Acting Adventurer

Jace

I may have forgotten my adventurer's lisence, but, last I checked, Quartz was an exceptionally responsible individual--the second most important reason I had for inviting Quartz to be a Wanderer. That being said, surely even she wouldn't be able to remember everything she might need when she had to set out in such a hurry, right? There's no way that I'm just disgustingly irresponsible, yeah?

Nevermind, I guess I'm the only Wanderer who would forget their identification papers and lisences. Well, if there's one thing I learned from James, it's that the only logical thing to do when you forget any legal documents is to properly acquire new papers through conventional means.

Donning my mask of morphing, I take Quartz's adventurer's lisence out of her wallet and make sure my appearance and voice are calibrated accurately enough to pass as Quartz the Wanderer. It's always at the times like these when I truly appreciate all the advice James has given me over our the years we've known eachother. When no one else was willing to take me in, James, despite only being a year my senior and in crippling debt from gambling, decided to raise me as if I were his younger brother.

Jace (Morph - Quartz)

As I enter the adventurers' guild, there is instantly an uproar about the arrival of Quartz the Supreme Sorceress in such a small mountain village, and this worries me greatly. If news spreads about Quartz being spotted in some no-name backwater village, Al will head straight there. Considering Al was second-in-command, he should still have some control over Haze and South, so I should really assume that they'll get here faster than expected. I stride up to the nearest receptionist and prepare to ask for the highest-paying quest the village has to offer, but before I can say a word she thrusts a sheet of paper in front of me. Taking the sheet of paper, I begin to read what I now know to be a quest scroll.

Jace (Morph - Quartz): "So wait, you want me to cleanse this town's and the surrounding villages' water supplies due to some sort of contamination? Also, this form says none of you have had anything to drink within the past day and many have died or are on the brink, is this true?"

Receptionist: "Yeah, it's true. We are truly lucky that you came to our humble little town, Mrs. Rose, as you are the only magic caster known to the public who is capable of such a feat. I can show you to the three main reservoirs now if you'd like."

"I need to ask Jace first, but yes I would be willing to accept this quest."

"Thank you. Really, thank you. Because of you and you alone, our villages are saved!"

"Do not think too much of it, I am just doing as I always do."

Jace returns to the tent where Quartz still lies manacled in her sleeping bag. At this point, Quartz is awake but struggling to get out of her sleeping bag with a muzzle, without the ability to even slightly use the muscles in her legs, and three total pairs of manacles on--two on her wrists and one on her legs.

Jace: "Here, let me help youu get out of that."

Quartz: "Ah, Jace! I don't need assistance getting out of a sleeping bag, I'm the Supreme Sorceress!"

"Yeah yeah, and you're struggling like a worm that could only wiggle one half of itself. Just let me help you."

"Before you help me, you do acknowledge that I could have gotten out of the sleeping bag on my own, correct?"

"Whatever makes you happy."

"That is not a proper response to what I asked you! I need you to respond with a simple 'yes', Jace."

"Yes, whatever makes you happy."

"Jace, I really want to kill you right now."

"What, by biting me?"

"Please just stop talking in general. In return, I will allow you to assist me in escaping this prison."

After that, Jace snickered to himself while turning his head away from Quartz so that she would not see him laughing.

Jace: "Quartz, there's something I'd like to talk to you about."

Quartz: "What is it, oh great bag unzipper? I am at your service."

"Well, lesser bag unzipped, I have literally no clue how to purify a reservoir and if I don't figure out how to do so as soon as possible, many people will die of thirst."

"If purification of a large body of water is all that is needed, you simply have to remove these cuffs and--"

"If I take those off of you, you will literally just begin attacking me again. Admit it."

"W-what? I would never do something like that."

"You literally have only ever gotten flustered when you're trying to cover something up."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Aaaaand you slipped out of your fancy shmancy formal talk."

"Okay, fine, sure I might try to kill you a little bit, but I would also go and purify the reservoirs afterwards."

"Quartz, surely you don't value taking one life over saving hundreds? The Quartz I knew was far better than that--worthy to be a Wanderer."

"I would never--wait, but I have to kill you. But can I let those people die because I was too busy trying to kill someone? Can I really tell the world that one book was more valuable than hundreds of human lives? I...I do not know what I want to do."

"Here, let's think about this logically, Quartz. When are the times at which I am available for killing and the journal is able to be taken?"

"Constantly?"

"Correct. Now when are the times at which these villages can be saved?"

"... ...Just today."

"Exactly! So, now that you've got your priorities straight, can I trust you to cleanse the reservoirs before killing me? We wouldn't want any innocents to die of thirst because you tried to kill me before purifying the water, right?

"Yeah... I guess so."

"Perfect! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll take off these manacles and lead you to the adventurer's guild. After you finish the quest, I'll be hiding until I'm certain you've returned alone. That means no pulling what you did back on Tidebreaker again, you hear me?"

"Yes Jace, I get it. I understand completely. Now please take these manacles and this muzzle off of me."

"Yes ma'am!"

With that, Jace took off Quartz's restraints and promply lept into the nearest shadow and onto Silence--right before Quartz could slice his head off with a blade of air.