[Flashback]The Golden Dragon (Sahashnasim)

[Sahashkalila]

Timestamp: 52nd Spring, 510AV, late afternoon Location: The Golden Dragon Kalila sat in one of the private rooms that they had rented in the quiet inn, scribbling away in her notebook about her experiences in the vast city. They had only been there a few days and already she had seen more than she had ever expected to, overwhelming her young mind with its many sights and sounds. Nasim seemed to be taking to the city just fine, but then he rarely seem to complain about where they were....which was all her fault to begin with. The thought made her hand still, the internal wounds still fresh in her mind from the tragedy that they had just so recently escaped from. She gently closed her notebook and set it on the table beside her, getting up and taking her chair to sit by the only window in the room, her thoughts troubled. He should have let her just die there, then he could have lived a better life without her, her whole family as well. They should have let her die the night that she was cast out, then none of this would have ever happened. Instead they were both forced to live and remember every moment of what happened, a reminder of what they had lost and why they both continued to travel together. And it was all her fault. She had remained quiet ever since they had fled Ahnatep, rarely engaging in conversation unless she had to or felt the need to. She could feel the growing rift between the two siblings, one that she both hated and understood, but could do nothing about. The worst part was she wasn't sure if she wanted to, seeing as she felt that she deserved whatever was coming her way. She hadn't seen much of Nasim today however, and the hour was beginning to grow late. She did not normally ask where he went, she rarely asked him anything these days, but she still felt better with him around then she did on her own. She briefly entertained the idea of going downstairs to see if he was around, but she did not want to face the attentions of the males that were down there. She shifted in her chair and pulled her robes around her more securely, her veil laying forgotten on the bed. She hoped that he would return soon.

[Sahashnasim]

The sound of footsteps outside alerted Kalila to the presence of another. The sound of a key being turned in the door and the creak of its hinges gave her a mere moment to realize that other was entering. A man, short by human standards, entered with his curled black hair and bolted the door behind him. It always curled and neither of them could explain why. The human form differed completely from any other form and the hair was something Nasim found irritating. He had once considered shaving it all off. But that would have made him stand out even more since he had not seen many shaved humans in this part of the world. "I have food," Kalila's brother announced without greeting. He placed a whole chicken, split in half with a butcher's cleaver, on the small dining table that sat off to the side of the room. "Pricesss are going up again. I say we leave here and go somewhere farther... Sssouth. The humansss are starting to susssspect usss." If there was one thing more annoying than human hair, it was their speech. As hard as he tried, Nasim couldn't get used to it. The sibilant "S" was simply too difficult of a speech impediment for him to overcome. He knew it made him sound strange and he deliberately avoided using words with that letter in them. But sometimes, it was unavoidable. And the regular patrons of the inn were beginning to notice its occurrence. Nasim would have preferred to kill them, quietly in a dark alley. But his sister had forbidden him to do that. Part of it was her silly philosophy but part of it, which swayed the reluctant Nasim, was also that bodies would draw more attention. So Nasim let them live and did his best to support the two of them in this city without resorting to the natural gifts of the Vipers. He did not tell his sister that he occasionally made ends meet by pickpocketing. He only did it when he needed extra money, which happened to be a lot of the time. The chicken he had brought back would have fed two humans over the course of a meal or two. That same chicken for a Viper Dhani was ... pitiful. And split between the two of them hardly constituted a meal. But it was food. He tossed Kalila the larger half, "Eat first. I'll watch the door."

[Sahashkalila]

The sound of footsteps from outside their door roused Kalila from her musings, and she turned as she heard the sound of the lock being removed and the door opening. In walked her brother, holding a chicken in his hand and placing it on the small table that was using as a dining table. Kalila simply sat in the chair and looked at him, the man almost similar enough to be her twin. His hair was just as curly as her own, perhaps even more so, and she knew that he hated it. Nasim preferred being in his other forms, finding this one to be severely limiting but necessary. And she didn't allow him to change in any city that they were in...which she knew he hated that as well. His words made her look at him sharply though, the slight hesitation on the word enough to cause her eyes to narrow at him. She knew that he wanted to go back, and she was surprised that he hadn't by now and just left her here. It would have made both of their lives easier, although she was grateful for his presence regardless. She also knew that he was right. The patrons had begun to give the siblings funny looks, their slight accents outlandish and strange to this bustling city. Sooner or later Kalila knew that they would have to move on, but for once, Kalila wanted to stay in one place, just for a little while in peace. She got up from her chair and walked over to the small table, glancing down at the chicken that was split there. Hardly a meal for the two of them, but the best that could be done with the way things were going. "Moving sssouth may not be wisse,"she said softly, looking up at him for a moment before glancing back down at the chicken. She kept her expression carefully neutral, not wishing to make him angry. "Thesse people here are sssurprissingly generousss....desspite what you may think." She stepped back a moment only to have half of the chicken tossed at her, catching it in surprise. It was the bigger half and the smell suddenly began to nauseate her, causing her to wrinkle her nose as she held it. This was hardly a meal for two grown Dhani and she placed it back on the table, not intending to eat any of it. She was not hungry anyway and Nasim needed it more than she did for his...less than savory methods of supporting the two of them. "I am not hungry Nasssim, but thank you, you need it more than I,"she said quietly, turning back around and heading to her chair. "The door doess not need watching....they are trusstworthy here."

