The Ranch

Central Market (3)

Whereas most people would only look at the weapons in the store front and go inside if something caught their eye, Tih looks through the spaces in between to peer inside the shops. Only someone with keen vision could do this, but they wouldn't waste this talent on looking into shops and would instead put the advantage to a good use as a spy or assassin.

Kai is only looking at the weapons displayed on the storefronts, stating the name and history of each weapon. The never ending supply of interesting material let's him run his mouth nonstop. "Oh! Isn't that a Chakram? I'm surprised there's a blacksmith making those! Oh wait? Isn't that the third-ranked shop in this weaponry district? It's pretty packed, so you want to check it out?" Kai turns to where Tih was supposed to be only to see an empty space. He looks around and realizes that Tih left at some point. Kai sighs," He really does whatever he wants.."

In a desolate shop, Tih is staring at the unique weapons. The dilapidated store scares off any potential customers. Tih looks around in silence as he has the whole store to himself. The only other person in the room seems to be asleep in a chair in the corner of the room.

With gray scruff and wrinkled skin, the years have not treated this man kindly. Tih recalls Private Scott saying that people leave the island at age fifty, meaning this old man can't be that old. The man grumbles in a deep voice as he continues to sleep, not realizing someone has entered the store.

Tih ignore the man after glancing at him and turns his attention of the interesting looking weapons. Some look familiar to Tih and others don't. He eventually makes his way to the weapon that made him walk into the store in the first place.

Tih picks up the unfamiliar dark purple, almost black weapon. He recalls Kai pointing to a similar looking weapon called a gun, but this once is only the size of his palm. He picks up the metal-looking rope coming out of the gun. The metal was an unusual black with a purple shine. At the end of the flexible, braided metal is a skinnier shuriken with the ends bent down.

While Tih is immersed in the thing in his hands, the creak of a door breaks the silence. A laid-back voice pipes up,"Jules. Sleeping on the job again?"

The old man rouses from his slumber and grumbles," What's there to do anyways..."

"Isn't sleeping on the job a little too unprofessional, old man?" The man that came in smirks.

"Time is money Kane. So I'd rather spend my precious time sleeping." The old man shifts position and gets ready to go back to sleep.

"Wait old man, I need something." Instructor Kane prevents him from sleeping.

The man doesn't say anything but doesn't go back to sleep either, waiting for the Instructor to continue.

"I broke another sword, you think I could get a discount?" Instructor Kane shows a cheeky smile.

"Another one? If I keep giving you discount, I'm gonna go out of business you know?"

"Oh? I didn't know you were still in business, where's all your customers." The Instructor plays with the old man.

"You want the discount or not?" The old man grumbles.

"Yes yes. Thank you very much." Instructor Lane head to a certain part of the shop, completely familiar with the layout. He expected to be in and out in a couple of minute but didn't expect to run into that interesting newbie. "If it isn't Tih? Have you been here the whole time?" Instructor Kane couldn't sense him presence in the slightest. What kind of innate talent does this kid have. Fighting spirit well up in Instructor Kane, but he composes himself. He know when and where to pick a fight. Plus, if he beat this newbie to a pulp, he would be the bad guy. But he really has the urge to test the kid out.

The old man hears Instructor Kane talking to someone and pipes up,"Who ya talking to?"

Instructor Kane wraps his arm around Tih's shoulder. Tih, who was still concentrating on the weapon in his hand, was pulled along by the instructor to meet the old man, Jules.

"Eh? Was this kid here the whole time?" Jules asks the instructor.

"Yeah probably. He's one of the quiet types, that's why you didn't notice him."

"But-"

The instructor knows what Jules is going to say," I know old man, but his presence is weird. I didn't notice him either, but once you do..." The two stare at Tih who's looking down at the weapon that's still in his hands.

The instructor and Jules can feel the weird, almost unnerving aura the child unconsciously releases. A creepy feeling crawls up their spines.

Jules chuckles the odd feeling away,"Curious little case, aren't you."

"Ain't he?" Instructor Kane agrees. "What are you looking at kid?" The instructor picks up the tiny thing in Tih's hand, causing Tih to bring his attention to the people in front of him. He stares at the man that took the weapon he was looking at.

Being stared at by those emotionless eyes makes the instructor feel like he did something wrong," I just wanna look at it kid."

Jules also looks at the weapon."A grappling gun? Where'd you find that thing?"

"Old man, you don't even know what's in your own store? And isn't this gun too small? Can it even hold any weight?"

"A defective product, you think? Hmm...hey kid, I'll sell it to you for cheap." Jules tries to negotiate with Tih.

"Ha! Old man, this junk isn't even worth one kquil. Are you really trying to swindle a newbie?"

"Wait, this kid's a newbie? How do you know him? Weren't you supposed to be training your men for the upcoming tournament? When'd ya have the time to get to know a newbie?" The old man chuckles.

Instructor Kane recall their fist encounter and coughs to hide his embarrassment, "Scott brought his group to check out the plains." He left out a lot of details.

Jules recognized that name,"Oh Scott? Looks like he finally got a break. Is that bum Jax finally doing his own work?" If the old man didn't know the amount of stress Tih disappearances were causing Private Scott, he wouldn't be calling it a break.