New to the city [Sami]

by **Lial** on May 2nd, 2013, 7:17 am

26th Spring 513

Lial stumbled towards a bench. Walking had worn the skin on her feet down, and the soles of her shoes had already been thin enough. Now, there was a hole growing larger every time a stone snagged in her shoe, and the stones cut through into her foot, leaving scratches and scars, and sometimes a tiny line of blood soon wiped away. She needed better shoes. But money ran thinner every day, and with proper food being a luxury, she would have to bear with what she had.

She sat down, and worked one of her boots off. The cool evening air rushed over her feet and between her toes. She massaged her foot with her grimy hands and twisted it around to inspect it. Blisters were scattered across her skin, and there were a few smudges of blood. It hurt to touch them. But there was nothing she could do about it. She tugged her boot back on, and winced.

Lial weighed the coins in her pocket. She had enough to buy herself something which would keep her full for the next day. If she ran out of money, there was always the option of scavenging. There would always be overripe fruit thrown out by the market traders. And in her animal form, it would be easy to scamper along and snatch them up. And then she would be satisfied in one form, at least. But for now, the evening sun was golden, and the wind calm, and the waterfall rushed in the distance. And being around civilisation was enough to keep her comfortable.

She wandered until finding a marketplace. Stalls and tents stood half-upright, the faded fabric tied onto them wavering in the wind. Crates were stacked a metre high, rough wood with nails sticking out. If she was an animal, it would be so easy to sprint along the wall and snatch up food as she went. She needed food, and the hungrier she became, the more tempting the idea was. But she stopped herself. It was illegal, and she had only been in the city for a few weeks. She could do without bad first impressions.

Lial pushed into the crowd. The streets heaved with people on their way home from work, people on their way to an evening out, people milling around with nothing better to do. She tried to shove past one person, but another five elbowed her back. She got elbows in her jaw and kicks in her shins. Nearly at one of the stalls, Lial gave a shove. But a person to her right knocked her out of the way, and she was sent tripping to the outskirts of the crowd.

She landed on her knees, and the tiny stones dug into her skin. She coughed up dust. A few coins had scattered, and she scooped up as many as she could see and stuffed them into her pocket. A shadow came across her, and Lial glanced up. "Hello?"

by **Sami** on May 2nd, 2013, 11:09 am

Sami yawned, loudly. Although the Inarta was far from settling into the city and truly understanding its ways, she was slowly coming to grips with it. The first thing she quickly learned was that it was indeed a city of dark skinned giants, Akalaks to be precise. These tall men towered far above the girl had given her the odd glance here and there, but despite that there was always the polite acknowledgement from them. And so in return the girl kept her head down and her business quick and simple. For the day though she was set loose in the market area of the city, among the bustle of the people and the giants. Although it could have potentially been a cause of trouble if she chose to do her own thing, it would have also been an educational experience for her young and naïve mind.

What sort of experience had yet to be determined, but it was one that would soon be discovered. She clicked her wrists, and stretching herself out as she walked. The cool air was pleasant to her, refreshing to her mind and her body whilst equally revitalising. But the greatest was the ability to walk about freely, unrestrained by others and the weight they forced upon her.

She explored, eyes tracing shapes of things, hands reaching out to touch and analyse objects and articles. She brought in the scent of salt and foods, the bitter sweat that clung to the workers of the stalls. Cries and shouts in a foreign tongue went through the air, all trying to sell their goods before the sun arched its way across the sky. Of course the girl was drawn in to purchase; she could not resist the idea when she remembered the jingling coins within her pocket. When she was done with that though, and she was satisfied with what she had brought the girl continued on her way through the sea of people.

She squeezed her way through, her goods kept in her bag where possible, whilst the linen was folded carefully and hung over her shoulder. It was getting packed quickly, and so Sami took the opportunity to make an escape before she became swamped. Or at least that was the theory. She had barely missed the woman that had stumbled to the ground before her, her feet tripping up nearby. Whoever she had missed was scrabbling about coins on the floor, or at least until she looked up at the girl. Sami blinked before extending a hand down to pull her up- if she took it that was.

