Author: Silver Star, Posted: Mon Sep 5, 2016 6:13 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Ernest's face fell. She had hoped that nothing would hinge too much on her knowing exactly where the island was. 

"To be honest," she said, "I have no clue where the island is. I can't read maps." She dropped her gaze. "Actually… I can't read at all.  As for coasts, I didn't even know there was more than one before today."

"Do you want to see the map again?" she asked. "I'm guessing you would know how to read it. You seem to know your way around these things."

Ernest stared at the ground. She hadn't meant to reveal so much. No one else knew she couldn't read - she was good at hiding it. Actually, no one knew much about her at all. She hoped not to seem too useless. She knew her way around a city, but finding the island had always baffled her. She looked up. Maybe there were advantages to having a travelling companion.

Author: Lee, Posted: Mon Sep 5, 2016 2:07 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

He looked ahead of them, subconsciously leading towards the airship docks.  If only they knew exactly where the island was, there was something crazy that they could try to get there.  Might be too dangerous, but it was the quickest thing he could think of short of stealing a vessel and just heading straight for the ocean, “There’s a few ways, but I guess it all comes down to where the island is.  I didn’t get a good look at it, but surely you’ve read over it.”

He looked over at her with a small smile, “Do you know which coast it’s off of?  We could always start that way, maybe see if we could pay someone to gate travel us there so that we’d be there faster and see where it takes us.  To be honest I’m used to knowing where my targets are, not seeking them out like this.”  His fingers moved up to his hair, lightly scratching through and mussing up the black locks,

“Don’t worry, I know when I’d have to leave.  Same for you though, if you get tired of having me around just say something and I’ll set off.”  Though he knew that he’d never part from her without offering a little more coin to get her on her way.  Even if it didn’t go towards her efforts to find the island, it would at least give her more food in her stomach or temporary shelter over her head.

Author: Silver Star, Posted: Thu Sep 1, 2016 12:58 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Ernest glanced at him. "I walk," she said. "How else would we travel?" She knew there were carriages and things, but they were much more than she was willing to pay. "As for when I was planning to get to m- to the island," she paused, "whenever I find it." She knew she would have to sail to it eventually, but she was sure she could figure that out when she got there. If all else failed, she could build a raft. 

"Did you have any other ideas?" she asked. "I know there are other ways to travel, but they cost too much - frankly, money isn't something I can waste." It felt strange, sharing how she was thinking, but she supposed that was part of having a travelling partner. "If you have to leave eventually - if you have other plans - that's fine," she added. "I can survive on my own."

Author: Lee, Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 4:54 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Ernest?  His eyebrows rose, he wasn’t able to tell if she was giving a false name or not, but he decided not to question it just in case it was her real name.  After all, he didn’t want to seem rude.  He smiled and offered his own name back, “My name’s Lee.”  He dipped his head once in introduction and then began to walk, hoping they could get to the docks by sun down, “So, when were you planning on finding that place on the map?”  What’s more, how were they even going to get to it?  His ride home was on an airship full of people, and they couldn’t very well use that to get there.

“Did you already have a way to travel?”  She was a thief, but she could have had other ways.  If worse came to worst it was possible they could stow away to get themselves closer.  He had enough money from the job he’d just finished, but he’d have rather saved that for provisions if the necessity arose.

Author: Silver Star, Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 12:07 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Ernest saw him coming. She grinned. He had come, after all. She had just been starting to think he wouldn't.

"You came," he said. Ernest withheld a small chuckle. It seemed that while she had been expecting him to not show, he had expected the same of her. She realized he was still talking - he seemed to consistently keep talking after she expected him to. “It would probably be best if we knew each other’s names.  Or at least what to call one another. You don’t have to give me your real name if you don’t want to.” Ernest was sure she had missed something of his statement, but hoped it didn't matter. 

She shrugged. Giving a name was of little consequence to her. It wasn't like anyone could track her. "My name's Ernest," she said. "What's yours?" She almost expected him to spout off about seventeen names - she seemed to be the only person who used just one - but she hoped she could call him something simple. Her memory tended to be distracted by other things than long strings of names.

Author: Lee, Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 8:50 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

After much explaining and only a little white lie, he’d managed to leave the estate where the lady lived.  They’d wanted her assailant brought to justice, and while he’d basically just let the thief go without much reprimand, they didn’t need to know that.  After all, she had her purse back and she was safe, what more could they really ask for?  The girl that had stolen it hadn’t been bad exactly, just in need…it wasn’t like she would have tried to harm the woman, right?  Of course not, but then again he didn’t really know her, and he’d offered to travel with her and help her with that map.
 
