THE MOMENT
"See you next time!" The town guard smiled as Tillman walked past him on his way out of the village. He doubted the guard was aware his words stung so much; it wasn't like he'd seen him sneak in this time. Tillman snuck in over one of the tall, unguarded walls, and he was spotted immediately. It happened seemingly by pure chance, but it was his seventh attempt at sneaking in that night, and no one was that unlucky. There was something more to the town, something secretive. And he doubted he could solve it in the hour he had left.
It was time to give up. Instead of making an eighth attempt, he walked some distance away from the town, far enough away from the light that he was surrounded by darkness. He threw his hands up and surrendered with an exasperated sigh.
"That's some tough luck, Tillman," a jovial voice spoke up as the heavyset stranger emerged from a portal in the night. He had dark green hair and wore a green Hawaiian print shirt. He gave him a hefty pat on the shoulder. "Maybe next time."
"Next time?" Tillman shook his head. "With that fee, I'm not sure I can afford a 'next time'." He wasn't really giving up, but Ozone was a businessman, and known for having a generous heart.
"That's a shame, but I understand," Ozone smiled. "From what you told me, you already make a comfortable living. Joining my group is probably more dangerous than it's worth, especially if you're already in a good spot. You know what? No harm done, I'll give you back 90% of the try-out fee if you agree not to try out again."
"Yea-waitwhat?" Tillman was about to agree to taking the refund before he heard the stipulation.
"Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but you're obviously not cut out for the job. I kind of knew that going in, and now I'm feeling like I took advantage of you. So, just take back most of it, and we can move on like it never happened."
"Okay, agreed," Tillman nodded. He was disappointed, but fortunately, Ozone reminded him he was already doing okay. Joining a mercenary group felt like the next step for him, and he knew Ozone wasn't the only job dealer in the multiverse. Now he had a bit of experience, and he could train some more before seeking out someone else.
"Bit of advice though," Ozone added as the funds were returned to Tillman's account. "It's one thing if you're dealing with locals on the same Earth, but if you're going to start doing multiversal jobs, I'd drop the 'master of stealth and disguise' labeling. If you can't get anywhere in even this blasted village, you're just going to end up with disappointed clients."