Spirits of the Earth

Reajh was exceptionally busy.  There was some talk about meetings taking place over who ought to properly take the seat as the next Grand Duke.  Something about a vote, or other diplomatic discussions among all the lesser duke's of the country.  There was whispers over conspiracy, illness and other scandalous reasonings the former Grand Duke was no longer 'fit' to hold the seat. 

The gossip was of little consequence to the woman, except that it brought in extra vendors to barter with, and extra men to loot. She pulled her hood back, brushing her heavy blonde bangs away from her eyes as she peered out into the busy city streets. And with the bustling activity, there were more city guards stations about. Her eyes idly took note of each of them and their location, and any other notable shady looking fellows. Which of course, brought to her attention a certain individual amongst the crowd.  She hung back, keeping behind a cluster of people and the ware hanging from a nearby vendor as she studied him from afar.

Jinai was always a woman to appreciate a man's assets, especially ones so pronounced in his coin purse. And she knew she had a pretty enough face, and a plain enough one, not to get too noticed by the crowd. It wouldn't be a difficult task. The man was rich, pompous; a notion only gathered by the way he held himself. So he was an easy target. Moving swiftly, she slipped her hood back over her head and conveniently bumped into the man, excusing herself with a humbled bow. The man did the same, only glancing at her once before nodding.
"Yes, yes, just be on with you then." and then he went back to discussing boring politics with his curly haired friend. Smirking, Jinai simply obeyed.

"As you wish." And departed in a whirl, her cloak fluttering behind her as she moved, and accidently walked into another man just a few paces behind where she had been standing. "Oh, excuse me." came her voice, and a smile, lifting her eyes to meet with a dark browed, dark haired and mismatching eye colored man. It took her a moment to let that settle in as she took a step back and bowed to him politely, her smirk broadening before moving off about her business, but not before she had already slipped a hand out and felt this man up for some coin. Might as well add some more to her collection.

And then she went about her business, idly humming as she approached the well that lay in the corner of the busy vendor square. She had only stolen just a few coins from the second man, and used one of the coppers and held it over her thumb, pressing it idly to her lips, kissing in a wish before tossing it into the well.
So she was a little old for wishes but it was still a fun idea.

"Try to only pay me half, the dumb bastard.  Next time I come here, I'm dragging his ass back with me, straight to the cliffs," Tenran grumbled as he passed through the city.  There was a lot of hustle and bustle in this place of politics and power, but it had little store on him.  He could care less about the matters of Grand Duke abdication or political restorations.  Whoever it was would be just as crooked as the last bastard was, probably more.  That was the usual way of things.

But one thing was for sure, it brought more business.  Of a sort.  More nobles meant more people who wanted to do things to make these nobles a little less than what they were – though they weren't very much to begin with.  Tenran had thought going to Reajh to turn in a contract from a local brigand that had killed women and children as a hobby would bring quite a windfall.  But since the man was barely recognizable when Tenran returned with his body, the magistrate tried to argue his way out of only paying half of the promised bounty.

So it was quite easy to see just why Tenran was less than pissed that morning when walking through the capital city market place.  The vendors were pressing sales and people were eager to spend.  Well, everyone except him, who'd had very little to begin with.

Someone bumped into him, hit his shoulder rather hard as well and when he turned back he noticed them disappearing into the crowd.  Whatever. It was just another incident to add to this already shitty day. 

"That'll be five copper, sir," an old man said for the herbs he'd been selling.

Tenran nodded to the man and reached for the coin purse at his side.  "Just a minute," he replied.  But when he dug into it, it was a few coins short of what he'd remembered.  He blinked and counted twice.  The flying fuck!  He'd just been pickpocketed!  That asshole that bumped into him!

He straightened his expression and paid the man before rolling up the bundle and placing it on the inside of his jacket.  He turned abruptly in the crowd and burst through it.  He'd waited too long and there was a good chance the fucker had already gotten away.  But he'd be damned if he was going to let it stay that way.  Tenran eyed the crowd carefully, even as he moved in the direction he last saw the pick-pocket go...slick bastard.  He'd get what's comin' to him.

And alas he found someone with a the same cloak sitting by a wishing well.  He saw that she kissed one of those hard-earned coins and tossed down into the hole.  Tenran furrowed his brow.  Well, it was a woman...  Pfft, vagina be damned.  He wasn't going to let himself be robbed by anyway.

He approached her gruffly and snatched her by the arm, turning her around and looking at her with narrow eyes.  "I hope you were wishing for an angel, because I'm about to beat you to hell if you don't give me my money back!"

Jinai was taken back. The man's grip was hard, and when she turned around to face him, she noticed immediately his mismatching eyes. Smirking, because it was sometimes fun to get caught, she pressed on at his motives a little cockily.
"You mean these coins?" she said, opening her fist out over the well and letting them drop within. She tilted her head to one side, chin up just a little as if goading him on. Most men weren't stupid enough to cause a street fight. Let alone with a woman. Let alone on a day like today where a pair of guards walked passed them. Her eyes slid to the guard, then back up at the man. She was thankful she had already pocketed the larger coin purse in tow. Really, she had only taken a few measly coins from this man. She eyed him up, considering if he was poor, but he hardly looked it. After all, not everyone could afford leather and studs.  She tried to move her arm out of his grip, but, man,... he had quite the grip on him. Either way, it wasn't about to break her spirits as she contemplated calling the guards on him-
her only hesitation lay on the fact that if the man called her out as a thief, well, it would be an easy crime for her to be framed for..

Or perhaps to frame him?
THough her hesitation might cause her more than she bargained for.

Tenran gave her a narrow-eyed wink as he twisted his grip on her arm and jerked her over the well.  When the coins clinked below into the darkness, he gave a silent growl.  But his face actually turned into a smirk.  He looked her over and found her belt quite plain.. But that didn't stop his free hand from searching her.  He said nothing more as he jerked her shirt open and pulled it up and found a small bag of coins there.  He yanked them from her belt and pulled it away.

"This should do nicely," he said.  "Or maybe I should just drop you into the well, hm?  I'm sure you'll find all the gold you need down there!"

Jinai replied to his smirk with one of her own, keeping her chin up proudly, even giving a flounce of expression and a light shrug of her shoulder and wore her smugness well, even in the way her weight carried on her hips. That was, until he was suddenly feeling her up for coin. But she was too late to snatch at it (though she tried) when he reached for the coin purse. Hissing between her teeth, she stared up at him, but had to smirk.

"You think you can just steal a girl's coin and get away with it?" she playfully narrowed her expression, and then a second later she kicked him hard in the shins and grabbed onto him suddenly, calling out to the pair of guards she had been eyeing nearby.

"HELP! THIEF! THIS MAN'S TRYING TO STEAL MY MONEY!"
And before he'd get a chance to shut her up, she slammed a hard elbow into his gut, wrenched her arm away before stumbling back towards the on coming guards. Flipping her hair aside, she turned back to him, panting and wiping at her mouth-

ANd somehow she had the coin pouch in hand again.
"Sorry, nothing personal.." she told him, then turned to the guards, the coin purse already slipped away as she played up the helpless victim.
"Over there"! she shouted, pointing RIGHT at Tenran's face. "That man! The one with the mismatching eyes! He stole from me! ANd from some of those nobles over there!" and she pointed directly at the man she had stolen from, who took the cue, realizing he was suddenly without coin purse and shouted.
"Why yes! I was stolen from!" he turned a glare towards Tenran. "Guards! Have him arrested!"

And before anyone could even think to focus on the girl, she was already slipping away, weaving herself within the crowd as the guards advanced on Tenran.

Oh, hell no!  She wasn't going to get away that easily!  As soon as the guards were closing in on him, Tenran pulled out a boltgun from his side, the bow clicking into place as soon as the weapon was pulled out of the holster and pointed it at them both.  "Take another step and you won't see your families again," he warned.

But they did get closer.  He grit his teeth and charged forth.

He was read for them when one pulled out his sword and tried to cut him down.  Instead of firing a bolt, Tenran ducked around it and cracked the back of his head with the butt of the pistol and booted the other one out of the way, falling back on his partner.  There was even more commotion out in the plaza as the pair of guards fell, but already Tenran could see her disappearing in the crowd.

He shoved the boltguns back into their holsters and made chase down the plaza, cursing and shoving people out of the way.  Oh, no she wasn't getting away so easily!  Tenran was quick and his eyes honed on her familiar hair and clothing.  Over his dead body.

Even as within moments guards were clamoring behind them, yelling and shouting to pursue the pursuer.

Pushing through the crowd, Jinai noticed, with some fascination, the man finagling himself out of that mess. Though it stirred up more chaos. It made her grin wider. So he was still going to chase her was he? She laughed at the thought through closed lips. Too bad he had no idea who she was or what she was capable of. She picked a lot more dangerous pockets than his. One easily pissed off man who was stubborn enough to pursue her through the busy streets was nothing. So onward she ran, ducking and moving and weaving herself swiftly through the crowd. It wasn't until she noticed a rather curvaceous woman who looked really, REALLY, REALLY pissed off. It was apparent she had been standing in line for sometime.

So as she neared the woman,s he slowed down in her run, letting Tenran catch up to her, when suddenly- she grinned at him and ducked.
THen She slapped a hand onto the woman's ass, squeezing it hard before fleeing-
leaving the woman to turn around, and Tenran was the only one who would be standing there.
The giant of a woman was pissed, and took one fist back before attempting to slug it in the man's face...
all the while Jinai found herself at a ladder on the backside of the building and began climbing up hastily towards the rooftop.
If a fight was to break out- she wanted to watch it from the rooftop.
She crept her way over towards the ledge, smirking as she tried to pick out Tenran from the crowd to see how he was fairing, and also to check on the hefty coin purse, which, she thought with a satisfied grin, was still intact.

The fist coming from a massive woman was the last thing Tenran expected to come hurling toward his face.  It struck him squarely in the jaw and knocked him flat on his bottom as he stumbled backward.  He looked up at her bewildered but she was red in the face.  The guards were already coming and the woman was making a fuss, riling up the people around her.

"So you like to grab ladies in the ass, now do ya!" a large man nearby cried out.  He was large, redheaded with powerful hands that reached down and grabbed Tenran up by his leather collar.

Tenran was pulled to his feet, the tips of his toes dragging on the floor.  But that didn't stop him struggling.  "I didn't do a goddamned thing!  Now let me go you stupid fuck!" he cursed loudly and when the larger man didn't bother to relinquish his grip, Tenran only smirked at him.  "Shoulda let me go."  And cracked his good leg hard between his legs.  The large man suddenly paled and his eyes went cross-eyed and he gave a small whine before falling to his knees, holding his crotch.

"Gotta learn to protect your assets.  You're a growing boy after all!" Tenran said, fixing his collar and dusting himself off.

But they weren't finished with him just yet when the guards finally arrived.  Tenran turned around and clocked one across the jaw, two others drawing their weapons and holding them out, demanding his immediate surrender, which of course, Tenran would not grant.  He bashed his head into one of them, rathering to render them incapable of pursuit than to bother with killing.  They were more trouble than they were worth.

Tenran dodged a sword strike and clocked another across the jaw, hitting him hard enough to knock him down.  The last one on the floor rolled around but Tenran was quick to draw a boltgun and held it to his face.  "That's enough of this," he demanded.  "Stay down!  You're too young to die."  He stood then and looked up at the shadow that was blotting out the sun and saw the woman that robbed him on the rooftop looking up at him.

He smirked and raised his boltgun at her, taking aim.  And gave no warning when he fired the first bolt, the shot aiming for her shoulder.  The turnstile rotated and another bolt clicked into place, the string automatically pulled back and shot the other bolt at her in rapid fire.

Jinai's grin grew wider, her eyes sparkling in appreciation as she watched the fanfare of chaos the man handled so well below. She was leaning against the lip of the roof, but when the man turned to her, smirking even, she raised a brow curiously and found herself suddenly (and narrowly) dodging a fast moving bolt arrow, one that just missed her shoulder as it tore through her blonde hair. ANd the man had no mercy as he fired again. Sinking down to her knees, she patted down her person and swore. She left her own crossbow at home, but his.. curiously enough, was rather fast. And it intrigued her. However, she had knives, one of which she pulled out between her cleavage, only to frown and slip it back inside. No.. this man deserved something more... creative.

Digging into the coin purse, she drew out a few gold coins. Then peering over the side again, she tossed one at him, it clinking off and away from him and glittering against the sun light. Then she drew another one, and another, pelting him down with a good many gold pieces- an amount of which greatly surpassed what she had stolen from him in meager coin. Too bad the children nearby took notice and came scrambling about as they excitedly exclaimed, "Look! Gold pieces!" and soon many dirty children were rushing out from seemingly no where, gathering up the gold.

Jinai only smirked, knowing the children and gold would be enough to distract the man momentarily as she pressed two finger to her lips, giving a whistle.
The a blur swooped down, her falcon Feather'swing swooping in. She only made a light gesture to the crossbow gun the man was holding, when the powerful talons smashed down into it in midflight, yanking it fiercely out from the man's hand and was off and away with it.

Jinai couldn't have been prouder as she smiled up at her pet, offering out her arm, the one incased almost entirely in thick, rough studded leather where the falcon soared about, circling over head before taking perch. She bent down at the new weight, fetching the crossbow gun before the bird settled onto her arm and took a moment to inspect it. Then grinning, she turned and pointed it at the man. She tested a shot, aiming at his foot- The gun exploded, startling her into a wide smile as the arrow bit down into the cobblestone at his feet.

Raising the gun up, she gestured towards him in thanks.
"Thanks for the crossbow!" and her words echoed jovially around him, just as the children finished collecting all of the gold coin. She simply flashed him a smirk before turning around and making a run for the other end of the roof. It was about time to make her grand exit, after all.

Tenran didn't flinch at the bolt that dug its way into the ground at his feet.  He grinned in some small respect at her aim but she was no crack shot.  More like a hack shot.  It would have been just as easy to kill him with his own weapon, and the fact that she chose to take a warning shot rather than a killing one, spoke volumes to him.   But he'd be damned if he was going to let her get away with his own bolt gun.  She was out of shots anyway and ordinary crossbow bolts would be too large to fit into it.

As she disappeared from the rooftop, Tenran bent down to pluck the bolt from the ground, careful not to snap the shaft.  He dusted it off and slipped it into one of the slots along his thigh.  Afterward, he noticed a coin on the ground that one child had yet to pick up.  He examined the gold piece gently in hand before slipping it into a small compartment in his belt.  Oh, she'd get away from now, but not for long.

Just as he knew little of her, she knew nothing of him.  He watched the place where she'd vanished and when he at last made it to the rooftops, he noticed a trail of footprints, vague and light in the dust.  After collecting his remaining bolts and grinned as he did so.  There were ways of finding her no matter how far or how fast she tried to run.

He'd have her come nightfall.

[I sense a timeskip!]

After about an hour, Jinai figured she had shaken that poor sap from the market place. And she was excited about that since she got a free toy. She took some time to observe the device, and once realizing it was empty, slipped it away into her satchel and went strolling about the town for the evening. She had enough time to go home, drop off a few things before heading out just as the sun was setting. It cast the streets in long dark shadows, bathing the buildings in hot pink light.  The shadows were a nice thing ot have, considering the great stone wall she was walking along outside of a Lord's manor she was aiming to spy upon. This particular lord was housing many nobleman during the debate over the Grand Duke's position, and was something her agency wanted to keep tabs upon.

Naturally, Jinai took the job because it seemed fun. ANd it was. Danger always excited her, and climbing the great stone wall took some effort, but vines growing along the northern face made the climb a lot easier. Then, once at the top, she thought she noticed something in the darkness. But then, upon further scrutiny, she realized there must have been nothing. So she pressed onward, slipping over the other side of the wall and dropping into the gardens below.

The gardens smelled sweet, unlike the dirty smells of the city. She was taken back by it, of all of the intricacies, the flowers, and took her time observing everything in great detail, while keeping her ears open to danger. THough after a time, she was growing rather comfortable in her stroll, until she paused and noticed the blocked light coming down from a massive window beneath a balcony. Pressing herself intot he shadows of a tall set of flowering bushes, she craned her neck up to the balcony and observed the men and women interacting inside. Smirking, she began to mentally take note whom she noticed, though she wasn't so familiar with all of the nobleman. It was more or less to get a head count and to sneak closer to get some names.

So she did. Slipping across the way and keeping to the shadows, she crawled up to the balcony and listened to the muffled noises from within, keeping herself pressed and silent against the building.
It seemed a lot of wealthy and well to do people were staying here. She took out a piece of paper and began to make some notes, then, after a time, when the people began to disperse and head to bed, she gave a whistle, calling to her falcon and rolled up the piece of paper with the names to it and placed it into his talons and let the bird fly off. Torri could use this information rather well. She just hoped the woman was still awake.

It was too easy, or he'd thought.  But perhaps it wasn't as easy for the girl he'd been tracking was careful.  It quickly became apparent that she'd done this before and was used to disappearing well into the crowds of the city.  But there was one thing she most likely didn't account for.  She was cocky and didn't hide her tracks well enough.  They were benign to be sure and most people would scarcely notice them, but Tenran's sharp eyes refused to allow him to miss things as light as certain footprints in the dirt, mud, or the whisperings of certain people.  Sometimes he didn't need to talk at all, and people were much more eager to talk when they were sure nobody was listening.

But the search had proved fruitfull when a certain innkeep became familiar with the coin he presented before him, saying only noblemen paid with gold like that, though the striking most likely couldn't have been any different than any other coin.  But unlike common gold, this gold was pristine, fresh from the vaults and could only belong to somebody who'd massed enough wealth who didn't deal with coin that had been circulated more than a thousand times and then some.  Tenran knew then he needed to find out more about the man who had been robbed right before him, the one the woman tried to pin the robbery on him with.

While there was much more nobility in town and finding individual names would be difficult, Tenran tracked the vendor that had been tending his booth that day with the man in question, and after a few round of drinks, he spilled everything he needed, including the location of his house in the heart of the city.

And if his hunch had been right.  A certain someone who'd gone through all that trouble to rob such a wealthy man and waste it by spilling it in the streets might well be the kind of person to see what else they could get from him,...or from his neighbors.  It was worth a shot, considering it was the only real shot he had.

When night finally fell, it seemed all that hard work would pay off when at last he saw her familiar shape moving through the darkness.  She didn't quite head to the same lord's house that he'd thought, but one nearby served just as well.  Tenran clung to the shadows as he followed her, feeling impulsive enough to want to shoot her in the dark, but that wouldn't do at all.  No reason to have a dead body on the street, and not even before he got his boltgun back.  So he trailed behind her, bounding between rooftops until she found herself in the gardens, idly biding her time, for what, he could care less.

More waiting, more stalking and Tenran had hidden himself in the brush of the gardens as he watched her familiar form scale the balcony...  Was she writing something down!?  Hm, so she was a spy of some sort, he deduced.  Tenran furrowed his brow and kept watching.  Soon he saw the falcon that had snatched his boltgun away and just as it was about to take flight over him, he pulled out his second pistol and honed his shot, patient, waiting until it was just right before pulling the trigger.  Just as he aimed, the bolt snapped and whistled through the air, piercing the falcon's wing.  It gave a short startled cry before spiraling to the ground, at which time Tenran scrambled for the bird, now wounded and completely at his mercy.

He was sure to wear his gloves then and held the bird by its talons as he dragged it back to his hiding place.  But more likely than not, he'd gotten her attention by now.  But that was all apart of the plan now was it.

