PM to join [Castle Commons] Boo to a Wolf

[Fallon]

13th Summer 514AV

There was the distinct sound of flies buzzing upon the summer air. The door hinges groaned in the heat when opened, the sharp glare of daylight cutting through the shade. In the last few days the earth had become parched, drying up into little more than a dry dust, every footfall leaning into a crunch. Eyes would lazily swallow, and the price of gold was quickly outweighed by that of water - a liquid of riches.

It was in the safety of the alley shade however that Fallon lurked. Her shoulder pressed against the cool stone, the back exposed to the darkness and the feeble breeze that traversed it. She did not particularly care by then, the sun was far too high in the sky for her to bother the combating of such levels and temperatures. The gloved hand gave a tug upon her shirt collar, then slipped down to the leather armour with a firm tug with the feeble hope that some of the heat would dislodged and replaced with the cool. It was not, and she let loose the slither of a grimace.

Eyes gave a flicker from beneath her brow, the hair once more tied back in another attempt to stay cool - and one that promptly failed. Logic by many would have said to remove the armour and find somewhere to relax, to put down the blade and seek simpler things until the sun begun its descent. Of course, it was far from that simple. She gave a rub at her neck, the narrowing of eyelids as she replayed those words mentally.

Head on a spike.

It was hard not to shudder at the memory and the voice full of venom. No, she had to keep moving as much as possible - nowhere was truly safe anymore, and with the ever pressing thought that eyes and ears were always watching she was left on high alert. Or at least as high as she could muster within the crippling heat. Eyes gave a blink, flickering briefly as she watched the crowd of locals pass on by. Searching, looking deeply as she tried to get into their mindset and machinations. Who was friend and who was foe? Who could she trust and where could she obtain a steady source of information? There was Zandelia of course, but she was one woman and this was a large problem.

Long gone was the thoughts of petty revenge and justice, this was the cusp of a full out war. Perhaps it was just the heat, but if there was anything she did know it was to never ignore her gut instinct. She still remembered those words from years ago telling her to rely on it - natural intuition, the maintaining of a level head and being able to read the situation would be her best ally now. A quick draw on the blade would be the second. The guard had to be up, the mind had to be ready to react regardless.

Chewing upon her lip she flickered through the numbers once more, the thumb and forefinger rubbing with thought as she considered her options. She could call upon the Scars, but their numbers were few and they had priorities to stick to. There was another chew upon the lip, her brow creasing as she paused for thought. There was ideas floating within her mind, but before she could even comprehend them she needed to know where all the risks were coming from. Hissing between her teeth she took up the waterskin, uncorking it and letting the liquid be swirled around. Extra eyes were needed, more people were needed. And it was such a fact that was quickly growing apparent. But before that, she needed to work out how to deal with those who were so intent on hunting her down. Yet, there was something else that was just as important.

She needed to find work, something that was hard when she was not sure on who was tied to who topped off with the fight against her age old enemy. The Summer. Fallon released a mumble as her temper begun to seeth, "Petching... stupid. Night work it is."

[Koruma]

