[COLOR=GRAY][INDENT][INDENT][center][sup][h2]O[i][sub][sup]nce was a man who lived a life so mundane, it could only be true. 

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Practically invisible to the world around him, life carries on while he felt perpetually stuck treading water just to keep his head

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afloat. Fortunately for the man, fate had different ideas and intervened with a heavy hand. Pushed into a corner, the man 

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was driven to hide amongst dusty shelves and heavy tomes. In the silence, he could hear his name being whispered, 

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over and over again, until his hand touched one particular opus. A worn book, bound in leather and tarnished steel. Though 

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sealed, it opened for a price, and upon spreading its pages, the man's life was changed forever. 
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Now, he is the Warlock they call...[/sup][/sub][/i][/h2][/sup][/center][/INDENT][/INDENT][sub][hr][/sub][sup][hr][/sup][CENTER][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5661999][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019e83f9-259f-75fb-95e3-57387106ed18.webp[/img][/url][/CENTER][sub][hr][/sub][sup][hr][/sup][SUB][SUP][table][row][cell][INDENT][h2][b][COLOR=SILVER]L[SUP][SUB]OCATION:[/SUB][/SUP][/COLOR][/b] [i][SUP][SUB]MILK STREET - POINTE BORDEAUX[/SUB][/SUP][/i][/h2][/INDENT][/cell][cell][INDENT][RIGHT][h2][b][COLOR=SILVER]U[SUP][SUB]RBAN [/SUB][/SUP]G[SUP][SUB]OTHIC[/SUB][/SUP] #1.01[SUP][SUB]:[/SUB][/SUP][/COLOR][/b] [i][SUP][SUB]HARDWICK[/SUB][/SUP][/i][/h2][/RIGHT][/INDENT][/cell][/row][/table][/SUP][/SUB][hr][SUP][SUP][table][row][cell][INDENT][sup][h1][b][COLOR=SILVER]I[SUP][SUB]NTERACTIONS:[/SUB][/SUP][/COLOR][/b] [i][SUP][SUB]NONE[/SUB][/SUP][/i][/h1][/sup][/INDENT][/cell][cell][INDENT][RIGHT][sup][h1][b][COLOR=SILVER]P[SUP][SUB]REVIOUSLY:[/SUB][/SUP][/COLOR][/b] [i][SUP][SUB]NONE[/SUB][/SUP][/i][/h1][/sup][/RIGHT][/INDENT][/cell][/row][/table][/SUP][/SUP][INDENT][INDENT]His fingers rubbed across his closed eyelids, pushing his glasses atop his forehead while he futily attempted to massage the exhaustion from his tired eyes. Bloodshot green eyes reopened, looking back at the computer screen in front of him, the high-definition monitor somehow managing to look like a Windows '98 resolution as Archibald Hardwick's eyes immediately resumed burning despite his effort. The text began to blur, prompting an exasperated sigh before Archied leaned back and looked towards the ceiling. A stretch from the bottom of his soul came out of his chest and into his shoulders while he laced his fingers behind his head briefly before his right hand began fumbling across the desk towards a small bottle of eye drops.

It was only Tuesday, and the week already felt longer than most. A large patent case had come in, and Archie was put in charge of cross-referencing the plaintiff's design to ensure their client actually had a case. Discovery had started nearly a week ago and worked through the weekend and late every night. It was thankless work, but he knew they would need to be extraordinarily thorough if they wanted to get the defendant's case thrown out before their lawyers found enough to settle.

[COLOR=WHITE]"Slack off on your own time, stretch."[/COLOR] A voice sneered, appearing behind Archie and startling him. Nearly jumping out of his skin, his hand slammed down on the desk, sending the nearby stack of files crashing to the floor before the vial of eye drops fell from his hand and freely rolled away before lodging themselves firmly under a nearby filing cabinet.

[COLOR=WHITE]"So jumpy,"[/COLOR] Archie turned to the source of the voice, biting the inside of his cheek while nursing his right hand. Behind Archie was Tiffany, the office administrator, holding a file with a red stamp across the front. Her heavily glossed lips smacked obnoxiously on a matching shade of pink bubble gum before she extended the folder towards Archie. 

[COLOR=WHITE]"Cheryl denied your overtime request,"[/COLOR] Tiffany said, the corner of her mouth struggling not to upturn into a smirk.

[COLOR=silver]"I submitted it to Robert, I worked those hours, my key card is logged in."[/color] Archie protested, looking over the printout of his weekend and evening hours. 

[COLOR=WHITE]"Budget's tight right now, and work has to be done."[/COLOR] Tiffany shrugged, [COLOR=WHITE]"Tough luck, I guess."[/COLOR] She clicked her heels, adjusting the pencil skirt that hung like a second skin over her legs. 

