Round Two

by **Zukai** on February 25th, 2018, 2:13 am

30th of Winter, 517 A.V.

Zukai walked beside Corine as the pair made their way to the Silver Tongue. The first night had went over well. No one had managed to get inside the building. The pair hoped it would go as well that night as well. It had been several nights before that they had first started working at the business. The young Myrian popped her neck and rolled her shoulders to be prepared. Muscles still ached as the girl took each step going to her job location. The pair had both been putting in many bells in the training area of the Sun’s Birth compound. Rubbing her upper arms some, the girl cursed under her breath at the light pain held within the muscles.

“Are we almost there? My legs are killing me after those laps this morning,” Zukai asked looking at her partner.

“Haha, just about it come on,” Corine said with a smirk.

The teen groaned some and sighed before picking up the pace. Soon enough the two were in the middle of a race trying to get there faster. To say that the Myrian was competitive was an understatement. She wanted to prove herself to be the very best at whatever she did, and a friendly race was no exception. The two slid to a stop in front of the building, panting they entered and waved to Cosette. The woman smiled and nodded to her two guards for the current season.

Zukai was glad that there was not a lot of people within the building. It seemed to be a very quiet afternoon within the shop. It would make set up much faster and easier to get done. The man quickly walked into the main office and dropped his things in the corner behind the door once again before stepping out. Taking a deep breath, the teen did the exact same thing while popping her neck. There was still much to be done to get ready for the night. She doubted it would go as well as earlier in the season had went.

“I hope tonight goes well,” Zukai whispered while walking over to Corine.

“Yeah, me too. Just imagine how fast we will move up if Cosette brags about how well we do,” the man stated with a smirk.

“Do not get ahead of yourself,” the teen said with a laugh.

She moved away after hitting his arm lightly. The girl had begun to loosen up more around him. Zukai could not say that she was known for her “teamwork” when it came to being around others. That was why the girl had been assigned to Corine. Supposedly he was the best at instilling teamwork in other members of the dragoons. The young Myrian would be his best example if he could get her to cooperate with him. Yawning, the girl stretched in one of the corners towards the front watching people who entered the business. So far no one had come in acting strange.

by **Zukai** on April 25th, 2018, 7:22 pm

xx Day of Season, 5xx A.V.

The day seemed to wear on even though the pair had arrived towards the end of the business day. The girl yawned again while rubbing her eyes some trying to stay awake. She was glad that Corine had insisted on taking the first shift and letting her sleep. He had only made the mistake of doing it the other way once. The young man quickly found out that a tired Myrian is a very scary creature. As the noise of patrons grew louder, Zukai found herself drawn up the stairs. The father up she went the more the voices became muffled and her pounding her was slowing down. Looking around, the girl found some windows and opened them. Taking a deep breath of air, she down in the window sill while looking out.

“This is much better and makes it easier to watch who is coming in or out of the building,” Zukai whispered to herself.

She watched the world below her trying to see any daggerhands or Night Eyes. Nothing had appeared for sometime and the heat on her skin felt good. So good that the child had begun to fall asleep on her perch. The sound of shouting caused her to jump as a small form darted away from the building. Instantly the girl was down the stairs and racing behind the person along with Corine. Her partner began to slow so he told the girl where to go before stopping out of breath. Zukai pushed her legs to keep going. Her lungs burned in her chest as the city flew by around her. Gasping the woman slid to a stop when some fruit was thrown into the street.

“Shyke!” Zukai quickly went around the mess.

Gaining speed once more, she tried to ignore the burning in her calves and thighs. The small figure darted down an alley way trying to lose the Myrian, but it didn't work. She slowed to a walk and forced her breathing to slow while listening closely. There was heavy breathing around the corner and light talking. Walking around the corner, Zukai spotted the little child clutching a very expensive looking necklace in its hands. She made her way forward slowly before grabbing the little ones shirt. Instantly the child tried to make a run for it, tired of fighting the woman took out her kopis and put it against the child's side.

“Stop moving. Put the necklace down now,” Zukai snarled.

Watching as the child put it down on the ground, she moved to where the little boy was facing the exit of the alley. Pulling him back, the girl moved the blade and thrust him forward. As he scrambled hitting the ground, she picked up the necklace before looking back at him. He did not look like a normal street urchin, his clothes still looked clean and his hands were soft. One eyebrow raised as if to ask him where he was from within the city. When he glared at her the woman put the necklace in her pocket while keeping her blade out.

“You need to get out of this game while you have the chance kid. You are too soft, too clean, too naïve to be out here. Go home to your parents before you get killed,” Zukai stated before turning and walking away.

She kept her hand in her pocket with the necklace at all times. Pickpockets were everywhere in the city, the last thing she needed to do was return without the necklace in her possession because it had been stolen from her.

by **Zukai** on May 4th, 2018, 1:54 am

Zukai walked up to the business and slipped in the back way. She waited to hear if Corine had returned or if he was still trying to catch up to her. Shrugging the girl walked on in and motioned for Cosette. Excusing herself the older woman walked over to the teen curious as to what she wanted. Pulling her hand from her pocket, the girl held up the stolen necklace for the woman to take. Instantly she snatched the necklace thanked the little dragoon and walked away. The Myrian figured the business owner was going to put the item in the back or on display again. Moving hair out of her face, the girl went and sat down popping her back with a sigh.

“I hope he comes back soon. There is no way I can watch this place on my own,” Zukai spoke to herself.

