Black Market

After disembarking from the ship, the lone wolf ventured off to witness the changed that transpired in Heleo particularly the Black District. Carrying a brown leather satchel around, Youngbae checked out the new shops around clutching the bag close to him to prevent anyone from pickpocketing. He stopped at a stall and asked the one attending the shop, “i have something precious here that I want to sell.”

[open]

@♅ Shin ¥ Christopher held up one hand, motioning him to be still for another brief moment. There was a second card that was itching to be pulled, the reading wasn't quite done yet. The mage reached for the deck and chose the one at the top, flipping it over to reveal another piece of fascinating artwork. Yet he couldn't help but chuckle at what was presented to him. The Fool. Swiftly, and in one singular movement, Christopher uses his grip on the man's hand to twist his arm painfully and hold in a vice grip. Calmly, he reaches for his drink that had been set to the side and takes a slow sip.

'You can stop wasting my time, for starters,' Christopher suggested plainly, eyeing him over the rim of the mug. 'How naive of you, to think you could fool me like this. It's a great little act, but I have little patience today so while I'm asking nicely--' he lets go of the man's arm and shoves him back into the chair, eyes sharp as they bore into him. '--tell me what the brought you into my stall before I let the Shadowpeople drag you out.' Christopher begins gathering the cards up, knowing that this was a pointless session with no real reason behind it. He stands from the table, chair scraping along the floor, and moves to put the deck box on the shelf of a nearby cupboard before turning around to lean up against it, arms folded. 'Well? I don't have all night.'

@♦ Christopher Bang Shin shivered as the other opened the card. He was fixated on it not moving he listened carefully. Seven of Cups, truly an unfitting card for both himself and for his character not even if both are considered together. It was a reach. But that didn’t mean the other didn’t have powers it just meant that it would be a lot more fun to play with this one. What would be the best next move? He wondered. Should he keep up the act or should he see what the other would do with his real person? After a moment he decided to just go along with the man.

The touch made him shiver once more his eyes dared up looking at the fortune teller. “You mean I can find what I’m looking for?” He asked grasping the other’s hand in his. “Are you sure?” I have been travelling far and wide and not once found anyone who could give me hope.” His eyes filled with helpless relief and he even managed to spill a few tears as he looked at the card in front of him. “What do I need to do? I don’t have much but I give you what I have if you can help me.” He added helplessly fuddling for money.

@♅ Shin ¥ ( you're fine!! no need to apologize )

Christopher gives pause at name that was given. Now he wasn't dumb... he knew Remiel wasn't the man's real name, but it clearly had some meaning to him. The fortune teller knew little of gods and things of the like, however, he grew up on stories of Remiel so it's not like it wasn't unfamiliar. It was just... strange. It was the last thing Christopher ever expected him to say and he couldn't help but study the other man for a moment, looking either thoughtful or if he was contemplating something. Mismatched eyes narrowed slowly before he flips the card over with a low hum, glancing down to see what was presented to him.

'The Seven of Cups... Interesting.' Christopher's fingertip taps the illustrated image on the card once before he leans back in his chair with a sigh. The image depicted had a woman levitating over seven cups with her head shrouded by clouds, and in clouds were shapes that looked like a castle and looked like two people embracing. 'Wishful thinking and fantasy... Lost in a reality you don't accept, fantasizing about a different one and losing yourself in that made-up world... Avoiding the truth can benefit us to a degree, however, we have to come back to reality some time but it's almost like /you/ don't want to.' Christopher glanced up, noticing the hand that hovered mid-air. He tilts his head, eyeing it for a moment before tentatively reaching out to slowly brush their hands together. 'It's not that you can't find it, it's that it is right there, you're just avoiding to look at it.'

@♦ Christopher Bang (So sorry it took me forever to reply I was somewhere else with my mind sorry)


Shin smiled softly watching the other without replying until he was asked a third time. “Remiel,” He said quietly using the name of the angel humans were considered the most loved. The angel of hope and the name was given to those with heavy faith in their life. It was given to humans as a name of quest and burden since Remiel would only lead those faithful to god to heaven so those humans' audacity to assume that name was stricken by grievous moments in life forced them to wander their whole life testing their faith and their remorse. It was a name haunted by grief and pain.