[COLOR=WHITE]"Oh, and Cheryl wants to see you in her office. But if I were you, I'd probably just pack your desk up and leave. Or don't, I like watching a good sacking, hun." [/COLOR]

[COLOR=silver]"Are you this awful to everyone?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=WHITE]"No, just scrawny little pencil dicks that think they're too good for everyone."[/COLOR]

[COLOR=silver]"I don't-"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=WHITE]"Save it, Cheryl's probably fuming, she said to send you over ASAP, but I waited thirty minutes to relay that message, so you're welcome."[/COLOR] Tiffany smiled coldly. 

[COLOR=silver]"Seriously?"[/COLOR]

[COLOR=WHITE]"Uh, duh. Now move your pasty little ass, Cheryl's been kept waiting long enough."[/COLOR] Tiffany scoffed, [COLOR=WHITE]"Honestly, I don't know why Harri puts up with you."[/COLOR]

Harri. Harriet Lynd, the girl next door. From the corner of his eye, Archie could see Harri from across the office. She had pulled some strings to get him in the door; the pair had been friends since the day Archie's foster parents had brought him home. The girl from across the street, Archie had been smitten from the moment Harri had hit him in the face with a basketball. 

[COLOR=silver][i]Frankly, I don't know either.[/i][/COLOR]

Archie's head clouded with thoughts as he stood from his desk; his chest felt like it was going to collapse in on itself. Was he about to be fired? He needed this job; it was all that set him apart from where he had come from. He wasn't a bad employee; he was never late, never took off early. In fact, Archie had never even taken a vacation or sick day in the five years he had worked at Pendelton & Hawking.

His hand shook as he raised it to knock on Cheryl's door. Should he knock? Archie hesitated. If he were summoned, shouldn't he just go in? He was already invited; what need was there to knock? He put his hand on the door handle, pushing down on it before panicking and taking a step back. Raising a loose fist, Archie meekly knocked on the frosted glass embossed with the '[i]Cheryl Lockhart, Senior Partner[/i]'.

[COLOR=WHITE]"Enter,"[/color] Cheryl called from the other side of the door, prompting Archie to take a deep breath and turn the handle. Gingerly pushing the door open, he watched Cheryl take a seat at her desk before the pair briefly stared at one another as Archie froze in the doorway.

[COLOR=WHITE]"Archibald, are you planning on coming in?"[/color] Cheryl asked, [COLOR=WHITE]"You look like you're debating between slamming the door or jumping through my window."[/color] She stated, turning in her chair to look at the skyline behind her. [COLOR=WHITE]"It's a beautiful view, isn't it? Almost uncommon to see the sky as empty as it is today."[/color]

She spun back around, a soft smile crossing her lips before she beckoned Archie forward.

[COLOR=WHITE]"Please, take a seat, Archibald."[/color]

[COLOR=silver]"Ma'am, I am so sorry-"[/color]

[COLOR=WHITE]"I know Tiffany didn't relay my message."[/color]  Cheryl interupted, raising a hand, [COLOR=WHITE]"And I know, you're probably wondering why I denied your overtime."[/color]

[COLOR=silver]"No, Ma'am, I completely unders-"[/color]

[COLOR=WHITE]"Cut the bullshit,"[/color] Cheryl interjected, she placed her hands in front of herself on the desk that separated her from Archie. [COLOR=WHITE]"Look, I know you think the work you do around her goes unnoticed, but it doesn't. You've been with us for a while, Archibald and never moved past associate."[/color] 

Archie nodded as Cheryl paused.

[COLOR=WHITE]"Five years, that's a long time to remain an associate."[/color] She commented before opening a file on her desk. [COLOR=WHITE]"I see that you studied locally, joined directly out of school. Lynd put in a word for you, you know, she made junior partner in under a year."[/color]

[COLOR=silver]"Everyone has always thought highly of Harriet."[/color]

[COLOR=WHITE]"Why do you think that is?"[/color] Cheryl asked, leaning back in her chair as Archie stared at her like a deer in headlights. His mind went blank. Normally, he could list off a dozen reasons why Harri was great, but suddenly, now in front of one of the senior partners, none of those reasons felt relevant.

[COLOR=silver][i]C'mon, you're a lawyer, damnit. Act like one.[/i][/color]

[COLOR=silver]"She's confident in everything she does,"[/color] Archie answered. He wanted to be sick; his heart was trying to escape through his ribcage, while he felt like the pits of his shirt had to be a different colour from the rest of it at this point due to perspiration. 

