Flashback Bully (Markus Andres)

[Tabitha Aryns]

Spring 47th, 501AV In between East and West Street “Do I have ta’ take a scarf?” “Yes dearie, I don’t want you catching a cold.” A small girl no taller than four feet, with clean, long, and straight dark brown to black hair questioned an older woman, her mother, who looked very much like her daughter in every other way except for the eyes. The mother was fitting the small girl with a loose coat, and a wool scarf, probably far too over prepared for the middle of a spring season, but the older woman would have none of it. Spring, early, or mid, it mattered not, for there was the chance of sickness to make its rounds, and small children or the sick and elderly were its yearly victims. Ceras wanted Tabitha to be safe as possible without cutting her freedom after chores, and much to the mother’s dismay, her daughter wanted to play outside. When Tabitha’s mother felt the young girl was ready, the older woman gave the small girl an encouraging pat on the back to go, but promptly called out as the small girl skipped away from the house: “You better stay away from that East Street girl!” The warning fell on deaf ears, if there was one thing of her mother’s words that Tabitha never listened to, it was to stay away from her one and only friend. Though her mother hadn’t said the girl’s name, Tabitha knew she was referring to Amanda, a girl whose family was slightly worse off than most common folk were. Social class meant nothing to the two when they were together, but Amanda understood it better than Tabitha did. It was perhaps because of this that Amanda often found herself in the clutches of trouble, and it seemed to have found her again, this time in the form of a bully while waiting for Tabitha to arrive. They had been planning to sneak away from the city into the Mirahil Pass, or stowaway themselves onto one of the many ships that lowered their anchors in the port city Zeltiva. Both obviously bad ideas, Amanda had been the one to suggest them, and they would end up playing hide and seek, or pirates and sailors once at either destination. Yet here was this bully disrupting their plans, Tabitha saw as she slowed down to a mere crawl of her former speed, a young boy who looked to be around her own age was engaging with her friend Amanda. There was no ‘for better or for worse’ as it was quite clear on Amanda’s face about how distressed she was over the boy, but Tabitha didn’t know what to do. Amanda’s face was red and puffy, as if she had been crying, but now held control over the tears as she stared straight to the ground, her little hands balled into tight fists. She was doing her best to ignore the bully, but her patience, and her impulse control was certainly waning. The younger girl fiddled with the tassels of her scarf nervously as she neared, voice squeaking uncomfortably for both Amanda, and the bully to hear; Amanda’s attention snapped over to Tabitha, taken by surprise at the smaller girl’s presence. “Wh-wh-what are y-you doing..? L-leave Amanda a-alone.”

[Markus Andres]

Carefully positioning his foot close to the wall. There the floor boards did not creak as much. Gingerly placing his weight down and as true to tradition, the floor board remained silent. Another step and the boy reached out and grabbed a small white cloak that hung by the wall. Then came the final step of his master escape plan. Finding a way to open the door without anyone hearing him. He turned the handle. Slowly. Every little noise freaking him out and making him nervous. Come on. Just a little more. It clicked open and Markus swung the door open. Now was not the time for stealth, it was speed! He jumped out of the house. Door slamming behind him as he hastily fled from the constricting house. Fled into the freedom of the Zeltivan streets!

No chores to do out here. No pestering brothers demanding him to do stuff. No father looking at him with condescending and disappointed eyes. Freedom. Markus had no particular direction he was heading. Just away! Small legs carried him around a corner and into the relative safety of another street. He threw the cloak around his shoulders and it covered his small 4'9" frame. It was getting a little short for him. But he would probably not get a replacement until his 2 year older brother outgrew his cloak. But it still shielded the little blonde kid with dark green eyes from the worst of the wind. Under the cloak he wore a thick woollen dark grey blouse and pants.

The prospect of an adventure lured the boy to explore the streets for fun. Something to enrich the dull days of spring. That was when he saw her. A little innocent girl. Shyly and hopefully looking at a corner. Eagerly waiting for her friend to arrive? Boy or a girl, the kid pondered mischievously... girl. - It was time for Markus to have a little innocent fun, at the expense of someone else. Markus ran up to her and mockingly laughed the little girl in the face.

