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Post by Ryuzaki on Sept 25, 2016 22:04:32 GMT -6
The evening air was cool and calm, a faint breeze barely caressing Ryuzaki's face as he walked into the city of Bulgar. All was as it usually was; people were bustling about in the fading sun, their clothing and faces tinged a slight sienna by the rays of the dying light. The sound of merchants advertising their wares burst forth in waves of fast-paced speech, both in Common and Sacaean dialects, and the chatter of wives as they haggled or men as they smoked and discussed business gave the setting a wholly pleasant, mundane aura. All was peaceful, and the marketplace was undisturbed.
Enter two figures. One wore a cloak, its hood around his neck, not obscuring his face. It would not do to draw attention. No weapons showed on his person, though his long cloak looked to conceal many things. The other was a ragged girl, clearly in need of a better wardrobe and some better-fitting boots. She carried a sword at her side, which seemed awkwardly large for her frame. They walked side by side, close, not like lovers or siblings, but like associates. They had the purposeful air of businesspeople, but they looked like anything but reputable people of commerce.
"Stay close. First, we'll go to the blacksmith's. I have...business there. Come with me, though. Once we're finished, undoubtedly clothing shops will be around, and you can nab the gear you need. I'll help you with that part. But for now, don't draw attention. Walk calmly, but with a little swagger. As if you're a mercenary, and a damn good one. You've just finished a tough job, and your pockets are full of coin. You're heading for a drink with your guild and then to the brothel, and life couldn't be better. Keep that character, and we'll have no trouble from any guards or nosy folk."
Indeed, the assassin was walking in a manner much different from the gait Leiva would be used to. His arms swung loose from his sides, and he flipped a coin, arcing and catching it just like a brazen and cocky mercenary might. He occasionally tossed his hair, and would give nods and half-smirks to those who caught his eye, as if advertising his toughness. Most of the passerby nodded back, greeting the man and falling for the air, but some looked away, clearly too high-brow to associate with common mercenaries. It was second nature to the assassin, blending in to a crowd, but Ryuzaki was interested in how Leiva would perform. After all, this was a new skill she was learning.
"Oh, and for the sake of this, since we're in public, please do avoid using my name. I'll call you Eva, and you may refer to me as Zak. We are mercenaries, successful fighters who have driven off many assaults of the untrained plains bandit rabble. We are tough with confidence and claim allegiance to the mercantile guild 'Lycian Weapons Group' as two of their most valued mercenaries, often charged with defending important shipments."
Ryuzaki nodded, smiling at Leiva. The game had begun!
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Leiva
Novice
I won't always be bad, so I won't stop 'till I stand by as your equal, okay?
Posts: 53
Profession: Apprentice Thief
Affiliation: None
Profile: Leiva's Profile
OoC Alias: Jo
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Post by Leiva on Sept 25, 2016 22:35:02 GMT -6
Leiva blinked and furrowed her brow in doubt as Ryuzaki described how she should move. She was fully aware of her own cute, girlish, young appearance, and while acting egotistically came to her easily, she didn't think that putting on the facade of a confident mercenary who just returned from a successful mission would be too convincing. She had absolutely no doubts that at least somebody would call them out. "Uh, sir, are you sure I shouldn't act like your daughter or something? I don't think I could work that role too well." As Leiva spoke, she tried her best to emulate what Ryuzaki was doing, but it just ended up looking like a pained, unconvincing mockery. Her movements were clumsy and it was absolutely evident that she hadn't a ghost of a clue what she was doing. The girl nodded, stating her own and her mentor's fabricated name over and over under her breath to familiarize herself with it. "Mercenaries... uh, okay. Still not confident on this, but whatever, sir."
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Post by Ryuzaki on Sept 26, 2016 22:21:13 GMT -6
"Leiva, if you were my daughter, I would have had you when I was barely thirteen, if even that. Most ridiculous. Please, at least think logically about the situation."
