Pickpockets and Pranksters (Raylan)

[Neoma]

Timestamp: 50th of Summer 512AV Neoma was looking around for someone to prank, over time her mischievous nature had come back to her, several weeks in Ravok had distracted her. She hated the city though, there were way too many people. All of them crowded together. It was disgusting, all these smells. Everyday day they burnt her nose until she began to breath out of her mouth alone. Still she could taste everything now, which was only slightly less horrible. The only bright side of all of this was the fact that with so many people it was easy to chose targets for her tricks. And these crowds made evading capture so simple, just a few twists and she would be free. She had already figured out most of the back alley ways and canals so she could disappear easy enough. Perhaps that was why she stayed in this city so long, besides the friends she had made, was the canals. The water comforted her, reminded her of her family. And it had grown somewhat less painful to think of them. On this sunny morning, before the noon meal was served, little Neoma had left her room and was now wandering the streets, it was too hot for her to wear her cloak, which was useful to avoid some eyes and attracted others. So she just kept her odd hair either too dirty to see the white stripes or bound up. Today it was both bound up and dirty, hiding her odd markings that an intelligent person might link to a kelvic. She didn't need to be known as a kelvic, she had been around long enough to understand now what happened to them. Although some things her young mind didn't quite understand, the knowledge that she couldn't stay here for much longer than a season was obvious, already she looked to have gained a year or so in appearance, although the dirty appearance kept most from noticing. She directed her thoughts form such as she examined people, getting closer to the people's market, one of her favorite places to visit. A great place to both buy and scavenge for food stuffs. She was hungry, she hadn't gotten breakfast yet. Although she hoped to get a little tricking in before she ate. She paused and stepped out of the main flow of people to examine them. She was pregnant, she looked too poor, he was too big, he was too scrawny. She shrugged and integrated herself back into the stream of people. Perhaps there was someone at the People's Market she could prank.

[Raylan Ramsey]

The hustle and bustle of the Merchant's Ring was a gold mine for a simple thief trying to make a living, all those pretty trinkets to slide into his pockets. Raylan found himself amidst a bustling People’s Market full of merchants bartering their produce of trade. The smell of fresh spices, fruits, and other foods made for a mouthwatering show as he walked past a colorful display stand of various fruits. Found himself becoming in-tune with the ebb and flow of the crowds. Monetary gain was the main goal of most of his outings requiring him to bring his every trusted friend, his mandolin. The body of it rapt against the fabric of his shirt that patted against his chest. Raylan never found himself to be bored since being bored wasn’t possible when their was always something to do. When his curiosity kicked in he would simply take a walk to lift his mood. Walking to a stand of apples Raylan greeted the merchant next to it with a smile. Reaching out with his left hand he began to pick up one apple in front of the elderly man who owned the stand. Examining it for bruises, rot, and other defining factors that required him to longingly observe the red fruit. This was all simply for a mental effect, peoples eyes tended to be drawn to red items so he picked out the brightest apple for the owners eyes to follow. Given that Raylan was putting so much attention on the elevated fruit in his hand parallel to his eyes sight, Raylan right hand was hidden behind the body of his mandolin. Since the human arm can only move in a linear and circular motion the mind was more likely to more to notice a sharp straight motion over a slow circular one. Slowly the his right hand had begun to round and wrap around the body of his mandolin while his left hand rose the apple high into the air. Raising his hand straight up in a sudden and sharp movement used to make the merchant look up as Raylan’s right hand grabbed a Pear to hide it behind the body of his mandolin. “Hmm this is a wonderful apple, I shall be sure to come by later to buy some of your produce.” Setting the apple he had risen down where he had picked it up from, Raylan turned around to quickly walk away. Hiding himself among a crowd of people with his new pear he had taken stolen. Huffing one breath onto pear he wiped it against the lapel area of his shirt before taking a bite out of it as he continued to enjoy his day with a snack.