Lito Goldmaster

Years prior, Lito and his partner Ratchet were a golden duo. They worked together to invent new products to sell, though it was Ratchet who was especially skilled in gadgetry. To contrast, Lito always had a knack for showmanship and handling coins. They were climbing the financial ladder in Divinity's Reach, which was a mixing pot of cultures, making it a great place to make oneself known. In their off time, they tinkered, and on the street, they peddled their wares. It wasn't the most glamorous life, and there were other businesses above them, but it was success.

At the time, they wore matching outfits when working. They were crimson, with no headwear, but had white gloves and were overall quite fancy. They referred to themselves as Golden Goods, and they travelled around to different districts, and even occasionally branched out to places such as Lion's Reach. Things were good.

But one day, things began to fall apart.

Rachet, who had short black hair and grey skin, stood behind the charismatic Lito has he peddled their ware as per usual. A woman came to their cart with a dark tan to her skin, long blond hair, and was overall gorgeous. She wore expensive clothing--that day being a navy dress which was cut suggestively up the leg all the way to the waist, and was cut to expose her left shoulder and upper bust. They didn't know who she was at the time, but they would soon come to know.

Lito wasn't certain at first if he heard correctly at first, but given what came later, he was likely correct. It was a distant, "Ew, asura".

There was more, but he couldn't make it out. He didn't mind, and ignored it.

While he was finishing up with a customer, he suddenly heard something from around the cart, where his golem and Ratchet were counting the coinage. It was of a woman in distress. He turned back to see his partner ranting to the beautiful tanned woman who looked rather enraged, and was also where he thought he heard the earlier hateful remark.

"You totally did," she snapped back. "You spilled my drink all over my dress." She pointed to a fresh stain down the side of her outfit, while an empty, cracked glass rested by her foot.

"I didn't even touch you, miss," Ratchet replied.

"You're paying me for a new dress. And you know, this cost me a hundred gold. If you don't, I'm telling."

"Telling? Are you a child?"

Lito stepped over. "Aha. Calm down there, partner. What seems to be the problem here?"

"My name is Lady Taya of the Asterblooms, and I won't have you asura speak to me in that tone, all right?"

Asterblooms... Asterblooms... That's a powerful noble house around here. Why does she even want our money? Lito pondered. We can't afford to drop all our profits like this.

"I am incredibly skilled with my hand to eye coordination, miss," Ratchet explained. "And we never even made physical contact. In fact, if my peripheral vision is correct, you spilled that on yourself feet from me before actually coming over here. You can even tell by the marks on the ground, where the glass--"

"You shut your mouth right now," Taya said. "I'll tell my dad, and he'll have you shut down so fast if you don't apologize and buy me a new dress right now."

"I apologize," Lito said. "But it's only a simple stain. It will surely come out, and we can't afford to give away that kind of money. Surely you understand. In fact, we might even have something to get the stain out. You can have it for free."

"What did I just say?"

The few others around, even those that spotted the truth, didn't speak up. They were too nervous, and pretended not to notice. She did frame them, naturally. Taya was spoiled and arrogant, though even she was acting more vindictive that day than usual. It likely had to do with what she said earlier, involving them being asura. Ratchet and Lito were between a rock and a hard place.

In the end, they settled on a smaller payment of gold so she would finally leave them be, but not without Ratchet becoming more and more upset. They had lost a lot of coin that day, and profits were already not all that high at the time.

Over the next weeks, they began to notice something terrible. Their customers were starting to avoid them, and other problems would arise. Taya wasn't lying that day. She either told her dad or started spreading gossip, and it didn't take much to put pressure on the two merchants. It wasn't a gigantic difference, but it was enough to eventually put them in the red. Their business was failing.

Ratchet couldn't do it anymore. He always felt his calling was to study magic abroad, so after a long talk, Golden Goods came to an end.

That isn't to say Lito gave up. He refused. Slowly, and by any means, he would become a successful businessman again, and he would never forgive Taya for what she did.