Leiva was painfully awkward, lurching as if she was drunk. It was almost humorous, but Ryuzaki simply shook his head, sighing and offering pointers in his quiet, remarkably patient tone as they weaved through the crowds. Though they certainly were not the same as the majority, as far as appearances went, nobody paid them special attention, especially due to the diversity of people present in the marketplace. Most were Sacaean tribesmen, of course, but there were mages, and priests, and the occasional soldier in armor. It was a melting pot, a perfect place to hide in plain view.
"Just walk normally, but keep a little smirk on your face. Imagine that you're the world's greatest assassin, and that every person you see you can rob blind without them knowing anything. Imagine being able to steal the food right out of their hands, or the coins out of their purse as it hangs on their belt. Imagine even taking their hat without reprimand, such is your skill, and so clever and quick are your fingers."
Indeed, as he spoke, Ryuzaki had nabbed a pear from an armful a chattering woman was cradling, handing it to Leiva and then dipping the tips of his fingers in an open purse as they passed, withdrawing a few silver coins, which he dropped into his associate's hand without missing a beat. As he finished his small speech, he hooked the brim of a hat that was loose upon a man's head, quickly swiping it off and down behind his back, bringing it up and plopping it on top of the pear and coins as the bewildered man gazed at the sky, rebuking the breeze.
"Own the situation. Play it to your advantage. This is your game, and you call the shots. Enjoy that, and let the swagger show.
But that will wait. Here is the blacksmith's shop. We will enter."
The two passed under a tapestry covering the entrance, and Ryuzaki moved up to the counter, doing something wholly uncharacteristic for him. As the proprietor nodded to him, the silver-haired man spoke in a Sacaean dialect, which was answered by a slightly different one. The conversation was quick, and the smith walked over to Leiva, wasting no time and using his broad fingers to measure out distances, widths, thicknesses. He poked her arm, moving it occasionally in arcs, and spoke no words to the Novice. Leaving them and moving to the rear of the shop, through another tapestry, the smith silently swept the coins Ryu had deposited into his palm and then was gone.
Minutes later, he reemerged with a handful of swords, laying the blades upon the countertop and speaking one gruff word.
"Choose."
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Leiva
Novice
I won't always be bad, so I won't stop 'till I stand by as your equal, okay?
Posts: 53
Profession: Apprentice Thief
Affiliation: None
Profile: Leiva's Profile
OoC Alias: Jo
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Post by Leiva on Sept 27, 2016 19:57:54 GMT -6
Leiva crossed her arms and huffed as the lecture came, morphing her face into an over-exaggerated frown, a mimicry of Ryuzaki's own usual expression. "Please think logically about the situation, merrhh." Leiva repeated Ryuzaki's words in a mocking, childish manner, rolling her eyes and blowing a raspberry at the assassin with her tongue. She thought that her own idea was better than his stupid one; in what world would a fourteen year old girl be returning from a successful assassination? Her new mentor clearly didn't have a good grasp on how children should act in general, let alone with a fellow adult in public. Nevertheless, Leiva bit back further mocking, looking back up at Ryuzaki has he spoke once more, observing his actions in wonder. The way he so flawlessly picked belongings off of none-the-wiser bystanders, it was almost an art form in and of itself, so much so that Leiva found herself unable to recall what Ryuzaki had been talking about. She nodded as Ryuzaki finished up his speaking, repeating the essentials to herself in her mind. Own the situation, show the swagger. You're the best, act like the best, be the best. That shouldn't be too hard; Leiva was already a thorough egotist as it was, and she recognized that. Might as well indulge a little while she was being instructed to, hm? The novice turned her attention to the blacksmith's shop, following Ryuzaki through the tapestry. She stared up at the two as they spoke, unable to decipher the heavy Sacaen speech they used. Despite the fact that Leiva was technically a tribe girl herself, she wasn't used to speech that quick or foreign. She observed the blacksmith as he moved around the side of the shop counter and began poking at her and measuring her frame, discomfort evident on her face. Leiva protested, but by the time she had, the prodding was already over, and the blacksmith had exited and returned with a handful of blades, laying them out on the counter in front of the novice. "Choose." Leiva was momentarily puzzled, but decided it best not to argue. Instead, she began picking up and feeling the weight of the blades, holding them in both hands, moving them around, the same process repeated with each one. However, as her hand passed over one of the blades, it stopped. This one felt right. Leiva couldn't place it, but she knew that it would be perfect for her. She gripped the sun-bleached leather-clad hilt with her right hand, raising the blade, the decorated, spherical silver pommel weighing against the curved, razor-sharp blade perfectly; the novice could hardly believe how perfect the weapon felt in her hand. It was almost as good as Ryuzaki's Killing Edge, but not quite. Leiva questioned how the blacksmith could forge such a flawless blade by only making some cursory measurements to her body, but who was she to complain? She returned her gaze to the blacksmith, her eyes filled with sinister joy. "This one! This one is perfect, sir."
