Who

I'dre, Ryott

What

A chance meeting in some of the seediest parts of the Bazaar turns into a game between two near strangers.

When

It is afternoon of the seventh day of the tenth month of the fifteenth turn of the 12th pass.

Where

Shadowed Alley

OOC Date 16 Dec 2018 05:00

 

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"Uh huh. And we're totally not playing a game right now, are we?"



Shadowed Alley

The moonlight casts fitful beams of light into the area, spreading hopeful fingers towards the alley's adobe walls, but fail to reach its depths. Instead soupy darkness coat the walls and uneven pavement of the fetid passageway, and the midden's usual stench is strong as it competes with the spices and musk from the animal enclosures. A fitful gleam from a nearby corner's torch lends a half-life to crude graffiti on the walls, an uneasy mishmosh of stick-people and malformed dragons. Further on, a maze of small walkways and tiny houses choke off any attempts at casual identification of location, and what scurries in the true darkness have even the tunnelsnakes fleeing.

It is the sixty-seventh day of Autumn and 87 degrees. The day dawns bright and clear. Everything is coated in sand, but no clouds linger on the horizon.


The days are shortening as autumn settles in. Not too noticeable quite yet, unless you are required to be attentive of the change in time. I'dre isn't exactly under curfew anymore but he's not wanting to be caught out here, in this part of the alleys, too late at night. He may be dressed to suit the area he finds himself in, any trace that he's a rider missing, but one never knows if they'll run into someone who knows the truth. He's also leaving a rather run down looking home that is more of a shack, at best ? or at least, trying too. Another figure, masculine even under the worn clothes despite being half hidden in shadows, tries to follow. Which has I'dre turning back and muttering something tersely, like an ever patient command that hints that said 'patience' is waning. The figure lingers, head listing as if not capable of fully grasping the instructions but turns inside regardless. With shoulders slumping in a visible show of relief, he'll close the door and back up a few paces. Waiting a few seconds, then minutes, when no further movement comes, I'dre finally turns and heads down one of the dimly lit alleys.

The collection of tight alleyways with their dim light and long shadows is a favorite haunt of a certain Zingari girl. Either patrolling, practicing her stealth, or just finding a good hiding place for various pilfered loot, Ryott knows the twists and turns around here like the back of her hand. Dressed in a tightly fitted, sleeveless tunic of dark charcoal, fitted overtop with a short jacket that just falls to her ribcage made of black hide in a sort of patchwork arrangement. Shirt is tucked into suple dark grey hide pants that fit her like a second skin and doesn't restrict movement. Hair is short and styled in messy spikes with a fringe that almost brushes her brows. Slipping from shadow to shadow soundlessly, her reason for being there isn't readily obvious as she just seems to skulk about. During that skulking, she spies movement, and freezes against a nearby wall, moving just enough to peek around and watch the interaction between the two men with narrowed eyes. She stays stock still even as the other man retreats back inside and I'dre just stands there. He seems familiar but she just can't place him. When he moves though, she follows a couple paces behind. Her practiced steps are almost silent, but she's not exactly hiding her presence either. If he manages to look back she's merely strolling along with hands dug deep into pockets and head down.

She will manage to tail him for some time. I'dre's distracted until there's sufficient distance between him and that broken down shack of a home. While the dim-lighting masks his features, it's evident enough from his posture and his stride that he's troubled by something and that the interaction, while suspicious, had some effect on him. Eventually, his posture changes and his stride takes on a more balanced purpose; he's regaining control and with it, awareness. They'll venture a little further and then the bluerider is turning his head to glimpse over his shoulder. Ryott's posture isn't immediately alarming, but something nags at him regardless. Mainly… no one else is here except for the two of them. So almost instantly, her presence harbours suspicion and wariness. "What do you want?" he asks briskly, in an edged tone that hints that he's not really in the mood for "games" but if he's cornered, he'll be up for a good fight.

Ever observant, Ryott's sharp gaze picks up on the man's posture and watches it change the further they get with furtive glances. At this point, if nothing else, it's good practice for the spyling girl. That is until he turns back and catches her. She sags a bit, putting her weight on her back foot as she shrugs her shoulders with complete indifference. "Can't a girl wander through some dark alleys just for the fun of it?" she responds in her signature flat, deadpan as she pushes her hands deeper into pockets. "I know you from somewhere," she states out of the blue with a cant of her head to one side, "Trying to figure out from where…" she drawls her words into nothingness, her honesty maybe a little suprising, but she likes to keep people on their toes.

