Surreptitiously Seeking Associates (Open)

[Shai]

Timestamp: 15th day of Fall, 511 AV

Shai waited patiently on a rooftop watching the sun set over the city. Tonight she would take a risk; she would seek out associates for a large job she'd had planned. There were two things she knew to be absolute truths in Sunberth. The first, that information is as good of a currency as any gold or jewel. The second, although, was that the more someone needed you the less likely they'd sell you out. She, of course, would never go into a deal without insurance.

Eyeing Tall Johnny's Casino a few streets down, she didn't like large crowds for a multitude of reasons but there would be no escape mingling with the humans. Ideally she wanted a down-on-his-luck man to assist her and possibly a highered tough to watch the escape route. The man wouldn't need to know anything, his job would be easy; entertain a whore. The thug would need to be more securely bound to her, she needed someone to watch her back not stick a knife in it. The thug was the real trick to the deal, she could just tell the lucky man that if he ever spoke a breath of their arrangement to anyone he'd wake up in agony one morning to find his intestines dissolving while he was still using them. The thug couldn't be as easy to intimidate, but if he or she needed mizas that could be arranged.

She bent down and removed her boots, tying the laces of each together so she could sling them over her neck. Then moving around the building and cautiously peeking over the edge to see if each alley was inhabited, she found one around the backside of the building without anyone too close by. She stepped up onto the ledge and then began to climb down the wall using the microscopic hooks protruding from her skin. Swiftly reaching a safe distance of 3 feet she pushed off the wall and landed on the street with a soft thump of bare feet. Backing up into the shadows, Shai pulled her boots back on and tied them hastily.

Making her way out from around the back of the building and onto the main street headed for the casino, keeping her cloak firmly closed around her and her hood up.

She approached the brick-walled casino and squeezed in through the doors along with the rest of the crowd. Tossing her head back she forced her hood to fall off her head revealing long charcoal colored hair, that disappeared into the cloak, over pale ashy skin and amethyst eyes. If someone got extremely close they'd notice the spiddering of grey veins along her neck and into her cloak. Luckily, Shai's face didn't have any of the veins running across it and unless she let loose with a big toothy grin the only signifiers of her difference were her eyes and her short stature.

Keeping to the the edges of the area she watched the crowd looking for potential prospects and studying the games being played, none of which she knew.

[Bob Barton]

Bob was at Tall Johnny's watching a cage fight. Not really a place he like to be compared to the taverns. At least in those places, the social environment made the people a lot more mellow. Not like this place with people coming sorely to gamble. Bob was not complaining about the existence of Tall Johnny's but it just made the people in it kind of jumpy and paranoid himself included. Which was why he was here with Zandelia. It was always good to have someone watching your back. Capable of watching and capable of kicking the asses of anyone else who watched it for their own nefarious reasons.

Kicking ass like the fighter Bob had his mizas riding on. "Yes do it, do it!" he screamed along with every other people while he shook in his seat. He specifically chose this one although the returns were a lot less. It was a sure bet. The fighter's track record for the ratio of wins to losses were three to one compared to his opponent. A new kid who only had three wins to his name and a loss. Yes it might be the same but Bob was counting on experience and that the kid's lack of will be the reason he will lose so "rip him a new one!"

Another man beside him was yelling the same thing, but only for the kid. "You're going to be disappointed when I go home with some of your mizas because you took a fool's bet" Bob said unable to resist the taunt. The man just ignored him until he started moaning out loud seeing the results. "See? I told you so" in victory with a satisfied smirk heading off to collect his winnings. Five gold mizas on his fighter...how much would Bob get back?

Even with Tall Johnny's excellent security detail of akalak's where Bob knew where some of those money the house took went to was around, they won't be able to react to something so sudden as a customer attacking another when they were so close. The man earlier roared at Bob something about losing his home. Not quite Bob's problem except for the fact that the man just rammed him down and was already on him trying to get a few licks in.

"Get off me you petching loser!" Bob shouted trying to block off the man's fists with his arms. That really did hurt and someone should come and help him right now. Someone like "Zandeliaaaa!" who he knew watched his back but not whether she had it. The man paused to think what Bob meant with that shout and he took that chance. He held together his arms which were already blocking and smashed it to the side of the man's face to try and stun him long enough for help to come.

