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 Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:09 pm
Scenario 6.5: Sometimes, hypocrisy's not a bad thing.
... And so, time ticked on.
Ticked, stuck, and ticked again-- but still moved forward none the less, from minute to hour to day to week to weeks, and life continued in the frigid Koshka city just as it always had.
It was a cold morning, the sun having just risen and turned the sky discolored shades of yellow-gray, but already the people of Salig had sprang to life. With the grand 'ship' Xorosho having landed a day prior for refueling and supplies, the working class was in a particular frenzy, as every jobless man, woman and child leapt at the opportunity to haul cargo aboard in the hope of extra wages.
And 'he' was among the endless crowd of faceless beingss, just another monetary slave to the cause.
The kid never spoke to anyone-- probably a dumb mute, the other guys figured-- but he followed instruction well enough and worked hard, so they let him be. He was smallish, too, with too many layers of ratty clothes and scarves and shirts that didn't seem to fit (even going so far as to cram his ears and hair under a paperboy's bat), and wore a mask around his face like someone contagious (of which his constant coughing earned a wide berth of personal space), but again, never complained (as if he had the voice to) and just went about hauling crates and boxes like everybody else.
Which was what he'd returned to doing yet again as the dawn lit up, having just picked up yet another oversized parcel in arm and set off with, onto the tangled 'deck' of the enormous ship city.
It was... a lonely existence, but a necessary one.
Necessary for survival-- or at least, for handling the eventual lack thereof as discretely as possible.
Such was the life (and otherwise) of a mercenary.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 1:40 pm
Having not had actual work for weeks due to his arm, as well as his sword having been in for repairs, the ship had arrived soon after Mugen had been affixed a new sheath and hilt and the bandages from his 'amazingly fast healed' arm, he'd been one of the many to 'jump' at work.
Or rather to exercise his underworked sword-arm. Hauling boxes and doubling as security, go!
It was probably the only reason he'd gone near the ship. Kanda and Xorosho weren't exactly the 'best of friends' afterall. Not to say he feared the place, but given the choice to stay the hell away from it, he would have done so without a second thought.
But damn if he didn't feel pathetic for having a few issues with lifting some of the (much) heavier boxes because of his arm. Yeah, way to feel pathetic when he was able to do more work than what would have been done by two men otherwise.
That didn't mean he saw over everything and didn't find himself hissing at those who walked in front of him when he obviously couldn't see anything. In fact, Kanda had found the patience he'd observed for the weeks previous had been stretched for various reasons.
Such as not having to practice such patience daily, thus growing rusty.
And the lack of ANYTHING to do all day.
No conversation.
No work.
Just.. 'recovering'.
Perhaps that was why after some time, people stopped going near where he was 'working'.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 2:09 pm
... To 'him' Xorosho was a place of little consequence, really, just another opportunity for work and another reason (... or perhaps excuse) to force 'his' sluggish body out of bed in the morning.
Of course the male terms were just a petty guise for Shae Elliot Harper, who was sadly proficient in the art of hiding and knew all too well how to craft a proper false identity.
'Liam' was the name she'd chosen for this particular instance, figuring that the other gender would give her a little more flexibility in terms of work options. Being mute meant she didn't have to worry about working any (scarce) 'feminine' notes out of her voice or deal with things like idle conversation-- which were both pluses-- and that she could focus entirely on her work, which was...
... Ugh, so damned difficult. And for so many reasons.
But again, she didn't complain about it (that would've broken her character anyway) and forced her posture to remain as straight as possible, having finally made it back on 'board' with her chest rattling and breath coming in thin, wheezy gasps.
The mask and scarf she wore were strategic to keep that (mostly) quiet however, coughing into them and frowning a little (which couldn't be seen, thank goodness) at the foul taste.
Well, at least the sounds of contagion left her path clear as other wary laborers hightailed FAR FAR away... or so she thought.
Karma, however, was plotting otherwise.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 2:26 pm
Unfortunately for this job, as things were packed up and less was left for Kanda to do, Kanda had 'gotten' to sign up for a full trip. Which also consisted of him sitting on the damn ship once he'd packed up his 'sector', one hand resting on his sword.
A good enough warning for others to stay away from where he was sitting, off in his 'own' corner of the floor and leering at most everybody who boarded the ship for the 'full' trip. Unloading this would take another two or three hours too.
