Pandemonium Not Worth The Price

[Scythe and Nyght]

And wait they did, for the maps and papers and things. This was the whole deal, wasn't it? Acting like real professionals here in Rei Company. Between the four of their hands, Scythe and Nyght could count out the number of times they'd even laid eyes on a map. Most the time jobs came with a vague set of 'Go here, turn left, can't miss it' directions that were invariably wrong in one step or another. Improvisation became one of their watchwords early on in their career. Back when they were two separate people even.

Real professionals. Look, even brought brunch. Lunch? One or the other. That halfling in the bar fight would've known which it was right now.

And Cap explained. Good payout. Terrible circumstances. Did she say forty strong. She said forty strong. Details, there are. Why couldn't this D'arle daughter get stuck in a tree or something? But a hundred and twenty crowns was nice. Make it a big tree then.

Neither Scythe nor Nyght's face could hide their begrudging acceptance of the facts. Shoulda taken that smash and grab. Shoulda done it. But no. They wanted something on the straight and narrow. Know what else is straight and narrow? A couple of crossbow bolts to their feet. That's what. Might as well have done that and come out ahead today.

Alright. Fuck it. One-twenty on the line. Sash Girl had the right idea. Focus on the damn money. Worry and improvise when you got there and the job still needed doing. Scythe and Nyght even had a unique trick up their sleeves that could prove useful. Nyght's body poses as a whore, gets picked up by one of the horny bandits looking for a good time at the nearest town brothel or what have you, gets brought back to the encampment, and Scythe's body relays all the real-time information she sees to the other mercs on the job. Near perfect info combined with the element of surprise and stealth worked wonders. Trick worked twice before. Scythe's body even got to play the part of the whore the second time. A nice fair spread of the fun.

Mad Eye Toby had his say next.

"Rats do get mangled," said Nyght.
"Don't worry, big guy, you're secret safe with us," said Scythe.

He sure had a roundabout way of saying he was a smuggler and he kept his ear to the ground. Eh, secrets. Scythe and Nyght knew the score; they couldn't blame him. They had one they preferred to keep themselves. One of a few, matter of fact. 'Course, they'd have to give that one up if they thought their infiltration trick had a chance of working.

And the plate of food slid their way. Good gods, it must be good, seeing how enough of it went flying out of Toby's mouth to feed all the dead wolves and what-not in Cap's office. Surely.

But free food was free food. Their father would've smacked them for turning it down. And probably their mother too. And probably their step-mother too, bitch that she was. And probably all their raider buddies too, since they were on the subject.

They each grabbed a slice of bread, cheese, and meat and stacked them one on top of the other. Scythe's body went first, taking a bite. Chewing. Swallowing. Then Nyght's body went. Bite. Chew. Swallow. Then Scythe. Hopefully slowly and not-so-deliberately-timed enough to look natural.

"This is good," said Scythe.
"Fair enough, Mad Eye. Fair enough," said Nyght.
"Guess you'll have to make it an open marriage."
"I claim the left side of the bed."
"It's gonna have to be a big bed too, huh?"

Jokes. What else did they have but to laugh, what with the prospect of potentially facing down forty angry bandits if this shit went sideways?

"Maybe you'll want to follow up on that, Mad Eye," said Nyght.
"Track that lil birdie of yours down," said Scythe.
"Never hurt to know more about a job."
"Tian there looks like he wants to go with ya."
"What a swell guy, this Tian. Eh, Sash Girl?"

 

[Aeyliea]

The Cap'n - Aeyliea - leaned forward as the other spoke, one finger to perfect lips, eyes bright with whatever thoughts played behind them. Her thoughts were a whirl, in truth. It was impossible to make a plan of attack when she had so little information to go on, and every single cell of her body screamed against the notion of approaching such a contract blind. She had no feet on the ground in the area, had no idea of the true layout and disposition of her enemy. Only a loosely strung together recollection from a man who doubtless had spies and even more doubtless knew far more than he was telling her. That bothered her a great deal, too - the fact that she was sure this Vance was holding something back, and she couldn't puzzle out what it was.

Spirits below...what a tangled mess this is!

She blinked, and turned her head ever so slightly to level her steel regard on Tobias, face a mask. "Smuggler, you are? Surprised I am not," she said, but raised a hand in placation to defuse any offense that the large man might take. She didn't need to have a brawl in her office anyway, not that she would make it an easy contest in any case. "Your birds, do they sing a pretty tune? Coin I would pay for information regarding the abduction. Dancing with two score unwashed brigands, this does not sound my style. At least, not all at once. Much honor in the deed, but not much intelligence in it."

Tian threw a lazy salute to the pair of twins, hood shifting as he moved. "Could be I have some friends in and around that rat nest m'self. Other places too, though I do not know how much some of those acquaintances would appreciate a visit." Despite the bored tone of voice, the former assassin seemed ready to go by body language. "Besides," he added in a conspiratorial tone, "there are some people there that owe me some money."

"Then settled that is," Aeyliea said, lips pursed. Her eyes cut away to the other three. "Which leaves you. Cynthia, she is trying to procure a ship to carry us along the Falwood coast. Weeks by wagon or horse it would be, but days by sea." She grimaced at the thought of being on the water, again, but there was nothing for it. The one had mused at how much was riding on the line for the company, and it was a fair bit - five hundred crowns, at least, less her cut if she even took any. Which was unlikely. Those funds had a purpose, ultimately. "Procuring supplies, that should be your task. Cynthia, she can handle the necessary details and purchase orders and such. Tomorrow, with the blessing of the ancestors, shall we depart." She looked around the table, ignoring the meal prepared for them and the food that had been sprayed everywhere by te smuggler. "Questions you have?"

 

[Manama Saar Ba'Dul]

Manama was just about to protest in hopes of going with the two men she sat in between when Tobias' voice outshone her own.

"Oi! I don' go on a plank I don'trust! You'll lemme procure the ship, I know just the one! Cap'n also owes me a solid fee fer works, 'n it'll be where Shady and I head to first, bein' he'd be our employer's favorite company when in the Shallows, might've got some extra words fer us befer headin' in the seedy slums proper." He patted the head of Manama like a puppy looking for a lap to sit on, and she bared her teeth and growled, to his amusement. "'Ey lassy, already proved yer able to handle yerself, against broomsticks anyways!" He bellowed out air in laughter, fanning her flames.

"I'll cut you down to size before you've the chance to stand, which I could wait a bit anyways given your sorry posture!" she exclaimed, standing upright suddenly enough. She huffed and puffed as she headed towards the door before anyone else could stop her, turning back to look at the twins with a fiery gaze that screamed indignity. 'Always send the women to buy the food, some things never change!' she thought.

"Well, are you two coming?!" she spat. Manama never liked to figure herself a common servant, which she felt as in this moment.

Tobias' chameleon eye kept a firm pupil on that firm...

"Right! Well if this be settled... I think we'll stop at me faverite tavern then!" Following true to the desert girl's words, it took him a minute to stand, creaking knees and a doubled over back having to realign. After doing so, giving his own mock bow to Tian as if he were a woman, he held out his hand as if the shadow were a maiden looking to get off a horse. "C'mon mate, 'fer the fires of the West burn us all down!" He was joking about the distinct airs of the two women who seemed to capture the attention of the room upon multiple occasions, much unlike the two twins. "Hope the dark skin will be able to keep as quiet as them," he said to Tian, shoving a thumb in their direction. While his right kept pace with the extraneous details about the scene, his left glanced between the head of the table and her right hand man.

'Better keep yer mouth shut fer she burns you down.' he said to himself. 'Get in, grab the Lord's lady, get out. Afterwords go about yer way and have solid reliable new faces to say hello to, maybe add in another job here and there, nothing too hard. But don't go screamin yerself's story in a drunken fit, Tobias!' he reminded himself. While they were both far from their ancestral lands, Tobias could tell by the decorum and her general demeanor that Aeyliea wouldn't be too happy to know where it was he came from. 'Aye, 'n I'm not sure how happy I am 'bout it either!' he said to the voice in his head.