"Return with blood or do not return at all." The words echoed over and over in Koruma's mind as flies whirled around his sweat laden head. His long hair stuck to the back of his neck and clung to his ears. Sweat hung on his brow and dripped into his eyes as the sun beat down mercilessly on the city. Koruma's dark shirt clung to his skinny body and further enhanced his slender frame. Grey eyes scanned the crowd lethargically as his hand rested against the butt of his dagger. His fingers drummed on the old wood and unpolished metal as he meandered through the crowd. Cloudy grey eyes wandered from face to face as he asked himself the same question over and over again: can I kill them? Koruma paused several meters away from a small child. The kid was just a little thing; all skin, bones, and rags. Koruma doubted the pathetic wretch was more than six or seven. Dirt covered the child's cheeks as his hollow eyes stared blankly into the abyss. Koruma's tongue ran over his parched lips as he envisioned himself walking up to the child and… NO! Koruma turned away as the taste of bile rose into his mouth. Water pooled at the corner of his eyes and he whipped it away quickly, cursing the sweat as he tried to convince himself that was his only problem. Picking up the pace, he turned into an alley way and braced himself again the wall. He could feel his breath come in ragged gasps as his palms slipped against the stone. The heat was somewhat more bearable in the shade and the stone was cool beneath his moist palms and against his wet brow. Koruma heaved a sigh and counted backwards from ten in Vani as he steadied his breathing. With a quick shove, Koruma detached himself from the wall and turned towards the alley. His steps were silent as he carefully rolled his feet against the ground. His masters had always said that every moment was an opportunity to learn and the gods knew Koruma needed the practice. Each footstep echoed softly as he moved down the alley as carefully as he could, but his pace was slow and his movements were somewhat exaggerated and jerky. The alley took a sudden and sharp turn and Koruma found himself not three meters from girl. His lessons forgotten, Koruma scrambled backwards, causing his shoulder to hit the wall as a stone tumbled away from his flailing feet. Koruma's hands slipped on the stone as he rounded the corner and he hid from her view. Ragged gasps came as his chest heaved and he was sweating even more, but for a completely different reason. Blinking twice, Koruma snuck his head around the corner to catch a glimpse at her for just a moment before ducking away again. His brief glimpse had only given him enough information to know that she was a girl and just a little older than he. Perhaps late teens or early twenties if he wanted to stretch his guess. She would do. If he had to pick someone, she would do… right? Swallowing, Koruma counted to ten in Vani again as his left hand circled around the hilt of his dagger in a forward grip. He cautiously slid the steel from its nest and brought it to his chest. After a quick prayer to Dira and Akajia he rounded the corner once more to face his target. Koruma stood with his dagger chest high and poised for a fight, his stance low and ready. Yet, in the brief moment he had taken to prepare himself, the world had become fuzzy. Everything was blurred and his face felt hot and wet. Tears streamed down his cheeks and his breath quickly descended into hiccuped gasps. Nausea threatened to return his meager breakfast and all he could see was the basic outline of the girl. The dagger slid from his hand and clattered to the ground, with Koruma following quickly behind. He curled into a ball as the tears flowed freely from his eyes. Screw the order, screw Sunberth, screw Dira and Akajia. He couldn't do it anymore.

[Fallon]

Fallon continued to stare out from the alley and into the street proper as the world continued on around her. A wince to the sunlight, that sharp slither of light that warmed the earth caught her gaze and forced her to take a step back further into the cooling shade. Perhaps it was not the best place in which to lurk after all. Regardless, she knew she would not move any time soon - other spots had yet to fall into the shadow as the sun arched its way up over head. No, she would have to wait a while and when that time came she would move once more. For the moment however she would enjoy the stifled breeze that worked its way between the buildings.

A long sigh, she rubbed the palm of her right hand again, needing into the muscle and tendons as she worked it out from its stiffened state. Someone, she mused, should really take a look at it. But that did not mean she was going to let them. Who knew what people had in terms of eyes and ears in Sunberth - and that healthy bit of paranoia was what kept her alive thus far. At least, that was what she told herself. And then there was a sound.

Pausing she straightened, the tell tale signs of a flinch smothering her form. Her head turned to glance back, ears straining above the buzz of the flies as she listened. Apart from the wind and the city bustle there was little more that silence, a moment of muteness as whatever laid beneath seemed to hold its breath. But, there was nothing. No signs of life behind her, just the empty space of cold cobble stone. She gave only the smallest of frowns, before turning her head forward once more. It was the hand however, that instinctively found itself curling around the hilt of the kukri.

Taking back her lean once more she kept the blue-green orbs upon the world, the feet squaring up upon the floor. Her hairs gave a prickle, a long inhale as she felt the trickle of sweat crawl its way down her neck. Her shoulders gave a shudder, eyes blinking as she stared on forwards as the cool drip made its way along the skin. Nostrils flared, the stench of sweat making itself known. And then she heard the step, a certain and firm one as she turned her head back round. It did not take long for her to see red after that.

The mind fired into life, her form pushing up from the wall once more as she turned. There was a step, the inner rise of adrenal, the feeling of a rough, business dialect that begun to grow into second nature for her. Rougher, lower, it was the cold face of Bitzer that she summoned up from beneath the once neutral expression. She watched the quivering shape, the point of cold steel trembling at her in the darkness of some back alley. Blood boiled, the inner wrath rising up in a great beat. A snapping snarl escaped, "Think you're so big then? Really want to pick a fight with this wolf?"