"She's not coming!" Markus lied derisively, the girl looked at him surprised. "Because you're stupid! And she hates you." The kid continued in a mocking tone of voice and could see the tears form at the corners of her eyes as she shook her little head in denial. "Who would want to be friends with an ugly girl like you!" The mockery continued as he began to kick dirt at the girl and stuck his tongue out at her. He could see how she struggled. Doing his best to make the girl cry more. "You smell like shyke! Hahahahah! Don't you know how to take a bath? you're so stupid!"

A squeaking stuttering voice came to the girl's defence. Markus looked over and saw the little girl. The kid roared with laughter as he pushed pass the girl named Amanda and hastily approached the new comer. Small arms reaching out and would try to puff the little girl back. Intimidate her. Hear her squeal in terror.

"You look even stupider than your friend! What is wrong with your face? Is it meant to look like that? Are you too dumb to answer?" The bully laughed at the black haired friend as he continued to try and puff the girl back.

OOCSorry for the delay!

[Tabitha Aryns]

“Eek!” The small girl squeaked in surprise rather than fear as she was pushed backwards, taking steps back to rebalance herself, she hadn’t expected the boy to get physical. Reflexively Tabitha’s arms shot up to shield herself from the boy after the initial push, to make it harder for him to continue the action, as he would then need to get past her hands to effectively make her budge. His words did not go unheard, causing a lump to form in her throat and hot tears sprung to sit on her lower eyelids, threatening to fall. Why did this boy have to be so mean? Questions grew in the back of her mind as he tried to push her again, this time, however, she was ready for it, and managed to not take another step back if only because one of her feet was already behind her and acted to prevent her from being budged, though she felt shaken. Thump. Went the beat of her heart wickedly fast. There was an emotion writhing inside that wanted out, but she didn’t know how to express it, or what it was, she had never felt truly angry before. Amanda stared at the exchange, eyes widening, fists trembling as she bit her bottom lip, while Tabitha tried to speak coherently to the bully. “N-no! I’m n-not d-dumb, an-and my face is just fine!” Her stutter cleared as her voice rose, she wanted to be heard, to be understood, and it took a lot of concentration on her part. This boy had no right to be touching her, or making fun of her looks, or Amanda’s either, for that matter, but how would Tabitha be able to express that to the bully? She had never been good with words, the stutter prevented her from saying the things on her mind freely, and this was no exception. “W-why do you have to b-be so mean, meanie!” Tabby was tempted to push the bully back, eye for an eye, get into a fight with him, but she was so much tinier than the boy and would most likely lose due to the size difference; not to mention Tabitha had never gotten into a fight before either. Even if Amanda could jump in for physical support, she had gotten into enough trouble recently as is, this wouldn’t be a fight she could participate in if she hoped to stay in the good graces of her own parents. Internally wailing at what to do, she sniffled, and rubbed at her eyes with her coats sleeve, maybe she could appeal to the bullies good side? If he even had one. “C-can’t we a-all j-j-just get a-along and b-be friends..?” Amanda interjected with a cry of disgust and equal disbelief. “What? With him?! Who would want to be friends with that nasty vagik!” She said a bad word, a forbidden word, a cruel word, and all Tabitha could do was stare at her friend in shock. Her best friend slapped her mouth shut in horror, only just realizing what had passed by her lips, eyes panning over to the bully. Tabitha wasn’t one to tattle on her friends, but the bully was an entirely different situation, her own dark brown eyes followed suit over to the bully as well.

[Markus Andres]

The bully could not budge the girl any longer. He was momentarily surprised that the smaller girl was able to keep him from pushing her back! It did not make sense, he was a boy! Boys were stronger than filthy girls! His expression grew a little harder, he did not like that she could keep him from pushing her back! It messed up his world order. She would have to be punished severely for that offence. Though perhaps Markus had already made a mistake in getting physical so early. Should instead have kept it in his repertoire for when he needed that extra oomph and just push her over the edge. Turn those tears extra bitter and more of a delight to see fall down her cheeks. But she proved more resilient to his attempts than he had thought. Daring to retort to his true claims.