Shin lowered his head once admitting his name to the fortune teller the weight of the name and his faith weighing on him as he let out a soft breath of air. Shin was aware of the implications of the name, but his mind was filled with the fear and worry why him. Since the human persona he was portraying was not aware and he was able to portray it well he had seen the same heavy helpless question of why me in many who had given up on their faith and had faced the choice of their name. “Please help me find what I’m searching for.” Shin lifted his head his eyes filled with hopelessness not daring to hope even with what was said. “I have lost what is dearest to me. Please help me find it.” He carefully reached out a shaky hand but didn’t fully reach for the fortune teller. Instead, it was hanging halfway in midair a little lost.

@♅ Shin ¥ ( worries nonetheless )

His fingers moved along the tarot deck intricately, giving them a feel without looking at them just yet, wanting to get a sense of which direction he was being pulled. Gazing at the stranger before him as his abilities got to work, swirling to life in his mismatched eyes in the form of faint gold swirls. Christopher could see in the man's mind now. He could hear every whisper of every thought as though they were being spoken into his ear. Voices all around them but only for him to hear, flowing out of the man's mind and into his. A low, throaty hum fills the void and he leans back in his chair leisurely, taking on a less rough demeanor because it looked like this poor man was about to his pants right there in the chair. 'Tell me your name,' he requests, hands now moving to begin shuffling the deck thoroughly as a few candles around the room lit up without warning, filling the room with a delicate scent of various herbs specifically mixed together to help fruit an interaction like this. The calming aromas were said to help ease the mind and soul, not only helping the other relax but also helping Christopher do his job into figuring out what's going on here.

'Tell me your name,' the mage's voice is husky, quieter this time as well -- almost like it was him that was whispering in the man's ear now. His eyes had lowered down to the cards that were being spread out amongst the table before them diligently. 'You have a reason for being here, you have something you are looking for. Something you want to be found... I might know where it is.' His gaze raises and meets the pair from across the table, setting a final card down but not quite removing his fingers. Depending on what the other was going to say, he would flip the cards over to reveal his fortune. 'So what is your name?'

@♦ Christopher Bang [SH] (All good don’t worry)

Shin startled when he heard the voice in his head lowering his eyes, he nodded stepping closer to sit down. “What I really want?” He asked hopeful and worried his eyes speaking of questions and hope in a hopeless quest. His mind was turning around the words of the fortune teller his thoughts filled with a strange feeling of I want to hope but I don’t want to hurt again. If this man knew what he was looking for maybe he could get the answer he was searching. Maybe his long journey was finally going to be over.

Sitting down he carefully folded his hands in his lap looking around his eyes darting to the man but mostly searching for something to fixate on without looking rude and without having to face the man directly. He was familiar with what he was pretraining no chink in his persona no hidden opening not even his thoughts were giving him away. He was a little shaky and a little hopeless but the other’s powers had shown him that maybe just maybe this time there was a chance to get results.

@♅ Shin ¥ ( this is the length that my brain can handle atm i apologize ojdsosjd )

Christopher stares at the man before him. A stranger. He has never been in his shop before, nor around the Black Market area it seemed. Or- maybe he has, and maybe they ended up never crossing paths until now. There was something about the man that made him not want to look away, though. Was it the way he carried himself upon sauntering in like he owned the damn place? Or was it the look in his eye, and whatever intention there was behind it? Christopher was curious. Morbidly so. What did this man want? He definitely did not seem like the person to wander into a fortune telling booth thinking it'll be all bells and whistles. Of course, given his other "little job", it is quite comical to see him sitting there with a deck of tarot cards in his hands. The assassin deserved no wisdom. The cards only spoke the truth, calling someone out in a ways they probably wouldn't even consider until it would happen. These cards make one think deeply about oneself and for Christopher, that's all he ever does.

