Disclaimer: I do not own Eminence in Shadow series.
Identity_03
Distraction.
For Beatrix the Goddess of War, Cid needed to do just that in order to escape her suspicion.
When playing a certain role, there're always rules to apply. Unless the situation demanded it, Cid couldn't allow himself to break out of his current identity or use a different set of skills that'd never established in that persona's background.
Shadow's inhuman speed was an easy pick, but the silent warrior didn't have that. He couldn't just vanish into thin air in front of her and reappear on top any of the buildings nearby.
Jemina Seinen's quick step was another good choice, just one dash to the door and he'll be gone in the blink of an eye. Then again, the silent warrior didn't have that.
Neither of those skills would do good to Beatrix's rising suspicion.
There was the Mob Fu technique called Graceful Exit Stage Right. But that was reserved exclusively for Cid the civilian persona. The silent warrior'd never spoke so he couldn't make an excuse.
However, the martial-artist identity built himself a necessary amount of agility in respond to the situation, he tent to adapt to the surrounding environment. Cid could use that unique characteristic. He would do that without raising her doubt further.
Tap Tap!
Lightly tapping his finger on the table, Cid signaled Marie to fill his glass. While she did so, a copper coin flipped into the air and landed right inside the tip jar. Marie was somewhat confused until he pointed at Beatrix's glass and gave a thumb up.
"What?" Beatrix had yet to catch on.
"Oh! I understand now." Marie clasped her hands together. "Kind sir wanted to buy you a drink."
Cid gave a nod in confirmation.
"You...would do that?"
He turned to Beatrix and raised his glass. His other free hand softly patted on the chest.
"He prefers apple juice because he can't handle alcohol well." Marie translated. "And he wants to make a toast with you."
"I see. What a coincidence, a certain young man I knew is also fond of the same drink. Seeing you with it reminded me of him. By the way, why are you speaking in his stead?"
"He helped me before and I'm returning the favor." She replied with a smile. "We've only just met today but I can understand his gestures to an extent. Please excuse for his quiet demeanor, I assure you he's a kind person."
Thank you, Marie-san!
"Is that so?" Beatrix raised her glass. "Then what happened at the city gate was your doing, I assume."
Cid shrugged and shook his head. He didn't mean to brag, better to leave Beatrix in the dark about that topic or else the conversation would head towards a dangerous direction.
"Yes! Yes, he did! It was where I got into trouble and he saved me there!"
Marie-san!? He was shaking his head here! What happened to understanding the gestures!?
"As I thought." Beatrix remarked. "You must be really strong to be able to fence off that many people in a single battle...without receiving as much as a scratch."
Cid shrugged again and motioned his drink. They clinked glasses together. Beatrix took her sip slowly as if she was savoring the wonderous taste of wine at the tip of her tongue. On the other hand, Cid knocked his drink in one go and stood up. One of his hands had already hid inside the pocket.
Time to run away.
"Eh? Kind sir, you're leaving already?" Marie was somewhat surprised.
Cid gave her a quick wave, bidding farewell.
"Wait." Beatrix put down her glass, she'd already finished it halfway. "You still haven't answered my questions."
The longsword titled slightly by her waist.
"You don't know any elf. Yet, you have their scents." She stared straight into his eyes, a pair of gleaming dark shade. "Who are you?"
A hand went under his chin, Cid looked like he was pondering the answer in their views. It seemed Marie-san have a few more gestures to translate. Facing the lady, Cid pointed at himself and Beatrix then drew a question mark in the air. Lastly, he held his hands together.
"Like you...I'm...in searching for...a certain...questionable individual." One more gesture. "In a stylish manner. Eh? Stylish? Kind sir, did I say it right?"
She missed the whole 'a hardened unrenowned warrior who fights using nothing but his fists' part and 'please tell her I'm out' line. Still, thumb up! Nicely done!
"Searching for someone else, a journey similar to mine. Intriguing. I haven't introduced myself, my name is Beatrix."
Nod.
"From what I've seen, you are a capable fighter. One among those who exceeded the norm I once crossed path."
Nod.
"As I said before, I've come here on a quest."
Nod.
"If you don't happen to be busy at the moment, would you like to join me?"
Cid crossed his arms. Denied. He wasn't sure why it came to this.
Beatrix had a keen perceptive. There was no way he would ever look past an attempt to deep scan his identity from her.
"You won't?"
"Can we at least have your name?" Marie chimed in. "You haven't told us your name."
Too late for that.
Bam!
The loud noise caught everyone in the tavern by surprise. Cid turned around. The crawling grin on his face hid behind the mask. All eyes turned to an angry mob rushed through the door. Some of them had their swords and knifes unsheathed. Bloodshot glares filled with rage as they saw him, the masked guy.
"There's that bastard!"
Here it is! Here It IS! Step two in todo list. Become a target after provoking gang members. Checked!
Saving Marie-san was a necessary thing, but Cid also took another step forward with his checklist. He intentionally left a few members run away so they can comeback for revenge. It made a classic shounen storyline where a whole gang chases after the protagonist after he gave them a well-deserved beating. Two bird in one stone.