A lad, a scrawny, gangly one. She did not register the face or that he was young as she made her approach. The kukri was already drawn by that point, cold iron glowing almost as she watched him tremble at her advance. It was the growl that crawled its way up her throat, the thoughts turning over quicker and faster as she closed in. So already there were those who were coming for her, how apt. She did not register the tears, the left hand shooting out to grasp firmly at him. Instead, there was only air as he slipped on down to his knees, the steel clattering to the floor. Her boot stamped over the flat of the blade, preventing the attempt for him to pick it up should he wish to, the kukri tip pointed to him as he simply curled up into a ball, "Petching... Lost all your gusto now then, eh lad?"

Eyes burned down, before she shot the free hand down once more in an attempt to grasp him tightly by the collar and haul him up to his feet. An exhale of hot breath escaped, the mind blinded by questions and wanting of answers, "Get up. To your feet. To your feet! Spineless... Who sent you? Answer me! Tell me who sent you and I'll let you live."

[Koruma]

He had been trained for this day, told what to do and taught by his masters and mentors in the ways of shadows. All of his life had been spent preparing for the day that he would fulfill the wishes of the group and become the pawn that he was meant to be. Yet as the heat beat down and his chosen target stood before him, Koruma simply couldn't bring himself to finish, or really start the job. Between the haze of tears and heat, Koruma could hear the girl call to him. Her intense snarls were feral and sent chills down his spine. The part of his brain that had grown up in Sunberth yelled at his feet to run. His instincts told him to turn tail or put up a fight. Instead, Koruma remained rooted to his spot and found himself to overcome to do anything but sob. Tremors ran up and down his body as he collapsed into the group. Hiccuping gasps came between the sobs. His fingers clenched around his knees with such force that his knuckles turned white. Koruma's damp face buried into the dark cloth and he tried to block everything out. He heard the clatter of metal that stopped short, but refused to look up to see what the girl was doing. He didn't even respond when she spoke to him nor acknowledge the blade directed at him. Suddenly he was being dragged to his feet. Instinct took over as his hands flew to the arms that held him captive, his fingers attempting to curl around her wrists defensibly. "Leggo!" Koruma's feet scrambled for purchase as he was forcibly made to stand. Questions bombarded him even as he meekly struggled against her grasp. At her threat he settled down and looked down at her belt while silent tears continued to stream down his scarlet face. For a brief moment, he was silent. All of the sudden, years of suppressed anger and frustration exploded at once. He glared up into her eyes, planted his feet, and screamed so that his voice cracked. "GO AHEAD! I don't care. No one does. No one sent me and I've got no where to go back to. It's your fault. Why'd you have to be so... so... such a girl! I can't, I just can't do it!" Koruma tried to push himself away from her and free himself of her grasp. His voice dropped as all the fight left him again. "They just told me to pick someone at random. But I can't..." Koruma gave a sniff as his tears finally stopped flowing. Blaming her wasn't really going to get him anywhere. She didn't do anything, at least not before his failed attempt at killing her. Even so, it felt better than admitting he was a complete failure.

[Fallon]

He struggled, of course he would have. No one would have simply laid down and allowed themselves to be roughly manhandled - more so in Sunberth. She felt the shaking traverse her arm, a faint flickering from behind her bubbling rage letting her know it existed there. Fear, she could smell it almost upon his form as he attempted to breath at a steady rate and seek some control. Tears, fears, and other emotions ran rampant - such mindsets blinded individuals when faced with an impending danger and prevented rationality of thought. Which was probably why Fallon was behaving in such a fashion.

Inhaling deeply, she released him after a few chimes of staring intently. Her face had set itself into a scowl, lips into a line with the kukri tip still hovering nearby. He was certainly cowering, even with his scramble up to his feet in an attempt to find some level footing. Still she remained locked as he stared at her belt, the sulking appearance settling upon his own. It was slowly that her clenched fingers slowly uncurled from her hold, and an interested glamour glinted in the back of her eye - so he did have fire within him after all. Maybe there was some hope, just like there was for her all those years ago. When he shouted however, she simply let the words wash on by with her head leaning down in closer. There was a hot exhale, and a slither of white escaped from between her lips.