All the while he could hear Hiromi screaming at him from afar, just imagining the types of things she would say to him if she knew what he was about to do.  She’d call him young, naïve, headstrong, and say he’d completely lost focus of his duties.  But what duties did he have?  To live in a tayuu house running errands and babysitting nobles?  No, that wasn’t what he wanted to do, it’s what she’d had him do because she was too fearful of anything happening to him.  He’d be safe at the end of all of this, it’d just be a while before he could return home…
 
That is, if the girl even showed up.  As he drew closer to the alley his stomach began to flutter: what if she wasn’t coming?  What if she’d run off on her own?  Besides all of that, what business of it was his?  She wasn’t his responsibility even if he was acting like she was.  Maybe it would have been best if she wasn’t there after all.  But as he turned into the alley he saw her, not far from where he’d stopped her earlier that day.  His lips parted to call out to her but then he realized he didn’t even know her name.  That doesn’t seem like a great start… 
 
No matter, he walked up to her as if the two had known each other their entire lives and smiled, “You came.  To be honest I wasn’t sure if you would.”  His hand lifted up and gently scratched at the back of his head through his hair, “It would probably be best if we knew each other’s names.  Or at least what to call one another, you don’t have to give me your real name if you don’t want to.”  He could understand that, especially given how closed off she had already proven herself to be.

Author: Silver Star, Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:46 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

The sun was setting when Ernest returned to their meeting place. She wondered if he'd be here. She wouldn't have been surprised if he'd backed out. After all, to him, she was some strange girl he'd met on a street corner. She was honestly surprised he'd even offered to travel with her.

She had spent most of the afternoon deliberating on whether to show up. She didn't fully trust him. Then again, she didn't fully trust anyone. One of the first rules of the streets was to only trust yourself. Yet, he didn't seem to know her rules. People who had always had ways to take care of themselves lived in a different world from her. They lived by rules she didn't understand.

And yet, going against all of her knowledge, she had trusted him. She had blindly believed that he would be here - and would actually help her. This could all be a trap - but somehow, she didn't think so. Despite all the rules of the streets, she trusted him.

Ernest scanned the crowds again. If he wasn't here soon, she didn't think he was coming. He didn't seem to be the type to be late.

Author: Lee, Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2016 3:54 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

A corner of his lips quirked up in a half smile, lightly amused, “It just so happens that following strange people around his my job.”  With a final glance in the direction of his charge he made up his mind.  He looked back at her, “I’ll be finished with this assignment tonight.  We can meet at this spot if you’d like.  I’m only expected to go back to Nisshoki when my job is completed…I’ll just push it back some.”  It wasn’t as if he had any jobs waiting for him back at home.  If anything it would just be more babysitting like this client had been.

“But for now,” he walked backwards away from her, letting his thumbs lightly tuck into the pockets of his pants, “Duty calls.  If you decide you’d rather go at it alone after all then just don’t show up tonight.”  He smiled, “I’d understand.”  They were strangers to one another after all, he wouldn’t have been surprised or offended if it turned out she’d changed her mind between now and then.  With that he turned just as he got to the mouth of the street and found his way back to the calmer, though still startled woman and guard he had left her with, glad that they hadn’t moved from there.  Having her purse back seemed to help even more.

Author: Silver Star, Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 6:16 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Ernest was surprised he'd given it back. She wasn't used to people listening to her. It was all so confusing. In her world, you had to earn every little thing you had. People never just pointlessly gave you things. 

She jerked her mind back to the conversation in time to hear him say, "Well, if you decide you need help, you can ask me. I won't be in the city for very long, though. I'm actually from the other continent, Pavpora, in Nisshoki." He continued after that, but Ernest was too busy trying to decipher the last sentence to hear him. Where was Pavpora? Nisshoki? What other continent? There was more than one? 

She pushed aside her questions and focused on the other part of what he'd said. If she needed help… She had never needed help. And yet, so much of this seemed beyond her comprehension. It might be good to have a traveling companion. She sighed. If all else failed, she could always run. She was good at that. 

"If you're sure you have nothing better to do than follow some strange girl around, then by all means, come with me. It might break up the monotony a bit. But if you have other things to do, go on and do them. You needn't keep an eye on me out of pity or something." She smiled. Today was shaping up to be quite interesting.

