Chapter Seven

“Skill and confidence are an unconquered army.” -- George Herbert

 

Seth shook his right leg, and then his left. The greaves were comfortable, but they were still far heavier than he was used too. Possibly a bit too heavy for his tastes, but he supposed he’d get used to it.

Stamping the ground to make sure that both the leg guards were secured properly, he took a moment to give his leather plate a quick rap. Good fit. Steel, it was not, but… Solid. More than adequate for his needs. And light. It offset his new greaves nicely.

Popping his staff out of its holster, he gave the weapon an experimental twirl, grinning in satisfaction at the whirr it produced. Retrieving a silvery-white spearhead from his bag, he attached it to the staff and gave it another twirl. The whirr turned to a keening whine.

Planting the makeshift spear into the ground, point first, he looked over at Kyari.

She looked a little pale. Not that he had any right to be talking, he probably looked just as nervous as she did. An odd air of tension was hanging over the arena. It wasn’t any surprise, really, all things considered.

It didn’t matter. A fight was a fight and both of them were far too stubborn to turn away. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of foreboding run through him as he tugged a small ring on his new set of gloves.

Stubborn people did stupid things.

Smiling coldly as he felt that tiny bit of resistance, he released the ring which slithered back into its original position. If someone was going to make a stupid decision, this time, it wasn’t going to be him. He uprooted his spear. “Ready when you are.”

She nodded, rubbing her fingers along the edge of her necklace.

"At least your legs are protected. Any more injuries on them and you probably wouldn't be able to stand again."

“And what a shame that would be,” he chuckled. “An eternity of resting in bed. Terrifying.”

“So, any rules this time around?”

"We don't kill each other. I don't know what other rules we need besides that."

“Just asking,” he shrugged before charging at his opponent.

The greaves made the sprint far more laborious than he was used to, but it was a little to late to do anything about that complaint. Any possibility of a swift opening strike shot, he opted for brute force, delivering a punishing roundhouse kick towards her ribs, his spear whistling sideways right behind at head height.

She dropped to the ground, rolling out of the way of his feet. Normally she would've gone for his legs, but she didn't feel like damaging his greaves quite yet. Moving to her feet, she pulled out her dagger, prepared for the next attack.

Utilizing the momentum of his spin, he rammed the point of his spear into the ground at approximately the same area he thought she had rolled towards. Without pausing to see whether the polearm had struck home or not, he braced himself against the spear and skipped back a couple of steps in a quick retreat. And here we go again. Power’s out, speeds out, ranged weapons are out… The only one that’s even slightly applicable is brute force and I’m basically flipping a coin and hoping for the best… He settled down into a defensive posture. Well, I’ve always taken my chances before, why stop now?

The spear had narrowly missed her. She smirked. "And all's back to normal. Who do you think will end up taking the loser to the medics today?"

“The winner?” he grinned cheekily. Advancing slowly, he made a quick feint with his spear before leaping forward into low sweep kick, his spear following it up once more at chest height. Movement, movement, I’ve got to find a way to keep her from moving…

She dodged the spear first, stepping to her left and then stepping back to the right to avoid the kick. Her air-protected arm served as a shield: she hit the second thrust at her chest out of the way.

Hopped up on adrenaline, he felt a jolt of euphoria when his staff-spear impacted against something solid. Maybe a bit too solid, it didn’t give and inch. In fact, it retaliated. Viciously.

The spear flew from his grasp as it met her backhand, flying a few feet away before skidding to a stop on the arena floor.

He didn’t fare much better.

His balance, already precarious during his sweeping kick, was thrown for a loop, sending him crashing to the floor. Right, air armor, I forgot. Stupid me, he berated himself as he hit the ground rolling; right towards the opposing girl as it were.

She ran out of his way, waiting for him to stand up.

Scrambling to his feet, he quickly flipped out one of his cards and set it into place between the index and middle fingers of his right hand. “What? No attacks? No arrows, no thrown weapons, not even a quick blade of air?” His eyes narrowed. “Now that’s just insulting…”

Flicking the card straight at her, he advanced cautiously on the girl, withdrawing another card to replace the one he’d thrown.