'You must think I'm a fool,' the mage responds telepathically, as calm and cool and crisp as ever. He gazes at the man, piercing gaze never faltering even though his mismatched eyes glistened so beautifully in the dim lights above. The chair creaks as Christopher leans forward slowly, elbows on the table and ring-adorned hand gesturing to the empty chair sitting across from him all the while never looking away. 'Do you need me to show you to use your big boy words now or do you want to tell me what you /actually/ came here for?'

@♦ Christopher Bang [SH] Shin smiled gleefully tossing a small bag of coins in his hand. He got paid well for this job and was out and about to find something to spend this money on. After all, what came in had to go out. It wasn’t healthy to hold stuff in and fight against the natural order of things. Once money was made it was meant to be spent on luxury and indulgence. Not to forget the simple pleasure of life even god allowed such as food and drink. Or more like the simple pleasure even humans accepted as allowed by god. What the ruler of heaven was really thinking nobody knew after all religion was what you made of it not what god spoke. Not anymore. Not since god left heaven empty. Shaking his head to get those dark thoughts out of there Shin looked around wondering what he would spend his money on today.

Soon he spotted a small little stall. “Fortune telling?” He asked himself the gleeful smile returning. After all, what was fortune telling but hedonistic beliefs and he was an angel of god. Stashing away the coin bag he got in line for a reading. Over the years he had soon learned that no matter how small or big the fortune teller was if they knew how to trick people, they would always have a small line of people waiting for their advice. Not too long after Shin was about to take a seat across the fortune teller. The man wasn’t what he expected but also not what he didn’t expect. He placed the coin purse on the stall and looked up at the fortune teller across from him.

For all intense and purposes right now due to his banishment and punishment Shi appeared human he did have a slight magical aura but not strong enough for anyone to see him as anything other than human when they first meet him. And he was leaning into that playing the part of a human wandering the realms and ending up here looking for advice and a peak into his future. “I think you can already tell why I have found you today?” He asked the fortune teller fidgeting his hands a little looking around slightly worried and unsure of what to do. “I’m seeking something and I wish your wisdom on this matter.” He continued finally focusing his eyes on the fortune teller waiting for the man to respond to see what he could and couldn’t do. His body language was without a doubt that of a man on a long journey against his own choosing searching for something or someone very dear and important to him. He had seen people like this many times and it was easy to adapt their way of holding themselves and their way of thinking. His mind silently darted around filled with fear and hope as if this was his last straw before there was no one else to turn to. After all who knows maybe there was a little bit of mind-reading magic in this fortune teller so even his mind was lying perfectly.

@❦ Kim Hyo-jong ¥✔ nevermind daniel already claimed it []

@❦ Kim Hyo-jong ¥✔ {daniel will respond soon}

@❦ Kim Hyo-jong ¥✔ []reading up on it. to see if i can get into it

❦ Kim Hyo-jong ¥✔ 4 weeks ago Reply
I stay tight to the confines of the shadows. My hand tugs on the hood of my cloak coating my facial features into shadow. I make my way down the dimly light cobblestone of the Black Market. My head pivoted from left to right to ensure I wasn't being followed. My hand clung to the handle of the large wooden wagon trailing behind me. The cages clanked and thudded against the uneven road causing me to turn over my shoulder occasionally. I politely apologize to the critters underneath the tarp that concealed them. Chirps, barks, hiss, and some noise better left a mysterious trail behind me until I finally found a place to set up shop. I turn to the cart of creatures exhaling a long breath.
My stomach forms a knot strung along with the unlining guilt. After minutes of somehow managing to convince myself I was doing the right thing, I was able to get my together. I had to do what must be done. I needed the money, and by any means necessary, I was going to get it, even if that meant stealing some of the creatures from Deus Draco Academy. Not to mention a few from the lowlands of Kirin's Peak & a handful from Lioncourt De Sovereign's. "Wild Exotics, come get your wild Exotics. Feast your eyes on Kirin's Peak's rarest and finest creatures."