More time than he wanted to. Especially when he'd heard the 'whisperings' of some of the crew about the 'General' who was going to be there to watch the unloading to make sure everything went smoothly.
Well ******** Kanda had to have bad luck of any nature, it was that no matter what, he'd probably be familiar with whoever was watching the unloading. Meaning he would find out he was in town either way. Without having his name decorated in 'fame'.
Like he wanted such a thing.
So he distracted his thoughts with watching people as they loaded the ship and those who boarded.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 2:49 pm
This sort of 'hard labor' was already pushing the limits of what she could handle, but going for the full trip would've been outright suicide for Shae... not that she didn't volunteer for it anyway. The sad fact was that she needed the money desperately, for food, for clothing, for the hopelessly ineffective medicines she'd just run out of...
HACKCOUGHHACK.
God, that sound was obnoxious. She didn't need to feel any more sick or sore right now, dammit, and particularly not while hauling a large crate that she was almost too weak to carry and certainly couldn't see over properly, just left to hope and pray that her path would remain clear as she made her way to the assigned storage building (and more or less in one piece, somehow).
Oh, she'd never felt more relieved to set something down in her LIFE before, silencing a little groan as the parcel was set with countless others like it... before promptly flopping back and seating herself on top of it.
She wasn't being payed to take breaks; she knew that already. But the higher ups had already been cutting her pay under the assumption that she was too 'dumb' to catch on otherwise and, honestly, her limbs (and lungs) needed a few minutes to re-solidify.
No one would notice anyway, she figured, sans (maybe) a few disgruntled workers who were already too wary of her to get close enough for her to hear any complaining.
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Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:15 pm
Sure Kanda could have 'gone and helped', but frankly he really wasn't up for it anymore. He'd pulled his required weight and there was nothing more he was required to d-........
.........
...
Oh he could hear him talking in the other room, Kanda almost immediately going rigid at the sound of the gruff demanding voice in the other room. Yelling about 'Women and Children' not being fit to work with such heavy and delicate materials, that they'd hired such 'scraggly' people.
Yeah, that sounded familiar enough for Kanda who was prompt enough to stand up almost immediately to practically walk off of the ship to start loading... well.. someone else's share.
Like the kid who seemed to be taking a break (poor thing looked miserable, but eh, it'd be less in the long run).
Little did he know said 'kid' was actually someone who was probably trying to avoid him and his lack of observation.
He'd learn.
Maybe.
When he wasn't moreso trying to get off the ship more than on the ship to avoid that voice that was oh so familiar to him. He didn't want to be near 'General' Kanda, frankly. He 'took a chance' to take this job and now he was doomed to an extent if the man came out.
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 12:58 pm
Just five minutes, no more, no less, and she'd be up again to finish her required load like a good little labor slave... or so the girl (incognito) kept telling herself, eyes half closed and listening to the bustle of white noise all around.
There was the ticking of course, and the rasping, and the muttering and the growling and swearing and shuffling of boxes and angry snappish voices of condescension --
......... Oh, that last one made her stiffen a little (particularly at the bitter Women and Children remark), ears sinking under the cover of the hat she was so thankful for and inwardly debating her options. Was it better to remain there and 'finish' her little break at the risk of being caught by some cranky 'higher' official, or to scamper off right then and spare herself the risk?
Maybe just two minutes, then. Surely, no one would mind th--
"Oi, KID, get your sorry a** back to work!"
Well never mind that then, as it seemed one unhappy fellow laborer (a gnarled up, burly looking sand-colored 40-something) was feeling a need to not only call her out, but storm over and physically yank her to her feet by the scruff (or scarf?)
"One idiot's slacking means more work for the rest of us," he snarled (right in her face), "and I'm not breakin' my damn back just because you wanna' be a lazy b*****d, so MOVE IT!"
"..." A nod was the best she could do there, putting her hands up in an appeasing 'Yes, I understand Sir, plz to be not killing me nao' gesture... before (hastily) making her exit to make another run for more cargo.
The last few trips were always the worst, but at least they only had a few to go before the ship took off again? And besides, it could've been worse, right?
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 1:15 pm
Had he been in a better mood, he might have been ready to snap at the older yelling male about 'picking on children' and 'pulling his own weight before snapping at others to do the same' or something like that. If only because the voice had grated on his brain in a special way.
However, as he set probably his third or fourth box from the neighboring 'boy's' section down, he heard something open and a booming voice.
Aimed right at him.
