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 Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:45 pm
Taunting Troubles
Who?
Miss Elsie Crane and a Plagued cup of coffee (Rown) with Georgie and Adal (Zanaroo)
When?
The snow from weeks ago, once ripe, begins to melt, and the sky is painfully bright.
Where?
Imisus, at a bustling marketplace near the hearth of the Council.
---Carefully weaved between the nooks and crannies of the fray of people within the tiny alley of the marketplace, it was easy for Georgie Malt to stray past crowds as a regular street urchin. All he had to do was lower his head, hide his freckled face beneath the shadows of his hat. The boy's pallid hands firmly grasped the leather-bound book in his hand as he swiftly tried to make his way past petty auctioneers and scandalous market business.
Just as the winter had shown signs of fading, the Imisese market blossomed back into its usual (albeit infamous) glory, selling cheaply made clothing and scraps of vegetables to the usual low-class woman, who then exchanged their rusted shillings for a three days' meal course. The crowd began to fade into tighter bundles, straightening his crooked back, mouth gaped in wonder as he surveyed his surroundings.
His mouth was gaped not in wonder, however-- there was nothing wondrous about his filthy, dirt and snow-trodden surroundings. The boy uttered a sigh of exasperation as he spied his blond companion sitting upon an empty stand nearby, a pile of shiny coins rattling from his closed hand.
Adal didn't seem to notice the brunette-- like Georgie, his hat shrouded his eyes, his identity; and, much to his pleasure, it was working quite well among his uneducated crowd. "Nine, ten, eleven shillings I have gathered today," he noted jovially, head tilted to the side as he glared bemusedly at Georgie. "I must say, old habits die hard."
"Adal, we... we're supposed to be earning honestly, not stealing! Give me those!" Georgie hissed, as he found no other words to respond to the odd Locos.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:39 am
With the weather turning warmer as the seasons passed Elsie found that many of her old clothing was no longer needed as she ventured out, some of the many layers she often wore left sitting in their proper places in the closet, though it still was slight crisp enough outside that warm food and drink took thought over anything else. Many would perhaps wonder why the woman simply didn't sip at the cup of coffee she held in her hands as though the object were keeping her fingers warm, though most thoughts stopped were they to get close enough and smell the odor that wafted from such a tiny cup.
It was decay, strong and heavy, and despite how powerful it seemed to be Elsie showed no signs of being repulsed by it. The cup was in her hands, steaming fresh, and every now and then she would glance down at its contents with a look mirroring confusion and longing. If she wanted a sip so badly she could easily take it, but that smell and something else must have been keeping her from placing her lips.
" . . . . " It was as if she were uncertain what to do now that she was indeed outside, her shopping greatly limited by the fact she had little coin to spend and her hands were occupied. She could spend her day people watching, her nights in bed with someone should they be watching her back, so Elsie set her gaze out onto the crowds to see if anyone showed interest.
Her gaze was caught on a set of two young man seeming to have an altercation with one another, at least in a case of snatching something from their hands, and Elsie's brow bent slight as she tried to place their faces. She thought that she knew most of the urchins in this area, having grown up here . . . yet their faces she could not place.
"I wonder who they are?" Such words were spoken aloud, though not in a clear shout.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:55 pm
"You can't say it wasn't hard-earned. It was, by far, the most hard-earned steal I have ever gained," Adal replied, gripping his shillings and swiping his hand away as Georgie came near. Inhaling sharply, Georgie fumbled with his state of address and glanced about, nodding his head apologetically as curious bystanders walked by.
"You know what I meant," Georgie muttered, turning his stare back to Adal's hand, "Now, come on, you said you turned over a new leaf. You said so!"
"I changed my mind," Adal noted, his voice light and whimsical, though he simply held his hand in front of Georgie. The blond took curious sniffs of the surrounding air as Georgie swiped his peculiarly earned shillings from his palm, the tip of his chin raised slightly higher than it was before.
There it was, the smell of consumption, right in front of the Locos. Curiously acrid and wafting lightly in the air, Adal came to stare at Elsie as she gazed at the two, the edges of his cheeks deepening to a wide grin.
"...How curious."
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 1:16 pm
Oh dear, the person she had looked at was now looking back at her. Elsie felt her cheeks burn bright red as she tried to avert her gaze to something else, anything else, in an attempt to make it seem like she hadn't been staring. In all honesty she had only been watching because the exchange between the two young men had been quite amusing, yet the young woman had forgotten that often staring at others meant you held some form of interest. She had nothing of the sort in mind, but by the way she was now panicking no one would probably believe her.
