The Six Guns

"It's already 1300 O'clock" Alex says. "I know you don't have anything better to do, but try to not take it too easy. Especially since you're sleeping on MY couch and I don't know how long it's been since your last shower"

"About 21 hours" Siran says in a tiresome voice. "Give or take. Don't you have a job or something?"

"I would" Alex replies, "but today is an off day. I like sleeping in on my days off, but you seem to like sleeping in even later". Alex gestures at Siran to signal that he wants him to sit up, then sits next to him. "How late do you usually sleep?"

"That depends on how long I don't get to sleep" Siran says while opening his bottle of water.

Alex takes a moment to think to himself, then says "So do you just travel around or something?"

Siran looks over to the side as if he's thinking to himself as well. "... or something" he says.

"You really are impossible" Alex says. "I can't help you if I don't know how to"

"I appreciate it" Siran says quietly, "but I never really asked. Anyways, what do you do during your off days? Walk around, watch something, play any games?"

"I play games occasionally" Alex responds, "but I thought it'd be a good idea to walk around for a while today. Look at some things to clear our heads, maybe even find work while we're at it"

"I guess that's as good as anything, really" Siran says. Siran takes his time getting up, but refrains from looking out any unblinded windows or any source of natural light before putting on a pair of sunglasses, takes his shower and gets prepared to go outside. Alex had his clothes cleaned as fast as possible while he took his shower since none of his clothes could fit Siran. When Siran gets prepared, Alex notices that Siran does not put on his ragged cloak over his clothes this time, but also never takes his sunglasses off either.

"Why are you wearing those inside?" Alex asks.

"Migraines" Siran promptly replies. "I get them easily. Even as much as going outside without sunglasses on gives me an instant headache".

'That's ridiculous' Alex thought to himself. 'What is he, an animal?'.

The two kill time outside visiting several places around town, mostly places that Alex seemed to know people personally who were working there. It's was very obvious that Alex wanted Siran to get a job as he kept bringing up work at every place they went. The sun eventually went down, Siran still had his glasses on and Alex only seemed to grow more curious about Siran. They went down the street that housed the tavern they were at the night before. They came close to the door when they heard an unusual amount of shuffling.

"I didn't hear any-" Alex says before he's interrupted.

"Sensitive ears" Siran says abruptly.

Alex looks at Siran and mouths words such as 'what the hell?' and 'how weird can you get?'

Siran perches at the corner of the alleyway and peeks one eye around the corner. In that alley, there were three dark figures seemingly wielding magic surrounding a young man on the ground with a cloth serving as a gag around his mouth. "I'm going in" Siran says as he begins to stand.

Alex pulls him back down, his face looking a lot more serious than usual. "Are you kidding?" Alex harshly whispers. "You stay here and I'll go in. I actually have experience in this field!"

"Looks like we really do have something in common after all" Siran says as he smiles and gets up anyways.

Alex watches Siran as he walks towards the men, then nearly vanishes into the shadows cast in the alley. Alex then moves around the corner as well, following behind Siran whom he had lost sight of. By the time Alex was able to see Siran again, he was already right next to the three men, all laughing and seeming to have been having a good time.

"Lovely day we're having" Siran says as he leans over one's shoulder. "What're we doin'?"

"Gettin' lost" the man in the middle, closest to Siran, says harshly. "That's what you're doin', jackass!"

Siran's face shifts into a sarcastic frown then he says "That ain't very polite. But then again, I wasn't asking you". Siran snaps his finger, and the young man's gag instantaneously burns off without leaving any burns on the victim. "I was asking him!"

The three turn around, alarmed and on guard. Each with several charms in hand. "You getting into OUR business, punk?" The man in the middle asks.

"Why, yes!" Siran says happily. "Yes I am, how observant of you!"

All three take serious offense to the way Siran is talking down to them, and start throwing whatever spells they can to take him out as fast as possible. Fire balls and beams of light all come from every angle possible and close in on Siran at once. In the moment, Alex can only see Siran's right hand raise before the fire encases him. But then, all the ballistic magic cast at Siran is immediately diverted around him, and concentrated into the palm of his right hand. Siran stares at the magic in his palm, studying it.

"Seriously?" Siran asks with a scoff. "That's what you wasted that charm on?"

The man in the middle growls a little before shouting, "Hit him, dammit! Keep hitting him! Again! AGAIN!"