"It's good to catch you off your guard." She slowed the air around the card, catching it neatly between her fingers. She stood her ground, toying with the metal rectangle. "If I was to insult you, I'd do it in a way that was much more subtle."

He frowned as she neatly dealt with his card, adding it to her own collection. And that deck was brand new too… “Well if your goal’s to mess with my mind, then mission accomplished,” he grumbled, hooking his left index into the ring that protruded from his right glove.

Stepping forward, he made a cautious swipe at the air mage, paying more attention to her movements than his own attack. In the same motion as the slash, the brunet pulled back on the ring, pooling out a taut length of wire. “The only problem is, the more you mess with someone’s mind, the more desperate they get, and desperate people pull some really, really deranged stunts.” He grinned as he leapt forward and tried to entangle Kyari in the wire.

She smiled, taking note of his finger's movement. In an elegant twist, she deflected the slash with her arm and dagger, watching carefully as he pulled the wire.

Ah, ah, ah, Seth. You forgot about my daggers. she chuckled as she neatly cut the wire. Slices through nearly everything, that metal.

D****t, that was brand new too! he swore to himself as the knife slid through the thin wire as easily as it would through butter. Well, on the bright side, she had been the one to pay for it in the first place, so it wasn’t really his loss.

Not my loss? I just lost one of my weapons, he mentally yelled at the overly optimistic part of his brain. Though optimism… Turning a bad situation into a good one. Yeah, he could work with that.

Leaning a bit to the right in the same direction his slash had gone, he pulled his right arm around and tried to clamp the girl’s outstretched appendage between his own. At the same time, he pushed off the ground with his right leg and tried to drive his knee into her solar plexus.

Her arm swiped downward, dragging the dagger along his front. Not able to escape his knee, she dug her heels in, allowing the force to hit her. She staggered backwards, grimacing. "You like to play dirty, don't you?"

“Feh, if playing dirty keeps me alive, then I’m all for it,” he hissed in pain, grasping the left side of his body. He was suddenly very thankful for that little plate of steel covering his heart. Without it, that counterattack could have ended badly. Very badly indeed.

Mirroring her retreat, he went over his options hurriedly. Entanglement was out. His wire was thoroughly ruined, and the girl would do the exact same to his net if he tried using it. Projectiles were out as evidenced by what he’d seen he do with his card. So were smoke bombs for the exact same reason. His little bonsai would probably kill the both of them, so that was a no go. Same with the neurotoxin. Acid? She’d probably blow it right back in his face.

And as he’d just experienced, straightforward melee combat seemed to get him injured just as much as it did her, if not more.

Options, options, I need more options! It clicked. How could it not when she had brought it up in the first place. Shuffling as quickly as his wounded body would allow, he made for his spear, hoping he’d get there before she did. Maybe I do have one last card to play after all.

In quick succession, she threw the card, her dagger, and another card at his back, pulling out a second dagger.

Usually, he would harangue himself for trying to keep an eye on his opponent while running away. Not looking where you’re running was a very effective way of getting oneself injured. Or worse.

Well, never again. Even as his mental tirade of “Idiot” started up,he creaked his neck around. And then he hit the floor. Painfully, to be sure, but it was a sight better than getting turned into sashimi.

Note to self: While running blindly is an exercise in suicide, so is taking your eyes off the enemy,  he grumbled mentally, even as he crawled laboriously to his knees. Luckily for him he’d just about reached his weapon before he’d hit the dirt.

He grasped the spear and used it to push himself back onto his feet. Raising it in a defensive posture, he waited. No more running for him, that was for sure.

Seeing that she wasn’t all that keen on attacking, he started forward albeit far more slowly than he had before.

Why am I always the one that has to run around? He whined to himself. Ours are not to wonder why, he reminded himself tiredly. Fine, fine, he’d attack her, but he’d do it on his own time, d****t.