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Post by Ryuzaki on Sept 27, 2016 22:41:07 GMT -6
The novice selected a blade, a sword of iron that boasted an ornate pommel and a curved, scimitar-like blade. A most interesting choice, in his opinion. Turning to the blacksmith, Ryuzaki spoke a few more words, and the blacksmith responded, ending whatever his explanation was with a harsh, discordant laugh that the assassin echoed. It was a humorless laugh, almost dead sounding. The assassin took the blade and the proffered sheath and offered them to the novice, motioning for her to affix the new weapon however she chose.
"Khaled has lots of unusual blades around. He figured you'd like one in the pile he brought based on what he gathered from your build and your reach. I'm glad you now have a weapon that will serve you better than that old hunk of metal. This is a weapon with more finesse. It is, of course, an iron sword, but it is more finely crafted. He made it for a man, a while ago, who was a flamboyant, ostentatious playboy. The man was killed by bandits, and the sword ended up being sold back to Khaled, who kept it around. Now it's yours...but I have no doubt you'll be able to wield it better than he did. Certainly, it will see more use."
The assassin then gave a questioning look to the blacksmith, taking a sheet of paper from a book of prototype drawings and scribbling a design on the empty page. He wrote a few specifications, scribbled a bit, and then handed it to the other man, who nodded.
"I have some. They're not usually bought, but I made a few as a challenge. I figured you might want something like them... I'll keep working on other ideas, too."
Ryuzaki nodded, taking the proffered items and sliding a few gold coins across the counter. He held the new additions to his arsenal up, looking at each and smiling, a grin upon his face as he turned it on his palm and then showed it to Leiva, the interest evident on his face.
"Take a look. This is the same type of item that bandit used on me... It's like a mine, the explosive devices that contain fire spirits. But this one has a wind spirit. It's good for clearing space, propelling a getaway, or even for getting to high places. It's ridiculously versatile, and now, I have a stock of them. I knew he wouldn't let me down. Finally, I have some vortex grenades of my own."
Giving a final nod to Khaled the blacksmith, Ryuzaki left the building with Leiva, and immediately looked around, pointing over in the distance.
"There are the clothing merchants. Let us see if we can steal you some boots and a cloak. Lead the way, Eva."
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Leiva
Novice
I won't always be bad, so I won't stop 'till I stand by as your equal, okay?
