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Acquisitions Specialists: Part One


by archetype

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From the journals of Brynneth of Brightvale, Captain of the Guard of Her Majesty Faerie Queen Fyora:

      Several months after the incident which has since been dubbed "The Faeries' Ruin", comfortable peace has once again settled over Faerieland.

      Reconstruction efforts have been going well, though the faerie magic was not yet strong enough to lift the city back into the clouds. Now that the buildings have been put back together after the fall, the kind of magical recovery needed by the faeries was beyond my help.

      The thing about peace is, there really was not much to guard. And I knew Hanso was growing restless as well, for he chose to stay within the city even though he rose up within the ranks of the Thieves Guild and was more than welcome at their hideouts. I asked him why he did not leave to join them, but he just shrugged and said Kanrik is more than capable of taking care of things and did not need him.

      Regardless of his reasons, I was glad to have him around.

      But nearing the end of the third month, not much remained for either of us to do. So I was beyond grateful when Queen Fyora finally called us in...

      ---

      "Ah, Brynn, there you are," Queen Fyora waved the Kougra over to one of the other armchairs in the room. "But where is young Hanso?"

      Brynn gave a short bow before taking a seat. "I could not find him on short notice, Your Majesty. He must be out somewhere in town and not the city."

      "Hmm, well I suppose you can just tell him once you do find him, but I may have a job for the two of you."

      Brynn frowned quizzically. "Er, don't I already have a job?"

      Fyora smiled. "Yes, and you've been a marvelous Guard Captain the past few months, but I'm afraid this particular job requires some of Hanso's... expertise."

      "His expertise?" Brynn asked. "You mean his... er... well that is to say, he is quite good at..."

      "What does he call it?" Fyora looked amused as she interrupted Brynn's stammering. "Acquisitions Specialist?"

      "Yes, that... expertise," Brynn repeated, lamely.

      Fyora continued, "Indeed, I am in need of someone of his skills to recover a few magical items that we have lost. Some we lost quite recently in the fall, others were lost long ago but we may know where they are, now." Her smile disappeared. "Some of these are quite dangerous artifacts, Brynn, and cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. That is where you two come in."

      "I see, Your Majesty. But, um, if it's Hanso's... expertise that is needed for this, then why do I need to go?"

      Fyora's eyes twinkled as she laughed. "Oh, Brynn. As if he would go anywhere without you."

      Brynn just blinked, and tried to fight the heat rising in her cheeks as she forced herself to listen to Fyora's instructions.

      "Now, Brynn, here is what you need to know about the first item that must be retrieved. Last anyone saw of it, it was somewhere in the Lost Desert..."

      ---

      I found Hanso outside Faerie City, regaling a young Wocky with no doubt exaggerated tales of the events a few months past.

      I managed to pull him away with our mission, but perhaps not before he set himself up as a role model for another one of Neopia's youth.

      But that's a problem for another day.

      For now, we have a long journey ahead of us. But I do look forward to seeing Jazan again, and maybe finally meeting his Nabile.

      ---

      "So, what are we looking for again?"

      Brynn sighed. "Hanso, I've told you already, Fyora wants us to find the—"

      "Scarab Medallion, yeah yeah I heard that the first time." Hanso waved a hand carelessly. "But that's just what it's called. What does it look like, what does it do?"

      Brynn stopped in her tracks. He had a point, there. "Er, well I guess it would look like a medallion... shaped like a scarab?" She scratched her head. Ok, maybe that really did sound as lame as she thought it did.

      Hanso kept walking ahead. "Hmm, wonder where we can find a scarab-shaped thing in the Lost Desert... oh, wait, everywhere!"

      Brynn scowled as she jogged to catch up. "Well, if it was so obvious then it wouldn't be lost and in need of retrieving, would it?"

      "Finding a lost thing in the Lost Desert, sounds like a challenge."

      "Too tough a job for you, oh Master Thief?" Brynn teased.

      Hanso stood up straighter, indignant. "Not at all, of course I can find it!" And he sped up even more.

      Brynn just grinned as she followed. It was great to be out of the city at last.

      ---

      Some time later, the duo finally made their way inside the walls of the city of Qasala.

      "So, what makes you think this Medallion is somewhere in Qasala, anyway?" Hanso asked, as he discretely swiped a Puntec Fruit from a cart in the marketplace.

