PM to join Bones for the Breaking (Zandelia)

[Kechaiya]

Timestamp: Fall 13, 514 AV Location: Tall Johnny's Casino and Cage Match Time of Day: Evening, around the 20th Bell Kechaiya removed her hood, and kept her head down as she passed between the two Akalak men and through the double doors into Tall Johnny's. She was not a gambling woman, but stopped a waiter and ordered a pitcher of wine, giving the man two silvers for the drink and another as tip. He quickly fetched the drink and brought it to her, with an empty goblet, which she carried with her, steering through the crowd to the left side of the smoke-filled building. She spotted the arena in the middle, and found a seat near the front. The fight hadn't started yet, giving her time to get comfortable. She poured some wine into her goblet, taking a sizable swig. While this was simple, brutal entertainment on which to bet upon for most of the patrons, she was here to learn. Controlled violence like this taught her interesting lessons about the human body. She watched as the two, shirtless fighters entered the ring, the crowd roaring approval, betting having begun. The first man was quite large, muscular and appeared to be the favorite of those betting within earshot of the ebony eyed doctor. But the other was smaller, leaner, and covered with scars. If she were a gambling woman, her money would be on him. He looked like someone who had seen a lot of violence, and overcame it. The men were given separate corners, told to tap fists. There was a long silence after, and then, "FIGHT!" The big man charged forward, attempting to grapple the smaller man. The smaller dodged away easily, but not without landing a quick jab in the lower back, just beneath the ribs. She pondered as to why, before scolding herself for the dumb question. It was the kidney. It hurt terrible, and by not hitting a rib, he risked less harm to himself. The smaller man skipped around as the larger whirled around, throwing a wild haymaker. Once more it missed, the smaller man dipping beneath his reach, and jabbing once in the throat before ducking out of harm's way. This fighter really knew the body's weak points, and Kechaiya was enjoying watching it put to actual use. She hoped he would keep it up, so she could see the effects of these weakened points over a longer period. She poured another drought of wine, content to keep watching this 'educational' fight.

[Zandelia]

“Ah…the cage fights. Past time for the downtrodden, the poor or the manically ambitious – I wonder if that means me seeing as I’ve fought here before?” she asked herself as she walked through the crowds, or pushed more like.

There had been a time in which she had even become a champion here, if there were such creations. A prized and sure bet of a fighter was perhaps a better way of putting it, there were no crowned winners in the cage fights, there was only the successful and battered. Still, she remembered the times with a certain degree of fondness and appreciation. If she had not managed to gain the gold from placing bets upon herself all of those years ago she would likely have never raised enough to survive a Winter or two and that was a true statement that brought a sour taste to her lips. She was truly thankful that this Winter would be spent in her own home, even if that home was not shared at the moment with the one she wanted.

Or with anyone for that matter, except Orvin. Little rascal that he is, pining for his Mistress….as am I. She will come home eventually, she has to…surely she was beginning t flicker down that path of self-torment as the roar of the baying throng snapped her from the morbidity.

She made her way through the exterior attendees, hands gently pushing those in her way to the sides and stepping past them as delicately as was possible when they were trying to push back against her. She ignored it as best she could, as she ignored the suggestive words and attempted gropes – those she blocked but made nothing more of them. It wasn’t even just the men, she had a certain reputation that was remembered by the women clientele also. She wished she could erase that, it was better to be ignored at times, but it was one of many things she had to live with. As it was she passed them by and sought out somewhere from which to watch in peace – the violence of the location appealed to her current mentality.

“Interesting, good form but sloppy. Arrogant” she spoke aloud to the world in general as she thumbed some tobacco into the bowl of her pipe and grabbed a nearby smoker to lend the warmth of their smoulder to her cause.

The smaller fighter was agile and more than capable of winning the fight with a comfortable margin, yet he as dawdling and drawing it out. His strikes were calculated to wear down his larger opponent but he as getting worn down himself as a couple of lucky blows glanced across his jaw and shoulder. She found herself shaking her head and growling disapproval at the foolish mistake of pride – there could be no pride in battle, it lead to complacency. She puffed upon her pipe and blew the smoke to the side, not sure who would be affected but then here the air you breathed was smoke itself.

