Going over the edge [Rhuryc]

[Fade]

3rd of summer

The sky was overcast and a slight breeze roamed about the winding streets of Syliras. Fade had wondered more and more into the maze of alleys and streets till there was almost nobody left around.

She was planning in finding a good spot where to train and she found it. After walking down a rather narrow alley there was a little square, if it could be called a square. It was a space in front of a building with a flight of stairs running up to the front door. Fade smiled and almost skipped to the steps. This was a perfect spot for over splits. Over splits go beyond 180 degrees (above the hips).

She carefully put her bag on the ground and walked up to the first step she positioned herself in a split and then put her leg on the first step. The first three steps were almost painless for her and she stayed for a few minutes on each of them. On the fourth the aching started low and mellow in her legs especially along her thighs. When she was young after a day of over splits she would get up and fall because her legs would give way under her, but she was past that. She didn’t even grimace her professional smile on her face. She then went up to the fifth step, she would stop at five. She stretched out back wards and held until the ache was too much.

Then she dropped herself carefully to the ground in a sitting position legs crossed before her, knowing not to overdo do it. She propped herself up on her elbows waiting for the twinging to stop.
As she sat there she must have looked lonelier than ever she reflected. But it was true, she was alone.

[Rhuryc]

Often he found himself wandering these alleys. So strange was it to find a place of solitude within the city's walls, especially at the tail end of dawn. The peasantry was up and about as Syliras woke, tradesmen tending to their noble professions and merchants stocking up for the days events - activity, in short, was never seldom in supply. The man's usual morning trip to the gate had become somewhat of an adventure. He took paths unfamiliar and wondered the back streets, witnessed the people in their morning chores with a degree of curiosity. Always the ways of others interested him, always there was more to learn.

The clack of his boots on the cobbled stone acted as an announcement. Clad in his long, leather coat, tunic, and simple breeches, the man was not an unwelcome sight. He, after all, had only just tended to his appearance, his hair still wet and slicked back against his skull. Although he carried a sword on his belt his hands were clear away from the weapon, each occupying a pocket in a sign of peace. The weapon, after all, was for little more than defense. And perhaps a degree of sentimental value. His footfalls, though, fell silent as he turned a corner and came upon a queer sight. A young woman it appeared, contorted into all sorts of shapes. For what seemed the longest time the man sat, content, as he watched Fade clear a few steps in some peculiar manner. One that he imagined would break his back clear in half. The performance was over before Fade most likely realized it had begun and Rhuryc grinned, his hands coming together in a loud, brazen applause.

"That's a neat trick, but I think you're on the wrong street. Do that by the gate and it might fetch you a bit of coin." Rhuryc said, his thick baritone light with a degree of humor.

[Fade]

“It does fetch me some coins” She answered smiling not moving from her sitting positions. “But I was just limbering up” She pushed herself up in a standing position and went over to her bag rummaged around and produced a pair of light gloves, she pulled them on self consciously.
Turning back to the man eyeing his weapons she asked “Are you a knight? If you are I’ll tell you now, I’m no criminal and I don’t use my gift for nefarious reasons. Trust me I get that a lot” She gestured at her gloved hands. Everyone she met had to say the same thing! She sat down on the steps but then got up quickly and did a back bend smoothly. Feeling better she sat down again. Sometimes you go that feeling just to put your spine in the right place again.

[Rhuryc]

"Knight?" Rhuryc furrowed his brow. Did he really look like a knight? The man took a moment to survey his attire, eyes scanning his body an effort to confirm the girl's suspicions. He supposed the coat was somewhat regal. Maybe. The sword, though, he almost laughed. For just a moment he considered impersonating one of the guards if just to see the results. Maybe even harass a bit. No doubt that would get him arrested. Sometimes Rhuryc regretted living in Syliras.

"Don't worry, I'm not on government pay." The man said as he withdrew his hands from their pockets, arms crossing up over his chest. He continued to watch Fade as she ran through her routine - typical as it may have been - curious as to the inner workings of the 'art'. Rhuryc felt the gears in his mind start to turn. That was never a good sign. He took a few steps in with a somewhat bemused countenance, considering his next words.

"I guess only a fool would think otherwise." He commented on Fade's last words. "I'm, ah. Rhuryc, by the way. What brings you back here to the alleys? Shouldn't you be out performing?"

