[Flashback] Something of Worth (Cid)

[Larina]

Spring 33, 507 AV The Seaside Market The constant splash of seawater beneath her feet was an annoyance to the girl. Nauss knew that the salt would creep up the back of her boots and leave gritty white stains in their wake which she would be chastised for later. But it was inevitable; Leth’s magnetic force had already begun to reel the tide in from its depths and submerge the marketplace in water. Right now, the sea barely lapped at her soles, but Nauss knew in less than a bell’s time the ocean would already be creeping up to her knees since the flat streets of the market were all too accommodating to the tides. She would have to pick up her pace. It was a rare day that the young Kelvic was alone. Normally, Nauss would be attentive at the side of her Dhani master in his home, but not now. No, today she had been sent out to the flooded market as per her lord’s request. Nauss was not usually relegated to errand girl and being completely on her own was unnerving. But she did not complain. If her master sent her out to shop, she obeyed without a second thought. And though she did not question it, his current demand of her was an odd one. The Dhani handed the Kelvic a hearty chunk of Mizas and told her to simply “find something of worth” at the stalls. How frustrating. The stands were only filled with junk and those petty enough to try and sell it. There was nothing valuable here, in the items or the people. So, how was she expected to find anything suitable to bring back? Nauss slumped through the market, her arms curled to her chest and her head hung low. A tattered cloak concealed most of her frame save for when her boots peeked out from underneath its folds. And although it was a fair day, the wary girl still had the hood pulled up over her head. A precaution against the more dubious occupants of the city, but one that was easily overcome. She was young, female, and alone. It probably would have been more subtle if she had painted a bull’s-eye on her back. The Kelvic was ever alert under such conditions but bit confused as to why her master would knowingly put her at risk. Bah! Who was she to question her superior? Keep moving. Her eyes wandered constantly from place to place, taking in every inch of her surroundings and browsing the undoubtedly stolen loot in the shops. However, she never once exchanged glances with a stranger, even the stall keepers who were keen to swindle money out of the girl. That would be foolish and set her apart as an even larger target. Clearly the brilliant gold of her eyes was not human, far from it, and Nauss wanted to keep her Kelvic nature as much of a secret as she possibly could. Not that her safeguards did her much good. She was being followed. Two men had been cautiously tailing her from about thirty feet back. From a spectator’s point of view, they seemed harmless and only interested in what the marketplace had to offer. But, they paused when she did, sped up with any quickening pace she took, and stole glances her way now and again. And Nauss knew it.

[Cid]

Cid left the tavern early. He didn't feel like drinking as much as he normally did. He spent all of his days drinking. Ever since his elder brother left Sunberth. Shortly after that, his younger brother left as well. His sword master had mysteriously vanished right before his brothers left. He had now lost two families. And it took it's toll. Feeling a little buzzed, he walked down the street, near the marketplace. He couldn't help but notice an odd looking little girl weaving her way through the crowd of people. She looked back, and Cid followed his gaze. It looked almost like two men were following her. He didn't know who the girl was but Cid knew there was no way she could do anything against them. Cid hoped that she would stay in the crowd and lessen her chances of being confronted. He was glad he was only buzzed and not drunk. He decided to follow the two men in case they did try to do anything to the girl. OOCI'm sorry about the short post I couldn't think of a good way to respond.

[Larina]

“Does the pretty little thing want some jewelry?” Nauss’ head snapped around to a nearby shopkeeper who had called her out. She still kept her eyes below the line of her hood, but for the moment her attention was completely on the rather husky man. She must have been loitering a moment too long near his stall for him to heckle her like this, and the Kelvic scolded herself for her folly. “Ah, no thank you,” she muttered and began to move away from the man. But before she could get out of arm’s reach, the vendor gave a bellowing laugh and grabbed her by the shoulders, veering her towards off the streets and towards his stall. The girl recoiled and braced herself against his grip, but the man’s fingers were tight enough around her shoulder that she could not so easily escape. Her innate subservience demanded that she stay put and listen to the brash shopkeeper’s sales pitch, but inwardly, Nauss considered every possible way to debilitate the man and run. “Now now, little missus. You haven’t even looked at what I’m offering to you! An ornate silver necklace! Handcrafted by only the most skilled Isurian craftsmen.” Pudgy fingers snatched up a rather plain necklace and threw it around Nauss’ head. The vendor laughed again. “See how well it suits you? You look like a goddess, little bit! I am so smitten that I’ll give you a deal. Only 5 mizas! How very pretty you look! And for such a good price too.” Growing increasingly flustered, Nauss gave a series of stuttering “No thank you”s as she glanced around for the two men who had been tailing her. They had moved. A flutter of panic welled up in her chest, and the girl looked frantically around for her pursuers. There. The men had begun to make their move. The distraction of the vendor had afforded them the chance to place themselves on the right and the left of Nauss: still discreetly far enough away to be inconspicuous, but positioned in a way where they could easily flank her in a heartbeat. Shyke Animal instinct took over. Even a rat who has been cornered will fight to the death to be free. Nauss balked under the grip of the salesman and her head smashed upwards into his jaw, loosening his grasp and giving her a split second to escape. But her resistance immediately stirred the men into action, both of them moving to seize her. She wouldn’t be able to fight them off. Not two of them. Not with their strength. Nauss instantly dropped to her hands and knees, clawing her way towards the underbelly of the stalls. Being so small, she could easily maneuver through the stilts and platforms while the larger men would struggle to catch up with her. Just as Nauss slid under one of the platforms, she felt a tight grip around her ankle as one of the men grabbed a hold of her boot before it disappeared from view. She kicked and thrashed about, but his tight hold of her did not slacken. The girl clawed at the barnacle laden stilts for support, but could feel her body being dragged back out into the open into the clutches of the malicious hunters. OOCI forgot that Larina did not have her current name just yet! She's Nauss here.

