterna Frontier Army. Call me Chief, but Bri-chan is fine too. Make sure to pour out all your love and affection while you say it, though. But you-," said Britanny, gently scraping Brewary's cheek with a dagger.
"- you call me nothing other than Bri-chan". A short pause.
"The rest of you, won't you greet your chief?", he asked.
"Chief", said Demit in a military-like manner. She straightened as she said it.
"Chief", said Roland. He wanted to look away but couldn't.
"Chief", said Jakson from somewhere behind Roland.
"So what's a few lost kittens to do now, Bri-chan?", asked Brewary. That dagger was still dangerously close to his face but he didn't flinch.
"Listen and listen well, kittens. This is a Volunteer Soldier office. Join the Red Moon Volunteer Soldier corp and earn your keep. Start from the bottom as trainees, then move up the ranks and become proper volunteer soldiers".
"Join the Army?", asked Demit.
"Oh no, kitten. Army fights the war at the frontier. There are lots of races out there that want to end us humans. It's a tough job and between defending borders and towns, they're stretched thin as it is, which is where Red Moon comes in."
"PMC then?", asked Demit. That sounded familiar too, but like many other things that day Roland forgot what it meant. Britanny gave a half-annoyed tut.
"Paprika", said Brewary. Britanny found the answer to be witty and those glossy lips parted wider.
"Volunteer soldiers fill the gaps in what the Army can't spend resources on. We go out and deal with threats outside the cities and borders. Occasionally there is a threat big enough to warrant the Army's attention and they send out an expedition. Then they will have mass recruitment of any Volunteer that wants to join in". he paused to switch the dagger to the other cheek.
"However, logistics becomes a problem for an army due to its size, and can only deal with one threat at a time. Volunteer Corp doesn't have that problem because it's composed of small parties that carry its own supplies. You have autonomy to choose how to approach a situation, and you insert yourself-", there was a slight 'shiiing' as the dagger scraped off Brewary's chin,
"- anywhere, to sow confusion, kill the target, gather intel, you name it. Understand?"
"Special Forces. Got it, Chief", said Demit. As soon as she said it, she looked a bit confused. That was another familiar word. Britanny paid her no heed. He leaned back and reached under the counter. 4 small leather pouches and necklaces were brought out.
"You will be paid 10 silver for joining," said Britanny. Fight and earn more. Lifting a necklace, he said "This badge marks you as trainee members of the Volunteer Soldier corp. Never leave without it. Come back with 20 silver and purchase the badge to become a full-fledged Volunteer Soldier, and all the perks that come with it. That will be your first true test". He tapped the table to indicate they may take the pouches and necklaces.
"If we say 'no'?". This was from Jakson. The tone showed some hint of belligerence. Britanny shrugged.
"Well, kitten. Walk right out that door and find employment somewhere. Some noble could use a chew toy. Maybe a tavern needs sweeping and a blacksmith someone to pump the furnace. I hear they pay and feed you next to nothing and you get worked to the bone. Or die in some ditch, I don't care. But not you, though. You stay alive for Bri-chan," said Britanny, tapping Brewary's chin with the dagger.
It took only a few seconds for Demit to decide. She inched closer, wrapped a pouch with a necklace and tossed it to Jakson. It was only then Roland could look away from Britanny. He looked and saw Jakson had found a stool and was squatting on it, with a bottle of drink in his hand. He caught the package and tucked it into his front pocket. The next one Roland caught and it entered his pants pockets. Demit put the necklace on and her pouch went into the front pocket of her sweater. Brewary reached for his, putting on the necklace. The cheap chain rattled slightly as Britanny ran the dagger tip along it.
"Congratulations, you are now trainee members of the Volunteer Corp. Remember, come back with 20 silver. Try not to die, there aren't many good men around to amuse me". There was no mistake who that statement was addressed to.
"Bri-chan, could you find it in your heart to spare more for your lost, desperate kittens?", asked Brewary. A light flashed in Britanny's eyes as he laughed, reached into his belt and took out a silver. He flipped it across the room and Brewary caught it. He was last to leave and close the door. Britanny could still be heard laughing inside.
From the time they entered the office to leaving it, the whole exchange took place with Britanny and Brewary's eyes never leaving each other.
"Right, next course of action", said Demit, rubbing herself all over like she just came from a cold place. Britanny was quite unsettling, Roland agreed. Jakson gestured to a place at the side of the road where they could be out of moving traffic.
"Where did you get a bottle?", asked Roland. Jakson didn't answer but handed it to him. He took a sip. It was a mildly bitter beer. He handed the bottle to Demit who took also took a sip and passed it to Brewary. It was then evident on everyone's faces that they were hungry and thirsty.
"Men, let's refuel, then come up with a plan. We need intelligence and a base of operations so at the very least we won't spend the night in the open. Maybe get to know the locals so we're not in hostile territory", said Demit. She took the lead and walked in front, with everyone else following. People looked at them with some apprehension. They were dressed strangely after all. It seemed like random meandering but eventually, they ended up at a place they had been to before. Demit had led them into a path that covered one part of the town. At the very least, one could find their way back to this spot if lost.
They (Demit, actually) settled at a side lane that had 2 stalls selling meat and vegetable skewers on one and bread and drinks on the other. It was likely that she was attracted by the smell of food and having no sewer drain nearby. Signs bearing numbers were there to tell the price of each item. Demit greeted the twins who ran the stalls. Roland noticed her manners changed compared to her usual way of acting and speaking. She had her hands clasped together, a wide smile on her face and her voice cheery. She explained that they were new, they knew nothing but they had money for food, and could they tell as much as they could, in exchange for the business. Demit steered the conversation by first mentioning that each would have a drink and that she'd pay for the stallholders drinks too, so they wouldn't run losses entertaining guests. She rattled the silver in her pouch.
It worked. Paying customers are always liked. Jakson had his lips curled downwards and he nodded slightly, the way one quietly approves. Brewary had his arms crossed and he was stroking his chin, a smile on his face. Roland couldn't resist smiling as well. The twins abused the generosity slightly, having 2 drinks each (which was a more watered down version of the beer in Jakson's bottle). Jakson wanted 2 drinks too. The cost came to paying for 2 small loaves, 5 skewers, 9 mugs of drinks. The silver they had was too large for paying for street food, and the stallholders didn't have change for the group going Dutch, so Brewary offered to pay. They saw copper coins for the first time.
It was there they learned their first bit of intel outside of Red Moon office;
Where newcomers with Volunteer badges could stay for free,
A gathering place for Volunteers called 'Sherry's Tavern'. They gather at many places but certain important names like "Orion" could be found there,
100 coppers = 1 silver,
100 silvers = 1 gold,
And the building that could stash it away for a fee.