Fang Fubar

    Within Alne, under the watchful eye of the Scale Emblem is a little tavern that has new adventurers and hunters alike. In this tavern, toward the back sits a lone dark scaled salamander.

His boots are propped up on the table, there is a pitcher there of ale, along with a mug of the brew. His fiery, golden draconic eyes watching every person that comes in and also leaves. His tail flicks from time to time, but over all, the Scale member is rather still.

He isn't wearing any heavy armor, just a casual tunic, pants, along with boots and some fingerless gloves. There is not even a weapon to be found on him either; Though as any adventurer knows-- a weapon is probably stashed in inventory space.

    That Salamander is Xander Scaleharth.

It turns out that a lot of bounty hunters aren't willing to go after someone with the kind of reputation Xander has. Figures. Kaydon did manage to get information from one. Seemed that Xander wasn't hiding anymore, or at least not as much as Amalthea had implied he was.

This was the same inn Kaydon had spent his first night in this world at, after the apocalypse. It was somewhat odd coming back, since he hadn't been back in quite a while, not since New World had set up their own stuff. Still, it wasn't pleasure that brought him in.

He's in his transformed gnoll form, as he walks up to Xander's table, grabs a chair and flips it around so he can sit with the back leaning towards the table, "We need to talk."

    Xander does spot the gnoll. His eyes watching him as he comes over. He observes him rotating the chair and sitting right on down. He doesn't move at all, his feet staying propped up right where they are.

"Hmm." Is all the Salamander says at first in response, before he reaches for his Ale, he then continues, "What can I do for you?"

"I suppose it's moot to bring it up now." Kaydon says, as he folds his arms over the back of the chair, leaning forward, "Truthfully having had time to think about what Giganpor did, I don't really fault you."

He shakes his head a bit, "But frankly, I'm still pissed off. So I suppose I wanted to hear it from your mouth, as to why."

    Xander raises a brow as he listens to the Gnoll and does a quick inspect check to get the name, "Kaydon-- is it?" He asks, before he brings his boots off the table to sit up straight. He then motions to the pitcher, "Care for some ale?"

Then goes to take a drink from his own mug. "You don't fault me, but you are still pissed." He smirks a little. "What do you /want/ to know? There is the why, sure, but what part of the why. Why did I go out on my own? Why didn't I clear it through my superiors first... why at all?"

Xander motions to him, "So really the question I have back to you is-- what why are you after?"

"I suppose the main thing is I look at it as an attack on New World." Kaydon replies, as he grabs a mug off an unused table and pours some ale for himself, "But then again, it's been a hell of a few months trying to figure things out." He does take a drink from the ale, glad it's the real stuff and not something from a menu somewhere.

"Why did you kill him? That's the real thing I want to know. You had him beat, you proved your point, and he has been punished by NWA for what he did." Kaydon shakes his head, "What he did. So stupid. You know I just wanted to go after you guys directly to try to delay the calamity waves. Wouldn't have gotten any Landers wrapped up in it at all. Not that anyone would ever go through with it."

    Xander takes another drink from his mug. "I wouldn't have laid a real finger on him if he had some inch of remorse." Xander says with a low tone to his voice.

He looks then directly at Kaydon. "Someone who can kill and have no feelings about it. Look you dead in the eyes and say they would do it again, with still no remorse for the lives taken..." The Salamander tilts his head faintly. "... Would you not kill someone like that as well? Let them know how it feels."

    Xander looks at his mug, "I take /no/ joy in what I did... I never will, but would I do it again to save lives? Yes. Hell with how much it pisses off the command... Most of them don't even get real life tactics anyways.." He sighs, "But that is beside the point..."

His eyes draw back to Kaydon. "Giganpor placed the lives of innocents in danger. Inexperienced adventurers and landers alike. Some not even just Scale if you really think about it." He motions to him. "He placed so many in harms way, just to stop the raid team from pushing. Has no regrets, has no remorse... If you don't send a message, copy cats will come. They will come and do worse things. A signal had to be sent. Something had to be done."

"If command didn't have the damn balls to do it, then I do it myself. As a soldier," He snorts, "Not that I have any right to maybe see myself as that anymore.." He takes another drink before he rests the mug down. "I hate fucking politics... Either way, I killed him to send a message. I killed him to let him get a taste of what he put others through. Sure... He'll probably do it again, but as I told him... I'll be there. I'll be there every time to send him right back and keep people safe from murderious assholes."