As he advanced, she took a step back for every one he took forward.

Ok, now that’s just mean, he thought to himself as he continued to make no progress whatsoever. Oh well, turnabout was fair play, wasn’t it? “You know, I wouldn’t mind a bit of rest right now.” He grinned cheerily, coming to a stop and leaning on his spear. “I’m sure I need it more than you do.”

"A rest? A fighter never rests." She took a step forward, prepared to attack, and then changed her mind, stepping back again. He's trying to get me to attack. I'm not falling for it.

“My, my, but you’re looking a bit unsure of yourself, aren’t you?” His irksome grin grew just a few centimeters. “Are you coming or not? What? Are you scared of the little wounded boy you just kicked around so easily?”

He's doing it again... She smiled. "I'm not unsure of myself, or scared."

“Whatever you say,” he replied airily, rooting around in his bag. A moment later he withdrew a box and promptly popped it open. Reaching inside he grabbed a small, chocolate coated breadstick and bit into it. “I was surprised I was able to find these,” he commented, pointing at the treat. “They’re rare enough where I come from. I suppose this city lives up to its reputation; you really can find just about everything here.

“Want one?” He held out a breadstick, grinning cheekily.

I'm not going to...I'm not going to... She smirked. Okay, I'm going to. Against my better judgment..."Fine, I suppose if you want to be done, and then you can be done." She turned her back"after making sure her shield of air was secure"to allow him the chance to attack.

Gulping down his breadstick, he dropped the box of treats back into his bag. Turnabout is fair play, huh? I’ll say. She turned that back on me right quick.

Hefting his spear, he was just about to step towards her when he paused a moment. Quickly grabbing a card, he flicked it at the girl’s unprotected back before moving in. Sure, he wasn’t really one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but he wasn’t a complete moron either.

She smiled as she heard the card fly through the air towards her. Of course he took the bait. She spun to her left, throwing her dagger at his arm. Step one.

She yanked out her father’s sword, aiming for his torso. Step two.

“An opening is only good if you make one for yourself. If you wait for them to give them an opening, then that’s your mistake.”

When will I ever learn? he asked himself rhetorically as he saw her spin out of the cards’ paths.

He almost brought his spear up to block the knife she sent at him. Almost. Then he remembered what that same knife had done to his wire but a few moments ago. I’d rather not have another horribly mangled weapon, thank you very much, he grumbled mentally as he moved out of the dagger’s path with a grunt.

And the moment he’d committed himself to his dodge he noticed the sword. That sword.

Ahhh crap, this is going to suck. He groaned inwardly as he hit the ground for the third time. Hoping not to leave himself completely undefended, he lashed out the point of his spear as he fell, aiming a vertical blow at her head.

"It's only a mistake if the opening turns out to be a trap," he gasped as he impacted with the arena floor, "which, with you, it usually is."

She pushed the spear away with her sword, taking a step back and settling into a defensive position. "If they deliberately leave you an opening, it's going to be a trap."

His arm briefly went numb as his staff-spear rebounded off her sword.

Good Gods, that girl has obscene reflexes, he groaned to himself as he hit the ground and then rolled painfully away from the swordswoman. What he wouldn’t do for one of his herbal cigarettes right about now…“’Always’, that’s a rather… inflexible word, isn’t it?” He gritted his teeth as he levered himself to his feet. “Acting as if you know the ways of every fighter that ever was and ever will be, seems a bit arrogant to me, y’know?” he giggled dementedly, before abruptly falling silent, a crooked grin still plastered on his face.…Giggling? Ahhh crap, that’s a poor sign… The boy’s eyes quickly flitted to the blood slowly crusting along the length of the gash that ran across his entire torso. ‘Maybe it is time I offered a prayer… Maybe, but not yet. Not just yet.’

"I never said always." She paused. "Normally, I wouldn't allow such a gap for you to rest, but we're training, not killing."

