Open Your Eyes

The Aranetil looked up upon hearing the male run up and stop next to her, smiling at his words.

"Well, you had a customer, and I wasn't about to keep you from doing business. It is, after all, how you make money, and I didn't want to be taking up any more of your time since I was pretty much done there." she replied easily, eyes switching to focus in front of her again, enjoying the emptiness of the street that the pair walked down. "So, is your house in this direction as well?" she asked abruptly in an attempt to fill the suddenly unbearable silence, glancing over at Jeytsu briefly.

He nodded, then noticed the Arentil's uptight demeanor. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but notice back there... you seemed kind of nervous or something, and I was hoping I didn't say anything to offend you." he said, taking a large bite out of the fruit, his free hand rubbing his neck, sore and stiff from his previous sleeping position. Of course, he was wide awake now and didn't want to sleep, because of the nap.

"And uh, I couldn't help but notice, with the bow..." he trailed off.

Seidra's breath hitched slightly and she ducked her head. "No, you didn't offend me in any way." she replied quietly, nibbling on her lower lip as she debated answering his other statement. With a sigh, she figured she might as well. "The reason I bowed is because...well, I refuse to use Xelveth's sign to salute anyone. He took my parents, without any reason to; they were undoubtedly faithful to Him, and then the city was attacked and..." she trailed off, giving an awkward half-shrug. "I guess I don't believe in him as much as they did. And yet I'm still alive, which I don't get." she added, frowning lightly before giving another shrug, indicating she didn't care one way or the other, but still kept herself on guard in case the other reacted badly.

He watched Seidra while she talked, then looked forward. "... Yeah?" he asked quietly. "I understand that all too well." he muttered, remembering his sister. "It's not fair. How could he do this? Why should he chose when it's someones time to die?" he asked, though not realizing he said his thoughts aloud. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He heard a mix between a pop and a crunch and looked down to see the apple in pieces in his hand. His nose twitched and he dropped it, flinging the juice off his fingers.

"So, that makes two of us - we're both alive, but both opposing Xelveth. I wonder what our fate is?" he asked, looking into the late sky. "It makes you wonder." he sighed.

Nodding slowly in ascent, the Rogue cast her gaze to the stone sky towering above them, invisible in the eternal darkness that was the Dark Plain. "Yeah, it does, doesn't it..." she replied quietly. "I'm sorry about your sister. I'm not trying to defend Him or anything, definitely or not, but maybe he has a reason....for taking them...." Her voice trailed off, forcing back tears that came from the memory of her parents. "Either way, there's nothing we can do about it now." Seidra stated finally, sighing heavily and slumping as if weighed down by an incredible burden.

"You're right." he hated coming to the cold conclusion, but it was the blunt truth. "It's in the past." he said, "But that doesn't keep me from questioning his motives." he remarked. 'If he has a reason for killing my sister, it better be a drop dead good one.' he snarled in his mind.

He tried to get his mind off it. Dashing forward quickly, he did a front handspring a few times in a row, before standing on his hands and walking back towards Seidra with a giddy grin. "I didn't get your name." he said, "Mines Jeytsu." he said, looking up at her from his upside-down view, walking backwards in front of her. His current expression and demeanor could remind one of a little child.

Blinking owlishly at the boy, Seidra giggled at his antics, impressed that he could do such a thing. "I'm Seidra, it's a pleasure to meet you." she replied, grinning down at him. "That's quite impressive. You have better balance than anyone I've ever met, if you don't mind me saying." she added, slowing her stride so that it would be easier for the upside-down male to keep up with her.

Kituki slowly walked down the street towards the market place keeping an eye out for trouble. She wasn't a watcher but she felt she had a duty to quell any trouble quickly. Noticing two people walking down the street she couldn't help but noticing that one was walking on his hands as she got close. "So.... Your legs are broken, You're hitting on this girl, or you just thought it would be fun?" She commented quirking a brow as she asked, her usual scowl never leaving her face. "Am I close?"

"Not at all!" he laughed at Seidras compliment. Then another girl came up. He lowed his feet and stood , twisting his shoulders until they made a satisfied "pop!". Turning around and walking backwards so he could see both of the girls. "The latter of the three, thanks." he laughed. "If you know how, why not do it?" he grinned. "Anyway, you don't look like anybody I've seen around here. I don't suppose you have a name?" he asked, mild sarcasm touching his voice, but he kept his cheery demeanor, looking between the two.

Kituki nodded. "Name's Kituki. First Division. Hmm...you don't look like a warrior, rogue, mage or cleric. So I guess you're a merchant or some other job." She said looking at the boy before switching her view to the Aranetil. "And you are a rogue from the looks of it." She nodded a couple of times. "You look like you could hold yourself in a fight if it came down to it. Obviously not a student given your apparent age." Kituki stepped around the pair a couple of times trying hard not to bring attention to the girl's size. She knew if she did that attention would be brought to the fact that she's a half-breed. Plus she figured the girl didn't like being so tall. "I'm impressed." She said satisfied and stepped back to the front of the two.

Seidra blushed under the scrutiny, hunching slightly in an attempt to appear shorter, or smaller under the woman's gaze. When the stranger stepped back, the Rogue averted his gaze to the ground, frowning and chewing on her bottom lip slightly.

"You can tell all of that from a glance? Impressive..." she muttered, having expected nothing less from someone of 1st Division ranking. "But I'm kind of a wimp, being lanky and all." she countered, smirking slightly even as she was insulting herself.

Kituki tilted her head. "A wimp? Come on now. Stand up tall, be proud. If someone mocks you don't let them bring you down. If this boy here is willing to spend time with you, why should you demean your self? So you're a little tall. I'm a little small for a drow don't you think?" She grinned, the scowl disappearing from her face. "There are things about me I wish I could change. But I can't so I might as well be content with it." She attempted to cheer the taller girl up.

