PM to join A Wrong Turn Somewhere [Mortuus]

[Lexa Maze]

12th Day of Spring, 513AV, Noon Lexa wasn't sure where she had aimed to go when she left her room that morning. She had wondered down to the docks to look at the sea, and to have a gander that the fish on sale at the fish markets. She had decided to turn back after she was done there. But now she was some place completely different. "This doesn't look quite right" Lexa muttered to herself, not liking where she had ended up. It was lucky that she had only a few Miza in her pockets. It was also lucky that she had thought to bring her Katana. She progressed down the street trying not to draw attention to herself. Her hair was brushed for once, but at least she wasn't wearing anything too expensive. Suddenly a man crashed through the door of a bar up ahead of her and Lexa jumped. Another man followed him and began swinging his fists around wildy trying to hit the man of the floor. Lexa rolled her eyes. Alcohol just made you slower and stupider the more you drink. Anything could happen when you had lost all ability to for rational thought. Lexa crossed to the other side of the street and kept walking. There were a couple of whores ahead, and some more taverns. People hardly even noticed Lexa, and that was probably a very good thing. But this train of thought was interrupted with a drunken yell. "HEEEY, LITTLE LAAADY" There was a man in front of her who had been sitting with his back against the wall, and was now winking at her suggestively. Lexa backed up and put her hands on the hilt of her katana. "Petch off." She told him. The man gave a roaring laugh and reached out to try and touch her. She smirked, and took her hands off her katana. Instead she pivoted on her heel and kicked the drunk oaf in his pudgy red face. Blood exploded from his nose, and he reeled back in surprise. He moved to retaliate, but ended up bending over double as if he were about to throw up. Lexa walked off quickly before he did. People were noticing her now. She could feel their eyes on her. Eventually she got irritated with it. She kept her hand on her Katana. Yep. Lexa had deffinatly ended up somewhere weird this time.

[Mortuus]

East Street was a rather interesting place at times. Most days it was the same old same old, a thief robbing some hapless fool out of their mizas, a foolish duster getting stabbed in an alley. In fact it was odd if there wasn't something unscrupulous happening in the crime center of Zeltiva, at least that was how it was in Mortuus' experiance.

East Street thrived on crime and debauchery, whores were often in the streets plying their services, drunks often fought in the streets, and cutpurses enjoyed an abundance of easy prey. Then, of course, you had more dangerous elements lurking about the streets, muggers, thieves, and killers for hire like Mortuus. This was very much her domain, where the work of ending lives for money was plentiful.

However somethings happened to break the monotony every now and then, odd occurances, like a powerful noble scion descending to the depths of society, or a well armed woman kick a drunk in the face in the middle of the street.

Mortuus had been leaning against a nearby wall glaring at thieves who dared come too close to her, a ready hand on her tulwar, when the commotion in the street occured. The assassin moved closer to the scene and found the drunk retching on his shoes and the woman hastily moving away from the man's jeering friends. Normally Mortuus would have left it at that and went about her business.

However the tall woman found herself intrigued by the woman, she looked far too no nonsense to be a reveler and the katana at her side was far better than what most of the urchins here could afford. The woman was short but looked had the body of one a fighter, something about her didn't fit the typical East Street regular. Just the look of her seemed off, like she was character in a picture she didn't belong in. In short she looked just like an outsider to the Street.

Mortuus brushed past the crowd and began tailing the woman. Perhaps this could curb her boredom for awhile, if nothing else she was curious what this outsider was doing walking East Street. Mortuus was not a moral individual, far from it, she killed people for money, but she had helped a few people who had accidently walked into East Street before. Not out of morality, just odd whims that came over her every now and then. It cost her nothing anyway and it was a way to pass the time.

[Lexa Maze]

Lexa kept walking. Now that she thought about it, it was probably lucky that the man she'd kicked had been past his limit. She let a small smile of amusement cross her face at the thought of the scene that would have played out if he had gotten angry. Lexa was pretty confident that he wouldn't be able to touch her when he was sober, let alone stupidly intoxicated. Lexa had tried beer before. It tasted ridiculously horrid. She brushed past more people, wondering if anything else interesting would happen along here. She had been to dark, crime filled places like this before. Her father had been teaching her, and her brothers, how to pick a fight, and humiliate someone. As a young kid, all that meant was winning. No one wanted to be beaten by someone who they'd underestimated, let alone a teenager. As she thought these things, she felt someone behind her. She looked back and saw a woman with dark skin and blue eyes. She was armed, but that was no surprise. It would probably be insane to go down a street like this without any means to protect yourself. Lexa turned and kept walking, throwing glances over her shoulder to see if the woman was actually following her, or was just going the same direction. No, she had defiantly picked up speed to catch up to her. Lexa stopped suddenly and turned around "Can I help you with something?" She asked pointedly

[Mortuus]

Mortuus stopped as the woman turned to face her, finally, she'd been wondering if the woman was thick headed or something. It would not have been the first time Mortuus had misjudged someone. Maybe that had been more her fault, however calling out to the woman in the middle of the street seemed like it would breed too much unwanted attention.

Mortuus narrowed her icy blue eyes and gazed over the black haired woman, her expression as impassive as ever. The woman was obviously a fighter and the sword was definately not for show. Her expression was hard and serious and her features were rather exotic. Her dark brown eyes lacked the preditory quality that seemed so common in the eyes of many of the residents of East Street.