"Umm, ummm..." She tried to start a conversation with the person standing closest to her, like she was going to ask them directions, but the person she addressed merely frowned at her and made a remark that she needed to throw the sludge in her hands away, the smell was awful.
"But I can't throw it away, it simply keeps coming back. . . ." Elsie murmured as though this man would understand her, but she sighed instead when he waved a hand at her and walked off, his own words talking about street trash.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:48 pm
Adal laughed in a fit of amusement as he gripped the edge of Georgie's shoulders, hopping to the floor from the creaky wooden stand with a curious bow of his head. Georgie couldn't help but merely watch him, eyes narrowed in suspicion, as Adal's hands clasped together behind his back as he danced through the crowd in his way toward the woman.
But was he walking for the woman? He was moving for the peculiar cup in her hands, to be more accurate. Adal watched as the fretful lady fiddled with her words toward a passerby, though once he came close enough, the blond bowed his head and held out his hand in greeting, his swirled eyes closed and shadowed beneath his burlap hat.
"Now, now. Pay no attention to this man, here. I'm not one to stare at someone back without proper greeting, especially not with a woman such as yourself."
Georgie crossed his arms, breath stifled as he scratched his head in an effort not to roll his eyes in a fit of humiliation. His feet couldn't bare to move more than a few smidgens before stopping completely, watching Adal as if he were a stranger. A foolish stranger, no less.
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Posted: Sat Feb 27, 2010 9:17 am
"Ah."
That was all Elsie could think to say whem the people she had been watching from before, one of them at least, made a straight beeline towards her and even stopped to speak. Her cheeks burned red as she listened to his voice, more specifically the words directed towards her, and she wondered what he meant by 'a woman such as yourself'. Was he referring to the fact that she was a known prostitute on these streets, something that was both common and uncommon knowledge depending on whom you spoke to? Or was he referring to the smell of dirt that sometimes clung to her body, mingling with the smell of ash and decay?
"In that case I apologize for bothering you. I meant nothing by me stares, was just watching out on the crowds and happened to settle on the two of you."
The finger that held around the cup had their knuckles turn white as she tightened her hold slightly, though clearly not hard enough to try and crack the glass or risk a chance of letting it pop from her hands. The smell of decay was growing stronger for some reason, perhaps her imagination, and she wanted to pour the contents out.
"I will be on my way then, if there is nothing you want from me."
Elsie didn't have anywhere to go, she couldn't go home during the day hours without having something to show for her work, lest the woman who lived next door remark about her status as usual. Foolish spinster.
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Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:23 pm
Adal bowed his head in thought as the woman went on her merry way, hat still tipped to cover the unusual nature of his eyes. He hadn't taken akin to womenfolk in general, but the peculiarity of the lady's situation had piqued the boy's interest, so much as to start a brief show in front of the crowd to garner the madame's attention.
"What you are doing on the street with a fresh cup of coffee confounds me, Good Miss, nevertheless one that smells as fowl as that."
So pungent and refreshingly bitter was her cup of coffee! Adal's feet trailed onward, attracted by the sweet, sweet scent of death. Indeed, he was like a bee, chasing after the sweet, sweet smell of one of death's many fruits.
Adal's scrawnier Grimm watched from afar, too tired to stray from his resting place. Tapping his feet and analyzing what he could of Adal's bleary judgment, Georgie could only think of two of many tentative scenarios: His Plague-borne brother would return without doing harm, or he would return because he had done too much harm.
Georgie had no other choice but to trail after Adal, as his mind had (unfortunately) settled on believing the latter.
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Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 8:31 pm
"This ....this coffee, it's quite important to me no matter the smell. In fact, this smell comforts me, but I don't think you'd understand were I try to explain."
The cup was pulled closer to Elsie's face, and even though the smell of decay was overwhelming, seeming to grow stronger for some reason, she didn't pull it away or pour the liquid out. She was growing used to it, were it possible, and oddly....it was comforting. Even though moments before she may have pleaded about pouring it out, or seemed to want to pour it out, there was no way this liquid would spill now.
This was her son, memories of her son. But she would never say that, never let this stranger who made her feel so uneasy know.
