Thwarted Ambition
Re: Thwarted Ambition
"Calm yerself, missus. As I said, there's a proper decent place here. It's four hours or more walkin' t'Marn, an' I 'spect y'ain't ready fer that. See y'girl cleaned and clothed, an' then y'can skip off wherever y'please. Fair?"
Re: Thwarted Ambition
"Yes! That is all I ask, thank you."
It was hard for Arusa not to spit her words at the pair. She was still very annoyed, but she was tired as well -- tired of the world and all that it tested her with. Normally she would just scream and kick up a fuss until whoever was refusing her eventually gave in, but she suspected that wasn't an option with these Shim-folk. "If you'd like some sort of payment in return, we should sort it out later."
It was hard for Arusa not to spit her words at the pair. She was still very annoyed, but she was tired as well -- tired of the world and all that it tested her with. Normally she would just scream and kick up a fuss until whoever was refusing her eventually gave in, but she suspected that wasn't an option with these Shim-folk. "If you'd like some sort of payment in return, we should sort it out later."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Impossible strangers. Flap flap flap. Rude. So rude, with the noises and graceless jerking motions. Amm had showed their patience, she had done what had been asked. None of them were dead. None of them had been bleeding. She had done waitwatchhear like she’d been asked, and they had pulled and carried her like she was a pretty stone. Now they had turned, and started walking back away from where she knew her weapon, her life, was. They thought to take her and treat her as they had all the others who were now dead. Amm was not biggest brightest best, but she was a survivor and she was strong.
The big one had relaxed. The big one had been lax and stupid. No predator. Just big, big and slow and dumb with quick hands and too much muscle. He was stupider than even the fish, and much more than crane. Amm twisted, using elbow and knee and foot to make him bend over in pain. He wasn’t expecting that. Where was control? Animals Without Reason or Mind, she twisted into her knifing attacks.
They were making sounds again, especially the small one. No matter. Amm was free, and she was faster smarter stronger. She dodged the slowed grabs the big one made at her. Pausing only long enough to aim a swiping kick at the fish’s shins, she was then running. Long Strides To Weapon, For Aniz! she turned and slid into her long strides. Amm was fast. Faster than them. She weaved around the other strangers walking slow and dumb on the dirt path, between all the strangers’ big huts, and made it to the bridge. The pond. Her spear.
Fulbert couldn’t stop laughing. Nic’d just got himself jacked by a girl who couldn’t be more’n ten and looked like she weighed nothin’. The expression on his face when the girl’d used his grip against him, then gotten him once, twice with her knee. He’d never seen a kid move like that. She’d shot off down the road, and Fulbert sure as shit wasn’t gonna chase after her, no, he hadn’t made it his problem. Nic’s idea, his deal. Though the way he was bending over looked like the girl’d gotten him in the stones on her path down from his arm.
He watched the girl disappear, and Nic took a step like he was gonna run after her. “That ain’t no normal girl,” Nic said, as he took another like he planned on jogging.
“No shit, genius,” Fulbert said, looking back at Arusa with raised eyebrows. Not hers, eh?
The big one had relaxed. The big one had been lax and stupid. No predator. Just big, big and slow and dumb with quick hands and too much muscle. He was stupider than even the fish, and much more than crane. Amm twisted, using elbow and knee and foot to make him bend over in pain. He wasn’t expecting that. Where was control? Animals Without Reason or Mind, she twisted into her knifing attacks.
They were making sounds again, especially the small one. No matter. Amm was free, and she was faster smarter stronger. She dodged the slowed grabs the big one made at her. Pausing only long enough to aim a swiping kick at the fish’s shins, she was then running. Long Strides To Weapon, For Aniz! she turned and slid into her long strides. Amm was fast. Faster than them. She weaved around the other strangers walking slow and dumb on the dirt path, between all the strangers’ big huts, and made it to the bridge. The pond. Her spear.
Fulbert couldn’t stop laughing. Nic’d just got himself jacked by a girl who couldn’t be more’n ten and looked like she weighed nothin’. The expression on his face when the girl’d used his grip against him, then gotten him once, twice with her knee. He’d never seen a kid move like that. She’d shot off down the road, and Fulbert sure as shit wasn’t gonna chase after her, no, he hadn’t made it his problem. Nic’s idea, his deal. Though the way he was bending over looked like the girl’d gotten him in the stones on her path down from his arm.