The derisive laughter that mocked her feeble attempts to defend herself with words, rang out clear in the streets. The way she stuttered only reinforced Markus' idea that this girl was stupid. That she wasn't capable of forming even simple sentences! Plus the way she were conceited to believe that there was nothing wrong with her face.

"Hahaha! You're too dumb to speak like a person! What are you, Kelvic brained?" The insults were all reused and rehashed ones he had heard from his older brothers when they made fun of each other and their play time went from joyful to serious. "Your face looks like the back end of a cow!"

The little girl tried to push him and the bully mocking laughter returned as he pushed back against her. She would lose this pushing contest, he was determined of that, she would be on her butt and crying before he was through with her. His push became a very harsh shove. Her stuttering cries for them to just be friends was not responded to by Markus, but by her friend. Amanda he had been lead to believe her name was interrupted his fun time with her own outcry. She called him a vagik! Markus could hardly believe his ears. The little shykehead had called him a vagik! He opened his mouth in disbelief as he stared and pointed at her.

"You. I. I am going to tell an adult you called me that! Just you wait and see, you will be in so much trouble! HAhaha! You will be locked away until winter comes!" Then a delightfully cruel idea entered his juvenile mind. Never one to shy away from a great impulsive opportunity, he turned away from the stupid girl to the even stupider at stuttering girl. "Unless of course... You two do what I say for the rest of the day! Then I promise I won't tell anyone what you just said!" The bully did well to hide his mischievous grin from his lips and instead looked sincerely serene. He hoped to all the gods that these two dolts would agree to his little blackmailing.

[Tabitha Aryns]

The last shove succeeded, though possibly because she had changed her stance, and wasn’t prepared for it as she had relaxed into the notion he wouldn’t push her any harder than he had already. Squeaking as her feet could no longer support her weight, compromising her poor balance, she promptly fell onto her backside, grunting in pain as she collided with the muddy ground, dirtying her coat and dress skirt. That did it. Real tears bubbled at her eyelids and fell in cascading globules of distress, there wasn’t any stopping them, and she began to sniff and cough as she shuddered into a wail. Her mother had made that skirt for her and now it was dirty, she would get in trouble, crybaby Tabby was certain of it. Nevermind that the boy had just blackmailed them, Amanda seemed conflicted on what to do, stay and see to it that her friend would be fine, or run, never on her life would she want to do what that brat of a boy said. But… “We’ll… We’ll do as you say.” Amanda whispered in pure anger, hatred on the cusp of her voice, this boy was worse than scum but she couldn’t leave her friend to this bully. “But you had better keep that promise! Or.. Or.. The gods will curse you.” The sound of grinding teeth was faint as she choked the last sentence through. Tabitha hiccupped, nodding with Amanda’s response, she didn’t want her friend to be in trouble if the boy went and blabbered. “W-w-w-what d-do you w-want us to d-do?” Tabitha stuttered out, rubbing her face of tears that still kept flowing, chest heaving, containing another wail from escaping. Getting up and shaking, feeling awfully uncomfortable in her clothes now that her bottom half was exaggeratedly soaked with mud and peppered with dirt and dust. Amanda kept shooting the boy with glares of ultimate hatred, and Tabby stood there, wondering why, just what did this bully get out of being so mean to them? They hadn’t done anything, and it had been his fault that he elicited such a mean word from Amanda to him, it was his fault, the concept repeated in her head, so why were they getting the short end of the stick? Why did everyone just continue on their way? Not so much as even giving the two a glance of concern. Other children had gone out of their way to ignore the problematic trio, though some seemed to be lingering on as bystanders, watching as the bully made an example of the two. Would more descend upon the two like vultures to a rancid corpse? oocOhh, bad Markus, making Tabby cry like that.

[Markus Andres]

On the ground the now filthy girl fell. It was with a measure of satisfaction that the young boy noticed that the tears now came freely from her eyes. He had succeeded in his little mission. The gleeful smile on his lips told them much about the young boy. Her wails bothered him a little, but through her attempt to save her friend, she had brought this on herself. Should just have left them alone, for him to play with Amanda all alone. His dark green eyes shifting between the two girls as one cried and the other contemplated his generous offer of possible settling of their differences and join forces. Him, naturally, being their benevolent leader. Then those magic words rang sweetly in his ears. They agreed to his fair terms. The smile grew wider and the gleam in his eyes as he considered the possibilities. They were endless!