"As for why I am out here....it's work. I was asked to watch a stand, but the owner has just returned and I was going to return home. May I ask what you are doing, so you seem to be so curious as to my activities."
Elsie wasn't going to say she was really doing, maybe. Who knows why she was really out there - she'd long forgotten. Clothing, that's right! She wanted to get new clothes, for herself and for Thomas!
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Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 8:50 pm
Adal's brows lifted in curiosity; politely placing his hands behind his back, he nudged his head closer to the cup of coffee to take an even closer whiff, his swirled eyes observing the edge of the cup's chipped, creamy frame. Something blackened and disturbed swam across the murky, dark brown fluid, unperturbed and calm.
For a moment, the Locos ignored the poor seamstress, his eyes unwavering and as round with curiosity as a small boy's-- a smile fitting for the boyish body Adal was stuck in.
"May I ask what you are doing, so you seem to be so curious as to my activities."
Ah, of course. His proper act was dismissed as soon as the curious lady crossed his path with her fragrant beverage, and he continued to stalk after with little given excuse.
Straightening his back, Adal looked back at his mousy brother, of whom struggled to push past the crowd of strangers in the market. He turned back to the seamstress, a small frown dipping the ends of his cheeks.
"Trying to get away from my big brother, is all, miss. He's trying to take away the shillings I got from my job, so he could spot himself something fancy."
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Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 8:02 am
Elsie had been alright until she saw his eyes, though it was but a brief glance at them. Had she seen nothing human, were those swirls that decorated where pupils and irises should be? Could this be....one of those creatures from rumor, one of the beasts that people were talking about? Elsie moved one hand from the cup of coffee and up to her mouth, tying to muffle a gasp of either surprise or horror. It would probably be wrong of her to act this way, he'd done nothing to her except help disperse the crowd that had been gathering about the area, and Elsie frowned beneath her fingertips as she tried to regain her composure. She was being rude, and one of the first rules of the street was being broken.
A lady on the streets must treat all gentlemen kindly. They must smile, make them all happy.
"Ah, your...brother is trying to take your money? My brother does that as well sometimes, when he disapproves of how I've earned it. I usually mourn the loss of my shillings until Thomas returns with something nice for me. Perhaps he wants something the two of you could share?"
It was a naive hope, but at least it was better then her just running off from this conversation. A boy with strange eyes, one who claimed he had a brother. She had no right to judge him anymore than he did for her having a cup of coffee that smelt like a corpse.
"Or rather, if it's something I could get for you, then perhaps allow me to assist you with what you want?"
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Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 6:04 pm
Adal watched as the frail seamstress reclined her hand to her mouth, a trail of thought leaving him with nothing but a curious blink and a simple realization. This cup of coffee was precious to her, all but natural; it was no contraband, nor was it of simple gains. The lady had meant well, courteously dispelling her reaction to the peculiarity of his eyes, but it was in that gesture to stop herself that he gained a gander of knowledge of the lady-- she knew something, but naught of the coffee.
Ah, but what was a gentleman if he wasn't to return the courtesy of a woman?
"Do you think so, miss? Maybe, but I don't trust him, and he's coming close."
Then came the question. The flaxen boy lit with eagerness, doing as all boys that looked his age and lived his once lowly class did; act. He had learned this trick long ago, but it was a code and habit no boy could forget-- act simple, endearing, and put past all knowledge gained from years past. A simple and endearing boy was a good boy, and the boy who had the most shillings by the end of the day.
"Perhaps, might you spot a drink? I'm awfully thirsty--"
"Adal! I'm sorry, Good Miss, is he bugging you?"
Damn.
The Locos, light on his feet, danced away from his spot in front of the confused woman, slipping behind toward the safety of her back, peering from her side as his brother neared.
"Bollocks. He's here."
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Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 7:16 pm
"Your. . . brother? He's being no trouble at all, we were merely holding a conversation. He was talking to me about getting something to drink, as my coffee seemed to be making him a tad parched. I think it's a good idea, would either of you be opposed to joining me?"
Elsie did her best to try and calm the situation if it happened to be heating up, and she gave a glance over her shoulder at the boy who'd moved behind her. He wasn't touching her, thankfully, but it was still silly to see someone hiding behind her skits. Would Jesse have acted this way were he still alive and growing older? No, no, she'd banish those thoughts. Dwelling on things never brought her any good and often ruined whatever it was she was focusing on; she lost quite a few shillings that way by looking elsewhere.