He watched the girl disappear, and Nic took a step like he was gonna run after her. “That ain’t no normal girl,” Nic said, as he took another like he planned on jogging.
“No shit, genius,” Fulbert said, looking back at Arusa with raised eyebrows. Not hers, eh?
Re: Thwarted Ambition
One moment the Tera was quiet and still, and the next she had broken loose and run off towards Chezak again. Not before getting a good hit in on the tortured dancer, however. Arusa was entirely distracted when the pain of the child's foot colliding with her delicate shin sent her to the ground with a wail. When she looked up again, the child was almost out of sight and the bigger guy had decided to give chase. He'll never catch the little wench.
Arusa certainly wasn't going to bother with going after them, and the gnelf didn't seem in much of a hurry either. She glanced at him and frowned. He'd just laughed as the girl escaped, yet he'd accused Arusa of not caring simply because she knew the girl was capable of taking care of her own little self. Hopefully they could see that for themselves now.
"I told you she could look after herself," she whined. "Now your friend will never catch her. She'll probably go and hide behind her daddy, anyway."
Arusa certainly wasn't going to bother with going after them, and the gnelf didn't seem in much of a hurry either. She glanced at him and frowned. He'd just laughed as the girl escaped, yet he'd accused Arusa of not caring simply because she knew the girl was capable of taking care of her own little self. Hopefully they could see that for themselves now.
"I told you she could look after herself," she whined. "Now your friend will never catch her. She'll probably go and hide behind her daddy, anyway."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
"Then it won't be your problem anymore, will it?" Fulbert eyed Arusa speculatively. "In fact, why not just let her stay with daddy, an' you an' me can catch something better to do."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Perhaps she should have run off after the girl herself, and save being left with only the half-breed for company. "What about your friend?"
Re: Thwarted Ambition
"He's not always my friend." Fulbert shrugged, his body language placid. "Suit yourself if you wanna stick around and be dragged up and down the town following Nic's morals, but I got better things to do. Nice lady like you, forced to wallow in the mud with that brat?" He snorted. "Nah, something tells me that ain't your style."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Arusa straightened immediately at the gnelf's words. It really wasn't her style, he was right, and she was admittedly a little surprised that he was even aware of such things. She wondered what exactly it was that he meant, whether his idea of a better time was anywhere near as fitting for a celebrity as hers. "Yes, that is true. I'm quite surprised at myself, this day. That I would lower myself so far for someone who will never appreciate it -- well, you can't win every battle, I suppose."
She stood up again then, rubbing at the sore spot on her leg. "That's surely going to bruise."
She stood up again then, rubbing at the sore spot on her leg. "That's surely going to bruise."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
"Yeah? Walk with me?" He turned partway away, gesturing away from the pond and the direction both Amm and Nic had gone in.
He knew the way he looked. Disproportionate. His limbs were too long, his body too narrow for what most people considered masculine. He looked young, and that coupled with his excess of energy and too-big head made people not take him seriously. He was too big for a gnome, too small for an elf with a voice that sounded like he was practicing to become a puppeteer for children's plays.
He always dressed formally. It made people look down on him, think he was a caricature of a real person. Just by looking at him, most people could tell there was something wrong with him, and it affected how they thought of him, how they treated him.
So he used it to his advantage.
Fulbert didn't really care much for anyone. He liked people so long as they did what he wanted them to do, or were too stupid to realize he was using them. He was a con-man, a swindler; he made his way by preying on people who might otherwise have preyed on him. Not that he would have felt bad for taking advantage of someone who didn't. He let Nic stick around, after all. When he wasn't being a nuisance, like now.
"What's your story, lady? How'd y'end up in a backwater like Shim?"
He knew the way he looked. Disproportionate. His limbs were too long, his body too narrow for what most people considered masculine. He looked young, and that coupled with his excess of energy and too-big head made people not take him seriously. He was too big for a gnome, too small for an elf with a voice that sounded like he was practicing to become a puppeteer for children's plays.
He always dressed formally. It made people look down on him, think he was a caricature of a real person. Just by looking at him, most people could tell there was something wrong with him, and it affected how they thought of him, how they treated him.
So he used it to his advantage.
Fulbert didn't really care much for anyone. He liked people so long as they did what he wanted them to do, or were too stupid to realize he was using them. He was a con-man, a swindler; he made his way by preying on people who might otherwise have preyed on him. Not that he would have felt bad for taking advantage of someone who didn't. He let Nic stick around, after all. When he wasn't being a nuisance, like now.