 

[Scythe and Nyght]

They really didn't expect that to work so well. Tian seemed eager enough for a man thrown under the wagon like that. Volunteering somebody for work you didn't want to do yourself was a hit-or-miss affair. And today they scored a hit. Hey, look, Cap even signed off on it. Easy money. Let Mad Eye and Roof-Lurker take care of that thing they were going to take of to make the whole job that much easier when it was actually Scythe and Nyght's turn to do--

Something. Shit. They caught half the glance when Cap said 'Which leaves you.' Oh, procuring supplies? On the company crown? Well bless the goddamn ancestors, looks like Sash Girl and them got saddled with the easy job.

"Question? Yeah. Can we buy some chairs for the boat ride?" said Scythe.
And Nyght punched his shoulder again. The soreness in both their shoulders spreading.
"Kidding. Kidding. Calm down."

All for the show, ladies and lords. All for the show.

Speaking of shows, Sash Girl looked ready to bite off a piece Mad Eye's arm. Make one arm smaller than the other. Match those eyes. Now there's a funny thought. She seemed really torn up about losing that match to Tian. Could've been worse. At least she didn't fight him on the roof, right? The man's natural dwelling. Would've been scarred for life. Just like Cynthia. Maybe they'd be able to swap scar stories then.

Both Scythe and Nyght's heads jerked back at the same time when Sash Girl yelled at them, ruining the dumb question/shoulder-punch credibility they just tried to get. Ah. Well, it was sudden. Not all that far-fetched two actually separate people would react at the same time to it.

Scythe's body and Nyght's body each stood, a deliberate offset in their timing. Stretching in two different ways. Scythe his back, Nyght her arms. Taking their time.

"We're coming, Sash Girl, we're coming," said Scythe.
"Please don't cut us down to size," said Nyght.

See, nobody kicked rocks because it was dangerous and fun. That's why children and bored-ass raiders kicked hornets' nests instead. The ever-present threat of getting stung made it a laugh for all involved. Maybe not the kicker immediately, in that moment, but later for sure. Good stories were good stories.

After another round of stretches, Scythe and Nyght bent over asymmetrically and picked up their contracts and pocketed them. Then they filtered out of the Feather Room and back into the whitewashed main room with Sash Girl.

"I got a good place in mind for some salted meats," said Scythe.
"Unless you got a different idea, Sash Girl. His taste is terrible," said Nyght.
"It's a boat ride and a walk in the woods, what do you want?"
"Some fruit would be nice this time. I hate eating nothing but potatoes and pig's ass days on end."
"Oh, almost forgot about the potatoes. Sailor's best friend, am I right, Sash Girl?"

 

[Tian]

Tian got to his feet with the ease of youth, although youth he was not. Hooded head turned to look at the lumbering smuggler, and the assassin indicated the door. "Time's wasting, lets see if we can go shakedown some of our mutual friends," he said jovially. He chuckled as Aeyliea muttered under her breath in her native tongue - it was difficult to catch all of it with that quick-spoken language, but he was pretty sure she said something about a 'head strong chit needing her bottom paddled if she couldn't keep her temper in check'. The image of the Norei captain with the dark skinned girl across her knee, paddling her while she squealed was, for some unfathomable reason, immensely funny to him. It took an effort of will not to laugh at the image in his mind.

Not waiting to see if the strange fellow followed or not, Tian entered the main office of the company, nodding towards Cynthia with a kind of knowing smile that, strangely, lit the girls' scarred cheeks on fire. The flames in her face made that scar really stand out, but to him it didn't really detract much from her beauty. "Watch that razor you call a tongue, deary! Think the boss is in a mood right now." He paused, cast a glance back the way he had come, to see Tobias making his way gamely along, and hearing the others in the office, and shrugged. "Search me why, though" She laughed softly, in a throaty kind of way, at his comment.

And then it was out into the sun on the cobbled street, sunken stones leaving potholes to break an unwary leg. The waterfront was not far away, but if he wasn't mistaken, it was to The Shallows that they would be heading now. There were any number of establishments there that he preferred to frequent, places where the help was tough because the custom was tougher and inclined to complain about poor service with a boot. Or a knife. Kind of relative which one was used, really, when all things were considered.

The less savory elements of Alliria gathered in those fetid parts of the city, barely reclaimed from the blackwater marshes.

Breathing deeply, taking in all the stink of the city, the marshes, and life in general, he smiled openly. "Ah, its good to be alive. Tobias?! You coming? I have a sudden need to knife someone, and I know you know just the place for it!"

 

[Aeyliea]

"Cynthia, she will have a list of things that are needful. Accompany you she will, to the markets with the coin." Her accent thickened with her irritation, and irritation was what she was feeling with Manama. The girl could potentially be a fine asset for this mission, so long as she kept her temper under control and didn't do anything reckless when the time came for cooler minds to prevail. Youth like her were often too quick to let their emotions take control, and someone in thrall to their emotions was a danger to both themselves and everyone around them.

Cynthia stuck her head into the room, her cheeks still red for some reason, and caught the eyes of the remaining mercenaries. "C'mon, lets go," she said with a sniff for Manama, whom she hadn't forgiven for previous transgressions. "That crazy looking bastard is going to save me the trouble of booking passage on a vessel, so I can accompany you with the Company purse. Times wasting, suns moving, lets go!"

Sometimes I wonder if that girl wouldn't be better as a second. She certainly had a head on her shoulders. But, no, Tian was a very capable fighter and had a unique set of skills that made people take notice of him rather quickly. She snorted at the thought of Manama actually trying to cut him down to size. The thought of the former assassin handing the girl her liver on a plate, and possibly whichever kidney she wasn't using at the time, almost made her smile, in a rueful manner of course. They had all been young once, and if the girl survived it she would be formidable.

As the remaining mercenaries filed out of her office, she sighed softly, pressing the palms of her hands into her eyes.

"Thank the merciful spirits that is over, for now," she said in Norei to herself. She rose, and went to her desk. There were papers and things to be taken care of, and while she would prefer to work at he table, the desk was far more practical, even with its accursed chair.

-

Cynthia followed the others out of the Captains' office, and shut the door behind her. She put her fingers in her mouth, and let loose a shrill whistle. A moment later, the nameless girl from before, the one who had served lunch, came out of the training yard. "Yes, mistress?" she asked as she stuck her head in the door.

"I am going out," Cynthia said in clipped, brisk tone. "Watch the front for me until I get back. There aren't any appointments this afternoon."

"Ok, Mistress Cynthia," the girl replied.

She turned to the others. "We should head to the market." She held up a heavy purse, clinking with the weight of coin in it. She paused in the act of heading out the door, and went back to her desk. She reached underneath it, and withdrew a compact crossbow, bolt already loaded into it and latch secured so that it couldn't be fired. She opened a drawer and withdrew a heavy bladed knife as well, and after a moments' thought, took the leather quiver and hung it on her hip. There were a few leather finned bolts in it.

"Ok, now we're ready to go to the market." The incredulous look from the girl who was making her way to Cynthia's desk was enough to make the scar-faced woman smile. "What? Some of those merchants drive a murderously hard bargain...."

 

[Manama Saar Ba'Dul]

MANAMA, S&N, CYNTHIA

Manama struggled to find peace within herself as they headed through the grimy city, the party of four moving along the crowded, narrow streets. She looked about at all the street wares and vendors, the grimy figures who pedaled cheap, short-lasting goods. She narrowed her eyes in contempt at the faces of the dirty peasants about them, who knew no personal space, all bundled together in haphazard fashion. She followed behind Scythe and Nyght, ahead of the three Cynthia, the one with the coin purse.

