It wasn't such a busy day compared to usual, he reflected. Maybe to visitors it would seem like such, but to an established resident like him, this was nothing. He sighed and browsed the markets, finding a certain lack in variety. Magic. It lacks color and magic, he thought. No enchanted boots here! No potions infused with the stuff. Nada. Nothing.
And certainly, it was his business to bust such stands if he found them. He snorted derisively, scratching his head. Despite the shouts for attention, to him, everything was quiet. Kotaku yawned. Boooo-ring. He glanced at the birds sitting in a grand tree nearby, making his way to them. I wonder what they are conversing about today? he thought, smiling. He could hear the winged creatures chirping. One chick wanted a worm that was destined for her brother; the other was disputing a recent meal.
An odd times for chicks, he thought randomly. Especially here up North. Oh well. Maybe they'll live the winter to brave the spring.
While he technically had a day off from training, Kotaku was, technically, still on duty. Which was why, just as he was nearing the tree, he sprang when he heard the telltale laughter of a group of ..what.. thugs? He couldn't be sure, though he'd just barely heard (thanks to some extra selective hearing, tuning out most of the market) the "Well well well.. What do we have here?"
"Come with me," he said quietly, and to anybody who'd been paying attention, it would seem as if the soldier were talking to himself. Well, what did he care what they thought of the army? They weren't important at the moment. Besides, they'd have been too busy watching him to notice an adult bird couple taking flight following the words.
He pursued the sounds of wicked laughter, only to find a group of men seemingly closing in on somebody. From what he could see, a woman. Those filthy... The rest, due to Kotaku's rather expansive military vocabulary, would have to be censored.
"Hay!" He called with a sharp tongue and narrow eyes. "Step away from the lady," he said, keeping his cool and his calm. True, inside he was appalled and outraged at such behavior. But outside? Ever the epitome of a collected soul. "If you know what's good for you," he added after a while, the slightest of smiles creeping to his face. It gave him a shady look.
One hand rested on the handle of a gun resting at the left of his belt. The other, while presently loose, could easily whip out the sword strapped to his back. While he was leaner than the 5 men, in his mind he was smarter and stronger. After all, he had magic on his side, and he was a part of the military. True, they outnumbered him (and the woman, if she knew how to fight), but this was just one of those times where his cocky side decided to show. He would, of course, proceed with more of a wary approach should they not step down, but he would think about that later.
((Sorry for the wait.))