Author: Lee, Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 4:53 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

He studied her silently for a moment.  The anger was apparent, but he was unable to ignore the lace of desperation in her eyes.  She really wanted this back…That level of need was hardly ever for something that wasn’t in some way yours.  Maybe he was showing his age and being too gullible, but he offered the map back to her: letting her take it. “You do know what it is don’t you…?”   His eyes searched hers, pausing for only a moment before continuing, his tone gentle but still reluctant,

“If it’s that important do you need help finding that place?  You probably shouldn’t be carrying that on you so casually, the wrong person could snatch it up and run.”  Which would have been extremely ironic giving how she had done the same thing only a few minutes ago.  

Speaking of which, he looked over his shoulder in the direction of his client, knowing that he couldn’t linger here for too much longer or he’d have his own problems to deal with.  He looked back at her, “Well if you decide you need help you can ask me.  I won’t be in the city for very long though, I’m actually from the other continent, Parvpora, in Nisshoki.  Either way, spend your coin wisely.”

He offered a small smile, giving her just a moment to see if she would take him up on his offer, and if not…well, he did have work that he needed to get back to.  If he botched this up he knew Hiromi would never let him hear the end of it.  And that was ten times scarier than a swarm of attackers on his lady.

Author: Silver Star, Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 5:39 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Ernest met his eyes evenly, although inside she shook with fear. Would he take it from her? He wouldn't - at least she didn't think so. He didn't know how important it was…

"It's mine," she said, perhaps a little more forcefully than she had intended, but she was scared now, scared that he would take it, and she would never get it back. "I didn't steal it. Please, just give it back!" She was begging now, but she didn't care. Some things were worth giving up her dignity. Her only fear now was that he would not believe her - after all, she'd lied easily not five minutes ago. She doubted he would trust her now.

Author: Lee, Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 12:40 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

For a minute there he thought that she wasn’t going to take the offered money.  He understood pride, he also had it, and just as he was about to pull his hand back she took each coin.  Again he smiled, watching her as she started her ascent up to the roof, but his eyes widened when a scroll dropped from her person.  Not wanting it to get damaged he picked it up from the ground, though it had started to unroll and he couldn’t help his curiosity.  It was a map, but he didn’t recognize its location.  That wasn’t to say he knew every place in Revaliir of course, but that only spiked his curiosity more.
 
But it was complicated, this wasn’t just a map to an island: it was for someone.  His eyes rose up to the girl, had she stolen it…?  Maybe he had underestimated her abilities.  It was obvious she wanted it back and he kept it held just out of her reach, for once glad that he was as tall as he was.  Though his expression was anything but playful as he spoke to her, his eyebrows furrowed in thought, “This, did you steal this?  Do you even realize what this is?” Who could it possibly belong to?  And where had she taken it from?  Normally he didn’t instantly jump to the conclusion that someone had obtained something from less than honest means, but after all: the two had met because she’d stolen from his client.
 
(( OOC: If she gets super upset that she can’t reach it or get it back, just have her scream at him and he’ll reluctantly lower it so that she can take it back.  And you’ll have permission to say she takes it back from him :3 ))

Author: Silver Star, Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 12:16 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Ernest just stood there staring for almost a full minute before grabbing the coins. Why was he helping her? She didn't know, but she wasn't about to ask. She had learned that people didn't usually like questions - at least she didn't. 

She turned around and leapt up to the wall, climbing toward the rooftop. But she didn't notice, at least until she was nearly at the top, the scroll that slipped from her bag. She spun around, hoping to get it back before anyone saw it - although she could not read it, she was sure somebody could, and if they did, there went her last hope. 

((OOC: The scroll she dropped is a map, showing the location of an island her uncle left her. Feel free to have your character grab and read it, but be forewarned - Ernest won't relinquish it easily…))

Author: Lee, Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 12:08 AM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

He crossed his arms lightly across his chest, not moving a muscle as she stepped back from him though his eyes never left hers.  Well, she claimed to be working alone and seeing as she was getting snippier the longer this went on it was more likely than not that she was telling the truth: easily seen emotion was usually a revealing sign of honesty.  Then again, defensiveness at being questioned could also point to trying to hide something.  Whatever the reason, he had his lady’s purse now and that’s all he really needed at the end of the day.
 
