[Flashback] Pirates! [Hawkins]

[Isette]

50 Fall 509 A.V.

It was hard living on your own. Shaychi (Isette. She was Isette now.) was used to a polished life. The life of a young scholar. Food had never been an issue and weather was ever only mildly irritating at best. Now the young kelvic was starving and she'd lost her cloak, the only warm thing she owned. She felt weakened and had even considered going back home. No. The feline was determined. She had made her choice and would succeed in seeing it through even if it killed her. Her pride was seeing her through where her body was ready to give up. The kelvic had been lured to the port by the delicious smell of fish. Her stomach growled with hunger as she followed the heavenly scent to its source. For a while, she stood there awkwardly, fidgeting with the fabric of her dirty white dress. Her catlike eyes followed the fisherman as they loaded up their catches. It made her mouth water. She felt so conspicuous standing there in her human form, but she was too weak to shift. Her last meal had been the morning before when a man had been kind enough to buy her breakfast. Surely they wouldn’t notice if one went missing. Isette moved towards the food slowly, carefully, trying to look nonchalant. It wasn’t working. Maybe they were too busy to notice her. She was desperate. Isette waited for the nearest fisherman to turn his back. He was digging for something inside his cart. Hoping that would take a while, Isette moved quickly. Her slender hand dove into the bucket of fresh fish and pulled one out. Quick. Silent. Smooth. Almost. Just as she was about to make off with her prize, the man turned. The feline didn’t notice until his hand was around her wrist. “Filthy shimobe thief!” he yelled at her. Isette winced from the pain and squirmed as everyone in the near area turned to stare. “I should have your hand for that! I didn’t go out to sea and work my ass off so that dirty little girls like you can take them free of charge! I have a family to feed!” The man seemed serious. He reached into his belt and pulled out a wicked looking knife. Isette didn’t know what he planned to do with the knife (would he really cut off her hand?), but she knew he wasn’t planning on being kind. Her efforts to get away increased. Blindly, she scratched at him. Her aim had been for his eye, but he was too tall and she was too panicked. Instead, she managed to draw a thin line of blood from his cheek. Naturally, this seemed to anger him more. “Petching whore!” he growled, “First you steal from me, then you attack me? Viper!” He shoved her roughly against his cart. Terrified, Isette tried to squirm away. If only she could shift…

[Hawkins]

"You're sure these charts are accurate, eh?" Hawkins stood with his head tilted back. His eyes were latched onto the form of a rusty looking chart, one that depicted the general area around Lhavit with most of the reefs marked and a few 'interesting' locations mentioned here and there. The elder fisherman looked pleased. "Ayup. Jus'n made 'em up." The old man said. Peering around the edge, Hawkins gave the man a steely gaze. He stared. The man blinked. "Done!" In short order Hawkins rolled the chart up and flicked the man his coin. Two mizas was not much of a loss. With a bow and a flurry, the sailor turned about and made his way, satisfied at the remarkable deal. And what a fine negotiation on his part, hah! Only two Mizas for something like that was remarkable. Still, something felt wrong. Terribly wrong. In all the void, what could be buggering him so much? The day was young! He was in port with several very fine women and all the time and money he could spare. So why was it he could not shake the feeling that - aha! Reaching around Hawkins grabbed the bottle he snipped earlier and popped the cork. With a tip and a tilt he took a long, drawn out swig. Better. His swagger took him deeper onto the pier. This port was like every other. Busybodies, workers, merchants, mostly fisherman stocking their wares. The real fun would be farther in at the closest broth- tavern. Yes. With play on his mind Hawkins spun about, his gaze flicking this way and that at his attempt to locate the nearest 'establishment'. Fish, ship, fish, fish, girl getting her hand cut off, fish. Hm. Well, that left a whole slew of options. "Hey now," Hawkins said as he appeared from seemingly nowhere, one hand lancing out to grab the wrist that held the blade. He stepped in stood in front of the man, separating him from the girl with a rough nudge of his own. What a sight. The sailor was very much foreign. From his very fine, wide hat to the sailor's attire beneath, he donned an unfastened leather coat that gave him a unique look, albeit the unshaved decor and mass of unkempt hair and general status of his hygiene did not add to any sort of mysticism. "Best to keep things civil, don't you think so?" Rearing back, Hawkins brought his fist to the fisherman's face. The resulting collision was satisfying. The man stumbled and fell back, a matter only assisted further by the assailant. He turned, his hands dusting one another off. "Get yourself up, lass, he won't stay down forever."