“Come on! Stop dancing around and tapping him here and there, get inside the guard! Stamp on the back of the knee! No….no! Oh for the love of….solar plexus! Quick! Qui-“ she snorted as the fight became more protracted now.

“Don’t have all day little man, he’ll get you eventually,” she shook her head as looked to the side, normal patrons for the most part – though…wait yes there was someone who was slightly abnormal, if only due to height and the fact she looked less scruffy – too…normal?

“He’ll lose more than he gains dancing, hope you haven’t got a bet on him for a second fight. Decent tech but sloppy, too showy. Lapping up the crowd’s cheers. Back in my day, wouldn’t be prancing around. Finish them, put them down, that’s what it’s about” she chuckled then, she could remember the sweat and the blood.

Strange how time lends terrible events a warm golden glow of nostalgia she mused as she turned her game back to the fighting, shoved to the side with a start towards the young lass but catching herself before she slammed into her.

“Watch it you whoreson!” she shouted back at the overly rotund space maker, “manner eh?” she sighed to the unknown youngster. She was short indeed!

[Kechaiya]

Kechaiya had tuned out many of the cheers and jeers around her, totally focused on the match. She watched the little guy strike the larger several times in the left side floating ribs, probably trying to break them. But every time he did so he risked a powerful blow. If a large man were to strike the floating rib, he would certainly break it, possibly puncture the diaphragm or a lung if he was lucky. She wondered where the best place to strike a rib in order to pull that off would be. Perhaps closer to the center of the body? Taking another swig of wine, she watched as the smaller man danced himself to doom, noting that he was slowing down. He went in for another rib shot, but was too slow to dance away, and the large man caught him in a massive bear hug. He lifted the man off of his feet, squeezing hard into the man's back. Kechaiya watched the little man's face, and noticed it looked as if he were gasping for air. The air must be getting squeezed from his lungs. Too much compression. She assumed only someone with incredible strength could pull that off. And before too long, the little man's head drooped into unconsciousness, resting on the larger's shoulder. He was dropped unceremoniously to the ring's floor, and left laying there as the larger man simply raised a fist in success. Kechaiya nodded her approval, glad she hadn't bet against him after all. She went to drink some more wine, only to find the goblet empty. Grabbing the pitcher, she was about to pour another goblet, when a taller woman was nearly shoved into her. Kechaiya clutched the pitcher close to keep it from being spilled. The woman cursed at her assailant, and then remarked to Kechaiya. Kechaiya nodded, then in her very thick Tawna accent, "Yes. Very poor manners here. But fight good no?" Kechaiya wasn't especially social with anyone, out of fear, caution, lack of a strong grasp on the language, for whatever reasoning. But she'd probably never see this woman again, and she was at a large event. Idle chitchat never hurt anyone right? At least until alcohol was involved, and this woman certainly didn't appear drunk. Kechaiya turned her dark eyes back to the arena, watching as they dragged the small man out in preparation for the next fight. Maybe she could predict this next one a bit better than the previous.

[Zandelia]

She grinned at the easy way with which a possible impact of bodies was seemingly shrugged off, it was unusual given the fact that in Tall Johnny’s such a thing could easily lead to a hunt for your own coin purse that was doomed to failure from the outset. She had not necessarily been on the hunt for social interaction but she was a firm believer in fate – n some respects. Lhex was many curse words in many cities but at times he was a fortuitous entity and she wasn’t going to say no to someone to talk to. Not that she had a choice, the crowd had closed around her previous location and only a series of sheer forceful shoves would get it back. She didn’t wish to start any fights this day, not unless she was competing to win for the crowd and reputation. Not to mention that this young woman had a few intriguing points of her own she noticed as she looked at her more closely.

Her eyes are….black? Not just the iris but the whole eye? What in the…well well…someone of note indeed she told herself as she stepped closer and towards the seemingly safe horizon around this youth.

“Hope you don’t mind me joining you, I’ve had enough of being shoved about for today,” she turned her head and glared at the assemble throng once more before returning her gaze to the lass and inclining her head slightly with a grin, “name’s Web. What were you saying?” she asked as she scanned her short term memory for the words and turned them over in consideration as she contemplated the ending of the fight.

