[hr][center][h1][color=9e0b0f]Marduk[/color][/h1][sup][/sup][/center]
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[indent]Marduks' laugh was positively boisterous. The sequence of events that started as soon as the walking-talking vending machine crashed through their window probably should have left him confused, but he always found it better to be [i]amused[/i] instead. He didn't need every particular to find out why the things that happened, happened - quest giver got impatient, wanted to force quest, ergo, reverse defenestration.

So, default to amused.

Back to the matter, or matters, at hand, it looks like things were getting busier, with his guildmate's picking up quests and splitting into teams. He was mildly pleased to see Holly take up his suggestion and invite Zenith to join her. He was less pleased to see Kaden and Lavinia in the same team; to be clear, he had nothing against the boy. He trusted Torys' judgement and if she let him in, that was good enough. What he didn't trust was his personality withstanding Lavinia.

The girl was different. Her mannerisms would make her out to be endearingly clumsy or an absolute irritant, for all that the girl was caring in a way that defied everything about her upbringing. Mentally, Marduk shook his head. Perhaps less different, more one-of-a-kind. Whatever the case, she came with her peculiarities, and frankly speaking he wasn't sure that Kaden would be able to stomach them, and that may cause problems down the stretch. He also wasn't afraid to admit that he held some personal affection for the girl, so his concern about her well-being may be less than biased.

He scratched his chin, pondering the problem before deciding that it wasn't up to him. He'd step in when he needed to, but they were all adults on that team. He had to trust that they could work it out between themselves.

Setting down orders for drinks and seeing as there was little more to be done, Marduk made his way to the side of the bar where Torys' was sitting, carrying two glasses of hard liquor on the rocks with him. He arrived soon enough to catch the tail-end of her conversation with Tone, one of the newer guys who'd signed up after the Dragon Incident, and gave them both a big, toothy grin.

[color=9e0b0f]"You know, one of these days you ought to accept 'your cut,' just to humor him a little."[/color] He placed a glass down in front of her, and kept the remaining one for himself. Leaning over the counter, the old man took in a mouthful of liquor, setting it down, and giving the four other mages in front of him a thumbs up. [color=9e0b0f]"Thanks for hearing me out Holly, Zenith looked just about ready to choke his frying pan to death. Be good for him to see the outside of his kitchen for awhile. Who knows, maybe if all goes well with your Job we'll finally be able to hire an actual crew to man the thing."[/color]

With a chuckle, he downed another mouthful of his drink, while eyeing the job board. He considered taking one of them earlier, but it looks like the rest of his guild has them covered. Hm, guess that meant he'd be spending more time with whoever stayed behind.
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