Jinai had been making her way to leave, but that's when she heard the cry from her falcon. Gasping, she turned around just in time to watch the bird drop to the ground. Her eyes went towards the gardens and spotted a man in the shadows. Her heart went to her throat, her blood was set to broil as she nearly leapt down from the balcony and tore off across the gardens.  With a dagger in hand, she approached the shadows she had seen the man creep back into, dark eyes piercing through as she studied, traced and tried to figure out where he had gone.  But the sunlight was waning, and the skies and world grew dark, with only the moonlight now to illuminate the gardens. Wicked shadows were hooked on every corner, and it was in those deep, dark corners her eyes sought, and also the dark shadows where she disappeared into as well. She knew she wouldn't have much time if she wanted to save her creature, if the creature could be saved, but she had to try.  If anything, the bird was worth more to her than her own life, or at least she had made it that way. After all, it was her pride and joy. The bird had taken to her early on when it was young, and the two had grown attached, the bird well trained.

But now, now she feared the consequences of her actions as panic almost over came her mind. Almost. She was not entirely a fool, and her boots moved silently across the grass, dark eyes piercing into this bush and that, seeking any information, any sound she might be able to gather and use against the man while her dagger remained at the ready. But he was good. Perhaps too good, and she as having a hard time to discern his shadow from that of something else- so when she tore out suddenly, thrusting her blade into a tall shrub, she was startled to realize...
No one was there, and she stood blinking, cursing herself because now, if she had herself well hidden before, she had given away her exact location.

It was a struggle to keep the bird quiet and to not agitate the wound further.  Tenran didn't need schooling to know birds were quite delicate and if the falcon struggled it could possibly damage the wing he'd shot beyond repair. So he took his large hands and grabbed the bird by his talons and the other around his body.  Once the animal was under control, he tucked him underneath his arm, upside down without further risk to its wounded wing.

Now all that was left was to draw her out.  Tenran quickly reloaded the missing bolt into his remaining gun by sliding it against one of the rounds on his leg, holding his breath and clicking the bolt softly into place.  Quietly, he exhaled.  And waited, watching her shadow through the thickness of brush.  She was still difficult to make out, lending her form as she stepped quietly off the grass.  And when she attacked empty brush, he knew he'd had her.

But he wouldn't let her get away that easy.  So he proceeded to sneak around her position, crouching low and heading toward the exit he'd set for himself.  And when he was well behind her, Tenran took off, making his presence known as he dashed off, making for the garden wall, with the bird in tow and leaping over the wall in one quick bound.

Jinai was startled when she heard someone run. He was getting away! Baring her teeth,s he spun around and was quick to act, throwing a concealed knife at his heels in the dark. SHe wasn't sure if the blade would even make it to him, but didn't wait to find out and was soon tearing off across the ground after him. If he was a spy sent on her... this would not be good. That list...
She could be locked up for a good while for it. That is, if the man would make it out of this chase alive. Drawing out a second dagger,s he wasn't about to let him go without tearing up his Achilles heal, or something else useful to him along the way to render him-
wait.. the way he was running..
Her eyes went wide.
Was it that man from before!? The fools he had robbed and taken his bolt gun!?
Baring her teeth,s he threw her next blade with all that she got. That idiot would pay for stalking after her! He had NO idea what he was getting into, or let alone what she was capable of, an da ruffle of feathers confirmed that he had her bird.

THAT BASTARD.
HE WOULD PAY!

The falcon noticed who was behind them by the view and let out an exhausted squawk as it tried to struggle beneath its grasp.  Tenran held him firmly though, with some difficulty to keep from further injuring the bird.  Tenran was quick on his feet just as he heard a dagger strike the cobblestone with a loud clang.  Great!  Wake up the whole neighborhood!

Tenran just kept running, not daring to waste a shot on her when he had his own advantage now with the bird under his arm.  He ducked into a zigzagging alleyway and found some crates and other junk piled up in a corner.  He made a run for it, bounding up one crate and onto another as he leapt up and grabbed the ledge with one hand.  With a grunt, he pulled himself up and rolled over the ledge onto his feet before bounding across it again.  And aimed for a ten foot jump to another building just below him.

It was a risky jump, but anything to put distance between them.  And within seconds he made the leap, feet pushing off the edge.

Damn it! He was getting away, and getting away fast. Scrambling after him, she retrieved her knife and dagger and followed suit, leaping over a crate here, dashing down an alleyway there; and soon was gaining on him- that was, until he made a leap. Her eyes went wide. Was he crazy!? She had to smirk. Perhaps he was...
But he wasn't the only one. He'd have to try something better than that- as she took a running leap and dropped down on the lower ledge and landed with a grunt and crouch, and then was pushing off and after him again, quickly gaining ground. She could hear her bird fluttering angrily. If that man crushes her... breaking her wings...
She'd tear his arm off, she swore on Angsar's beard, she would! That is, if she gave a flying fuck about Angsar!

The moonlight was the only thing there to guide them, and she would not let him out of sight. She just needed to get a clear shot...
If he kept running in zig-zags her plan might not ever work. She did have darts after all..all of them coated in some sort of drug. She wasn't a fan of poisons, but it was amusing how certain opiates affected a person...

And Tenran might be her next victim. She had just tried a new combination after all. Reaching in for her blow dart, she kept a hand upon it, stuffing it hurriedly with a dart and bided her time, keeping one gloved thumb over the end of it so the dart wouldn't fall out as she rushed forward, cloak fluttering behind her as she ran.

Damn his knee!  Tenran's left knee nearly gave out and would have were it not for the brace that held it firmly together.  He limped a little but soon was off the roof of the building and sliding down a drainpipe that flung down from the edge of the building.  The landing was a rough one, but he quickly recovered and vanished into yet another alleyway.    He wouldn't let her get a hold of him so easily. She might be smaller and faster, but he was taller and his legs more powerful.

Tenran moved through the alley and out of it into the now empty plaza, well, a minor section of it.  And it was there that he stopped at last and held the bird at his mercy.  He about-faced and stared at the woman hard in the eyes even amidst the darkness. 

"You take something of mine...  I break something of yours," he warned, holding the birds talons out from under his arm, the bolt still piercing her delicate wing.  Thankfully, the wound hadn't wiggled as much and would be a clean removal if his aim had been right.  And it usually was.  Tenran eyed her.  "Give me back what you stole.  I worked too long and too hard to have it just taken by a lowlife punk."

Jinai was about ready to raise the blow dart to her lips and nick him with her dart, however, at the sight of her bird, she lowered the pipe. She looked from the animal, back up towards the man.
"I don't have your weapon,"s he started, sticking her nose to the air and keeping the small pipe well concealed beneath her thick, gloved hand. She studied him, taking a cautious step forward, boot pressing into a roll upon the cobblestone. "At least not on me." She tried taking another step forward, cautious and real slow. "And you got more than enough money back from me to buy a new one. Or did you want more? Seems a gun like that might cost a few gold. But I don't know...It seems sort of silly you'd chase me down for just some gun." Her eyes went to her bird as she halted in her step, then raised her eyes back to the man.  "But I have to admit, it was rather clever of you to find me again. Who sent you?" her eyes narrowed. She was obviously dealing with a professional. Of course she'd be the one to pick pocket the wrong guy amongst an impossible to penetrate crowd. But now that the day was over, there were only drunkards and beggars still on the street...
That, and the two of them.

And clearly the man wouldn't have just followed her for something as petty as retrieving his gun.... would he?  Her thumb itched over the pipe, but kept where it was.
Oh yes, this damn bastard deserved a dart in the face. If only her bird wasn't at stake she would have just....

"Don't flatter yourself.  I got nothing from you but a cheap runaround by an even cheaper broad.  I'm not about let you take something from me and let you go scott-free."  He smirked at her daringness to get even closer.  It would only make it better if she tried anything, but he wouldn't give her that chance.  He figured she'd have something on her, a dagger perhaps.  Her types always did.  So Tenran took a step back for each step she took forward and gripped a hand on the bolt that pierced the wing of the falcon.

"You just give me back what you stole.  Nothing more," was all he said, purposefully dodging the question of who sent him...since really, no one did.  But it seemed since she was paranoid enough to actually ask him the question, it gave him reason to believe someone might actually have it out for the poor sod.  Too bad he didn't care.  And stored it in the back of his mind as something to look up later.

"Take me to where you stashed my gun and I won't break your poor birdie's neck."  And his hands positioned themselves as they threatened to do so.

Jinai mulled over his demands, and was taken back over the fact he wanted her to take him where she stashed her gun. Rarely anyone knew where that was, and she'd be damned if she lead this man right into her private hide away. She had spent too long getting the place just right, and now she might lose it all over some cocky presumption that it would be fun to own his crossbow gun.

Of course, no one ever said she had to take him directly home. After all, she had eyes and ears all over Connlaoth. Too bad her bird was normally her silent voice on these sort of affairs. She looked down to her falcon, then back to him, keeping her jaw raised.

"Alright. But how do I know you're not just going to break it anyway?" she hesitated, fear fluttering through her- for all she knew, the bird would never fly again... but of course, she only showed to him cool confidence. "What's your precious gun worth to you anyways? You risked your neck following me into that manor so late at night." Her eyes searched him in the darkness, wondering if he had anymore surprises up his sleeve, while her hand still itched to lift the pipe...
but she could bide her time.
If anything, Jinai was always resourceful and could be quite patient if she wanted something. After all, it did take some time to get her bird well trained and healed. Looks like, if the bird made it out of this alive, they'd be spending more time together as the wounds would heal.

"It's worth a great deal considering you would never find it's equal.  I made with my own two hands, with my own original design.  As you could imagine, it takes a custom fitted bolt into the gun, and wouldn't be of much use to you anyway.  Unless you possess the ingenuity it takes for proper weapon design.  And you just might.  But this bird is more precious to you than that gun, I can plainly see.  Without this bird...you wouldn't be able to send your little spying messages.  And without my gun, I wouldn't be able to make my livelihood," Tenran explained, his grip on the falcon visibly tightened.

The falcon squawked and struggled beneath his grasp and he was watching her very closely, particularly her hands.  She was holding something and he quickly saw he had two choices here.  He could wait to see what it was, or make the first strike.  Was this really a question?

Tenran didn't even grin when he shot the bolt he'd had hidden on the boltgun contraption on his forearm, activing the pressure plate attached to his palm.  He aimed in less than a fraction of a second and fired the bolt at her, eyes keen even in the heat of darkness.

Jinai took in his words. Well, she couldn't deny he had good reasons, anyway and the respect would stop there. He was trying her patience, and with her falcon in such a precarious position- Her smirk went cold a he purposely harmed her animal, but what he did not surprised her, nor did his attempt at harming her own self. . He was of her own kind- and those on their own tended to be unpredictable. But his actions were not without repercussions. She had managed to dodge enough so that the bolt sank into her shoulder, rather than a more dangerous area (like her heart), as she grunted and stumbled into a set of nearby crates, knocking them over and creating a loud clattering noise.
In the chaos, she had kept onto her blow dart and managed to whirl back to him, placing it up to her lips and aiming to sink the opiated dart clean into his neck.

It would be hard to tell in the lighting if she struck her target- but not only because of the lighting being poor ad the darkness shrouding them from the buildings, but because they alerted a pair of nearby guards.

Shit.
She had forgotten security was extra tight with all of these nobleman in town. And soon a pair of guards appeared at the end of the alley, forcing Jinai up onto her injured leg as she hobbled into a run in Tenran's direction. Not only did she want to get her damn bird back, but she also wanted to keep her hide. She'd take her chances in his direction rather than that of the trio of guards who were heading their way, and she could already hear the draw of steel as their armored feet stormed across the cobblestone.

He saw the dart coming a mile away, though they were only a few yards apart.  Tenran had struck her in the shoulder and he when he saw the dart coming his way, he had plenty of time to react.  And just when the dart closed in on him, he side stepped and moved the bird right in the path of the darth.  The raptor squawked loudly upon being struck.

But suddenly, the damn woman was running toward him and he too could hear the sound of steel unsheathing as a pair of guards were coming down from their patrols in the alleyway, no doubt to investigate the strange sounds coming from the plaza.  "Shit!" Tenran cursed and cradled the now drugged bird against him, dazed and confused, but otherwise not struggling.  Tenran dashed down an alleyway, as the guards were gaining on them.

"Stop!  You two there!  STOP!"

As she ran, she yanked the damn bolt out of her arm with a grunt and tossed it in her wake. Gripping onto the wound,s eh could feel the blood bubbling hotly to the surface as she winced. Her leg was beginning to feel only (slightly) better as she ran, and without the extra burden of a struggling bird in her grasp, she easily gained on Tenran as they rushed down the alley..
However, the guards were easily gaining on them-

and it turned out they chose to run down a one way street. Cursing between her teeth at the sight of the stone wall before them, she tried to think fast- but her feet were faster as she grabbed onto the leather lapels of Tenran's attire and held on fast, crashing along with him as the pair collided unceremoniously with the wall.
Panting, she looked over at him with a dark smirk and expression as she braced herself against the wall.

"Get any worse of a limp on that leg of yours and you'd make this too easy," she panted, her eyes flicking to her falcon, but then the call of the guards made her tense.
Gritting her teeth- "And you'd think those guards would just leave us alone.." she began, turning her eyes from the guards back to Tenran, not even bothering to really look at him as she gripped on even tighter to his leather garment and yanked him forward, lips crashing into his as hands felt up his form (maybe, or maybe not pick pocketing him in the process) when the guards came to a halt-

And found themselves sheepishly staring at the kissing pair.

Jinai giggled and pulled away, twirling a finger into Tenran's chest with a lot of hard pressure before she turned her eyes to the guards. Also, while under the scrutinizing gaze of the guard's eyes, she was nonchalantly trying to sneak her bird out of Tenran's grasp, all the while faking a girlish smile.

Tenran's leg was aching and throbbing with all the pressure he'd put on it.  He grit his teeth.  And just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, he soon found his face smashed against a stone wall.  Fuck!  He nearly smashed the falcon against the stone wall, crushing its fragile body.  And it certainly didn't help that this infuriating woman smashed along with him!

"Fuck!"  If there was just a brief second, he could just as easily scale it, with the bird, leaving this stupid broad behind.  Thankfully the street lamps were not as well lit down here and they hadn't gotten a good look at his face.  And--

What the!?  She caught him completely off-guard when she kissed him, smashing her mouth hotly to his.  At first a chill passed through him as if he was struck by lightning and he was frozen for the briefest of seconds.  That was all the time needed for the gaining guards to suddenly stop in their tracks, looking around nervously.

Tenran could take the hint as she pressed a finger into his chest, and he could tell her hands had been a little more than explorative.  He kept his face leaned against hers as the guards kept staring.  His hands went up and gripped her hand with a powerful grip.  "Watch what you grab," he growled at her, pretending to press his face against hers.  Then he turned to the guard and glared.  "Do you mind?  Is it crime to kiss my woman in the dark?"

"Uh...no, sir.  But, did you happen to see-"

"All I see are a pair of chumps keeping me away from something far more interesting.  I didn't see anybody, now do you mind?"

"Sorry, sorry," one guard said, nudging the other one in frustration.  "We're didn't mean to intrude.  But just be sure that you two find a taven soon.  If I catch you still hanging around, I won't be afraid to haul you both into jail myself.  Let's go, Luke, you dumbass.  You let them get away."  The guard grumbled to his partner as they finally turned around and began to walk back.

"Well, how would I know!  I swore I saw them goin'-"

When they were gone, Tenran turned back to the woman and grit his teeth at her, frowning and soon bashed his head hard against hers, wrenching the bird from her grip and shoving her away.  "Keep your hands to yourself," he snapped.  "Look, I'm sick of this runaround.  And stop trying to snatch the damn falcon away from me, you're going to make it worse."  Tenran felt his leg to make sure his supplis were still there and held the flailing bird, seeing all manner of strange colors displayed before its eyes, making strange cooing noises.

He held the delicate wing, and gently slipped the bolt out, bloodied from the wound and slipped it back against his leg.

"Do you want me to call the guards again?" she warned. She was so close to retrieving her bird, so close to coming out scott free. She narrowed her gaze at him, then looked down at the bird. Then back up at him. "The drugs were meant for you," she nearly hissed, frowning. "Look, if we're going to make this exchange we do it my way." She stared at him, wondering if they had a deal. "Well?" After all, she couldn't just take him back to her place- and was contemplating how much of a sacrifice she'd have to make- but so would he-
after all, she held a dagger now carefully between his legs.
She wasn't a fool. ANd she hoped he was not.

Now that was a move that he hadn't seen coming as he stood there holding the bird.  Not that he was precisely scared about "losing" his manhood.  He wasn't stupid to leave his groin unprotected in his custom armor but he didn't think she knew that.  He just glared at her and let his lips turn up into a soured wry grin.  "Very well," he said.  "But I hold on to the falcon.  This is an awful lot of trouble to go through if you think I'm just going to let you keep it.  Go on then, just take me to where you stashed it."

Jinai hesitated, but still held on firmly to the knife. After a time, she simply nodded, and lowered the blade away. She couldn't hold him like that all night.. (though there was that one time in the Iron Dusk...) She shook off any thoughts and smirks attached with it as she moved away, eyeing him up.
"I suppose I'll just have you trust you. Though you walk in front.."s he pressed, gesturing. "We'll head back the way we came. No sense in letting you think we have any real trust in our arrangement." She smirked at the thought and gestured forward. "It's just not the sort of game I play. After you."

Tenran eyed her with some curiosity and clenched his jaws.  If she wanted to play, he would play.  Even if it wasn't her game.  He held the drugged falcon in his arms as he stalked forth, walking gently and rolling his eyes.  "There is no trust," he corrected.  "I just want my gun back.  And I don't want to kill your bird.  But I imagine we've both done things we didn't really want to do.  So let's just leave it at that."

And as he was walking down the street, he saw a shadow moving up ahead, but the darkness was thick and it was difficult to make out.  Tenran walked a little faster and was soon in a run as he saw the shapes a little clearer.  One was gently laying one on the ground after having moved in a fashion that seemed to be cutting a throat.  As he drew closer, the shape standing over suddenly bolted into the shadows and vanished.  "Gods!" he cried out as he saw the dead bodies of the two guards that had chased them.

He dropped down and inspected the wounds, holding the bird in one arm and feeling for any sign of life on the guard called Luke.  Even as the sound of boots came closer from the other end of the plaza.

Tenran was right about there not being any trust, and she smirked and followed right in behind him and contemplated a way to save her bird and keep the man's gun. After all, thieves were thieves, and she wasn't exactly the one who always liked to play fairly.  Though she had her opportunity, as something moved, something sinister in the dark that quickly distracted Tenran. She supposed she should have been more concerned herself, but only found the moment almost sparing her the chance to get the upper hand...

Really, what did either of them care for a pair of dead guards?
And now with him bent over inspecting the dead or dieing, Jinai crept closer, eyes on the falcon-
and not not on the shadow looming behind her.

"YOU THERE! HALT!" barked a voice-
Jinai could have fallen ontop of Tenran in that moment. She was so close to just snatching up what she wanted. Hissing between her teeth, she whirled around, only to find herself swearing as a large group of armed guards came rushing their way.
And they already had blades drawn.

Shit. She was pretty sure she couldn't walk away from this one from a kiss.

Fuck!  Tenran was immediately sure that if he died, there was no possible way this night could get any worse.  And just what he needed, some dead weight thief trying to weasel the injured falcon from his grasp and his gun STILL stolen.  Oh, he'd get even.  He was dead set on it.  Tenran turned as the guards were suddenly on them and had a blade to his throat.  The force of the surprise actually had him falling one of the bodies, covering him in blood.

A torch was held by one of the guards, three others behind them.  "Ansgar's beard," the Captain whipsered as he noticed the precarious position of both of them as his men surrounded them.  "Now, what do we have here?  Murder!?  Robbery!?  For now it doesn't matter.  You two are coming with me.  Now come quietly!  My men won't hesitate to use deadly force!"

"Now, wait just a minute!" Tenran tried to explain, holding a hand up, momentarily letting go of the falcon.

