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 Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 5:06 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 5:08 pm
It was no surprise the market was abuzz with troll activity, it often was and Nahori enjoyed it for the chance to observe, even if Guineamom usually kept their visits short and sweet (too short, quite bitter actually). Tonight should have been no exception, they came for vegetables and already had a basket full, which was tied around mom's neck right in line with her unfriendly looking teeth to deter foolish pickpockets. Normally her charge would've been pressed tight against her side or saddled on her back, but tonight was unusual and the orangeblood had somehow procured a seat on a nearby bench, her little legs dangling far away from the ground.
The benches were almost always occupied during busy times like this, usually by resting highbloods, but when mom had herded her towards one, one with an empty seat, she snapped it up with undeniable greed. Oh please, please no highbloods to 'request' her seat, she begged fate, fingers paled where she was gripping the edge. Mother never left her like this in the market, unless the crowd around her favorite stand was far too busy to risk Nahori ending up trampled. This was a rare opportunity indeed, and though it might have seemed simple or silly to an outsider, it meant a moment of peace and so much more to the child with tired eyes, despite still seeing her lusus's height sticking out over the crowd.
Only when she felt a calm finally wash over her did she notice the redblood next to her move to leave. A nervousness washed over her anew. Finding a seat next to another lowblood had been a bit of a blessing she had to admit, what if a highblood sat next to her now? What if they tried to talk to her or ordered her away for her dirty color? She worried her lip and tried to ignore the pounding in her chest. Watch the crowds instead, watch the crowds...
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Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 9:58 pm
It wasn't unusual for the yellowblood to be out and about, but it was somewhat strange for her to meander around markets like this. Trusci could recall, vaguely, a few times in which her and her twin and her lusus had visited, but her penchant for mischief eventually earned her a spot back at the hive, squirreled away from any sort of danger she could wander into. Effectively managed.
On occasion, she managed to escape Duckmom's watchful eye and escape into the world. The bustle left her memorized; so many trolls, so little time! Her hands were gripped on their respective utensils—wooden sword in one, pen and paper in the other—enthusiastic and ready to take on the world. Think of the scoops! Surely she could dig something up, hear something juicy, hoard away some precious gossip that probably only held value to her and the unknown strangers it pertained to.
Find a base of action, somewhere good... Her tiny eyes scanned the surroundings, tiny legs carrying her aimlessly down crowded paths and into annoyed, warm bodies. Being so in the moment was a little overwhelming, too much noise! Too much talking! She couldn't pinpoint any one thing, couldn't hone in on that one delicious headline. Her shiny black shoes led her to an unassuming bench with an even more unassuming orangeblood, one that she didn't give a second glance to.
Or yet, maybe.
It was quiet enough here, in the action but still removed, the perfect place to overhear some hearsay. She had come to get some dirt and some dirt alone, but a particular scene caught her attention instead. It wasn't uncommon by any means—something that burned her like an iron and she wasn't sure exactly yet why—as she spied a small commotion by the stalls, some troll harassing another, some blueblood throwing around their blood color like a trophy, some redblood meek in apology, hiding theirs as poorly as the shame on their face. She couldn't help the sneer that made its way to her face, kinda pathetic, huh?
The scowl melted away into her usual perky smile, ideas swimming. The so proclaimed unassuming orangeblood became a target of Trusci's attention then, her eyes glimmering with devilry, "Hey hey, see that? Watch this," a very unusual energy began to manifest around her hand, teal in nature, buzzing and sparking, "I'm gonna' go mess with that blue-a** over there."
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Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:57 pm
Everything went well for a time, even the beating of her bloodpusher began to slow when nothing of particular note went on. What was probably most surprising was how long the seat next to her remained vacant. No highbloods sought rest, no lowbloods shied away from the crowds and away from the attention of said highbloods who sometimes shoved and shouted when things got in their way. The empty spot beside her became like a shield, a personal bubble that afforded her a moment of relaxation, and watching the world around her allowed her to forget about her own troubles just long enough to be startled when something—no, someone—invaded her little world in an instant.