'I wonder what these two are made of,' she thought as she straggled behind the pair of twins, eyes darting between the backs of their heads as she convinced herself they weren't of much. She was about to tap the woman's shoulder when a loud voice screamed in her face, a toothless git holding up an arm filled to the brim with amulets tied together.

"BLESSED FROM THE SIX, STRAIGHT FROM AMOL-KALIT!
BE IN DANGER AND WISH, YOU HAD BOUGHT THESE FROM ME!"

Manama suddenly stopped as she spat in the face, about to pummel the man.

"You dare insult my Gods, with such petty a rhyme as that?! And what is this?!" she gestured towards the poorly fashioned necklaces, "You'd be killed in my lands for such a blasphemy! Beheaded for showing these in public! We do not sell that which is given from the Gods, only the Gods may gift us what they bestow their power upon!"

The old git rubbed the spit from his face, cracked lips grinning wide as rotten teeth and foul breath stained the air before her, giving her a wink.

"Gods got no power over laws here, miss! BLESSED FROM THE SIX, STRAIGHT FROM AMOL-"

She grabbed hold of the wrist of the arm which was held in the air, displaying his goods, and undercutted his elbow, the joint popping in the completely opposite direction of the way it was supposed to bend.

"Then let me be a messenger of the Gods, fool!" she spat again, the old man howling into the market, onlookers attracted.

 

[Tobias Tookins]

TOBIAS AND TIAN

Tobias gestured for Tian to follow now, as he wandered into the dingy, musky odor of The Mangled Rat. It was a mess of bodies all clamoring together in constant search of space, two burly men shoving Tian and Tobias as they made their way through the door, with grunts as their only verbal cue to move. Toby shrugged off the animosity as his mad eye roamed across the scene, grinning at some, frowning at others, pushing between the crowd as he made his way to bar. Yemen wasn't present at the moment, and he bellowed for the man while pouring himself a drink from the tap closest to him.

"Aaah, the stench of debauchery! You want a place to knife summin? This be the place, Shady! YEMEN! Where'd the fool gone off to?! Probably fuckin' a back door whore as we speak!" He bellowed, and two wenches sidled up to the men. Their make up was haphazard and rushed, messy buns of hair sprouting stray strands which fell in awkwardly positioned places from atop chaffed scalps, their eyes beady and flabby arms pervading sanctity of the two men's presences. The one with auburn hair put her arm around Tian, the one with the blonde hair put hers around Toby.

"G'day Mad Eye! Fancy seein' you here! Been a while since you stuck yer head in the crows nest, mama's been lookin fer a chicklet to feed, she has! And she sees you brought a friend! Bessy here can take care of him, we've even got rooms now! Ol' Yemen's been real nice to us since we brought him that group of merc's a week back, gave 'em to us after..." trailed off the blond one as she giggled, a toothy grin covered as she played coy, "Well, lets just say the whole band gave us a decent month's wage! Each!" Bessy cackled as her salty breath wafted over Tian's face. Mad Eye's eye (you know which eye) immediately jumped to the woman's bottom half of her frame, taking another swig from his mug before returning her greeting.

"Hullo to you too, Mamma, glad to hear business's been well, although gotta say, hate to hear 'bout it!" She pouted, puckering bright pink lips, the make up running past their bounds as though she'd just been kissed.

"Oh you poor sop, sad to know a woman'll never love that face of yours? Maybe if yer eyes could stare in the same direction then you'd find yerself someone half as ugly to love ya fer free! Until then, yer always free to come to me! Although you gotta pay, sad to say," she giggled. "Are the two of ya gonna buy us drinks?" Mad Eye suddenly popped his entire eye ball from the socket to the dismay of the one named Mamma, who'd acted disgusted, yet not surprised, as she'd seen this before. "Fuck you then! Wack off in the alley for all I care!" She then turned her gaze towards Bessy and Tian, sidling up to the cowled man. "And what about you fine sir? Care take two girls upstairs fer a bit? We'll cut the price in half since we can afford it fer now," she put her arm atop Bessy's.

"Don't think he'll be takin' yer offer ladies, he's got another woman in mind, with darker skin and prettier eyes than the both of ya's!"

 

[Tian]

This was the kind of dive that he was in the habit of frequenting, and if some of the toughs didnt recognize him, well, some of them did. Those who did stayed out of his way, honoring his personal space in the same way men would honor the personal space of a cobra with a hangover. It made him grin, inwardly, to think people could be so fearful of him. I mean, it wasn't as if he was in the habit of actually killing people who slighted him, or say, thought they could push him around.

There were entire color palettes of shades between dead and discomfort, after all. Torture didnt really work to gain information, but pain was a very, very effective tool at dissuading people from repeating mistakes.

It was just the whores though. Tian had never been fond of them, those who sold their bodies for money. As the one with a country cows' name draped a surprisingly overweight arm over his shoulder, he grimaced inwardly. The woman smelled of unwashed body, the makeup a lie to hide the truth. At least her nether regions didn't reek, although he wouldn't bed her regardless. These women were soft, I dolent creatures. Poor as sin, the playthings of street toughs and dock workers to be sure, but they didnt have any fighting spirit to them.

"I'm not the one dreaming of dark pussy at the moment, friend. Sorry, ladies, I'm spoken for. If you'd like to fight over me..." He trailed off, imagining Cynthia facing off with a couple whores. The thought was both strangely amusing and erotic. "Anyway, I am here on business. You wouldn't happen to know where Two-Faced Eddie is, would you?"

 

[Scythe and Nyght]

MANAMA, S&N, CYNTHIA

Nice day for a stroll. Not cold enough for Sash Girl to be covered in goosebumps, not hot enough for Scythe and Nyght to take off their coats. Alliria's greatest strength was location. Trade king of the world, right in the middle of everything, and one of the best spots for leisure. Even their little business trip out to the market felt like relaxing time more than work.

Scythe and Nyght didn't move out of the way for anybody. Save the occasional guardsman. But fuck everybody else, these soft city-folk. People either moved out of their way or were persuaded to by a hand on their back or chest, and Sash Girl flowed in their wake. A hood and a stern glance worked wonders. Even if they weren't truly deadly assassins, scarred veterans of many battles, or masters of the arcane, they could look the part alright. The hood was the secret more than the stern glance. Hid just enough of the brow and the eye in shadow to appear more menacing than the average non-hooded man or woman. Tian would know what they were talkin' about, for sure.

Then one of those market hawkers of fine wares had a quiet word with Sash Girl.

And Scythe and Nyght's bodies turned around just in time to see the spit fly.

Oh yeah, that sap chose the wrong girl to yell at. See, that was the problem with open-air markets. All the chatter and yelling and dumb-fucks standing around and getting in the way, coin-crazy loons insulting your Gods with petty rhymes left and right. What a mess. Scythe and Nyght appreciated their space. And so they preferred finer establishments, closed-door shops, where you could drown out the ruckus and--

Holy shit. Scythe and Nyght each 'Oooo...!'ed in that shocked and impressed way most everybody did when they saw a damn fine punch or a well-placed kick or what-have-you in a fight. Something just primal and visceral in seeing the exact moment of impact. The definitive and undeniable kicking of the ass.

But. You know. They were here on the easy job. Fetch quest before the fetch quest. Better to not get harangued by any nearby guards about how it wasn't nice to go around breaking people's arms.

Scythe and Nyght each swooped in on Sash Girl, Scythe draping his right arm over her shoulder, Nyght her left.

"Guess those amulets don't work, eh," said Scythe to the merchant.
"Fat lot of good they did with a whole arm full of 'em," said Nyght to the merchant.
"We'll be on our way."
"She's got other blessings to bestow."
"And she takes her job very seriously. Bye, now."