"Get on the ground, face down!" the Captain ordered.  "Thom!  Nathan!  Jon"

The three men closed in and grabbed Jinai, the Captain forcing Tenran on the ground and placed a rope around his wrists, binding them together before yanking him up.  Jon grabbed the falcon from the floor, limp and drugged.

"We didn't do anything!" Tenran persisted.  "You have the wrong people!"

"Tell it to the judge.  For now, it's off a cold cell for you two."

(MATURE CONTENT: just for some crude themes)
-----------------------------

Jinai could have killed Tenran. If he had just examined the bodies from a further distance and hadn't gotten so close, it would haved looked well.. less suspicious. ALso, she was cursing herself for not wholly paying attention. After all, she had been guarding the rear.
It wasn't long before she was manhandled and cuffed along with him as the pair was pushed along, sharp blades prodding at their backs to keep them moving in only one direction. BUt all Jinai could think about was her bird. They'd probably kill him. And she'd never forgive Tenran. The man would pay.
She was never one to hold such grudges. No, she was normally one to easily shrug things away, but not when it pertained to such personal matters, so when the pair were shoved into the same cell, she gasped and threw herself back at the iron bared doors just as tehy were slammed into her face.
"Wait!" she cried, growling as she gripped onto the door. The guard only laughed at her, smacking his weapon off the bars and causing Jinai to take a step back.
"Back away, woman. You should be glad we jus thad this cell cleaned out. Last man died of the seeping sickness and was covered in boils."

Jinia made a face, glancing around and noticing a few disturbing soiled spots on the cellfloor, a dirty, dishelved pile of straw and an even more disturbing pile of petrified shit in the corner.

Great, this was just great. And she could only blame Tenran for this one as she shot a sharp glare his way before pacing to an opposing corner of the cell, only to be startled when a creepy, scar faced fellow on the adjacent cell woke up, liking his black teeth and lips over at her.

"Well, ain't you a pretty prize," he said lewdly digesting her with his eyes. Naturally, Jinai took a few more steps back, accidently bumping into Tenran before pushing disgustedly away from him as if he were more repulsive than the dirty prisoner who was probably imaging fucking her as his hands slipped into his pants, before she went back to pacing around the cell, soon returning to the door as she gripped onto the bars, calling off after the fleeting guard.

"Wait! That falcon!" she called after him-

"Will go on the butcher block this morning!" the man spat back. Her heart sunk within her chest. "He ought to make a fancy roast." he added. Feeling her blood broil, she shook the iron bars, but it was to no avail. And to make matters worse, the entire jail was in an uproar, the rough men all coming alive at the fact they had a lovely lady prisoner on their hands, giving her cat calls and whistles.
Not that she cared, her eyes still glued upon the jail door, her heart nearly beating out of her chest, her knuckles white as they gripped onto the cell bars.

Great, this was just great. And all she could think of was her poor bird-
and how much she wanted to punch Tenran in the face.

If anything, this was obviously all Jinai's fault in the first place.  The events flashed in Tenran's mind, going all the way back to her boldness to rob him in the middle of the damn plaza...and yes, it was clearly all her fault.  If she'd just kept her damn hands to herself, none of this would have happened.  If she'd just given back his boltgun NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!  And to be put in the same cell with her...it's like they wanted him to kill her! 

Well, not that they would probably mind.  Prisoners killing prisoners was not an uncommon thing.  And it made room in the cells. 

As they threw him and her into the same cell, Tenran went in quite calmly.  After all, this wouldn't be his first stint in a Connlaothian prison, and certainly not in Reajh.  He was just glad he didn't make a habit of it.  Sure the conditions were squalid, but at least the guards didn't beat you to death...  Well, not on most days anyway. 

"Relax," Tenran said, realizing no use in trying to struggle against their position.  He stayed back and propped himself against a wall, away from the stains on the floor and the fecal matter in the corner and cross his arms over his chest.  He sighed and shook his head as the men around them gave catcalls and were hollering, no doubt already jerking off at the thought of having a woman so close yet so far away.  He scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Pfft, that bird should be the least of your worries," he said, inspecting the cell.  There was a grate on the floor, and bars that shone out to the night but between the two, the window only smelled slightly less like urine.  "After all, you're the one that started this mess in the first place."

(OOC: still some more mature-ish content :T)

-------------------

Jinai turned away from Tenra, fluffing her hair aside and approaching the disgusting man int he corner who had his hands crammed into his pants. He licked his lips greedily when she neared. She'd rather deal witht he dirty old man than Tenran right now.

"I seem to remember a slightly different story. After all, I was just doing my job," she said, planting her hand nonchalantly to her hip, the other hand onto the cell bar and simply staring down at the man who furiously worked at his pants. She had to smirk. Men could be such animals.

"It's not my fault you don't keep better tabs on your pockets.. or your assets." she smirked at the thought. " Besides, I never asked you to follow."  She said, shifting her weight and peering over towards him, though most of her green eyes were hidden behind heavy blonde bangs.

"No, no, I'm understanding quite clearly how you have a hard time keeping your hands to yourself.  And even more when it comes to other people's property.  So, I had to take something of yours.  You understand.  It's the way of the world.  But I guess now it's all gone to shit since they're going to make your bird breakfast in the morning.  I hear falcon is delicious with a strong ale beside it."  Tenran smirked, watching a she tried to be coy.

The man behind her was making no secret as to how he appreciated Jinai's close proximity, grunting as he did so.  Tenran watched him, brow furrowing, but his expression suddenly changed.  "Seems you've made quite a friend!"  Suddenly the man lunged his arms through the bars, wrapping his arms around Jinai and smothering her face with the hand he'd shoved in his pants.

OOC: This is just.. ewww..
JUST EW, LION lol
Mature Content D:

--------------------

The sudden attack from the man behind the bars had her rearing back. though he had a good grip on her, she felt some of her hair tear until her finger nails dug into him and her boots kicked him as hard as she could through the bars. When she managed to stumble free, she barely caught herself to avoid falling onto the ground, then rose up, cringing as she wiped some mess from her hair.

Turning to Tenran, his smart remark wouldn't come without consequences as she kept the vial substance on her fingers and sauntered his way- and once she approached, she made sure to smear the nasty mess on her fingers down his shirt.
"I don't make friends,"s he told him, coldly flirting while her entire hand pressed to his chest. "That would create even more opportunities for consequences." Then she wiped the remaining bit against his crotch and gave a rigid smirk- one that challenged.

Tenran remained rigid to being touched that way, and certainly by scum like this vile foolish woman.  She had some nerve and while it normally served to only make him angrier, he also only looked at her with a sickening pity.  She was probably raised off the streets and had no way to act like a proper human being.  Or maybe she'd been dropped on her head as a baby.  Either way would explain her stupidity.

"Indeed it would," Tenran agreed, not wanting to be friends with her anymore than she did.  He brushed her hand away from him, scoffing disgustedly.  "A child like you wouldn't understand the intricacies of personal relationships"  Not that he would either being disowned and divorced and discharged from anything that had once held him of any value.  But she didn't know that.

"But I'm not going to waste my days in here.  And I suggest you don't either.  I'm getting out of here as soon as it quiets down.  In truth, I should kill you here and now, and I would if it weren't for the little matter of my missing gun.  So, I'll strike you a deal.  I'll get you out of here if you give me back my weapon.  And I'll help you get your precious falcon back too."

Jinai only smirked at how the man was unnerved by her actions. Childish, yes. But that was the point. But then at his idea to strike a deal with her, she raised a brow at him.
"You think you can just so easily waltz out of here?" Her grin grew even wider. My, my, how silly fate could be. But the deal with tempting. After all, she could promise, but no one ever said she was one to keep her promises. At least, not to men she didn't like.  But she might play nice.
He did have a limpy leg, after all. Poor man. Might make it difficult for...

"Tell me your plan. The more outrageous the better. Then perhaps I'll agree. After all, we might as well make a spectacle out of it. You only get to live once." She put a hand out, raising her chin confidently. "And we can shake on it. Make it a real deal. It could be fun."

"I don't shake," Tenran said bluntly and shoved his shoulders into the wall, pushing him off it as he walked toward the cell door.  He looked left then right, watching the guards at their posts and talking amongst themselves as they passed out fresh buckets and soon vanished into a doorway down the left.  On the right, he suspected led to the offices, where most likely the rest of his gear was kept.  They took the bolts from his legs and the last boltgun from his holster.  Even wanted to take the brace off of his left leg, but after fighting with them on how he needed it if he was going to stand trial, literally, they let him have it.

But there was something they didn't know.  Tenran bent down and pulled a small piece of metal from the brace, a loosened piece that needed repair anyway.  "We wait for them to change shifts, which, from the sound of it, they will be doing shortly, I've got a pick here.  I'll unlock the door.  If there's a guard coming, you distract them.  That's really all you're good for anyway.  I'll handle the rest," Tenran ordered as he waited for the proper time.

It only took ten minutes for him to hear that the guards were ready to change their routine when he quickly went to work on the lock.  He held his breath, listening for the tumblers as he stuck his hands through the bars, unable to see the other side of it.   Soon, he heard the click of it being unlocked, waiting for reactions from the prisoners.  When there was none, he carefully pushed the door open and slipped out of the cell.

Jinai smirked.
She didn't think the damn clunky brace on his leg could be of much use than keeping him from hobbling over, though she knew she'd be just as resourceful if she had to wear such a thing. But well, the men frisked her pretty good. Even found the more well hidden knives on her person. She just could only hoped she'd get them back. Like Tenran, it took time and patience (and money she did not really have) to acquire more proper equipment for her to become more flexible in her profession.

Though as excited as she was that their escape seemed so close at hand, she was cursing through her teeth and gripping onto Tenran's arm and pulling it back, keeping their cell door closed.
"Shit, they're back already." she whispered. "That was fast." She shrunk back a moment, trying to think of a way to act casually, but the only thing she could think to do was to drape an arm over Tenran's shoulder as the guard approached, which, sadly, did not seem natural at all, for the guard as he paused at their cell, eyeing the pair up.

Jinai only stared back as the man scrutinized them visually, and Tenran would feel a hand slip inside the front of his pants and reaching lower- and Jinai raised her brows, moving her shoulders enough in an obvious rhythm to see if the guard would catch on to what she was doing.
When his brows raise din question, catching some of the motion, she smirked and watched as his gaze went south to where Jinai had her hand crammed inside Tenran's pants. As the man's eyes were distracted (and possibly Tenran,) she shot her other hand out and grippe the door, thrusting it forward and bashing it into the guards face with such a quick sharp force, he was downed quickly.  And though that was easy (and she was thankfuly only one guard had come), the other man standing near the door heard the noise and commotion beginning to grow from the inmates and moved inside to investigate.

He was beside the other man, then stepped before Tenran and Jinai's cella nd narrowed a sharp gaze upon them-
"Hey, what did you two do?"
And it was on this cue Jinai slipped her hand out of Tenran's pants and held them up as if she were on gunpoint- showing that she was infact, innocent in the matter. The man's eyes went down to where the hand had been, then to Jinai, then to Tenran.
"Hey, I can't be held accountable the man grew feint at the sight of a hand job," Jinai quipped with a smirk, giving Tenran a light nudge with her boot to prod him into action. After all, the other guards on duty would be elsewhere and the pair would have to act quickly if they wanted to escape from jail.
"I think he was just jealous of all the fuss my cell mate was making." She smirked and kicked Tenran again. He had better play along- after all, from what she could tell- he seemed to like the touch anyway. "After all, I'm very skilled with my hands."

And apparently, so was her new partner in crime.

A body's reactions versus conscious thought were two different things in the mind of a man.  And when Jinai had invaded his space, Tenran had every intention to beat the living hell out of her since she couldn't learn from their first encounter to keep her hands to herself.  His temper flared and what she felt was that anger about to be unleashed.  Thankfully the second guard appeared and he could take it out on him.

Without any word, Tenran rushed him and rammed him into the wall.  The helmet clanked against stone but otherwise knocked him out and had him limp on the floor.  Tenran reached down and pulled the keys from the man's belt.  "Quick get the other one inside," he snapped at Jinai, shoving her toward the door.  Once that was done, Tenran closed the cell door behind them and made sure to lock it.

The other prisoners were getting rowdy and making quite a bit scene with all that was happening.  But if they hurried, the other guards would miss them.  Tenran turned to Jinai, yanking her arm hard toward him.  "That was your final warning.  Try something like that again, i'll cut your hands off. Now get moving toward the office door.  I'm not leaving here without my gear.  We might as well, get your bird while we're at it."

Jinai only gave a coy smirk at his threat.
"You act as if I had a choice," Jinai goaded, but remained  silent, only smirking as the pair moved onward. The man was tensed. Maybe he just needed to fuck. It would explain a lot. Or maybe he was gay. (Though she had that before, too) She wondered if he was a virgin, and could have laughed out lout at that thought. No man was a virgin. Men only thought of and wanted one thing. She grew up around enough of them to know...



At the idea to retrieve their stuff, she pushed passed Tenran, bumping his shoulder with hers as she moved ahead.
"Yes, we need to move fast. But this time," she shot him a warning look. "I'm carrying my bird." All the good it would do either of them- but she didn't trust Tenran as much as he didn't trust her, but fr now, they'd have to hold some sort of truths. That was, until she could get herself out of this mess, and she wans't about to let him harm  Feather's wing anymore.  She'd give him that damn gun if she had to. Though it was a shame. It would have been fun to have such a weapon herself.

The pair made swift work to get inside the supply room. The bird was left flapping about inside a crate. She moved carefully over it, working at prying the crate open as swiftly as she could- but the damn men nailed it shut. THey were goi gnto suffocate the thing! Scrambling around, she fetched up a knife, any knife and began to work at the nails, prying one painfully out at a time, ignoring Tenran if he even dared warn her to move faster or forget about it.
The box would be too awkward to carry, ans for all she knew, her bird needed air badly and was already hell bent and breaking it's other wing.

One at last the last nail was free, she tossed the lid recklessly aside and peered down as feathers and wings were everywhere. Carefully, she scooped the bird up and cradled it against her chest, a momentary pain piercing her eyes. One that easily slipped away after she examined the bird and realized not much more damage had been done. He would live.

Now it was time to get the hell out of there. Her eyes darted around as she began to one handlely pick up her supplies, tucking a knife between her breast, one up her skirts, another up past her rear. Then went about looking at what other goods were there and began to pocket those things as well.
Might as well while the pair was still there...

and it was only then she paused to observe..
a few bottles of her drugs lay across the counter.
Oh, these would come in handy. And she would need one later after all of this was said and done.
It had been one long, fucking day. Torri would want to hear about this. She could almost hear the woman laughing now as she began to scoop up her bottles of drugs.

Once they were in the supply room, Tenran had all but forgotten her presence there.  He was far too busy looking for his own gear which he quickly found.  His belt, his bolts, even his remaining gun, and thankfully, his bracers which were irreplaceable themselves.  He reattached everything while Jinai was busy prying off the nails of the crate to free that ridiculous companion of hers, no doubt coming off the high she had suffered from being hit with that drugged dart.

Tenran finished, professionally checking everything he needed to before lastly checking the blade of his sword.  He unsheathed it and made sure the edge was still keen before holding it firmly in hand.  When at last he saw that she was ready, he nodded to her and made for the exit.  The supply room was directly across from the Captain's office, no doubt occupied by the Captain himself.  He made sure to shut the door quietly as he crept closer to it.  Peering throught he window, he saw, the Captain was in quite a slumber, or trying to anyway, as the rowdiness of the inmates only grew louder.

"Shut up out there!" he said, until he got tired of it.  He moved from his desk and stomped toward the door, holding out his sword.  When he yanked it open, Tenran rushed forth and bashed his shoulder hard into the Captain, using his short sword to parry away the Captain's blade.  He then grabbed his hair with his free  hand and bashed his head hard into the other knocking him out.

He dragged the body back into the office, propping him back into his chair, feet up on the desk and using the helmet to cover his eyes and seem as if he were asleep.  The sound of footsteps however were not too far away.

Jinai raised her eyes when Tenran had finished collecting his things. She turned to look around again, picking up a few other trinkets of interest and pocketing them before following quietly behind him. THe bird had calmed in her presence, when it would otherwise naturally continue to freak out. But because it was her careful hands that had nursed the bird back to health before, they held a unique bond and because of it, a respect that went beyond their specie.
It was also in Jinai's spirit to protect those weaker than herself, so when an emptiness had over come her at the loss of her brother, the falcon easily filled that void. And it was better that way. Getting close to a person meant you left yourself open to so many vulnerabilities.

The sound of the captain drew her mind back to the presence as she moved silently behind Tenran. She smirked, impressed at the swiftness of his work before standing before the captain herself, hands ot her hips as she tilted her head to one side, flicking lightly a finger at the unconscious man's helmet, her grin growing wider at the noise of the ding.

However, she winced at the noise of men. By the sound of it, there were only two of them- perhaps three. She knew there was no way to run away, considering they were cornered. It was either go into the hallway and become exposed, or... hide.
Snagging onto Tenran's shirt collar, she dragged him suddenly onto the ground and beneath the table.
"Wait here a second," she told him wiht a smirk, pressing a finger to her smiling lips to tell him to swallow his anger and just be quiet while she moved behind the door, inserting a small, thin, needlike blade into one of the vials as she held it at her side and waited for the men to approach. They poked their heads into the jail first, and once they realized the captain wans't about,t hey opened the door to his room, and once the first man turned and noticed Jinai, she smirked and moved forward, pressing the knife clean into his side and just let him drop, his eyes glazing over from the effects of the drugs as he began to grope around at the ground, but within moment,s he was sleeping soundly, while a puddle of blood formed at his side. The last thing he saw was Tenran underneath the table before his eyes glazed over with a drug induced sleep.

The second man, however, was not impressed and drew his blade, quickly punching hard across Jinai's face- a blow that wasn't entirely unexpected as she fell across the table, knocking into the unconscious Captain and knocking off the loose helmet that had been perched upon his head, revealing, he too, was in a state of sleep- or death. Though the guard didn't waste any time rushing across the room, reading to ram his sword straight though Jinai as he roared out in rage.

Tenran bit his tongue when Jinai drug him down to the ground yet again, this time behind the Captain's desk, right behind his chair that he was propped up on.  Gods!  There was no sating this woman was there!?  What did she want to do?  Cop another feel down his pants!  He guessed she didn't get enough in the cell.  But that notion quickly went out the window when the other two guards quickly approached.

Tenran watched from the space under the desk, watching his boots drop as Jinai took care of the first one.  However, when the second one charged forth, Tenran placed his boot out from one side of the desk and pushed himself along the ground, sliding on the floor as he pulled out his bolt gun with his opposite hand shot two bolts at the guard just as he was ready to run Jinai through.  The bolts struck into his back and shoulder, piercing his steel armor and making him fall over on Jinai limply.

"Just when I thought we'd be able to get out of here without any bloodshed.  Last thing I need is more dead guards on my hand," Tenran cursed as he quickly scrambled to his feet.  He rushed to the guard's body and yanked out his bolts and placed them back into the gun.  There was no reason for those to go to waste.

"C'mon," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her through the opposite door that no doubt led to the hallways without.  The Captain's office had to lead to the main structure of the jailhouse, and no doubt the front door.  But if they could make it to the rooftops, they might just make it out of here without drawing more attention to themselves.

As if that was going to happen.