"Do you know where you are?" Mortuus asked bluntly, seeing no reason to mince words.

[Lexa Maze]

The woman gave away nothing that she was feeling or thinking in her face and spoke bluntly with her eyes narrowed. She could tell that this woman was no push over. She could also tell that she was not one that Lexa wanted to trust. She was tall, much taller than Lexa.Everything about her made Lexa uneasy. But she wouldn't let this come across in her face. She had to make herself look confident. The question took her off guard. Did she really seem that obviously lost? Lexa immediately realised that she may look a bit out of place. She was carrying a very expensive weapon, after all. She'd had a lot of spare money after selling her home in Sylirus, and had it made for her in the bazar there. But Lexa didn't want to give away that she had wondered into the wrong place "What's it to you?" She said sharply

[Mortuus]

Mortuus snorted at the woman's response, it was about what she expected. The assassin was not exactly the most trust worthy looking individual and she knew that she could make people uneasy. Often her former slave master would bring her along when negotiating prices with his clients, said that she intimidated them. Everything she was he had made, shaping her to be the perfect assassin from a young age.

"Just wondering as you don't seem to be like the usual scum that frequent East Street." The killer for hire responded, trying to make her tone a little more friendly.

"If you are lost I suggest you turn back the way you came before you get mugged or killed, your little stunt back there has already attracted unfriendly eyes." She said, gesturing back the way the woman had come from.

Her warning delivered Mortuus turned to leave the woman to do as she wished. If she continued down East Street and got herself killed it could now safely be filed under not her problem.

[Lexa Maze]

The woman's waning, admittedly, did send chills down her spine. If all that this street contained was scum, as she had said, who was the woman who stood before her? She looked around and saw eyes watching her. She curled her lip at them, glaring right back at them. The glares were mostly coming from the crowd of drunk men who she had disturbed. Now the woman was walking away, and Lexa still hadn't replied "So what type of person are you then. You look like you frequent this street as well." Lexa said this, catching up to her "And why walk up to me? I'm sure it wasn't out of the good of your heart." If Lexa had to guess, this woman was some sort of criminal. Not a thief, she didn't seem like that sort, probably a mercenary of bodyguard. Maybe an assassin that was not on a job right now. Lexa wasn't looking for a fight, but she was curious about the woman. If she was a killer, it probably wasn't the wisest move to continue talking to her, But Lexa didn't care. She was in the rough side of town, she may as well talk to it's people. Besides, what else did she have to do today.

[Mortuus]

Mortuus spared the woman a sideways glance, mildly surprised that she was following her. Perhaps she had adopted a safty in numbers mentality as Mortuus clearly did not wish her dead or harmed. Her reasons really didn't matter to the assassin but she supposed she could use the company.

"I deal with people that others wish silenced, it was what I was trained to do and it is the only thing I can do." Mortuus responded.

The woman was not ashamed of what she had to do to survive, everyone had to make a living someway, her way was just more bloody. Her former owner had instructed her how to kill, molded her into a killer, it was really the only trade she knew. Perhaps if her parents had raised her then she would have been different, grown up like a normal girl rather than being trained to be a killer for a slaver.

Mortuus pondered how to answer the woman's other question. She was correct in assuming that the killer had not helped her out of kindness.

"Call my warning a courtesy, from one warrior to another." She said simply, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

Mortuus looked about slightly, noting that while some unfriendly eyes had been detered by the assassin's continued presense others were still on the pair.

"If you want to talk more might I suggest that we duck into one of these bars? While not exactly safe, its better than the Street." Mortuus suggested, nodding to a small establishment further ahead.

"Even If you don't wish to talk it would be a good place for you to lie low until the jackels disperse." She said, glancing at her companion again.

[Lexa Maze]

"Only thing you can do, huh?" She thought to herself, knowing this was ridiculous. It was something that you chose to do. There were so many paths in this world. This woman could kill easily. She was everything Lexa had vowed never to become, but she knew it was what she would have become had she not been lead down the right path by her mother. Maybe she could give this woman a new insight into other paths she could take. Lexa had to be careful what she said at the same time. "Well, the courtesy is appreciated" She replied not adding that she didn't really want to be put into the same bracket as this killer. She nodded in reply to her question "Good idea." She said glancing over at the attention she was getting from the people the woman spoke of. They entered a bar. No one really looked up at Lexa, which was a good thing. There were a few shady looking men and women and some obvious drunks, but the place was too busy. Lexa found a table and sat down inviting the woman to sit down too. She would say "Did you want anything to drink?" She asked "I could buy you something as a thank-you for your help." She smiled slightly "Truthfully, I was lost."

[Mortuus]

Mortuus took a seat opposite the woman, glancing about carefully as she did, it was unlikely they would be followed here but the assassin was nothing if not cautious. Satisfied that there was no one really interested in them she turned her attention to her companion and her question.

"No thank you, drinking impares judgement, not exactly a good thing here on East Street. Besides the swill here is probably not worth your money." Mortuus responded, a neutral expression on her face.

"No need to thank me, as I said it was a courtesy." She continued, brushing off the womans thanks, it made her uncomfortable to be thanked as it did not happen very often.

"If you really want to thank me how about giving me your name? The closest thing I've got to one is Mortuus." She finished, leaning back in her seat and looking straight at her current companion.

Company was a rare thing for her to have and when she did it was usually unpleasent. As this woman seemed of a different quality than that she decided to enjoy this little meeting as long as she could.