They started walking with her. Moving her along. Nice and easy. Catching up with Cynthia through the onlookers. Hey, at least most people would rather look at the freak with the backwards arm than the firebrand who broke it.

"Got a hell of a mean streak in you, Sash Girl," said Nyght.
"We're gonna need that," said Scythe.
"Yeah, save some of that for the job."
"And Tian."
"And definitely Tian."

 

[Manama Saar Ba'Dul]

Manama, S&N, Cynthia

Manama didn't struggle as the two led her forward, feeling in her moment of trial quite accomplished, the words of the twins only seeming to build up her ego in the process. The crowd of peasants that'd started to come forth parted for them, and she only assumed it proper as two shoulders on either side gave her quick and easy access to kick anyone in front of her on demand. A few got a boot placed in their rump, yet many saw or heard the yelps and cries of such an action, her sickness for the city growing with every cobblestone they walked across.

"This incestuous hive, to live on top each other as ants do in their hills, crawling around with the same amount of mind!" she complained as a particular old woman was about to get pushed. "I swear if my people heard of this issue they'd be tearing down the walls in full force! The clouds of the sands would cover these grassy hills for many miles! The Gods are not talismans for the decrepit to gain coin from!" She continued to complain about the state of affairs of Alliria, before looking between her two carriers at the mention of Tian. "That man of insolence couldn't hurt a fly unless he jumped off a roof first! I've seen his kind before, struts like the dodoba (DoughDoughBaa) after sun's first rise! He thinks himself a warrior because he can stab you in the back, A FOOL!" She suddenly stopped, looking around before realizing she'd not seen Cynthia anywhere. "Where's the Scarface?"

Scythe and Nyght

 

[Tobias Tookins]

Tobias and Tian

The two whores scowled at Tian and instead of answering his question, went about to the next pair of lonely men drinking in the tavern, leaving them with each other at the bar as the same two burly men who pushed them arrived next to Tobias, leaning atop the oaken plank Yemen called a bar. Tobias' eye ball was still hanging from his socket, and he grabbed it and slowly began to push it back in, the red coil which it was connected to the skull by bulging out from the side a bit which made one of the burly folk groan in disgust.

"Fuckin' 'ell! Oi don' wan'a thee that roundt 'ere!" yelled a lisp accented tough man, the one who'd pushed Tian, grabbing his friend out of the way to get in Toby's face. Large and round faced, bald head, bald chin, each shiny, missing his two front teeth with the most crooked nose and eyes to match the whore's, Toby stopped mid push and let his hand away from the eye as it fell back to its dangling position. "Git that thit outta here!" yelled the baby faced tough guy, who Tobias immediately headbutted before taking another swig of his drink. He looked at the friend, a more seasoned looking individual, asking

"You wanna tell me where to go too, or should I help myself to another mug?" he asked as the first transgressor fell to the floor. His friend didn't even pick up the poor lad, just muttered something about Mad Eye being an apt description, heading back into the din of the room. Tobias kicked the babyface's head with his boot softly, to try and wake him up, to no use. "Hope he ain't dead," he said to Tian as Yemen's presence appeared behind the bar.

"Oi! Mad Eye! Where ya been, chap?! Ain't seen you in ages man!" The two buddies clasped hands together before Yemen poured Tian a drink, seeing as Mad Eye had his own. "What can I do for ya, gentlemen?" he asked, as if he had no mind for the man Mad Eye basically stood on top of. "Mad Eye, yer a fine bit taller I daresay!" he said jokingly, Mad Eye pressing his weight onto the man's gut causing a moan.

"Me friend here, name's Shady, and I're lookin' fer two names, two people. Gotta catch 'em both before sundown. Important business tis underfoot." He poured himself another drink from the tap, Yemen tapping the bar for coin. Mad Eye rolled his one good eye as the other dangled still, and after coin fell atop the plank he almost dipped his eye in the drink, then pushing it back into his head with a 'Plop!' that sounded like a drop of water falling into a pool. Yemen grimaced yet didn't say anything about it, saying,

"What're the names?"

"Well, I'm lookin' fer Captain Kiddie, my boy Shady here's askin' Mamma n' Bessy about Two Faced Eddie."

"Captain Kiddie mate... Mate I thinks you might have yerself a lucky streak goin' fer ya, Two Faced Eddie's been workin' with Captain Kiddie from what I've heard, could be wrong, but pretty sure I'm not. You know how the rabble talk," he said in the direction of Tian, before reaching Mad Eye's gaze again. "Aye, I got some information on the Kidd, but it'll cost ya... Kidd's paid me not to speak a word of his whereabouts to anyone... Says some merchant lord's been lookin' fer him." Mad Eye nodded.

"Aye, tis why we're lookin' fer him."

"I want half the cut."

"Yemen, you know that's fucking ridiculous." (Mad Eye pronounced these words correctly for sake of seriousness)

"A third of the cut."

"Yemen, I'll pay you what I pay you, which is substantially less now since you're putting me through the ringer like this! Kidd's gotta ship, I can walk the docks all day lookin' meself if I wanted ta waste time, but I came to me friend in hopes he'd help me save a little bit of effort. Don' make me fuckin' regret it." Yemen sighed as he poured himself a drink.

"Doesn't hurt to try, you know how it is down here, Mate. Tired of living with Mamma and Bessy's racket in my ears. Kidd's at the north end of the docks, holed up with his goons inside a forgotten sailor's jail, just beneath the docks where he's perched. Two Face might be somewhere in the area, little birdie tellin' me he's been keepin' two faces out fer signs of trouble." Mad Eye nodded and flipped him another two coins, taking another drink.

"That's a good man."

"I've always got somethin', and that's the gods' honest truth." Yemen said.

 

[Aeyliea]

She measured out silver coins and handed them over to the merchant, disgusted at the price she'd been forced to pay for commodities like these. The price had crept up as spring had worn on, but that wasn't exactly surprising. There had been no harvests since the previous year, and while meat was plentiful other things were not.

"Have them deliver that the the Rei compound. Delivery fees' already included," she said with a scowl that pulled at the scar on her face. The merchant shrugged, scopping the coins off of his table, and turned to tell something to one of his workers in the canvas tent behind him. Activity back there that didn't amount to a whole hell of a lot to her, she shook her head slightly and turned to leave.

The mercenaries with her weren't the worst she had to deal with yet, though one of them certainly had a fiery temper about her. Didn't matter, she'd met plenty of ill manner sell-swords in her time too. So long as they didn't make her job more difficult than was strictly necessary, she wouldn't take umbrage with it.

Of course, that was something that would never happen. The other three were nearby, but she was't their babysitter, and didn't pay much mind beyond making sure they were nearby if she needed to have something carried. As it turned out, maybe she should have been acting like their babysitter. The squeal of pain from somewhere behind her brought her up short in her dealings with another merchant, this one selling rice and beans. "Here is the coin you want," she began in a grudging tone, disliking paying what was asked rather than haggling, "but if you will excuse me a moment. Someone will be by to pick up the goods later, have them ready or I'll have your liver on my dinner plate."

She turned and went towards the commotion which, unsurprisingly, had to do with her party.

"You damn fool woman," she snapped at Manama as she caught up to the group, shaking her head angrily. "You want to delay this whole process with a trip to the stocks? Don't think yer good enough a warrior to take on the entire city guard either, you damned fool." She sniffed in a meaningful way at Manama, fingers playing over the handle of her dagger as if she was fondly thinking of cutting someone with it, then spun and pushed ahead through the crowd. "You two, joined-at-the-hip Sams', you can come back here later when its died down to that merchant over there-" she indicated the way she came "-and pick up those goods. Won't deliver them, the sons-of-goats."