[Zandelia]

Zandelia was not one to frequent Tall Johnny’s overly often, the hive of perpetual violence and over-flowing testosterone that it was. She did like a good gamble every now and then, but there were more hospitable places to do so – still, business was business and it was never very far away from her mind for long. She had gone along with Bob, entering the pit of sordidness, where success and failure were brother’s in arms – their goal to generate as much income as possible for their master as possible. She was always surprised at just how much that was too, wishing not for the first time that she had had as much luck in her ventures. Still, she had some leads after months of dead ends, and one was here this very day. There had been whispering, whispering of some newly arrived mercenaries for hire and she knew that such stock were the grunts of the Slaver’s personal armies. She would find some more secrets today, wheedling them out of their nooks and crannies if necessary.

Still, best appear to blend in she thought to herself as she sat next to the short man, her bet the same as his.

There was no adrenaline coursing through her veins like Bob’s, no care for whether she won of lost her own 5 golden miza’s. In truth if she lost them but got what she had come for then she would consider it a cheap fare to pay. Still, she watched Bob for a few moments, smiling slightly to herself as the spectacle unfolded – joining in with her own quips here and there as she watched the large men, who were the temporary centre of some many small lives, beat each other to a bloody pulp. The impact of flesh upon bone, the grunting and shuffling, the sweat soaked torsos – they were not of interest to her. She found the sport quite distasteful really, not a fan of unnecessary violence, nor of blood sports in general.

“I only kill if I need to” she told herself firmly, well aware that it was probably a lie but not willing to admit she was as low as the common muck that surrounded the pair of them.

Still, she felt a small rush hit her cheeks when she knew she had made a profit already, seeing her fighter having won the bout, and hoped to herself that such luck would turn into a streak and that she would walk away a happy woman from Tall Johnny’s. However, her hopes were for naught, as she found out when collecting her winnings. Bob had already gathered his own and had trotted off back towards his seat. Having collected hers, slipping them into her concealed belt pouch, she turned and saw a spectacle of a similar nature to the one she had been watching – except this one involved Bob directly. A man was on top of him, strange though that looked, and Bob had just bludgeoned the side of his head. HE called out her name, but she was already there – one of her Tonfa drawn.

“It’s not polite to be a sore loser, friend” she growled at him from behind, taking his momentary disorientation as an advantage. She dragged his arms behind his back, not a difficult task considering his semi-concussed nature, and thread the Tonfa behind them, locking the arms in place for him.

A painful non-lethal hold, and so simple to do. It was a good day when I was taught how to do it, using the joint of the elbows and the angle of the forearms to create an effective restraint she thought to herself as she firmly, but slowly, pulled the man to his feet.

“Now, this is where you learn” she hissed at the man, showing him forwards a few paces and into the wall. That done she extricated her Tonfa and put it back inside it’s sheath, walking back to Bob and helping him up off the floor.

“Bob, why do you never just kill these fools? It’s bloody easier than letting them beat you to pieces” she told him as they took their seats once more, noticing how a slight figure seemed to slip from the shadows and crouch down over the body of the man she had just knocked unconscious.

A thief in Tall Johnny’s? That’s a new one on me she thought to herself as she relaxed and watched with interest.

[Tikon]