The yellowblood, that much was obvious from head to toe, hardly spared Nahori a glance, but she still felt a lump growing in her throat. It had been fine with that redblood, but she'd let herself get too attached to the idea of space and safety and now that was all gone in an instant. Even if she should have been used to hustle and bustle and bodies too close to hers, she felt suddenly uncomfortable. Shifting her hands into her lap, she sighed. Maybe it would be better to find her way back to mom instead. She was just too jumpy tonight.
Nahori was pushing herself down, she was nearly off the bench when the eventless night took a turn and the raised voice of someone undeniably pissed off caught her attention, freezing her where she sat. An altercation, certainly not unusual at all, but a sight she never liked to see despite being an avid watcher of all things fellow-troll. When she took a moment to nervously observe, she realized with a sinking in her gut that the berated redblood was the very same one who had been sitting next to her on the bench minutes ago. That was when the troll who took that redblood's seat began to speak, her voice so close that it started the orangeblood all over again. Hey what, see what, watch what? Nahori looked back in time to see something altogether unusual and frightening glittering around the stranger's hand and the near permanent lump in her throat felt suddenly like it was made of spikes.
Thoughts flashed through her head so quickly, one after the other, as hesitation held her momentarily fast. Mess with that blue-a**? Did she mean that blueblood over there? What was she planning on doing? What was that spark, that power? Nahori didn't know what consequences would come with intervening, but she knew that even if she viewed this yellowblood with societally due reverence, to that blueblood over there she was only a disgusting lowblood, and anything she did would be a direct attack on someone who was given the unspoken go ahead to go as far as to end her life for it. She had to do something, mother would never let her live it down if she didn't.
"S-Stop!" The word left her quivering lips before she could quell it and her hands shot out to cover the one that had begun to glow with energy. "I-I'm sorry, you c-can't, you...." Her hands were shaking so badly, it was more than apparent that she was afraid.
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Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2015 11:31 pm
It wasn't as if the blueblood would ever figure it out really, they were too stupid for that sort of deductive reasoning. In this crowd? This bustle? The offense could have come from anyone. Trusci was just as unassuming as the orange kid next to her; she couldn't of hoped to find herself in a better predicament.
Or not.
There was a hand on hers suddenly, knocking it down. The energy crackled out with a snap, the tealish glow dimming from her eyes until it was gone completely, replaced only with a startled, maybe almost gawking glare. What was with this girl? Her stutter? Kinda' annoying. Complacent with the spectrum too, disappointing. She snapped her hand back to her person with an irritated tch, quickly busying it with her notepad.
"What's the big deeeaaaal?" she drawled, almost irate, "It ain't like he'd ever notice, and it wouldn't even be on you, y'know. Doesn't it make you mad?"
Her eyes wandered back over to the debacle, the redblood's lusus having stepped in to diffuse the situation. There went that great opportunity, lost to the night. "Do you sympathize with that gross a** highblood over there or sommum'?"
She was a bit perplexed. She knew lowbloods had to be complacent because of their places in society, because they had to live in fear of being culled if they stepped out of that ever-changing incredibly vague line. Didn't this girl realize how easily that could have been her? Or a friend? It was one thing to put up a front out of fear or to legitimately believe in the caste, or she supposed she couldn't disagree with how some were probably more involved with their own life and saving their own hide. Which was this orangeblood? She looked down at the meek girl, body wracked with trembles. Regardless, Trusci quickly disregarded her as a threat. This was just pathetic to watch.
"Well, whatever," Trusci gave in, waving her hand dismissively, eyes wearily following the petulant blueblooded child as he was herded away by his own lusus, "Stop shakin' already, I guess I'm not going to do anything. Too late to anyway."
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Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 6:22 pm
With a sharp intake of breath, Nahori was also drawing her hands back as if she'd been struck, tucking them close to her chest. There was no question at all, her decision to act out hadn't been appreciated, nor did she expect it would be. Still, for a second she almost commended herself for it, because surely the highblood would have noticed and surely things would have gone poorly for the yellowblood after that, right? Besides, someone with a blood so blue deserved to be respected, didn't they? Just because they treated others with disrespect didn't mean they'd sullied their own place in the spectrum....right? Sometimes Nahori worried about these things, as she worried about a lot of things, but then mother's teachings returned to her think pan full force and she tried to shove the thoughts away.