[Isette]

She wasn’t strong enough to get away. In hindsight, attempting to steal food while unable to shift had been a very foolish thing to do. It was a mistake she would not make again, assuming this man didn’t kill her. All this for one fish? How had she managed to piss off the meanest fisherman in existence? Or were they all like that? Maybe they were. It wasn’t like anyone was jumping to help her. Had she still been sesul…But no. She was shimobe. Untouchable. Lower than low. Nobody cared. Isette had better learn to accept that her world was different now. She closed her eyes tightly, expecting some sort of pain to come at her any second. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she heard the voice of a foreigner. It didn’t register for several reasons. There were several other noises in the area and she was a bit too preoccupied to notice how close it sounded. Mostly, Isette was just concerned about the level of pain that was about to come her way. Would he hit her? She wriggled her hand, trying in vain to free it before this man could hurt her. But the pain never came. In fact, the voice spoke again and her wrist was suddenly released. Isette’s eyes shot open, filled with surprise. What just happened? Had someone actually stepped in on her behalf? She quickly took in the situation, scanning her rescuer, her assailant, and the crowd with a desperate look. Her rescuer was strange looking. Her assailant was on the ground. And the crowd looked angry. At what? At her? Of course the mean fisherman had friends. She felt the ominous presence of the men as though it were tangible. It was a fight between one of their own and a foreigner teamed up with a shimobe…not good. Isette nodded in agreement with the man, though she wasn’t one hundred percent sure what he said. Her Common was only so-so, but she took the few words she did understand and made an educated guess based on her own assessment of the situation. They should hurry and leave. “Yes,” she responded in Common. Before leaving, however, she bent to scoop up the fish. After all that, she may as well come away with something to eat. He was a mean man, so she didn’t even feel guilty. Silently, the kelvic slipped the fish into her bag, hoped no one noticed, and then pressed closer to the foreigner. As the fisherman started to get up, Isette pointed out what seemed to be the best way of escape. “There,” she said, hoping he would at least understand the pointing if he didn’t understand her Lhavitian. There were less people that way; hopefully they would allow the two to escape in peace.

[Hawkins]

Eh? The man glanced down at the girl with a quizzical expression. Shit. He did not speak the damn language. Balls. His gaze flicked in the direction of her rampant pointing, but it was apparent that he failed to understand just what she wanted. "That is a nice alley. You know. So go there." Hawkins quirked a brow as she drew in closer. "No, no, shoo. Go! You go. Begone!" What was she doing? Better question, what had he done? The fishmonger was back on his feet and the rather angry crowd seemed to have gotten closer. When did that happen? Oh sod it. Was this a mob? It was the beginnings of a mob. Perhaps fish mongering was the noblest of professions in this place, in all Hawkins had no idea what did who and who did what. Or something. Right. Mob. Drawing back, the man put a hand on his blade and drew it from his sheath. He waved the tip about in an intimidating manner, stepping too and fro from the gaggle of malcontents. They started shouting things. Now, if only he could understand a damn word of it. "Back!" Not good. "Baac-ghuh what?" What was that sound? With a glance Hawkins peered over his shoulder. Guardsmen. Oh. Great. From the looks of it they were not there for the crowd, either. More of that strange language was tossed in his general direction and the man finally gave up. He shot an alarmed look at the girl and shrugged. "Run!" That was easy enough to understand. Using the route the girl pointed out before he barreled on away from the oncoming mass. He was ahead of his charge, of course, sword brandished but in no way graceful in his retreat. Guards bad! Very bad. Yet their departure was not to be easy. As if expecting the bail, two men had moved to intercept early. It was those two that barred their path now. Hawkins made no measure to stop. A blade came over head to assail the sailor only to meet an equal force, steel clashing against steel in a swift exchange. Hawkins parried, but did not stop. His body slammed into the guardsmen and sent the men to the ground. Oh! That worked. Didn't he have a friend? Duck! Hawkins dipped a shoulder, his body spinning about and following the motion through. The second blade whipped over his hat. Whew. Hopping up, he brought his own weapon about and deflected the next strike with some flare. A foot followed and connected with an exposed midsection, the force enough to disorient the poor fellow. "Keep running!" Hawkins was quick to take his own advice.