As Jinai was dragged along, she fought a little.
"Hey, hey, not so fast!" she said, trying to balance the injured bird while keeping up with Tenran's pacing. She was lucky the poor falcon had not been crushed beneath the guard's weight. Though finally, after a time,s he managed to keep up with Tenran, only for the pair of them to come to a halt as a large, stout man with spectacles came walking in through the front door, pushing a hefty cart full of scrolls. He paused when he noticed the pair, and Jinai quickly thought of an idea as she smacked Tenran heavily on the back of his shoulders.
"Use that crossbow gun thing of yours and have him get us the hell out of here. We could hide in that cart." she jerked her thumb towards it, then grinned wickedly at the man, her grip nearly crushing Tenran's shoulder.
"You there. We need to borrow your cart!" Jinai began, her falcon turning with a blink towards him-
The cart man only blinked at the pair, uncertain whether to scream or run, or both.

He didn't need to be told twice as Tenran unholstered his boltgun, the arrows that had been used were bloodied and set into the slot, loaded and ready to launch again.  He pointed it at the man with the cart.  "Get us out of here quietly and cleanly and there could be quite a windfall in it for you," Tenran said.  He pulled a tiny coin purse from his belt and held it before the man.  But he was still quite hesitant to reach for it.  However, when his hand came forth, Tenran pulled it away.  "Into the cart."

He nudged Jinai to go first, and once she was inside, he went in next.  "If I so much as hear a grunt of nerves, your dead.  Now go."

Jinai smirked from where she was smooshed into one corner of the cart, Tenran on the other. She rested a bit easier when the cart began to roll, her smile broadening as she heard the man grunt under their combined weight. She turned to give Tenran an even more playful smirk, pushing some scrolls aside so she could see his face better, but more only fell back into view. So she simply leaned back and enjoyed the ride.

"I suppose the man could use the exercise." she said, her eyes laughing as she heard the man wheezing and wiping at his brow, though it did pose a problem...
"Where do you think we should ask him to dump us off? We could just as well make an escape down an alleyway, though perhaps we ought to have a better plan of action?"
Her bird made a light noise, and she peered down at him, petting lightly the top of it's feathery head to comfort the bird.
"Don't worry,"S he spoke to the bird. "You'll be alright."

"Don't worry about that.  You just be quiet and keep your hands to yourself," Tenran warned her.  But there was a glint of respect in his eye, no matter how small.  She was still a street rat however, lower than the slime on his boot.  And he wanted little more to do with her until he got his boltgun back.  She seemed to enjoy pushing her luck, however, and he had a feeling he wouldn't be getting his property back anytime soon.

Ternran could see the man hauling the cart passed a pair of guards that were coming into the dungeons, the man gave a nervous grunt, but otherwise the guards paid him little attention.  As soon as they were out of range, the man with the cart passed an alleyway when they were far enough away and set the cart down.  He noticed two more guards patrolling the street.  He nudge the cart, kicking it with his  heel.

Tenran poked his head out from the scrolls, seeing the guards coming down the street.  "Don't even think about it," he warned, springing up from their hiding place and pressing the gun's point into the man's back.  "Here," he said.  And pressed the smal bag of coins into his hand.  "Now get on with you!"  Tenran ducked into the alleyway just in time as the guards were heading their way.

Jinai rolled her eye at Tenran's comment, keeping her focus on her bird. He acted as if she had a choice. It as easier to distract men (and women) with those sorts of acts, since they were jarring to most parties involved. Except Jinai. She was used to such tricks.
Once they had left the scrolls, she brushed one pesky one that got caught in her hair and followed silently after Tenran, smirking at the cart man and giving him a wink.
"Just remember, a man who keeps his words reap the rewards."
Though she doubted she'd ever see the man again, she could pay him back in better ways than money. After all, he was pitiable. If he wasn't married, she doubted he had gotten laid anytime soon.

As the pair pressed down further into the alley way, her eyes began to scan the area before she looked up, noticing a pair of children on a roof top carrying sling shots. Whihc gave her an idea. Moving away, she called attention to the boys.
"How would you boys like to earn some copper?"
The boy's exchanged glances, and after a series of giggles, were positioned on the other side of the roof, causing a distraction by shooting pebbles at the local guards. She smirked over at Tenran. it would make for a good distraction as any.

"So, where to next, bright eyes?" she smirked, staring at the mismatching color before raising her eyes higher up upon her head, fully expecting him to come up with some sort of plan. She knew he'd want the bolt gun, but was already trying to think of something clever to deter him from ever getting it. It would just take a few clever moves and the perfect moment, but Jinai was street savvy and smart. ANd well, apparently all she had to do was touch him for him to get upset- so that in itself could be fun and she was sure she could find ways to disgust him and want him to just abandon his mission altogether- though..
after she thought it over, perhaps it would not be so easy.
He seemed to care a heck of a lot for those guns. Perhaps she'd be able to find out why...
But then again, some men just had some kinky fetishes. Maybe gimpy here was one of them.

Tenran honestly didn't know.  It wasn't like him to not have a plan.  But all that was left was to get his gun back, which he fully intended on doing.  That and teaching this bitch a lesson in the process would be nice.  But he doubted she would learn and take it to heart.  Her kind never did.  Stuck in the same rut, the same routine, life having no more meaning than the extension of their arm.  Why would she be any different.

But as Tenran looked down at the bird, his expression changed from hard to soft, and he frowned at what he'd done.  "I feel kind of bad about what I did to your falcon there.  First let's take care of that wing and see that she flies again, yeah?  Then we worry about my gun.  Let's get back to a safe place first."

Jinai stiffened at Tenran's words. Did he actually mean that? It was hard to believe, though her lips twitched a bit into an awkwardish smile before she looked down to her falcon.
"I've treated her injured wing before. It's why she's calm now. I raised her from an injury. We'll need something to wrap the wing with it.." she frowned, examining the wing with her eyes. "It's hard to tell if it affected the bone, though she might have injured it more when she was freaking out in the box."S he sighed and averted his gaze. She didn't really want his help. It meant she could think of him as more human. Human.. him? She stared over at his leg brace for a moment before idly nodding.  And him being nice... well, perhaps she'd consider giving back his gun.

Maybe.
Glancing down the alley way, she noted a brothel with a few whores around it. Some were customers of hers and it gave her an idea, and a smirk reached her eyes as she turned to Tenran.
"How are you around whores?" she asked, her eyes dancing playfully. "I've got a few friends there, or rather, addicts." She didn't elaborate more. If she could just slip in a vial of her opiates, they'd let the pair inside without questions. Only problem was if Tenran would make a scene-
though 'noble' guards would hardly find themselves in such a place. It was safer than any...

It wasn't like Tenran to give a damn about anything but himself.  But he felt a smidgen of sympathy for the creature, having the misfortune to be caught in the middle of all of this.  It wasn't her fault she got shot in the wing.  It was the mere consequence of the actions of her owner.  And such was the tragic fate of many casualties of war.  Most of them were never involved in the actual fighting itself.

Tenran gave her an amused smirk.  "As good as any man is around them.  If that's a plan then let's head on our way."  He motioned for her to go first, him following behind.  As they neared the brothel door, one of the ladies blocked the way, her silhouette slender as she held onto the door frame.  She looked at Tenran with an appreciative smirk. 

"Jinai was it?" she said, looking at her.  "What are you brining us customers now?"

(OOC: Some mature content warning!)

Jinai gave a once over to Tenran, then looked back to the whore and slipped something into her hand.
"Something like that." she didn't have to pose her question, the whore only smirked and gestured towards the door.
"You can use my room if you'd like."
Jinai nodded.
"Thanks, we will." then she gave Tenran a wink, latched onto his hand and yanked him inside.
She knew he didn't like any of her advances,a nd it was fun to make him squirm, and soon the pair were moving swiftly across a room that reeked of incense and sex, where noises of ectasy kissed across the pink lit room and men and women were found in all sorts of scandalous situations. But Jinai didn't let go of his grip, even squeezed it a little when they passed by a pair of men going at one young woman on the couch, who's breasts heaved heavily as they moved about her. But they continued on as Jinai dragged him across the room and up the stairs, and soon the two disappeared behind a thick door and into a small room iwth a drawn bath and petals strewn across the room.

Jinai spent a few nights here- too many to count, actually. Getting high, getting fucked, or whatever else was fun to do. Not that she had much else to do with her life about now.
But getting high would have to wait. SHe was addicted, yes, but even se had some limits on herself. Her falcon was more important, so her itch, her craving could wait.
She set the bird upon the bed, and surprisingly, she remained calm, her dark eyes blinking as she cocked her head towards Tenran, as if studying him as Jinai went about ripping off some clothe from a nearby drape. It would have to do to bind her wing. She wouldn't be able to fly, and this would help keep it stilll and bound as she'd heal.

Pouring some water into a small tub, she leaned over the bed ad began to clean out the room, keeping quiet- despite all of the chaotic noise of ectasy and sex- and the soft, caressing scent of a lightly, perfumed and slightly drugged incense had been burning inside the room. She failed to notice, just kept at aiding her bird, her hands now gently wrapping the wing. Though the falcon continued to stare at Tenran.

The sounds of the brothel took him back to his army days.  Before he got a chance to marry Liana that was.  She never accused him cheating, though he often wondered what she did when he was away.  And maybe because he never asked was one of the things that led to the eventual dissolution of their marriage.  Tenran had to learn his lesson the hard way.  As it was with all things.

He followed Jinai wordlessly, grinning a little, though he doubted the street rat would deign to attempt to sleep with him.  They were only here to take care of that damned bird, he reminded himself.  Nothing else than that.  When they were finally in a room alone, Tenran flexed his gloved hands, looking around the room.  It was surprisingly clean, and he found a wooden chair he felt was safe to sit on.

He said nothing for there was nothing to say as he watched Jinai tend to her falcon.  Though the bird's eyes were quite upset, Teran gave it a grin.  "I told you I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to shoot you.  But shit happens."

Jinai raised a brow as she heard Tenran speak- obviously to the bird. Though Feather'swing kept looking at him. She had to smirk. It wasn't often the bird acted in such a manner. So turning around, she sat at the edge of the bed and kept the bird cradled in her hand. The bird, again, cocked it's head up at the man.

"You know why she's looking at you?" Jinai began, raising her eyes to Tenran's. She stared at him a moment, only then realizing he was, well, again, sort of handsome. Too bad they couldn't have a quick fuck... he'd probably ask for his gun first, anyways. What a stiff knee. And she could use the sex, too. Wha ta stressful day.
Either way, she jutted out her chin and informed him, "She's looking at you and plotting to peck out your eye." Her grin grew wider as she gave him a wink, the falcon still staring at him.
She looked back down at the bird and gently rubbed a hand down her feathery neck.
"She's probably wondering why I let a man like you man-handle her." she glanced up at Tenran again, her green eyes peering through a thick curtain of her blonde bangs. "Falcon's have a peculiar sense of humor. She'll probably pick to peck out the eye whose color she hates the most." She smirked again, then looked down down to her bird, gently stroking her chest feathers with a curled hand.
"I call her Feather'swing." she smirked, laughing just once at the thought. "It's what I used to call birds when I was little. I thought it suited her."
The falcon looked from her, back to Tenran again before finally looking away and appearing a bit more calm since it's eyes were no longer quite as wide. Though this made Jinai frown. The bird did feel a little warm. She hoped she hand't lost too much blood.

"Oh, that's good to know.  Well, she can have the blue one," Tenran remarked, laughing a little.  It was a lot nicer to be in this kind of moment than to have then squabbling over something petty as he expected.  Though why she chose a brothel, he could only wonder.  Was she a part-time prostitute?  Or did she have certain...separate interests?  Well, he wasn't one to tell.  And he wasn't sure why he should care.

All he wanted was his goddamned gun.  This was an awful lot of trouble to go through.

"It certainly does suit her," Tenran agreed.  "Though perhaps she's failed to realize just how lucky she is.  Any other man would have just as easily broke her neck when they had the chance.  And would have eaten her shortly after.  I was only trying to get your attention.  Not kill her."

Jinai studied Tenran in silence for a moment, her smirk never leaving her lips.
"Well, if she gets the blue eye, I get to cut out your green one." she smirked wider then looked down at her bird. "You know.." she began, while still stroking her falcon's chest feathers. "Most men get a woman's attentions by other means." She looked up at him, the mirth still dancing in her eyes. "Shooting a girl's bird could earn you more than just a missing left eye." And his right one...
"You could have just bought me flowers."
Yeah, this conversation was only slightly more fun than their others. After all, at least now he wasn't trying to shoot her poor bird. Though if he tried that again, she might not be quite so friendly with him while in the brothel. She did concoct poisons after all. Though he was lucky. He was cute enough to be spared.
Thinking to her vials, she found herself itching for them, but the slight opiate laced in the incense might have been doing it too as she began to tap her foot out of nervous habit. Rezbeth was so addicted, she laced almost everything in her drugs. At least she was as fun girl to get high with when Jinai wanted to escape. And right now, she kind of did. What else did they have to do anyways? Wasn't like they should go flying into the streets right now, especially after just breaking out of jail.
Resting her bird onto the bed, she pushed off and moved to a small table in the corner of the room and began to fiddle through the small vials on her person, contemplating which one to open and which one to drink down first. She supposed any would be fine, but maybe if she took one strong enough...
her thoughts drifted to Tenran. Heck- maybe if she offered him a dose they could just fuck and forget about all of this- though she wondered why she kept thinking back to that, and her foot tapped nervously again. She looked to his leg brace, then back to her vials. Yeah- maybe a strong one would be best, though she didn't want to pry..
she soon found herself asking.
"So what's wrong with your leg? Did you shoot another woman's pet falcon and she was less kindly towards you than me?" she opened a vial and then offered it over to him. "Care for a drink? It'll help you forget about anything that ever happened today."
It really would, the stuff she made could rock you into another world. It's how she made most of her money- and how she spent too much of her damn time somedays.
Though she tried t kick herself of it, it had been what- nearly a month?
Now was an exception. She needed to forget and have some fun.

After all, she deserved it. Getting out of jail was no easy task- even if it was a bit fun.

Right, as if flowers would have properly got her attention.  He was beginning to see that there were other things she was more interested in than flowers.  She didn't really seem like that kind of girl anyway.  Liana never was, but she was sensible enough to accept it and be thankful no matter what.  Like that made a difference...  Yet, Tenran found it hard to believe that such a woman as this 'Jinai' could be so foolish as to believe that she could actually get away with such a theft.  But, well, women got away with just about everything didn't they?  No wonder husbands died so young.

He'd become lost in thought until Jinai posed the question he looked at her through squinted eyes.  "My leg?  Old war wound," he muttered and eyed the vial she offered him.  Opiates...  He'd tried a few when he was younger, but he always preferred a few ales to calm him down.  But this was a brothel not a bar, and the only drinks around here were likely laced with other drugs as well.

He leaned forward and took the offered vial.  He took just a small sip and that was all he needed before he handed it back to her.  He sniffed a little.  "What do you get out of that stuff anyway?" he wondered.  "I'd think someone like you might find something...better to entertain herself."

Jinai shrugged at his comment,taking the vial back from him and knocking back the rest without hesitation. she made a face, then licked at her lips as she eyed him, the drugs already kicking in as she grinned a bit broadly.

"We can't all have that interesting of a story," she said with a smirk, leaning back in her chair and letting the drug burn into her blood stream, her brain a hot mess, the world around her seeming to become white hot for just a moment as her mind reached outwards, out and beyond her.

Escaping in anyway was fine with her. She didn't care how. and it was an addiction, and now she had another kick again. Oh well. It was too good not to pass by.
"But there are other ways to entertain ourselves." she said, leering him from across the way. "We are in a brothel. And the room is rather private." She gave a laugh. As if he'd actually take her up on that. Maybe she could pester one of the other men? She was feeling too good not to let herself get a little frisky, but had to remain seated still. The drug was potent, and she had taken a bit more than she ought to have and despite the high, her head ached from it and her mind was still in a whirl, the world almost bleeding with colors and light.

Ah, drugs. It was almost like the first time. Perhaps she should have been smarter and took only a sip. but what did she have to prove or lose either way?

The buzz was finally getting through to him and he began to see Jinai in more, shall we say, appealing, shapes.  Her face blurred and swirled into splitting images, then converged once again.  He blinked and found her face, looking as if it were melting.  Tenran grinned, it was a strange sight to see, not quite as repulsive as he expected.  "Whoa..." he said.  He slumped in his chair, his head spinning.

"Perhaps," he felt himself saying, his senses whirling around, feeling his heart beat echo in his ears and his voice felt very far away.  "What do you charge?"

Her laughter escaped her at his question- and it moved around her in an echo.
She shook her head, moving to rise from her chair, but grinning as she nearly toppled over and had to grab onto the other end of the table as she gave him a grin, blonde hair spilling over her shoulder. She tried to give him a more seductive leer, and though she was pretty enough, her body as perfect as it could be, well toned, curvaceous, short skirts... leather..
He'd also find her legs were perfect too, as she made her way (somehow) to his chair and smirked, her legs straddling his as she sat upon his lap.

"I don't think you could afford me." she told him, her mind still in a rush, her body crashing like the ocean in excitement. Well, at least things were going where they needed to be. Sex, drugs- they did sort of go hand in hand. She laughed again and smoothed a hand across his shirt, hands finding their ways down the leather clothing as she began to peel it open.

"Why don't.."she began, her lips finding his neck, kissing it hotly and biting and suckling and licking at it as her hands found their way sound and began to grab at his crotch.  "Let's just see where this gets us." she told him, breath hitching as she ran her lips against his ear, then dragged her tongue along the lobe before sinking her teeth into it, almost painfully so, but she wanted to hear him squirm, all the while her other hand had undone most of his leather, which she pushed aside and let her hands smooth across his stiff, muscular broad chest.

She made a noise of appreciation, keeping herself well straddled as she ground her hips over his, feeling the bulge in his leather pants rise up and grind into the panties beneath her leather skirts which were already getting soaking wet at the prospect to fuck.

It was hard to make sense of what was happening next.  His vision was blurred, slowed as if she was moving through water when she came closer to him.  She flashed in visions of white, her silhouette a negative as she came closer, between blinks, little by little until he felt her weight in his lap.  Immediately his body reacted to her, and the power of being between her thighs.  He was ashamed to say it turned him on immensely and he felt himself actually laughing - both at her and with her.  He doubted she had much to offer him, but his mind was in no position to refuse.

He moaned a little when she kissed his neck and his breath hitched.  Tenran tried to collect his senses, feeling a little repulsed this was all happening so fast.  He shut his eyes to keep out the movement that threatened vertigo.  His hands had slipped them out of his gloves as her hands spread across his chest, and moved up her sides, grabbing her breasts, ghosting over her nipples. 

"Where...ughhh...did you plan on it ending?" he asked softly, moaning with each grind, the leather becoming quite frustrating.

She was clever with a man,and new the more tender areas on his body. A touch here, a caress there, lips there, a hot tongue there...
And everywhere she moved, there were pools of colors, lights dancing and her mind floating free. She laughed inspite of the drugs,and in spite of their circumstance.
"Who ever says this would have to end?" Her smirk was wicked, and soon her strong legs were removed from as she steady herself between his legs. His leather clothing had already been torn off, leaving him really only in just his pants and boots- not that it mattered.
She was laughing as she moved, sitting like a dog between his legs before moving a hand forward and unzipping his pants and removing his long, hard, throbbing member.
She grinned. Well at least he wasn't small like some men she had, infact, she was bit impressed as she licked her lips and lapped her tongue all around his hard member before taking his sex into her mouth and began to suck on it hard as she tasted and swallowed and drank at his skin.
Yes, it didn't matter where this ended, as long as they had a little fun.
After all, life was too short not to pass moments like this by. They both needed a little fun after this ordeal, and she could taste that he needed it almost more than she.
She smirked at that, her soft mouth and tongue moving against his member, but she was hardly through with him, and wouldn't let him be sated so easily-
not without a fuck.
So while she was perched between his legs, she began to laugh again, his member slick from her  mouth and reaching towards the sky, somewhat in the way as she worked at prying off his pants.
And before he'd know it, she'd be on his lap again, hands curling into his hair, gripping it as the world twisted and turned and strung into colors and sounds and lights all around them- and somehow, she was kissing his lips, shoving her tongue in well and deep, fighting against his and in that same motion, his body slipped very easily inside of hers as they began to fuck wildly upon the chair, her lips only parting from his to pant, to breath as she moved with need and moaned again his, her lips vibrating as her tongue moved across his lips, tasting them as the chair began to creak against the weight,t he pull, the thrust, the movement.