“Well you certainly implied it,” the boy chuckled tiredly, leaning heavily on his spear. “Not killing?” he laughed again, which turned into a strangled cough near the end. “Could've fooled me.” He pointedly eyed the bloody gash that ran the length of his chest. “If this is what you consider non-lethal training, then I really don’t want to see what you qualify as a real fight.”

Sighing in an oddly contented fashion, He rolled his shoulders and continued to lean on his weapon. “It is real nice of you to let me rest…” He grinned cheekily. “Think I’ll take advantage of it for as long as I can~”

"Well, then, it appears your time is up." She stepped forward, shifting into an attack position.

“So you say, but I’ve yet to see any proof of that.” he eyed Kyari’s aggressive posture. “Unless you count that bluff of yours proof…”

Oh but this is going to hurt, he winced inwardly, even as his mouth moved independently of his brain, Ayana, I don’t know if you can hear me, or if you care, but if I live through this stupid plan I swear the next shrine of yours I pass is going to get a really nice offering.

She stepped forward again, feinting at his left leg, then pulling back to block the possibility of a return attack.

The moment she went for his leg, he pushed himself out of the way with his quasi-spear. Spinning to a halt he brought the polearm up ready to defend a follow up, but…Nothing? Wait, she’s… defending?

That didn’t sit well with him. It smelled like a set up. Ayana, you’re awesome and all, but I’d really appreciate it if you were more straightforward about whether your going to save my rear or royally screw me over, he snarked mentally.

“Well, you sure showed me,” he said, his voice oozing sarcasm. “I mean, you managed to make me retreat, what? Two steps? Maybe two-and-a-half if it makes you feel better?” He laughed. “So is this the great Kyari’s weakness; she can’t beat her opponents unless they attack her first? Geez, no wonder I can’t learn all that much from you. Can’t learn what you don’t do and all…”

"That's it," she snapped. No! a voice inside of her called. He's trying to get you to react.

I don't care. I want to fight.

He has something in mind.

I DON'T CARE. She stepped forward, feinting again at his leg, reaching down into her boot at the same time to grab a dagger, and then aimed for the right side of his torso. She jumped back, allowing him time to react.

His grin widened as she came at him. Ayana, I could really use an answer around now. Any kind of sign, any at all.

“And here we go again,” he drawled as he spun himself away from the feint, “even your feints don’t have any-“ his eyes widened comically as her second knife slammed into his back, just below the shoulder blade, “imagination?”

He fell to his knees as she backed up, pulling the knife out. You could really choose a less dramatic way of giving me a sign… the boy gasped mentally as he waited for a second.

Lungs still inflated? Check. Artery still whole and not fountaining liters of blood out of his body…? Check…I do not want to know just how much of my luck I used up right there… He winced internally, letting himself fall face first into the dirt, his hand still keeping a death grip on his spear. But it might be worth it. It just might be worth it.

"Get up," she snapped at him. "If you stay down, it gives your opponent enough time to kill you, if not significantly harm you."

He didn’t reply. In fact, he didn’t do much of anything save breathe, and shallowly at that.

The red stain on the back of his shirt spread.

C’mon Ayana, little more help here. Just once more and I won’t bug you for a long time. Please?

She slid her sword away, and strode over to him, kicking him onto his front. Pulling a couple of leaves out of her pocket and gave them to him. "Chew, but don't swallow the leaves"spit them out."

It took all of his self control not to groan when she kicked him over. Would it kill her to be a little more worried about my health? he thought, annoyed, though nothing showed on his face, his eyes remaining shut and his breathing still next to non-existent. Course, she might know I’m faking, but then I’m cooked if she does. Best take my chances; ‘go the distance or go home’ as that old man always said… He was right, damn him, bitter, desiccated old corpse that he was…

He made absolutely no reaction when she offered him the herbs, not until she reached down to give them to him.

The moment he felt the leaves touch his body his eyes snapped open. Barely pausing to get his sights, he lunged upwards, his spear aimed for her stomach in that odd half-grip he’d maintained to actually give it the necessary room. “I remember you saying something about obvious openings?”