"Well! Has my good for nothing boy been reduced to such menial tasks as loading cargo now?"
Kanda felt his fur stick up, but like any good 'ignore what we don't want to hear about' reflex, did just that, turning to go and retrieve his next box. Yep, not paying attention, not paying attention, not paying attention. It was almost like a little kid trying to get out of getting scolded.
Him?
Somebody's son? Of course not.
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 1:39 pm
... So it was back and forth once again (hackcoughhack) with another crate in hand, limping along through the dock and up the connecting 'ramps' (passengers disembarking would've gotten much more elegant treatment she was sure) to deposit the thing before her arms fell out of their sockets.
She just wasn't cut out for this sort of 'brute force' work at all, even at her best, but... Ugh, now that went even double, what with--
"Well! Has my good for nothing boy been reduced to such menial tasks as loading cargo now?"
The same grouchy voice she'd heard right before her last departure-- but who in the world was it (he?) barking at now?
Shame that she was too busy attempting to shove her crate semi-neatly on top of another to catch the sight of a very familiar someone who'd just taken off again for another load... although she did take a wary look around the space once that had (FINALLY) been accomplished, to no avail. What an odd comment for an official to be maki-- .......
Oh, ow. Ow. That had been a nasty chest cramp coming back on her.
But a hard cough and a cringe loosened it up a little... if only so she could get back up and take another (two minutes, just two really) break. That sandy colored male was gone now and, dammit, she needed to catch her breath before the next haul.
Such a troublesome effort for the payoff, really.
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 1:53 pm
It was on the return trip that Kanda noticed the one responsible for the load he was 'distracting' himself with was taking a break, looking at the overly clothed 'child' with a very long 'Hmmmmmmmmmmm' look, before he was again addressed by the General who was overseeing the 'trip'.
"I did not raise you to ignore me, Yuu!"
Kanda's fur prickled almost immediately. That voice grated into his brain, but it was with a casual 'batting off' of the statement that he looked up at the man who had a similar scowl on his face, though his hair was slightly redder than Kanda's (and hacked off into a more 'official' looking short-style) they had the exact same eyes.
Dark, staring, almost demanding.
Hell, if Kanda's 'tabby' had been slightly whiter than the gray it was, they would have looked more related than they already did.
"You also raised me to not allow myself to answer any creed that wasn't my proper title, General Kanda."
Ugh, calling somebody else by his name like that both felt and sounded awkward coming out of his mouth.
However 'smart' the comment was, in terms of logic, it didn't make the sudden backhand to his face any less 'tame'.. or quieter, Kanda making a slight face at the pain in his face.
Hn.
He'd suffered worse.
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:17 pm
Sad as it was, the break which had originally been 'just two minutes' wound up dragging out for some time longer than that-- probably the better part of ten, actually, having (apparently) zoned out and taken to staring off in a vague not-quite-trance at the walls of the storage enclosure and willing the stubborn discomfort away.
Not that it wasn't her own fault or anything; she'd been stupid to neglect that first break when she'd really needed it.
She hadn't really been paying attention enough to notice her unknowing 'helper' trudge back in with another crate, although the sound of that other grating voice did a fine job of snapping her to attention, not just with the sharp anger of it, but the last word he'd said. Yuu.
... Yuu.
No, that wasn't possible-- could it really be that Yuu he'd addressed?! And if so--
Of course she had looked over her shoulder at that point to check her sanity and, sure enough, refocussed just in time to see none other than Yuu Kanda, her ex-tea-and-conversation-partner, receiving a backhand to the face from some absolutely MALCONTENT looking fellow gray-tabby (though lighter, and redder haired) who was undeniably his...
... Father.
Yes, that was 'General Kanda', right? Right?
.......
................. She needed to get out of there now. Why couldn't she force herself to stop watching and flee the scene?
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:29 pm
Kanda's shoulders twitched lightly as he corrected the position of his head, not even raising a hand to his cheek to feel the tenderness he'd just been inflicted with.
"I've told you not to get smart with me, boy."
It was a stern warning, the General sounding perfectly content to inflict a further 'punishment' (as Kanda had, in a way, asked for it, talking back at him.. just nothing that extreme) upon his child. Kanda, however, simply leered back at the man.
"Well then you give me the choice to get 'nothing'. As you don't approve of those who play stupid nor of those who get 'smart' with you." he replied flatly, his hand still resting, not even a twitch of a finger, on his sword. It was obvious he wasn't going to draw it on his father in any shape of 'defense'.