Apparently brown-girl wasn't done stirring up trouble. Behind them came the rattle of the city guard trying to push its way through the crowd, obviously trying to make it to where the incident had occurred. In other words, trouble, and the kind of trouble they didn't need to have at the moment. Worse, Manama was kicking and shoving everyone that didn't move fast enough to suit her, leaving a trail of complaining, irritated people for the guard to follow.

And suddenly, she found herself alone, her party lost behind her. Somehow she had managed to get ahead of the group, albeit not by very much. She turned to wait, when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She spun, hand going for the knife before she even thought about it, but brought herself short when she saw who it was.

It was Alise, one of the resident healers for the company, and currently the only one with them. Her face was red from the exertion of running, sweat beading on her brow as she panted. "Trouble. Back. At the. Base," she panted and wheezed. Cynthia's eyes narrowed at that. Now what? "What do you mean by that, Ali?" she asked, a touch of fear rising in her middle.

"Gang," was all she said, then went to trying to catch her breath. The sounds of other guards approaching, now from several sides, was rising. Apparently, breaking someones' arm was serious enough business, either that or the hawker in question had more money than he did sense, and was willing to throw it around to seek vengeance. Fucking ignorant, stupid girl! SShe spun, catching Alise's arm in her own, and drug her along with her, heading back to the main party.

"You might want to mind your fucking temper girl!" she said as she came into view, towing the healer along with her. She scowled at Manama in a way that would ensure violence if not for the circumstance - violence that Cynthia was more than willing to mete out to the tribal woman. "We got big trouble back at the base. And now we gotta duck around the guard because someone can't hold their temper! Lets go, move it!"

She didn't wait to see if they complied, spinning and moving at a quick pace more or less towards the Rei Company compound, albeit not directly considering the approaching problems from every direction.

 

[Tian]

Whatever problems Tobias was having with the local fauna of the Mangled Rat, Tian most definitely was not. After the whores had wandered off looking for their next piece of meat with a side of money, most of the locals kept a wide berth of Tian. Sure, there were a few foolhardy souls who didn't respect his space, either people who were truly fools or who just didn't know any better. Black leather was certainly popular, but the heavy bladed knives on his hips were quite clearly assassins weapons, when paired with the rest of his attire.

And, of course, there was the hood. Scythe and Nyght did indeed understand well the power of concealment beyond hiding. With only a jaw and lips to go by, people found it difficult to judge him based on him, and had to do so by his accoutrements, which were certainly working tools. He looked like an assassin, and who wanted to mess with one of those?

"Seriously doubt that Eddie has any dealing with a smuggler or sea-faring shiprat, to be honest," Tian observed after Yemen mentioned something about the mobster dealing with the ships' captain. "I reckon if there is anything there, its some shady business dealing. I would kill to find out what that might be," he added, grinning darkly.

Tian stood away from the bar, backing into someone twice as wide as he was an a head taller. The former assassin turned, looked up just enough to not reveal his face, and grinned at the fellow in a disconcerting way. No other gesture was required; the old bruisers' face seemed to crease in thought, likely calculating the odds on what would happen if he decided to make something of the deal. Potentially good money on a fellow dressed like he was...

Apparently the sums didn't figure up in the bastards favor. He knuckled his brow, mumbled something arguably apologetic, and stepped out of the assassins way. "Tether Eye-Ball, lets go. I want to go pay someone a...a ...oh, yes, a beat down."

He moved through the crowd, and most of the inhabitants cleared a path for him, almost as if by magic. Some might say it was good to be the king, but he'd settle for being good at being intimidating without actually having to do anything. Reputation preceded him and all of that good stuff.

Back on the street, Tian took a deep breath of the relatively pure air. In comparison to the tavern, or dive, or basically open sewer with people and what he presumed was beer in it. The docks were not far away, and another favorite haunt of his.

"Your pals are definitely some of the more scenic attractions around here," Tian observed as he moved along, warehouses slowly replacing low-born markets and hells. The masts of ships became visible over the rooftops ahead, and the character of the people changed from a mishmash of shirtless dock workers and laborers for the warehouses and other lowborn servants to mostly dockworkers. There seemed to be more Guards here, but they also seemed to keep close to well-dressed men and women in flowing dresses and clean, colorful coats. Harbormasters, collectors of the taxes for docking and all the rest of that garbage that Tian just wasn't interested in. he had a few knives for the likes of them, but in deference to the Warhawk, he stayed his hand. Too many memories there.

"Well, I hope your friend doesn't need much convincing to help us out. I haven't decided how many fingers or toes I am going to break for dear old Eddie when I see him."

 

[Scythe and Nyght]

Manama, S&N, Cynthia

Scythe and Nyght didn't care much for the city either. They'd rather go be ants out in their old tent out in the woods, their buddies joking and laughing and counting a good day's haul. Problem was, all the nice things were in the city, and coin wasn't worth a damn thing if you couldn't spend it. Necessity, these trips to the city. Of course, for all their gripes, they knew full well they'd been seduced by the allure of Alliria and the like. Hell, their coats. Prime example. Fancy clothes and ratty tents didn't mix. Funny. How they were bound together in a way most people could scarcely imagine, and yet the pair of them seemed to co-live two separate lives. One of dirt and grime, one of coin and shine.

They stopped as Sash Girl stopped, dropping their arms from her shoulders.

"Where is the Scarface?" said Nyght.
"Probably doing our job," said Scythe.
"I'll second that. She is the only one among us with an actual work ethic."
"Oh, look, there she is. Right on time."
"It was getting a bit too heated around here."

She knew. She just knew. Sure, it wasn't hard to guess, what with the hawker bawling like a baby over there with his wittle broken arm, the distinctive helms of the Allirian Guard flowing like shark fins through the waters of the excited crowd, and Sash Girl just being Sash Girl. Ah hell, Sash Girl stirred up the trouble, but they got saddled with the extra work? Well, as some of the Philanthropist's aristocratic friends would say, bullocks. Maybe they should've tried buttering Cynthia up more earlier.

Oops. Lost her. Crowd swallowed her up. What a shame. Guess all those sacks of rice and beans would just have to carry themselves back over to the compound. Not their fault. They didn't buy it. Could just pick up some provisions for their own--

Oh shit, there's Cynthia. Still mad. And that other woman looked familiar. One of those other faces from the Rei Company compound. Excellent timing. Heard there were some heavy-ass sacks of rice and beans--

Trouble? Fuck. Job wasn't even started yet.

And there was one of those big shiny metal helms coming their way.

Cynthia and the other woman were already on the move. So they glanced from the shiny helm to Sash Girl and said,

Scythe: "We'll catch up with you and Scarface in a minute."
Nyght: "Gotta take care of this for ya first."

And they slid past the people of the crowd, those onlookers standing on their tip-toes to try and get a better view of the hawker, and towards the approaching guard.

The final old woman and her husband parted, they came face-to-face with him.

"Hello, sir. We know who you're looking for," said Scythe.
"We saw the whole thing as it happened," said Nyght.

The guard scowled and tried stepping off to his right. Scythe and Nyght again put their bodies in front of him. Blocking him.

"I'm sorry, I should have clarified. We're bounty hunters," said Scythe.
"And we could make your day easier. For a modest fee," said Nyght.

"Stand aside!" the guard said impatiently. "I've a clear idea of who I'm looking for. I don't need help."

"Are you quite sure about that?" said Scythe.
"Because we saw the incident firsthand. You only heard of it secondhand," said Nyght.

"I said move!"

Time for a 'disagreement.' See, sir, we're not trying to block your way intentionally anymore. We're just two numb-nuts standing here.

"There are a lot of men with beards out here. Care to guess?" said Scythe.
"Beard? You idiot, he didn't have a beard. As a matter of fact, it wasn't even a he," said Nyght.
An accusatory glance. "Idiot? My sweet, you're the idiot. Pull that silly hood down. It's blocking your sight."
A matching accusatory glance. "No, my sweet, you're the idiot. You're wearing a hood too. And you're taller than I, how'd you get it wrong?"
"If by wrong you mean right, then you're right, I am wrong."
"Sometimes I don't even know why I married you, you imbecile."
"Oh, breaking out the ten-crown words, are we?"