[open to anyone]

@† Lee Soohyuk /Jeremy just wish the man behind him start already but he said nothing as he continues to place his face on his arms. He could felt that whoever that was behind him have quite a package being pressed against his bare bottom. Shudder ran through his body as his manhood and was played with but barely any sound came out of him. He moved slightly though so it doesn't ruin the mood for the person behind him./

@❦ Jeremy Xu /seeing him expose his himself he accepted his invitation and pressed against him. He had one hand move up and played with my and the other stroking the man’s already hard /

@† Lee Soohyuk /the wait was long before someone came over to him. The smack announce the man present make him jump in surprise but he didn't move to look back. Instead he reach back and pull his robe aside and expose his bare bottom as an answer./

@❦ Jeremy Xu /Soohyuk was walking by when he stopped and walked back after noticing a bent over body over a small bed. It had been a while since he had gotten any action and the way he was perked up only made him harder. Maybe it was time for him to have some fun in public. He walked up to the other male and smacked his bum just hard enough to get his attention/

/he appear at the market and brought a small bed to a place where it caught attention of anyone passing by before he laid on it. The bed is only long enough to hold half of his body so he was basically bending over the bed. Hoping anyone passing by would know that he is a free as he was desperately need to have his body pump with ./

/wanders around in search of the rumoured meat seller, drooling quite obviously

@❦ Jeremy Xu Shin smiled friendly as he shook the other’s hand not lingering and politely pulled his hand back after an appropriate amount of time. “Nice to meet you. I’m Shin. If we meet again remember the name so I can repay you for the tea.” He smiled once more as he turned to part ways with the man.

As soon as he was out of sight his hand wandered to his wrist softly rubbing the mark of debt. It wouldn’t be easily repaid, and he couldn’t find a debt broker in this part of the world maybe if he headed to the ghost valley or the market of hell he might find someone to take this off him but he still had the mark around his neck the mark that bound him to this world and this city. He sighed his hand moving from the mark on his wrist to the one on his neck. Softly rubbing it then he let his hand fall back down turning to leave and find an information broker to buy what he could about the man named Jeremy.

(You want to give your next reply in the foxhole)

@♅ Shin ¥ Jeremy nodded his head in understanding as he shift about to put away the tea set with a wave of his hand, transporting them back to his place of resting for cleaning later. Then as he listen, he nodded once more. "Hopefully what you are looking for will come soon enough." His eyes land on the out reach of hand, and as he has travel many place to know what that mean. His own hand reach out to grasp the offered hand before shaking the connected limb slightly. "It's not much of a trouble and I don't think I have introduced myself. Jeremy is the name."

It would be easy to find out about Jeremy as he was a unique man whom often spot wearing layer upon layer of traditional Hanfu. The rare chance he wore something modern and fitting the surrounding people was, well, rare. And, like ritual, one can always find him staying in the black light district by evening while other time his whereabouts are often differ from day to day.

The two part way and Jeremy left the district, intending to visit the foxhole the day after to collect some essence into his body as he felt the shortage of his power. He always waited till he was almost at his weakest to visit a brothel as he didn't want to depend on that way to regain his magic. When his other method usually was much slower at recoup the usage and being filled with seven was a much faster way, yet he rather took the long routes until those routes can't sustain him for long. His last resort that he come to every two week hence his linger in the district.

@❦ Jeremy Xu Shin shook his head declining the offer for more tea. “No, thank you I have had enough.” He smiled looking around. “Sadly, I did not. But it won’t matter, I can come to look at another time:” He answered in all honesty. First, he had come to the market to see if there was a merchant brave enough to sell and buy favors since he wanted to sell his but nobody here had been willing to take the deal after seeing his mark and so he had ended up walking into the exact way of paying the debt back but even that had been proven as a lot more difficult than first expected. “I won’t take up much more of your time.” He smiled offering the other his hand not sure if shaking hands was a form of greeting in the realm as well.