Ah.. yes...
This is exactly what she had needed, as her mind floated away into a spell of sweet surrendering ecstasy.

He cried out suddenly when she sucked on his hard cock, throwing his head back and his breath hitching, moaning loud enough to rival all the men here combined.  She truly was skilled.  Maybe she was a part-time prostitute after all.  Not that he was looking for some kind of love connection.  In fact, brothels were not quite a place of frequent visitation for the bounty hunter.  He had someone he could sleep with no matter the occasion.

Just because he and Liana were no longer married didn't mean they were no longer intimate with one another.  They knew each other better than anyone else could.  And there was nothing wrong with dabbling in the familiar with one another....  Even if she was engaged to someone else.

But such thoughts were vacant from his swirling mind that blasted with color and made him feel as if he were falling, very slowly, being sucked into some kind of blackhole, tearing his whole body apart.  As he looked down if was only her sucking on his cock, feeling it swell all the more within her orifice, he watched Jinai's head bob up and down, feeling his tip hit the back of her throat and back again, tongue warm and all too skilled as it lapped and massaged around him, sucking harder than he'd ever felt before.  The drugs weren't helping as they make every stroke of her tongue along his dick all that much more pleasurable.  He should have known she'd be far too good at this.  He didn't mind if this was all she did as he entwined his fingers in her hair and pressed her head down harder, instinctively spreading his legs wider.  But before he knew it she began riding him hard making the chair creak under them.  Well he didn't mind that either.

It was near. It was far. Everything was moving to a rhythm to a beat, she even began to sing a little, somehow catching a song, whether it was real or not as she road him until the damn chair broke. Then she was singing another tune as the two were moving onto the floor, and no longer was she in command, but found herself melting beneath him as she felt his length gliding in and out of her as she moaned. Gods, sex was just as addicting for her as those damn drugs, and together, it always made for a master piece.
Hopefully she remembered to bring her Silphium potion with her- lest she get stuck with a brat when all was said and done. It was one of the many vials she always kept on her person- always. The vials were more hidden and more precious than her knives. She wasn't mother material, and just wanted to have herself some fun- and it seemed the potion had served her well since her first tumbles back wiht all of her brother's friends in the hay.
But now a days she could revel in sex and pleasure in a whole knew light, and while Tenran was enjoying himself, Jinai was aching for more.

"No.."S he shook her head suddenly, pulling away from him to let him lay there coated in her sex. She was in a whore's room, might as well make use of it. Stumbling to her feet, she laughed as she grabbed a few ropes from the wall, falling over with a laugh as she did so, the room spinning as she held it up.
"We;re in a whore house. We should have a little bit more fun than just a fuck," She grinned, but made no real effort to get off the ground just yet. The room was spinning and churning into stars. Maybe when her head returned, she could attempt to tie up Tenran, but for now, she found herself only smiling and staring up at the ceiling, her body so overwhelmed and heated from the drug.

Nothing made sense anymore and Tenran began to get lost in that confusion, no longer able to hold himself against her.  He was actually quite glad she pulled away as the loss of that sensation, while a travesty, seemed to bring some sense back into his ever spinning world.  Tenran didn't like feeling confused, feeling trapped as if something was about to wrong, very very wrong.  He was left sprawled there on the floor, leaning against the leg of the table.

He saw her returning with something long, something that hissed and in his mind they resembled snakes, writhing and just about ready to bit him.  Shrinking back a little, watching her with large, wild eyes, Tenran felt his heart pounding out of his chest.  "What...What are you doing with those?" he asked, staring at the snakes.

Jinai laughed and laughed. It was a silly thing and she was floating, floating as she made her way back to Tenran's side. Though as she did, she looked down at the rope from where his eyes were staring and laughed.
"I'm going to use these to tie us together. Then you can't ever escape!" Escape from what, she wasn't sure, though tossing the rope around him aroused her greatly, even if she did it clumsily as she slipped over him, and was somehow mounting him again.
Somehow she had half tied him, his wrist to her wrist, then a loose bunch of rope around their mid sections before the hunger just to fuck him took over and they were together like a fever.
The drug must've lasted for hours, or at least it felt like that as she moaned and groaned and took Tenran for all he was worth. The swell of him inside her was almost too much to bear, and the assassin got her to reach a point of ecstasy so many times she was singing his name- well, a name she didn't even know, didn't need to know except the sex and drugs were good, and that tomororw, she might not remember most of what they had done- except, by now half of the whore's room was in ruins.
They must've gotten up on the bed at some point, on the table, the bath, the wall...
it was hard to tell just where they were in that moment, but from time to time, even she would get scared to see their wrists bound together, only to laugh and kiss him and go back to enjoying the ride.

Tenran was terrified then even, as she bound them together.  Her face transformed into something terrifying, a demon like he'd never seen before, with skin like scales and claws that raked through his flesh, pulling at his hair, at his entire body until it seemed she was intent on breaking him.  She nearly did too.  The serpentine rope hissed around his wrist as they were knotted together.  But somewhere between the fear and ecstasy, he managed to climax again and again, the longer they were tired together.  There were moments she had him, and moments he had her, in varying degrees of mercy.

Yet because he'd had significantly less than she did, Tenran was beginning to come to his senses as they lay sprawled on the bed, bruises, cuts, bites all lacerated through out their bodies.  He stared at her with wide eyes, finding their wrists were trapped together.  "What the hell...?  What is this?" he said, though he doubted her mania was not quite over.

The drugs had just about run their course, even as she had taken quite a lot more than he did, she was still clinging to some of the high, though was not quite as floaty as she had been before as she lay across him, face breathing against his chest. Though when he raised his hand, her wrist went with it and hse raised his head, the world bubbly, though not quite as stoned as before.
She winced and tumbled off of him, then pressed her face into the bedding at his side.
Somehow she was half dressed, and he? Well, somehow Tenran was wearing a single boot. It took some time before Jinai realized what happened, and became giddy for it as she laughed into the bedding, but didn't lift her head from it. She just couldn't stop laughing. Her entire body ached, but it had been fun. It had to have as she tugged at their joined wrists and let out a noise when they suddenly bumped heads. SHe winced a bit, closing one eye, but had to grin.

"I suppose I should be asking if it was as good for you as it was for me,"s he said, leering him and laughing again, her face resting back against the bed sheets, not realizing they were lying in a room now half destroyed from their romp-
an dher poor falcon was cowering in a corner. It could still use it's legs, and was not a fool. I thad kept out of the way,a nd was staring, once again, at Tenran with it's piercing, uncertain eyes.

OOC: That poor, poor falcon

[Talk about scarred FOR LIFE!]

Tenran looked at her with bewildered eyes, mind barely registering all that had happened.  But it quickly became clear that they had made quite a mess of the room as a result of their voracious - shall we say appetite.  Tenran didn't need to get high to get results like this, but it seemed she did.  He rolled his eyes at her and pried his hand in the knot with some repulsion.  "It was...interesting, to say the least," he admitted, not sure how he felt about the whole thing.  "But I doubt it will happen again."

He moved from the bed, yanking her arm along with him as he reached for the short sword on his belt thrown on the floor.  He unsheathed it and looked as if he was about to sever her arm when the blade deftly cut the rope that bound them.  Unfurling it he dropped it on the bed and rubbed his raw wrist.  Putting the blade away, his other hand reached down to massage his sore groin. 

"Fuck Ansgar, woman, you don't even know me, and you rode me like a wild bronco.  Is this all you do with yourself?" he asked.

Jinai, still amused by this, grinned from ear to ear, ignoring all of the pain she was in, or the fact her hair and clothing was a mess, but still, somehow, all there.
"No, why, sometimes I go against the law to save the invalids, the mages and the slaves." THough it was hard to tell if she was telling the truth or not, one thing was certain was Jinai was still tipsy from her drug. Though part o fher was coming around as she held her head, she paused a moment, trying to consider, but laughed a little before she turned back to Tenran as she stumbled into the bed.
"Come on, don't be so stiff. You only live once. You might as well live careless, reckless and free!" and she tried to rise again, only to stumble into Tenran as she grinned, her face but inches from his.
"You have weird eyes." she told him honestly, mind still reeling in with spots from the drug.

She was right, you only lived once.  But even Tenran wasn't foolish enough to waste his precious life away with one like this street trash, who likely could have been ridden with countless diseases.  He'd have to remember to see an apothecary after this.  He made a mental note of this.

When she was near him, his face squinted, eyes narrowed as he looked at her, scrutinizing her features.  She was actually quite beautiful, and perhaps she was this way because she'd never been shown how to live properly.  But that wasn't his problem.  Still, that didn't stop him from reaching forth and cupping her face softly, as if she were a precious piece of crystal that could be chipped and broken with one wrong move.  He moved in and kissed her softly, sweetly before pulling away.

"I am free," he said, rising to collect his things.  "I'm freer than I've been all my life."

Jinai was still high from the drug, but was aware enough as she leaned into his hand and stilled at his kiss. But at his words, her eyes began to dance and she laughed, losing her balance as she stumbled against him, leaning on his shoulder as she shook with more laughter.
"No one is ever free," she told him, smiling, though her eyes didn't show, now hidden behind her thick bangs.  Didn't everyone know that? The fool...
Then she lost her grip on him and slipped onto the floor, her mind still a dizzy mess as the drugs continued to fade, but that same smile she always wore remained, one that was plastered and trained across her lips.
No one is ever free... the words seemed to repeat, though she spoke no more, simply sitting on the ground with her legs tucked beneath her.

Not everyone could think the way she did.  The buzz of the drug had left him and left him bitter and fairly empty, not quite what he expected.  He still missed a bottle whiskey instead.  He could deal with the hangover later.  But this...he almost felt bereft of any real emotion.  Yet, perhaps that was how he already was, and the drug only made it worse.

"Of course they are," Tenran commented.  He moved away from her and cleaned himself off from the grime and sweat of their acts, before reaching for his clothes and began to dress.  He was thankful his clothing was still in decent condition and checked his things to make sure he still had all of his money and his weapons proper.  "You're born free.  You're only made a prisoner when you allow yourself to be.  But I am free...  Perhaps you are not."

Jinai laughed at him ignorantly. She was still not quite herself, but turned towards him, grinning broadly while she watched him 'clean up'. Didn't he see the bath was there? Though by now the waters were cold, she didn't care. She knew she had to waken herself from the high, and began to clumsily undress, and wasn't even all of the way there when she simply stumbled into the bath and laughed, tossing her shirt, then skirt aside.  She leaned back, smiling and closing her eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of the cool waters about her, letting her toes rest on the other side. The bath was large- and designed to fit two, so it was no surprise she could stretch out in it.
The water also began to bring her back from her spell, as she began to rub at her red eyes, the same smile she always wore still present. She'd have to thank the whore later for the room- maybe slip her another vial of the good stuff.

Yes, a whore's bath.  That wasn't something Tenran wanted to dump into even on a good day.  And today was definitely not a good day.  So he approached Jinai from behind and reached for a small vial he had on his belt, filled with a blue liquid of an arctic hue and gave it a small shake.  It gave an indication of foaming from the agitation.  Giving it a grin he waited a few moments before silently moving to the opposite end of the tub and shaking the vial something fierce.

As it began to foam up, he pulled the stopper and carefully poured the solution into the water of the tub.  Immediately the water began to foam upon contact, making the water bubble and roil, gradually getting more and more agitated.  What he'd unleashed into the water was a rare form of fish, quite small, barely visible to the naked eye that began to swarm around Jinai's flesh, biting and nipping her with thousands of tiny, razor teeth.

At least in the hopes of making her more alert.

Jinai was enjoying her bath and could have fallen asleep there for how content she was and didn't care if the waters would make her prune. But when the waters began to foam and bubble around her, she wrinkled her nose and gave a slight giggle.
"What on earth are you-"
Then her eyes snapped open, the smile that was ever present gone as she felt the ferocity of teeny tiny teeth sinking into her.  With a howl, she leaped from the waters, tripping over the lips of the bath and dropped painfully onto the floor, her hands moving frantically between her legs, sopping the floor with water as she tried to brush off the invisible fiends as they bit into her body.

"Ready for the day yet?" Tenran smirked.  As soon as she was out of the water, he moved in on her and grabbed her by the arm.  His expression was at first playful, but the mood quickly died when he shoved her toward a drying cloth beside the tub.  "Why don't you get dressed?  You forgot to hold up your end of the bargain.  Don't think that little drug of yours made me forget what you stole.  We've wasted enough time already."

He took the towel and threw it at her and looked at the tub that began to calm considably since she left it and the fish were a little more visible as they swam around, looking for a bite to eat.  He laughed then.  They were given more than they could chew.

Jinai wasn't sure what to expect, she was still frantically trying to get off the little buggers from nipping at places they shouldn't be. So she was shocked to see Tenran was trying to be a little playful- That figured. Naturally it would be at her expense. Though when he roughly tossed her a towel, she frowned, catching it while plucking a tiny fish from her bum. It was only then she noticed what they were and glanced over at Tenran. She ignored what he said about his gun and slinked up behind him, snapping open the back of his pants and tossing the little fish inside before smacking his rear.

"If I wanted you to forget, I would have given you another drug," she told him with a coy smirk and went about toweling herself off, but leisurely. Her skin still crawled from the bites anyways as she itched at her legs, the towel now making it's way into her hair. "Besides, you probably couldn't handle half of the opiates I have on me." Her grin grew a little wider as she turned her back to him, now working at drying off her back.

Tenran jumped and reached into his trousers to snatch out the small fish, tossing it back into the water with a flick and nothing more than the whisper of a splash.  He glowered at her and moved toward the small dirty window of the whore's room before looking out of it, seeing that the morning was quite as inactive as it was the day before.  If they were going to move, now was the time.

But he doubted she was the kind of woman that took to hurrying much.

"I probably couldn't," Tenran agreed.  "Opiates aren't really my thing.  I have much better things to do with my time.  But I doubt the same could be said of yourself.  You probably don't even have a family, or anybody you can really call a friend do you?  Sad thing."

After drying off most of herself, she laughed and tossed the towel aside.
"Careful with those words, I might start thinking you care." Smirking, she reached past him and began to gather her clothing, taking her sweet old time as she began to dress. Then, fetching up a brush from the vanity, she began to move it through her wet hair. Might as well since she was near a brush make use of it. THough as she did, she could sense Tenran was getting antsy.

"Hey, you mind fetching me that satchel over there? I need a pink vial from it."
He'd probably assume it was for her addiction. Might as well let him believe that. He thought she was apparently a homeless sucker on the street. She liked those types of stories where others make up whatever they felt like. It told a lot about a person- and it was practically screaming things about Tenran. Except his name. Though she wasn't sure if she honestly cared to know it.
"And make sure it's the one with the oval lid."
She didn't think she had many vials left in there anyways, but she didn't want to down some poison by mistake.
Then, looking back into the mirror, she went back to brushing out her hair, humming softly, and brushing slowly, if only to irritate the man because well- that was rather fun. And Jinai liked having fun.

What did she think he was?  Her errand boy?  Tenran grumbled at her, fully prepared to tell her to get it herself and have a fucking nice day, but perhaps she'd only take her time with that too.  He saw no point in waiting, but was quick to catch on she was doing it to tick him off.  Oh the things she would do for kicks.  He was beginning to see what she really was, and cared little for her company.  The sooner this was over the better.

So he reached over to grab the satche she indicated and opened it up, grabbing the first pink vial he saw (which seemed a little more neon in color) and tossed it her in the mirror. He just watched her brush her hair, crossing his arms over his chest.  He could wait.  Wait for years if he had to.

If confidence could kill, it would surely be her downfall. She was finally coming to her senses, finally coming back to normal, and her smirk grew even wider at what had happened. But she said nothing, pulling the brush through her long, blonde hair before picking up the vial and downing it, only to pause as she choked, her green eyes widened as her skin quickly crawled with a flush.
She pushed away from the desk, the rest of the vial becoming knocked over, breaking on the ground, leaving very little left in the vial as she clutched suddenly to her neck.
But she was desperate to know, despite something in her gut telling her-
What did hse just drink- it couldn't have been..
but when she grabbed the lid, her eyes fell across the half moon cap-
The cap of her poison elixir. A weak smile stuttered, bubbly, milky froth suddenly coming from her throat as her eyes rolled back as she dropped to her knees, her entire body trembling as she tried to force a finger down her throat but failed, the convulsions taking over as she became pathetic, sweaty and floundering upon the ground-

Poison! How stupid of her! She had drank poison! Her own poison!

"now what?  You're trying to stall even longer now by pretending you're dying?  That's just low, Jinai.  But I guess nothing's too low for a street rat like you.  Have some dignity, worm.  Oh, great!  Now you're flopping on the ground like a fish.  Classy.  Ansgar help this woman!  Pfft!  What did you do?  Drink your own poison?"  Tenran scoffed at her as she convulsed on the ground.  Really, she'd do anything to try and get under his skin.  Well, it wasn't going to work this tim.  So he just stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at her, clearly unimpressed.

After about ten seconds of just watching her, Tenran rolled his eyes.  "All right, rat, that's enough.  I get it.  Jinai.  Jinai, that's enough.  Hey!  Quit it!"  But when she failed to respond, only then did he stand over her and realize that she really was dying.  "Shit!" he cursed but remained calm.  He grabbed the cleanest looking blanket in the room and carefully bundled her in it, and lifted her from the ground, heading outside the room.  He held her tightly against him, to keep her convulsions to a minimum.

This early in the morning was surprisingly quiet in the brothel as most of the frequent customers had gone home in an attempt to keep suspicions down and the ladiers were counting their take below.  Many jumped when Tenran came thundering down into the parlor.  The whore that had met them at the door was laid out on a sofa, languishing under her high.  But when she saw Jinai in the stranger's arms she immediately sat up, alarmed, along with many of the other girls.  "What have you done to her!?" she barked, adrenaline returning some sense back to her.

"Look it's not what you think!" Tenran said fiercely.  "She must have injested some kind of poison by accident, I swear.  But there's not much time to explain.  You must tell me the direction of the nearest apothacary, now!"

"Ugh!" the woman shook her head, trying to think through her fog.  "I-I don't know!"

"What about Ol' Mursh?  He's just in a li'l shop down the street.  Jinai knows him pretty well," another woman said, who'd been cleaning off a table rather than smoking with the rest of them.

"He'll do." Tenran made for the door, the whore immediately got up and opened it for him.  But he hadn't taken a step away when she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks for helping her.  She needs it," she said, smiling a little.  "You ever come back here, just ask for Nora."

He looked at her for a few moments longer before bolting down the street, his brace proving strong now the needed it most.  The guards were particularly active this morning, no doubt as a result of their jailbreak.  As he saw one patrol, he quickly ducked in the alleyway, letting them move past him.  he could hear them talking about murderers on the loose, killing guards and to be doubly alert for any unusual activity.  Tenran cursed, peering around for anymore and when the way was clear, he made a run for it, ducking in the shadows of the early morning gloom.  He made it to the nearest shop he saw, one he could only assume was Old Mursh's.

He kicked at the door, banging loudly on it as the shop was not quite open yet.  There was a grumpy noise from inside, one that hollered, "We're not open yet!  Come back in an hour!"

"Please this is an emergency!  She'll be dead by then!"  Tenran kept kicking at the door.

