Odd Way To Make Friends (Clyde Sullins)

[Zanza]

OOCSorry it took so long to get started, Clyde.

5th of Summer 512AV

Zanza walked into the bar, his mask on top of his head, his always sheathless sword in his hand, and his usual pseudo-happy smile plastered across his face. To tell the truth, having only just arrived in the city, he just walked in to the first building that seemed interesting and it just so happened that this building was a bar. His gut rumbled, pleading for food. His dry tongue danced in his mouth, eager for a drink to wet it. He groaned quietly. He had been traveling for days, all the way from Riverfall. He needed nourishment. Now. But getting food and drink meant that he would have to spend money, and that was something he did not want to do. He would have to come up with another way. And the only way he could think of was thievery. 

He looked around at the tavern's patrons. Pickpocketing one of them was out of the question. Zanza was skilled at some things, but finesse was not one of those skills. If only he could find a... 

There! He spotted a man, probably around his age and almost as tall as him. But he was scrawny and looked like he would not be able to put up much of a fight if he had to. Perfect. Zanza's smile widened and his mind began rapidly concocting ideas on how to liberate this young man of some unneeded coins. Perhaps the direct way is the best way this time he thought as he moved towards the weak-looking man. Simply "ask" him for some money. Zanza was sure that he would be more than happy to oblige once he saw who was asking. His brash confidence seemed to shine on his face and in the way he walked. 

As he approached he put the tip of his sword on the ground and threw his arm around the young man's shoulder in a sort of half hug, as if he was greeting an old friend. "Heya, bud!" he said cheerily. "Gods it's been how long? I don't even know, I'm just glad to see ya again. Listen, I had a long day and I could really use something to keep me goin'. Only problem is I left my money at home." He leaned his sword so that it was easily visible for the man to see. His voice darkened a bit, but still kept that same cheery tone. "Think you can help me out?"

[Clyde Sullins]

It was not new for Clyde to meet some tough character. One who thought they could easily strong arm him, as he did not look all that physically intimidating, with his staff and facial scars. He was of decent size, but most assumed he was a pushover... Of course, looks could be deceiving, and in this case, such a mistake could prove deadly... Not for Clyde, but for the other person... When the man came up to him, slinging his arm over him, and sort of hanging on him, Clyde fought the impulse to right then and there pour some res down his throat, and transmute it to lightning... Or maybe fire... Either way, they would be cleaning bits of his blood and flesh off of the surrounding area for awhile... But no, he reminded himself, a showy bit of magic was not needed... He did not NEED to do magic... Though it would feel so good to do so... And this man surely deserved it, for being such a jerk, and a thug... Now the man was showing him his sword, and asking him for money... Obviously a thug... Clyde simply smiled at him, and shook his head a bit... Really, the thieves were just getting lazier every day... At least he could somewhat respect the ones that worked for it... But this one... Not at all... He deserved a lesson... "Actually I don't know you, and I don't make a habit of paying for beggars to get drunk. Now if you would not mind leaving me be, I have things to do... And you are not worth my time..." After saying this, Clyde would turn around, so as to be facing the man, bringing there faces rather close together... Then he would smile, and begin to gather a ball of res inside of his mouth, so if he had to, he could spit it out... Or maybe he would guide it down, and set the mans pants on fire... Regardless, this statement would likely be shocking to the thug, considering he had expected an easy take, a pushover... Clyde proved to be anything but, and had stood up to him... He would give him a chance to leave him alone... But if he tried to make a move... Well Clyde could do some serious damage at close range with his res... If nothing else, it would only take a small spurt of res, to light the mans eyebrows on fire... That would not be terribly damaging, but would be rather funny... Yes, that seemed like a good idea... setting the mans eyebrows on fire... That is what he would do... Slathering on just the barest layer of res on this facial hair, before bursting it into flames... If he did not leave him alone, or tried to make a move... Already Clyde could feel the joyous feeling of release, as he produced his res in his mouth, how pleasant and liberating it felt to do that small bit of magic, in producing res for reimantic use... And how he wanted to do more...