Tikon was still new here in Sunberth; the pure relentless chaos had finally showed itself to him. He knew this place was indeed ‘starting at the bottom’. This place was the bottom of the barrel, which was exactly where he needed to start. He had little, and could lose much. He was dressed in simple clothing and padded armor on that. Then again on that scale mail back and chest for added security. His bastard sword was at his side and at times looked to be only inches from dragging on the ground. But it was his only weapon and he was going to keep it…well discounting his onyx arm that was. He knew if it came to it he could use his arm as a bludgeoning weapon. He wore a black bandana on his head atop his bald head and a long black shadowsilk robe. He was your standard Isur. Standing at an even 5 foot flat and at times it sounded like sections of the floor may give in to him walking over them. He weighted a sizeable two hundred and fifty pounds due to his dense bone and muscular frame. He was already in the casino. Just really walking around when he saw a somewhat familiar face getting worked by another man. Seemed Bob had pissed off someone again. Likely got in trouble while placing bets again. That man seemed to always be getting himself in trouble. “That’s right Bob kick his ass!!” Tikon said with a boisterous laugh as Zandelia moved over and took care of the situation. This caused him to laugh a little harder as he watched the situation unfold. It seemed even Bob needed body guards at times. He laughed even harder when Zandelia shoved the man into a wall. He was able to see them but he also saw an interesting figure just near his left side. She was five foot two just barely bigger than he was. But her slender figure gave away her race. She was one of those pale spider people. He hadn’t heard much about her kind. But he knew enough to know that if you saw one you best be careful. They were sneaky types, almost always using poison and the shadows to do what they had to. That was enough to make him think twice before letting her out of his sight. He watched her carefully…because he was no fool. Symenestra were indeed tricky. And it was best to be safe then lose your life because you were being careless.

[Shai]

Shai took note of the tussle as soon as the unlucky gambler had attacked Bob. She'd watched to see how it played out, moving towards their section of the arena but remaining off to the side. Trying to stay back and not seem too interested, watching Zandelia take care of the situation with her peripheral vision. When Zandelia began returning to Bob Shia took a moment to walk over towards the unconscious man. She'd timed this carefully waiting until Zandelia was at least half way back to Bob to give her a little room for her features to avoid notice. It had been an interesting sight, they could definitely be of use in her plan.

Crouching over the fallen man Shai rummaged through his pockets keeping her hands tucked into the long white sleeves of her shirt, not really minding what she stole but taking it anyways. No, instead of paying attention to the small takings she was openly watching the Isur who was watching her. The reasoning slid quickly through her mind in a matter of seconds, a scavenger is no surprise in Sunberth, in fact it's expected. The only cause for watching like that is because he must know. She didn't take the time to consider the how or why of the situation, that was for pondering later. Now she needed to decide a course of action and quickly. She turned her face down to the meager takings in her palms without really looking, she was thinking. Three options, think quick Shai. Silence him, make him work for you or run and hope they thought they'd seen a normal thief and a trick of the light. Her mind instantly settled on one choice when she realized Zandelia was watching her as well, Shai had to assume she was aware too. So much for taking off her hood to seem less suspicious.

Shai pocketed the items and went with her instinct, she'd found in her time as a thief that her instinct was almost as solid as long drawn out reasoning. Standing up, Shai attempted a casual stroll towards the trio while still keeping her cloak securely closed around her, and succeeded in her estimation. She needed to seem completely unphased by the Isur's notice of her. Knowing that anyone she picked to help her with her heist would eventually figure out what she was, she had prepared herself even though it had been a long time since she'd let anyone know.

The situation had begun out of her control which was always a horrible way to begin a proposition. While she knew the balance of the playing field she still had a chance to bluff, let the Symenestra reputation work for me for once, maybe it'll keep them from noticing the score. She mentally shrugged it would be what it would be.

Shai came to stop a couple of paces away, out of range of reach and far enough that if things got messy she'd have enough time to dodge and back out of the situation. Survival comes first with appearances a close second. From the earlier display Shai's largest concerns were the tonfas and then the range of the Isur's sword.

Some situations called for her much preferred stealth and silence but if pushed she'd also learned to utilize the bravado required of a predator among prey. A tiger among three deer showed no need for hesitation and neither would she. She wasn't interested in eating these dirty ruffians but there wasn't a good reason to let them know that yet. She put on a tight lipped smile and spoke without opening her mouth beyond what was strictly necessary, they might know but she didn't want everyone and their third cousin's nephew to know too. In a calm tone with a hint of humor behind it Shai asked "Something catch your interest?"