Something shifted in the window and an angry old man peeked out.  "I said-!  Oh, Ansgar!  Jinai!" the old man's expression suddenly paled and he vanished from the window, the bolts unlocking seconds later.

"Hurry up! Hurry up! Don't dawdle now, careful careful! Gods.." when they finally both got Jinai in the place, his eyes went across her, noticing sweat, the eye dilated, the fever, the foam...
"What the hell did she take? One of her own damn poisons?!" he couldn't believe it and helped Tenran lift Jinai onto a cold, wooden bed. He looked her over, felt for a pulse, listening to her raspy breathing before slapping her hard suddenly as the woman came around hands out, shaking as she blinked.

"M-mursh!?" she hadn't realized much on what was going on aside from the pain, and the man was quick to her side, lovingly holding her hand in his large one and sweeping tenderly back her blonde hair.

"Yes, it's Old Mursh now. I'm here for ya, lass. Like always." he gave her hand a squeeze and she lifted a hand, reaching out for him, only to have her eyes roll back. His face quickly fell, he shook her.
"What did she take!?" he barked, looking desperately to Tenran- but it was Jinai who muttered the answer.-
"I.. I accidently took the moon potion- like- half the damn bottle-" she coughed, smiling even though she was sputtering, more foam still coming down her cheeks from her gasping mouth as her body continued to move and jolt against her will.
His eyes flickered wildly.

"Gods be damned!" he slammed a heavy fist into a nearby shelf, breaking nearly half hte items on it before he turned to Tenran.
"We've got to cut her and bleed her good. Fetch me those ropes over there. And we've got to get her the antidote and state. Gods.. Jinai, how could you be so foolish?" He shook his head then growled. "Come on, man! hurry! We've got to bind her down fast! There isn't much time!"

Jinai only laughed, but was lost again, eyes rolling back, breathing becoming shorter.
"At least if I die, it was a good lay."
Mursh grunted, blushing at her comment.
"Gods, Jinai, even on death's bed you make a joke!" though he smiled inspite of himself and motioned to Tenran to help him bind her down, then was quick to get out a knife and sighed.
"You, there, fetch those wooden bowls and place them where the blood drops. I'll.. I'll work at cutting her wrists."
Then he moved around the table, wincing every time he slashed long ways down her wrists and watched as the blood poured out, shaking his head and brushing back the sweat on his forehead as he moved to do this on both wrists.
"She'll need to bleed for a while, but I need to get her to eat the antidote.."
then as he went about fetchin gup a bottle, he paused nad had to ask.. with one curious raise of his brow-
"Say, you weren't her good last lay were you?" he eyed up Tenran, noticing the brace, then to his face with a smirk. "Just curious is all lad. You go ta name? It's good to see she's got a good friend to drag her sorry ass to me when she tries to kill herself." he shook his head. "Though I still can't believe she'd mistake any of her potions. She's a prideful one, that she is." he popped  open the bottle and moved before her sighing.
"Now you might punch me later for this but..." he moved down, pinched JInai's nose closed then forced the bottle in her teeth. The woman fougt it fiercely, but she eventually downed the whole thing before the man stepped away, and soon the woman was vomitting to the side- even projecting some onto both of the men.

Mursh moved to slowly wipe it from his beard, turning to Tenran with a smirk.
"They never said bleeding otu the poisons was a pretty job." he grabbed a towel, tossing it at Tenran. "Hurry upa d clean up, I'll be needing your help to get her off that table once we're through."

Tenran didn't answer either question, almost shameful that he was either of those things.  Friends, definitely not of course!  Bex and Baland was bad enough, but he didn't need another rat to have to watch over.  And as for the lay, he only shook his head and stood back, away from the apothecary as he worked on it.  He held silently, knowing what to do as he'd helped many a soldier bleed out back in his army days.

When she puked, he carefully wiped off his leather and gave her a glare.  "The least she could do was puke on the other side.  But I guess that's too much, even for her," Tenran muttered and began to help Jinai off the work table when asked.

"How long have you known her?" he asked, knowing he still didn't give his name.  Maybe it was best that he didn't.  "I'm guess you bleed her out often?"

"I've known Jinai these good past may years." But at his other question he rose a brow.
"Eh? Often?" he furrowed his brows, angrily and shook his head. "No. Not Jinai. She's reckless but not this stupid. In fact, she's normally the on the other end - getting puked on right where you're standing and helping me catch the blood." He then took a moment, eyeing up Tenran skeptically. "Say, how did she get the poison anyway?" He folded his massive arms over his chest and beard. He was a tall man, very wide and stalky breed with a long, greying red beard down to his belly and a balding head, but long curly locks about as long in length as his beard. He looked like he could easily crunch Tenran in half.

"You really want to know?  She was still half high before she asked for yet another vial.  But it's not my business to tell her what's what, so I did what she asked and grabbed her bag and tossed her the pink vial.  But there's about three pink vials in there, so I figured any one would do.  She didn't specify.  Next I knew, she was sprawled on the ground convulsing like a corpse.  What did you think?  I'd poison her?  i don't know her, i don't quite care to know her, but if I needed her dead, there are cleaner methods than, what I just witnessed."

Tenran rolled his eyes and cross his arms over his chest too, glaring at Mursh with his own adamance.  As if he could really pin this on him.

Old Mursh gave a growl, looking ready to knock Tenran's teeth clean out of his face when Jinai groaned. He whirled away from the man, glaring at him only once as he moved to her side.
She was coughing.
"Hey, now, take it easy, lass. Take it easy. The blood's still draining from your arms. But we'll get your bound up and right as rain in no time." he smiled, and didn't look to pretty, but you could see the heart in his eyes.
She smiled but shook her head, appearing deathly pale as she managed to open her eyes.
"No, he's right Mursh." There was her grin again, still on her face even in the face of death. "I didn't look before I took a drink." She weakly smiled. "I just wanted to other potion. You know." her eyes were nearly closed, she was so tired. "I'd rather not give the gimp here a brat."
Mursh had been trying to laugh with her, but at the last statement, he gave Tenran a scowl.
"Look, I've got an errand to run on the other side of town. Help me bandage her up. Can you manage that?" he looked to his leg and gave the man a sneer. "And looka t me.." he grabbed Tenran by the collar. "I.." he hesitated, then sighed, loosening his grip. "I thank you for bringing her here. Not a lot would help her outside of the Folks'. She's pretty slick with her tongue, I'll give her that, but the fact you didn't leave her for dead has earned you my respect. But I need you to stay here, if you could. After we bandage her up Do you think you can manage that?" Her raised his brows at the man, shaking his head when he felt something against his leg.

"He won't steal you blind, Mursh," Jinai weakly replied, laughing somehow, even though she appeared half dead. "I'm the one you should worry about. I'm low on supplies."

Mursh only smirked, but gavea  sharp look back to Tenran, eyeing him up.
"You know me, Jinai. I just don't trust strangers. Nor strangers with you, for that matter."

Jinai smiled, but then grabbed onto Mursh's hand before he went, and he was surprised by her strength as he turned to her.
"Please.. get my.. falcon. She's.. she's with Nora. In her room."

Blinking, the large man nodded and patted her on the hand before fetching up some bandages.
"Come on, gimp boy." the man said with a laugh. "Let's stop this bitch up before she bleeds all onto us. Then we'd both have that on our conscience,a nd I doubt either one of us would want a ghost like Jinai on our hands."

"Of course," Tenran agreed.  "After all, the only thing worse than Jinai alive is Jinai dead."  Tenran rolled his eyes after Mursh, not caring much for the large man.  He didn't know him but he doubted his connection to the street rat was anything good, solid, or immaterial.  She just wasn't the type.  So Tenran helped the man bandage her up, his were a little snug as it were and when the Old Man Mursh finally turned to leave, he gave Tenran one last distrustful glare before taking off out the door, locking it behind him.

Tenran took a seat on a stool beside Jinai, watching her with one and the door with the other.  He could only hope all the ruckus he'd caused at the door wouldn't attract the attention of the guards.  That was the last thing he needed.  All of this to get his damn boltgun back.  He regretted the day he ever wandered into that plaza the day before.  It just didn't seem to be worth the effort.

Yet, doggedly, he would press on as he always did.  The sooner he got his gun back the sooner he could forget he ever met this wretched woman.

When Mursh left, he was left with a quiet room, the only noise being the ragged breathing from Jinai, and the occasionally wince and gasp for breath when a shot of pain would roll through her. But she was exhausted, her entire body weak from lack of blood, and the sweat and cold was already there. But then she'd return back to her slow breathing, her heart and mind racing but after a time, she made a noise.
Then she spoke.
"You know, I still don't really know your name." She was smiling up at him, even though her eyes were barely open, but then they began to close again, the visions she saw were ghosted and blurry and she was tired.

Tenran managed to smirk at her when she asked him his name.  Shaking his head he just leaned back, watching the door, waiting for a sound, anything that might tell them their hideout was at risk.  But when a few minutes passed, he turned back at her, eying her state.  "I didn't think you'd much care to know.  You certainly didn't care when you were riding me like a wild beast," he smirked again and shook his head. 

"You can call me Tenran.  Tenran Cyneran.  Maybe you've heard of me.  I am a bounty hunter of some small repute, after all.  If not, then that's all well and good.  Not everybody needs to know.  How are you feeling?  Do you need anything?  Water?  Food?"

Jinai's smirk widened at his first comment, but she said nothing, simply listened to him, her eyes still closed.

"A name didn't seem important at the time," she simply replied, but as she thought it over, his name, she thought it was rather queer- Tenran... for some reason, it reminded her of tin man, which made her think to the brace around his leg. That made her smile even more. As did him mentioning what his profession was.
"You know, if your aim was to kill me, you didn't do a very good job if you brought me here to bleed me out." she made a noise, finding herself becoming very, very tired, so at his last question, she shook her head. Then said nothing, almost falling completely away.
"Nothing would help now. I can only hope the damn poison's all out, or at least most of it." She grunted, wheezing a little before softly adding, after a time, "Thank you."

"I didn't come here to kill you.  I know I coulda left you lying on the ground, frothing at the mouth like a mad dog, back at the whore's place.  Nice lady, that Nora.  Shame she's a whore.  But I guess we can't all pick our place in life.  In any event, I'm just here to make sure you recover.  Maybe I'll look for a price on your head when this is all over...  I'm sure you're worth quite a bit of coin somewhere.  Rats like you always are," he smirked at her, surprised it even had a playful curl to it.

He shook his head.  "How could you not know that was your own poison?" he had to ask.  "Particularly if you made it.  Which I'm sure you did."

Jinai only smiled, still smiling- and still very tired, her eyes remaining closed.
"That would be a compliment- a bounty that is. And for all I know you're waiting to shoot me with the stolen bolt gun." Her smile twitched, drawing broader. "That would be fitting, wouldn't it?"
Her eyes even opened, sparkling as much as they could in her condition, with mirth. But at his last statement, her lips faded from a broader smile to a more acute one.

"Heh, I wasn't paying attention. I thought I only had a few vials left. Guess I didn't realize the moon poison was in the mix." She smiled weakly, grunted in pain and turned away, feeling her body quivering. It hurt all over like hell, but she wasn't about to let him know that. Plus it was obvious. And she wasn't one to complain. But damn this place was cold. She shivered again. But she wasn't going to ask for another blanket. She doubted Mursh had one on hand anyway.
"I'm not normally so stupid. But hey, they say confidence is a killer. But,... I think some gimp had me distracted. It's been a while since I got to have some fun. You know, being chased around town." She smiled, still- a bit wider, with her back still to him and her eyes still closed. Sleep.. sleep might be good. She felt beyond tired that her mind was almost swimming as if she were still on her drugs, a nice, large dose of sleeping drugs.
Except she hurt all over- it all hurt like hell.

"The contrary most likely," Tenran commented, becoming bored with her and her games.  "I'm not one to hold a grudge.  If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead.  And likewise the same with me.  What happened back the at the whore house, likely will not happen again.  Nor can I say am I proud of what I did.  Just be quiet and recover.  You'll need your feet, and whatever's left of your brain."

Tenran sighed and found a dry towel to the side.  It was the only thing remotely resembling a blanket and when he returned to his chair, he put his feet up and clothed himself in it rather than her and closed his eyes just for a time.  He needed sleep more than she did.  After all, she probably would just pump herself up with more drugs to give her the energy she needed.

"I wasn't talking about the whore house," she reminded him, her voice quiet, yet playful as she settled into a sigh, shivering after he had settled in with his own blanket. Figures the man would be a typical man afterwards, not that there were many good men she'd care to worry over in this town anyways. She had friends, yes, Mursh being one of them- perhaps one of the few closer ones. Even Nora wasn't truly that close. Just a woman to do business with, a subtle ally when she wanted to have some fun.
But Tenran...
she didn't know what to make of him. He probably needed another lay. Poor fool. She wondered if he ever had a fun day in all of his life. Too bad for him, she enjoyed a good chase and an angry man. Too bad for him, she was still debating giving him back that bolt gun.
Not that she'd make that sort of decision, as she could no longer stay awake- and fell into a deep sleep just moments before the door was being fiddled with. It seemed Mursh was returning back awful quick, and came inside, moving with haste.
"We need to move her." he notice dher still body and rushed over to her, and once seeing her breathing, sighed with relief. He turned to Tenran. "There are people, guards and such all over hte place, threatening to check all businesses. ANd I don't knwo what to do with the lot of you." he handed over the falcon to Tenran, the falcon of which moved to take perch on his shoulder, it giving him a crazy eyed look as it bristled it's feathers, opening it's beak, sticking out it's tongue before settling down uneasily on it's new perch. The reaction made Mursh laugh before he moved over Jinai.
"Only problem is, where the fuck can I hide the two of you. Angsar's balls." he shook his head. "Too bad this ain't a whore house. I'm sure the two of you pretty faces could pass off as one of them dolls." He shook his head, then turned to the closet. "You could both stay in there, but the fellows, them guards, they could just as easily open the place. ANd I don't think it would be wise to stay in the cellar. Ugh, though there's a bag full of trash out back, but not a fitting place for a lady to hide. No no.." he shook his head, pacing with worry.
"It doesn't help she's got a bit of a price on her head. And I hear all of that talk out there about some blonde woman and a man with a brace leg.." he suspiciously eyed Tenran. "Breaking out of jail. You wouldn't happen to be THAT brace legger, would ya?" Mursh had to laugh, but sadly- with Jinai, this sort of thing was almost expected, but even he was impressed.
To escape from jail.. that was his girl!

"Shit," Tenran cursed, just when he thought things couldn't get any worse.  He got up immediately when Mursh moved back into the room, knowing it was only a matter of time before the guards came pounding on the door of the apothecary's shop.  Tenran moved toward Jinai and carefullly moved her into his arms, cradling her like a child.

"Stop asking stupid questions, old man, and just give us a place to hide!"  Tenran couldn't wait for him as his eyes surveyed the room.  He quickly found a step ladder that led to nowhere and doorways that were barricaded with all manners of alchemy reagents.

"Do you have an attic of some kind!?" Tenran hissed just as the pounding began to resound on the door, guards demanding entry.

Mursh was taken back by Tenran's demands, but well, it would be both of thier hides if they were caught. Looking about, he nodded and gestured up towards the ceiling. "Yeah, but it'd take us a good while to get all of the apothecary bottles out of the way without arising any suspicion." He rubbe dhis beard then snapped his fingers. "Well, if I were Jinia, which I ain't saying i am, I hardly got the figure- she'd think of something quick and clever and smart. Like... Angsar's balls, I'm going to regret this later." With a shake o fhis head, he took up a big sack and threw in a smaller sack to cushion the bottom. Then with a sigh, and a mutter, "Only for you, Jinai," He grumbled, and began to shove the entire top shelf contents into the bag. Then, once clearing the way, he helped move the ladder and unlatched the door, opening the way to the attic.
"Quick, quick, the both of ya. Hurry up! Before they bust down the door!"

"Open the door this instant!  City Guard!" the door pounded harder.

Without a second throught, Tenran made for the door, unminding of old Mursh - because really the old guy was starting to get on his nerves - and ran up the steps to the dusty attic above.  "Now just do us all a favor," Tenran whispered to Jinai, setting her on the floor of the attic.  The floor slits were separated enough that the bottom floor was visible through them.  Tenran glanced at Jinai.  "Just be quiet."

Just then the door burst open, Old Mursh standing back at the two guards that forced their way in.

Thankfully for Tenran, Jinai was barely conscious. If it weren't for all of the commotion about and he scooping her up into his arms, she would have long since passed out. She didn't even say a thing at his words, just remained quiet and still, simply smiling as she lay there on the floor while the city guards moved about down below.

"What's the meaning of having us wait?"
"Going somewhere?"

Jinai visibly flinched at the men down below- it sounded as if they were getting rough with Mursh.

"Easy men, I was just getting ready to make a delivery. You know how these nobleman are." Mursh gave a roll of his eyes. "Always wanting their things delivered on time. And I loose coppers if it's late. But what can I do for yous all? Could I at least humble you in a sale?"

Upon hearing Mursh talk, her breathing eased up and she closed her eyes again. Her smile had since vanished though, sweat still glistening off her face, catching the light from the room below.
She could only pray the men would leave Mursh alone and they wouldn't be caught. As much as she was reckless, she never actually meant to drag others into her own misadventures.
It just well..
happened.

Tenran watched through the slits, holding his breath and only exhaling out his nose as quietly as possible.  The guards moved in, clearly unimpressed with how Mursh was trying to sweet talk them, but they were not in any mood for buying.  "Look, old man," the first guard said.  "We are looking for two fugitives that had escaped from prison last night.  They are wanted for the murder of two guards prior to their arrest, and one more guard while attempting to escape.  Please, we appreciate any and all cooperation."

But Mursh laughed cooly, crossing his arms over his broad chest.  "Well, don't ya think I'd a seen anybody skulking 'round in the shadows lately?  I'm too busy trying to run a business than to worry about who's done slipped through your fingers now.  Now for the description of those two bums, maybe if you buy something, I'll think about telling ya if I'd seen 'em."

The guard exchanged glances with each other.  But the whole time, Tenran held his breath.  If there was any moment the old man was going to sell them out, now would be it.  He only looked at Jinai, hoping she was still alive, so that he can kill her for trusting such a greedy bastard.

The guards were getting impatient with Mursh's games.

"We're not here for potions," one of the guards growled.

"Then I don't think I can help you," Mursh replied.
The guard growled, and his partner nudged his side.
"How about we just talk with coin. A silver for for your time."
Mursh studied the two for a minute and pointed one fat finger to the counter top. THe guard sighed and produced the coin, showing it to him before slamming it onto the table.
"Now about that information.."
Mursh, smiling like the greedy bastard he was,  stroked his heard and eyed the coin.
"I saw two run past here earlier, but for two silvers, I can tell you which direction."
The guards were getting angry. "One silver and we won't drag you in for conspiring?"
Mursh raised his brows. "And how would you prove such a thing? I told you I'm a busy man. What do I care about run aways and thieves? They didn't steal from me, Plus the whole bloody town is full of strangers and things. I don't think they were locals, probably new comers coming in to seek a profit off of the sudden influx of dukes and lords."
The guards sighed and slipped another silver onto the table.
"Two silvers for more information, nothing more than that."
Mursh's eyes sparkled more brightly.
"Now we're talking," he patted the two men on the shoulders, acting as if they were both of his friends, and by certainly, it was evident how much larger Mursh was than either guard,a nd both guards hardly had any weapons out... already in a relaxed and irritated state by the over weight apothecarian.
"You see, I think I saw a man and a woman rush past here, heading north towards the city council building. I think they were working as a team. The man seemed kind of lanky like and hawk eyed- was that the sort of folk you were looking for?"

The guards exchanged glances. "Why yes- and the woman?"