[Zanza]

The man's response took Zanza completely by surprise. He had expected the man to at least give him a coin or two to be left alone, but to be stood up to like a little kid standing up to a bully...  His smile lessened a little. He took a step back and leaned on his sword, quietly fuming and thinking about his next move. Not worth his time. HA! I'll show 'im. A swift punch to the gut might shut him up. No, it was probably not the best idea to start a fight in a city he had only just arrived in. Plus, he had no clue whether or not starting a little bar fight would get him in trouble with some higher powers. 

He smiled again. "But please, sah! I'm ever so hungry!" he said in the highest pitch voice he could manage, mocking the fact that he had been called a beggar. He changed his voice back to it's normal tone. "Seriously you can't be that heartless. I only need a coin or two for a plate of food." He frowned inwardly. This man was awfully cocky for someone who was facing a man of Zanza's stature. He could not even see a weapon anywhere on the man's person. So why was he so confident? 

A couple of thoughts formed in his mind. Perhaps this man was part of this city's police force. Or perhaps Zanza had already been surrounded by the man's buddies. Maybe the man was hiding something behind his back. Or maybe... just maybe... it was all just a risky bluff. All of those possibilities held an equal chance. Zanza could feel his own cockiness begin to surface. A bluff, it had to be a bluff. Zanza drew himself up to his full height, took a quick long step towards the man, and grabbed the grunt of the man's shirt to bring their faces close together. He spoke in a dark, menacing tone.

"I figured out my problem. I've been asking nicely. So no more of that. You're gonna give me what I want or you're gonna be missing a lot more than a few coins."

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde likely would have smiled, if he had known what the thug trying to get money from him was thinking. He thought in that metaphor, he was the bully, being stood up to by a little kid... But in reality, he was the little kid, coming up and harassing the bully, being to big for his britches. He was lucky Clyde hadn't bloodied him up a bit, just to prove his point. Clyde only half registered the look on the mans face, as he spoke to him, his shock... And his anger. Well, he had tried to give him the chance to walk away... Clyde simply ignored the beggar who expected money from him. Really, such things did not usually stand long in Ravok. They weren't in Sunberth or some other slum city. And the pristine visage of Ravok would not long be sullied by such a person, without being dealt with. Then the man really did it, grabbing the front of Clydes shirt, and threatening him. Him! Giving him orders! A lowly mundane man, with a pointy bit of metal boosting his ego out of proportion! Pulling there faces in close, this man was really dumb... All he had to do was breath down his throat, and he would be dead. But no, he had a better idea... As the man threatened him, Clyde just smiled at him, and took in a deep breath. Then he blew that deep breath right in the mans face. However, this was no mundane air. As he blew out, he had blown out some of his own res, as a gas, right into his face. Clyde guided it, a simple task at this range, right onto the surface of the mans face, collecting bits of res inside of his eyebrows, and a small bit to the tip of his nose. With one word spoken, "Vaknut", the res turned into flame, a quick flash of light as there was suddenly fire, and then the mans eyebrows were aflame, and there was fire on the tip of his nose. "Or perhaps I have been to nice to you... Oh, and you might want to put your eyebrows out, they are on fire..."

[Persona]

Thread Award! Zanza: Skills: Impersonation +1 Persuasion +1 Observation +1 Intimidation +2 Lores: The Dangers of Intimidating the Wrong Mark Notes: Make sure to keep an updated thread list and ledger. I'll be lenient this time, but in the future I may withhold grades until your CS is updated. Clyde Sullins: Skills: Rhetoric +1 Observation +1 Lores: A Sword Can Boost Egos Out of Proportion Setting a Man's Eyebrows on Fire Notes: Shame this was cut short. It would have been fun to see Clyde burn somebody's eyebrows in public, and the consequences thereof If you feel this grade was unfair in any way, or would like to request changes to this grade, please feel free to PM me and we can discuss it.