[Bob Barton]

Yes you petching loser, Bob is not alone. A smile of relief came on him as soon as Zandelia came and took care of the one who attacked him but in a more gentler way that he had saw her handling problems like this before. And so, a scowl was given to Zandelia along with his answer that "I play for mizas, not for blood but..." pointing back to the unconscious man and the figure he still hasn't noticed "you should have hurt that one a lot more" which shouldn't be picked up as hurting the thief. Then he got back to smiling and jokingly asked Zandelia "what took you so long?" as he went to pick up his winnings.

After that he headed to the one who was laughing at his predicament. Even if there were a lot of other people laughing and watching as well, Bob could spot the isur with the strange arm anywhere. He was like Bob himself, a tiny stain in their race which they never wanted to acknowledge. "Good to see you enjoying yourself Tikon" he said with a sneer "but did you get any of this out of it?" clinking together the new coins in his hands he got from his winnings. "Its only for those who have the stones" did Bob just make an isur pun? "to jump in on the action like this woman here" which was his bodyguard though if Bob ever introduced her like that he would without doubt be the next unconscious body here.

Bob, always oblivious except to things that had his attention like Tikon did now until a very strange question was asked. "What else is interesting to people who come in here woman?" he turned around to see the cloaked woman. Not uncommon in Sunberth. The really attractive ones who are without protection normally get captured and turned into slaves if they were unlucky enough so precautions like a cloak were good to hide their value, or stand out like a beacon that you really want to capture this one. Bob was no slaver but hearing the feminine voice wanted him to capture her heart for himself so he answered his own question before anything else. "Money, and women and it looks like I am lucky enough to find both" with a sleazy grin.

Since she was the one who came, she should not have any objections with Bob's advancements. Not realizing that her distance was by design or the dangers that her race presented, Bob stepped closer and held his hand out with another question. "So am I that lucky man tonight or am I just enjoying my previous win a little bit too much?"

[Zandelia]

Zandelia sipped upon her drink, a slightly better fare than that found within the walls of The Pig’s Foot Tavern – though you get what you paid for, she knew. Tall Johnny’s was a place of death, blood and despair but such things made much coin in Sunberth and that allowed for an ale that had slightly more body than water, and at least a taste slightly better than dirty rain water. Still, she could not complain at her circumstances, being a handful of golden miza’s richer, one more unconscious fool to her name and a refreshingly vibrant atmosphere surrounding her for once. She was finding a craving for the outdoors – or rather any place other than her tent – her days when not running messages for Tua spent in ceaseless study of the parchments Bob and herself had…liberated…from Degarde’s small centre of business.

And a lot of information it is too, too much to study at once. I might be obsessed with it, some might say, but even I need a damned break every so often she smiled to herself as her lips closed around her wooden cup and she imbibed another small mouthful of alcohol.

Still, she had more interesting affairs to study than rustling paper at the moment, and her interest had been piqued by the woman who had been sifting through the belongings of her erstwhile enemy, now standing a few feet away, almost directly in front of her. As Bob went to greet her in his usual way she swung her feet up onto his seat, crossing her ankles and leaning back into her chair. Bob’s part was played well, though in truth she could not tell if he were acting or serious in his attempts to woo the small woman, and she was quite small indeed. Her eyes narrowed and she studied her figure further, focusing her attention beyond the mundane. What she began to see revealed to her, piece by piece, was as startling as it was intriguing – a bittersweet realization.

Small stature, eyes an unearthly color, and if that skin shade and those slightly pointed teeth are human then I’m a Nuit. Slender body, careful to stay away from bodies…she’s a damned Symnestra! she reasoned out to herself, not entirely sure but convinced enough to bet upon it.

She had seen one up close only once before, and he had cheated her and left without paying her – and she would crush him to pieces if he ever showed her face to him again. No, she was not particularly fond of Symnestra, violent and vicious creatures that they were. She had no problems admitting that humans were intrinsically the same on those two scores, but at least human’s didn’t bite you, dissolve you and then eat you like a kind of rare steak. She wouldn’t let one come near her without a damned good reason, but still, the little woman had piqued her interest. She would not have advanced towards them without a purpose, it was too risky for her Zandelia thought to herself. Symnestra’s bodies were innately frail, and to step out into the open for them was dangerous. No, there was a reason behind her actions and Zandelia wished to hear them out. A poor information seeker she would be if she did not feel that burning desire to know.