[Cid]

Cid watched it all as he closed in, trying not to stumble. The vendor distracting the hooded girl, the two men flanking her, the girl making a break for it under the stalls. Cid quickened his pace right as the stranger brought her head into the jaw of the salesman. She quickly ducked under the stalls but one of the men grabbed her ankle, the other standing behind him. Cid instantly ran for the trio of people. He was already close, but he knew momentum would assist him since the alcohol in his system would through off his balance and aim. Running/stumbling, Cid didn't slow a bit as he brought a shin kick into the ribs of the man that had the girl in his grasp. He nearly tumbled over as the goon went sprawling to the side in pain, gripping his side in agony. His partner was quick to respond. Without a hesitation, the other man used his own momentum by swinging his body into a single punch into the already unbalanced Cid. Cid landed on the ground hard, scraping his elbow as he tried to roll over. He landed in between the man and the girl who had tried to escape. Coughing a little, Cid actually laughed He was used to fighting. Whether it be sober or drunk. He was experienced in brawling. He looked to the stranger still under the stalls. "Go on." He said still laughing. "I'll handle these goons!" If Cid sounded reasurring in the least, it wouldn't last long. The man who had delivered the punch had already grabbed him by his chest and pulled him up to his face. He wasn't sure if the girl would run or not, but he knew he was going to have a little fun today after all.

[Larina]

Idiocy compounded by drunkenness. These were the traits which the newcomer brought. The latter characteristic was all too obvious to notice. His stumbling and rashness combined with the unmistakable smell of alcohol on his breath when he chuckled was a literal cocktail for a drunk. And a dumb drunk at that. Anyone – anyone – who would willfully engage in a fight which they had no part in was a complete and utter moron. The other people in this city understood that fact, as was evidenced by the fact that the street had already begun to clear out under the influence of the brawl. It was not them in danger, and therefore they would keep it that way. Nauss spat in anger as the man’s leg collided with her oppressor, sending him rolling to the slick stone ground. He should have just stayed out of it. Yet, this man had given the Kelivc a slice of freedom by assaulting the hunter. That was something. A weakness for violence? Or maybe a heart for heroics? Either way she could exploit it later if need be and would dutifully do so without hesitation. But right now the laughing drunk was not her concern. The second of the two attackers had repaid his foolishness with aggression, as it should be. In Nauss’ mind, the man was simply getting was he deserved: a painful lesson in the reasons not to meddle in other people’s affairs. Her focus was on the other man who had grabbed her ankle. His lesson was yet to be taught. Unheeding the advice of the tipsy idiot, Nauss crawled out from beneath the stilts on all fours like a scuttling creature, her gangly limbs splashing in the sea that had already begun to rise. She coiled her body from a moment, locking her glowing eyes on her target ahead – the man lay on his side, weakly trying to regain his footing. She sprung. Her hands colliding with his chest and sending him again to the stone street. A sickening crack told that the man’s head had struck the pavement, and Nauss’ lips twitched with pleasure. Not a fatal blow. Yet. A flicker of movement to the left caused Nauss to temporarily glance over at the fate of the drunken man. A low growl rumbled in her throat as she witnessed the second hunter scraping the fool from the ground, readying his onslaught. Pain the drunk deserved; death, or even just mauling, he did not. Nauss hesitated, reluctant to give up the prey the held so tenderly in her claws…Petch. “You idiot man-thing!” she snarled, relinquishing her stranglehold on the hunter below her. With a whirl from her cloak, Nauss spun around and bounded forth at the attacker as he raised his fist to strike a blow at the man’s face. Diving forward, her small shoulder rammed into the side of the hunter’s knee with surprising force and she desperately hoped to dislocate his patella. No such luck. She was not yet big enough to pull off such a feat. Instead, the man toppled to the side, releasing the fool from his grasp, but also catching Nauss up in his fall to earth. Her little body collapsed on his legs, which immediately started to kick out against her chest and jaw. With a scream, the Kelvic tried to extract herself from the fray of thrashing limbs, but the man had kicked out the arm she had tried to support herself with and the girl ended up face first on the ocean filled street.

[Cid]

Cid watched as the girl saved him. He fell on his back as the girl and the goon fell the other way. Cid didn't hesitate to get back up. The goon seemed to grab a hold of the girl, he reached for her arm to pull her to her feet. Pulling her arm and hoping that she would be okay. He felt himself get unbalanced as he pulled her up. So he used his body weight to come crashing down onto the goon with his Cid's fist aimed straight for his face. His fist landed right on target, breaking the man's nose. Cid then began to continuously punch the goon's face over and over again. Once the goon lifted his hands in defense, Cid began to work at the goon's chest. Bringing both fists down in a hammer-like fashion, attacking the man's lungs and heart. Cid was oblivious to the girl's whereabouts, and to the crowd doing nothing but watch in horror as he pummeled the man below him.