The impact was painful, but she rested the point of her dagger on his chest, positioned on the plate covering his heart. "You've seen what this dagger can do. It can easily pierce what protection you have." She winced, the spear in her stomach reminding her to hurry up.

"I gave you an opening, just as you gave me an opening. We both took an opportunity. The question now arises: which will survive the final blow?"

She gripped the spear, gritted her teeth, and stepped back quickly to minimize the pain. She crumpled almost instantly. Her hand on her stomach, she mumbled a quick prayer to Asa, something, she noted, she was doing quite frequently.

He stared dumbly at the dagger pressed to his chest. She was… ready? He looked over at his spear, embedded in her gut. And she didn’t dodge? But why? The boy looked up at the warrior, his turmoil evident. Is she trying to prove something, trying to point something? What is she trying to tell me? I don’t get it.

I don’t get it! I don’t get it! I don’t get it! I don’t get it! I. Don’t. Get. It!

“Why didn’t you dodge?” he asked out loud as he numbly watched Kyari back away. “What are you trying to tell me?”

She looked up at him, grimacing. "Sometimes you have to take a hit in order to win."

“… Is victory always worth so much?” he asked, pulling the spear back and averting his eyes from the wounded girl.

"Victory costs whatever it costs. If you want to win, then you have to be willing to pay the price." She sat down, and put her head between her knees, her hand still over her wound.

“Why do you want to win so badly, that you would pay this much?” He planted his spear in the ground and leaned heavily on it. “What worth does victory hold for you?

"It really doesn't matter that I won. It matters if I teach you a lesson. But if I have the opportunity to win, then I will do so. My body heals easier than my pride."

“All that for a lesson. “ He shook his head. “What is your will made of, titanium?

“Forget it; I don’t think I’ll ever know where your determination comes from. More to the point, you did go to that length to teach me a lesson and you did get hurt doing it. You’d better get yourself to the medic bay soon or you’ll die of blood loss.” He gingerly touched the gash across his chest. “I probably need to get myself patched up soon too...”

She nodded, and tried to stand up, but failed.

He shook his head ruefully as he watched her try"and fail"to get up. “I sincerely don’t see how any victory could be worth that much, or any lesson for that matter. Your words of wisdom had better save my life sometime or I’m going to start thinking you’re some kind of closet masochist.”

Hobbling over to the downed girl, he grabbed her arm and tried to pull her to her feet. He let go almost immediately afterward, clutching his stomach as a white hot slash of pain traveled along his chest wound, arcing around to the stab wound in his shoulder. “Ok, maybe not the best of ideas...” he gasped. “Well this is just great... What are we going to do now?”

She smiled at his effort, but frowned at his pain. "I'm not sure," she whispered, before blacking out.

"You must remember, it's not about killing your opponent in the arena. It's about teaching them. If you are good enough to get to the point where you can kill them, and then let them go. Those who are wise will learn their lesson. Those who are not will be killed by someone less gracious,” her father reminded

"But why should we teach them?"

"Because those who have the skill should not take away from those who have less, and instead let them improve. One day you may be in the position of one who has less. You will want the mercy of learning a lesson."

Her father's voice faded into the back of her memory.

 

*           *           *

 

Seth sighed tiredly when Kyari fainted. Great, just great. What was he going to do now? If the swords mistress didn’t get aid soon her life expectancy wouldn’t be worth half a copper.

Grinding his teeth, he turned his back on the insensate body. Abandoning a defenseless body really didn’t sit well with him, but there really was only one choice, but that didn’t mean he liked it.

Dragging his body out of the training arena at a painfully slow pace, he pushed his way into the lobby and grabbed the nearest person he could find. As quickly and shortly as he could, he recounted his problem and begged the young woman to get a medical team to the arena as fast as possible.

His job done, he closed his eyes and let his mind be carried off into the enveloping darkness.

Hahaha, now we’re both ending up half dead after our bouts... I think I might be a bad influence.