"What's your story, lady? How'd y'end up in a backwater like Shim?"
Re: Thwarted Ambition
As they began walking, towards wherever it was this gnelf thought they might find entertainment, Arusa wondered about what Thar Shaddin might have to offer. She knew of their Puradynic values and the lack of trade through the area, but sometimes villages like Shim could surprise a girl like Arusa. One of her favourite skirts had been bought in a tiny village east of Dalouxia.
"What's your story, lady? How'd y'end up in a backwater like Shim?"
How, indeed. Arusa did not bother to look at her new acquaintance as she replied, "I'm a traveling performer, quite popular in Tian Xia, but I've yet to work so far from home. The three of us have been traveling on foot all this way, can you believe it? Chezak has preferred to avoid civilization, fear of bandits and all that -- a bit excessive, I think."
"What's your story, lady? How'd y'end up in a backwater like Shim?"
How, indeed. Arusa did not bother to look at her new acquaintance as she replied, "I'm a traveling performer, quite popular in Tian Xia, but I've yet to work so far from home. The three of us have been traveling on foot all this way, can you believe it? Chezak has preferred to avoid civilization, fear of bandits and all that -- a bit excessive, I think."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
"Can't believe it 'tall," Fulbert muttered, looking away to roll his eyes. Oh, yeah, this would be a barrel of fun, but. . .she was a performer. Those he could work with.
He steered them towards one of the outflung farmhouses. It functioned as a real farm, of course, but there was something of a cellar under the barn, its entrance hidden by straw and old equipment. It was something of an open secret in the town, that old barn, but Shim was tight mouthed about that sort of thing. They weren't about to share secrets with outsiders weren't about to become part of it.
Ostensibly, people visited the family so often because of their home brewery. They even sold to the Red Chalice, but most people didn't go there just to buy themselves a few bottles to go home. Oh, no.
"What kind of performer?"
He steered them towards one of the outflung farmhouses. It functioned as a real farm, of course, but there was something of a cellar under the barn, its entrance hidden by straw and old equipment. It was something of an open secret in the town, that old barn, but Shim was tight mouthed about that sort of thing. They weren't about to share secrets with outsiders weren't about to become part of it.
Ostensibly, people visited the family so often because of their home brewery. They even sold to the Red Chalice, but most people didn't go there just to buy themselves a few bottles to go home. Oh, no.
"What kind of performer?"
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Arusa frowned at her ruined clothing again. She'd been trying to tell herself it was a good excuse to buy a new wardrobe, but she wasn't paid quite enough for her work -- not yet, anyway. Perhaps Marn would surprise her with a great appreciation for the arts? Of course, how else would they entertain themselves without magic?
"I'm a dancer. Mostly traditional dances, of Darleone and Tian Xia, but I've had experience with most everything. I've been considering incorporating ideas from the An-- well, fae culture. Oh, but I can't imagine Marn appreciating faerie dances at all."
"I'm a dancer. Mostly traditional dances, of Darleone and Tian Xia, but I've had experience with most everything. I've been considering incorporating ideas from the An-- well, fae culture. Oh, but I can't imagine Marn appreciating faerie dances at all."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Fulbert's eyes glittered with interest. "You might be surprised," he murmured, glancing at her sidelong to reassess her body. He could think of some appreciative men, right enough. Maybe even a woman. "Can't say I've had the pleasure. Would you show me?"
There was a chance the woman was trash, and if so he'd be having none of it. But for the chance he'd risk fifteen wasted minutes.
There was a chance the woman was trash, and if so he'd be having none of it. But for the chance he'd risk fifteen wasted minutes.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
So the half-breed had an appreciation for the arts?
More likely a passion for dancers, as most men do, she thought. With a smug grin and a practiced chuckle, she replied, "I am a professional. I tend not to work for free. Perhaps... if you know a place I might be hired, I wouldn't mind giving you a preview."
More likely a passion for dancers, as most men do, she thought. With a smug grin and a practiced chuckle, she replied, "I am a professional. I tend not to work for free. Perhaps... if you know a place I might be hired, I wouldn't mind giving you a preview."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
"I do," he said, "but I've no reason to recommend without knowing the goods in advance."
Almost there. Almost.
Almost there. Almost.