      Brynn slapped the back of his head. "Put that back! And I don't, but Jazan knows more about curses and cursed objects than almost anyone. If anyone can tell us something, it's him." And with that assertion she continued towards the palace.

      Hanso threw the fruit back onto the pile with a scowl. "Yeah, yeah, Jazan the Great and Wonderful, gotcha," he mumbled.

      Brynn turned and glared. "What was that?"

      Hanso put his hands up. "Nothing! Just... er, that's a good idea, is all. Asking Jazan, I mean. I'm sure he would know something."

      Brynn turned and continued her determined stride towards the palace. Hanso let out a relieved sigh, gave one more wistful look at the fruit carts and then jogged to catch up.

      Maybe there will be food in the palace.

      ---

      "I may have heard something about this Scarab Medallion. Objects like that do go unnoticed, after all," said King Jazan IV as he settled into a cushioned seat and waved for Brynn and Hanso to join him.

      Brynn sat down immediately, looking hopeful.

      "But, I cannot help you."

      "What?" Brynn exclaimed. Maybe she was being rude, to royalty no less, but when the king invited both of them into his sitting room she had honestly expected a little more help than that.

      Glumly, she wondered if Nabile would be more willing, but Jazan had mentioned that the Queen was out in the town visiting friends for the day.

      Jazan cleared his throat. "What I mean is, I cannot go with you to retrieve it, since I am reasonably certain it is in the city of Sakhmet. Despite the recent... thawing of our relations, let us just say the Princess Amira and I have never been on the best of terms."

      Brynn raised an eyebrow at the somewhat sheepish look on Jazan's face. "Oh?"

      Jazan turned his gaze towards a corner of the room. "Let us just say... before I met Nabile, things were not always so... good." He coughed and continued hastily, "But the point is, I have doubts that Amira would be willing to help at all if I were involved."

      "So it's politics," said Brynn, no longer angry at Jazan but still disappointed.

      "Politics," Jazan agreed, looking none too happy himself.

      "Who cares?" Hanso finally piped up, mouth half full of sliced Puntec Fruit which a palace servant had dropped off. "You don't need to go, just tell us where you think it is."

      Brynn looked a little disgusted at the half-chewed food, but nodded to agree. "Yes, anything you know would be very helpful, regardless."

      "Well, that is part of the problem, also," Jazan began. "Amira or one of her advisors would have recognized the Medallion as a dangerous magical item, and would have no doubt placed it within the vaults underneath the palace. You would need her key to access it, unless you know another way in."

      Brynn looked over at Hanso, who shook his head. "Well, I guess we don't. But do you?"

      Jazan shook his head also. "I am afraid not. I have never seen the vaults of Sakhmet. Or really much of the city at all, really. The last time I was there, I was... busy."

      "Politics?" Brynn asked.

      "Politics."

      Hanso didn't look very concerned. "Well, I'm sure we can figure it out. Thanks for that, Jazan. So, shall we?" He moved towards the door.

      "Why are you in such a hurry all of a sudden?" Brynn wondered.

      Hanso narrowed his eyes a little, looking at Brynn and Jazan sitting together on the plush seats. "No reason," he ground out, and turned to leave.

      Brynn stared at his back for a moment, before saying a hasty thank you to Jazan and running out the door as well.

      The fruit bowl was empty. That must be why.

      ---

      The truth is, I've never really understood Hanso.

      He has been a puzzle to me, ever since the first time we met.

      I was just a junior guard then, excited about my new job and eager to prove myself. And so when I caught my first thief in the streets of Brightvale, I was so pleased with myself that I did not question it.

      Perhaps I should have.

      I did not, however. Not that first time, not the second, nor the third, fourth, fifth times.

      But I will question it now. How did I, inexperienced junior guard, manage to catch this particular Ixi thief time and time again? A particular Ixi thief who, I later discovered, had quite the reputation amongst the thieving circles of Neopia. So, why did he always get caught? Why was it, that during my first six months as a Brightvale guard, he was the only criminal I personally put behind bars?

      My mind can only come to one conclusion, which is that he allowed himself to be caught. By me.

      As to why he would do that, I am not sure.

      I am afraid the real answer is not what I wish it to be.

To be continued...

 
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