Completed Won't Back Down

[Tallis Ishtari]

Tallis Ishtari 74 of Spring 513 The day was beautiful. Spring in Ravok was no doubt Tallis’ favorite time of year. It meant a renewed state of mind and new state of consciousness. It was his second day back. He spent the first with family and began this day on his knees in front of the alter he had set up in his apartment. It was dedicated to The Voice and to Rhysol. It was good to be back in the city that he loved. Tallis was in Nitozian Plaza to observe with no intentions to be up to no good at least for the moment. His intent was only to observe he told himself, but for him that was not as easy as it seemed. The influx of new people on the docks was very enticing. It only meant there were plenty of people that needed “guidance” through the fair city of Ravok. That meant opportunities to earn a few extra coins or a few pockets to pick. A soft cool breeze blew off the water that sent a few people wrapping their arms around themselves to ward off the cold. For Tallis it made it all the easier to know who was native to Ravok and who was not. From there he was able to whittle down the prospects. He leaned against the wall to his back and set one foot flat against it trying to look as nonchalant as he could. He knew if he blended into the scenery the less conspicuous he would be. Minutes rolled by and the crowd started to build. By this time he had found his mark, a middle age couple that appeared to be awed by the city, and quite frankly looked lost. Brushing the hair out of his brown hair out of his eyes he pushed himself away from the wall and made his move. Avoiding people was becoming a problem issue. Stealth was going to abandon him on this mission. He was force to say excuse me to more than a few people as he jostled past them. Some were annoyed by his pawing to get past them but others gave him a polite smile and a nod. Even he was getting a little annoyed with the crowd his prey was getting away, but there would be no way he was going to back down. So focused was Tallis that he didn’t see the group of very young children step out from their parents. It was all he could do not to run into them. Unfortunately he failed to miss one little girl who hit the pavement and immediately started to wail a mournful cry. He was about to curse the little girl from being stupid and be on his way if it wasn’t for the fact that there was one person starting directly into his eyes as if waiting to see what he was going to do. He had an inkling that person had been watching him the entire time. He truly hoped that he was wrong. [/indent][/color][/frame2]

[Marxander]

Just getting into Ravok, and looking around herself, she couldn't help but take everyone in. Including the human that was in the mists of 'stalking' his prey. Prehaps if there weren't so many people, he would have done a better job; but there was, so he didn't. She could clearly see his target, an older couple, tourists most likely, taking in the view, completely unaware of their would-be pickpocket.

Her ember-blue eyes tracked him through the crowd, and she, deciding to slip up his game even more so, followed him. She was only too glad that she did. Having a keener eyesight, she spotted the kids escaping from their parent's watchful eye. She let them do her dirty work.

The man tripped on the little girl, and when she fell, she wailed. It was a sight to see his face! It looked, as if, he was about to scream and curse at the little girl in his annoyance. Yet, his eyes looked up to Marx and she smirked at him, lifting a brow at him. What was he to do in such an awful predicament? Surely the parents would have something quiet heated to 'tell' him.

Yes, she was very glad she had kept her eye on this one. This was going to be a big laugh. Well, for her at least.

[Tallis Ishtari]

The pause was too long as Tallis stared into the woman’s eyes. It allowed the father of the child let loose a barrage of heated words. Tallis straightened himself as the mother picked up the little girl his eyes still on the woman. “Are you listening to me young man?” The angry father said.

Tallis wet his lips and glanced at the parents. “I am truly sorry. I didn’t see your daughter. Is she alright?” He would have really meant the words if it was not for the fact that his quarry was escaping onto a boat. He clenched his jaws tight and would have sneered if the parents were still not glaring at him.

“You had better be more careful young man or I just might have to call the guards.” The father said apparently still heated over what Tallis had done to his daughter. Tallis smiled apologetically and looked over the girl. From what he could see there wasn’t even a scratch on the brat.

Tallis glanced from the parents to his intended prey to the woman that was still smirking at him. He was almost in a panic at the thought of the guards getting mixed up in what was an accident. He wanted to scream at the parents for letting the brat get away from them. Taking a breath he calmed himself and put up his hands defensively. “I am… truly sorry. I will be more careful.” He said with as much sincerity as he could muster.

The parents wondered off with their brood but not before the father gave him one last glare. Tallis looked up to the heavens and mouthed the word “why?” He now turned his attention to the woman with the smirk. Was she still looking at him?

[Marxander]

She was still looking at him, and that smirk has turned into a full blown, wolfish grin. She chuckled, tilting her head at the human male "Sorry about the little girl. I would have warned you, but it just seemed too easy."

She glaze flickered over to the couple, nearly onto the boat "If you still want to go after them, you could just follow them. I know I would, but that's just me. On the other hand, you could just be some little pickpocket that doesn't know a good chase when he see one, in which case, you've become much more boring in my eyes."

Marxander was acting like an arrogant little prick, why? Most would ask. Mostly because when you've been alone in the wilderness for more than half of your life, albeit that was only 8 months, you come to pick up a strange sort of humor. That humor including acting like she knew it all, or most of it at least, and teasing others relentlessly, regardless of their personal relationship, or in this case, the lack there of.

