10th of Summer, 514AV
The city was it's usual self, Jaka thought as she scuttled down the streets. What there was of streets. Upon leaving the Tent City, which was more organized than Sunberth itself in her mind, it seemed like one was entering a large space. In that space were buildings dropped here and there then abandoned. In the spaces the houses and broken buildings left people loitered, skulked, and went about their business. Jaka was doing the same.
But her business was not the smartest. There were plenty of golden rules in Sunberth, most of them to keep people alive. One was that displaying riches meant you'd end up in a gutter with not even your skin to keep you warm. If you were lucky. All the same, each step sent the too loud jingle of coins in her boots. It was the safest place for money. As well as the most obvious. The Kelvic thought that even if they knew they'd have to pry it off her first. It gave her precious ticks to attack any attacker.
Tense and taking rapid, shallow inhales Jaka made her way to her destination. It was rare that she wanted something, she had no use for things. They got in the way. But this she wanted. It would be hers to use and everyone would know it when they seen it. A calling card of sorts. The thoughts evened out her breathing but she didn't relax. Not even when she turned sharply to her left after seeing her destination.
Paranoia spurred her on the next few chimes. Her nose twitched with phantom whiskers as she wove herself left again two streets up. From there she made a sharp right, then another four streets down. It landed her on the opposite side of her destination but she felt better in knowing any pursuers might get lost. Finally she entered the shop.
Though it was summer there seemed to be a blast of even hotter air inside. The air reeked of metals so strong Jaka could taste them on her tongue. It was exciting. Her lips tilted upwards for a tick as she approached the what she thought might be the counter. But there was no one behind it, in fact, the clerk came up from behind her.
Jaka chattered in surprise, instinctively clamping down on air while reaching for her dagger but the cheerful voice and smile stopped her. Before her was a young woman who didn’t look as if she could work in the shop. The Kelvic cocked her head and waited for the woman to speak, her hand falling to her side limping as she did. “Welcome to the shop! Is there anything I can help you with?”
“A dagger, I’d like one please or two. I haven’t decided yet.”
“We have those, what kind are you looking for—actually, come this way, there’s some I can sho—“
“Oh, no, no, no.” Jaka cut her off with a sharp wave of her hand. He feet shuffled with boredom. “Not those ones, I don’t want those ones, I want a special one, an expensive one, one not over there because I haven’t asked for it to be made yet.”
As with most people it took the woman a tick before she answered. “Okay, let me go get Dae.”
While the woman trotted off, Jaka began to explore the smith. In quick little darts she skipped from area to area, quickly bypassing the weapons that showed in favor of squirming her way farther into the working area. Idly she picked up a hammer, how does this make all of those?
But her business was not the smartest. There were plenty of golden rules in Sunberth, most of them to keep people alive. One was that displaying riches meant you'd end up in a gutter with not even your skin to keep you warm. If you were lucky. All the same, each step sent the too loud jingle of coins in her boots. It was the safest place for money. As well as the most obvious. The Kelvic thought that even if they knew they'd have to pry it off her first. It gave her precious ticks to attack any attacker.
Tense and taking rapid, shallow inhales Jaka made her way to her destination. It was rare that she wanted something, she had no use for things. They got in the way. But this she wanted. It would be hers to use and everyone would know it when they seen it. A calling card of sorts. The thoughts evened out her breathing but she didn't relax. Not even when she turned sharply to her left after seeing her destination.
Paranoia spurred her on the next few chimes. Her nose twitched with phantom whiskers as she wove herself left again two streets up. From there she made a sharp right, then another four streets down. It landed her on the opposite side of her destination but she felt better in knowing any pursuers might get lost. Finally she entered the shop.
Though it was summer there seemed to be a blast of even hotter air inside. The air reeked of metals so strong Jaka could taste them on her tongue. It was exciting. Her lips tilted upwards for a tick as she approached the what she thought might be the counter. But there was no one behind it, in fact, the clerk came up from behind her.
Jaka chattered in surprise, instinctively clamping down on air while reaching for her dagger but the cheerful voice and smile stopped her. Before her was a young woman who didn’t look as if she could work in the shop. The Kelvic cocked her head and waited for the woman to speak, her hand falling to her side limping as she did. “Welcome to the shop! Is there anything I can help you with?”
“A dagger, I’d like one please or two. I haven’t decided yet.”
“We have those, what kind are you looking for—actually, come this way, there’s some I can sho—“
“Oh, no, no, no.” Jaka cut her off with a sharp wave of her hand. He feet shuffled with boredom. “Not those ones, I don’t want those ones, I want a special one, an expensive one, one not over there because I haven’t asked for it to be made yet.”
As with most people it took the woman a tick before she answered. “Okay, let me go get Dae.”
While the woman trotted off, Jaka began to explore the smith. In quick little darts she skipped from area to area, quickly bypassing the weapons that showed in favor of squirming her way farther into the working area. Idly she picked up a hammer, how does this make all of those?