"You'll be killed in no time if you keep going against the world and using words like that," Fallon spoke dryly, the snarls easing as they were reigned back. The rough tone of Bitzer however was still used, "There violence everywhere in Sunberth, yet here you are waving a dagger about, shouting, screaming and searching for a scapegoat in which to shift blame onto. A pathetic charade if I must say so myself," She shook her head, "You are weak, and it is pitiful. No one sent you, at least that is what you claim. You pick at random and do not think. Such ways would also get you killed in less than a blink." Neck clicked, the gripping hand finally withdrawing back to her side, "A good killer researches his target, learns their name, their habits and traits. You. Are. No. Killer."

There was laughter, rolling out as a howl, "Go ahead? How about dying here then? Right now?" She pressed the kukri against his cheek, not to cut but to simply give a warning. But it was her eyes that were burning down intently, looking and searching for an answer behind his own blood shot, "Do you really want that? To die here in all your glory in a spray of red and leave a beautiful picture upon the floor?" Her lip curled, "Or do you want to change the present fate that is left out before you? Take it, grasp it and use your own hands to shape it to your will? A hard path, but a worthy one. If you can bring yourself to face it?"

[Koruma]

He wanted to give up. He wanted to just let the world swallow him whole and to never surface again. What good was he if he couldn't even finish his purpose in life? Yet, there was a larger, louder part of Koruma that refused to give up completely. Perhaps it was because he had grown up in Sunberth and despite his weakness, the strength to live and continue on still prevailed. After what felt like an eternity of silence trapped in her grasp, Koruma was released. He stood heavy on his feet as his body shook. Tremors caught his hands as they clenched together with such force that his knuckles turned white. Koruma's jaw set into a hard line as his teeth clenched together and his eyes stared at the ground. Her outburst led to a lecture that reminded him of something he had read in a book. Grey eyes flicked upwards before going back down to the girls feet as he listened to her speech. Frankly, not only had he read a speech like the one she was giving him, he had been lectured similarly by the guys so many times he could have almost recited the whole thing from memory. Koruma was weak and lucky to be alive, end of story. Koruma visibly flinched as the girl emphasized the fact that he wasn't a killer. Yet, her speech continued on and all he could do was stand in silence and take in the lecture. It was only when the blade returned to his skin that Koruma looked up at her, eyes wide as his fingers twitched, yearning to pull the steel away from his flesh. His breathing quickened and he had to force himself to stand still as he dared to look directly into her eyes. His mouth hung half open, as if he was going to say something, yet no words came and she continued. Finally, when the speech was done Koruma swallowed as his blank mind tried to come up with something to say to her. "You're a preachy one..." The words just burst forth from his lips. Koruma's cheeks would have become redder if that was possible and he broke his gaze and looked down. However, they were too close and the blade was against his face so all Koruma could see was something he shouldn't have looked at. Growing more flustered he quickly flicked his gaze to the wall and stammered, "That's, uh, I m-mean... You sound like this guy in a book I read once... All big and strong and... yeah..." Koruma inhaled quickly and expelled the air in a half sigh as he tried to remind himself to answer her questions. "I know I'm weak, and everyone says so. Mick always calls me stupid, and slow, and he says I'm no better than wolf meat. I don't want to die but, I just... don't know. How do I change my fate, if I can't even finish the task I was trained all my life to do? And stop lecturing me... it sucks to be told all this, again, by a someone like you."

[Fallon]

"I prefer silver tongued, but alas, whatever your preference. At least I don't just stand here and preach, I also aim to practice and teach," She cocked an eyebrow. At least he was actually listening to what was being said - it made a change in comparison to some of the other denizens of the city. Fallon pulled the kukri away, taking a firm step back as she took the boy into her sights - properly this time. He was at least a head shorter than her she reasoned, young faced with the simple allowing to be buckled and subdued by words. Much like a door mat with feet. Eyes drifted, her foot lifting off the dagger that she once pressed onto as she stepped away, "It is only a lecture if you deem it so. And if it is something you know already then why do you stand to listen to it? Or better yet, prove why you should not be treated so. Sell your case instead of simply taking it."

