Disclaimers: All the characters in this fic is copyright of Karash, if there are any similarities between my characters and actual characters, it is purely coincidental. NPC characters and the Game Ragnarok Online belong to the Creators of Ragnarok.


Chapter Four

            "Come on Ollie, you of all people should know how Irlan is ruining the reputations of hunters everywhere." Lucita nudged.
            "Shouldn't Tommas talk about it? He is the guildmaster, after all." Ollie suggested.
            "Now the difference between the two of us, Ollie, is that I don't really care about Irlan or what the Jaded Crimson do. And I'm lucky enough to have very few encounters with them, not counting my experiences with their guildmaster that is."
            "Oh fine, fine, I suppose I could pluck a few random anecdotes from memory." The hunter shrugged.
            "Wonderful!" Darin smiled, quickly taking out a fresh roll of parchment. The Scribe dipped his quill into the ink and readied himself to write.
            The hunter continued to clean his monocle when he began,
            "Before I get ahead of myself…"

Ollie

            Before I get ahead of myself I suppose I should begin with the Schattenjägers' reputation. We're not really a famous guild, there are more well-known guilds out there, such as Spectral Templars, or Blacksmiths' Point, or even The Council of Irish. I believe the only reason why some people know of us is because of the Jaded Crimson. Whether that is a positive thing is still under debate.
            Now the Jaded Crimson guild isn't famous, it's infamous. Mainly thanks to two people, one of whom is Irlan Hue. Irlan Hue is a jerk. Actually, to call him a jerk would be too nice, he is more than a jerk, he is even beyond being a mega-jerk. I'd tell you what I really think of him if Hacky wasn't here. Any case, that man gives hunters every where a bad name. He's rude and obnoxious, and won't think twice about scamming you of your hard earned zenny.
            He picks fights with novices, female novices to boot, and even hapless townsmen who only wish to live a peaceful life aren't spared from his verbal tyrade! He goes around insulting swordsmen, taunting thieves, harrassing merchants and pestering acolytes for free warps. It wasn't as if he couldn't afford to buy blue gems, what with all the rare items he manages to 'pick up.'
            You'd think he'd be more considerate with his fellow hunters. But of course, I gave him too much credit because he'd sooner ruin a perfectly set ankle snare or blast trap than let someone else have the kill.
            Having the displeasure of knowing Irlan, I was stumped to find that he was in a guild and that someone invited him in the first place. I remember thinking "Was the guildmaster that desperate to have a full guild?" It was only when I crossed paths with the Jaded Crimson guild that I realized Irlan was with his own kind.
            This happened while I was at the 'mids with Hacky, Ujimitsu and Leto. Rumor had spread about a creature named Osiris, claiming it was a demi-god that haunted the place. The boys and I wanted to see just how much of a 'god' this Osiris was.
            Of course, with rumors, you can be sure everyone has heard of it. And naturally, we weren't the only guilds interested in this character. And out of all the guilds we had to run into, it had to be the Jaded Crimson. I was taken by surprise by one of their priestesses when she suddenly warped me to Alberta.
            It could have been an honest mistake. Hacky or Celesz (our priestess) had miswarped Futari in the past, so I let it go. Actually I was about to let it go, when Uji suddenly popped out of another warp portal and fell right on top of me. As if a swordie wasn't enough, Leto arrived a little while later and added his weight to the pile. I'm a hunter, I avoid attacks rather than meet them head on. Having a swordie and a knight crushing me was not good for my health.
            When they finally got off me, I asked them what had happened. Uji told me how the priestess, after having warped me, started to laugh and give her guildmates the thumbs up sign. Naturally he went over to her and demanded to know my whereabouts. To which the priestess nastily replied:
            "Why not go see for yourself?" before she warped him away.
            Leto was not about to back down, the moment the priestess tried to open a warp portal beneath him he quickly moved away. While he's a gentleman, we all are (well maybe with Cid as an exception) a foe is still a foe, regardless of gender. He lunged for the priestess, only to smack right into an ice wall, he was warped shortly after. As for Hacky, he was able to get himself out of the 'mids before the other Jaded Crimsons could try anything.
            Outraged at this sort of behavior, I informed the Jaded Crimson's guildmaster, hoping he could repremand those thugs. Unfortunately this proved pointless, because there was an even bigger fungus running around, trying to pass itself off as human.
            I am referring to the second person who further boosted awareness of Jaded Crimson. It's the assassin Diuce, guildmaster and all-around menace to Rune Midgard. Yes, it sounds fantastic that there is someone who is even more vile and more aggravating than Irlan, but it's true.
            Diuce actually encourages his guildmates to act nothing short of uncivilized. And with a large percentage of our population being just as disgusting, it's no wonder a slot in their guild is so sought after. After all, who wouldn't want to be in a guild where you can be as nasty and as barbaric as you please?
            While we avoid Jaded Crimson as much as possible, we're constantly on the receiving end of their inconsideration and offenses. Mainly because Diuce considers Tommas as a rival, I don't know the details and I don't suggest you ask. It will only serve to complicate matters. In any case, we don't stoop to their level. As long as we aren't physically assaulted, we merely ignore them.
            Addy was exceptionally good at this, even with Irlan constantly targeting her with verbal abuse. There were moments when she answered back, and she knew how to hit below the proverbial belt. But in the end, Addy suffered more because she always felt horrible for snapping at someone (even if that person deserved every single insult). Whenever she had engaged in a word-war, she would mope and stew in guilt for days.
            I may not be an expert in matters of the mind, but placing that much guilt on oneself isn't very healthy. Especially when you're as unstable as Addy.


            It was here that the hunter ended his tale. An awkward silence fell upon the room, as the member of Schattenjägers looked at each other uneasily.
            "Look at that, it's already dusk." Tommas observed.
            "Who's supposed to be bringing dinner?" Cid asked.
            "I think it's Seamus and Celesz's turn." Said Futari.
            "Would you like to join us for dinner, Darin?" Lucita offered.
            The Scribe's stomach grumbled in affirmation, "If it's not too much trouble." He chuckled sheepishly.
            "Oh it's no trouble. No trouble at all." Hacky smiled, "You could even spend the night if you like."
            "No, I don't want to impose." Darin politely answered.
            "Don't fret, my brother just left on an expedition to Comodo with Leto, False God and Paopu. They won't be back for days." Ollie explained.
            "If you insist…"
            "Well that's settled!" Kharnoz grinned.
            "Um, if this isn't too much to ask, would any of you know how Miss Addy ended up in the asylum?" Darin asked.
            Again silence descended. After a few uncomfortable seconds, Cid decided to answer.
            "We don't have a clue. If you ask me, I ain't all that surprised when I heard the news. Addy was always so– ow!!" he yelped as Lucita struck his head with her Bone Wand.
            "We were hoping you knew." Tommas quietly stated.
            "It's a little embarassing but we only found out about Addy through her cousin Dianne." Ollie added.
            Sensing he had made a grave error, Darin dropped the subject. Just in time for Seamus and Celesz to arrive with the food. Thankfully, no one's appetite was spoiled and the rest of the evening was uneventful.