For Soledge: chapter was their third day. Now a week more less that they got here. Three weeks for Monkey to set sail.
Ugly arrows below, can't change the format here.
Pieces of a revolver laid neatly on a cloth over the patchy grass of their training grounds, right in front of her crossed legs, she laid down the drum and inspected the cloth so full of black filth she had used to clean it. She made a note to find someone that could tell her where she could buy better powder, instead of the waste riddled thing Itse and her used, cheap stuff but the care ended up making it expensive in oil and dangerous if she had no time to clean up.
Almost without thinking she started putting everything back together, just like Itse taught her some days ago, when it was all done she looked at it. A beauty of a weapon with a heavy barrel, beaten to an octagonal shape that made it stick out from the rest, a drum for six rounds and a grip made most of metal that gave her a good chance of breaking some bones if she struck. If the bullets were not enough that is, or if she had to get even with someone.
But using a gun was no reason to slack on her physical training, didn't matter how many bullets you had if you got taken down for not being able to fall back. She put the unloaded revolver in its holster and started warming up for Soru on the ground, it was but a localized use of the basics as her brother put it. Tekkai and Kami-e alternating between their legs to kick the ground as many times as possible, Tekkai to build strength before kicking out and Kami-e to get the leg back in position in a single motion, using the rebound of the ground, a cycle repeated as many times as possible in the blink of an eye. And the perfect way to break your toes if you didn't reinforce them a moment before striking she had found out on her first try, much to his delight.
It vexed her to no end knowing that her limit remained at three kicks while Nico was at four and about to reach the fifth, she needed to close that gap and overtake him, that was the least she asked of herself. The only reason she was still the faster was because of her Skill and it seemed a bit of a stretch to hope that advantage would remain when he could get one just as easily, just a matter of one of his Class Skills to be related to moving and there was the end of her head start.
Feeling her lungs burn and her legs twitch and spasm in protest she rested herself against the tree Puma had chosen for his self. With a push through the Skill that tied them together he lazily opened an eye and scooted to the side to make room for her before laying his coin of a head on her lap, he was lovely as he was ugly. A sense of indignation trickled in through her [Animal Bond: Puma Loco], and she snorted at the touchy thing, it was a mystery if he could understand her or simply got an intuition for the meaning of her thoughts beyond move, quiet, and attack.
So strange, so bizarre, to think that some days before her idle thoughts went to what to play or where to party and now they were about cat's understanding of her, about how to get Skills and Classes. Or get rid of them, she thought as that stray Class she had picked up popped at the front of her mind, it was shameful to say the least and a secret of the highest order for her, even if that first Skill was interesting.
Looking to the side she could see her brother stalking out the woods, how he had changed too, now dressed in cotton and with leather straps making rounds on his hips, four knives in them sheathes hanging and swinging lazily as he walked. They were each a different blade, on his left there was one little thing long as her pinkie and they grew as they went to the right all the way to a carver that was just this side from being a sword, when he was the one wielding it that is.
"Had some fun with [Deft Hands], didn't you?"
"Had some fun oiling your pipes?"
"Such sharp wit, I'm impressed. Went to eat something to the forest then?"
"Had to check some traps Faithful set around here. Found nothing and then had a snack,"
And she snorted at that too, he had filled every pouch of his with cookies, he called them rations in case they went hunting for too long, but they all ended empty way before they were even half past stalking prey. Another mystery there, how no animal was spooked when mister stone teeth bit down everything with a click of his jaw, it always sounded mighty loud when he did it. He might have even gotten a Class just for that or a Skill more likely, [Sneak Snacking] or something along that line, how incredible would it be if that were how the system worked.
"Faithful is going to Usato again to sell. Do you want to come, I am going,"
"Are you going to finally buy those swords? Or are you going to keep looking at them,"
"It ain't as simple. I have no idea how to use them, what if I hurt myself then? Or you?"
"Well, our spars show you have hard time hurting me and if you hurt yourself I just might get the [Doctor] Class,"
He rolled his eyes and sighed while looking at the clear sky.
"Ok. Are you coming or not?"
"Yes, yes. You have no humour in you lately,"
They made their way back to that beaten up cottage they had gotten to call home these last few days, the walls didn't seem as old or untrusty as she had thought the first time they had gotten here. The inside that had been a tight fit was now a cosy thing when she felt like looking on the sunny side of things, and that old woman with her hateful smile and her tolerable personality, well she could at least talk to her now without being angry. She didn't taunt them as much as when they got here, a small mercy that.
"Well then children, you remember where the house is right?"