Posts: 53
Profession: Apprentice Thief
Affiliation: None
Profile: Leiva's Profile
OoC Alias: Jo
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Post by Leiva on Sept 29, 2016 16:43:31 GMT -6
Leiva took the blade and sheath from her mentor, slightly disconcerted at the laughter. It sounded like the dying cries of some sort of equine animal, not to mention that it was disconcerting to hear Ryuzaki laugh at all. She reconfigured her face into a puzzled look before shaking her head and dismissing the thought, clipping the sheath of the weapon to her belt. She then slid the blade in, the metal producing a satisfying 'shing' noise as it took its place in its sheath. Her grin then retook its place upon her mouth, looking up at Khaled and Ryuzaki. "That's really cool! I never would've thought he could craft a sword for me just by measuring my build." She observed Ryu and Khaled as they conducted their business, curious of what they could be discussing. She was soon given her answer, however, presented with the vortex grenade. She listened as Ryuzaki educated her on their use and materials, but that wasn't really what she was paying attention to. She was paying more attention to the fact that Ryuzaki was smiling and looked genuinely happy; that was a sight almost as rare as benevolent Bernese rulers. The novice nodded as the assassin finished his speech, following him out of the smithy and observing the street for a moment before her eyes followed Ryuzaki's finger, seeing the clothing store. "Yeah, let's go already!" The novice excitedly set off toward the clothing store, almost running. She got a new set of clothing every, what, two years? And at that point, it was only because she grew out of the old ones. Clothing that wasn't passed down or thrown out would be a welcome change to the young novice.
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Post by Ryuzaki on Sept 29, 2016 20:17:54 GMT -6
Ryu gave a briefly quizzical look to his apprentice. Hadn't he just gotten done saying that the blade had been sold back after its previous owner had been cut down? That was, after all, what they had been laughing about. Well, no matter. He didn't want to frighten the young woman. She would make good use of the sword, and he'd rather she not be frightened of it. As the two left, he gave a final nod to the smith, and they were on the way, Leiva leading the charge as she hurriedly pushed her way through the crowd, past meandering tribeswomen and hawking merchants. They soon arrived at the storefront, and the assassin followed the girl into the shop, sidling up behind her as they began to peruse the wares.
"Go for something utilitarian. Shirt, pants, cloak. That's pretty much all you need. Tight dresses or fancy attire isn't useful or practical for our line of work. Make sure the cloak is large, though, so we can attach pouches and so that you can hide weapons and knife bandoliers underneath. A hood is preferred, though we can sew one on if none of the hooded cloaks here work. Anyway, try on clothes, and when you find something good, try it on and cut off your old clothes from underneath or something. Be discreet. I will distract the shopkeeper, and when you're done, we'll head to the boot shop."
Ryuzaki gave a single nod to his apprentice.
"Go."
The man then approached the shopkeeper, his face friendly and smiling, and a question upon his lips. The two began to engage in conversation, and Ryu spoke loudly, trying to cover any noise Leiva might be making. His gesticulations, which were sweeping, mimed an interestingly designed garment, though they were merely designed to hide his apprentice and divert attention from her thievery.
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Leiva
Novice
I won't always be bad, so I won't stop 'till I stand by as your equal, okay?
Posts: 53
Profession: Apprentice Thief
Affiliation: None
Profile: Leiva's Profile
OoC Alias: Jo
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Post by Leiva on Oct 3, 2016 22:24:45 GMT -6
Leiva followed the assassin as they paced the aisles, listening to his hushed directions attentively. She counted the items in her mind, repeating them so as not to forget them. Large cloak, hood, new boots, new pants. Sure. She nodded in synchronicity to Ryuzaki as he finished his instruction, watching him as he went to go distract the shopkeeper, pretending to take interest in the various knicknacks lining the shelves. As soon as she figured the coast was clear, she quickly but discretely darted to the clothing section, pacing up and down the aisles, looking for the directed large hooded cloak. Before being given the opportunity to encounter the garment, however, her attention was caught by a small cloth implement: an eye patch. She stood and looked at it for a moment, deciding to do something fairly brash. She looked to her sides quickly, ensuring that nobody was watching her, quickly removing her wig and unraveling her bandages, just as swiftly swiping the eyepatch off of the shelf and slipping it over her damaged eye, then replacing her wig. A clean getaway; nobody had noticed. The novice then recalled her original objective and grabbed the nearest hooded cloak, which happened to be a deep navy blue, slipping it over her normal clothes and slicing the thin fabric, the original, damaged cloak falling to her feet under it. She quickly picked it up and placed it on the shelf. She was getting anxious now; maybe the shopkeeper had noticed? No, impossible. He was engaged in his conversation with Ryu; she had some time. She decided to forget the pants; she was good enough with her normal mobility. She quickly walked to the exit, beckoning Ryuzaki with her hand as she left the store. Leiva had almost no doubt in her mind that that was the sloppiest shoplifting job that ever was, but she knew that she got away with it anyway, somehow. She stood outside of the shop impatiently as she waited for Ryu, the anxiety biting at and numbing her fingertips.
