Completed Something Missing

[Tichi]

Tichi looked around. She hadn't been to this particular place yet, so naturally she was curious. Daniel held her curiosity more than anything else, though, and she'd nearly accepted his offer of dinner in his home. Something drew her to him, yet something else made her hesitate.

"Hmmm? Oh! Well, not much to tell as I'm only about a year old. Squirrels grow fast. Biggest thing that's happened to me is my Dad died, so I'm free now and I can run around as I like and make my own money." Tichi's fingers toyed briefly with a key hanging on a slim chain around her neck. "Did you know locks can be made to work both ways? I didn't until he paid somebody to rig ours."

She cocked her head and studied Daniel. "I bet you could have broken out. I'm not big and strong enough. I can get in and out of a lot of places, but a locked door with no windows stumped me."

That was it, that was what had bothered her ... if his place was anything like Tichi's she'd potentially be trapped with nowhere to run. The thought sent shivers down her spine. Not that he seemed like he'd hurt her ... but then fathers weren't supposed to hurt daughters either, and hers had presented a charming face to the world.

[Daniel Connor]

Tichi seemed to talk of her father’s death as if it was almost nothing, maybe because she had not known him for very long. “I am sorry,” he said somberly, using a voice that spoke of past pain, “Both my parents were killed by bandits when I was young. Fending for myself was…hard.” He smiled then, saying, “You seem to be doing a pretty good job of it yourself, though!” He was saddened, as she seemed to be saying that she had been imprisoned. His eyes grew dark; he did not like the idea of an innocent girl like this being locked up for any length of time. Seeming to sense her worry, he said, “My house is in the upper part of the city. I chose it because it has lots of natural light coming through the windows, and the air is fresh. I like to be close to the stars, it reminds me of home.” He stared off into space for a moment, thinking of the wonderful splashes of multicolored light that had lit up the sky in his northern home. The aurora seemed to be mimicked in his hair, causing the dark brown locks to shimmer with blues and greens in the light. Daniel was beginning to think that her father had been an abusive man, the way she talked about him as if he was dead to her. The was not another way in which a father deserved his daughter’s hate. A desire to bring the man to justice, either by the law or his own means, crossed his mind. If it meant something to Tichi, he would do it if she asked it of him.

[Tichi]

"Oooh that sounds..." Tichi's reply was interrupted for a moment as food and drink was brought and she was introduced to the taste of wine for the first time in her life. "Oh wow, I like that. I've never had wine before." She dug into the food with enthusiasm, eating more than one would think possible for her size.

Tichi thought she caught a glimmer of amusement in Daniel's eyes, so she explained waving a fork, "I have a high metabolism. I eat a lot more than you'd think to look at me. Sometimes I forget though, and if I go too long without I faint. It's embarrassing. So what do you do for a living? Must pay well to afford a place like that," she added wistfully.

[Daniel Connor]

"Er..." Daniel had been hoping to avoid this subject for as long as possible. Some people admired him for it, others less so. He was a mercenary, charged with many things, such as protection work, minor conflicts, debt collection, and rarely, assassinations. It was maybe not the most legal of careers, but it paid well, and had benifits, protection from crime. He was feared in that community. He might not be the most adept at unnarmed combat. Though, when flux was brought into the mix, it turned into something deadly, not to be crossed. Deciding to be honest, he explained, "I am a mercenary. It pays very well, and I have had to fight for many years, so why would I stop now. It has become a part of me," he sighed. He had not wanted to do this, but had found his only skills that remained were ones of combat. His musical talents had long since faded, maybe he would give his horn a play, just incase. He picked at his food, savoring the rich flavor. They sat in a sweet silence for a moment, enjoying each other's company. He was amused by her first taste of wine. It was an aquired taste for some, but she evidently was not one of those people. Tichi did eat quite a bit, as much as he did. It was as she had said, she did not look like her slim frame could hold that much food inside of it, without become thicker. That would be seen as a gift my most women, but he knew it might be an inconvience at times.

[Tichi]

Thoroughly confused, Tichi absorbed his response in silence for awhile. She finished her meal and asked for more wine before she finally spoke again.

"Is that why there's dried blood on your knuckles? Did you have to beat somebody up? Do people pay you to do that, then, and why do they?" She narrowed her eyes at him, her body posture wary. "It's not nice to beat people up unless they deserve it. If my Dad was still alive I'd probably pay you to beat him up. He definitely deserved it. But not everybody deserves it."

Her fingers crept up to stroke her scarred cheek again. "But you don't seem the sort to beat up innocents."