Took him long enough. The guard finally realized he could just be on his way, ignore the 'arguing couple', and carry on with his duty. And Scythe and Nyght grinned as he pushed his way through the crowd in delayed pursuit.

Hopefully, that would've bought Sash Girl precious time to make like a ghost. At least with the one guard who seemed to have a pretty good bead on her already.

And they started back toward the Rei Company compound themselves.

 

[Manama Saar Ba'Dul]

The desert girl was weaving through the crowd like a snake among grass, finding the thickest parts to hide her face in. At the call of the guard she knew what to do before Cynthia finished her sentence, quickly walking into the masses as she found her way back to the compound, dodging any helmets she saw.

There were quite a few, and at one point she crouched between a fish stall and a butcher's counter, gagging as the fat bastard laughed at her, yet let her hide behind the counter as two banner bearing men strutted by, yelling orders at the crowd which notified her of their approach. Giving the man a nod of thanks, she stepped out and continued her journey, untying her head band to allow her bangs to cover her face.

Continuing on, she came to the end of the road where the road bulged and she turned left, suddenly stopping at the block as she spotted the golden red trimming, with a few busy bodies around the gate. She stepped back behind the door and kicked her foot up on the wall as she thought out what to do.

'It looks as if I will be working for this gold,' she thought.

 

[Aeyliea]

"Um, excuse me ma'am..."

The captain looked up from the ceaseless paperwork, a stack of it messily tossed to one side of her desk. Requisitions, pay releases, correspondence; there were myriad things to deal with when running a company, even as small as hers was. In truth, she probably did more of this sort of thing than most mercenary commanders did, but then, most companies were either vastly larger, or vastly smaller. She occupied a place between the two scales of full on military organizations and caravan guards.

She scowled at the girl that stood in the doorway. "Yes, child?" she asked. "Buys I am, now. Why interrupt?"

The child fidgeted uneasily, dancing from foot to foot. "Man up front, miss," she said. Aeyliea tried to recall the child's name, but couldn't. One of the staffs' children if she remembered correctly, though which one it was escaped her as well. It was unimportant. "Says he has an appointment with you?"

Aeyliea sighed and rubbed at her temples with an ink-stained hand. "Leave, he must child. Tell him to come back later. Cynthia can deal with him," she said in dismissal, and went back to her work. The kid hopped back and forth a moment longer, acting as if she had something else to say, but must have though better of it and left instead. The captain shook her head in vexation at the interruption, went back to work penning a reply to a client whom had yet to finish paying the fully agreed upon amount.

A shrill whistled from up front. Aeyliea's head shot up, wondering for a moment what that was about, before the door to her office splintered fro ma heavy blow, catch broken and splinters of wood flying from where it had been attached as the door swung inward, bouncing off the inside wall with great force. A moment later, a pair of thugs stepped into the room hurriedly, crossbows at the ready and swords on their hips. They swung them around the room, as if looking for other people in here. Satisfied that it was them and the woman at the desk, now sitting straight up and staring at them with those hawks' eyes, they swung their weapons around on her, gleaming steel points directed at her chest.

"Ah, if it isn't the erstwhile 'Warhawk' herself," a voice came from the lobby, and through the door came a gentleman wearing a fine silk coat over a silke vest, dark hair lightly curled atop his head. he was vastly cleaner than his cohorts that had preceded him, and carried a cane with him. He radiated an air of power that Aeyliea was certain wasn't just an affectation, although she was unsure if it was power in himself, or the power he held over others that lent this mien to him. "I'm afraid we'll have to shutter the shop for a moment while we....renegotiate a recent contract of yours. I am sure a barbarian such as yourself can understand the need of it? If you can't, well...we'll have to make you understand."

She stared back into those dark eyes, so full of confidence and control, with a certain measure of defiance.

-

Brigands, murderers, thugs. Alise' words, not her own, though she was quite familiar with the type. The Shallows and the slums were full of their ilk, people who, for one reason or another, had turned to lives of organized crime rather than honest work. Truth to tell, there was quite a bit of it in Alliria as a whole. Smuggling, murder-for-hire, all the dark dealing that made great sums of money but were strictly speaking not on the up and up.

She moved through the crowds, no longer dragging the healer along with her. The older woman followed behind, struggling to keep up with a life-long resident of the warren of streets and alleys that comprised the slums, and Cynthia had to admit a grudging respect for a wand-waver that could do so. If only she could focus on that, now, though. Instead, she was trying to think ahead, figure out how to deal with the new threat. One hand remained at her waist, thumbing the hilt of the heavy knife on her hip.

It was but a street away, when she slowed down and really began to take in her surroundings, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Sh immediately caught too many things to be happenstance - a man, leaning against the wall of a shop across the street from the Rei compound, looking far too at ease. As if he was trying to affect that attitude. Of course, that was nothing to the three gents standing inside the gate to the ocmpound, two leaning against the wall with the affected air of bored guards with nothing better to do. They had the look of hired thugs, or at least the two leaning on the wall did. The other one looked a considerable bit more serious.

Just what in the hell is going on her- Oh, for gods' sakes!

The dark skinned lioness was already here, looking from the vantage of a doorway not too far from the thugs at the door. The fact that the hot-headed woman was already here did not best please Cynthia. It was very likely she would do something profoundly stupid, and create more problems than were strictly speaking necessary. Boss is still in there, she thought to herself. She entertained just dealing with the problem herself, but hesitated. The thugs at the door couldn't really do much quickly, simply due to the fact that their actions could be seen by the general public. But what if they had the boss in there? What if her action brought about her death?

This was the kind of problem the captain was best suited to solving, figuring out the path to victory. Cynthia, she was just a thug herself, with a workman's pride. She thought to wave Manama over and thought better of it; it would draw attention to herself, and the fiery young woman would likely do something silly. She settled for waiting for the twins to show. With all of them, it was even odds with what she could see, assuming the one man against the wall was a watcher. But how many more inside?

Best to wait.

 

[Scythe and Nyght]

Another good thing about great weather. Helped get the legs moving, regret-free. You didn't have to ruin your day over a little jog. Who wanted to walk around doing things in sweat-stained garments? Work up too much sweat in a hurry to get somewhere and guess what, gotta block out some quality time in the tub or the nearest stream or hope for a thick, juicy rainstorm.

So Scythe and Nyght picked up the pace once they got clear of the market and the busy crowds. Trouble back at the base, Cynthia had said. Maybe there was a bonus in it. Wouldn't that be somethin'? Still, even if there wasn't, if Rei Company got torched or some other godawful misfortune befell it, then they weren't going to get much of anything. And nothing kept them awake at night like a particularly lucrative contract slipping through their fingers for one reason or another.

Down this street. Down that street. Retrace those steps back to the compound. And make it snappy.

* * * * *​

Soon enough, they caught sight of Cynthia and the other woman from behind. Looking around the corner toward Rei Company's headquarters. Yeah, trouble was brewing alright.

They each unshouldered their crossbows and held them at a low-ready and came up to her. Announcing their presence with a softly-spoken pair of questions.

"Where's Sash Girl?" said Scythe, cocking his crossbow and pulling a bolt out and loading it.
"She get nabbed?" said Nyght, cocking her crossbow and pulling a bolt out and loading it.

There. Two shots. Ready to fly.

They each leaned out just enough to take a peek for themselves around the building corner. Then back. Both pairs of eyes on Cynthia.

"Who the hell are those guys?" said Nyght.
"Think they'll stand down if we ask nicely?" said Scythe.
"Right. Maybe they just want to chat."
A nod from him. "I'll follow your lead, Cynthia."
A nod from her. "Me too. How'd you wanna play this?"

