Board Thread:Role Plays/@comment-26130256-20150408000748/@comment-26130256-20150411151023

"Thanks.  I appreciate that,"  Azulius replied. Though to be honest, through the telling and the liquor, he may have stumbled upon the critical bit of the story. Maybe telling the story wasn't the problem so much as the fact that he hadn't told it very much. Aside from his team and Ozpin, barely anyone outside of the family (the flesh-and-blood kind and the organization) knew him for what he really was. All of his friends at Beacon, the professors, Copperfield -- they only knew the mask he wore. Vermont here was now part of a rare and exclusive club. Regardless of this revelation, he continued.

"So now for my part in the story.  For however smart I was as a kid, I was really indecisive, mainly for being curious enough to kill every cat within 20 meters.  So when I turned 18, the family decided to make me an 'auditor.'  Basically, I traveled Remnant, checked on family matters outside of Vacuo, and just lent a hand where they needed me.  It was a nice job, and I got to see lots of cool stuff."

"About a year and change ago, I was outside of a small village in Mistral.  My sister, whose a real genius with business, had this scheme to build our own little Dust refinery out hidden somewhere, make the stuff cheaper, and undersell Schnee by a good margin.  We set up the machine, and we were heading back to the village when a whole mess of Grimm showed up and attacked it.  We fought off a good number just using our branch office as a fortress, and there was space for a few non-combatants to hide as well.  But we could tell that it wasn't going to be enough to save the town.  At that point, a team of Huntsmen and Huntresses shows up and cleans house on everything left, probably saving the town."

"I had to make up an alibi that we were a company of mercenaries, but the Hunters still thanked us for doing all we did to help.  I struck up a conversation with them, and I couldn't believe what I heard.  That these guys would go around risking their necks for peanuts: no real money, no goods, not even a favor you can call in when you need it."

"With my upbringing, you can imagine that was a little strange to me.  Why?  I felt like I had to figure it out.  So I explained what happened to my family, who understood pretty well, pulled some strings to get an entrance exam, and actually got accepted to Beacon, which was far enough away that I shouldn't have to worry about my family coloring people's perceptions of me.  School year went well--got good grades, made some friends--until one evening I run into Copperfield, who runs the magic shop I frequent, and he says he needs a bridge partner at his favorite pub." Finishing his tale, Azzie gestured with his now-empty glass at the bar.

"So here I am, spilling my guts to a complete stranger with excellent taste in alcohol.  And where my story takes me next, I can't say." He set down his glass again, signalling that he was done and ready for questions.