Raiden looked around the outlands, still quite beautiful but filled with those who couldn't find employment. Many beings resided here in the outlands that admired the two greatly from a distance.
Well it's still…Okay looking, good to know it hasn't completely fallen to ruin. Come on Raiden. We're building a fucking army. We're going to have to recruit some top guys here."
"I know but usually bandits and the like come here for sanctuary since this is a neutral zone and trouble doesn't enter this land at the highest level. We should be able to recruit just about anyone from this land if needed."
"Well do you know anyone in specific that stays out here? Any free agents looking for consistent work?..Shit…I guess we're going to have to get our guys paid huh.."
"Yeah but it's not like money will be the issue… the issue in my eyes is gonna be finding her… she's definitely gonna be useful though…"
"We got any more people in mind? The girl I know also helped a few times behind the scenes with a bunch of things when I was here."
Raiden suddenly stopped a coin that had rolled to his feet, he looked around seeing if the person was there but when he looked up he only saw a cloaked figure roaming into a tavern. "Huh…"
"What? That person interest you?" Should we take it as a sign to go in after them?"
Raiden nodded to Gharma and walked towards the tavern, sneaking his way through the door. The tavern itself was roudy, the smell of Beer and Bread filled the air but there was no conflict, not like any traditional or cliche bar anyways, only loud yelling and laughter with music playing.
"God this fucking smell.." Gharma followed after him, brushing past a few drunkards and bandits. What was interesting was the fact that when they saw Gharma's face, they quickly apologized indicating that he had a discinerable face and people recognized him. Just as he said. He scoffed.
"Me smoking cigarettes here and there is different. That beer smell is disgusting."
Raiden pushed through the crowd following the wet footsteps of the figure, he was shoved into a drunkard by complete accident, the drunkard stared him up and down angrily. Ready to throw down, Raiden looked him in the eyes.
"I didn't mean to-"
The cloaked figure stepped behind the Drunk man and with one swift kick knocked the man onto the ground. A pale faced girl that was similar in age to the others was standing over the body of the drunkard. Gharma stayed silent. Only because he didn't really know who the girl was, and they could be the next ones attacked. He stayed on guard, watching her intently.
She looked down at the body then looked back up at Raiden, her face changed from a plain expression to that of a gleeful grin.
"Raiden Otizawa… haven't seen you here in a few months now, where have you been? The people here miss you."
Raiden scratched the back of his head nervously.
"Alexandria… I just have been busy. Been training with my brother and stuff…"
"AND YOU DIDNT THINK TO COME SEE ME?!"
Her relation with Gharma's brother was a little odd, it seemed like they knew each other for some time but from where or why was unknown.
"Raiden..come on. Get along with the sales pitch. We're running out of time slowly but surely…I have someone who can join too that we can meet up with."
"Alright. Alright. Alex we need you to help us with a job, we'll pay you pretty well and make sure you have continuous jobs stacked up afterwards…"
She sighed and shook her head in agreement after giving it a quick thought.
"That's fine I guess, or maybe you wanted to share something else again?" She smirked before giggling. "Nevermind… as long as I'm paid I'm in."
Gharma seriously thought for a moment his teenage brother was banging chicks left and right. What the hell did she mean by somethinf else again? You know what? Whatever.
"The question is if you get along with others. We need a team, and we're forming an army. Our rag tag team of warriors."
"Of course I can as long as they don't get in my way or anything…"
Alexandria slowly pulled out and held a sharp butchers knife to her tongue, she licked it as it glided across her tongue slowly. It had felt likd the room had stopped for a moment, but Gharma felt so strapped for time he didn't even care and he trusted his brothers word.
"Good. Then we're on the same page…Welcome to the Crimson Tiger. Whoever you are."
"I'm Alexandria, many know my other family members names due to the link between my family and the spirit world. I was also helping your brother with the work down here in the outlands for the last few years."
"Ah I see. Then you might be extremely useful because the spirit world may be waging war on us. Maybe you could give us any information on that?"
"Well, I haven't been there in a long time. My distant cousin is a captain there but I left that family a long time ago."
"Is there any chance you can get us in contact with him? Preferably maybe in the same room?"
"Well I can try, he's not the best with people like us… he just goes crazy and hunts down beasts and evil spirits… but I could try for sure."
"Perfect. He could be hunting jesus christ himself trying to assassinate him. We need some kind of answers."
"You think he'd just give us answers?? We'd have to fight him and even then he might not even give us the answers."
"Tch. Whatever. Fuck that guy then. We'll figure something out regarding that. Right now we need you for the tiger…we can worry about the spirit world later."
"Okay, like I said as long as I get those contracts with it then I'll be fine doing whatever."
"So I assume you'll be following us out of this shit show then? I'd prefer not to be around these old drunkards."
"Of course I am, I'd rather be with your brother and you then in here waiting for the next job anyways."
"Alright. Let's get out of here."
Gharma pushed past a few angry drunkards as he walked out, stretching his arms and sighing. He lit another cigarette on the sidewalk, pulling out his phone.
"Im going to talk to someone I know around our age..they'll probably join for the right price. Maybe mom will give us a loan or something."
Raiden and Alexandria followed Gharma out of the tavern before he turned to Gharma.
"You think we won't have to work our asses off for that though?"
"Hey…if we're going to be the generals then it's either two feet in or two feet out. Plus some bandits in our brigade will work for us."
"Some generals who listen to their parents that's for sure…"
He sighed and ignored any small talk that would be coming from Alexandria. Alexandria walked behind the two and hid her blade within her cloak, not trying to be seen with it in hand.
"You know if you were looking for real soldiers I would go to Shibuya or The Borderlands, there's always some skirmishers out there who just want a general to lead them."
"The borderlands huh…I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask Yuki..though she may just tell us to fuck off."
"Yeah honestly she might just tell us to fuck off. Granted, how do you know she's out there? Can you sense her or something?"
"We don't have much to lose if i'm being honest…if she tells us to fuck off then we're just where we left off here, if she joins she'll bring us money to make more recruitments and weapons to give us more power."
"Alright… let's get going then, we can't waste any time with this…"
"Let's get my girl on board first and if we can get Yuki thats a plus..sound good?"
"Yeah that's fine with me-" Raiden was interrupted by Alexandria.
"Another girl huh? What's this gonna be a bunch of women working under the men now?"
"What so you're mad at the patriarchy now? Boo Hoo. Cry about it we're paying you as well."
"Yeah I'm getting paid to be a Mercenary for you, doesn't mean I have to listen to you, I do the job and we come to that understanding, Capiche?"
"Uh, no caposh or whatever the fuck that means my friend. You do the job because me and Raiden tell you too. We're your generals. We pay you for your services, we give you directions. This is how it goes. You're not our slave but you're not exactly a free roaming spirit either."
"Whatever… as long as I get paid… I'll happily work with you two but your brother seems more negotiable than you…"
"Maybe we gotta have him start doing negotiating with you. I mean do what you want but then you'll make no money. Waste of your time.
Gharma put his hands in his pockets. He continued to walk down the sidewalk looking for their next member.