[Fade]

He seemed amused by her asumption Fade noted but she wasnt bothered by her mistake at least she had cleared that point.
“My feet brought me here under my firm insistence” She answered grinning doing some comfortable easy stretches then she added “I wanted to stretch a bit before performing and to work on my over splits...” She demonstrated by putting one foot on the 5th step and the other one on the ground, crossing her arms and holding the unnatural position. She stayed there and then got up carefully holding out a gloved hand “Pleasure to meet you Rhuryc, I’m Fade” She smiled and pushed a lock of white blonde hair out of her icy blue eyes. “Not a knight then? What are you…apart from human I mean? What do you do to earn a few pennies?”

[Rhuryc]

"That makes sense." Rhuryc chuckled at the girl's words. He often found his own feet responsible or taking him strange places. With a general, jovial appeal, the man moved a bit closer and took a seat on the near-by staircase, taking the fifth step so he could remain eye level with his new acquaintance. He listened and watched as she continued her small speech, amused at the motions her body was able to take without pain. As before he imagined his own joints falling to pieces if they were ever put in such a position. He almost shuddered just thinking about it.

"Well met, Fade. I'm blacksmith." Apprentice, anyway, but he left that part out. People usually responded better when he left his training out of the conversation. Respect, he found, was best earned by omission. "Decent coin, I suppose, but nowhere near as exciting as a performance or two. What else do you do? Or is all contortions to make men shiver in their boots?"

He grinned.

[Fade]

She watched him get closer carefully but didn’t show it “Well I hope to get a job, I would prefer children. They have innocent minds and I could help them. But for now its only contortion shows: easy and painless…well almost painless or lets say mostly painless” She chuckled and shook her head knowingly getting up and doing a back bend, which consisted in bending backwards until her hands touched her ankles.

Holding the position while speaking upside down she said “I wouldn’t have guessed you were a blacksmith, ah the serotypes of society! I would imagine a mountain of a man, mostly bald with a huge heavy leather apron and an absent gaze…”
She grinned right back at him and started coming out of her back bend. Then she added in response to his last question “Oh, I’m gifted in giving people the shivers” She touched her red gnosis mark on her chest “Extremely gifted” She widened her eyes and smiled.

[Rhuryc]

Rhuryc quirked a brow. He had no clue what the red mark on Fade's chest was. At all. To him it appeared as if she were patting her breast in some misinterpretation of his words. Well, to each their own, he figured. His ears remained open otherwise, but he made an effort to stand, pushing from his perch and up on his feet once again. Strangely, he had achieved this feet without his hands ever leaving his pockets. A unique gift to be sure.

"Right. Stereotypes." He agreed, confused. "That's pretty specific. Can't really say I know many smiths like that. Yeah." He blinked and glance around the alley, his boots kicking idly at the ground. He was at a loss, really, he had no idea what to say. That was a rare occasion. Maybe it was just too early. Or something. That was it, definitely.

"Well, ah. I have to be getting to the 'works, can't be late, you know?" He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head, his footfalls clattering against the cobbled ground as he moved off back toward the main streets.

[Fade]

Fade watched him closely her icy eyes never leaving him even when he turned she stood up and cocked her head and opened her mouth and said “Can you even use the sword you so flamboyantly carry on your hip?” The words had a sharp edge to them and they came out fast and furious. She was plainly annoyed her hand on her hip her eyes somewhat narrowed. But Fade was an impulsive person capable of huge mood jumps and she was demonstrating that now, not willingly of course. Her gift had also given her almost another identity, people desires almost feeling like her own, in fact Fade had an instable character but fortunately she possessed an iron self control.

A cloud obscured the sun precipitating the road in shadow but Fade didn’t move an inch. She waited for his reaction, if he would have one that is.

[Rhuryc]

What? Rhuryc quirked a brow and peered back over his shoulder. His hands remained in his pockets, but for just a moment he contemplated removing the blade and showing the girl what he knew. Enough to teach a lesson. His expression remained clear and he turned on a heel, his gaze coming to rest on the ghost faced Fade. What was the deal with the mood swing? Their conversation was not headed much of anywhere and he really did need to work. Did she expect him to draw, here, in the middle of day within the walls of Syliras? No doubt a wing of knights would be on them in seconds. The bastards had a sixth sense about these kind of engagements. No doubt the peasantry was watching as well.

"Maybe." He responded, his head tilting to the side. "Then again, maybe I just wear it to keep people from picking fights. There a reason you want to know, lass?" His tone took on a sardonic nature, one that dared Fade to make a move. Really, though, it was just how he felt. He had no reason to fight this girl.