Though he did arch an eyebrow to what he was sure was a rhetorical question but he answered anyways, “Seeing as I don’t know you and all I do know of you is that you’ve stolen, I can’t really say if you’re a horrible person or not.” Nevermind, maybe it was smarter to keep from giving her anything at all.  Sighing, he looked back towards the direction he had run from, knowing that he needed to get back to her as soon as he could.  Before he did though, he looked back at the would be thief, “I know it’s not exactly fun to do it, but you could always ask for help instead of stealing.” Of course he didn’t know her life or what she may have gone through…his life had taken a turn for the better the over the last few years and at times forgot that not everyone else was so lucky.
 
Despite what her past was, he dug a hand into his pocket and pulled out a handful of gold coins and outstretched his arm towards her, his eyes now calmer though still just as guarded, “Just try not to steal anymore tonight if you can help it.  The guards are alerted and will likely be doing a much better job now than before.  Snatching a bag off of a woman so close to the palace isn’t exactly an easy feat so I commend you on that much.” One corner of his lips turned up in a small side smile, but it was brief.

Author: Silver Star, Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2016 1:21 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Ernest studied the man in front of her, considering his questions. She had never cared for being questioned - it showed too much she wanted to keep hidden. Nonetheless, she figured he had a reason to be asking her. The question, for her, was whether she should bother to lie. 

Noting that he had let go of her shirt, she slid back a few inches, keeping a careful eye on him. She wasn't sure she trusted him, but it seemed like there was little point in lying to him - he had called her last bluff with relative ease. 

"I'm working alone," she said. "And why would I be stealing someone's purse if I didn't need money?" She glared at him again. "Do you really think I'm that awful of a person?"

Author: Lee, Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 9:28 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

His eyes halved down, one eyebrow arching.  Even if there was a chance that was true, her tone gave her away.  All he had to do was stay quiet before her glare shook off her previous claim even more.  Honestly he would have smiled if he didn’t have to stay so serious…it wouldn’t exactly look good to be smiling with the person who had just stolen from his client.  He didn’t let her shirt go, but he did outstretch his other arm, palm up for the purse, “I care because I was hired to protect her.  And right about now that includes her possessions.”
 
He looked away from her, up to the roof and then back down, “You don’t work for anyone do you?”  Highly unlikely, but still he could never be too careful.  With a sigh his grip on her shirt eased, letting her go but not moving away from her should she try and dart off again, “Is it simply money that you need?”  Not that he wanted to reward someone that had just tried to steal, but he understood desperation and she didn’t seem like a horrible person, just young.  Well, not that he could really speak seeing as he was still in his teenage years, but still.

Author: Silver Star, Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2016 6:20 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Just as she reached the edge of the street, Ernest felt a sharp tug on the back of her shirt, pulling her back. That man! He'd chased her. She had really been hoping to avoid conflict today, but that didn't seem to be an option.

"If you're working for someone," he snapped, "I suggest you say so now. After you return what you stole."

"Stole?" asked Ernest with slightly-forced cheerful smile. "How can you be sure I stole anything. Maybe she stole from me, and I'm collecting my dues." She was bluffing, but he wasn't to know that. Although, he was impressively competent. "Why do you care, anyway," she added, glaring at him for emphasis.

Author: Lee, Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2016 4:15 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

In that slight moment of distraction he’d failed.  The purse was pulled from his hand and he quickly looked back, eyes widening and then narrowing in frustration, “Hey!!”  His jaw locked, torn in two directions: to chase the girl or stay with the lady.  For all he knew this could be a trick to get him away from her…his gut told him it wasn’t, but he wasn’t paid to make a decision based on chance.  Gripping her wrist he pulled her with him less gently than he probably should have until he was face to face with a palace guard.  He explained quickly and left them both behind him with confused glances as he raced off.

With any luck the girl hadn’t gotten too far.  People parted ahead of him, some with disinterested looks, others with glares of irritation and he knew exactly the path she had taken.  Unfortunately his height and build made it a much more annoying weave through but years under the apprenticeship of a vampire taught him grace one wouldn’t have expected from him.  She was moving towards the buildings, The rooves!, he thought.  If she made it to them before he could then she might be lost, but at least they wouldn’t have a sea of people between them.

At what felt like the last possible second his fingers gripped the tail of her shirt and jerked her back.  It was all he could do to make sure the two didn’t tumble, but he wasn’t letting the bit of fabric go.  He didn’t want to waste any more time than he had with leaving his client behind and his voice was a bit…harsher than he would have liked, but urgency did that unfortunately, “If you’re working for someone I suggest you say so now!  After you return what you stole.”  His eyes narrowed on her’s, jaw locking as he awaited her reply.