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Post by Ryuzaki on Oct 8, 2016 22:54:33 GMT -6
As Ryuzaki stood with the shopkeeper, their friendly words and business conversation providing a welcome and protective cover, Leiva was free to set to her thievery. The assassin made certain to engage the proprietor enough to keep him interested, focused, immersed, and for all intents and purposes not aware of the robbery in progress. It was a resounding success, as after only a brief lapse of time – perhaps two to five minutes, at most – the novice headed out the door, not at all looking nervous or shifty as she sauntered away, a blue cloak, which looked to be much more professional and heavy-duty gracing her slight frame, and an… eye patch… over her eye.
Damn it. Were all of his apprentices wanna-be pirates? First it was Jude and his incessant fixation on refusing to use swords because ‘I’m a real pirate and pirates only use knives’ and now it was Leiva with an eye patch. You’d think that the next moment she’d be using an axe and yelling out “Yo-ho-ho” or something. Ugh. Pirates.
Ryuzaki finished up with the shopkeeper, who smiled as he finished making the adjustments the assassin had specified. Ryu paid the man and took the new belt, which now boasted loops upon which to hang his grenades and tactical items. Very useful indeed. The assassin bowed, exiting the store, and then turned into the next alley over with apprentice in tow.
“Well, you certainly pulled off the swap with aplomb. But I have to ask… Why the eyepatch? Are you also obsessed with pirates? I’m beginning to fear I’m cursed with apprentices that want to be pirates. It’s a little bit concerning, frankly.
And don’t just stand there. Walk as you talk, come on. We have to get dinner, remember? The food area of the market is a little ways away, and the sun is getting closer to setting. We have to get to the vendors before they shut down, or we’ll be too conspicuous.”
The assassin led the way towards the food, ready for whatever crazy explanation the chipper novice might produce. She certainly had a way of taking everything with that unquenchable fire in her belly, that hyperdrive. Sometimes it was exhausting and amusing simultaneously, like now. He was intrigued as to how she'd felt when she was making the steal, and her plan to snag dinner. He would, after all, only be observing.
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Leiva
Novice
I won't always be bad, so I won't stop 'till I stand by as your equal, okay?
Posts: 53
Profession: Apprentice Thief
Affiliation: None
Profile: Leiva's Profile
OoC Alias: Jo
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Post by Leiva on Oct 8, 2016 23:23:59 GMT -6
As the assassin approached Leiva, she detected something off about his attitude. He seemed exasperated with something, but with what, Leiva could not tell. That was, until Ryuzaki spoke. Leiva felt her face grow hot with anger as he mentioned the change in her eye's garment, crossing her arms and glaring up at him. "Wow. I expected more tact from you of all people." The bitterness in Leiva's voice was palpable. Despite her better judgement, Leiva acted upon her emotions rather than her judgement, opting to flip the eyepatch up at Ryuzaki, making sure he got a good, long look at the flayed, scarred, empty socket. "Still wondering, asshole?" Shortly after, she flipped it back down, the scar from the gash in her eye peeking just above and below the cloth of the eyepatch. Leiva began quickly walking toward the food court as Ryuzaki mentioned it, her posture and movements notably stiff and guarded. He had no sense of sensitivity, that Ryuzaki. Had it never crossed his mind that her bandages were there for a reason? Leiva made a mental note to remember that Ryu wasn't exactly the most tactile of people. But the again, whom else could she confide in? The answer was nobody, and the contradiction angered Leiva. She merely sighed and continued walking, trying to push Ryu out of her mind for now. She needed to focus on stealing her dinner more than she did on her master's insensitivity.