"Aye, a blonde haired beauty from the look of it, But I only got a chance to check out her ass..."

The two men looked to one another as Mursh patted them on the shoulder again. "Does that satisfy your curiosity, fellas?"
The guards nodded. "Yes, thank you for your time-"
But before the guards had a chance to finish what they started, Mursh grabbed them by the back of their heads and smashed their faces together, laughing as the guards fell to the floor unconscious.
"Hey Jinai, did you see that?" he spoke, laughing up towards the attic-

Unfortunately- she did not. She had since slipped into an unsettling coldness, unconscious to the elements around her and Mursh's victory against the opposing guards. And after a time, he paused and planted his hands to his hips. "Jinai?" But still, there was silence. "Hey.." he tapped at the ceiling. "Gimpy... is she.." he moved to open the attic, peering up inside to see if everything was ok.

In fact, everything was not all right.  When Mursh opened up the panel to the attic, Tenran had moved over Jinai and was staring at her intently, unsure if she was dead or alive or if he ought to move her.  He motioned for the old man to move closer, though it might have been hard to see the motion in the dark.

"What did you do to her?" Mursh hissed at him, scurrying over the threshold, the wood creaking underneath his weight.  Geeze they'd all fall through if the old man wasn't careful.

"Nothing," Tenran answered.  He shifted around to allow Mursh nearby.  "That's a stupid thing to do, Mursh!  You should have just let those guards go!  They wouldn't have come back anyway once they'd gotten  you off the list!  You might be old, but could you be any stupider!?  Nevermind, we gotta help the rat.  I just want my goddamned gun back!"

The old man chuckled. "I've done more foolish things to guards in my day. They won't remember what hit 'em. But this does put us in a predicament. Is she breathing? Shit. We shouldn't have moved her." He frowned and shook his head. "Little choice we had, lad. Come on, Let's get the lass out of here. The pair of you can hide in the back of my cart whiel I take these supplies across town. Jinai knows a few people over that way. She might be able to rest up better there with less suspicion."

Tenran sighed and cursed in frustration.  He was sick of this woman, frankly.  So far she'd been nothing but trouble and the prize proved so much less than he anticipated.  Still, if he wanted his gun back, he'd have to go through it.  He cursed again as he helped Mursh move Jinai through the attic door and back down the steps, the two guards unconscious on the floor.

They moved to the back of the building, toward the alleyway locked in a H-section grid that kept them from view of the streets on either side.  He helped flop her into the cart, whiich was quite large as it was and soon crawled in beside her, bundled under backs of supplies and ingredients, staying silent, staying small.

As if that would do them any good.

As the cart rolled along, Jinai remained unmoving. They had little fuss on the way to where they were going, down the alley, across the way and over the west bridge. It wasn't until they settled along a row of houses beside a small river that Mursh stopped the cart and moved quick. Seeing no one was around, he leaned over the back and patted the top of the cargo.
"Hey, gimp. We're here. At the Messeren's. Now, I don't know you too well, but these be nice people. They'll help Jinai out. The two of you can rest up here and be safe. I guarantee it."
Flashing a toothy grin at Tenran, he moved off to the house and gave a knock at the door with a curled and powerful fist.
A moment later, children were screaming and latching all over Mursh. Three unruly girls, one of whihc, upon noticing Tenran, turned shy and clung to Mursh's leg.

"Ah, don't worry about the man with the metal on his leg. He's a friend of Jinai's. She's.. had an accident. We need her to rest up 'ere. Is your mother home?"

Elisa, the eldest, nodded. "Come, she can rest up in the buffet room. Jonny was staying there but he's at the mines. He won't be back until tomorrow." She eyed Tenran, her green eyes studying him before disappearing into the house.
Inside, the place was quaint- cozy, and not very large, infact, it seemed to barely fit the three unruly girls as they entered the house- and that didn't even include Mursh when he moved inside, examining the place before nodding to Tenran.
"Place looks clear. Come on, let's bring the old girl in here." It was then he noticed the falcon, Feather'swing, still gripping on desperately to Tenran's shoulder and he had to smirk.
"Seems that bird likes ya, eh gimpy?"

Tenran looked on the bird with a doubtful glare, knowing at any moment the bird would just poop on him and it would without a shadow of a doubt.  He had shot the poor thing after all.  When it didn't shit on him, he gave a satisfying nod and even brushed a gloved hand against her chest feathers as she ruffled them a bit.  "Well, just keep the shit to yourself and we might be friends eh?  I did save you from getting eaten after all."  He smiled at the bird before turning back round to help pull Jinai from inside the cart.

The house was strange to him and he couldn't help but feel like an invader when at last they settled Jinai in the buffet room, laying her across the table that had been cleared of any items that were on it.  It was then that Mursh noticed something on his back as the falcon hopped away, to stay close to Jinai.  "Er, gimp, ye got sump'm on yer back."

Tenran turned his head to look over his shoulder.  "Goddamn birds," he grumbled and found something to wipe it off with.

The buffet room was small. The house had once been used as a small bakery with a cafe, which had since been abandoned when Elisa's grandmother had passed. It had been her small shop after all. Though parts of the place still remained, like the indoor, wood fire oven; the buffet room was no different. It was long and narrow, with rows of cabinets lining one side of the room, and a long table along the other. IN the back there was a make shift bed. It was a tight squeeze to fit a bed in the corner, but it had somehow managed to be placed there, andi t was there Jinai lay. She was still unmoving, still sleeping, despite all that had occured. The falcon now crept beside her shoulder and then up t the pillow, picking idly at her hair before turning around. It was hungry, and it wanted to hunt. Too bad it couldn't go anywhere. So it began to pant, its' eyes seeming wild. It was dehydrated too.

It had just been one long shitty day for the bird. Tenran was lucky he just got the shit on his shoulder.
Mursh kept at eye on Jinai, moving to get a blanket, but it was difficult ot have his large belly shuffle between the narrow table installed on the one wall and the cabinets on the other. so she did what he could for her before shuffling out.

"Take good care of her, ok, gimpy? I'll try to thwart anymore guards off your two scent if any ask." He gave a chuckle then nodded to the man, putting out his large, powerful hand for Tenran to shake. "Guess it seems we're friends of circumstances don't it?" he gave Tenran a hearty hand shake. "Well, I'll be seeing you bother around." And at that he laughed and moved to leave, teh three children squealing all around him excitedly as he headed on out the door.

Tenran visibly flinched at the mention of being a 'friend' of these people.  The thought twisted in his gut and made him sick.  But he could find no words to answer the man and didn't bother as Mursh suddenly left the building, leaving him behind with Jinai's unconscious form.  How could he think he was a friend, just because he helped him bring them to the rat to safety?  It was all business, not even pleasure, whatever pleasure had been taken from it.

He said nothing as he turned back to Jinai on the table and sat down beside her, watching the bird as she ruffled her feathers, in some small distress.  He looked a small child that clung to the wall.  "Oi, girl, get us some bread and water please.  For the bird," he smiled at her.  "You like birds don't you?  Well, this one is named Feathers'wing.  And I think she'd like you to.  Especially if you get her something to eat.  Go on now!" 

The little girl smiled for a moment, little blue eyes switching between Tenran and the falcon before scurrying off into the kitchens with a smile, running like a ragged chicken.  He smirked then turned his attention back to Jinai's still form.  He leaned over her touching her face lightly then proceeded to slap her quite hard, hoping that'd get her to wake up, even if for a few seconds.

Jinai woke with a start, somehow having a dagger in hand that came from God's knew where, before she blinked and realized, her brow furrowing. "You're still here?"
Really, he was still there? She'd thought the man would have left her high and dry by now. Sitting up, she slowly lowered her knife, slipping it back to the small, almost invisible leather pocket sewn into her skirt's side. She stared at him warily, but soon Feather'swing was jumping onto her shoulder, and staring at her with frantic, wide eyes. Turning her attention to her bird, she didn't even get a chance to ask any questions when the little girl returned, and it was only then Jinai realized she was at the Messeren's. Her green eyes looked around before falling upon the child with a smirk.
"Hey, Damsy." She ruffled the little girl's hair as the girl came forward with a glass of water and a cookie. "Say, are those for my bird?"
Damsy blushed, her cheeks dimpling as she nodded.

"The man said she was called Feather'swing." Her eyes turned widely to the bird.

Jinai smirked. "Here, come and bring htat stuff over here. I think she's starving. She'd like to have you feed her."
The little girl nodded, wiping the snot coming down from her nose as she sniffed and tottered forward, crawling onto the bed beside JInai and offering out the glass of water.
The bird had her wings out by now, feather's still ruffled, but as it cocked it's head and noticed the water, it hopped right onto the little girl's shoulder and began to have itself a drink.

Jinai smiled, ignoring Tenran.. for now. After all, her bird was far more important. The poor thing had been through alot.
Taking the cookie, she crushed it into her hand and offered it to the bird. "Say, Damsy. You got any meat? Falcon's prefer raw meat. If you go any to spare.."
Damsy, happy to oblige, nodding her head and rushed off to get some.
Jinai's eyes followed warmly after the girl, and it was only then she remembered- oh yeah, tin leg was here.
Smirking, she averted his gaze and smiled the same smile as always down at her bird as she petted Feather'swing's head.

"So how does it feel to drag my sorry ass all over town? I bet you can't wait to get that gun back of yours." I mean- why else was he here? He certainly didn't take her back to the Messeren's to fuck...

"You wouldn't understand," Tenran said plainly, staring at his surroundings rather than her.  "You don't have anything of particular value.  Your kind never do.  I just want my gun back, why does that have to be so hard for you to understand?  It's important to me, it's something I need more than you could know.  I didn't take anything from you after all.  Just give it back."

Tenran sighed and grabbed the water up from the bird, taking a long sip before handing it back.  The falcon glared at him when the young girl finally arrived with some raw meat, which the raptor ate voraciously.

"Of course my kind will never understand," she repeated. Jinai could have rolled her eyes, but instead, she just kept on smiling. As he went on and on about his sweet gun, she had to comment, "Oh, didn't know you were married to it. And don't you worry, you'll get it back..."
Though at his rudeness towards her bird, she frowned. Had she the strength she would have knocked him clean across the face, but even she knew what little that would do.
But oh how that rage could build. Jutting her chin out, she simply looked away from him and tended back to her bird, letting it eat the meat from her hand and letting the little girl help as well.

"Now go wash your hands, Damsy. Go on. And where's your other sisters?"

"THey're in the kitchen, making dinner!" Damsy said bouncing excitedly before turning and staring at Tenran's leg and shyly looked at it then up at him. "Why do you have metal on your leg?"

Jinai, shifting her weight upon the bed, simply stared at the little girl and Tenran. What an odd sight! She hoped that man didn't have any children.
Whihc reminded her..
she began to search inside her person and realized.. her satchel.
SHIT.
She needed to take that potion and quick. SHe'd be damned if this idiot was going to knock her up, but she supposed she could ask him about her bag later, after the kid was gone.

"Aye?" he said, looking at Damsy.  "This metal brace on my leg helps keep my leg straight and strong, keeps it working like it's supposed to.  Without it, I limp quite terribly.  I'd fall everywhere I'd try to go."  He smiled at the little girl and pulled something from his pocket.  Holding it for her, he showed her a small charm on a string, a little bear walking with its mother carved in wood on it.

The child peered up at it with fascination before slowly reaching for it.  Tenran pulled it away a little, teasingly before tossing it into the hands of the child.  "Take care of that," he said.  "It's a protection charm.  It means Ansgar's eyes are on you and he'll always protect you."

Damsy smiled and played with the wooden charm.  Tenran couldn't help but smile at the girl.  He'd always wanted a daughter, to pamper and spoil rotten, but such dreams of children were buried in the past.  And that was where they'd stay.

Ok, now it was even stranger to see him actually getting the child to smile. She cocked an eyebrow at him. Angsar.. So he was religious? She'd never have guessed. Either way, she had her bird to tend to and she went about smoothing down her feathers as the bird, now with more strength in it, stared over at Tenran.
And stared at him..
with JUDGING eyes.

Jinai followed the bird's gaze, her eyes only meeting to Tenran once before glancing back to her bird and stroking the feather's of her chest. She wasn't sure what was to be done now, but she felt sore and tired all over, but she supposed she could walk. She'd be damned if she was going to stay here to put these kids in harm's way on account of her, so when she went to move, she let out a cry as her legs failed her, body falling quickly like a sack of bricks to the ground.

Tenran watched with mild interest as Jinai tried to stand and suddenly fell to the ground.  After several seconds passed he deigned to get up and knelt down, offering a hand to help pull her up.  "What makes you think you're in any condition to move?  You need your strength.  Real strength, not that crap you pump into your body to give you moments of strength but offers only emptiness afterward.  Sit."  He shoved her on the bed and walked to the kitchen where the child had gone only moments earlier.

He searched around, finally finding a bottle of water and some fresh bread and stew hanging in the hearth.  He served her with quiet diligence and brought her the food, placing it on a small stool at the foot of the bed.  "Here," he said, leaning against the wall.  "There's no reason you should starve yourself.  And if you're looking for your satchel, Mursh left it hanging by the wall."

Again with the lectures. Acting as if he almost cares. She knew the consequences of her drugs, but it had been a while since she had them. It had been a while since she needed them to escape. She did, somewhat, feel ashamed for having falling back into her old habits. But what's a month clean worth anyways? A dime a dozen.

And another shock was when he actually helped her and got her food. She sat there a moment staring at it then back up at him . "Would you mind getting me my bag? I need it."
Or rather,s he just hoped what she needed was in there. Gods if it wasn't...
well, she supposed there were other ways to get rid of things.. just incase. but she'd seen that one before an dit was well, anything but pleasant and infact, still gave her nightmares to this day.

She didn't know why she was thinking that but she was light headed. Perhaps she shouldn't have tried to get up. Ugh.
"My bag," she pressed again, rubbing at her eyes. Gods... bleeding out hurt like a bitch, and the wounds, that wer eonly beginning ot heal, were so itchy and stung.
Not to mention she felt sore all over and her mind, kind of coming down to a low after the high.

Maybe Tenran was hard-pressed to care, but he was practical and had the barest of all human essentials: Common sense.  He looked at her, trying to press her to eat as he shoved the stool a little closer to her.  But he knew he couldn't force her and when she indicated the bag on the wall, he peered over his shoulder at it and grabbed it yet again, holding it carefully before setting it down beside her.

"Don't pick the moon one again," he said, observing her with a hawkish gaze.  "I don't know if I'd like to carry you back to another apothecary.  You've lost enough blood as it is.'

Jinai smirked and went through her bag, pulling out a pink vial and shaking it, shaking it towards Tenran, as if mocking him, her grin stretchin ga bit wider- making it seem more genuine as she settled back into bed.
"See? No moon on this one. But this one's better than poison and those other drugs." she said, flicking open the lid with her thumb and taking it down the hatch. Ah. tasted as nasty as ever. She made a bitter face, then moved forward and drank the entire glass of water down with a gasp.
"Gods, that stuff is foul." She shuddered, then turned to glance over at the food before her. She wasn't sure if she was hungry, but she'd better at least try to eat. She didn't wnat to stay in this place any longer than she had to. So she began to slowly nibble at the bread, but her throat was dry and she began to cough on it. She simply gestured to the water, hoping Tenran would be kind enough to oblige her and get her more- ugh,a nd then of course, the coughing continued, uncontrollably as she hit a fist to her chest.
Damn drugs. Damn dry bread.

Tenran smirked at her in return and when she began to cough, he did oblige her, carrying the glass in hand and even had a flask in the other that he'd chanced upon, filled halfway with whisky from the sound of it.  Instead of handing her the glass however, he tossed the cold water on her, icy to the touch and instead presented the flask in front of her.

"This'll do you better than that water.  It'll burn the cough away.  Take it."

Well, the cold water to the face was unexpected. Blinking, Jinai had almost forgotten she was having a coughing fit, until, you, know. it returned. And she was smiling through it, shaking her head at him, eyes burning from the cough as she snagged up the whisky and downed it.
She made a face. Woah.. that was a bit potent. Blinking, she looked over at Tenran, coughing just once, well twice as she wiped the whisky taste from her lips using the back of her hand.
"Trying to get my drunk?" she asked, her voice hoarse after the coughing and drink. She smirked at him, simply staring, simply smiling.

"That's the plan.  Maybe if you get drunk enough, I'd be able to convince you to give me back my gun faster.  This really is an awful lot of trouble to go through for such a simple weapon.  I'll tell you what.  You give it back, and I'll make you one just like it.  Something that's really yours, not just 'borrowed'"  He took the flask from her and downed a sip for himself, clearing his throat as he took it and put it discreetly in his pocket.  "Say what was that stuff you took anyway?  More opiates?"

Ok.. This was getting stranger and stranger. He was offering to... give her something in return for the gun? Like, something of actual value. She found herself just staring at him. Normally she always wore the same smug grin all the time, but this just made her stop all thought processes and stared.
But as the conversation went on to her drug, her lips twitched back and settled into her normal cat-like smile. She gave a shrug.
"Maybe it is? But I'm sure happy to be taking whatever it is." She tossed the empty bottle at him. "I'll have to make some more later."S he settled intot he bed, popping a piece of bread into her mouth, then after a time she added, "It's Silphium potion."
He probably wouldn't know what that was or did. Or.. maybe he did. Eh.
She popped another piece of bread into her mouth and chewed.

The name rung a bell, and when the idea registered in his mind, he simply shrugged, peering at her with a narrowed gaze.  "A brat-killer?  Interesting.  Well, considering what you do, I guess you would need it.  Good thinking.  Can't be carrying around extra baggage when you're always on the move.  You're smarter than you look."

Jinai raised a brow at him. "What I do?"
Then as he went on, she simply nodded, slowly taking her good old time on eating the bread. Brat killer? There was an idea. Though she hardly saw the 'seed' of life as  brat in such a stage, he had a point and well, that WAS the point. She wasn't about to stop having fun just because of the consequences she could avoid with one little swig of a potion.
"I guess. I sell a lot of these to Nora's whores."s he shrugged. "It helps keep the bastards in check.  Cities sort of frown on having to maintain orphanages, you know?" She popped another piece of bread into her mouth nad eyed up Tenran. "Having a kid would be difficult. Would kind of put a damper on climbing and leaping off of rooftops, and you know, stealing men's guns."

She smirked at the thought.
They had a peculiar alliance indeed.
"So tell me about your gun. It seems to mean an awful lot to you. Did someone important give it to you or do you just like you job?"
she had just about eaten her fill and settled back into her pillow, sighing contentedly.

"I get it," Tenran nodded.  He wasn't like other men that would frown at the thought of a woman taking something to prevent the fruition of a child.  It was her body after all, and now that he thought about it, he'd be damned if he was going to have children with a wagon-wreck like this Jinai.  She clearly could barely take care of herself.  And frankly if it weren't for him she would have been dead.

"You really want to know about the gun?" Tenran sighed and averted his gaze.  "Well, aside from making my living with them, they're important to me because they remind me of my mother, in a way.  She was a clock maker, she taught me how to use my head, be a creative thinker and gave me the idea to make many of the gadgets that I have.  The base of the gun was given to me by my wife, well ex-wife, I designed the rest of it.  It's one of the few good things that I have left, I'd like to keep it.  And if you're so eager to get one like it...I might make an exception and make you one for yourself.  But I cannot allow you to keep it, I'm sorry."

Well, at least his story was interesting. So the man had a mother? She just assumed he popped out of Angsar's ass. And to think, he had been married? Fancy that. Well, not married anymore. A shame. Not that Jinai believed in marriage. To think you could be in love with just one person, to be stuck with them for the rest of your life; what sort of fate was that? She liked the idea of the life she lived, to be as free as the wind, to make choice and changes at a whims notice and not have a single person to depend on you.
Except in the same breath, she had people that did depend on her, even as she yearned for more. But that was something she'd probably never figure out. Empty smiles, empty ambitions.