“This is where people walk you know,” Sami stared down and spoke in common with those blue eyes locked upon her “I don’t advise sitting around on it… Unless you were trying to impersonate a rug. Then you’re doing a good job at getting people to wipe their feet on you.”

receipt :

by **Lial** on May 2nd, 2013, 5:30 pm

A hand hovered in front of her face. Lial blinked, to check it wasn't the shadows playing tricks on her, and grabbed their fingers. She loosened her grip, and tried not to dig her nails into their skin. The girl helped her up, and she tried not to lean on her too much. But her knees were too weak, and she had to tug down on the girl's arms to get herself upright. She found herself standing up, and leant against the wall to steady herself. Dust blew around her feet and tingled. She kicked it away, but more came.

Lial met the girl in the eye for the first time, and then looked away. "Thanks," she muttered. "I could have stood up by myself, but..." She stopped herself. Someone had given her a hand up, instead of treading on her, and she could only bring herself to be ungrateful. "Thanks anyway," she said, and brushed off her clothes.

"In case you hadn't noticed," she said whilst straightening her hair out, "I didn't choose to fall over. And yes," a tiny stone had lodged itself in the sole of her shoe, and she hopped about whilst trying to knock it out, "I had noticed that this is where people walk. Hence why we call it a street. In fact, I happened to be walking down it a minute ago." Lial brushed the back of her hand, and one of the tiny pink scratches became clearer. "And no, I wasn't trying to be a rug. Maybe I'd make a decent rug, but I'll just sticking to be a human, if that's alright with you."

Lial spotted one of her coins lying in between the cobblestones. She reached down, snatched it up, and tucked it in her pocket. "I'm not stealing, I promise," she said to the girl. "I dropped some of my money when I fell. Of all the things to lose, it had to be the money." She spotted another coin beneath someone's feet and lunged for it. Their boot stamped down, and she drew her hand away before they had a chance to crush her fingers. She took the coin and stuffed it in her pocket, and stumbled out of the crowd before she could be sucked into it again. "I'm sure there's more in there." The pile of coins in her pocket had become far lighter. Scavenging didn't seem like such a bad idea after all. "I'm not going to get them all out."

by **Sami** on May 3rd, 2013, 5:36 pm

“If you didn’t choose to fall over, then why did you go into a situation where you had a high chance of falling over?” Sami gave a snort, her eyes gazing over the woman. She twittered away quickly, an almost snap of words – to Sami at least- of giving a hard time. Not that the Inarta let it bother her, as far as she was concerned she was just being helpful. In her blunt and uncanny way that was. But it was not long until this woman was scrabbling about again on her hands and knees, desperately trying to grab at coins that had obviously been dropped, “And there you go again, into a situation that would cause harm and good.”

The girl rubbed at her wrist, feeling the light presses that had been left there by the nails, but otherwise thought nothing of it. The mention of stealing however caused the Inarta to burst out into laughter.

“Stealing?” the lip curled and those piercing eyes stared down once more “You would make a terrible thief if you were. Anyway, none of them care if you’re scrabbling about for coins on the floor or not.” Her own little experiences of having quick fingers confirmed that thought for her. Her head turned away at that point, looking about at the passing crowd. Just like her they did not really seem bothered what-so-ever, for she was simply another face on another day. Then again she was also female in a population largely ruled by men, so she no doubt would receive a few glances. Sami on the other hand only received them from the bright red hair that rested on her crown; the rest of her was a child after all. And the Akalak were not interested in children.