Kaydon shakes his head, frowning, "Who says I haven't." Kaydon replies, at the mention of killing someone who has no remorse, "Look maybe you and I aren't so different, Xander. I had no idea what he was doing, or I may well have stopped him myself. But frankly, I understand his motivation. People were put in danger, but every single time a calamity wave hits it puts civilians in danger. We've just gotten really good at counteracting them."

He takes another drink from his mug, and then sets it back down, "Honestly I had plans to spread rumors that Scale Emblem was directly responsible for the calamity waves. Turn public opinion against you guys. You know, standard psyops stuff. That got shot down pretty quick."

    Xander shrugs gently, "Do what you gotta do." He says simply, "Like I said, I hate politics. I just do what I have to do to try and keep people safe."

"Just hopefully next time Giganpor realizes that his actions just don't place Adventurers in danger, but also the Landers as well." Xander adds, before he finishes off his drink. "... Anything else I can do for you, Kaydon?"

"For what it's worth, I've been working in his forge on something." Kaydon says, "Keeping an eye on him, though working on my own project too."

He downs the rest of his mug, "And I'll have you know that someone, a player by the name Arashi, has recovered...A vast majority of the weapons that had been dispersed." He laughs a little bit, "Honestly I think she was more pissed off than you."

    "Arashi is a good gal... I use to constantly want to challenge her for that sword in a friendly one on one," Xander muses, "But she always turned me down." He chuckles gently. "Most of my time in the original game before all this shit, was protecting new players from PKers, challenging other people for their gear, and raiding."

"... Now we are stuck in this video game world... and a... Part of me doesn't want to go home." Xander looks at his empty mug, "And I've probably had too much to drink and opening my mouth too much." The Salamander then goes to stand up.

"But its true, I really don't want to go back, but I've made promises to others to see that they do." He looks at Kaydon once more. "If you see Arashi, tell her I said hi.. and sorry if I ruffled her any by my actions. She is a good gal, great heart... Even if a lone wolf."

"I'll pass that along when I see her." Kaydon replies, "As far as being stuck here, and honestly not wanting to go home..I understand. Why do you think I am with New World." He rubs his muzzle faintly, "That being said...A lot of people seem intent on bringing our world here."

And to prove his point, he draws something from his belt and sets it on the table between them. It's a knife. There's plenty of those in the game. But this one is unique, judging by the shape and the U.S.M.C. logo on it.

    Xander was close to actually walking away, but the knife caught his attention. He raised a brow and then turned to look at from where he stood. "... US Marine Corps..." Then his eyes slowly moved over to Kaydon. "... Where did you get that and how?"

"I made it." Kaydon replies, as he picks it up, and then twirls it around in his hand to direct the handle Xander's way, "From memory."

    Xander watches him pick it up and when he flips it around to offer it to him. He places his hand up to decline, "It's impressive to do that from memory. Sadly, I don't have any craft skills in the game... So even if I tried to make one to remind myself I was in the Army..."

The Salamander smirks faintly and shakes his head. "... Hell, even in real life I lost a good deal of my dexterity, at least got some motor skills back thanks to VR tech and the like."

    His tail does gently flick in thought, "This may be a personal question, maybe /to/ personal... But were you on the base before the Flash? Or-- on the base at all before?" He rubs the back of his neck, "I suppose just trying to get a general reference of time. Given after the Flash, I had to retire."

"Truthfully I didn't join up until after Pluto's Kiss." Kaydon replies, "My father was Army, stationed in Japan. He never really forgave me for becoming a jarhead." He laughs, and then sits back a bit, "But I spent a lot of time overseas when I was in. Both in theater and deployed on a MEU. Ended up in Okinawa, then mainland Japan. And then, well. Here."

    "I think many of us joined cause of Pluto's Kiss." Xander replied back. Though the talk of family has the Salamander once more looking distant. His jaw moves a little in thought before he lowers his head.

"But yeah, was Army. Stationed in Japan. Was part of the cyber warfare group." He shrugs, "That is really it... Anyways, good talking with you Kaydon. Nice to, well, meet an another armed service. Been-- lonely in that department. Even if we are on two different alliances."

"Who knows... Maybe we knew one another in the real world." Xander shrugs and then goes to step away. "By the way, the pitcher is already paid for, so feel free to drink all you like!"

Kaydon gives Xander a quick wave goodbye, "I'm sure I'll see you around...Just do me one favor." He says as Xander starts to head off, "Next time you're gonna kill Giganpor, let me know ahead of time. I might not stop you but I'd at least want to referee it." And with that he grabs the pitcher and the mug, and pours himself another drink.