[Isette]

There was an awkwardly tense moment as the kelvic pointed and the foreigner stared back at her. Petch. Of course he didn’t understand. What a fine team they made. Isette blinked and withdrew her hand. There wasn’t time for her to pick her brain for Common words she knew. The situation seemed pretty much hopeless. She was grateful for his help, but now it just seemed like they were both going to get a good beating. Instinctively, Isette attempted to shift. Nope. All she felt was a weird sensation, one similar to dry heaving. It was slightly disorienting and gave her a bad feeling. She tried hard to understand what he was saying to her. That is a nice…something. Their lack of communication skills was clearly a terrible disadvantage. Apparently, drawing closer to him was not the right thing to do. Isette understood ‘no’. She drew back, alarmed. What was she supposed to do? She blinked as her mind slowly unraveled his words into something understandable. Go? He wanted her to go? Without him? Isette would have felt guilty leaving him. He had only just arrived and was already caught in a fight defending a thief from a working man. But then the foreigner drew out a sword. Isette’s eyes widened. Maybe he could take care of himself after all. Her hope was renewed. If he was a warrior, maybe things could still turn out okay. Movement caught her attention. Her stomach sank when she caught sight of guards. That time, Isette didn’t hesitate when the foreigner mentioned leaving. She understood what “run” meant and was definitely keen on the idea. If only the fishermen would allow her such an easy escape. That would be convenient. But when was life ever convenient? The fact that their path was blocked came as little surprise. The feline was impressed by her foreign friend, but she didn’t have much time to stand and admire. The fishermen may have pegged him as the bigger threat, but not everyone forgot that she was the original target. Someone charged at her and it took every bit of her quick reflexes to avoid the big man’s hands. He turned on her quickly, much quicker than she expected. The feline gasped with surprise as he grabbed her throat. Desperately, she aimed a kick right where it counted. Her assailant grunted and doubled over with pain, leaving Isette to continue her escape with the foreigner.

[Hawkins]

Bugger all, what in all the void did he get himself into? Neither he nor the girl understood each other and from what Hawkins could tell if a man wanted to cut off a woman's hand, you let him. Otherwise the guards tried to kill you. Well, disable anyway, they were no doubt trying to kill him now with the fighting back then, but all hell! Best not to think about it. Hawkins ran. He stopped only for a moment to reinforce his new found companion, the pommel of his blade swatting her aggressor in the back of the head for good measure. He would not be getting back up for a while. And the pursuit continued. Guards were hot on the trail, where in all the hells would they go? Hawkins barreled ahead. He threw his arms out and came to a very sudden stop, one foot back tracking as he glanced down an alley between some of the more robust stalls. One hand lanced out and he grabbed the girl by the collar of her clothing. Turning, he ran some more. Down the way, he could hear the the guards behind them. How were they gaining?! Fast buggers. From the looks both he and the girl received the people were undoubtedly aiding in their demise, but with a glance there was no one. At least no one of import. How? Yes! Turning left, then right, Hawkins grabbed at his companion once more and shoved her behind what appeared to be an abandoned stall. "Stay! Ah, sit! Get down? Hide!" He grinned and slashed at one of the supports that held the makeshift roof of the stall, the clatter and rush of material making giving the girl some kind of cover. If any. Why was he doing this? Liviku's balls, if he survived this he was never going into Lhavit's port again. With a swift turn Hawkins came to face the entrance to the alley. Several guardsmen were en route, all armed and all of them having a very, very bad day. "Is that all you've got! Well... you're not very... gotty!" Did they even understand him? Of course not. The three that advanced appeared confused by his words, but their intentions were a tad bit too clear. A spin and a step, Hawkins was off again, except that he wasn't. There. Just before him was a dead end. Oh. Of course. How had he not seen that? Bugger. Looking left, nothing. Just buildings. A stall. Looking right, nothing. Building. Ruined stall. Ahead? Wall. Three trained guardsmen? He needed a distraction. Swiftly, Hawkins turned back around, reared his sword back, then pointed wildly behind the guards. "What is that?!" Oh god. They turned. What? No. No way. That worked? No time to wonder! Hawkins was off. He barreled into the first guard and spun off his chest, pommel coming about and striking a second in the head. Two! He ignored the last, dumbfounded Lhavitian and blazed back onto the main street. The chase was on. OOCWe can have Hawkins and Isette meet up/find each other again in a short time skip or somethin', or just continue the chase scene if you want.