But it wasn't about her. It as about him. And his story earned him some respect. Ok, so maybe he would get his gun back. And if he weren't pulling her chain, she could get one too. It was an impressive piece of weapon.

"You know a lot of good, smart people. I checked your gun out. It's definitely something impressive, not that technology of that sort is my forte, but I guess you'll get it back soon enough." She gave him a smile. "Bet it's like pulling teeth waiting on my sorry ass to come around. But dont' worry. I can't be killed that easy, so once I'm right as rain, perhaps we'll go get that little gun of yours, eh? Then you can go back to shooting people's falcons with it."

Feather'swing looked over at Tenran at the mention of itself and blinked. Jinai smirked. Her bird was too smart for it's own good.

He actually grinned a grin of respect toward her now that'd she finally came around to at least considering giving his gun back.  It wasn't quite a complex design but it was unique in its ability to hold three bolts rather than single-shot crossbows and to automaticall click back its drawstring, ready to shoot the next one in lieu of the first.  The very fact she's been brave enought to take what wasn't hers was a small point in her direction, even if he'd like to smash her face in because of it.

"So how do you know all these people anyway?  Does the street rat have sex with every guy she sees?  I'm only asking," he said shrugging.  "Mursh is...interesting at best.  But you do seem to make a lot of friends."

Her smile was worn as usual, but as the conversation turned to her, it began to fade, still on her lips but not her eyes. But then it returned to her eyes again as she flashed a bit more teeth with her grin.

"So many questions," She pressed her lips together, still smiling and closed her eyes. The bed was comfortable enough, a lot more comfortable than the hard table she had to bleed out all over as she sighed. "You could say I get around. You could say I have a lot of friends."S he shrugged. She wasn't going to go into more detail than that, even though she hadn't gone into any detail at all. The less detail, the better, right? They would part ways soon enough. But the more she thought on it, the more she realized it was true. She never thought much on it. She had left her family behind at the drop of a hat, not really close to any one of them. Daddy was a drunk, mother was a whore. She wasn't even sure which of her brother's had been actually her brothers, or if her father was really her own. And she died of one of those illnesses.
Sad...
Pathetic really. Though as much as she wasn't one to relate to her late mother, she had taken up  in her foot steps. Though neither were really brothel material, not that someone could just cage Jinai in like that, it did not stop either of them from making the same stupid mistakes. At least the cycle would end with Jinai. She wasn't about to let herself go get married to some man that would make her unhappy, have kids to strap her down to any old place.
And it was then she thought to her brother in Serendipity. She wondered how his life was fairing. He had kids. Imagine that? And in his letters it almost seemed like the good life.

But then it had all started with him.  He had been the only one closest to her in her entire family. And he was always there when she'd mistake after mistake, the only one she could trust, she could love. And now he was gone, gone far away. It had been an awkward thing really, and here she was, still fighting the good fight, for a brother that wasn't even there....

She had grown silent, her eyes still closed as she appeared to drift off to sleep.
Truth was- she was pretending. Nothing unusual about that. She didn't want to really talk anymore, but she had really nothing more to say. And she was exhausted.  It was around this time little Damsy had come back into the room.

The noise drew Jinai's tired eyes open as the little girl gave an impatient soft huff. Jinai grinned
"Hey there, patty cake" she said, messing upt he girl's hair.
"Do you want to play dollies?" she asked, swinging her arms a bit, eyes glued to Jinai as she hugged onto her doll. Jinai grinned and shook her head slowly.
"I'm sorry, Damsy. I'm too tired. Maybe ask Tenran over there to play. He told me he loves dolls."

Damsy blinked, then timidly approached Tenran and tugged at his arm. "Do you want to play dollies with me?" she asked, her eyes big and wide.
Jinai smirked, wondering if Tenran would actually oblige the child. SHe was cute. She supposed if she had kids, she wished she had one like the Messeren kids.

Tenran smiled when the child returned with her doll against her arm.  He watched Jinai dismiss her and tilted his head at the thought.  It didn't seem children were really her forte as she averted the child toward him, Tenran pushed up from the wall and moved over to the table before sitting on a stool.  He reached for the doll and gently pulled it fromt he little girl's grasp.

"Sure, darling, I can play.  I've got nowhere to go."  He place the doll on his lap and held each arm in one hand and moved the small hands of the woolen doll over its eyes.  "Peek a boo!" he said, smiling.  "And what's your name little one?" he asked in a high-pitched voice to the girl.  "I'm Dolly.  But I think you knew that, I am a doll after all."

"Damsy!"  the little girl smiled and giggled as she sat beside Tenran as he continued to make conversation with the doll, making it jump around and soar from his lap to the table and pretending a bowl was a boat and a spoon was an oar, sailing it in the air.

Jinai couldn't think she could be warmed by more humorous of a scene. Her smile, well, need it be said it was always the same as she watched the pair through tired eyes, barely able to keep them awake as they appeared more masked behind her thick, blonde bangs.  The dolly voice was cute. So was he as the pair played and were taken into a world full of pretend. But their voices soon drowned away, sleep becoming her as she lay still, breath soft and light. And Jinai had slept for most of the past few hours. Even after the food had been ready, the Messeren's (both Mrs. and Mr.) had come home, startled to see a strange man in their house, but once Elisa informed them it was Mursh's doing, they seemed more accepting, even as Jinai, their only acquaintance and real friend here, was asleep.

Mr. Messeren held out a hand for Tenran to shake.
"Well any friend of Jinai's and Old Mursh's is a friend of ours. Landsake's, we owe that girl our lives. Little Damsy would have been taken from us otherwise," he said, scooping up his daughter and smoothering her cheek with a few playful kisses. THe girl blushed and laughed and clung to her father's neck.

"I guess it doesn't need to be said we're greatful for your help. So please, why don't you eat with us? Hrm? And perhaps you can update us with another one of Jinai's stories. I'm sure its something to hear!" Mr. Messeren chuckled and turned to his wife. "This is Abby, and you can simply call me Joe- and i'm sure you've met our girls, Elisa, Naddy, and Damsy." At the last girls' name, he kissed Damsy on the cheek, all of the love evident in his eyes as he looked down at his little girl.

"Daddy, can I go light the candles?" she asked, her plump little legs kicking lightly a her father held her, his arms remained as a scoop beneath her.

Joe nodded and kissed her forehead. "Sure, darling." and let her go, watching in appreciation as his daughter moved off into the dining room, where she leaned eagerly over the table."But be sure to practice good measure when lighting the candles." He gestured to Elisa and Naddy, who both ran to the doorway and peered in, watching with interest as the small girl produced a warm, orange flame with the palm of her hand and went about lighting the single, white wax candle upon the table.

Tenran stood up immediately when the mother and father of the household returned home, surprised to find him there.  He said nothing and watched with hawk eyes, waiting for them to present themselves as friend or foe.  As Joe lent out his hand, he only stared at it for a good long five seconds as if this was really happening again.  Wow, Jinai really got around.  Married men too?  Tenran only shook his hand, lightly, watching the display of father and children and said nothing more as he stood back.

But he bristled when the young girl suddenly lit the wicks of the candle without the use of matches.  He could have sworn he had a few of them on his person and was even about to offer a few to her though only to be careful.  Tenran took a step back toward Jinai.  These people were mages!  So Jinai associated with mages!  He could only feel disgust roiling in his stomach though he expertly did not show it.

He looked down at Jinai, then back to Joe, crossing his arms over his chest and remaining calm, leaning against the wall.  "I'd...be more than happy to join you for dinner.  I feel like I haven't eaten proper in ages.  Though that's plenty thanks to Jinai here," Tenran said, smiling graciously.  "But I'm curious, you say Jinai has helped you.  How exactly do you know her?"

OOC: Wait until he realizes how much she's involved looool
They'll be BEEEEEEEEEST friends XP

-------------------

Joe Messener was taken back when it seemed the man did not know their connections. Well, perhaps not everyone knew about the free folk. It was how it was supposed to be- just a whisper of a saint. Though where her husband frowned with reluctancy, his wife stepped forward and smiled broadly at Tenran.
"Then come, share meat and bread with us at the table. We can share our story. It's not much but we owe Jinai a lot, so any friend of hers is a friend of ours." The woman's eyes were warm and brown with a pretty face, just beginning to wear with age. She took Tenran's hand and squeezed it lightly, seeming as if all of the world's emotions were within her, then she moved past Tenran to take a look at Jinai, sighing as she clutched a hand to her chest ebfore moving away, skirts fluttering behind her as she went.

The table was set, the stew and bread served while the family ate in relative silence, that was, until Mrs. Messeren began with the story as dinner was nearing it's end and the children were disbanded to go finish their evening chores.
"So, what did you say your name was?" the woman asked, she had a distinctive accent to her tone, but it was light and pretty, a little nasally and sweet. She nodded once she had gotten it then turned to her husband, then back to Tenran and placed a hand over his. "Thank you for bringing Jinai here. You see, we are always eager to help her and to help the cause." Her husband cut her a look, but she only looked back at him imploringly as she returned her eyes to Tenran's.

"You see, our child was born a mage. We did not know this until a terrible accident occurred. She wasn't sure what to do about her powers, but the men in the duchy we had been living in at that time wanted her dead. They did not even hide the fact they would roast her in her own flames. It was horrible.  The men were heartless. And our dughter wasn't the only one gathered up in this raid on mages. An old man and another young girl as well. They were all to be sentenced to death for possessing magic. The others hadn't even done anything. Damsy had accidently burned our priest, you see, just a small burn on his hand, but it lead to something bigger....  I.. " she looked away, shaking her head and sighed before continuing as she blinked back tears. "I never understand hatred towards another, especially on things they can not fix. It's like hating someone for the color of their skin. They did not choose to look this way, why hate on them for what the God's blessed them with? We all have a purpose."

Smiling, she withdrew her hand and rested it in her lap.
"But we're talking about Jinai, not about my silly philosophy. Anyway, she was the one that saved them. All of them."S he grinned over at Damsy who was washing the dishes with her sister's and laughing. "And without Jinai, Damsy would have been lost."
Her eyes turned back to Tenran.
"Though having a mage as a daughter is not without consequence. We hope when she is old enough we can have her travel somewhere so she can learn to respect the gift she has. For now, we tell her to use it sparringly, but from time to time, we let her use it for simple things, you know. " She gestured to the candle. "Like lighting a candle for dinner. She's scuch a sweet girl. It's hard to think how anyone could be afraid of her. She hasn't a spec of cruelty in her. After all, she is just a child." Her husband hugged her tightly, and then the pair looked over at Tenran.

"So what about you?" the woman asked. "Do you have any children or are you married? How is it that you know Jinai anyways? You know it's very noble of you to be taking care of her like this. How long do you two plan to stay?"

The entire story was making Tenran very uncomfortable, but he had little in the ways of showing it.  For he saw cooly and just smiled here and nodded there in understanding, not daring to interrupt lest they get the wrong idea about him.  It was a shame, and frankly, a little sad that they were so trusting of a stranger that had entered their home completely by chance.  Even if the city guards were looking for them, Tenran had no plans to stay here nor in the city for long.  He knew the right people to clear his head and his name but he couldn't do it sitting here.

Really, all this for a gun.  But it seemed the rabbit hole was much deeper than he thought.  Though his face was nothing short of serene, his mind was racing, knowing the risk they'd taken of revealing the fact that their children were mages.  It made him wonder if they themselves didn't dabble in magic.  Not that that was his business, he knew, but it didn't make him any more at home being in ths place.  He listened to the last phrase that the woman uttered.  'She hasn't a spec of cruelty in her'?  No, Tenran thought. But it will come.  And when she learns the way of the world.  She'll be no better than the Mordecai that will hunt her.

"A moving tale to be sure," Tenran commented with no emotion of his own in his voice.  He thanked them for the food before them as it was finally served.  "I'm not much more interesting I'm afraid.  It just so happened, your...friend...here has something that belongs to me and I'd like it back.  There's little else to tell.  After all the help I've given her, I think I've earned it by now."  At that he looked over to Jinai and ate in stern silence.

OOC: For some reason I see Tenran's face like the angry sketch face in my sig. 8D
EATING WHILE GLARING HATEFULLY AT HER

-----------------

Jinai slept through all of dinner, and through all of Tenran's glaring. The family had retired for the night, the father being the last one to go to bed after smoking his pipe. He even offered some to Tenran, but then after that, the house was silent.  Jinai had taken to fever, but after having slept through most of the night, it finally broke just as the moon was cresting through the sky. SHe awoke, making a soft noise and rubbing at her eyes. It was only after a time she noted Tenran was nearby, sleeping, it seemed, as she stared at him through the dark. She wans't sure what to make of this man, but quietly, she slipped out of the bed, taking her bag and disappeared outside into the nearby alley way. 

She was fumbling through her bag, checking over what she had left as she sighed. She had very little supplies. It was time to head home soon. She  thought of abandoning Tenran here and just disappearing entirely, but something had her pausing at the end of the alleyway. SHe couldn't just leave him at the Messeren's. Sighing, she turned back around but found herself hesitating just outside the door.

She had the perfect opportunity to leave his sorry ass behind, and couldn't quite make up her mind. So instead, she leaned against the house and took out a smoke, having rolled the paper around the dry tobacco flakes and lit it up. She was done for drugs for now. Today was too much for a trip. The cigarette would do for now. She inhaled, the end of it glowing brightly before she turned her head to one side, exhaling through a sigh. She tapped her foot, finding herself itching over the idea to just escape.

But... well...
after all he had done for her...
Ok Fine.
He deserved his god damn gun back.
He just better not come back to shoot her with it.
Gods be damned. That' d be her luck he would.

Tenran always slept with one eye open, always.  Sleeping on the frontlines taught you that when trying to hold an enemy line.  Well, that was another story for a different time.  So when he saw the little shadow moving passed the door and through the otherside, he quietly stood up then and made for the window he saw off to the side.  The houes was far too quiet and his very breath even seemed too loud, but Tenran knew how to be quiet, even with his leg brace.

He slipped out of the window from the side-lined alley and as he looked around the corner, he half expected to see her ass running off into the distance.  But there she was smoking against the house as if there was nothing at all.  He came out calmly making his presence known solely by the dim lighting of the clipped cigar he'd lit as he came out from the shadows.

"I see you're ready to leave," he murmured, leaning against the wall beside her.  "It's a really nice night tonight, ain't it?"

OOC: HE WOULD HAVE A CIGAR DX

8D

--------------------------

Jinai's lips smiled around her cigarette, the end glowing as she wrinkled her nose some in amusement.
"I suppose," she spoke through smoke, flicking the ash casually aside before her eyes looked him over beneath a curtain of heavy blond bangs. "I don't intend to sleep in that house forever, and if I stick around here any longer I think I might pull out all my hair and scratch off all my skin." She turned away, pressing her cigarette back to her lips.
"The Messeren's are too nice for their own good." her finger twitched over her cigarette, then she looked him over, eyeing him puffing away his cigar as her smile stretched a bit wider, cutting dimples into her left cheek.
"Come on, let's get a move on it before the sun's up. I bet you're itching to get that gun." She turned and began to leisurely stroll down the street, nursing her cigarette as she went. "The streets should be quieter on this side of town. Not many rich folk would be bothered here." She moved to grab her cigarette, but paused when she heard something flutter over head. It was just a pair of bats. She sighed, shaking her head before moving forward again.

[Well, yeah.  It DOES say it in his profile |8*]

Tenran bit the end of the cigar, half-clipped to preserve the rest of it, and couldn't help but grinned as he took a long drag.  He wasn't going to waste it as she suddenly moved from the alleyway, but he knew it best not to linger for long and even the burning end of a cigar could bring unwanted attention that neither of them could afford.  As the bats moved overhead, Tenran could have sworn he saw a shadow fly by over head, but after staring and blinking for a few more seconds he shook his head and thought nothing more of it.

They moved quickly through the alleys, dodging patrols of guards that were taking their time and making extra care to watch the shadow lest they miss something.  Tenran paused though  the plaze, reaching the far end of the city.  "So much farther?" Tenran inquired, chewing the end of his cigar.

She dropped the remains of her cigarette at her feet, smashing it beneath her boot.
"Reajh is a big city," she said with a shrug, then after taking a few steps, she hesitated. The pair were standing a nearby river that ran through the town. Boats were parked in the docks and along the bricked lipped walk ways and bridges that surrounded it. BUt that's not what made her hesitate.
"Would you mind waiting while I retrieve your gun?" she asked, the falcon on her shoulder adjusting it's weight as it peered out into the night.  "You could hold onto Feather'sWing as compensation." She said. After all, she really, really, REALLY didn't want to have Tenran know the where abouts of her home. Nobody did, and she liked to keep it that way.

"You don't trust me and I don't trust you.  Nothing's changed," Tenran said, but he stepped forward and plucked Feather'swing from her shoulder.  The bird nipped at his hands in protest, but he was gentle and brushed her feathers as he held her softly against him.  He puffed at his cigar and leaned against a dock post.  "Go on then, I'll be here."

He stared out at the riverside and idly brushed the falcon's feathers.

Jinai's eyes studied Tenran for a moment before she smirked.

"Oh, it's not that I don't trust you. I trust you enough not to kill my bird over your damn gun." she said, leaning forward, pinning her hand on one side of a building that Tenran had been leaning against, her face mere inches from his as a waft of smoke from his cigar passed between them.  She smiled. "Just realize I don't trust anybody." She then leaned forward as if to kiss him, but simply plucked the cigar from his lips and took in a long drag, her lips parting to the side as she blew smoke against their cheeks. Then she handed him back his cigar.

"Just remember not to harm a feather of hers. You've done enough damage to her for one life time." And with that, she cast a smirk to him from over her shoulder, her eyes glittering playfully in the dark before she disappeared into the shadows.

She didn't move fast at first. she had to be careful. Tenran, she didn't trust, those lurking in the shadows, she trusted even less. So after a series of round about ways, she found herself climbing up beneath building, one crumbling and long since abandonned, except the rodents that scurried and squeaked across the way.  She moved beneath an old, rotting staircase, and to a make shift rope that seemed nearly hidden amongst all the decay. Then she gave it a tug, to ensure it was still stable before climbing upa nd disappearing inside. In one corner of the room,s he dug out a small box under the floor board and opened the top and lifted out Tenran's gun.
She held it for a moment, smoothing her hands across the metal before holdin git up ad aiming it at her reflection in a soiled mirror.

"Bang."

Smirking, she lowered the gun after testing the weight in her hand. Then moving swiftly again, she began to long trek back to where Tenran was waiting. It took her nearly an hour to get to her damn place, might be even longer to get back. She could only hope Tenran was still waiting..... and wasn't foolish enough to try anything against her bird.

Gods below, she really was a disgusting rat.  Tenran hated the taste of her mouth had left on the cigar and after a few more puffs, he chucked it into the river.  What a waste of a good cigar.  Well, that was done.  If only she'd  hurry her indominable fat ass back to where he was waiting for her.  The falcon pecked at his leather armor, testing it there.

"You just relax now."

When at last, she finally returned, Tenran emerged from the shadows and threw the bird onto her shoulder and snatched his gun away.  He inspected the thing to make sure it was still in working order and reloaded the bolts in it before putting it back in his holsters.  He glanced back at Jinai and gave her a grin.  "Well, it was experience.  Have a lovely life, rat.  See ya never."

And turned his back to vanish on his own way.

Thread end! To read on to Tenran and Jinai's misadventures, please follow the link to the new thread listed below:
The Price to Pay to Keep the Devil Away (http://www.spiritsoftheearth.net/smf/index.php?topic=14761.msg136787#msg136787)