“It was good, not the best this place has ever seen but certainly above average. The little dancer was better than losing, should have won I’d think. Technique was better, more fluid movements and- most of all – acrobatically sound. Could dodge well,” she translated just in case, “but he lacked the killer instinct. Seemed content to wound when he should have killed. Drawing out weaknesses is one thing, I’ve done that plenty, but letting it go on until you get caught…well the result is what we just saw” she tilted her head as she took a further pull upon her pipe and, out of courtesy and petty enjoyment, breathed it towards where she had bene previously.

“Can I ask what a young slip of a thing like you are doing here? Don’t take this the wrong way but you don’t look the bloody type, don’t have the scars” she tapped her eye patch then knowingly “no you’ve got two of these and they’re more exotic than most no? Perhaps they see more than most too?” she asked in a curious but passive tone, she would drop it if it was rebuffed, for a time, but she would be foolish not to ask.

The next fight was getting underway now and they seemed evenly matched this time, the same builds and certainly similar abilities. Average they were, the only difference being that one was male the other female. Few enough women went into fighting and there was an indrawn of breath as she watched her move and sway, weaker than the man but quicker she thought. More agile certainly.

“It looks like a sister has stepped into the ring,” she breathed deeply and puffed out the smoke slowly, “let’s hope she does us fighting girls proud. So…enjoy the blood? Or is it wagers you’re after? If it’s gold I could certainly help there” she stated to the girl as her eye continued to follow and assess the fight.

[Kechaiya]

Her name was Web? What sort of foolish name was that? Like a spider's web? That was just ridiculous, even by foreigner standards. Well foreign to Eyktol. She nodded her head, "He find weaknesses good. Floating ribs break easy. Big oaf kidneys bruised, pee blood for days." What the one eyed woman said next brought a whole lot of confusion to Kechaiya. "What mean 'slip of a thing'? She'd never heard that phrase before, but could tell it was used to describe her. Was it a compliment? Insult? Statement of fact? And she said she didn't look bloody. Of course she didn't look bloody, she always cleaned up after fixing people up. This may be Sunberth, but bloody never looked good anywhere. Then the woman asked about her eyes, and Kechaiya couldn't help but adorn her face with a devilish grin. It was the favorite question of hers that foreigners asked her. She always made up a story about them, and never used the same one, and they were always untrue. She didn't do this to protect herself or her interests, or to strike fear in people. She did it solely for fun. This woman seemed a bit interesting, so she decided to play with her for a bit. "Is long, sad story... about Eyktolian Death Hound." She let it hang like that, saying nothing more, and looking away at the ring, attempting to feign the false memory. Kechaiya watched the large, at least compared to herself, woman enter the ring with a man. She certainly seemed ready and eager. Kechaiya was never that comfortable fighting. She didn't enjoy it in the least bit, never seemed to excel at it. "She your sister? That why you here? I no enjoy blood, but no bother me either. I doctor. I get lots mizas. I not here for that. I here study body, weaknesses as say you. I Kechaiya." She turned back to the fight, having now begun. It seemed most of the crowd was betting on the man, and it appeared they were right at first. The man had landed several blows to the woman's face, had broken her nose that was now bleeding all over the place. She noticed that he kept at it though, always with the face. He threw a powerful punch, which she ducked under as she turned, slamming an elbow into his upper ribs as she stepped into his body. She then grabbed his arm as she turned once more, and snapped it at the elbow over her shoulder, a cracking sound that made many in the crowd wince and groan, the man screaming in pain. He managed to break free, one arm dead at his side, useless, the other up. Despite this major setback, he was not giving up. It was impressive to Kechaiya, on both their parts.

[Zandelia]

“Sister?” she asked with amusement at the question, “no not my sister. I have no sister. No blood sister at least. I am here for the fighting, used to fight here myself some time ago. Before I learnt that it's full of people without much ability” she continued as she gave the woman another measure of assessment.

Clearly she was of a different race and certainly a different nationality. She had not been afforded much time to travel in her years but she knew the name Eyktol, filtering through the broken common. She was no speaker that much was clear, yet she managed to get her meaning across with her effort. She admired the effort at least, many came to Sunberth from afar and expected the city to adapt for them, only those who were wise and adapted for the city every truly survived. This woman was showing that willingness in her attempts to communicate, in time she would probably learn the common tongue well enough to converse without shortened sentences. It seemed a while away though, that prospect, given her current usage. The tale of this...Death Hound...intrigued her though, no doubt from the theatrics it was designed to.

