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A lawless town of anarchists, built on the ruins of an ancient mining city. [Lore]
The wind hollowed through the empty streets, only a few people scattered amongst the buildings, beginning their daily rituals. It was cold out, the weather biting at his exposed skin. The nearly six-foot teen hugged his tattered cloak closer to his chest, seeking warmth that he did not receive.
His stomach growled in complaint. It was not the best way to start the morning; cold, hungry, and sleep deprived. Zachariah muffled a yawn in his hand and started walking near the edge of the street, by the buildings, to avoid the frigged wind.
There is no shame in doing what needs to be done for your own survival, Zach. I do not care for you pick pocketing, as you seem to enjoy it, but please choose your targets carefully. There are poor and desperate people all around us, you do not need to make their lives worse for your own thrills. And I do not wish to see you hurt because if it either.
His recently deceased brother’s words echoed in his head. Gabriel had never been too fond of Zach’s pickpocketing, but at the same time he could not blame the kid all that much. It had been a hobby for the teenager that turned into a survival tool after his parents died, and even more so after the death of Gabriel.
Swaying a little, Zach looked around for a target, someone who he could tell could go without a silver miza or two. It was then he spotted his prey. It was a woman in her late thirties; she had blonde hair that was pinned up against her head in a bun. She wore a scantily made dress that was a navy color, and looked like she could only fit in it with the help of a tightly wound corset. She had a small purse hung loosely around one shoulder.
Hopefully, She is carrying enough for breakfast.
Last edited by Zachariah on August 8th, 2011, 12:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
He followed her for a couple blocks, keeping his distance and simply watching. She seemed to have been in a hurry to get somewhere. The click clacking of her boots against the cobbled ground were all but enough to follow her without a visual. Zach, having gone a night without sleep now, did not chance it; he was working at a disadvantage.
Wonder where she’s going?
He thought momentarily slipping behind one of the stalls that an old man had been setting up. He sold little trinkets and knick-knacks, and was apparently unaware of the teen that was taking refuge on the end of his wooden stall. Zachariah paused only for a moment, waiting for the elderly shopkeeper to go grab more of his sales items before moving again. As his time came he skimmed his hand along the wooden top, snatching a silver chained necklace as he went, before quietly vanishing off in the direction he was heading once again.
As he was about a half a block a way, he heard the old man’s cry of frustration as he realized something was missing from his stand, but Zach had returned his focus to the woman who he had his eyes on from the beginning. Catching up on the ground he lost as he went after the old man for the moment. He stuffed the necklace that he snagged from the stall into his pocket for safe keeping, intending to pawn it off later for some lunch money.
What he did not realize was the old man had friends, and the friends had spotted him and were now trailing him as he was trailing his prey. Zachariah had not a clue of the two men who were closing in on him.
He was in position, and ready to have a go at the woman. She had just turned the corner, and he was a few steps away from her. Zach was in her shadow, even though he was actually taller than her, being hunched over as he was. She still was oblivious to his presence.
Just don’t hurt her, Zach.
His brothers’ words again in his head, a constant reminder of the role model he lost, giving him comfort and tormenting him at the very same time. The seventeen year old sprung him at the woman from behind. His shoulder knocking into hers, the hand just low enough to grab the purse and tug on it. The woman in response screamed, her other hand coming up to shove him away as soon as he was beginning to take his leave past her. Zachariah stumbled for a second, trying to find his footing, and keep a hold of the stolen item at the same time.
“STOP!” He could hear her echo as he rounded the corner, running into the wall with his shoulder before regaining his balance enough to keep running. He had gotten what he needed from her, and it looked like no one saw it or heard her. It was still early in the morning, in a less crowded area of Sunberth.
He kept running, one block, two, and three. He thought he had gotten off scot-free at this point, until he ran into something very solid, not like the brick wall type, but there is a humanoid creature in blocking your path type. He stumbled back, falling onto his but and looked up to see one very large man hovering over him looking menacing. There was a second man that appeared from behind, looking just as intimidating.