However, there came no 'strike' for that logic, just a tightening, disapproving, scowl (hmm, this seemed familiar).
"I gave you the choice to make a name for yourself, for you won't be gaining fame off of mine."
Oh the slight twitch to Kanda's tail stated a perfect 'I don't want fame' response. A famous mercenary was the least effective one. Then they were recognizable in better jobs.
Perhaps why he left off his 'first name' to keep himself from having his 'name' connected to his fathers. First names and last names never had to match up, right?
However, he said nothing before he turned to go back to his work, pausing for a moment to leer, in that creepy warrior 'I KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING' way at a good number of people in the room.
He'd just get back to loading stuff.
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:53 pm
She was already feeling a guilty twinge for having 'spied' upon the pair, knowing full well that it wasn't her business nor her privilege to eavesdrop on the more private personal exchanges of any other being, but... damn her awful transfixion, she just couldn't not watch the scene unfold.
Perhaps it was the shock that had kept her glued there, still barely able to wrap her brain around having crossed paths with him of all people in such an enormous city... or perhaps it was just the sick curiosity aspect of seeing what he'd come from, but... regardless of that, she stayed until the conversation had 'finished'--
... Which, of course, had earned her a part of that 'I KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING' leer and sent the guilty party jumping to her feet and fleeing hurriedly toward the door.
Okay, maybe she should've have gotten back up and run that quickly, but her vision refocussed after one good cough and she had darted off (oh, wow, the light outside was kind of... dizzyingly bright) and out to retrieve-- oh yes, the last of the crates. She hadn't filled her quota yet and the ship was due to take off in... well she couldn't remember off the top of her head, but far too soon.
Just another run or two and that was all. A couple of crates, nothing more... Nothing m...
Oh ow. Ow ow ow, stupid coughing. That one had tasted particularly bad.
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 3:13 pm
Kanda glanced over at his hacking 'co-worker' before sneering a bit and pausing, mid-box-walk (work he was doing from SHAE'S section, by odd cooincidence) to look at them.
"Just sit down and rest. I've got it. Go get some tea or something."
He didn't exactly follow this with a beaming 'I KNOWS YOU' or 'Waiting for a response', playing along, or perhaps even fooled, by the play of 'mute' that was being put on as he went to go place that box amongst the others, leering at his father's 'disapproving' [removed](Probably because his young strong son was taking over the work of a 'dumb' kid).
However, once he'd cleared up a couple more boxes, Kanda again picked one to sit upon, his sword rested up against one shoulder.
Probably the only thing close to a 'Teddy bear' he had.
Hell, it was probably the 'security blanket' of all swordsmen who were by no means 'whelps' of the battlefield. Any who could kill and not go into emotional withdrawl were included in that category.
Damn, now he just had to wait for a while.
Which left him to watch the 'dumb' kid. Perhaps out of needing something to do, perhaps out of a twisted 'fondness' for smaller-sized individuals.
Obviously his father didn't approve of his interest.
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 3:43 pm
... Oh s**t.
Thank god for the mask and scarf and hat she'd so carefully chosen to conceal her features, because the look of outright shock (and maybe even faint horror) was so pathetically THERE on Shae's face that she was certain he couldn't have missed it, hurriedly turning her gaze elsewhere (like the ground, for example) and...
... nodding. Curse that wretched obedience reflex; shouldn't it have diminished by now, even just a little?
She she made haste to break away and drag her sorry self right back to the crate she'd abandoned, forgoing actually perching on it in favor of sitting on the ground instead (... cold COLD metal floor UGH that was freezing even through her clothes) and propping her back against it.
She was less visible that way-- and maybe it felt a little more like the comfort of hiding and cowering while she swallowed her lungs back down again. Tea would've been absolutely lovely, but at the same time, it would've meant getting up and walking again, and... surely such a thing would give her away instantly, right?
As if she already hadn't been found out. Or... had she? Hadn't she? Was she supposed to address him (if mutes could do such a thing) or just sit there and pretend like nothing was out of the ordinary?
It was nerve-wracking and she didn't even know just why. Her hands were shaking in her lap, just staring at the wall and feeling inexplicably cornered. Coughing around him was something else she couldn't do now, regardless of whether or not it was in character and...
COUGHCOUGHWHEEZEHACK.
Damn it all.
Taking this job had been a horrible idea.
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