 

[Manama Saar Ba'Dul]

Manama stood behind her cover and kept watch on the brigands outside the door of the compound, her brown eyes gazing over the situation as she pondered. Eventually, she decided she would take her bow from her back and notch an arrow herself, holding it low and by her side as to keep it hidden. From within the alcove she stood in, few noticed her weapon drawn as they passed in the sunlight, her eyes on three who putzed around near the gate, having no idea of the extra one near the shop, across the street closest to her.

'Looks like our employer has more friends...' she thought to herself as she waited for one of the three in her party to come into view.

'At least another chance of proving is upon us, a shame Tian won't be here to watch us reap the glory!' she smiled to herself. The thought of outdoing the hooded man gave her great satisfaction, something she'd be sure to be doing in the future. From the doorway she struggled to hold still as she wanted to give an arrow to the throat of one of the men blocking the pathway leading inside, and she gave another chance glance towards Cynthia, seeing the one she called, 'Scarface.' She flashed a fanged smile as she realized she had back up, and swiftly the bow rose, her arrow pointed towards one of the men's throats, letting it off with a shrill whistle. Immediately another arrow was notched, following the first, her arms rapid in movement and sure of shot as she let them loose from across the street. So much for planning!

 

[Tobias Tookins]

Tobias and Tian

Tobias beckoned to Tian to stop as they walked down the planks of the atrociously built dock, everything miscalculated or merely speculated in terms of measurements and verification of the resources used. They were near the end of the dock, far down the northern side where fewer and fewer people bustled about, almost as if because of the hastily built nature were the crowds sparse. One might step through a loose plank here or there, or the occasional nail head poke from the boards to stick into the boot which dared step upon it, different than the craftsmanship of the original further behind them. Tobias looked towards the very end where stairs led down to a sea level path which then made its way from the dock itself back towards the crumbling, rocky cliffs Alliria was perched atop of, into an alcove eroded by the tide. Two men were playing cards on a set of three barrels, sitting on the two opposite ones, the middle used as a table, right next to the stairway. His bulging eye tried to get a good look at them without drawing their own eyes, and when one looked up suddenly he ducked behind the crates. The guard sat there for a moment, looking at Tian, yet paid the shady character know mind as it was normal for reclusive people to hang about these parts of the dock. He went back to his game. Tobias looked at his partner and said,

"They'll be apart of Kidd's crew, thats fer sure, any chance any of them are the Two Face you're lookin' fer?"

 

[Aeyliea]

Cynthia was just about to answer that very question, having had a few moments to consider their options, when the first arrow flew. The whistle of it flying was low, but still loud enough to be heard across the street. That singular arrow too one of the men at the door in the throat, expertly aimed as it was. With a strangled cry, he reached up to his throat as rich red blood began to pour from his mouth, going down while clawing at the thing that had struck him down so effortlessly.

Things became bedlam shortly thereafter.

People on the street that had nothing to do with anything suddenly began to scatter, fleeing the scene as quickly as they could. The other two at the door were just turning, already ducking to avoid being struck by the following volley. Even as they did, even as another arrow landed in the flesh of another of them, spinning them around as it passed cleanly through his chest and shoulder, the lookout yelled loudly, put his fingers to his lips, and let a piercing whistle loose.

Manama's third arrow took an innocent bystander in the face, a middle-aged woman trying to flee the growing fight. She gave a mewl of pain before collapsing and sliding several feet, dead before she even hit the ground. From around a corner, three more thugs came, these with crossbows. From the other direction, another three, similarly armed.

"That goddamned bitch!" Cynthia's scream of rage was nearly lost in the rising noise. A crossbow kicked, and a bolt buried itself into a passerby to her left. Cynthia was moving, crossbow off her back and in her hand as quickly as thought. "No time for a plan, kill them all! The guard can sort them out later," she half growled, half yelled. How much is it going to cost to buy them off THIS time, she mused. The thoughts were distant. They had to deal with this situation, then they could figure out the rest later.

Within the headquarters, a great crash resounded. Hang on, captain. Just a few more moments... She dived to the side as one of the thugs in the street drew bead on her, and pulled the trigger on their crossbow. Landing hard on one side, scraping her arm on the flags and leaving a little flesh behind, she nevertheless avoided being skewered like a fat carp, and with a deft flick of her thumb, released the safety catch on her own weapon. She took aim from her position on the ground, and let her quarrel fly. It took the middle man in the forehead, snapping his head back as if he'd been punched. He fell to the ground bonelessly.

"Take 'em down, goddamnit!" she snarled as she got to her feet, blood dripping from the flesh wound on her arm. "Quickly no-"

She cut off as a an arrow sprouted from her chest, a little to the left side. Her words were cut off by a sudden rush of hot, bright blood, and then she, too, was down.

-

The shriek outside was enough. Both of the crossbowman looked back towards the lobby, an involuntary action, and Aeyliea chose that moment to strike.

She leapt over the desk, rolling across the carpet even as both of those bowmen snapped their attention back to her. One of them reflexively pulled the trigger, and the quarrel in his crossbow buried itself in the top of her desk, scattering papers everywhere. The ringleader had yet to even react as the other bowman drew bead, leveled his weapon, and fired. The quarrel sang through the air, and she felt a tug at one shoulder, a brilliant lance of pain.

In the next moment, she was on the first crossbowman, coming in low with fists and feet. She kicked the weapon out of his hand even as he was dropping it and fumbling for the blade at his hip, then struck him quick in the side of the knee, the gut, and then followed of with a knife-handed blow to his throat even as he was going down from the other blows. She felt the crunch of cartilage beneath that struck, and saw the look of surprised incredulity on his face as hands went to his ruined windpipe. He was out of the fight, for now.

She turned to face the other foe, who had also dropped his weapon in favor of his sword. Unlike his companion, though, he had it out, and it was blind luck that allowed her to turn and alert herself to the threat in time to duck away, sword streaking through the air where her head had been a moment before. She danced backwards as he swung, while the ringleader was finally getting his own weapon out. She hadn't noticed them before, but he'd been wearing a pair of heavy knives as well.

Another swing and a miss, and then she leapt forward, planting both feet into the thugs' chest and sending him flying backwards, back into the door which crashed against the wall and then fell off its hinges in another crash. The thug dropped his sword, but she didn't have time to deal with him now. She turned and ran for the sword behind her desk, leaping over the first thug who was feebly kicking, his struggles becoming less and less pronounced. Over the top of her desk, hands on the hilt, blood running down her arm from the wound the crossbow had made on her making her grip a little less certain.

As she came back up, swinging the blade hard and wide to disengage the sheath on it, she heard the ringleader begin to laugh.

 

[Tian]

Tian shook his head in response to Tobias. This part of the docks looked as though children had built it, or at least someone that didn't wish to invest a great deal of time, energy, and material in the process. Likely the work of a couple days by smugglers, until the next storm rolled through and wrecked everything here. Tian was not particularly fond of swimming, and very much wished that the whole affair remained in one piece long enough for them to conduct their business and be gone.

"No," he added to his reply. "Eddie fancies himself an upstanding individual. He wouldn't be here, rubbing shoulders with dock workers, or smuggler crews.or pirates, or anything of the like." He spat over the side of the dock, into the water, for emphasis. "He's too high up in the organization, anyway. There are a few crime families here, you know. They have their fingers in every sort of dark trade you can imagine. Last I heard, Edward was in the habit of frequenting the docks. Probably dealing with some kind of smuggler." He cast a glance at the guards at their barrels, and tossed them a jaunty, cheerful little wave. It melted as soon as he looked away.

"So, what exactly is the plan, Mr. Morning Eye-star? Are we here to talk to your friend Kidd, or are we here to...talk to your friend?" No other gestures or words were needed to indicate exactly what it was he meant by his second statement. He was not above applying pressure where it was needed to achieve what was needed, but he certainly hoped that whatever arrangement they came to, it wouldn't involve him having to do any of this salty sea dog nonsense.