The girl glanced at the woman once more, looking at the bothered face of loosing coins due to her own ignorance of not storing them safely, before lowering down her bag on the side of the path. Sami however remembered the trick of keeping the large majority of them within a drawstring purse which was kept both in her pocket and attached firmly to her belt. Why this woman had yet to practice this little technique or even discover it was beyond her. She loaded in the linen she had hung over her shoulder into it, before tugging at the straps carefully and ensuring it was secure “Don’t mean to sound stupid, but why don’t you just wait for a while and look when the crowd has died down,” Sami cocked an eyebrow. Her logic to her at least made sense “Or if it’s that much of an issue earn the money back. Street dance or something for stray coins.”

by **Lial** on May 4th, 2013, 11:11 am

Lial continued to brush her knees off. "You expect me to leave all of my money lying around on the floor? I'm not the only one who could do with a bit of extra money." She spots another coin and dives for it. "If I come back later, they'll all be gone. I bet people have already started picking them up." Lial scowls at the crowd. "There are already people in there, noticing a coin on the floor, and realising that they could get themselves something nice. And they don't think that the coin could belong to someone." She blows some of the grit in the coin, and tucks it into her pocket. "Can't blame them, though. I'd probably do the same."

She looked at the girl in the eye. She had seemed friendly enough when Lial had first noticed her, but now, she wasn't so convinced. If only she hadn't started talking, then she would still have this simple, innocent image of a kind and sweet girl. If only she had never opened her mouth.

"And don't pretend you wouldn't," Lial added. "Unless you're so rich that you have no excuse for hanging around on street corners." She took another glance at Sami. "I doubt it, though. And even if you were," she waved a hand in the air, "Money! Who can resist it? I know I can't." Her hair had begun to tangle to the point where it stuck up in knots. She patted it down, but the wind only blew it up again. "And I don't know anyone who can, either."

"Street dance?" Lial chuckled. "I take it you've never seen me dance before. And yes, I know what you mean." She fixed the girl with one of her stares, which she could only presume would have the effect opposite to the one she intended. "Do anything. Everyone has a few coins lying in their pocket that they can toss out to other people whenever they feel vaguely amused. Unfortunately, making it worthwhile is a challenge." The girl had a way of making her feel uncomfortable about herself, where she was, everything. Lial shifted between feet. "Do you honestly think anyone would pay me anything? I'm far too untalented for that. And I'm not saying that I can't get it back, either. Just that it's an inconvenience." She needed food. She needed to replace her clothes. "A big inconvenience."

Lial looked up, to stare at Sami. "What's your problem with me, anyway?"

by **Sami** on May 5th, 2013, 11:52 am

To the mind of the young Inarta, the scene was truly pathetic. Here was a full grown woman- or so she presumed- scrabbling around wildly in a near desperate state. A responsible adult, she liked to think, would have a job and be earning their keep within the city. For that was the way of the system in Riverfall and no doubt most other cities. Even in Wind Reach, Sami was aware that even the lowest caste still earned an income. A meagre one, but an income never the less.

“Money, money. It’s so much fun,” Her voice at that point dripped with sarcasm, her eyes rolling “Of course, only in the world of the rich.”
The girl stooped down and picked up a coin on the floor. Holding it between her thumb and forefinger she raised it to look at it in the dying light before speaking once more in the best common she could muster “A single coin can make or break a mortal. It can cause them to turn their back on those they hold dear if the price is right, and buy them to draw the blood of others,” Sami met the gaze of the woman, the pupils growing sharp and unwavering. Her tone gradually turned more serious as she spoke “And just as it can cause people to turn their backs, it can also buy and sell their flesh. To the rich man it is indeed a wonderful thing. But what of those who are betrayed by money, who are forced to feel the wrath it causes them? They resent it, and that resent festers within them and so drives them into detesting it,” The Inarta tossed the coin to the woman “Because there is nothing they can do against the power of money. They become weak and crippled by it. Whilst the others, those lucky enough to have it, lust for more. Personally, it is a necessary evil in my eyes. I much prefer the idea of having a solid object in my hands I can use, or something I can call my own than currency. After all, you can’t eat it.”

Her hands dug into her pockets, her eyes turning away whilst the woman continued to talk and lecture. But those words were merely water to the girl, ones filled with self doubt and lacking confidence. If one did not take the plunge into the abyss, if one did not throw caution to the wind and try to achieve, then surely they would learn nothing.