He didn’t intend to stay much longer after all he would have to slowly step by step condition the other and that wouldn’t happen right from the start. After splitting he would probably spend the last bit of coin he had to buy information on the man In front of him and make sure he would randomly run into the other more often until they started meeting on purpose then he would enter phase two getting the other used to his touch.

@♅ Shin ¥ "Mhm," Jeremy hummed in respond as he drank his tea for some more until he felt that he has warmed his body enough. However he didn't clean up as he still has company and it would be rude to put away his tea set after his own indulgence was over. "What are you looking for here at the market? Perhaps did you get what you was looking for?" He ask finally after a moment of silence. "Would you like some more tea?" He added as he was ready to brew some more for the man.

If Jeremy knew what was going on in the angel's mind, he would shaken his head and simply state that another test of fate has come his way. Although he would applause the plan for approaching him as that would probably the best one of all. Since truly, if Shin was as vulgar to get on his lap, it would only make Jeremy rejecting to be near the man. Not because he was disgusted with it but he was uncomfortable to see another person private parts. Which, to not make himself felt uncomfortable, he would avoid the root of the problem. It is always his solutions till now.

@❦ Jeremy Xu At this point Shin was partly forgotten why he originally approached the other he was just enjoying the conversation and company but in the back of his head, a voice was nagging him to keep pushing. But after his tests, he could tell that the other was probably as interested as an ice statue. He didn’t mind but he also understood that even if he diced to take off his clothes and dance on the other’s lap he would probably not get any response and he was not vulgar enough to do just that. So instead he would have to come up with a new plan a way more intricate and a lot more time-consuming than the get and dance idea.

The best way to get someone dense to agree to intimacy with you was through slow and constant conditioning. Start with accidentally running into them more and more and then little touches moving up to hugs and other ways until they are so comfortable with your touch that they don’t even realize they are being seduced. Shin smiled as he lowered his empty teacup. “Just a little thank you for the tea” He replied. There was always one other option and that included drugs and lust spicing but he wasn’t the type to chat before at least trying to play the game.

@♅ Shin ¥ Soft chuckles laid in his throat as he sipped the tea, he has never put the white stone for pure. Nothing was pure about him and he was nothing but a sinful wandered soul, walking through every path of life trying to survive so he could prolong his life for a selfish purpose. However, he didn't corrected the other man and just watches while listening to. See how the white stone turned to black, just like how he felt, the hidden side of pure come with darkness. Hence, he choose both, as two stones were just one. Like Ying and Yang can't be separated. Like both side of a coin that can't see one another yet leaning against each other. They were equally presented in his life. They were always part of him. A sin committed for the most pure reason is still a sin.

His train of thought was pulled back when the angel begin to speak about floral tea. The represent of it. Jeremy agree as that is the beauty of tea. However, his gaze soon landed on the flower that was presented before him. He only smiles as the other man told him not to take thing serious yet he has never take thing lightly while at the same time were. He always somehow stayed in the line between going to far or not going anywhere at all. "I appreciated the kindness." He responded finally with another smiles given.

@❦ Jeremy Xu Shin watched the other place down the stones and listened to his reply nodding. When he was offered a new cup of tea, he held out his cup taking a sip before placing it down, taking one more look at the two stones. His eyes lingered and after a moment he picked them both up. “Life is filled with choices.” He said as he lifted both stones presenting them on the palm of his hands. “I presented you two stones you decided them to be options, so you picked both. You feel they weigh the same even though they have a different meanings. One is pure or happiness or people you love.” He presented the white stone. “One is dark. Sin. The tragedies following.” He continued his reading of the results slowly starting to understand the other's mind. “But…” he smiled lifting the white stone and just watching it as it started to turn black, starting to lose all light filling with the color of the other stone.

He didn’t continue talking just placed the now black stone down still holding the originally black stone as he lifted his teacup taking a sip. Then he closed his hand around the original black stone and placed his hand on the table. “I always preferred floral teas even though the flower is dried and dead it can still bloom in the heat of the water and flavor your tea.” His entire demeanor switched as if he never presented the other with the stones. “Don’t we pick flowers to admire then and to share the beauty?” He asked smiling as he lifted his hand to present a small flower to Jeremy. “Don’t take it all too seriously I just learned a small trick or two.” He laughed playfully opening his hand the stone had been in and taking the teacup to sip it. “I thought I should repay your kindness with a little entertainment of my own.”