"For the last time Itse, we have been there enough to know the way,"
"Maybe, maybe not. Never wrong to ask this kind of things, girl. No matter how many times,"
"We will be fine Faithful,"
"Fine, fine. I can tell you no longer want these old bones with you,"
And with that Martina strode off, she took a turn in that great road she had seen cut the place in half and kicked it to the docks. Left her brother behind to shop for food, for spices, and to stare and yearn for those sticks that he didn't have half the courage to take up. A fool of a worry that which kept him from going for what he really wanted, wondering if he would hurt someone, of course he would, he was wielding a sword. Even if it was a branch he had proven to be deadly still with one. But that was his battle, that was a fight she couldn't help him with and one he needed to get some determination, she couldn't help but worry what would happen if Nico suddenly decided that life at sea wasn't for him.
She was closer now, she could already smell the salt and brim that came with the winds from the open ocean and the smell of fat cooking somewhere near the ships to sell something quick to the sailors that were touching port. She passed through a square where a great statue of a frowning man stood, pointing to someplace lost in the distance. Martina didn't have a clue who he was meant to be, and not even Itse knew when asked, said the giant had been there since she had memory, always holding that sextant and map in its white hands.
When she managed to reach the street that overlooked the wharfs a great wind blasted the port, sent a couple people crouching to avoid being blown off like the leaves and bills on the ground. And she stood there, taking in the everything, the life of the place as men and women scuttled to get their boats fast to the dock, others, those that had gotten to land, were shouting and cursing at each other over a debt to pay and someone's wife having a good night outside the house.
It was a lovely place if you threw away the people, and that was easy enough for her, had worked in places just as bad but never half as scenic. Was used to the men insulting and the women shouting, used to the dirt and grime that they brought and the smell of spilt rotgut and rot in general. Thinking about home she forgot that there were others where she had stopped, and a man tried to shoulder his way past her, only to stumble back when she stood stalwart where she was, almost dropped on his ass if Martina hadn't grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him up. Gifting the embarrassed man a cat's smile that was a match to the cat on her shoulders, a smile that told him she knew what he did and greatly enjoyed his shame.
"You are welcome, big guy,"
She almost laughed out loud as he huddled past, head down and shoulders hunched like she had given him a body blow instead of just standing still. The Tekkai was only for the winds, they were quite strong lately.
Patting her shirt off whatever filth the sailor had she strode away from the mouth of the walkway, Puma tugged her arm as he clambered down and onto the ground as they walked to an alley and she could feel the tail she had picked up almost burst in satisfaction. The bright yellow of happiness was dull and dirtied by their intentions, while the purple of lust was thick and clotted as dry blood and just as foul and it was only by keeping her Observation in check like Itse taught her that she avoided being blinded by it.
When they were halfway in she turned around and looked at the four men that strode in with her, all of them had that sorry, nervous look men get when they are up to some mischief and hope that nothing goes wrong. She could feel excitement coiling and roiling from her, almost intoxicating Puma that had hidden behind some crates, it was the right time to try herself. To test herself against the weaker links and enjoy herself maybe.
Her lips gave a twitch of a smile as they gathered in a half circle around her, standing over eye to eye with her. One had a nose so flat against his face it was a wonder how he breathed. Another was bald as a boot with a mat of twined hair in his face that he gave every hint of being proud of, if how he kept carding his fingers through it was any tell. A third and fourth had nothing to be said about them other than one had a length of wood in one hand and the other had his hands deep in his pockets, no doubt with something more dangerous. Not a pretty set of men, not by a long shot, and they didn't have anything pretty in their heads. Except her maybe.
Boot head took a step towards her and spat to a side, gave her a leer that made her gut wrench and spoke low, trying to be scary.
"What you got for us pretty?"
"Disgust. And if you keep talking so close to my face I got my lunch to give you,"
"Think yourself smart, bitch,"
She couldn't help but smile as he puffed his chest and tried looking taller than her, to scare her maybe, but failing and just coming to look her in the eye with some effort. They were so simple, so soft headed, just a sentence and their small pride gets hurt.
"If you got nothing, then your time it is. Yes, we will take that,"
That was woody, with his table leg still in his hand, that spoke from the side as if it was a moment of brilliance that took him and not what they had planned from the start.
"As short a time you lot would keep me, I must refuse. I prefer my men with all their teeth,"
And that was it, that was as far she had to push them, it was always the same, little men always had little fuses no matter where you went. She could see the red of anger pool in boot head's arm and a thin line stretched from it all the way to her cheek, she pushed with her palm at the half point of the thread and met the man's arm, pushing it away from her and making him fall forward. Right where Puma was hiding and right into his claws that raked against his face and put a scream in his mouth that didn't break the noise outside the alley.