[Sahashnasim]

Nasim glared at his sister younger sister. He did so for many reasons. None of which he really cared to elucidate but she would simply carry on if this continued."You will eat it. Sssstealing enough coin to purchasssse that from the butcher was difficult enough." Then Nasim's face darkened. He was getting angry and he didn't fully understand why. His tongue, however, didn't cease its sharp stings while the rational part of his brain contemplated the reasons why he was getting his choler up. "Or are my effortssss wassssted on you? If you won't eat and prefer to sssstarve, prefer to risssk your life here for thesssse animalsss, why sssshould I bother, sssister? Why have I bothered ssssupporting you when no one elssse would? Wass everything, our family, wasssted because you are now too sssensitive? Wasss thisss all in vain? Answer me!" Nasim thought he had an inkling of why he was getting so upset. He had spent hours looking for ways to steal whatever coin he could to buy them that meal. And now, his sister was throwing it back at him. Belittling his effort. He was trying to take care of her and she was rejecting him. That was what he thought and the more he thought about it, the more rage consumed him. It would mean that their family had died for nothing. That he had become an outcast for nothing. Had he abandoned her, let her die that day, he would have his family and his old life back minus Kalila. The only thing left in this world that he cared about was his sister, and now she was acting as if she was too good for him.

[Sahashkalila]

So he had stolen it, just as she had figured that he did. He couldnt just earn it honestly, especially when the people here did not do anything that justified him stealing from them. She gripped the chair tightly against his tirade, his words becoming deeply imbedded in her heart. She understood his anger, their rift finally reaching a breaking point, and in return she could feel her own anger rising. All of her pent up frustration and sadness beginning to crack the shell that she had placed around herself. She turned to look at him, her eyes narrowed as she kept her grip on the chair as if she was using it to anchor her.

"I will not eat it, nor do I want it Nasssim. Sstop trying to take care of me,"she hissed at him, "Thesse people have done nothing to uss and you debasse them asss cattle. They have livess, jobss, familiess, and children...and you dissmisss them ass if they are nothing!" She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, but found that she couldn't keep back what she had been holding in for so long. "Everything that has happened has been my fault and I don't deserve anything from you! If you had let me go all those years ago you could have been happy, you could have had a life!"she said savagely, pushing the chair over and beginning to pace, the clatter of the wood on the floor loud to her ears.

She let out a frustrated sigh and felt her skin ripple, threatening to lose control of her shape before she breathed deeply once again and turned to face him. "You sshould have let me die! Becausse of me everyone iss dead and you...you..."she said, her voice cracking as the tears finally began to spill and she wiped them away furiously. "Why didn't you let me die?!"

[Sahashnasim]

Nasim laughed at first. These humans weren't cattle. That would be an insult to cows. They were parasites, ones which could be manipulated and exploited for other races' advantage. The butcher hadn't asked where Nasim had gotten the coin, he had just accepted it in exchange for the chicken. Humans were individually dull, boring and interchangeable. Nasim saw no major advantage in being a human except for the fact that they were numerous and multiplied faster than Dhani. Hence why he thought of them as useful parasites as best. Then Kalila's self-pity rose to the fore. Nasim readily admitted that he knew how easy it was to blame Kalila for his misfortune. His mercurial temper was easily triggered by the most trivial things these days. But he had always directed his anger towards others - the other Vipers, the humans. She was, after all, everything he had left of that old life. For better or worse, his fate was tied to hers. This was the first time he had unleashed his anger on her. "Isss that all you have to ssssay for yoursssself? What ssshame our dead family would have to hear you give up so easssily. Elevating humansss and debasssing yoursssself. Pathetic. We thought you were stronger than that but obviousssly we were wrong. YOU are wasssting their sssacrifice! They are dead, we are not! Ssset your head ssstraight or I will knock it ssstraight for you!"