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Post by Ryuzaki on Oct 8, 2016 23:40:55 GMT -6
It appeared as if he'd angered his new apprentice. She sent a biting remark about tact towards him, to which he did not deign to respond. After all, tact had its places, but brutal honesty was necessary in order to help her improve. After all, without the depth perception given by two eyes, it would be harder for her to survey the scene, fight well, and gauge distances for knife throwing, grenade lobbing, grappling hooking, and all the other thieves' tricks she'd have to learn. A fashion-statement eye patch would be no more than a hindrance to her. She would be much better served to be less vain and not attempt to put on a pirate's appearance for...
oh.
Interesting.
It appeared to be the case that Leiva was missing an eye. The wound was not fully healed, but certainly not fresh. Perhaps it had lead to her state upon the plains earlier. Nevertheless, this did create some interesting changes to his strategy. He'd have to coach her in moving constantly so that she could see through the much larger blind spot she had, would need to train her to gauge her strikes without the help of normal depth perception, and would certainly need to drill her in throwing objects, whether they be weapons or tools. This would be a new challenge to overcome.
But it also had a lot of promise.
"This is wonderful. I am amazed at the progress you've already made, even with a large blind spot and the lack of natural ability -- depth perception -- that comes with having two eyes. It's a much more meaningful start, now that I can better see your situation. You have potential. Now I'll have to train you extra hard. We'll work on moving to always know your surroundings, we will practice striking and blocking and dodging so that you gain the finesse to be able to dodge within a hair's breadth of a strike and attack in the smallest of openings even without natural depth perception. And we will definitely have many long practice sessions with knives and grapples, so that you can aim your ranged attacks and your mobility-enhancing tools. Otherwise, you're a sitting duck.
My other suggestion... Once that wound heals, why not ditch the eyepatch? Instead of the pirate look, you would be much more menacing and hideous with an open, scarred eye socket. It would give you a fearsome exterior and add to the element of terror that often helps assassinations. Especially when killing to make a statement. Imagine it! A one-eyed assassin, fire in your iris and hate in your voice as you slash down a foe with a blade as sharp as a razor... That would be fearsome. Hmm. I like it already."
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Leiva
Novice
I won't always be bad, so I won't stop 'till I stand by as your equal, okay?
Posts: 53
Profession: Apprentice Thief
Affiliation: None
Profile: Leiva's Profile
OoC Alias: Jo
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Post by Leiva on Oct 9, 2016 18:33:56 GMT -6
While Leiva was intensely flattered by her master's praise of the progress she had made already, she was still upset with him. I mean, where does he get off asking her if she has a pirate obsession just because she wanted to change out her dirty, stained bandages for something that was clean? She really couldn't believe that the assassin hadn't at least asked himself why she wore those in the first place; that required a lack of self-awareness the likes of which Leiva had never seen, even having been a homeless plains-rat for most of her life. The novice observed the bustling food court as her master rambled on about changing her training regiment, taking in the arrangement of the stalls and the amount of people. There were at least several dozen people shopping for food, easily; this was good. This meant she had lots of cover, lots of people to bump into while she unwittingly swiped their purchased items out from under their noses. And it was made even better by the fact that all of the peddlers had come out of the woodwork, selling their foreign, exotic foods from parts unknown to shoppers. This was perfect, indeed. Leiva had just been about to leap in and begin her scavenging, when her master launched into some sort of fantastical rant about her, removing her eyepatch once the wound healed. Fire in her iris, hate in her voice...? What the fresh hell was he on about? Leiva stopped abruptly in place before turning around. She seriously considered slapping Ryuzaki straight across the face, but she wasn't tall or brave enough to do that. Instead, she crossed her arms, the glare familiar from a few moments ago taking its place on her face once more. "You... you think I'm proud of this? You think I want anybody to see this, even people who I'm about to murder? That's stupid." The novice huffed and stared at her master further, refusing to move until he at least apologized. He seemed to be losing himself in some sort of weird fantasy, some ridiculous kind of world where Leiva was a hateful, jaded person such as Ryuzaki himself, but he was sorely mistaken if he thought that she was going to turn out that way. Leiva would kill because she had to, not because she was a nihilistic faithless wanderer.