I wonder if she's luring me in for something amusing, still it could be true. I know nothing of such things. My specialities of knowledge lie...elsewhere she mused to herself, toying with the idea of letting the suggestion of a story pass by. The curiosity it piqued in her, however, proved to be too much to leave it and thus she took the bait – if that was what it was.

“Eyktolian Death Hound? Not sure what that is, sound quite dangerous though. I've got time for the tale, if you've the mind to tell it? Not going anywhere else for a time,” she smiled back, looking at her carefully and wondering if she read the interest in her tones of voice, “slip? Well...it means...” she began and then came up short as she considered how to explain it.

She ran her finger around the edge of her cup in consideration, a slow glide across the rough surface there, dulled from years of use no doubt. Idly, briefly, she wondered how many others had drunk from it. A fruitless consideration, especially seeing as doubted the cleanliness of the establishment was anything to marvel at – best left not thought about. She dragged her mind back to the problem at hand, the language barrier. She supposed it was difficult to understand regional phrases, perhaps they had a different way of saying it? A description so alien to her own that it was impossible to link together through the phrase alone? She pursed her lips as she tumbled it around her mind, seeking simple words. It was actually more difficult than she first assumed, she was used to talking quite adeptly if she said so herself.

“It means small, thin. Not muscled build or stocky. It was complimentary. You just don't look like a woman who'd be handling weapons or interested in fighting is all. But a doctor? Interesting. Not enough of those around. Where do you work? I'll be sure to come if I need some tending” she informed as best she could, trying to get the point across. It was difficult to convey an idea when she couldn't use the words she normally would.

Her gaze flicked to the fighting then,t he scream all to evident alongside the pain. She nodded her approval, it was a good technique and one she had used many times herself in varying ways. She was an able fighter and certainly likely to win. The man had but one arm and the inevitable was closing in quick enough. There were a few more exchanges in which he left no opening for a defeating blow, even managed to get a solid hit on her jaw before she darted back and rubbed it, reconsidering her approach perhaps. She was the winner now, for the most part Zandelia thought she was teasing him now. Playing with him. She could wait until the pain grew too much that the man passed out, a victory of attrition. Not what the crowds loved but certainly the wise approach. She shook her head at the futile exchanges, there was no victory in being a tease in the ring. If she tried that in the streets a friend of his could probably have done her in whislt she were dancing.

“Playing with him, weaknesses though...I can certainly appreciate those. Everyone has them. Physically....there are a few I've used in my time. Mostly though out in the streets it's about survival. You do as much damage as you can as fast as you can. Can't mess around like this lass,” she jerked a thumb at the female fighter, “if I'd have been her I'd have stamped on the back of his knee. Brought him down quick after breaking the arm. Nail rake across the eyes,” she mimicked the attack on her own, “blind him. Of course could just crush his throat. Easy enough to do that if done right. Weakest point in all people I'd think” she stated simply.

There was no boasting in the tone, just a matter-of-fact statement. She had killed her fair share of people by doing so.

“Wrists too, everyone forgets them. Slice them and they can't use a weapon. Might bleed out even. But ribs? Can't say as I've used that one too often. How easy do they break? I mean...one hit? More? What about here?” she pointed at her solar-plexus, just under her sternum, “some say it can stop a heart if hit hard enough. What do you think...doctor Kechaiya?”

There was a genuine interest there, any edge to use as an advantage was worth gold to the survivors of Sunberth after all.

[Kechaiya]

Kechaiya nodded as the one eyed, strange named woman answered her about the woman not being her sister. She was sure she'd used the word sister, but perhaps it was one of those tricky words that had many meanings. Like bear. She was impressed by the admission of having fought here before, and then stopping because it wasn't challenging. Kech had been in combat very few times, and was anything but good at it. She didn't care for it in the least bit, and preferred to deal with the aftermath rather than the act of.