He nodded when the girl, Kituki, mentioned he didn't look like a warrior of sorts and that he must have been a merchant. He was also amazed that she could collect so much information by a glance. He looked between the girls, frowning when Seidra belittled herself.

"She's right. Besides, at least you have a fully functioning body - could be worse then being a little taller then average, yeah?" he stated. "You're only as good as you believe yourself to be." he said, then looked back over to Kituki. "So anyway, Kituki... first division? Is that hard to achieve?" he asked, interlacing his hands behind his head, looking up to the dull ceiling with a pondering expression.

Kituki frowned. "Pretty difficult. But possible to obtain if you train and study as hard as you can. I almost compromised who I was when trying to obtain Watcher rank quickly. I was trying to keep up with a mage named Derris, but..." she shuddered suddenly. "That man is not normal. Once I realized what I was doing to myself I pulled back and fell into 1st Division. I intend to reach Watcher and beyond eventually but not if it means I lose myself. Anyways, what are your names since you know mine?" She asked putting on a grin again putting her hands on her hips.

Accepting the comments directed towards her in silence, Seidra simply listened to Kituki and Jeytsu converse about the woman's ranking, and a man named Derris. The name piqued her interest; she had heard it somewhere before, but couldn't exactly place it...

The Rogue was snapped out of her thoughts when Kituki asked for their names. Seidra glanced around, knowing she would have to be home soon or risk getting in trouble, but this was the first time in a while someone new had spoken to her, let alone two people, and she wanted to stay a while longer.

"I'm Seidra. It's a pleasure to meet you." she stated, introducing herself as she had to the male, just as her parents had taught her.

Kituki smiled. "I'm impressed Seidra. It's rare to see someone with such manners." She complimented Seidra. "Your parents teach you that? or did a little girl running around with two wooden swords catch you off guard and her kindness was contagious?" She teased remembering running into Monience off and on. She looked to the boy. "And how about you young man? You got a name or can I just keep calling you, 'you' all the time?" she grinned at her teasing.

He yawned, still looking at what would be the sky. This woman held herself with dignity and honor clearly. It made him feel sorry for whoever crossed paths with her on a bad day. He was spacing out, then he finally realized Kituki had addressed him.

"Huh? Oh, it's Jeytsu." he said simply. If he looked in the distance, he could see a very faint lantern light. "That's my house. I'll catch up with you girls later!" he called, running backwards in front of them and waving before turning around and dashing towards his house.

The Rogue watched Jeytsu go, waving slightly before he turned and raced back to his home. The merchant gone, Seidra turned back to Kituki and bowed again. "It was an honor to meet you, but I'm afraid I must be getting back as well; my grandmother will be waiting for me, and I do not wish for her to worry. Hopefully, we can meet again sometime soon?" she asked, making it more of a question than a request, in hopes to not offend the woman.

Kituki smiled once again at the politeness of the girl. "I can walk you there if you want Seidra. I'm not really on duty. I just look like I am so Derris would leave me alone." She grinned. "So I need something to do before the Lord of sunshine and rainbows comes looking for me." She joked.

Giggling slightly, Seidra smiled at the Warrior and nodded hesitantly. "If you wouldn't mind. And where have I heard that name before? It sounds so familiar, but I can't place my finger on it..." she trailed off, tapping her chin in thought as she began to slowly make her way towards her grandmother's house, in the opposite direction that Jeytsu had gone.

Kituki smiled. "I'm not surprised you have. Every one apprentice level and above knows about torturing mage. He's around my age and is Watcher rank already. He's what I would have been if I didn't pull back in my ambitions. If I were you, I'd stay on his good side. The things that go through his head only the lord of crazyvillage and loonyville know." She commented.

"Now now, I take offense to that." Derris chuckled, comign at the pair from the opposite direction with a dark grin. "Taking a little break from your rounds to escort the breakable duckling home? Or were you never busy to begin with? I could easily find you a job." he offered, sarcasm dripping from every word, eyes flicking to Seidra and scanning her a moment before returning his attention to Kituki. "Really now, where do you keep finding such delicious looking playthings? Are you collecting them just for me? How thoughtful."

The young Aranetil shivered slightly, the man's aura disconcerting her along with the words he spoke, like she was just a toy present for his sadistic pleasure. Now she remembered who he was, and wanted to leave his presence as soon as possible.

Kituki quirked a brow looking towards Derris. "Well if it isn't the lord of sunshine and rainbows himself." She smirked. "I was making rounds looking for trouble when I ran into this nice polite young lady. Who's hopes and dreams have you sucked into that black hole you call your mind today if I may so ask?" Kituki knew how to talk to Derris openly with out pushing him over the edge.

The Wizard chuckled. "Not too many, but I'm sure you're very busy, too much to hear all about my fun." he replied, stepping around so that he was next to Seidra, and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't I take the sweet little thing home, while you continue on with your rounds? After all, I'm off duty and you're not; wouldn't want you to get in trouble." he offered, grinning at Kituki over the Rogue's head.

Kituki chuckled. "How kind of you. And oddly out of character. I guess you didn't have enough fun today scaring the children. And only way I get into trouble is if you suddenly decide it. So your majesty, Is that an order or a suggestion? And Seidra, relax as long as your kind and polite he won't be too harsh." Kituki kept her grin focused on Derris. It was a mischievous grin that told of familiarity and constant trouble between the two. Kituki remembered the numerous times she had encountered Derris and she stood her ground against him. It never erupted into a physical fight. All Derris had to do was call rank and that was the end of it. Kituki knew her place, but that didn't mean she didn't have fun with it.