Her boot toed at the ground for a moment, her head turning to look back to the street she was once observing. There was a brief exhale, the wiping of sweat off from around her neck as it begun to accumulate once more - how much she wanted to run for shadow and not climb out of it. But that would waste the opportunity of the current breeze and shade that was present. Her lip gave a twitch, and her eyes simply darted back to him.

"When one begins to question changing of fate, they already have begun the process of doing so. You do not like the life you presently exist with, so go and find something else. Let it go, throw yourself back into the fire of life and burn out the impurities. If you do not, then you will simply sit here and grow stagnant, life repeating over and over, before eventually..." there was no need to finish, she had a feeling he already knew where it was heading.

"So don't die then. Live and carve out an existence. Learn and grow anew," Her chin lifted at that point, her head turning back to the street before she pivoted round upon her foot. There was a step away, the clink of steel as she made her move back to the mouth of it, "Why hold onto a task that you know you cannot finish then? Seems very self defeating. But, if it is what you cling to... whatever it is. That is you." A gloved hand pushed back the stray hairs from her face and focused on sweeping it back, "It is up to you to decide what to do with it."

"They call me Bitzer, Leader of the Scars, bringer of opportunity, change and the Red Wolf... the latter is more of an on occasion thing," There was the flicker of a wolfish grin, before it died down behind the face of neutrality. With a nonchalant shrug she went back to her simple observations of the world before her. Shoulder pressed up to the wall, the right hand hovering upon the hilt of the tulwar - more for comfort and reassurance than anything else, "So tell me, pup, how will you reach forth and change the weave that is your life?"

[Koruma]

Maybe preachy was too mild of a word. Every sentence that spewed forth from her mouth was an odd mixture of a motivational speech and a lecture. Koruma's brow furrowed as lower lip extended into a half pout. Wasn't he supposed to be killing her? How horrible of an assassin was he if his chosen target dipped into a long and complicated lecture about taking fate into his own hands? It was humiliating and he wanted to crawl into a deep dark hole for the rest of eternity. "Aren't preachy and silver tongued the same thing?" His voice was no more than a mumble, a question more to himself than to her. Koruma stood meekly as he watched the girl put her weapon away. He couldn't decide if he was happy or somewhat disappointed about the change. Ash eyes blinked up at the girl as he met her gaze for a moment before he stared back at the ground. Her eyes traveled along his body and Koruma suddenly felt extremely self conscious. Without realizing it, his hand traveled up to the long scar hidden behind his bangs and his fingers stroked the line several times as he longed for the hole again. Metal chimed softly against the ground as the girl lifted her foot from his dagger. Koruma stared at the weapon with an almost distant gaze as he listened to her lecture him again. With a sigh, he stooped down and picked the dagger up, sheathing the weapon with an unceremonious click. There was a pause and the heat seemed to become even more stifling. Yet the silence didn’t last and she continued with her motivational speech. Koruma watched as she wandered and spoke, his eyes slowly blinking and wondering. She was so much stronger than he. It was like she was the sun, shining in the heat. No one would pick on her or doubt her ability. She probably didn’t cut herself on her knives by accident. How he wanted to be her. ”I… I don’t really have anything accept the guys. But they aren’t going to let me back. Not unless I can become an assassin. Which I suck at. Like everything else.” Koruma dared to look up at her as she introduced herself and all her titles. A shy smile crossed his face and he replied, ”I like that name. The Red Wolf I mean.” Koruma’s eyes fell back to his feet. He scratched the back of his neck as yet another question was thrown at him. ”Well… I guess I can introduce myself? I’m ah… I’m Koruma. Just Koruma.” Out of all the things that could have spit forth from his mouth, what came next was the last thing he expected. ”Can you teach me to be as strong as you?”