“Hey, kid. Drop something?” The one he ran into chuckled holding up the purse that was in his arm. Zachariah scrambled to his feet, to realize the two men still had at least two inches on him and probably 50 more pounds.
The question now was; how hungry was he?
Last edited by Zachariah on August 6th, 2011, 4:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Desperation made man do many a hideous thing. It is also the thing that often drives the most inspirational material of legend and lore. In Zachariah’s case, his desperation was not that great, but immense nonetheless he was really fucking hungry; so much so that, taking on two guys at least a size and a half larger, he was willing to take on with hunger in his eyes.
“Give it back, now.” He growled with as much strength and anger as he could muster. There was no question that he could look incredibly menacing should he ever chose too.
“Why should we?” The man snickered, obviously not threatened by the teenager in front of him. “You stole it from that poor woman, as you had taken that item from that old man’s shop.” Zach’s eyes widened a quarter of an inch at the reveal of information, but he was not going to back down. “I took it fair and square, it’s mine, Damnit.” He growled, using the strength in his legs to lunge at the man holding the purse. It was enough force to knock both of them down, but not the other man who had side stepped and was now looking down at the mess of limbs.
“Foolish child.” The other man with a brown long beard remarked, grabbing the collar of Zach and pulling him off of his partner. The eighteen year old shouted in frustration, lunging at the man who pulled him off, only to be cut off with a fist to his stomach. Zachariah tumbled over to his knees, coughing at the sudden lost of air. His hands were at his stomach in that instant as he tried regaining his composure. Zach was completely outmatched, but it was the last act of a desperate man as it were.
He looked up at the two with unbridled anger in his eyes, gasping air, but still ready to have more. He needed that purse for food. He was not going to let them take it away from him. It was his spoils, his rewards, let him enjoy it, but when has Sunberth’s life ever been that easy?
In the last feat of effort and strength, Zach lunged himself at the man with the purse again, aiming to take it and run as if he was another one of his pick pocketing targets. Though the difficulty now was, that punch probably fractured one of his ribs, and most definitely knocked the wind out of him, and he had done little to no damage to his enemies.
The seventeen year old managed to knock the one to the ground by a sheer miracle snatching the purse in the process. It was then Zach began to run for his life. He scrambled to the nearest corner, swinging around it as the two bullies began after him, shouting curses at him, but Zach kept sprinting even though he was wheezing for the precious oxygen to keep going.
“WHEN I GET MY HANDS—“ The one shouted, but the teenager kept running, his legs burning with the effort. The two men were obviously much slower than him, and more built for wrestling battles than for flat out running.
After a couple blocks, turning right and left to loose them, Zach ventured a nervous glance behind him. The shouting had seized and the footfalls of heavyset men running were in the distance. Zach dared to slow down a tad, his lungs and legs in a painful state.
He had narrowly managed to escape the thugs, and nearly scot-free at that. Zach got away with only a couple fractured ribs, but he did get his goal plus the chained necklace that caused all the problems to begin with. He pawned it off an hour later and ate well that day due to his spoils.
Note- there was no award for escape artist as escape artist deals specifically with getting out of confines and restraints, like ropes, cuffs etc.
Would you like some extra turtle sauce ? :
A very nice read, Zach, hope you come back soon to sunberth
Thank you all for the privildege of moderating, unfortunately with deaths in the family and ailing health I am retiring. All thread grades I had on my pc have been forwarded to founders and paragon, so expect them posted soon. It's been a mixed bag at times , but with all the good and the bad and mixed signals, I can honestly say: Thank you. Please support the next mods of sunberth as well as you have done me. [/color] Sunberth Forum | Sunberth Lore |Storyteller Guide and Requests |Ole Archie's Office|
by Zachariah on August 5th, 2011, 6:50 pm 