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Post by Ryuzaki on Nov 6, 2016 23:04:18 GMT -6
“You… you think I’m proud of this? You think I want anybody to see this, even people who I’m about to murder? That’s stupid.”
Ryuzaki’s face devolved into abject confusion. Bewildered, he let his eyebrows rise and crumple together, what was visible of his forehead through his thick, long hair folding into long, parallel ridges as he tried to process why his new apprentice was so strongly opposed to his plan, and why she had reacted so fiercely. It was difficult to comprehend. She was training to become an assassin, a vicious killer prepared to cull any who stood in her path as she improved herself, becoming a perfect instrument of destruction and slaughter. Why, then, was she unhappy with who she was?
“I do not understand.
You cannot change your eye. No amount of wishing will bring it back. Why, then, do you not accept yourself as who you are? You have one eye, but does that make you any less than I, who possesses two eyes? Surely not. So be proud of who you are, and what has made you who you are. As you grow you will change, and that is both beneficial and inevitable. But you must be true to who you are, not a fictitious, idealized rendition of yourself.
Let go of your spite and bitterness. You are wounded. Let that make you more determined and dedicated. Fearsome. Vicious. Bold. Brave. Use your injuries, your shortcomings, your failures. Let them be fuel for your growth!
Now go! Make a meal out of nothing.”
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Leiva
Novice
I won't always be bad, so I won't stop 'till I stand by as your equal, okay?
Posts: 53
Profession: Apprentice Thief
Affiliation: None
Profile: Leiva's Profile
OoC Alias: Jo
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Post by Leiva on Nov 13, 2016 18:24:19 GMT -6
Leiva sighed. She thought over how to articulate how she felt, but she knew that no matter what she said, it wouldn't make sense to Ryuzaki. She supposed that her mentor was just not well-versed in how self-consciousness worked, but she also supposed she couldn't fault the assassin for believing what he did. And, she guessed, in a way, his speech was uplifting. But that didn't mean that Leiva was going to prance around with a disgusting, flayed, empty eye-socket like it was some sort of badge of honor. But at any rate, none of that was anything too important immediately anyway. What was important right now was 'earning' some food, and Leiva set off into the crowd of hungry Bulgarians at Ryuzaki's word. What immediately set upon the novice's mind as she entered the food court was a sense of intimidation. There had to be dozens of people crowding in this small court, talking, eating, laughing, debating, arguing, fighting, and Leiva could barely make sense of any of it. But she knew this was a good thing; the more crowded an area was, the less likely any of them were to pay attention to any one petty thief. The girl scanned the crowd from within, looking for a particularly easy target whilst going over the list of foods that she needed to steal away in her mind. Meat, bread, fruits. That was it. But finding an entire loaf of bread and a sizable cut of meat would be a rather lofty challenge, the novice figured. Unfortunately, she didn't really have a choice either way; it was either steal the food or go hungry yet another day. Wait, right there. Leiva's eyes stopped upon an elderly couple arguing about something or other, while a recently-purchased bowl of apples sat dejected off to the side of the table, ripe for the taking. As much as she needed food, the novice didn't exactly feel extremely good stealing an old couple's food. But it would just be one apple, right...? Nothing too big. They wouldn't even notice anyway. Making her decision, Leiva weaved through the crowd, moving with purpose toward the couple. In one smooth movement, the apprentice thief broke forth from the crowd, striding quickly past the table and swiping a slightly overripe but still edible apple from the bowl, merging into the crowd just as quickly as she had left it. After deciding she had produced enough distance between herself and the couple, she checked all her sides, making sure that nobody had noticed her larceny. Clear north, clear