"No." I'dre's answer is as brisk as it is blunt and his grim expression doesn't exactly scream 'friendly', either. He's definitely giving her a more suspicious glare too. "Most girls tend to avoid dim, foul smelling, alleys late at night… or any hour. And I'm sorry to say but if you're a lady of the night… y'gotta work on that." A hand lifts to gesture to her outfit. It's not that bad, in retrospect, but he's making a point! He snorts when she comes clean with the truth and eases up a bit on his suspicions. "That right, huh? Well, I don't recognize you." Which is a partial lie. Something about her does ring a bell but he's drawing a blank too. Could be that Ryott was in disguise? Or his memory is just that poor. "Might've crossed into your circles, if you frequent the Bazaar enough." He figures from her getup alone that she's not the typical sort and likely ventures to questionable venues as much as he does — or did, once upon a time.

He can glare suspicisouly all he wants, Ryott doesn't seem phased at all, she just stares at him skeptically as he goes on to tell her what most girls do. There's really only once conclusion then…"I'm not like most girls then," is simply stated before she looks down at her attire as if she's wondering how she could ever be mistaken for one of those. "Don't they usually gauzy dresses that barely cover a thing? I'd like to see someone try to proposition me though, that'd be good for a laugh," she adds with a wickedly cold chuckle. She's not sure she believes him when he says he doesn't recognize her, but then he mentions the Bazaar and something clicks. "Riiiiiiight….Now I know where I remember you from." Her smirk deepens as she makes no move to really elaborate, seeing if she can't push some buttons. There's few things in life that gives Ryott more joy in seeing if she can get under someone's skin. What a pleasant girl she is.

"Depends?" I'dre smirks and yields no further information on that! It was meant to be a joke, in turn for her deadpan commentary. Her laughter has him scoffing as well and his wariness of her begins to ebb further. He remains alert, however, because while she's not posing an immediate threat, they ARE still in an alley! Frowning, he tilts his head in silent question when she admits to recognizing him. "Guess I am hard to forget, huh?" Shifting, his posture straightens just long enough for him to fold his arms across his chest and then he's back to looking relaxed, weight settling more to one hip. "One of the gambling dens?"

"Don't flatter yourself, I make a point of remembering faces," Ryott replies with an almost bored look as she pulls one hand from her pocket and begins to absently examine her nails. Being in an alley doesn't seem to be bothering the teen much at all, as she's far more comfortable in dark places that in the light. His alertness seems to be amusing her, her crooked smirk deepening further. She's more than a foot shorter than him and still has a bit of a baby face. But she does get it. She could be a decoy in some nefarious criminal gang…now there's a thought. Focus Ryott, now's not the time. When he starts his guessing, she just finds a nearby wall to prop up settling in for a stay. "Nope." She replies succintly as she pulls a small beltknife, spinning it with a bit of flourish over her knuckles before she starts to use it to pick at some crud under her fingernails.

I'dre gives her an equally deadpan look though he's not about to leave that first remark unchallenged with some more sarcasm. "What's not to remember about me?" He'll even go as far as to smile in a darkly, sort of charming way. Yeah, someone's got an ego or narcissistic side, here! And he knows it and owns it with no (okay, a lot) of regret. He's taller than a lot of folk, but a she gets a better look of her, there's probably that thought running through his head! And if she's brazen enough to wander this place, alone and at night? He's definitely keeping his guard up around her, beneath that casual veneer. He eyes that blade of hers and then gives her an incredulous stare. "Uh huh. And we're totally not playing a game right now, are we?"

Rolling her eyes more sharply at his first response, Ryott scoffs gently but doesn't rise to the bait of his words, "That smarmy smirk of yours for one." Her cold reply isn't really meant as a taunt as she continues to scrape carefully along closely trimmed nails. His last brings another chuckle under the girl's breath as she tilts her head to one side and points at any number of the various exits from where there are with the tip of her blade, not in a menacing, more lazily. "Nothing's keeping you from being along your way…" she points out before getting back to work on the other hand now. "And maybe we are, maybe we're not…but what's the harm in a little fun?" Her lips spread into what should be a smile, but it doesn't reach her dark eyes, leaving it strangely out of place of the girl's more serious features.