@♅ Shin ¥ Jeremy could felt the weight of the stone shifted, it was getting heavier than when he first held them though their weight remain similar. It seem that what he said, what he thought, what he did were that. It was neither yet it was both. Nothing was above another. The white stone remind him of all the special person in his life, which was his happiness to see them happy and hence he won't fear to commit sin to save them. And the black stone remind him of the sin he part-take just so he can live to witness his happiness. The indulging for him was happiness of those he cared for.

Finally placed the stone back down and smiles toward the angel. "I didn't choose one. I choose both. However, even when there was never a question, life was about choosing. Life was a quiz in itself, propose many option for one to pick. Like I can choose to end this conversation with you yet I choose not to. Or perhaps to choose to not pick up neither of those stones and act as I have never sinned." He answered before pick up his tea cup and drink more tea. He offer a smiles afterward and offer to refill the other's tea cup.

@❦ Jeremy Xu Shin quietly watch Jeremy pick up both stones not reacting for a moment just watching the other as he was picking up the stones. “They are equal sure.” He said carefully watching as the weight of the stones shifted and the weight of the sins committed increased. The trick wasn’t to choose one stone after all he had offered both stones it was just about the weight just like he had asked which of the stones is heavier. He couldn’t influence or change the weight of the stones nobody but the person holding them could. Each stone represented only what the person meant them to represent it was up to them to weigh the stones. Shin had no power over what happened once someone picked up the stones or how they would feel in the person's hands all he could do was read the result once the person had finished feeling their interoperation of the test.

“I offered you to pick up both stones and you chose to see the test in choosing one.” Shin smiled as he pretended the test was over to not taint the results. “I never asked you to pick. How come you decided it was about picking one or the other?” He then asked looking closer at Jeremy just a little bit of his old angelic self showing through as his benevolent smile of calm appeared.

@♅ Shin ¥ Jeremy listened as he continues to drink his tea before added to what the angel has laid out so far for him. "That may be most case, but those sin wouldn't be called sin as they were necessary for life to continues. Only consider as sin when it wad in excessive. Though, that is depend on one's own definition." He stated as he felt what he chase for happiness weren't indulgence in himself and what he need for survive was indulgence for other people. And as what he has done was the exact opposite of what the other man has stated so when he was offer with the two opposite colored stones to choose. He pick them both up. "They are equally heavy for me."

Jeremy eyes land on the black stone, when he has brutally ended a life to save a life, yet that life was the his happiness so the white stone was fitting as well. Then there were instance where he put himself in the sin of the white stone for the survival of his own. They were a mix of both side. "That's my answer, they are equal."

@❦ Jeremy Xu Shin smiled tilting his head as he was listening to the other's explanation. “Indulgence and survival, the two sides of the same coin.” He chuckled to himself before taking the time to carefully lay out his thoughts on the matter. “Sin is part of life? I can see why that thought would ring well with many people, after all, it is natural to most to search out things that bring you happiness, and what some call sin might just be that indulgence of happiness. The sin of sloth, the sin of lust, sin of gluttony aren’t they all just the indulgence of happiness? Good food, a rest in the middle of a busy day, the touch of others they are all unnecessary for survival but they all indulge our own peace of mind.” He carefully placed down a small little stone. It was of pure white with no stain on it. “On the other hand, there is brutality and rage. Take a life to save your own. These are the sins needed for survival but they don’t indulge happiness. Do they still weigh the same?” He placed down another stone entirely black as if no light could touch it.

“How heavy are your sins?” he finally raised his eyes up from the stones looking at Jeremy. “If you pick up both stones which one is heavier?” He asked gesturing invitingly towards the stones. He hadn’t offered these stones to anyone in a long time but it was always up to the person what would happen next it was never up to him.