Then she'd given her a chance to talk about the completely false story of the Eyktolian Death Hound. "When I a girl, ten years age, father take deep in desert, more far than I go. He no say why. We travel many days, we reach place call Heart of Sands. Is very danger, many hunters die there. He make camp, make fire, we stay. Night we hear many howl, many growl, all everywhere. Very scare." She knew her father wouldn't mind his name being used in this story, and would probably have encouraged it, no matter how slanderous. "At middle night, Leth high in sky, he wake me. He take me from tent, I scare, no want go out with noises. He no stop. Noises make louder, I cry. He drag me to rock had chains in. He chain me," Since she was winging it, she hadn't expected to talk about chains. But now that she had, she was unconsciously rubbing at her wrists from when she actually had been in them, during her time as a slave in Ahnatep with her parents.

"He chain me and leave. I cry, I call name. Father no come. Hound come. It big, more big than horse. Big fangs, but have eyes black, like my now. My eyes brown then. Wolf come close, feel hot breath on neck, cry stop, too scare. Then feel burn, all body. Hurt much, too much. Feel like seasons pass, no ticks. When I wake, Syna in sky, hound dead at feet, no have black eyes. Father come back, unchain, no speak, we head home. Take me to priest. Priest say hound give me power. No say what, say that it show one day when I need. Show me eyes in bowl of water. Is curse of Eyktolian Death Hound."

Still rubbing her wrists, she looked back to the fight, listening to the woman explain "slip" to her. Of course she was small and thin, she was a woman in Sunberth. But maybe it meant even more so than normal. When she asked where she worked and despite not know what complimentary meant, nor asking, "I work in Sunset Quarter, out of home. Walk streets, find injured, fix. Also work no mizas for orphanages."

The woman fighter decided to stop playing with her prey, and went in for the grapple. She got a hold of his broken arm, and in a quick movement, had him face down on the ground, busted arm twisted awkwardly behind him. She listened to Web's methodology of attack, knee was a good choice. It was a large area, and had to support all the weight of the body. The nails to the eyes though, she didn't agree with. She'd fixed enough knife wounds to know that the bones of the face had a tendency to save the eyes from such an attack. Throat crush would do the trick for good. She'd come across several bodies where that had happened. Kechaiya wondered if it was the weakest point or not. There were a lot of merits to support that argument, no bone to protect it, crushing and slicing could both do the trick. Seemed reasonable enough.

"Wrists good, but arms move lot. Ribs no move, like neck no move. I no think heart stop from punch there. Heart more up here," she pointed a bit higher and to the right, "No punch from human. But stop breathing for some ticks, yes." Then she pointed to her sternum, "Dangerous punch near here. One of strongest bones in body. If hit, might break hand, wrist. Go low, floating rib," pointing at those on her side, "Puncture lung if lucky. If not, still make move hard, right?"

[Zandelia]

She listened to the story, vaguely wondering if she were being made fun of, it was quite the tall tale after all. Yet there were mysteries in all lands that she couldn’t ever claim to understand or know. For all she knew it was a truthful tale. She had her doubts about the legends and myths from the lands of endless sands – about them being endless for once thing – but she was not impolite enough to tell a girl she had just met she was full of shyke. Especially not when she couldn’t be sure it was a fact. She was not overly superstitious but she took the opportunity to avoid curses where at all possible.

Just in case, of course she told herself as she waited for the ending of the tale to come around.

“An interesting story,” she responded as she finished her cup, “and a terrible one. I am sorry that you lived through it. But then perhaps there was a reason – you are here now. Haling people. A worthier profession I cannot think of. Seeing as you have been s charitable with your history and your knowledge allow me to put it into practise. You may learn something new…if you watch carefully” she continued simply as she rolled her shoulders and breathed deeply.

“How you might ask? Well, I will fight. Once more into the breach, for your…research. I’ll show you how I disable people, then how I kill people. Should be a fun time for us both. If you like that sort of thing of course” she nodded and made her way to the fighting area.

It took some time but when she told them her name was Dasoma under the newer name of Web she could see that there were golden discs in the eyes of the pit officials. They knew her from before, though she was a tad older now of course. They knew she had not lost before, that a new name meant she would likely not be recognized in her first bout back in the cages. That meant they could put long odds by putting her against a tried and tested fighter. They’d make a killing from the crowds, she was quick to suggest the scheme to them – in return for aa modest 10% of the profits. She couldn’t have them thinking she were altruistic, she’d lose her life within a day if that talk skittered out into the city. Three fights passed and then she was within the fighter’s circle.