[Sahashkalila]

Kalila just stood there for a few moments, not even believing what she was hearing from him. She had just poured out all of her pent up emotion to him and he....it was as if he didn't even care. He had laughed at her and now his own anger was rising at her, something that both frightened her and pleased her at the same time. She had never seen him show any sort of emotion about what had happened, and she wanted to know what he thought, if he hated her or wished she was dead, if he even cared at all. She furiously wiped away the tears that had fallen and turned away from him, trying to compose herself. That was obviously what he wanted after all, his quiet and composed sister. "What elsse do you want me to ssay Nasssim?"she asked after a few moments, her voice even as she stared out the window, her hands folded in front of her. "I gave up a long time ago, you jussst never noticed. Their ssacrifice was nothing, meaningless and not needed." She paused for a few moments and took a deep breath, still trying to remain calm and return back to her listless state. She supposed that it was easier for him to handle when she was that way, so she tried to bottle all of it back inside. "I will never be what you want me to be, and if you are threatening me....then go ahead. I wass never what any of them wanted me to be...ssurely you sssaw that?"she said, turning her head slightly to look at him out of the corner of her eye. "Now anssswer me truthfully. Do you wissh I wasss dead?" It was probably the most painful question she had ever asked in her entire life, but she had to know the answer.

[Sahashnasim]

"Sssso they sssacrificed themselves for a nothing, a meaningless, worthless piece of trash? Do you think they would have done the sssame with me or anyone elsse? You, their firssst daughter, my ssssister, you were ssspecial and if you can't ssssee that, then I've wasted my time. Find me again when you grow up, ssssister. If you're not ready, I'll kill you myself." Nasim turned his back to her and walked out the door, slamming it behind him. He took nothing that they had in the room. It was hers to use. In this concrete jungle, Nasim could survive. Doubtful he could thrive but he could survive. And in the surrounding country, that was where he could hunt or hole up. He was a Viper, a Dhani, chosen of Siku. Pride demanded he best everything that the rest of the world threw at him. Even his own sister. Nasim had entered the busy streets and blended into the crowd. Most of them were much taller so disappearing was easy. Perhaps it was harsh simply abandoning Kalila like that. It had been a spur of the moment decision. But obviously something was holding her back. Nasim suspected she was hiding behind him, using him to blame herself. If that made any sense. Well, whatever her reasons, Nasim had issued his ultimatum. Grow up and find him, die trying or he'd kill her himself. Whether he could or not, Nasim wasn't sure. However, the finality of the way he had spoken and the fact that he had it in him to make such a threat made Nasim feel that he would if she continued her pathetic self-pity. Either she was his sister or she was another piece of trash to be removed from this world. This was her last chance to decide which she was.

[Sahashkalila]

Kalila stood there in shock as she listened to her older brother, her eyes wide as the last few pieces of her heart shattered. There was a subtle undercurrent of threat in his tone, and she had no doubt that he would carry out his threat....perhaps because he had finally given up as well. For all his words, he didn't find her special, because to him it seemed she was just another stain to be removed. They had finally come to the point that she had been anticipating, and as he walked out their door, she stepped forward slightly, her hand outstretched as if to stop him before falling back to her side.

She was alone, really alone this time, Nasim had finally gotten enough of her and needed to make his own way. Kalila did not blame him, but the sting of his threat was going to stay with her for a long time. Grow up he said, but what did that mean? Grow up and quit your childish whims? Grow up and toss aside your ridiculous hobby? She did not know what he meant, and she felt that she would never meet his demand. Her blessing, or her curse, was a part of her that could not be changed, and as much trouble as it may have caused her, she wouldn't be able to give it up. She stared at the door a few moments longer, her hands clenched at her sides before coming to a silent decision.

Walking over to the bed, she picked up the silk wrap and ran it through her hands before she tied it around her head, leaving only her eyes visible. She had no reason to stay in this city any longer, and in fact, she was ready to leave it all together, intending to head back to the desert and wander. She then went and picked up her pack and began to put her things inside, intending to leave as soon as she finished gathering her things. After a few moments she looked around the room, looking to see if there was anything that she had forgotten and her eyes fell on the blanket on the bed. After a brief moment of hesitation and a silent apology, she folded up the blanket and stuffed that into her pack as well. She did not bother touching Nasim's pack, she wanted nothing from him, and so she slung the pack over her shoulders and walked out of the room, leaving her past life behind her. She slipped quietly downstairs and out of the common room, breathing a sigh of relief as she made it out the front door and into the busy street. There was nothing for her here, and perhaps anywhere, but it was better to be somewhere that was familiar than unknown.

oocI thought that maybe that he would spy her walking away or something, then they could say goodbye. She has to get his jade necklace from him

[Sahashnasim]

Nasim had doubled back to watch the inn. What would his errant, immature and stupid sister do? The male Viper had expected to wait for a long time, perched on the roof top across the street from the inn. It provided him with an excellent view and he understood why birds of prey enjoyed looking down on their victims. Despite his ground-bound nature, Nasim enjoyed the elevated position he was currently in. It was, therefore, to his surprise to see Kalila exit the inn so soon. Nasim was sure she would have just laid in bed and cried herself to sleep. The dumb female seemed to do that as a hobby. So maybe she wasn't a total wreck after all. He untied the jade pendant around his neck and hefted in his palm. Feeling it for one last time. "A reminder of my promisssse!" he said as he threw it at her. With the bustle of the street, it was doubtful that she could hear him. However, Nasim's aim was true. The pendant struck Kalila right in the face.