“If it’s such an inconvenience, then why bother scrabbling around for your coins after all?” Sami cocked an eyebrow and folded her arms “I mean, in the same amount of time that you could be scrabbling around blind for them, you could also be up trying to earn them back and getting better from you’re untalented state. Anyway, I heard they pay the shyke performers more out of sympathy over actual ability. Of course, what do I know? I’m just a loud mouth brat who knows nothing of the world.”

by **Lial** on May 5th, 2013, 4:57 pm

To Lial, it was all a jumble of words and expressions, threaded together by someone with a much better grasp of language than her. She caught the taunting from the girl's sarcastic tone and the rolling of her eyes. And every time the girl's eyes passed over her, she flinched as though nothing but the power of her scathing voice could scar her. "I don't want to hurt anyone with money." Her voice had grown more agitated, and she clenched her teeth together. "You don't care what I say, do you?!" She didn't want to shout, but couldn't help herself, for Sami frustrated her so much. "It doesn't matter what I say. You'll taunt me all the same."

She caught the coin and stuffed it into her pocket. "Thanks," she muttered, and made sure that it was safely at the bottom of her pocket. "I'd much prefer to have food in my hands as well. Good food. But how am I supposed to buy that if I don't have any money?" She tries to avoid looking at Sami. "It doesn't betray me. It just has a thing for leaving me much more than I'd like it to."

She listened to the girl with mounting anger. "If I want to, why shouldn't I crawl around on my hands and knees? I never asked you to come and help me. I never asked you to talk to me." She took a step backwards, and dared herself to look Sami in the face, but then looked away again. "I never asked you to come near me." She took a tiny step away, not enough so that she couldn't hear the girl, but enough to distance herself. "Why should I listen to what you say? I couldn't have found more of those coins, but for some reason, I stood around talking to you instead. I don't know why. Maybe I thought you'd be some help." She laughs. "You'd never be any help. And why would I want to dance to earn a few coins?" She clenched her fists so that her nails nearly pierced her skin. "I don't want to humiliate myself. Is that what you want? I wouldn't be surprised if it was. I don't want people's sympathy. And I definitely don't want you telling me what to do."

Lial let herself breathe. The rant had exhausted her. "A loud mouth brat? I'd say that's accurate enough."

by **Sami** on May 5th, 2013, 6:08 pm

Water that was all it was. Her words were nothing more than flowing water, brought on by a rage of a child simply speaking her mind and an adult who deemed too high to ask for help. One who would simply surrender to anger and lash out with words, because she could not stand up to a simple thirteen year old girl. In a sense it amused her to no end, but at the same time the mental wall that she placed between herself and the world was returned. She did not turn to face the woman; there was no point in doing so. She hoisted the bag upon her back, her eyes staring ahead into the sea of people. Her exclamation would no doubt be heard by passersby, but whether or not they did anything was beyond her.

“Yeah you’re right,” Sami simply agreed with her yet did not turn to face her “Never any help. Just a useless little kid who’s nothing but violent and vicious. Pure trouble in every form. Strange how an adult never puts me in place though, don’t you think?” A challenge or not, it was up to the woman to decide and Sami was largely indifferent to what was chosen. Mainly because there was little she could do to calm the temper of the woman anyway, “Either way, it’s clear that this brat isn’t needed. At least that fact can be accepted by two people. And yes, of course, humiliate and embarrass every soul that resides under Syna, because I’m that ill intended little Shyke that past by and stretched down a hand to you.”

Her head at that point turned back briefly, as if analysing the creature that was before her “Just like everyone else it seems. Jumping to conclusions. Don’t get them you know. Why don’t they just say,” her voice lightened for a moment as if imitating another in a mocking tone, “Hey Sami, that’s a real stupid idea, so let’s not do that,” she turned away once more, her head shaking “No, instead they just expect you to understand what they’re thinking and scorn you when you don’t. Guess that’s adults for you though, only want to follow number one and have everyone else follow suit.”

Closed New to the city [Sami]