Nearly half a bell had passed when the myrian finally spotted her partner walking in. Narrowing her eyes, she watched as he seemed to have a sudden spring in his step. Something felt off about how the older man was suddenly acting. Moving through the crowd some, the girl tried to get close enough to see what he was doing in the office without being seen. Though her efforts would not prove to be very useful, she was used to walking up and demanding answers. That did not tend to work out so well when talking to a fellow dragoon. For the time being, the girl would need to have her partners back until an opportunity presented itself.

“Oh, hey Zuk, when did you get back?” Corine asked when looking up at the girl.

“Half a bell ago, what kept you so long? I was sure you had returned when you stopped running. Did you get hurt?” Zukai asked looking at the man with hardened eyes.

“Yes, I thought I had pulled a muscle in my leg. So, I went to have it seen about. The doctor eased my fear saying that it was just sore from so much use lately. Nothing to worry about come we have work to do,” Corine stated with a nervous laugh before slipping around the teen.

Zukai's eyes narrowed more noticing his nervous behavior. She was determined to find the underlying cause of why he was acting so odd.

by **Zukai** on August 20th, 2018, 12:56 am

Zukai narrowed her eyes and watcher her partner disappear back out of the room. She did not trust the way he was acting. Corine had never been so short with her. It was normally the other way around, but for the moment she put that out of her mind and took out her bed roll. The Myrian walked back out of the room and watched as the shop was beginning to empty. Once locked up the pair's real job would begin. As much as the teen knew she needed rest, all her mind could do was race.

“That was the last customer. I am locking up for the night,” Cosette explained.

“We will guard your shop with our lives,” Corine said with a smile.

A glare appeared on Zukai's face at the mention of death. She did not like the way her partner had begun talking. It was as if he planned on them dying. That was the last thing on her mind. She laid down once the door was closed and locked. The girl tried to get some kind of rest, but her mind would not shut itself down. The myrian tossed and turned in her bed roll. She wanted desperately to look through Corine's things. But he had put out the candle after she “fell asleep.”

If it would not give her away then the girl would light another candle. At some point her body finally gave out needing sleep. It was not a restful sleep though; jerking up the woman panted as Corine stepped inside yawning. Sitting up, the girl rolled her neck and popped what she could. Bones cracked all over her body, the elbows, her neck, and all the spaces in between her spines popped as well. The sound from from between her shoulder blades all the way through the bend in her lower back.

Zukai stood up and cleaned up her area so he could stretch out. The last thing she wanted to hear was Corine complaining about her not letting him sleep while on duty. The higher ups already thought the girl was riding the older dragoons tailcoat. She wanted to prove that was not true. Boots clapped as the teen moved around the jewelry shop quietly. After a bell has passed the myrian sat down on the steps and listened to the streets around the shop. The muscles in her calves twitched and spasms. Her body was still sore from the two work out.

“Shite I don't remember the last time my legs hurt this much,” Zukai whispered and stretched them out.

The girl worked on massaging her legs trying to work out the pain. Forcing herself up, she walked around. Zukai was slow moving as the muscles screamed for her to sit back down, but the girl knew full well to keep going. She was worried that if she sat down her muscles would seize up and make her completely useless should anything happen. Stopping for a moment, the girl slightly moved the curtain over one of the windows looking out at the sky.

by **Zukai** on August 21st, 2018, 12:23 am

Zukai groaned quietly seeing that dawn was a long way off still. Leaning back against the wall, the girl slowly slid down till her butt connected with the floor. All her body wanted was sleep, but she knew even once their shift was over training would begin. There would be no rest even upon returning to the barracks. The pair would be expected to eat then return to training. The girl hoped that she would be able to sneak away and get at least a couple of bells of sleep. If not the myrian was likely to be more aggravated than normal.

“Must stay awake,” Zukai mumbled.

Her breathing had began to slow as the silence around her continued on. It seemed an eternity before any sound would be made. Eye lids grew heavy the longer the teen sat there. She wanted to move but her body did not want to listen; it wanted to relax and that is what it seemed intent on doing. Fluttering lids finally closed making the girl slowly fall asleep on the floor. Sudden movements outside with loud voices roused the Zukai from her forced sleep. She wanted to just roll over, but there was no need. Shifting some the girl got up with a grunt and looked out the window.

Day light was not far from breaking, but it would still be several more bells till dawn. Taking a deep breath, she stood up and popped her back. The girl listened for the sound of Corine but could find none. Brows furrowed together as the woman walked over to the room where Cosette would do her business. She took off her boots and crossed the floor much more quietly. The girl did not hear the sound of the mans snoring. Her blood ran cold hearing sounds outside of the building, did he wake up and decide to leave her.

Forcing herself to calm down, the girl pushed open the door and found only her things. Cursing under her breath, Zukai drew her blade and got close to the front of the door. Her heart hammered against her chest as the voices seemed to grow louder. The young teens first instinct was to bolt up the stairs and get a better view, but she was the only one in the building. The risk of leaving the door unguarded was too great. If Corine had been in the room, the myrian would have gone. The noises faded away causing the girl to relax once everything was silent again. Sheathing her blade, Zukai walked back over to the office room and looked around.

She could not understand where Corine had went or why he left. Was he really angry with her and just not saying anything? There was no way another member of the dragoons came and got him without waking her. Others at her level loved to poke at her and push her buttons; the best way was to wake the girl up. The myrian was not known for being a preppy morning person. Moving around the building, the teen tried to find anywhere that was open or no longer locked, but nothing was out of place. Sighing she shook her head just focusing on watching the shop. Her mind buzzed as Cosette finally arrived, sighing gently the girl bid the woman farewell and went back to the barracks.