[Tallis Ishtari]

Warned him? What? Was she crazy? If she had warned him his prey would have bolted. Was she going to do, yell out to watch out for the child? He was not exactly an amateur at picking pockets. He had been successful before. Ok, twice he had been successful before, but she did not have to know that the particulars of his success ration.

Tallis stood for a moment longer with an eyebrow arched and his mouth open. “I plan on following them thank you.” He peeked over his shoulders to look at the older couple. They had not entered the gondola boat yet. From all appearances they were haggling with the boat operator over prices or maybe what sites they could see from the boat.

He growled softly and turned his attention to the woman again and narrowed his eyes at her. Suspicion was now throwing alarms in his head. “And how in the world do you know what I was planning to do?” Tallis said as he waged a pointed finger at her. “You’re not with the city guards are you? Because I have not done anything wrong.”

Yet… Tallis lowered his hand and snuck a peek at the couple. They were entering the boat and the boatman had a smile on his face. Tallis tapped his foot a few times in irritation that he needed to get moving if he was going to put some cash in his pockets.

[Marxander]

Rolling her eyes at him and his impatience, she strolled herself along to the boat, not waiting for him to follow. She did turn around as she walked, but more graceful on her bare feet than he "One: I have my ways. And two: Do I look like one?" She shook her brown-red mane, turning back around. Sometimes humans could be so silly.

She jumped down onto the docks. She quickly looked around, searching. She found a rope connected to the boat that had already been untied. She took it, found a post that connected it to another boat and thither it to that. The boat should be stalled now, for a couple of minutes that is. She peered back over the wall, watching to see if the young man would take the hint.

[Tallis Ishtari]

He was speechless. He didn’t know if he should follow her as she casually walked away or yell at her for being one of the most impossible people had ever met. Her attitude only was causing the muscles in his shoulders to tense. Narrowing his glare he watched her walk a few dozen steps. She was bare foot! There wasn’t a sole in Ravok that would be barefoot on the dock in the springtime. Granted the weather was nice by the city of Ravoks standards but certainly not worth running around without shoes on your feet.

She slid through the crowd like no one he had ever seen in his lifetime. It was all he could do to keep with her graceful stride. She reached the dock before he could cover half the distance. Tallis would blame it on the tourists that kept making him side step them and he had to do without drawing attention to his awkwardness. Which he was failing at, miserby.

By the time he had reached the dock he had drawn the attention of uniformed soldiers. Thankfully they were not really seriously interested in what he was doing, and this allowed him to slide up the boatman who was now looking about in confusion. Tallis lofted a worried look up at the crowd to see of the soldiers were looking the other way. They were and fortune smiled at him as the couple were getting out of the boat. The man bumped into him. “Oh, excuse me.” Tallis said quickly and just as quick parted the man with his bag of coins and was on his way back through the crowd.

[Marxander]

Of course she was barefoot! She was a Kelvic. Wearing shoes was impossible for them. They were the easiest thing to lose, nevermind her clothing. She swore, she didn't understand everyone's problem with nudity. It was just a body after all.

She smiled witnessing him take the coins, not having see the part of him tripping all over himself and others, as she was busy. The climbed back up, coming to his side. Her arm brushing against his to let him know she was there"I didn't get your name 'hunter'." She clicked her tongue teasingly at the word 'hunter'.

[Tallis Ishtari]

Tallis was too busy concealing the bag of coins to notice too much around him. His adrenaline was pumping and knew it would only be a matter of time before the tourist would know that he was missing his coins. He felt something touch his arm, he nearly jumped out of his skin until he saw it was her. He should not have been surprised to see her at his side, but he was. She was inhumanly smooth and quick.

“Name?” He said as he glanced over his shoulder as they left the safety of the crowd. He turned down an alley way and then other. He knew Ravok like the back of his hand. It was no wonder organized crime liked him as a messenger, or so he deluded himself into thinking. He was only a very small fish in a very large pond. “I don’t give my name to just anyone.” He smiled this time with it actually touching his eyes and not his fake smile that he gave his fare rides. He nudging her with his forearm.

“Thanks for the help back there. It made taking the bag of coins that much easier. So I guess you’ve earned the right to know my name.” Tallis stopped just as they rounded a corner and headed in between two buildings and faced her. “Name’s Tallis… “

[Marxander]

She allowed him to tug her along. As he spoke, something occured to her, vaguely so. Not really in words, but rather a feeling. It was common for Kelvic to get these tingles. Sometimes words simply couldn't describe it right. Action was really the only true measure for them, and her.

She tried to look around at her surrounding to know where she was but gave up quickly. Street signs and words and turns meant nothing to her. She instead focus on his voice, listening to what he said. It made her smirk, showing off her pronouced canine teeth "Tallis." She repeated his name, her lips curling around the vowels in a soft hiss "Marxander." She replied with her own name "I know that's a mouthful, so you can call me Marx."

Marx looked up to him "I guess I'm not just anyone, huh?" She chortled "Why did you bring me here anyway? You know, besides hiding from the tourists and the eventual guards they would have called."