*           *           *

She didn't remember anything between her father's voice and waking up in an unfamiliar bed.

Kyari sat up slowly, her head spinning slightly. I've got to stop giving such dramatic lessons. If this keeps up... She sighed, slumping back into her pillows.

*           *           *

Wading blearily into consciousness, Seth was met with the ever so familiar sight of whitewashed walls. The only difference this time was an odd feeling that had settled somewhere in his gut, a warm and fuzzy one that radiated security.

... Feels like home...he thought absently before pausing and actually taking a moment to absorb what he’d just thought.

“Ok, I really have to stop doing this. It’s having a bad effect on me...” The wounded boy poked his chest gingerly and winced. “Besides the obvious ones...”

Shaking his head, he pulled himself out of bed, swaying for a moment as the dull throb of healing wounds washed over him like some macabre heat wave. Taking a second to regain his bearings, he powered through the soreness and started getting dressed.

I guess that if anything, all these fights have done wonders for my familiarization to pain... he thought wryly.

Trudging out of his room, he exited the medic wing, making his now customary thanks to the staff as he left. Ending up in the lobby in short order he peered around for any signs of Kyari, but found none.

Hmmm, maybe she’s gone home already?

*           *           *

Peering tentatively at her injury, she decided it was okay for her to move around, and did so, gathering her stuff and paying the medics.

"I just woke up, but it’s already time to take a nap," she muttered to herself as she headed home.

*           *           *

After fifteen minutes it was quite apparent that the girl wasn’t anywhere in the vicinity. Wandering back to the main desk, Seth made a small inquiry and found that Kyari had indeed left a short while ago.

So, she was out of the medic bay, and he didn’t know where she’d gone to. He didn’t really want to fight anyone else (especially not in his current condition), so that was out too. What else did he have?

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, he paused and looked down at his gloves. Right. They’d been ruined in the fight, and needed to be repaired.

Now with a definitive goal in mind, he exited the arena and headed out for the merchant’s district. It never once crossed his mind that it had been Kyari who’d paid for all his equipment the last time, and he really hadn’t gained much money since then.

*           *           *

She woke up with a sharp pain shooting through her stomach, revealing that the wound hadn't been quite as healed as it should've been.

She immediately went to Jalen, giving a sharp rap on his door. His pale face was lifted in the half smile that was always on his face as he answered it.

"I need your help again," she said, holding her wound in an attempt to help it.

"I was going to come find you anyway. Do you have time to stay? I have to talk to you."

She shrugged and followed him into a sparse room, with a couple of chairs that looked like they might be comfy. "Can we take care of this first?" she asked, motioning to her stomach.

"Oh, yeah, that's fine." He shook his head to clear his thoughts, and motioned for her to sit. Kneeling down next to her, he put one hand on her back, and one on the scar. The close contact made her a little bit uncomfortable, but she tried to relax as he healed her.

It was over in minutes, leaving the girl relieved. He took his seat across from her, slumping into the chair.

"You can't go to the medics anymore."

"Why not? I know they aren't the best of healers, but they get most of the job done."

He leaned forward. "They aren't trying to heal you. They're trying to weaken you. You and that boy you've been training. You've been coming in more beat up with each fight, and they are hoping that one day you're going to slip up and not be able to pull through."

"What are you talking about? Why would they do that? There's no motivation for them."

He sat back again. "They aren't all in on it, but the ones who are, are the ones who are healing you. That wound was not well healed at all. In another fight, it would've reopened of its own accord. They have orders. No one could tell me who, but they're being well paid. It's costly to heal people, at least in energy, and they take in quite a bit of charity cases. If they accidentally let someone die, after all the appearance of their best efforts, it's well worth the money. They don't care who it is that needs to die. Just trust me, stay away from the medics."

She froze. Just trust me...Just trust me...Just trust me.

"If you need anymore healing, you've got to come to me."

She stood up, her voice too afraid to say something. He noticed her worried face, and came to stand beside her, and was about to rest a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she brushed past him, leaving a coin on the table on the way out.

