Open A Profitable Diversion (Jax)

[Razkar]

Fast little fucker, too.

"Use whatever you can." Razkar managed to growl as he got up to one knee, body whirling around to face Jax as he managed to totter up to his feet. "And don't give your enemy time to breathe-"

Jax's leg swung out at his head, but even in that tick Razkar could see his "lesson" was perhaps taking its toll. The blow to his torso, the vicious dig to his kideny, his twisted ankle... all added up to kick more desperate than well-formed-

-and the Myrian threw up his left arm, aiming to catch Jax's leg at the shin, hold it there for just long enough-

-for him to launch a short, vicious straight cross into his crotch. Just hard enough to obliterate any thoughts the boy might have about retaliation-

-and then Razkar would rise from one knee to his full height with a snarl, right fist moving again as he did, an uppercut, this time longer-

-looking to slam his fist into the kid's jaw and send him sprawling back into garbage of unconsciousness (preferably both).

[Jax Bradshaw]

The kick Jax had attempted previously had failed. Badly. Worse than any other failure he'd incurred during this fight. This time it resulted in his lost, which he mentally scolded himself for. That and it'd cost him quite a bit of money. He shouldn't have attempted the high kick into the man's head. It was bound to bite him back relatively quickly.

The man caught his foot and followed through with a vicious kick into Jax's balls. That... that was the worst pain he'd felt. It had overtaken being thrown into the garbage by a long shot. Then came the fist into his chin. That hurt quite a bit as well until... black. Nothing... just black. The man had knocked him out!

The time he'd spent out cold worried him. Maybe the man had robbed him blind or done worse... like finish him off and leave his corpses as food for the hungry stray dogs that roamed Sunberth during the winter. As he woke up, he found himself back among the garbage. Not again. Jax willed himself with all his power and tumbled out and onto his face, but it was better than being in the waste.

In a slow and broken speech, Jax spoke, "How... much..." He spat out some blood. "Owe you?"

[Razkar]

Finally, things went as they should have. Both blows connected and as one male rose, another fell. Quite spectacularly, in fact.

Even Razkar winced a little as Jax was thrown back into a (comparatively) soft bed of rotten fruit and month-old bread. As he got upright he winced again, only that time it was from his back and the aches he'd be feeling there for quite a while...

A smile bloomed on his face, looking down at a face marred by gaudy ink and what would be a fine, purple bruise by the morning. Razkar massaged his back and shook his head.

Never underestimate an amateur. They'll surprise you in ways a veteran never would... mainly because they know better.

A low, throaty chuckle gurgled through the fog and Razkar walked around the softly-snoring boy, picking out something... ah, that would do. He sniffed the bottle, decided it contained nothing noxious and unceremoniously dumped it onto the boy's face-

"Wake up, lad!"

"How... much... owe you?"

The grin grew wider, filed teeth shaking and dancing as he shook his head and offered his hand. "The last time a man put me that flat on my back, he was twice my size and a long way from here. That earns you something, eh?"

Ah, well, that meant it would be free! The noble savage was honorably refusing payment in lieu of a thrilling-

"A discount. We'll call it twenty gold pieces, hmm?"

Nevermind.

OOCLemme knew how Raz can get hold of Jax, too, so we can get our next thread rollin' later.

[Jax Bradshaw]

"A discount. We'll call it twenty gold pieces, hmm?"

Jax sighed as he slowly got to his feet, using the nearby wall of the Pig's Foot as a support. He spat some more blood out onto the cobbles below before stumbling over to his coat where he kept his coin pouch. The blue-haired man knelt down and retrieved the coin pouch and opened it. Jax picked out twenty gold mizas before hesitantly stepping over to Razkar. The thought of running away did cross his mind, but he wouldn't get very far.

Jax dropped the mizas into Razkar's hand before stuffing his pouch back into his pocket.

"You got lucky." Jax smiled through bloody teeth.

"You never did tell me your name?"

I'm a God and it's judgement day.

[Razkar]

"You got lucky."

Razkar smiled back with teeth considerably less scarlet as he pocketed his fee. His words came back combative; his pose was anything but. Few things were sure to endear one to a Myrian than giving them a good fight.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself, boy."

"You never did tell me your name?"

"That I didn't," he bowed shortly before the human. Not as low as he would for a female, perhaps, but Jax had earned enough respect for that. "I am Razkar-" he bit his tongue before the rest of his introduction could tumble out. The barbarians didn't care, after all. "-and if you need further lessons, I'll be happy to teach them. Ask for me at Sunset Quarters. And you? Where can you be found?"

[Jax Bradshaw]

"That I didn't, I am Razkar and if you need further lessons, I'll be happy to teach them. Ask for me at Sunset Quarters. And you? Where can you be found?"

"I've got a small apartment in the Daggerhand territory. It's terrible. They try and rob you blind as soon as you step outside. Come see me if you ever get the need. We'll go... Daggerhand hunting."

He ran his tongue over his blood stained teeth before speaking again.

"But other than that, I'm in the Pig's Foot. Hopefully we'll meet again."

Jax winked at Razkar before patting his left forearm. He hunched his coat further over his shoulders and turned to walk away from the area but not before bidding Razkar farewell and raising a hand in goodbye as he left the scene.

I'm a God and it's judgement day.

[Razkar]

"I've got a small apartment in the Daggerhand territory. It's terrible. They try and rob you blind as soon as you step outside. Come see me if you ever get the need. We'll go... Daggerhand hunting."

"That seems to be the popular pastime these days."

Razkar said with another wry smile, filing away the information about Jax's lodgings. Of course, having a "small apartment" meant that Razkar would have to ask twice as many questions to find it, but it was a start. And if that didn't work-

"But other than that, I'm in the Pig's Foot. Hopefully we'll meet again."

The Myrian nodded and when the boy touched his forearm, he gripped his hand in a short, strong shake. Their eyes met and Razkar kept any lie or humor from them. He was a barbarian, true, and far too cocky for a city as unforgiving as Sunberth... but he had quick hands and a slippery mind. That would aid him.

"Until that day," he said in his mother's tongue, the ancient farewell of the Children of Myri, "Take care of yourself, Jax Bradshaw. I would hate to lose a good customer..."

The human took his leave and moments later Razkar took his. Every step sent a twinge of pain up his battered spine, but the smirk did not leave his face. He appreciated the pain, and the brawl; the lessons imparted and learned.