If they were going to go get drinks together, should the all agree, it was in her better interest to pour out the contents of her cup. The decaying smell was practically pulsating against itself and if the coffee could rot out of the cup she was fairly certain it would. Without thinking of anything else she tilted her wrist slightly to the side and let the liquid pour out, stepping back slightly and directing it so that nothing got on either of the boys.
"Sorry about that, the smell was becoming a bit too strong. I am quite used to decay because of what....I leave close to, but I didn't wish to offend either of your noses."
She still hadn't introduced herself yet to this pair, but neither had they offered up their names. There was common courtesy playing in the air about the trio, yet no one dared ask.
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Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 8:14 pm
Georgie paused in curiosity, peering next the fragile seamstress at his brother, whose figure hid against the shadow of the poor woman. It was odd to see his brother act in such a childish manner, but it wasn't (quite unfortunately) unheard of, as he did nearly everything and anything to continue his goose chase into further mischief. It didn't help matters that Georgie looked the older of the two, and that he had to act older in order to reprimand themselves from trouble time and time again. The brunette should have gotten used to playing villain by now-- and while looking at the charlatan face of innocence Adal plaintively wore with little trouble, Georgie began to think of all of the times Adal had nagged him about his "pointless dawdling."
While Georgie quickly digested the madame's generous greeting, his reply was too autonomous and trained for himself not to respond with. "I'm sorry, miss, my brother-- eugh--"
It took Georgie a moment to notice the raunchy smell from Miss Crane's cup, so strong and overpowering that his eyes threatened to water. Coughing, he waved his hand apologetically to Miss Crane. What did he expect; for Adal to tell the poor lady everything? Scratching at his scruffy bed of hair, the freckled boy gaped and pondered on his brief answer. Georgie's glare was directed hotly at Adal, whose posture and dignity was elevated with pride. He had found another Plague.
Bowing his head toward the ground, Georgie choked out words between strangled breathing. "Miss, 'm sorry for bugging you, my brother just wanted to take your--"
"Sorry about that, the smell was becoming a bit too strong. I am quite used to decay because of what....I leave close to, but I didn't wish to offend either of your noses."
Just like that.
Both of the Malt brothers stared in wonder as the woman before them poured out the contents of her chipped cup, its blackened contents spilling onto the Imisese ground below. With mouths gaped, both boys struggled to act.
"--...Plague..."
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Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 10:19 pm
Elsie was a little confused as to why both of the boys she was in conversation with looked so...lost, after she poured the contents of her cup out onto the ground. This was something she'd done many times before, the rancid smell never come from the coffee itself but the cup that held it. She could never understand why such things happened, but weren't most people happy when she got rid of the smell? These two appeared to have been slapped in the face, if their expressions meant anything at all. Very, very odd.
"Is something the matter? Did I get any of it on you?"
Her question was perfectly innocent, though she did raise one eyebrow as if she were questioning more. Would she have to explain now what would happen next? The boy had said something about 'Plague' at the very end of her action, what head he meant by that? Did she do something poorly?
"If you're worried about the smell, don't be. Anything I place into this cup turns out smelling like rot before too long, though it seems to favor coffee the most. It's probably because...of what it used to hold."
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Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 10:39 pm
As blackened steam billowed and dispersed when the beverage fell onto the dirt ground beneath their feet, the Locos himself was at loss of words for the Plague. For a moment, Adal was struck with irritation and annoyance at the woman; but what was she to know? A lady at a stall in the Imisus marketplace was of no high class, he knew, and to their dismay they were neither learned nor wise of the Plagues. They were myths, monsters that lurked in the shadows dark past their experience's reach.
...Ah, but--
The faint lingering of Plague stuck to the reams of the coffee cup; something faint and deftly hidden beneath the delectable layers of beverage and decay. It was still there, alive. While the scent was no longer all around him, warm and inviting, that familiar feeling was still there, and the Plague's swirled eyes were fixated upon the young madam's hapless cup.
To Georgie, the smell was gone, lost; he was quick to look away from the remnants of Plague, though one quick glance at his brother and a word from the good miss was enough to stir him. He eyed Miss Crane with knowing stare, his brows neither pinched together nor raised in suspicion. He scratched at one of his freckled cheeks, wearily replying as he always did.
"Were you around anyone who passed of Plague, miss? When you had that cup with you."
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