"Smarmy!?" I'dre's incredulousness sounds almost fake and yet it's genuine in the same vein. He doesn't exactly exclaim loudly, either but still! Grimacing, he'll narrow his gaze all the same but there's no heat behind it. Consider it another game, within a game! His brows furrow as she gestures with that knife and then he's glancing sidelong for that smile of hers and what could be implied. Deciding to 'play' along but risking much, he shrugs his shoulders. "I don't think you could keep pace with my 'fun'," he challenges and then straightens, tugging a bit at the neckline of his jacket. "See ya around, kid!" He'll even go as far as to mockingly salute her, while turning to walk away. It's all a trap, of course! I'dre's probably started a countdown in his head. And should he fail? Well, he wins regardless and will just go about his business!

Smarmy is a description Ryott is going to stand by, indicated by a curt nod in response. The girl looks almost insulted when I'dre dares to assume much about her and her ability to handle all kinds of fun, even the less mainstream ones. "I don't back down from a challenge for your information, and I'm sure I could handle whatever kind of entertainment you could dish out." He's not the only one with some arrogance and ego to fling around. It may be teenage bluster, but she looks darkly serious in her response. When he makes his farewell, her eyes narrow and lips pull into a line of mild irritation, maybe from being called kid, or just the fact that her impromptu fun is not playing along. "Fine, I'll give you a hint. There was a game involved, but it wasn't in a gambling house."

I'dre pauses with his back facing her, smiling victoriously and smugly before turning around. By then his expression has slipped to something bemused but still taunting her with the knowledge that he knows she fell for it. "Gonna have to be more specific?" he tells her, while taking a few steps back towards her and folding his arms back across his chest. "Also?" Belatedly. "Didn't think you'd back down but I forgot to add… even if you could, you're too young. You've got to be like, what? fifteen, at best? Sorry to break it to ya now, but… no way I'm dragging a kid along. Even if you kind of look like you can handle yourself." Teasing AND complimentary! It's… kind of nice of him?

Ryott would like to slap that bemused expression off his face for him, getting prickly about having fallen for it. Sheathing her blade again, she mimics his stance with arms crossing her chest. "Wow…I'm just going to have to spell it out huh? Find the Lady?" she replies with a scoff while eyes narrow, drawing dark brows over darker eyes. When he mentions his kind of fun being off limits, she just stares at him incedulously before chortling, there's even a little snort. "That's funny! You actually think that my age would stop me from doing whatever the shards I want to do? Fuck that! Life's too short." That compliment does make her puff up her chest just a little bit as she lifts her chin slightly to try and look up at him imperiously, "Well thank you for noticing. Too many times people discount me completely because of something so trivial as the number of Turns I've been alive. Just a hint…" she leans forward as if imparting a great secret, "Most people regret that."

She wouldn't be the only one who has desired slapping I'dre for something he's done! Probably won't be the last, either. He feigns not catching on for a moment when she gives up and then smirks, all smug now out in the open. "See? Was that so hard?" He does remember her now, despite their meeting being a short one. Brows lift as he strikes a nerve in her and then he's laughing, low and deep. Once he's sobered enough, despite the brief relapse of a snicker, he nods. "Yeah. See? If that's how you're gonna react just over someone yanking your chain about your age? Definitely too young. Don't care how "hardened" you are from… whatever it is you do? The places I frequent are gonna see right through that and while I'd love to see you kicked out… I'd be kicked out too! And I'm very," he stressed with a smirk. "Partial to keeping my vices right now." Her threat is dismissed with another snort. "Uh huh." Sorry, he's not buying it! Or he's goading her. Regardless he shrugs his shoulders and glances skywards. "Listen, as much fun as this has been? I really do have to be somewhere, okay?" Turning away again, he'll give a little wave and there's just something about it that lends to truth this time.

"Good thing I'm not looking to convince you of anything," Ryott drawls dryly before settling back against that wall, even kicking one foot back to rest against it as if she's getting a little more comfortable, not rising to any goading that might be going on, even though her lips press together in a firm line and eyes take on a dark glint. "That's fine, everyone needs to know their limits when it comes to risk I suppose. Can't fault you there," Her words seem understanding but the dry sarcasm they are delievered leave the impression that the girl might be doing her own goading. "Keep your vices then…You probably wouldn't be able to keep up with me anyway." When he indicates he needs to leave, she just shrugs her shoulder indifferently. "Do what ya gotta do," she adds dimissively, as she leans her head back against the wall, clealy indication no desire to move herself at the moment. She watches out of the corner of her eye as he turns with that wave and starts to walk away. She waits until he's well out of sight, and even then counts several more breaths before she kicks off and heads off in the opposite direction, perhaps getting back to whatever it is she was doing in this part of the Bazaar in the first place.

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