"You. Heard you took good care of my men , huh." The boss approached, grabbed him by the collar. "Outside. Now."
Sure thing!
An instant nod. Cid happily followed the instruction.
"Wait-"
Beatrix was about to interrupt until Cid stopped her by raising his hand. An quick and firm shake of his head was enough to send the message. This was his business.
"K-Kind sir!?"
To Marie-san who was watching in nervous, Cid reassured her by pressing his thumb to the heart, indicating he would be fine. Two more members came in and grabbed his arms. He stood still, letting the mob drag him away.
Until next time, Marie-san. Goodbye, Beatrix. He waved back to the ladies before the door closed shut.
With this, Cid successfully ran away.
"Is kind sir going to be alright?"
"He'll be fine. He's a strong one."
A conversation happened shortly after the silent warrior was gone.
"Still, will you please help him?" Marie pleaded.
"I prefer not to stir up trouble in a place not familiar to myself. But yes, I suppose I will do that just this once." Beatrix finished her drink. "After all, I still have more questions for him."
"T-Thank you, Lady Beatrix!"
"You can keep his money in the tip jar. I'll pay for my own drink. Generous as he was, I don't like to owe such trivial matter to a stranger."
Beatrix went through the pockets on her robe. Her eyes went wide slightly.
"Hm. Hm? Huh? My pouch. I'm sure I put it in here."
She couldn't find it.
"It's gone?"
Knowing Beatrix, she was still having her doubt. Sooner or later, she would follow in hope to get a proper answer out of him.
That was where the distraction came in. By now, her missing pouch gave Cid just the right amount of delay before she made up her mind about that copper coin in the tip jar.
Having his back slammed against the wall in a dark alleyway while surrounded by enraged criminals, Beatrix's zeni pouch rocked softly inside his pocket.
Yes. Cid had it after their toast. Stealing the thing was part of the plan.
Even the Goddess of War was not aware of his SSS-plus rank pickpocketing technique. It wasn't something to be bragged about but Cid Kagenou was pretty proud of that one particular skill. He'll return her pouch later. And of course, he'll do that in a stylish way.
"Think you're good, brat? Thought you could just enter MY TURF, beat up my men and walk away?"
"..."
"Are you deaf!? Say something!"
Cid remained unfazed despite a knife was pressing against his throat.
Crack!
The boss of the gang, who was threatening him, picked up that sound. It eerily resonated along the alleyway like a bond snapped between a predator's teeth.
Suddenly, his knife dropped next to Cid's feet. His forearm bent down, hanging loosely by the elbow joint. The boss couldn't feel his arm anymore. He took a step back in reflex, screaming in pain. The lackeys were shock at the sight.
"You! D-Did you do this!?"
Nod.
"AArgghh!"
The boss charged forward, made a wide swing using his uninjured arm. Too slow, here's a counter punch.
Crack!
Beatrix finally made it to the scene.
Without a guide map, it's easy to get lost in the Lawless City. Countless small and wide streets all connect in one way or another. Fortunately, she was able to sense the sudden boost of various mana pools, the majority of them were small. However, they concentrated in a single location. That gave Beatrix a good hint to pick up the masked warrior's trace.
Now, those mana sources disappeared altogether. After arriving at the alleyway, Beatrix understood why and she wasn't surprised at the least.
Members of the gang that dragged him away were laying on the ground. Covered in bruises and heavy fatigues, they twitched in agony. They all received the same type of wounds caused by hand-to-hand combat. This was the result of attacking that mysterious warrior with the elf's aroma.
Strange. Everything about that person so far somehow reminded her of Cid. If the young man was able to tap into his fullest potential, perhaps this level of power could have been within his reach. He could have become...less clumsy in his footing.
Someday, she would like to help him with that.
Moving deeper along the narrowed corridor, Beatrix noticed the gang members' bodies stacked on each other, stretching in a single line. They were lined up like a carpet to welcome and lead her all the way to a dead end. The calculative action displayed a sense of humor she couldn't fathom. Instead of stepping on the unconscious criminals, she walked past them.
The body of their boss rested against the wall in a sitting position. He was put here in a way that the moonlight shone, reflecting itself from his bald head. Saliva spilled from his mouth non-stop as he now got a broken jaw. On top of his head, Beatrix's pouch lied still with a note placed underneath.
"They stole it." She read.
Hm. None of them had ever come near her back in the tavern, though. Beatrix didn't believe her senses have become dulled.
"Does any of you know where the masked person's heading?"
Under a weak breath, a gang member tried his best to answer.
"...Mad...Finger..."
That made Beatrix widen her eyes.
"He's...looking...for Mad Finger..."
From the look of it, some of these men had been interrogated.
"I see." Beatrix muttered softly. "Our goals are the same then."
The quest she received from the spirits also included that name. Mad Finger the serial killer.
"This...truly is fate."
With a bit of excitement began boiling up inside, Beatrix smiled. The silent masked warrior had no idea he was still within her reach.
Back in the tavern, Marie's shoulder drooped as she was left alone.
"In the end, kind sir didn't give me his name."
She felt a bit sad.
But it was alright. It won't be the last time she saw him.
And it won't be the last time she met one of Cid's many identities.
/