“Now our new girl Web,” the official shouted out over the baying crowd, “opens her career here in the pits…against the Bosun! Let’s hope she lasts longer than a few ticks eh boys? She’s a pretty one now. Betting is now open, five chimes!” the announcement was made and she watched as they raked in the gold and silver.

She played her part, scuffing the floor nervously until the bell was rung and the fight was signalled to begin. She looked over and there was the girl, leant forwards and watching intently. She was going to win but it had to be convincing enough that it was difficult for her or the betters would turn. She batted away a testing jab, Bosun was gaging distance with it and she lashed out with her leg to have it blocked in return. She quickly stepped forwards and switched sides – side kick blocked followed by a quick twist of the hip to glance a blow off o his temple. He recoiled mostly unharmed and chuckled. They were testing each other at the moment, not fighting for real.

They circled each other, feet not crossing, his footwork was as decent s hers was she noted – a point of credit to him. They closed, both jabbing and blocking, ducking and swaying away from the blows. They struck at the same time towards the end of the short spar, each cracking the others jaw with a glancing but rattling blow. She shook her head and saw him do the same – they grinned at each other.

This was actually going to be a fun challenge, a test. It had been quite the while since that had appeared.

[Zandelia]

It was a tight fight but he had the edge in ability, it became apparent after the third joining and exiting of combat that she had landed almost double the blows he had landed upon her and he was beginning to use the last of his stamina. So far it had been a testing of each other’s abilities. Not it was entering a true combat and the throng was loving every chime of it. Now as the time she made her promise fulfilled, when she showed how to pick someone apart with just your hands – provided that you had the skill of course. They closed once more, breathing heavily and limbs more lethargic than before. It was a simple move, one the good doctor had snagged upon herself. She stepped inside Bosun’s guard and blocked both hooks before punching them away – torso exposed it took two sharp jabs and a cross elbow to crack the floating rib.

Stepping back now Bosun was hunched and she knew she hadn’t snapped it but certainly she had cracked it, she had felt it give and then that vague ripple of bone giving way. It would mean he now had to deal with both pain and a compromised guard and he knew it. He made a charge in, an attempt to finish things quickly with brute strength. She danced, blocked and pushed away the strikes as she gave ground enough to buy time to work with. One elbow block turned smoothly into a fingered jab to his throat. Recoiling and rasping now she pressed her advantage with a strike to the solar plexus and he stepped back once more. Enough room to slam both hands, open palms, into his ears – a discombobulation. Precariously balanced now he began to swing blindly, wildly. One passed her and she saw her chance, a grapple and a heave upwards – the elbow popped out of its joint and he screamed.

“Bitch!” he hissed at her.

She said nothing, conserving her breathing and circling him. He was fighting with one arm but he was mad with pain now. He was even trying to pop the elbow back in himself. She gave him no choice and darted in, under his swing she went and he attempted to bring his elbow back to smack into her face. She absorbed the impact with her forearms but they were thrown back into her nose and she stepped back. He took his opportunity and landed a blow or two before she stopped the third mid-flow. One hand on his wrist, the other on the front of the shoulder, a simple step behind his leg and his balance was off. She was slammed into the floor and she twisted his arm until she felt the shoulder pop from the socket . Bosun passed out after that and, nose dripping with blood, she looked to see it was all for nothing but gold.

Kechaiya was gone. The crowd, however, seemed to be happy enough for the both of them.

[Monarch]

Monarch



You have pleased your King!

 

Zandelia

XP

• +3 Unarmed Combat, +3 Socialization, +1 Teaching, +1 Tactics, +1 Negotiation,

Lores

• Combat: Judging a Fight from Afar, Tall Johnny's: Nostalgia for the Ring, Eyktol: The Death Hound, Tall Johnny's: Once More Unto the Breach

Notes

• I enjoyed reading Zand delving back into her past and enjoying the thrill of the cage fights. Shame the thread ended so abruptly, but I think you covered for Kei's absence admirably. Well done!

 

Keichaya

Notes
• Due to being inactive, this grade has been withheld. If you resume your activity, please PM me and I'll restore the grade.

Please edit your post in the Grade Request thread! If you have any problems with this grade, please PM me. Happy stabbings!