Author: Silver Star, Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2016 11:07 AM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

The one thing Ernest had not expected was that the tall man would have noticed or cared about what she was doing. But he had, and for a moment there they both were before the lady screamed, and his grip loosened slightly. Ernest needed no second invitation. She grabbed the purse and ran, desperately hoping to get up to the rooftops before the man could catch her.

Author: Lee, Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 7:07 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Just when he thought the day was going to end as dully as it had begun he noticed something: he wasn’t the only person watching his charge.  His eyebrows furrowed, eyes narrowed, trying to focus on them and follow their line of sight and when he did it landed right on the young woman.  And her personal bag.  Without the usual courtesy he used when moving through a crowd of people, he wove through; arching and side stepping to keep from bumping into people as much as he could until he was but two steps away.  Both of their hands grabbed her purse at the same time and his eyes narrowed more in light irritation.  Despite himself, there was a spark of interest: after all, this was the most interesting thing to happen to him all day.
 
The lady gasped and drew back, nearly tripping over her feet but he moved his other arm out to stabilize her.  His grip on the purse didn’t dwindle, if anything his fingers tightened.  Really all this meant was a simple thief, possibly your everyday pickpocket, but they’d wanted to steal from his client and he couldn’t let that happen.  Unfortunately not everyone was exposed to this world, and his charge screamed at the mere sight of the girl that had tried to rob her.  His eyes widened, his grip loosening for just a second as he looked back at her.
 

(( OOC:  Feel free to have your character snatch the purse while he’s distracted and run, we can have a chase scene!  >:3 ))

Author: Silver Star, Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 5:28 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

Ernest watched the lady from a rooftop, doing her best not to be seen. She hated it when she had to steal, but her survival was more important than some rich lady keeping all of her wealth. And anyway, she had learned from experience that rich people rarely kept all of their money in one place.

She studied the woman's path carefully before jumping down into the street, sliding her way past the crowds until she was almost touching the lady. 

She sighed inwardly. It was too bad, really, that she has to steal to feed herself. Someday, she thought, I will find a place where I don't have to do this. 

Stop daydreaming, Ernest, she told herself. She glanced around and found the lady again.

Not without regret, she grabbed for the lady's purse.

Author: Lee, Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 4:53 PM, Post Subject: Bad Timing [P]

It was times like this where he realized just how much Hiromi saw him as a baby.  From the time he’d first met her when he was, for all intents and purposes, a much smaller person…all the way to the present when he was an inch away from clearing six feet.  Despite the hours upon hours of training in childhood and the even more aggressive training when she became his guardian, she still insisted on keeping him out of harm’s way.  Well then what was the point?  

He knew why, he just hated to admit it: he was different from her.  Despite their blood relation the two couldn’t have been more different: she was a vampire, he was a human; she had enough psionic and magick in her to take down ten men at once or more…he was fast and strong for his age; she had been in the business of killing since she was his age, he’d yet to slit a man’s throat.  Weak, fragile, these were the words that she’d always think when she saw him even if he was on a piling of dead men, covered in their blood.

With a sigh he continued to trail his client from afar.  When they’d seen that he was fifteen they were eager to take him up on his offer as children were less of a threat to the average person…but when they’d finally gotten a good look at him, tall, strong muscle, and a stoic face, well needless to say they’d started to second guess their choice.  It would have been better to walk with them and keep close for immediate action, but it’d be far too obvious what he was if things were done that way.

So instead he kept a good twenty paces back, luckily being as tall as he was made it easier to keep track of the woman he was hired to protect without being too obvious.  This close to palace guards though, he thought it was a bit of overkill to hire a bodyguard, but he reminded himself that she was someone’s daughter and there were hardly any lengths that a parent wouldn’t stretch to in order to keep their offspring safe.  He wanted to talk to her, get to know her possibly, but after today it was unlikely the two would ever see one another again, much less be friends.  He was lacking in that department: mothers didn’t exactly want their teenage sons or daughters going to a tayuu house to see a friend.

Normally he didn’t mind being alone, he was used to it and it kept people from asking questions: “Where did the scars on your arms come from?” “Do the burns on your back hurt?” “You’re not really fifteen are you…?”  Yes, being alone was much easier.  But it made days like this go by even slower…how long was she going to want to shop?