Hope the boss is have more fun than I am.

 

[Scythe and Nyght]

Sometimes you just had to appreciate a nice shot. Sure, the opportunity for a coordinated strike and generally a more solid plan was gone. Sure, all the bystanders with bad timing and worse luck walking to and fro on the street in front of a mercenary company compound in their daily grind started scattering like a fistful of coins tossed to a whipping wind. Sure, what could only be Sash Girl and her handiwork nailed another of the thugs a moment later. Sure, that nonchalant guy was suddenly not nonchalant anymore and let loose the loudest fucking whistle Scythe and Nyght had ever heard. But sometimes you just had to appreciate a nice shot. Right in the damn neck.

Cynthia didn't seemed too thrilled about the shot, though. Probably not so much about the bystander casualties either. There was going to be a lot of talkin' and/or under the table coin to smooth that out later, likely. And nobody liked extra work.

Kill 'em all. Straightforward plan. But, hell, were they outnumbered. Sash Girl managed to take two pawns off the table. That left the whistler with the enormous pair of lungs, the one original guy at the door of the compound proper, and two teams of three crossbowmen each who'd come around either side of the compound. That was a lot of fire that could be coming their way soon.

Cover. They needed some good, solid cover.

Scythe and Nyght rounded the corner of the building they'd been peeking around moments ago. Sprinted as far as they needed to get to the front door of said building. Nyght's body threw her shoulder into the wooden door and burst inside the shop, followed quickly by Scythe, just as Cynthia dived and took a hard crash on the street and shot her crossbow.

Barrels. Barrels everywhere in the shop. Big ones and small ones. A whole work area behind the front counter with a few half-finished ones and curved wooden planks on a table in varying states of being measured and cut and trimmed and smoothed. The heads of the shopkeep and his wife barely peeked up from the front counter.

Nyght pushed open the wooden shutters on the window to the left of the front door, and Scythe did the same with the shutters on the window to the right. No glass. Made it a bit easier. And it was Scythe's eyes that saw the arrow hit Cynthia smack in the chest. Well goddamn, Cap wasn't gonna like that. Especially if Cynthia was flat dead.

Time to finish what she started, at least. Scythe's body took aim out his window first, looking for that group of three thugs that had went down to two, courtesy of Cynthia's last bolt. Spotted them. Lined up a quick shot, lest his body catch an unseen surprise while he was partially exposed. And fired, dropping down below the window to start reloading. Then Nyght's body popped up in her window, having seen through Scythe's eyes where to aim, and took a shot at the other man. Started her reloading process. Their timing staggered.

"Just barrels, huh?" said Scythe.

"Yes, sir," the shopkeep said, all jittery and uncertain.

"Make a lot of coin?" said Nyght.

"Um, well, enough. Are you...are you gonna rob us?"

"Na. On another job," said Scythe as he loaded another bolt.
"Just making a little small talk," said Nyght as she cocked her crossbow.

 

[Manama Saar Ba'Dul]

Manama stared in horror at the crumpled body of the lady she'd hit, now hitting her like the wall of a sand storm, her skin tingling in the sensations of the adrenaline fueled conflict she'd sparked in the single moment, at first proud, and then in utter dismay at the folly she'd sown. Manama had never fought in such cramped quarters as this, forgetting of the fact that her arrow occupied physical space with those who shared the city. It had been her and her mark, an aim true, all of time and space outside of the physical moment within that moment of time, until she watched the slow fall of that woman from the third arrow. She heard the shots of her enemies ring out in the open air, yet she didn't move due to her focus on the body.

'How can I protect my people if I stain the land with their blood?' she asked herself, angst and inhibition filling her mind. It wasn't until she saw the body of Cynthia fall in the street that she came back to attention. The scarred woman being struck filled her with sorrow at what she saw as another dying by her hand. 'A fool, I am,' she thought sullenly, running to the woman with her bow still in hands, arrow notched. She stood above the woman's body, aiming out in the open air as she awaited anymore volleys, none coming. She looked around for anymore brigands and turned just in time to see the shadow of a body running full speed towards her, yet too late to react as it slammed into her, barely missing Cynthia's head as it pounced atop Manama, her hands flinging the weapons into the air as she struggled against her opponent. It was the onlooker from the shop across the street to the gate, her oblivious counterpart closer to her than she'd known. His hands gripped around her throat, struggling to strangle the life out of her, her head banging atop the cobblestone, dizzying in confusion and daze, kneeing his underside to no avail. Her hands gripped his wrists yet the thick forearms gave no way. His chest heaved and sweat dripped on her face as she began to kick in epileptic fashion, vision darkening around the edges.

 

[Tobias Tookins]

Tobias and Tian

Tobias pinched the bridge of his nose and thought to himself a moment, as he was unsure of the approach.

"Kidd owes me some favors, but he's the kind'a bugger ta argue his way out of dues, so keepin' it clean may be possible, as long as the fuckin' shit doesn't try runnin' us through himself... I dunno the policies he put out fer his people, best thing ta do is find out I guess."

Ever the diplomat, Tobias swaggered up to the card players in smooth fashion, one looking up as soon as he came out from behind the cover of crates with an arched brow, suddenly turn to a cheeky grin as he realized who it was.

"Eeeeeyyy Maddy! Shoulda known it was you, been skulkin' around here! Never get them pretty lasses further down the ways, too good fer this side I guess!" He grabbed a bottle of rum which'd been hidden behind the barrel they played atop, handing it to Mad Eye who took a sip from it, a bit dribbling into his crusty beard. Pointing at the guard's hand who didn't react to his approach, he said

"Go with the King of Swords, best bet right now, lad." The man he'd received the grog from scowled.

"Oi! No helpin' the squirt Maddy! Fuckin' blokes gotta learn the hard way, like we all did!"

Tobias smirked and nodded, ceding to the notion. The younger face gave thanks and took the cards his opponent dealt to the table.

"Kidd at the Crest, Davy?" he asked to the grog drinker, the fellow looking up suddenly as he registered the name. Giving him a sideways glance he said

"Yeah... He's at the Crest, why?"

"I need to see him Davy."

"Turn your neck down, if you don't you might step on the bugger!" Davy let out a wheezing laugh as he pulled a pipe from his loose shirt's inner pocket, and a tinder box, opening to pack the piece down with desert leaf. Mad Eye beckoned to receive the pipe after he lit it and took a couple puffs, the guard passing.

"Kidd's asked us not to let people through right now, Mad Eye, paid good coin to keep the bar to himself." Mad Eye shrugged, puffing out an O shaped ring towards the face of the younger guard.

"Kidd's got debt to be paid, probably with the money he spent hiring you. Y'know how the shit goes, Davy, I need my money. If you were me, you'd be lettin' the short fuck walk away with your hard earned gold?"

Davy spit off the side of the dock, shrugging.

"Probably not, Maddy, just don't want a sullied reputation tis all." Mad Eye sighed.

"Look, yer name ain't gon' be sullied by anyone other than Kidd, and after this job I might have enough gold to start up my own ventures in full, I'll bring ya on my payroll Davy. What'ya say, you know I be a man of my word."

Davy looked at his hand a moment, placing a card down and taking a stack of cards into his winnings pile. He stared up at the guard across from him before saying,

"M'boy here too, Maddy. Got himself a baby since the fool's been dreamin' too much 'fore his hands found work." Mad Eye nodded.

"And yer boy Davy." The guard waved him venture.

"Go ahead, but if anyone asks I didn't see ya."

"Thank ya kindly, Davy. I'll find ya when I get back."

"Aye, I'll let Yemen know."

Tobias held out the pipe towards Tian in case he wanted a drag.