One after another, a fire ball, a light arrow, a frost missile, any type of common spell casted in random order at Siran. But Siran, deflecting each and every attack with ease with a gentle lift if his finger. His finger, swaying back and forth as if he were conducting an orchestra. In fact, music even began playing, and no one knew where from. Alex looked around, looking for where the deflected spells were landing, if anyone else were near, and where that mysterious music was coming from. Alex noticed a familiar magic shell casted around the alley. A form of digital magic, what looked like a sound barrier spell mixed with a minor digital shield spell. The shield served to block the spells from causing any damage, and the barrier served to trap noise, that way no one outside this would notice what was transpiring.

"With a sound barrier though" Alex says to himself, "it would be impossible for that music to come from outside the alley. It must be Siran's stupid antics"

The three men pause their assault for a moment to take a look at Siran, who seems to be enjoying himself quite well. Siran finally stops waving his finger around, the music ends and Siran looks directly at the three men. "My turn" Siran says. He takes one step forward and then moves so fast that it almost seemed as if Siran had teleported. By the time Siran is once again visible, the three men tumble to the ground, passing out. Siran reaches down to help the young man, their victim, off the ground but he cowers away from Siran. Now shaking even more, he tries to gain as much distance from Siran as possible. Alex rushes over to help the man up, all while reassuring him that he's safe now. "You're fine now" Alex says, "we're here to help"

"Well that's a fine way to say THANK YOU!" Siran says.

"Well" Alex says, "as flashy as you were, you aren't exactly the most comfortable person to be around"

"Ouch" Siran says. He snaps his fingers and the sounds from outside the alley, such as people walking and talking, can once again be heard as Siran releases his barrier. "Anyways, I'm totally down for getting a drink while we're here, what d'ya say?"

"How do you even have money?" Alex asks.

"Ah, I don't." Siran says. "That's why I'm asking you"

"But.." Alex tries to process Siran's actions. "How did you pay for one last night, where'd that money come from?"

"Found it" Siran says.

"I don't believe that at all" Alex says. "Do you think I'm an idiot? Where'd it come from?"

"I'll tell you after a drink" Siran says as he winks.

Alex lets out a loud sigh, then says "Unbelievable. Fine, but if you stole it, I swear that I'll take you in"

"Deal" Siran says.

The two begin talking over some drinks. Their conversation begins with Siran saying "So you wanted to know more about me, right?"

"You're just going to suddenly open up" Alex says.

"Well," Siran says "I still can't tell you most of the things about me, but I had to wait until I can show you that I'm at least a little trustworthy. I mean, I wouldn't just believe a random stranger either."

"Fair enough" Alex says, "proceed".

"Well, as you can tell, I can cast spells without needing a charm to channel magic and I'm very good at controlling magic, both by casting and controlling others' magic. I can't tell you why though, you'll just have to trust me. As for my ID, as you probably guessed it is a fake"

"So you admit it finally" Alex says while sipping out of his mug.

"Well" Siran says, "it's not like it's stolen from someone, I made it myself. Besides, I didn't make it so I can drink underage. I'm actually way older than it says on my ID"

"How much older?" Alex asks.

"Well, according to this ID, I would only be 23 years old. However, you wouldn't believe me if I told you how old I actually am"

"Try me" Alex says.

"Uhh, well" Siran says while scratching his head. "Somewhere around 195 years old..."

Alex pauses then starts laughing very loudly. Siran laughs with him, and when they both calm down, Alex asks "anyways, the money you had?"

"Oh, right" Siran says and sits up. "Part time work, you could say"

"Really?" Alex asks, "For whom?"

"Well that part you might not like" Siran says. "I help out from time to time at this arms developer's shop. One just outside of the country here. "

"What?" Alex asks. "But those dealers are-"

"Are deemed an illegal trade, yes" Siran says. "But, the owner there doesn't sell to just anyone. They only sell to soldiers of any country. The shop is set up in essentially that small land mass considered neutral land. Not a part of any country, but governed by its market essentially. So the owner holds no bias to which soldiers they sell to the most, but also refuses to trade with anyone who can't prove they're not going to do something stupid with their tools. Since they make the weapons themself, they're all custom made and unique. Making them easier to be traced to their store"

"Well, why don't we go down there some time and get you some work?" Alex asks.

"Why?" Siran says.

"Because the next round is NOT on me" Alex says. "I'm not paying for your next drink. Besides, I'd like to investigate this arms dealer. See if he himself is up to no good"

"She, actually" Siran says. "Her name is Violet. But everyone calls her Vivi. Oh, and by the way, I mostly just did cleaning chores for work there, in case you might've thought that I may know how to make her weapons"