"He might notice..." she muttered, glancing away. It was hard to keep her eyes on other's faces when they were so much stronger willfully than her. Sympathize? She wasn't sure. What was there to sympathize about, surely their lives were much better, right? A blueblood's had to be at least. They had so much, power, wealth, everything she didn't. They were strong, respectable, like this yellowblood here. Who would want her sympathy when she had nothing substantial to feel uplifted for? Shaking her head, she opted for the only answer she could really come up with: "I-I don't know."
It was the truth, at least, even if it was a weak one, a copout. Guineamom had drilled so many of her personal views into her charge that Nahori couldn't remember if she had any of her own. The thought was worrisome, but again, she was nothing if not a worrier. Usually the feeling went away if she ignored it, and she couldn't imagine this new acquaintance would be interested in spending much more time with her after what had happened. Soon she would be free to forget about it all again.
"I-I'm sorry," she muttered, trying to look back over, but failing, and this time her eyes took to her lap. "I'm sorry for, um, i-interrupting you, but I just, I thought...I didn't want anyone to get in trouble."
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Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 7:52 pm
Sigh.
Trusci thought she had a reasonable amount of patience, having learned to deal with her brother on a regular basis (who was, if she was giving this orangeblood any credit, much more of a whiny crybaby). Still, she saw some of that echoed in these apologies and excuses and wibbling and it made her skin crawl. Her shoe tapped against the floor quickly, breath exhaled in a huff.
"Look, okay, okay," she said, somewhat exasperated, hands waving in the air in an effort to try and diffuse some of the energy, "I get it already."
This orangeblood was just what a lot of lowbloods were. In Trusci's experience, most were either meek and shy and quiet to avoid trouble, or bitter like she was. She supposed some were somehow just content with their life (which was ultimately baffling, but to each their own), and while she tried to be open to everyone's experiences and individual values, it was always the sniveling pathetic ones that tested her. She had already missed her opportunity though, and with her frustration already increasingly prevalent in her body language she decided getting angry would only make the situation worse for the girl.
"Let's just drop it," she said decisively, "Neither of us are in trouble, we're all fiiiiine." her voice drawled, a tiny smirk to her lips as she let the situation roll off her back. A part of her still boiled with anger for the earlier debacle, but it was more or less aimed at that shitty blueblood rather than the would-be spectator here.
Regardless, things were clearing up, and her cue to follow the crowds and the scoops was calling to her. Giving the shaken orangeblood another look, she quickly found her notebook to jot things down; orange, carrots, kinda pathetic, check. They weren't necessarily things that had any meaning to anyone else, but Trusci was nothing if not obsessive with information.
"Aaaaaanyway, I better get goin'. Name's Trusci by the way; see you around carrot-top! Try not to get in too much trouble." Her smirk widened, sarcastic and jovial, before she was gone as quickly as she came, borne back into the sea of the early-evening market.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2015 8:00 pm
There was little comfort in those assurances, though she'd be more than willing to 'just drop it.' That meant things could go back to being easy, as easy as they could be, at least. If nothing else, the yellowblood wasn't yelling and screaming, didn't seem outwardly enraged, so it appeared she'd escaped any punishment for her intervention. Things would simply go back to the way they were. That was fine, that was fine. Mother would come back and they'd go back to their hive and everything would be normal. Even if maybe, just maybe, she wasn't sure she wanted that.
Fiddling with her hands in her lap was all she could do as the spot next to her became vacant again, the other troll, now Trusci, moving to leave. Nahori couldn't get her lips to move, couldn't even make a sound as she was dubbed 'carrot-top,' couldn't answer back that she had a name too and it was Nahori and maybe the yellowblood wouldn't have remembered it anyway, but at least she could have given it. Could have, but didn't, or wasn't able to. All she did was glance away from the sight of her back disappearing into the crowd. She didn't want to look anymore.
It was about that time that her lusus was finally returning, anyway, and Nahori was surprised Guineamom hadn't come rushing back at the first sign of that scuffle between blue and red. That was fine, it wasn't as if the orangblood had been involved, didn't have to fear any retribution, because she had stood up and stopped a worse thing from happening. Right? Hadn't she? Hadn't she... done a good thing? Mother wheeked in her ear and she jumped, ever so slightly, and nodded with a real quickness. Best not to keep her waiting.
"Y-Yes ma'am, l-let's go."
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