Solo [Job Thread] With Friends Like These

A young lad falls victim to a rare occurrence of crime in Lhavit. But help is on the way.

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The Diamond of Kalea is located on Kalea's extreme west coast and called as such because its completely made of a crystalline substance called Skyglass. Home of the Alvina of the Stars, cultural mecca of knowledge seekers, and rife with Ethaefal, this remote city shimmers with its own unique light.

[Job Thread] With Friends Like These

Postby Boo Beckett on March 28th, 2016, 2:58 am

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Timestamp: 13th of Spring, 516 AV

Yikes. Boo was lost. Not so much lost, but rather he had become intertwined with the marketplace rabble so that he could not make out which way was which. Lost, then. The Azure Market was a hive of activity, where bartering and offers were made, goods and coins exchanged hands, while untold piles of gossip and other trivial matters were discussed, passed on, and so forth. The general din filled the air, while varying smells wafted casually, insulting or enticing all they crossed.

Boo had arrived in Lhavit but twelve days before, had managed to secure a residence on what was called the Sharai Peak, while also having landed himself a new job looking after strange and large animals called okomo. He had learned, since his new employer had made it quite clear from the offset that this was the most important fact he needed to know, that okomo were a big deal. As in, the local policing authorities would stab you if you messed with an okomo. As for those authorities, they were called the Shinya. It was a strange word, for a strange people, in what was proving to be a rather strange place. But Boo would be a massive and complete liar if he did not admit he loved it.

Seriously, this place is incredible. I can go here, and there I am. And all the people have their own heads. Incredible! He was of course referring to having lived in Alvadas, a strange city that sat leagues away on the other end of Kalea; a place where children could have hands made of wood one minute, a glassbeak's head the next. Buildings got up and walked, never to be found in the same place twice, which in turn made getting to work on time a real shyke deal. There were illusions so bizarre and twisted, that the locals had grown accustomed to the weird and wonderful. They would be screwed of course should a real beast or creature ever happen to wander in.

In any case, his two years there had been quite enough. While a failed marriage had been the real impetus for leaving that strange place, Boo would be a liar yet again if he did not admit that, honestly, he just did not really enjoy it there much at all. Not as bad as Syliras though. Alvadas folk had a sense of humor at least! Well maybe Alvadas was not all bad of course. Forgetting those last two years, his experience with the City of Illusions in times before had in fact been much better. He had lost count the number of times he and Varin visited, such was the frequency. But during those visits, he would always try to seek out his one friend in particular. His only friend really from those traveling days, with whom he shared the welcome attribute of being able to pick up where they left off, no matter the duration. At least that was how it had been. Too many years since their last meeting had passed now, that he feared the duration was indeed a factor. He could only wonder if she felt the same way about it.

Boo turned his attention to the buildings that lined the market, still staring at the fascination that was skyglass every time he caught the sun dazzling in its reflection. Even the food and fashion here was alien to him. A few tastes of some free samples had revealed Lhavitian flavors to lean towards spicy. Rather enjoyable on the palette, but it did leave one a little parched. Speaking of which, he nosed the air as a wisp of something delightful caught his attention, his stomach rumbling its acquiescence that a search for the source should immediately be undertaken. Apparently those earlier samples had laid the groundwork for a longer campaign, that only the corpses of meaty fallen foes could appease. And something to wash it down with of course.

Spotting a place that he judged to serve a meal, though in all honesty how could he know for certain, he picked and weaved his way through the market traffic before reaching the window. Jewellery? he asked inwardly, trying to fathom how his nose had led him here. The smell in question had since wafted on, though his hunger remained and was in need of sating. Perhaps if he looked around some more, he would be sure to find a decent establishment where the meat fell off the bone, the bread was served steamy and fresh, and enthusiastic waiting staff brought frothing mugs of delightful liquids, tantalizing and refreshing as they danced on the taste buds. The liquid that is. Not the waiting staff.

For a moment his mind wandered, as it was prone to do, wondering if by some crafty and obscene magic a person could be shrunk down, small enough to fit in the mouth where indeed they could dance to their heart's content. It would have to be a very trusting arrangement of course. The host of this affair would need to resist the temptation to chew, bite or swallow. In his experience, if someone held their mouth open for too long, there was a very real possibility that an excess of saliva was produced. Dogs proved a perfect example of that scenario. Thus, tiny dancer had not only the chance of being swallowed to contend with, but now also drowning in a mouthful of spit.

Thankfully the moment passed, Boo's attention drawn elsewhere as he continued on. There might have been a time when such trails of thought would have been considered as alarming. But these days? Well, perhaps he did not really pay it much heed. His mind was astute and functional, but if he ever stopped to address just some of the crazy things that came out of it, he probably would not make it out of bed in the morning.