"I always hold my promises!" The bully scoffed at the notion that she did not trust him. She did well not to, for Markus just wanted to have fun and see these girls in misery for their slights toward him. He could use these girls to carry out some of the ideas he didn't dare do alone. Have them help him settle old grievances. There was the potential here for them to do some serious mayhem. Markus clapped his small hands together in excitement as the girl who had been wailing asked him what he demanded they do. Markus could get used to having people around to serve him at a whim. But could he trust them to do as he said? The hateful glares that the Amanda girl sent him was an indicator that she would do something stupid soon. Probably argue. Silently observing her friend get up and try to dust off her clothes.

"First, help dust your friend off. What are your names?" He demanded as he smiled sweetly to those that might throw a glance in their direction. Just children playing around, no reason for unreasonable adults to interfere in their fun activities. "When you are done, follow me." Markus waited for the two to get done before he would turn to a side road and lead the girls. He knew what the first goal would be. Several streets down from where Markus lived, there was a house, there were many houses, most ugly and uninteresting. But one of them had a small fence and behind the fence. A dog often stood barking at him when he passed. He always loathed that stupid mutt. A cross between five different breeds no doubt. Its fur sleek and black. Brown nose and markings around the eyes. It looked very skinny and its ribs were visible. It was already barking at Markus when it saw him, growling and snarling at him. A ferocious animal that kept moving sideways and its dark hateful eyes never left the young boy.

Markus loathed that dog for its incessant barking at him every time he passed the house on his way out. Might be it remembered him for tossing pebbles at it when he had been bored. If he could get these girls to help him exact a little revenge over this dog. Something simple and easy. Test the girl's commitment.

Have them become his accomplices.

[Tabitha Aryns]

Amanda’s expression darkened at the bully’s order to dust her friend off, snapping at him, with as much stubborn pride, and ferocity that she could muster proceeding to pat the dust and dirt off Tabitha. “I was going to do that anyways st-...Boy.” She caught herself before finishing, replacing ‘stupid’ with something more appropriate in their current situation; that something was ‘boy’ as the bully was indeed male. While Tabitha dried her face off with her sleeve, still sniffling, fighting off another wave of tears as the consequences of dirtying her dress skirt by accident ritcotted in her young mind. Her mother was an obsessive neat freak, and would surely be cross with the young girl for not being more careful, and possibly restrict her time out of the house, and push more chores on her. The boy had asked for their names. Amanda only grunted hers in an illegible sound, crossing her arms, and following after the boy with her friend Tabitha, who introduced the two in a more open and friendly manor. “I’-I’-I’m T-Tabby, and th-that’s Am-Amanda. Wh-what’s yours?” Pointing at the aggressively sulking girl next to her in a small voice, nervous about the boy, what he wanted them to do, and if it would involve getting even more dirty. Streets went by, and so did the chimes, and each street the trio passed the more Tabitha felt her sense of direction become convoluted, her house was so far away now. Barking interrupted her thoughts, jolting slightly at the noise, as her attention snapped to the direction of the sound. Dogs. Tabitha didn’t like dogs, but she didn’t like cats either for that matter, not even rodents or bugs. Disgusting little vermin they were, but the hounds held a more frightening tone about them, they were smelly, loud, and came in all sorts of sizes. Some were scarier than others, especially when they growled, and bared their teeth, yipping, and barking, and snarling, it sent a chill down the poor girl’s spine as they neared the beast of ultimate destruction. Taking cover behind Amanda, who was unfazed by the animal, bored by its mere presence, she sent a look at the boy who was their tyrannical leader as if to say ‘really?’ “I-I-I don-don’t l-like d-d-d-dogs.. dogs.” Tabitha whispered at the boy from behind Amanda, peeking out as she did so. Afraid the beast would hear her and become enraged even further, though Tabitha didn’t understand why the hound had become so threatening, and Amanda had her own suspicion laced in her features. “Its just a dog, Tabs, cool it. Look, its behind a fence, and can’t get you.” Amanda gestured over to the fence. “B-bu-but..” Tabby tried to protest, looking up at her friend still scared. The older girl attempted to clear the younger of her fears. “He can’t jump it.” “Wh-why is he-he s-so.. so.. scary r-right now though?” Tabby asked, looking in between Amanda, and the boy, expecting an answer from either of the two but Amanda said nothing. Not even she had the answer to that and followed Tabitha’s gaze back over to Markus, raising an eyebrow questioningly, and perhaps even in mild understanding. The dog did seem focused on him after all.