[Daniel Connor]

Daniel looked down at his hand, seeing that there was indeed a bit of dried blood. He rubbed at it then looked up at Tichi. She did not seem to hate him, and she was right, he did try to only attack people that deserved it wherever he could. “Well, mostly it is protection. When someone fears for their life, they call me and I defend them. Also, if people owe other people money, I persuaded them to pay up, they almost always do,” he answered after a while, now more comfortable with the subject. “I do not beat up innocents whenever possible. You are right, I am not that kind of person.” It was confirmed. Her dad had been abusive, and he spoke, venom in his voice, “I hope he died in pain far greater than what he cause you, his own daughter.” He shook his head, death had been a kindness that the man did not deserve. “I think I would kill him for free,” he said with a wink. “Who do you work for?”

[Tichi]

Tichi relaxed, her face clearing of its frown. "That makes more sense." She shrugged and drank more wine. "As to my Dad, I suspect it was somebody he owed money to that killed him. He had a gambling problem. It's why he kept trying to get me to steal."

She made a wry face. "If I hadn't been so terrified all the time I might have managed to actually do it. I did manage to lay hands on things he wanted once in awhile, because, you know, sneaky. But I always freaked out and lost whatever it was before I made it back home."

[Daniel Connor]

Huh, a squirrel thief! He imagined someone telling the guards that one, causing him to chuckle under his breath. It was possible, he mused, that it was him that had killed her father. Maybe he would ask in what way had he been killed, or what he looked like. “A partner in crime really helps with the nerves, and it is always more fun. A lot of times, I am waiting on a street corner or alley for my target to walk along, and time passes quicker when you have someone to talk to,” he proposed, hinting that he might be able to help her if it still was what she wanted to do. They soon finished their food, paid the bartender who wished them a good evening. Collecting their coats, they exited the establishment to find rain pouring down from the heavens. “You have to love Syrilan Falls!” he said, sarcasm dripping off every word. “Would you like to head to my house for tea? It is warm and dry.”

[Tichi]

"Ummmm .... yeah, sure. I'd like to shee it, honestly, it sounds beautiful." Tichi pulled at the worn edges of her coat sleeves. "I have to remember to go clothesh shopping soon. Oh, you were asking what I do. I'm a courier." She beamed proudly. "No more worrying about the Knights catching me shtealing and throwing me in a dark dungeon foreeeeeeever and ever until I die. Or doing other horrid thingsh to me Dad hinted at."

Truth be told, Tichi just flat didn't want to leave Daniel's side. She decided she didn't want to examine that too closely right now. She needed to concentrate on walking straight and speaking clearly, which for some reason was becoming more difficult than usual.

"Anyway, I deliver for Hadyn the shmith some days, and other days I *hic* freelance. What the *hic* oh dear *hic.*" Tichi's face twisted in consternation. "Ish the city moving or ish it just *hic* me? What's happening, Daniel? Why am I *hic* making these noishes all of a shudden? Am I *hic* dying?" she panicked. "I don't wanna die *hic* yet! I'm only one!"

Tichi flailed her arms in panic, then in the middle of reaching for Daniel's coat sleeve she suddenly lost complete control of her form. A pile of clothing now lay on the floor with a woebegone squirrel shivering and hiccuping in the middle of it.

OOCAnd now we know Tichi + alcohol = bad. Teehee!

[Daniel Connor]

Taichi's cheeks were flushed, a bright red. Daniel laughed, she was drunk! It was quite cute, her normally fast speech was slurred and, still faster than a normal person’s, slow. She walked in a wavy pattern on the cobble streets. He locked his arm in her’s so she would not fall, and he had grown quite fond of her as the day progressed. “Ah, I know Hadyn, she fixed a rapier for me last summer,” he recalled, Hadyn was a kind woman, and he was happy that Tichi was working for her. He smiled when she started to hiccup. This girl had low tolerance, he mused, most Kevlics seemed to, especially the smaller ones. She grew panicked, and Daniel reassured her, “You are fine, it is just the hiccups, they are perfectly norm-” He gasped as she erupted into golden sparks, and the bit of her clothing he held went limp and fell to the ground. He picked it all up, wrapping the squirrel in it, like a nest. He spoke soothing words into her ear, as she was shivering, and he carried her to his home. Daniel lit a fire with practiced hands, it casting its warm light throughout the living room. He set her clothes down by the fire to dry. He stroked Tichi’s furry head and waited until she was calm enough to Shift back.