“Bob, I wouldn’t ask for her hand just yet if I were you, I fear you might scare her off with your smell,” she quipped at him with a grin, “and besides, if she were to give you a bit of a kiss she would just as likely give you a nibble too, and not the kind you’d end up enjoying” she finished, sipping some more of her drink.

“Not that you’d make much of a meal in any case. Now, you Isur friend over there would be a three day feast, if only his skin wouldn’t break her shiny teeth” she continued, gesturing towards the stocky man whom had called out to Bob earlier.

“And for future reference, if you seek to woo a woman do it without mentioning your inherent sleaziness. The idea of bedding with something that sounds as if it’s covered in grease is far from appealing” she chuckled to herself.

“As to what is of interest young lass, well that’s dependant upon you really. A Symnestra in here is intriguing enough, but a thieving one even more so. How much more interesting can you be?” she asked the small Symnestra with a casual wink.

[Tikon]

He was watching her, and for a good many reasons. He never wanted nor had he ever had a reason to strike against a Symenestra before. But he knew that if he ever had to he could simply level one with one good hit from his left arm. He knew they had brittle and fragile bones. And that their bodies were just as fragile. He knew he could level one easily, and he kept that mindset about him as he watched her. The entire time he kept her in his vision one way or another. Weather he was watching her from behind or keeping her in his peripheral vision he kept a watch on her. He knew her type were dangerous; and generally not to be trusted. Each one had a façade they kept, especially when out and no longer among their kind. He knew that sometimes people tried to be much tougher than they really were. Tried to hide behind a mask so that they could cower in a corner in their mind. But Tikon…he had no such mask. He was who he was and damn proud of it. He had battled before, tossed around and met his fair share of combatants. He knew when to give up and when to bluff. He also could read masks pretty well. She was wearing one. She was away from her kind, far away from home. Likley just as desperate as they were being that she was stealing from a meager street type…that she didn’t even put down herself; there was no honor in that. No if anyone should have the winnings it was Zandelia. But again she had proven to him that she fit right in with the rest of the street trash. Her only difference was she was actually almost as fragile as glass…which he would be more than happy to shatter come the right opportunity. But then again…there were plenty of humans and Isur that he would not trust as well. So in general there were plenty of people that he wouldn’t trust. But he figured he would give this sneaky thief of a Symenestra a chance to prove him wrong. If she didn’t and was just as he thought…well he could break her face in with his hand and be done with her. He nodded to himself and then decided to close the distance between himself and the duo of Bob and Zandelia. He smiled at Bob’s comment about the coins he acquired. Yes he too could get coins if he beat people up, only he would beat them senseless for their money and wouldn’t take a chance in betting. Even if Bob tried to point him in the right way. He didn’t yet trust Bob…but to each their own he supposed. He still wondered why this He had things to tend to and this intriguing spider-woman was indeed gripping his attention for the time being. As Bob attempted to woo the woman he laid his right arm on his shoulder. “I am afraid your associate here is right, you may not enjoy taking this one to bed.”Zandelia spoke exactly what was on his mind so he added in a few comments of his own. “Yes, I am intrigued as well.” He said clearly not intimidated by this woman, he knew he could easily handle her if things came to that. But she would be stupid to try and take him one on one. It was interesting to him, what could she be doing here? Many Symenestra stayed home because here above ground it was just far too dangerous for them. To many people willing to just take up arms against them. Mostly because they were still so misunderstood. Or were they just understood to be relatively unpleasant? Either way the connotations against her and her race were anything but pleasant. Many assumed first off that she would be up to no good…and being in a lawless place like this he had to generally agree. Many here were up to no good and he figured she was likely no different. But being up to no good was the status quo around here. Chaos and lawlessness reigned supreme. And well he was here just to kick back and supply arms to whomever needed to do the killing. He figured there was indeed a profit to be had here. And for the most part he was right. There was really only one other smithy in the entire area that was considered anything near reliable…and he was an Isur as well. So he had this crazy idea that he could make and sell arms to whomever seemed to be the up and coming faction. Maybe have his own hidden smithy. Whatever the case there was money to be made here in Sunberth. “Please, skip pleasantries and tell us darling…what is your angle?”