[Markus Andres]

The snappish reply from the girl named Amanda had the bully smile in delight. But he hid his smile as he turned to face them again. No need to be excessively rude to them now that

"Of course you were, you are her servant after all." No doubt the crying girl would make some great gesture that they were friends and not a servant-master relationship. Markus didn't particularly care, he had grander schemes in mind. Old grievances and petty affairs that he needed taken care of. He found the crying girl's stuttering annoying. Very very annoying, but she introduced herself. As Tabby?

Isn't that a cat?

Markus contemplated not giving them his name, harder to snitch on him if they did not know his name. But he wasn't clever enough to come up with a new name. Which made matters simple.

"I am Markus, but you will call me master until I release you from your servitude." He said with a firm voice. Being the leader of this band of stuttering misfits and servants was quite fun. Soon the trio stood before the fence with a vicious dog. Looking to the pair of girls behind him. One obvious afraid from the tone of voice and her stuttering getting worse. The other, the servant-Amanda remained calm and tried to comfort her fri~ mistress. Had the dog gone loose, he would also be the first to run away and leave the girls to be devoured. But for now, they were safe. His eyes stayed on the dog. Full of spite and hatred for the canine. Large paws against the fence as it barked at him. Inside those orbs of it, Markus knew it recognized him.

Good.

That would be the reason for them to pick on the dog. Since Tabby was a coward, she were naturally volunteered in Markus' mind to be the one to carry out his little vendetta. He turned to look at the almost feral-looking dog behind the fence. He felt a slow fear crawl rise in him, but much as he did not like it, the words of the servant-girl did soothe and calm his nerves. Gave him enough confidence to turn his back on the dog.

"Because it has not been given a bath in many days." Markus lied. "It gets dogs riled up." Another lie. Maybe the girls knew it was a lie, but it didn't matter to Markus. If they did as he said he wouldn't care if they believed his lies or not. He was here to have fun and settle petty grievances. One at a time.

"You, go find a bowl or a jug to carry water in." He spoke swiftly as he pointed at Tabby. "And you, servant, find a place to fill it with water. Return to me when you are done. I will keep an eye on the dog while you are gone." Markus had no master plan and the words came freely as he spoke his mind. The fact that Amanda had not yet cried and continued to resist his control. That she remained calm and collected bothered him and made him slightly admire the girl. Not that he would admit this to either of them.

"Get going."

[Tabitha Aryns]