[Fallon]

"Silver tongued generally suggests that one has a tendency to be eloquent and persuasive in speaking," She glance back over her shoulder to him from her point of leaning, "Preachy suggests one who gives moral advice in a tedious and very self-righteous manner. That is of course... if you want to bring definitions into it." Frowning she watched the people once more from the shade. There was a woman leading along her child, a merchant trying to sell off his wares. She heard the thrum of voices, the rise and fall in tones that weaved through the city. Eyes narrowed as she tried to pick through it all. Eyes flickered, catching the shape of the Sunberth thugs as they worked their way down the street and then moved once more.

She knew the boy was still behind her, but that did not mean she could lower her guard to the rest of the world. Doing so would compromise the thin level of security that she had managed to establish between her and the city, and it was something she was not about to simply surrender. The gentle click of movement, her own fingers flexing out as she ensured it did not stiffen. Sucking in the feeble breeze, she gave only a frown to what he has saying.

"Contrary to popular belief, most people are bad at things they have little practice or knowledge in," she wetted her lips, "It something new after all, and requires plenty of practice in which to get better at. Bit like learning to read or to write. Takes time and perseverance... a lot of it." Inhaling she gave a shrug, "So, find something that you like the sound of. Or something you enjoy doing or heard of, then go from there." Her brow did raise for one moment however, and her gaze looked firmly upon him, "An assassin eh? Guess they never taught you to not tell strangers about your in training profession?" Shaking her head she quickly continued, "May I advise you do not announce that snippet of information? I sense many would frown upon that or seek to exploit it for their own gain. In a messy fashion."

Young he was indeed, and she felt he would be easily manipulated. But that was the way of Sunberth in a sense, you either survived its harshness or were bent and moulded by it. There was no change in expression to the giving of the name, nor to what he thought of the ones she gave for herself. They were names after all, ones slowly now gaining a reputation or used in business. And it was only a select, chosen few that new her actual name within this city. Yet it was his last words that grabbed her attention once more.

"I'm not strong," she spoke bluntly then, "And so I can't teach you how to be strong. I'm a survivor, a fighter, one who looks to live and to make it through the day using the skills I possess. The better ones are more... bloody in nature. The collection that would normally be found within a fighters repertoire. There are other things..." She frowned then, shrugged, and looked back ahead, "But they are also few. But what you ask for is strength..." Humming she watched some younger children across the way tease each other, and have it break down into little more than a scuffle. The few shouts of glee to the prospect of fighting - such was the way of Sunberth, "Strength Koruma, true strength, inner strength comes from having something you wish to protect more than anything in the world. Skills I can show and teach you, at least some things. But strength is something you must find yourself. And something you will know when you have it."

[Koruma]

Koruma chewed on the inside of his lip as he listened to the explanation. "So... they are the same," he whispered to himself. It didn't really matter either way, he was still getting lectured by someone he just met. She knew her way around words and was very eloquent, but the speeches were like something out of a book and just hammered in the harsh reality that there was a world of difference between the two of them. The boys gaze traveled up to the throngs of people that mulled past on the main road. He could hear the roar of their chatter as they moved through the city, but Koruma felt apart from it all. While he had grown up in the harsh town, he couldn't help but feel separated. Like he was standing on the periphery, alone. Koruma could feel his eyes well up again and he bit down on his cheek to try and stifle the tears. He didn't even see the approaching thugs. Ashen eyes turned back towards the girl as she spoke up, yet again giving him a valuable life lesson that he didn't ask for. Something I enjoy? Koruma thought back to his carving, the hours he spent hiding away as he tried to turn the wood into a recognizable shape. Maybe that would work. If he could keep his big mouth in check. The boy could practically feel his entire body turn red with embarrassment as the girl scolded him for announcing his "practice." "I know! It's not like it's a big deal, or anything. I mean, I... clearly can't do it, the killing, so... I'm giving up anyways. So... yeah." Koruma glanced back to the crowd as he scratched at his elbow. It was just one mistake after another. But he couldn't keep his eyes away from Red Wolf for long as she quickly launched into yet another explanation. "You're wrong. You are strong. Really strong. But... I wouldn't mind learning some skills from you. That is, if you wouldn't mind taking on a weakling. I just, I really don't want to be me anymore." He didn't have anyone to hold onto or anything he wished to protect. All that he once knew, was being taken from him.