[Isette]

OOCSorry this took so long to get to you! Things have been a bit hectic recently. Anyway, you're welcome to keep going or time skip. Either way works for me.

This situation was so much worse than it should have been. Normally when one got in trouble for stealing, they got chased away or yelled at. Or, if it was something big and valuable, maybe they would call the Shinya to exact some sort of justice if the thief actually succeeded in the snatch. So why this? How had Isette been so unlucky to steal from the meanest fisherman in the world? She had no doubt that the Shinya were there because of the fighting, but even so. All of that for a fish? It was a little beyond ridiculous. Things were getting all confusing. Isette wasn’t used to being around so many angry and violent people. She was feeling lost, unsure of what to do or how to do it, when her foreign companion suddenly grabbed at her clothing. She yelped, thinking at first that it was one of the enemy, but then realized who it was and fell into step. He was her safety net. The one who seemed experienced at such things as this…This mob mentality. Isette had heard stories about mob mentality and how it could turn sane, logical people into raging bulls but this was her first time seeing it for herself. Isette was shoved behind a stall. Hide! That was a word she knew. The Kelvic looked at the man quizzically. He was leaving her? But what if they found her? Fear gripped her, but it seemed she didn’t have much choice in the matter. There was no time to attempt any kind of communication with this man. Time was short. So she nodded and watched him leave. The feline pressed into her hiding area, wishing she could take her real form and be small and dark. Meanwhile, the foreigner was out there leading them away from her. What if they caught him? Isette would be guilt ridden for weeks if that happened. She bit her lip, chewing nervously until she bled. Then, at last, she figured there was only one smart thing to do. She started wolfing down the fish. And why not? She needed the energy if she was going to be able to shift. And she was starving! Once the excitement was finished rushing past her hiding spot, she could take proper stock of the situation and follow after the man. It would be rude to leave him now, after he did so much to help her.

[Hawkins]

It was only a matter of time before the guards gave up. After all, Hawkins had not really done much to be chased. Excepting the whole assault on guards, those at the docks had nothing urging them on to pursue the wily - obviously well practiced - sailor in a chase around the whole damn coastline. Some clever jukes and a back track later Hawkins found himself hiding inside the confines of a very comfortable basket. It was cramped, sure, but he was able to shove himself inside the wicker construct suitably enough, and stealthily enough, to avoid the attention of the guards and ire of the owner. That was better for everyone. He waited for several, arduous chimes before he poked his head out of hiding spot and looked about, only a part of his head peering out to examine the immediate dangers. Clear. Whew. With a scuffle, Hawkins tipped his basket over and spilled out, unceremoniously digging his way free. A quick hop brought him back to his feet. Lhavawhatsit was far too much trouble for what it was worth. And what was it worth? For the life of him the man could not remember what in all the hells made him believe it was a good idea to skip off to some place he had never even heard of. Maybe it was the fact that everyone and their mother wanted him dead in Sunberth. Ah! That was it. He sighed and spun about, his gaze flickering over the supplies that had saved his hide. String. Rope. Basket. Bottle. Cart. Bottle? Satisfied, Hawkins leaned over and snagged one of the many glass containers on the edge of the conveniently untended cart. No more than a moment's hesitance passed and he popped open the top and lifted the liquid to his lips. Now that was satisfying.