[COLOR=WHITE]"Confidence is a key attribute in this line of work, one that you're certainly lacking,"[/color] Cheryl replied, her lips pursed together. [COLOR=WHITE]"However, you're not without your merits, Archibald. You are, without a doubt, the most thorough of my associates, and I've been looking through your preliminary work on the Hawthorne case, and even I must say it's exemplary."[/color]

[COLOR=silver]"Then why are you letting me go?"[/color] Archie blurted out. His eyes widened at his own words before he covered his mouth.

[COLOR=WHITE]"Letting you go?"[/color] Cheryl raised an eyebrow before gently massaging her forehead. [COLOR=WHITE]"Ah, Tiffany..."[/color] She shook her head.

[COLOR=WHITE]"No, Archibald. I am not letting you go. I want to give you an opportunity."[/color] Cheryl explained. [COLOR=WHITE]"I want you to personally handle the Hawthorne case and, if you win, I'd like to extend an offer to you as Junior Partner, with your work on the Hawthorne case retroactively paid at your new rate."[/color] She smiled, extending a hand towards Archie.

[COLOR=WHITE]"That's why I denied your paperwork."[/color]

[COLOR=silver]"I, I don't know what to say."[/color] He answered, weakly gripping her hand before she squeezed and gave his arm a good shake.

[COLOR=WHITE]"Most people start with thank you, you might want to start by working on your handshake."[/color] Cheryl replied, [COLOR=WHITE]"That said, Archibald, I will warn you that the consequences will be dire should you not win this case for us. We would have to reconsider your time at this firm if you can't win a case after five years. Think of this as your big break, though, with your talents and attention to detail, if you apply yourself and push outside of your comfort zone, I think you could catch up to your peers."[/color]

[COLOR=silver]"Thank you, thank you so much,"[/color] Archie nodded, [COLOR=silver]"I won't let you down."[/color]

[COLOR=WHITE]"I'm counting on it, Archibald."[/color] Cheryl replied, motioning towards the door. "You're dismissed. Oh, and I should mention, I want this settled by next week."

[COLOR=silver]"Yes, Ma'am,"[/color]  Archie replied, backing out of the room with a bow of his head before continuing backwards into the hallway. Taking another step, her turned and bumped directly into Tiffany, barely stopping himself from toppling face-first into her before an outstretched arm caught the nearby wall, leading to Archie bracing overtop of Tiffany.

He had never realized how good her perfume smelled.

[COLOR=WHITE]"So, Junior Partner? Congrats, pencil dick, it's about time. You want a quick blow in the closet?"[/color]  Tiffany offered, her dry tone escaping Archie's notice. 

[COLOR=silver]"I, uh-"[/color]  He stammered awkwardly, looking around as a few of the others began to stare.

[COLOR=WHITE]"That wasn't a genuine offer, asshole."[/color]  Tiffany rolled her eyes as Archie just awkwardly stared at her. [COLOR=WHITE]"Lawyers,"[/color]  She exhaled sharply through her mouth, [COLOR=WHITE]"I'd need at [i]least[/i] five shots of tequila before I'd even consider it."[/color] She muttered, [COLOR=WHITE]"See you around, pencil dick."[/color]  

[color=#98FB98]"Junior Partner?"[/color]  Another voice asked from behind Archie. He turned to greet Harri, who threw her arms around Archie, giving him a quick squeeze before pumping her fists excitedly.

[color=#98FB98]"We have to go out and celebrate!"[/color]  Harri said, reaching up on her tiptoes to tousle Archie's hair. [color=#98FB98]"You've been waiting for this day for so long. It'll be my treat, 'The Haunt' tonight at seven?"[/color] She asked. Archie could barely hear her over the sound of his heart pumping blood as it thumped around his ears. 

[color=#98FB98]"C'mon, Arch, you never go out and have any fun, it'll be good to blow off some steam. Just you, me and maybe a couple others from work."[/color] Harri said, tapping on Archie's tie with a well-manicured finger.

[COLOR=silver]"M-m-maybe just one drink,"[/color] Archie replied weakly. 

[color=#98FB98]"Oh, you're having at least two,"[/color] Harri replied playfully, [color=#98FB98]"And try to be late, no one is early to their own shindig."[/color]

[COLOR=silver]"You know I can't do that,"[/color] Archie replied, attempting to match Harri's playfulness, full well knowing he was serious.

[COLOR=silver]"I really can't, can I?"[/color] He muttered under his breath, turning around. His head was spinning; the events of the afternoon had left him feeling like he had whiplash. Junior Partner and Harri wanted to go out with him? Everything was finally coming up Hardwick.

Where was his desk again?[/INDENT][/INDENT][/COLOR]