“N-nice to meet y-you M-m-m-markus.” Tabby squeaked quietly, quick correcting herself so as to not induce his wrath. “M-master?” It was such a weird, and demeaning word, the taste it left in the small girl’s mouth was less than pleasant. Amanda only rolled her eyes dramatically, before gritting her teeth once more at the bullies stupid demands, not saying a word at all. However... Both girls raised their eyebrows near simultaneously at the bullies answer, the mousy haired girl, Amanda, did not believe the lie for a moment, but Tabitha took the bait. Hook, line, and sinker. Her mouth formed an ‘o’ in response, exclaiming as she did so “oh!” It made total sense to her, her mother absolutely hated dirty things too, the proof of it was in their house, and the amount of bathes they took in one season. “So if we clean it, h-he’ll be nice?” Remarkably the young girl managed to say with only a small stutter, the fact that the boy in front of them now was a bully, and blackmailing them, momentarily escaped her thoughts. Who’s gonna wash it..? It was a fiercely morbid question to Tabitha. The stutter came back with a vengeance. “I h-have s-s-soap at h-home..” Tabby offered to the bully, Markus, though she was unsure of how return with a bar of soap without her mother suspecting something was up. She would need to be sneaky, if need be, but such shifty behavior was unbecoming of the small girl. “A-and.. And a-a w-w-wash t-tub.. B-but it’s t-too heavy f-for me.. t-to move..” What good would a tub at her home do for a dog in a neighbor's yard many homes away from hers? As if Amanda could read the small girl’s thoughts, she interjected fast, and hopefully before any ideas could be given to the bully. “Your mother flay all of us alive if she caught us trying to bring that mutt in.” Maybe the answer originated from the reaction Tabby’s mother had the first time Tabitha tried to invite Amanda over, and could relate to the dog behind the fence then, alone, angry, and largely forgotten by the populace. Tabby’s expression turned to pure fear at the memory, shaking her head no rapidly, no, that she did not want to bring both bully and friend to her home. “O-o-oh th-th-th-that wo-wouldn’t b-be go-good.” The two looked at each other. Amanda grimaced, disdain coloring her face as she spoke once again, quietly. “There’s a fountain we could get water from Tabby, go to the middle of the city when you find a jug, its where everything crisscrosses.” She pointed in that direction. Tabitha’s eyes followed Amanda’s gesture, before slowly nodding in understanding, watching as Amanda dashed off. Leaving her alone with the bully. The young girl looked back at Markus, twiddling with her fingers, and glancing at the dog, her nerves tensing up once again. Honestly, she was still afraid of the boy, and the dog, but the dog had never done anything to her yet. “Y-you’re n-not g-gonna h-hurt th-the d-d-dog.. dog.. are y-you?” She asked the bully, hunching her shoulders as she did so, it wasn’t like she cared much for it but it was still a living thing. Maybe it was just the entire situation that was making her incredibly jumpy, she believed the boy meant what he said that the dog needed to be washed, but how would they wash it without it hurting them; or them hurting it?

[Markus Andres]

Markus noted that Amanda looked less than convinced by his lie, but Tabby on the other hand was completely sold to the idea. He figured if he sounded convinced in his own lies, others would also believe them? It had to be so, yet why had Amanda not been convinced... A mystery he would have to solve another day. Today, it was the day for grand vengeances. He turned away from the girl again and looked at the dog.

The cat-named girl behind him spoke. Her stutters annoyed him. Most of all he wanted to spin around and yell her in the face to speak properly. But at the moment his attention was held on the dog. Revenge would be sweet. Markus ears heard that they would be flayed alive that he turned to observe the girls. Both still standing around not carrying out his orders. Amanda seemed to be the smarter of the two girls - she also looked a little older. Most importantly, she didn't stutter. What she said bothered him - bring the mutt in. That meant releasing him. Which did not bode well for Markus if that happened. Luckily the girls sorted his issue between themselves and stuck closer to the original idea. Amanda talking to Tabby before running off. Leaving Markus alone with the girl he considered the stupider of the two. Although part of him wanted to carry the jug himself, to have her carry out the deed was too delicious an idea for the bully. Markus looked at her bemused as she asked him another question.

"Hurt the dog? Of course not." He said in an overbearing manner, an obvious lie. But he moved closer to Tabby and clapped the jumpy girl on the shoulder lightly, in a fashion he had seen his father do once. The other man had looked more reassured, confident after the gesture. "But you had a good idea with the soap, but you can see, the dog is too vicious right now to let us near him. So we will have to splash the water at him from afar." Reassure the girl, be more than just a mindless bully. As he mentioned the water he looked to the skies, he had been with his mother often to fetch water at the well at this time of year. Always had the jugs been very cold to the touch. The water would probably be freezing cold. Much better. When the little girl realized she was not helping the dog, what then? Markus didn't know, he would deal with that problem when it came. For now, he was satisfied with his own little web of lies. But a little gloating never hurt anyone. He turned to the mutt again. Looked into its eyes and moved closer to the fence. As close as he dared, for the fence didn't look that safe up close.

"Yea, you dirty ugly mutt, just need a bath to calm you down." He spoke has he squatted in front of the fence. Sharp teeth of the canine barred and the growled at him. A deep rolling sound from deep inside its chest. How Markus hated that sound. How much he wanted to punish this vile creature for being so petching annoying.

"When will she be here with the water? I am getting bored."