[Shai]

Shai watched Bob with honest curiosity. Was he really so brave? Was the fight earlier some sort of joke? She replied to him in a smooth voice and with her good humor clear in her tone. "There are few happy endings in the beds of my kind, Sir. Besides I ate before I went out tonight so it would be quite gluttonous of me." She smiled at him trying to seem nice, she hadn't seen anything strange about how she refused him, she'd said she wouldn't eat him that was quite civil of her. She turned to look at Zandelia and then Tikon.

As the Isur approached Bob and Zandelia, Shai tensed a little and widened her stance, he was her biggest threat and from the way he was acting he knew it too. Turning to look at Zandelia, but keeping Tikon in her peripheral vision, she smiled again. "How awful it is that those who want to be the least interesting always seem to interest people most. But I would imagine I can muster to be yet again a little more interesting for the right people." She returned Zandelia's wink.

Finally, she considered what Tikon had said to her. "Pleasantries are important in conversations, for example if I told you why I approached you without first showing my intent to be benign if not beneficial then it would probably fail dismally. But if you wish Isur, I will show good will by answering. I am looking for something, something I think I may have located." She emphasized her final statement by looking at each one of them.

She needed this plan to work, she was tired of mugging people. She wasn't sure if she'd feel better about mugging people if she could do it traditionally, but she knew she hated sneaking along walls and bashing idiots in dark alleys over the head with rocks just so she could steal their pocket change. Shai would have moved on to burglary, she'd practiced the skills, but most of the houses she could break into unassisted weren't worth the chance she might break a pick. But if she could gain a handful of associates she'd have a chance to get off the bottom of this heap of trash called Sunberth. They were just the first step, but they were the one step she had the least control over the outcome.

"Would such interested folks as yourself, also be interested in making some relatively easy mizas? I, of course, wont say more in such a public setting." She smiled trying to seem genuine, the lure of money was the best tactic she had up her sleeve if that failed she'd be grasping at straws.

[Bob Barton]

She replied so honestly and humorously there that Bob did not even begin to suspect that she actually meant that she wanted to eat him. Instead, what he thought of it was just some playful banter. A way of her admitting that she wanted him but just not right now so the oblivious little midget continued on with his poor attempts, offering her that "if you ever feel hungry for another man again, why don't you let me know" sadly taking away his hand because her being gluttonous could just mean that she was a loose woman for all he knew. It should have made it a lot more easier for Bob so why couldn't she just stop with these games and just admit that she wanted him?

Jealousy, thats was all Bob could think of Zandelia's good intentioned insults. He can't really blame the woman, but she was definitely not his type because "with that scar of yours Zandelia, I'm surprised that she even came close enough to smell me. Maybe its because my charm and good looks" which are possibly non existent so Bob should get real and think of another quality that "trumps every other negative thing here" like you. And he would bet that the future reference that Zandelia just told him was what she wanted Bob to do for her so "I'd better clean myself up better for when I end up with you is that what you are saying?"

What, was Tikon jealous too? Bob can't catch a break now can he with all these so called friends who just want to dissuade him from trying his luck with another woman. This is Tall Johnny's, a casino, a place where men win or go home crying so there should be a reason why there was a woman like this right here, right now in front of him. With a little sneer on his face he told the isur "because you want to be the three day feast instead?" continuing on with his mistaken belief that what the woman said earlier was nothing more than playful advances.

Bob was starting to feel proud with himself following the line of his own thoughts up to this point. Of course, she was looking for Bob and looks like that he could agree that "yes, you have found it." nodding his head when she looked at him. All his joy was taken away when she tried to suggest a job. She was only interested in using Bob as a partner in crime just like all the other people in Sunberth that he knew. Why world...why?!

After this Bob started to think with a better head and in response he asked the woman "of course you know there is no such thing as easy mizas right?" because if there was then what was stopping her from getting it herself? Because Bob knew easy mizas and it was right in his hands when he clinked on it again just like he did with Tikon, this time using it to tell the woman what she needed to know.