'I-I have no idea what you're talking about, mister. If you really need, I can write you a quality examination,' Phin stammers, stumbling backwards. The shift in mood was palpable: Phin, just cheerful moments ago, glances around nervously. In his four years running the store, he's never had an intruder.
The cloaked man vaults over the counter, grabbing Phin by the collar. 'Don't lie to me, Appraiser!' he snarls, slamming the helpless Phin into a bookshelf.
Holy crap this guy is strong... is he a Regal? What would a Regal want with me?? Panicking, Phin flails his legs, catching the intruder in the abdomen. In return, he receives a sharp, biting slap - his glasses fall to the floor, fracturing.
'I'll give you one last chance, App-'
The man suddenly slumps to the floor, his grip turning to jelly. Phin collapses with him, gasping - and sees them: two spindly darts protrude from the masked intruder's neck. IPF tranquilizer bullets! he recognizes, recovering his breath.
At the doorway stands a squad of rifle-wielding policemen, the Fortress's gold insignia burning on their expertly sewn uniforms. The IPF - Internal Peacekeeper Forces: the Fortress's feared police department. Scrambling, Phin scoops his mangled spectacles from the floor, examining the damage. No, no, no... they're completely ruined!
'You won't be needing those, Appraiser,' coldly states one of the policemen.
Confused, Phin looks up, the speaker's face nothing more than a fuzzy blur of colors. 'Are you... buying me new ones for compensation, sir?' he asks, hope flickering in his eyes.
The awkward silence of misunderstanding hangs heavy in the air.
'No, you're under arrest.'
The squad promptly advances, roughly seizing Phin by the shoulders. Several more IPFs begin to drag the intruder's limp body outdoors, where two police cars wait.
'Wait, I'm sorry - this is just a big understanding, sir. I've done nothing wrong-' Phin sputters as he, too, is hauled outside of the store.
'Affiliation and co-conspiracy with the Black Market, boy. Don't play dumb.'
'W-what do you mean?! I'm a humble partner of the OSM! I've never been involved with the Black Market!'
The ISF officer ignores his pleas, instead turning to his squad. 'Throw Vesk in the other car. I want to talk to this one myself,' he orders.
Phin's heart skips a beat. Vesk... as in Tarnin Vesk - the infamous Black Market ringleader?? Shit, this is even worse... Thoughts race through his mind as he steals a glance at the now-unmasked Vesk. That incident from earlier, with the corrupted Seed... that was definitely the Black Market's work. If Vesk is somehow tied to it... oh damn it all - how the hell was I caught up in this mess?
The Open Seed Market and Black market are often conflated, sometimes consciously, by law enforcement. But their core distinction lies in the range of Seeds they deal in.
The OSM is only permitted to exchange Seeds up to Grade II; any Seeds of higher quality are to be surrendered to the SciDep for government research. Normally, this is not an issue, as the Scavengers rarely encounter rare/powerful Florae in the Fortress's proximity.
As expected, the Black Market trades Seeds of higher Grade, as well as Corrupted seeds for malicious ends. Whilst common sense restrains OSM Scavengers from venturing so far, the Black Market often uses freely expendable slaves. Some select Black Market branches have even stolen Terrasuits from the Botanists, allowing them to venture deeper into the wilderness.
***
'So, tell us about your little power.'
Phin squirms uncomfortably in the backseat as he watches the colorless cityscape blur by.
"I've already told you - several times," he sighs, leaning his head back. "I don't have one. I'm just a Flora nerd, trying to make a living doing what I love."
He pauses.
"Though... if you count Appraisal as a power, then yeah. That's my special thing."
"You know, I'm trying to help you out," the lead IPF officer replies, eyes flicking to the rearview mirror. "The sooner you confess, the lighter the punishment. You're an interesting kid - it'd be a shame to watch you rot in prison."
Silence.
'Why would I be working with that scumbag Vesk? He was about to murder me there if you hadn't stepped in,' Phin mutters.
'It's not about that single interaction, though killing two birds with one stone is always satisfying,' the officer replies calmly, adjusting the mirror to capture Phin's face.
He exhales, voice turning cold. 'Your name already runs deep in Black Market archives, kid - Phin Ardelia, codename 'Magus'. Don't act as if we're idiots.'
The hell? Phin's head begins to throb, and an insuppressible rush of hot tears clouds his already-blurry vision. I should have just joined the SciDep... he thinks miserably, burying his face in his hands.
***
Sigh.
Phin cradles his bruised arms, leaning back against his cell's door. Thirty years... I don't even know what to feel anymore. He sniffles - the judge's cruel, simple deliverance of 'justice' still echoing in his head. The hollowness claws at him from the inside, far outweighing any physical injury.
The cell's white, simplistic aesthetic ticked him off - he was used to the comforting clutter of his home. And these blasted guards... they just pick on us commoners to feel better about their own sorry physiques. Phin stares blankly at the ground, simply lacking the energy to unleash his built-up frustration.
Just then, the cell door slides open, and Phin grabs the bedframe to steady himself. Profuse cursing could be heard outside, which culminates in someone being violently thrown into the cell. Groaning, he picks himself, up briefly scanning the cramped living space.
'Hey... IT'S YOU! You're the dumbass who got me locked up!' Phin exclaims with an unexpected rush of energy, pointing his finger accusatorially.
Tarnin Vesk eyes him over lazily, furrowing his thick eyebrows. 'Huh. I didn't expect to see you here. So you really don't know anything about that power of yours... quite disappointing.'
Phin flew into a fury. 'How could you speak so casually?! You ruined both of our lives!' he yells, marching aggressively towards the Black Market boss.
Vesk casually stops him with a finger, showcasing a muscular build akin to that of a Regal. He then brutally kicks Phin into the corner, watching impassively as his frail frame crumples upon impact.
'You're not helping the situation,' Vesk calmly notes with an unexpected degree of maturity. 'Even after you let me down in every single way, I still wish to start anew.'
Phin glares angrily at Vesk, squinting to make out his details. But he acquiesces, reasoning that they will be spending the next half of their lives together. 'Alright... fine. But first, tell me about this 'hidden ability' everyone's claiming I have.'
'Okay, so you're really oblivious,' Vesk mutters, shaking his head. 'Let us begin with this: have you ever heard of... Floral Alchemy?'