Rounding a corner of another building, Boo found himself in a non-descriptive street, nothing remarkable presenting itself for him to decipher where he was. Lost again. Maybe he should just turn around and head back the way he came? A fine plan, except now he was distracted by a kerfuffle further along and just out of view. It sounded to him, in his vast experience of having grown up in a city with people, who in turn would sometimes do things to one another for a host of reasons, that someone was getting the rough end of a violent exchange.

Ordinarily, as per the teachings of his Uncle Varin, it was better to let folk alone to their own business. Only, for a moment, he could swear that high falsetto was no adult. A child then? No no no. That simply will not do. Boo took a more meaningful stride toward the source of this new devilry, not really knowing what he would do, but knowing he should at least do something.

What if it is a child? I could not live with myself if I did not at least check.
Last edited by Boo Beckett on April 21st, 2016, 3:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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[Job Thread] With Friends Like These

Postby Boo Beckett on August 21st, 2016, 4:06 am

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Boo's fears were met with confirmation as he rounded the corner, finding a young lad of no more than twelve years, sitting on his rump with two figures looming over him. Thankfully, at least, the two assailants were of similar age. Had they been adults, it would have lent the scene a far more sinister tone. The mere presence of an adult seemed enough to diffuse the situation, sending the two lads scurrying like rodents up the alley, before they disappeared out of view. Boo approached the fallen victim, noting that the lad seemed more annoyed than distraught, as though the man's arrival had been a great inconvenience.

"You okay?" Boo asked with genuine concern. He had no younger siblings or children of his own for that matter, but there was an inherent belief he had always carried that hurting children was a terrible thing. He knew not where this had come from, rather he had always assumed it was a default emotion present in all beings. At least that was the hope. Sadly there were a handful of evil bastards out there that were the exception to the rule. In this case it seemed a simple matter of kids being kids, a typical two against once scenario where the bullies drew their strength from the greater numbers. He wagered neither one of them would have confronted the single child alone. That was the way of things back in Syliras when he was young too. Bullies were cowards.

"Stupid petchers. One of these days I'm gonna beat the shyke out of 'em." Boo could not help but chuckle. At least the lad was putting a brave face on things. The kid's language was no shock either. He had heard worse before. In his experience it was usually the svefra that spoke with such tongues. The lad had clambered to his feet, dusting down his pants while casting another look up the street, presumably checking that his two enemies were definitely well on their way. Turning to Boo, he gave the older man a look up and down, as if deciding in that moment whether he would need to 'beat the shyke' out of him too. Apparently satisfied that Boo was no threat, he suddenly stuck out a hand in the gesture of greeting. "I'm Miller. My dad works at the docks, with them ships that come in. He sent me with some coins to get lunch. It's payday and he likes a treat on payday. Them two shykes was after the coin, see? But I didn't let 'em have it of course. No sir."

"Well seems to me you scared them off too. This the first time you had trouble with them?"

"Nah. That's Seymour and Clyde. Always had it in for me since forever. They seem to think they run things around here, and ain't nobody ever told them otherwise. See but me, I'm sick of it. My dad says I gotta be strong and stand up for myself."

Boo gave Miller a smile, remembering the days when such problems were his own. It seemed unfair in a way, that even at such a young age children had to traverse situations such as these. That by mere chance alone, they could grow up in the same neighborhood as a bully, which would impact their lives growing up, even in some cases attributing to that child's personality when they became adults. On the other hand, could it not be said that these were life lessons, from which no student could avoid?

In any case, Boo was feeling a little sorry for the boy. Since Miller had guarded his dad's money with success, there was no need to compensate him. And any offer to deal with the bullies would have been out of the question. They were kids after all. So then, there was only one other idea that popped into his head. "Say, have you ever met an okomo before? I mean, surely you have right, since you live here and all."

"Well yeah mister, I seen them about. But we ain't supposed to go near 'em. Mom says they could squash a kid. But you seen 'em move? Slow as shyke. I reckon they don't care much for people though, if you ask me."

Boo thought that Miller was quite astute in his observation. He had only known the okomo for a short while, but he too wondered about the okomo's outlook on the Lhavitians. He wagered that if everyone were to disappear one morning, the goat-antelopes might not have noted the absence of their keepers until at least lunch time. But there was a counter argument to that of course. The okomo were known to find their own way to the Okomo Villa, wherein they could receive free pampering by the small contingent of handlers that worked there. Which in fact led to Boo's idea.

"Well it just so happens I'm an okomo handler. Tell you what; if you know where the Villa is on Sharai Peak, why don't you stop by tomorrow at noon and I'll show you around. Might even get to pet one of them," he added, as though this would no doubt be the deal breaker.

As it turned out, Miller was more than a little excited at the prospect of meeting an okomo. Apparently despite his earlier claims that the beasts paid the locals no heed, the same was not true the other way around. Off the lad went, visibly more cheerful than when Boo had found him. As for the okomo handler, he realized upon exiting the alleyway that he was no closer to finding his way again. He kicked himself mentally, realizing he should have asked for directions before sending the lad on his way.
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