Private Tales Unlucky Timing

[Sung Chei]

Sung Chris walked through the streets of the Elbion towards the marketplace. He had left his ji back at the inn he was staying at because it was rather inappropriate to carry around a weapon in town unless you were arriving or leaving. He wasn't unarmed though.

He strode confidently through the busy streets, and he just reached the market when he felt his coin purse being cut from his belt.

 

[Finn]

Quick, small fingers slid the man’s purse into her bag. Judging by the weight, it was a good haul. Just across the bobbing and moving heads of the streets, she caught Gristle’s form. He was doing the same. Their little gang had a few members working this sector of the streets today.

Same old same old.

Finn would rather be reading the historical scrolls. Or working on her inventions. But she had obligations. And she did it to survive.

Blonde hair shifted in the breeze as she began to move away from the man in the opposite direction he was walking.

 

[Sung Chei]

He looked at the small girl and began to follow her. She herself wouldn't be much of a threat, but she was probably a grunt for one of the local gangs or mafia families. So she would probably go to one of their meetup locations or dead drops.

He did so from a short distance, keeping her in clear sight.

 

[Finn]

Instinct. Luck. Perhaps a bit of magic made Finn glance over her shoulder.

Felt like she was being watched.

Blue eyes narrowed but she didn't see anyone. Couldn't shake that feeling, though. Thin shoulders shrugged and she moved on, ducking and moving between the spaces of folks in the street. The girls seemed to have a knack at timing and finding the clear paths that opened between bodies. With a few more steps, she found herself at the mouth of an alleyway and ducked inside.

 

[Sung Chei]

That was her safe haven. That was where he'd catch her. He walked up to the end of the alley and looked in. He would watch her and see who she meets up with. She didn't see him on the way, but there was a good chance she'd see him now.

 

[Finn]

One shoulder dropped and she let her pack fall to the ground. One hand rose to shade her blues as she looked at the sun, judging the time. The others would be here soon. Hopefully.

Leaning into the shade of the building, the girl finally looked from whence she came.

Blue eyes widened considerably at the stranger peeking in.

How had she missed him?

Hand reached down and she grabbed the pack, taking a step back.

"Don't come any closer."

 

[Sung Chei]

"I'm not going to hurt you. I just want my money back and I will be on my way. I don't blame someone for doing what they have to, but I can't afford to loose all of my money. So just give it back, and I'll leave you alone."

His voice was stern but not hard or threatening. While not necessarily friendly, it wasn't unfriendly either.

 

[Finn]

Oh chit.

She’d been so careful. Thought she’d been careful. The girl sling the bag over her shoulder and took and step back. Then another.

Give him his money back?

“Fat chance.” Spinning on her heels, she scrambled and ran down the alley in the opposite direction.

 

[Sung Chei]

He sprinted after her, easily keeping pace with her thanks to his natural agility that was honed by training and experience. She wasn't hard to overtake in terms of speed for him. Grabbing her by the shirt collar he stopped the chase.

"Listen young one, I don't hold any grudge, nor do I want to, but I need that money. So just return it to me, and I will leave you alone, it's that simple. I don't want to take it back by force."

Little did he know, that her gang had just rounded the corner.

 

[Finn]

“Hey!” She yelped and struggled, twisting in his grasp. A boot came up to kick at his shins. “It’s not personal, mister. Let. Go!”

There were four men. Burly. Big. Holding knives and clubs.

“I’d do what she says,” one man stepped out, clearly the leader, sporting a ginger beard. Club pin died into his free hand in a rhythm. “Yer gonna lose more than yer money if you don’t.” The group began advancing, predators stalking prey.

 

[Sung Chei]

"I know that it's not personal, same thing with me. But I need that money..." He said just before the gang rounded the corner. Seeing the men he set her down saying softly, "stay back and stay behind me."

 

[Finn]

The girl gave Sung Chei a strange look as he release her. Seemed like he almost wanted to protect her. Why!? Didn’t he know that was her gang trying to protect her from HIM?

Only.

It didn’t end up so pretty and well-planned.

Seemed like she’d ran into some enemy gang turf. There was a high pitched whistle from behind. The other end of the alley as a group of men with an orc framed the only other exit.

“This ain’t your turf,” they called over her and Sung.

Then all hell broke out.