Just trust me...Just trust me...Just trust me...

Can I really trust him?

Just trust me...Just trust me...Just trust me...

Or is it a trick?

Just trust me...Just trust me...Just trust me...

She continued home, oblivious to everything around her.

A wave of somnolence passed over her. She tripped over a loose cobblestone that threatened even the most wary of travelers, and prepared to hit the ground.

This is going to hurt; she remembered thinking as she fell.

*           *           *

Seth exited the armory, now sans his chest plate and gloves. The smith had told him that damages were to be expected when he wasn’t familiar with the gear, and that he’d have the equipment ready to go in a few hours.

That is, if he had the cash to get the gear back.

He had handed over his stuff without thinking and had only realized that he was severely short on funds after he had left the store. Being too proud to admit that he’d made such an elementary mistake, he had turned heel and headed straight for the arena.

Now it was even more imperative that he found Kyari (the possibility that she might not feel all that charitable after he’d stabbed her through the stomach never crossing his mind). If he didn’t have enough money to pay the man by the time his gear was repaired...

Unfortunately for him, she was nowhere to be found. Or at least, not in the arena.

Well this is a fine kettle of fish, he grumbled to himself as he stomped out of the arena lobby. Where am I supposed to go now? Augh, this is so aggravating! If only I could just...

The teen cut that thought of viciously. Inconspicuous, he’d promised himself, and inconspicuous he’d remain. Some things were worth little sacrifices.

With no better lead to follow, he let his feet drag him over to the residential sector of the martial city, hoping he’d find Kyari, or at least her lodgings there.

And he wasn’t going to start asking questions about the whereabouts of the undefeated fighter’s living quarters. He wasn’t that snake Marcin after all.

He huffed tiredly and sat down at the edge of the road, his back against a handily available brick wall. This wasn’t working. He’d searched for at least two hours and he’d had absolutely no luck as far as finding his friend’s lodgings was concerned.

To make matters worse, he still hadn’t covered all the houses in the residential area, much less any other sector of the great city.

A needle in a haystack indeed.

Sighing dispiritedly, he decided he needed a break. He grinned a little as he watched the myriad people passing by. Maybe, with a little luck, Kyari might be one of them if he kept his eyes open.

He snorted. And maybe, with a little luck, he’d become the uncontested ruler of the entire planet.

Ah well, at least he’d have some entertainment while he rested...

He perked his ears as a low muttering forced its way into his consciousness. Looking to his right, he saw a ring of bystanders growing in the middle of the cobbled street. Led on by his natural curiosity, the improvisationalist hauled himself off his feet and ambled over to see what the fuss was all about.

Slowly pushing his way through the jostling bodies, he made his way to the inner portion of the human circle. The moment he broke through the last ring of curious citizens, the brunet's brows shot up immediately.

Ask and you shall receive, huh? Or something like that, he thought as he caught sight of Kyari lying face down on the street, unconscious. Though this is the last... Never mind, not important.

Moving forward quickly, the boy pressed his fingers against the small thief's neck.

Steady heart beat.

At least she's alive. Alive's always good, he chunnered to himself mentally, more out of nervousness than anything else. No bleeding either. At least not that I can see. He carefully flipped the girl over. Only bruising I can see is on her forehead... So... she just fainted? Shaking his head, he lifted her into his arms and turned towards the arena.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing!?" Freezing, he turned around and came face to face with a frowning man.

"She's... an acquaintance of mine," he explained haltingly. "I'm not leaving her out here alone." He nodded his head towards the centre of the city in a silent explanation of his destination.

The man's countenance didn't change a jot. "Words mean little kid. You wouldn't be the first to charm your way out of a crowd with a silver tongue only to disappear down an alley the moment we take our eyes off you." The middle aged man growled.

Personal experience? he wondered. Shaking his head, he turned back around and started walking towards the arena, Kyari in tow. "If you're worried about her safety, you're more than welcome to follow me,” he called over his shoulder.