[Isette]

Silence descended upon her. Isette waited, tensed, her breath held. There was nothing. In the distance she could still hear shouting, but the words were growing fainter and fainter. Isette had the distinct feeling that they weren’t even sure what they were looking for anymore. They were just running off of adrenaline. That was fine by her. She cautiously crawled away from her hiding area, her eyes darting around to pick up on any sort of movement. She expected someone to be hidden, lying in wait. It was not so. There was an old man fishing, but his back was to her. Well then. The feline looked around the deserted area with curiosity. Now that the danger was more or less passed, she was free to ponder the strangeness of everything that had just happened. The Shinya were probably more concerned with getting the mob under control than apprehending a petty thief. There was small comfort in that. It meant they would be busy calming people down and not hunting her. Well, as long as she was there…Isette snatched up another fish. Silly men, leaving their wares unwatched like that. She snorted and began wolfing down the second part of her meal. Once she discarded the remains of her food, the Kelvic decided to look for her rescuer. She had a vague sense of his scent as well as the direction he’d left in. She followed it, hoping that dumb luck would help her to find him. It did not seem to be the case. It only took a few minutes for her to lose the scent. All she had to go on then was direction, which was not very helpful because she had no way of knowing if he turned or stopped or what. The feline sighed and sat down on a nearby crate. But then a strong scent suddenly reached her. What was that? She followed the source of the smell, which was soon accompanied by human made sounds. Only a few minutes later she came within sight of the very man she had been trying to find. “Greetings!” she said in Common. Her tone was cheerful. Now that she had food in her stomach and her life was not in immediate danger, she was back to her usual self. No matter how rough things seemed, Isette enjoyed meeting new people. And this one was especially interesting to her.

[Hawkins]

"Gah!" Hawkins jumped forward. He raised his bottle into the air and twirled about to face his attacker, the liquid pouring out down his shoulder as its container was held aloft into the air. For some reason he did not draw his sword. For a moment he stood in shock. Dire shock. Oh. That was not a guard. In fact, wasn't that the girl he had saved from a dehanding? Hand removal. Handless adventure. Hah. Yes! That was her. With a shake of his head he lowered his attempted weapon and shrugged, the bottle brought up again only to draw his lips about the opening. Wait. Why was there nothing? His shoulder was wet. Bugger. With a toss he discarded himself of the useless glass and turned back to the cart, one hand lancing out and snatching another of the wonderful drinks for his immediate consumption. He popped the top and reproduced his actions from earlier, very aware that there was a young girl watching his every motion. She could wait. After all, it was her fault that he was in such a bind. Or, well, no, it was his. Never help a stranger. What a good motto. "Ah. Hello." He spoke and lowered the bottle. She was young. Really young. Younger than he thought. Was that why he helped her? There was a twinge of familiarity there. Though Lhavit was nothing like Sunberth, Hawkins knew what it was to be poor, young, and hungry. Very hungry. No! No! Pity was bad. The last thing he needed was to be seen with this girl again. Those guards only needed another excuse to cut his head off. He liked his head. Very much so. "Good to, ah, well. You've still got both your paws, eh?" Did she even understand what he was saying? His held tilted to the side, one eyebrow raising above the other in a queer sort of speculation. She was dirty. An orphan? No doubt. No! None of this! Damn it. "You've got a bit of. On your cheek. Just. Dirt." Hawkins took another drink. His shoulders slouched and he leaned back, trying to figure out just what in the hell he was supposed to do now. "Hawkins. That's me. You?"