south, clear both sides. Good. She released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, feeling her heart beat in her chest. She harshly told herself to calm down; what kind of thief got nerves from stealing an apple? Something she needed to work on, she supposed. The novice quickly pocketed the apple and began scanning for another vulnerable target, this time for some bread and a satisfactory cut of venison, or something similar. Aha, another unattended meal. This time, it was left completely unguarded, the presumed owner arguing with the butcher over whether the size of the cut was worth what he paid. This time, Leiva wasted no time, opting to book it through the crowd and deftly steal the plate containing the two most important items, rushing back into the crowd once more. Another successful theft, it appeared; nobody paid any attention to the novice. So she once more weaved through the crowd for a significant amount of time, eventually coming right back out where she entered, an apple in her pocket and a steaming, albeit slightly dirty, plate of bread, meat, and boiled cabbage. Not the most appetizing dinner by far, but at least it was something. She proudly presented the plate to Ryuzaki, beaming with pride. "Done!"
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Post by Ryuzaki on Nov 16, 2016 23:39:44 GMT -6
With a sigh that suggested to him that his apprentice didn’t fully appreciate the wisdom of his insights – and probably would not for quite a while – Leiva disappeared into the throngs of people, leaving the assassin standing alone amidst the crowds. Alone was perhaps not the exact right word for the feeling that hit him; he was in fact surrounded by many people, and in no way was he any more isolated than normal. Perhaps he just felt the lack of Leiva more acutely. It was odd; he was taking to her much as he had taken to Vincent. It seemed like for all of his attempts to walk his path alone, others were always stumbling into him as he steadily moved along the road. Sometimes they were obstructions, but in rare cases, like that of Mila or Vincent, they were truly life-changing interactions.
Leiva was promising. She showed aptitude, a desire and hunger to learn and improve, and that sort of indomitable spirit that would be the only thing some days to get her out of bed. There would be times when all was lost, when the best-crafted plans all fell to pieces, when nothing seemed possible. In those times it would be that inner fire that sustained her; Ryuzaki had no doubt that she would prevail over her inner demons.
How peculiar. Was this… fondness that the assassin was feeling? Already he had taken a liking to this apprentice. She was like Vincent, but with more enthusiasm, more drive, and certainly a better attitude about their line of work. Yes, Ryuzaki supposed, this was fondness. He was happy to have an apprentice, and happy that Leiva was eager to learn and looked up to him, appreciated his thinking and his teachings, even if some did not yet sit well with her.
And then she returned, and Ryuzaki realized exactly how much she had yet to learn. Of course, it was natural and understandable, but still, the assassin couldn’t help but look dumbfounded at the hot meal and fruit the novice presented him with.
“What under the sun is this? What on earth possessed you to do this? I assume it was a mixture of bravado, desire to impress, and just a sheer lack of knowledge of consequences and their weights. You had the audacity to steal a hot meal from under someone’s nose? That I must commend you on. In the future, don’t be so rash – find dried rations, or cuts of meat or fish we can cook, or cheese, or something with less risk. But I do applaud your success. I did not expect this. Come, let’s eat before it gets too cold. I’ll show you a spot.”
The assassin weaved through a brief few alleys and wound up an outside staircase, emerging onto a flat rooftop, where he seated himself on the edge overlooking part of the mercantile quarter of Bulgar, dangling his legs in the crisp air and motioning for Leiva to sit next to him. From inside his cloak, he produced a small wineskin and took a draught, offering it to the novice with a rare, small smile.
“To your continued growth and success.”
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