Flat face stared at her, unsure and scared by her cat, but woody and hands in pockets had their weapons and that always made little men feel bigger and better than they would ever be, only time they felt bigger was when they used them. Her boot caught the knee of woody and his foot skidded back, not being able to stop the force at all, making him crash against the cobble stone and letting out the wet crack of bone on stone.
Now came hands in pockets that pulled out a blade that was almost as big as Nico's smallest, and it gave him a ghost of a smile when he put it in front of him. He came running at her, not having learnt a thing from woody, and she could see the black that crept to the knife and met with her chest right under her breast.
She had nothing to do as Puma caught his leg and stopped him dead in his tracks, in a show of strength he even dragged him away from her making him scream and roll in pain as his fangs and claws dug deeper into his ankle. Turning him over with her boot she saw the pricker buried in his shoulder, all the way to the hilt and no matter how short it was having a length of something in you was nothing to laugh about. Maybe moan but that was if you were hoping for it.
Martina could feel her smile tug a little higher as flat face went pale at the blood that plastered his friends coat against the wound and hands in pockets started to sweat and turn clammy as he looked at the wooden handle in fear.
She just couldn't help herself when it was this easy.
"That looks bad. Right in the shoulder, and its bleeding bad,"
"What do you mean? Its just the shoulder,"
That was flat face that spoke, the wounded stayed where he was, too scared to do a thing.
"There are arteries there, lots of them, and the moment he moves he will cut it. You will know when he starts pissing blood and it gets on your face,"
"No. He can't die for that, you are lying,"
"No I am not, you are going to die. You are going to die!"
She screamed it in their faces, her face twisting in what she thought was sadness.
"No, no, you need to help him. You can help him can't you? He has family to care for,"
"Of course, I can, but not now. And not after you lot tried to do unspeakable things to me,"
Ohhh, they were so easy. It was a show for her to look at the piss yellow of nerves and the virgin white of fear almost hide his body like a stained priest's tunic. She loved to punish the wicked, it was the one thing every doctor in her hospital enjoyed, to look at muggers and thieves in the eyes as they were going down with anaesthesia and tell them softly they were going to finish what the police couldn't. Their eyes blasting open for a second before they fell unconscious.
"We will pay, we have the bills to pay,"
"How much? Hope its enough to forget the scare you lot gave me,"
"We hav…we have two hundred thousands. Just got payed, so please save him,"
Flat face took the wallets from boot head and woody that were still rolling on the floor and fainted, and gave her the bills inside.
"Okay then, who has some alcohol here?"
"I… I do, in my pocket. To me left,"
Unsurprisingly it was the wounded that spoke, with pockets so deep it was a mystery how he didn't have a rifle hidden there. She fetched the flask, popped the cork and gave it a try, tasted the lemon and the alcohol and the man had some girly tastes to have limoncello of all things, but booze was booze and she downed it in a second.
"What was that for?"
"For my throat, it was a little dry. Ok then, try not to move or you might die,"
A big plate of pig with mushrooms and onions sat in front of her, all cooked in beer and salt, a slab of airy bread sitting besides and getting ripped by the children that swarmed from their places to get the middle and leave the crust for their siblings. Martina tucked the heel of bread she had cut for herself away from them and her brother that was staring at her, already having finished his meal.
"You keep looking at my plate like that and I will spit it,"
"Please don't be disgusting,"
"You are the one that keeps staring like you are going to push me and steal my food. Pre-emptive measures are needed,"
"Ok, ok. Just give me a spoon of mushrooms,"
"That's no spoon, that's a ladle and get away from my plate,"
"Stingy,"
And she smiled at that, not like when she did in the alley but with warmth, she liked it here, liked the liveliness and the soft air that a family had with them. But this wasn't her family, not truly, she was but a guest and she would leave at one point to find them, to find herself those that she would call brothers and sisters, maybe uncles and aunts. Who knew.
Her eyes closed as she rested against the back of the swinging chair she had commandeered from Itse and the children, they could have the couch. Puma's rumble lulling her softly and surely into sleep.
Congratulations [Ranger] Class levelled up.
[Ranger] level 5.
Congratulations new Skill acquired.
[Craft Ammunition] learnt.
[Craft Ammunition] - ) [Blunt Heads]
[Craft Ammunition] - ) [Explosive Heads]
Congratulations [Doctor] Class levelled up.
[Doctor] level 1.
Congratulations new Skill acquired.
[Sterile Equipment] learnt.
So much to try and have fun and so little time. But sleep took priority, she could experiment and celebrate her Class and Skills later, no matter how excited she was about them the meal in her belly weighed more.
Script: JUST CAN'T HANDLE THIS VANILLA (Me)
Edit: LET ME MIX THAT CREAM (Me)
Proofread: I WILL CHURN YOUR BUTTER (Still Me)