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 Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:41 am
Sekani loved getting out and exploring the world. Granted, he never really went much further than their village, but he was happy with his travels all the same. With his little averin on his shoulder, the hybrid had left home with only one goal in mind; purchase as many fresh, spring bulbs as he could! This was going to the year he grew a big garden! He just knew it! So many years in the past all his flowers had fizzled out under the harsh sun but now…now he knew what he needed to do.
That was, of course, until he’d gotten arrested. The tiny little hybrid was sitting in some shabby room with the only light coming from some slats in the upper wall. They’d tried to put manacles on him, but the metal had just slid off his thin wrists.
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:42 am
Sariza didn’t know why she was here, really. There were routes she had to check on with her unit and while stopping in a village or two wasn’t out of the question getting involved in their strife was. She wasn’t a guard anymore; had never really been one, really. Still, when the town had asked for her help with an investigation, she’d given in. It was an unusual case and after seeing her arrive with her militant crew the locals had asked for a second opinion.
Now she was opening the door to the cell where a…very small boy sat hunkered in the corner. “State your name.”
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:49 am
Spirits, she was a big lady. She probably could have tossed Korin across the room if she wanted to-
“S-Sekani.” Meeki lifted his head out from under Sekani’s shawl and looked at up the Oban with the same amount of apprehension that his master displayed. “They said that I hurt a man and took his gold, but I didn’t. I’ve never hurt anyone! Well, not bad. I wrestled with my siblings sometimes but those were just accidents-“ Why couldn’t he stop talking? Sekani’s stomach was absolutely in knots!
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:51 am
“The report said that a Mr. Yaris was found unconscious near his stall in the market with a large bruise on his temple. When he’d regained his senses he said it was a matori hybrid that did it, and that all of his gold had been stolen; gold that was in a purple satchel like the one you were found with.”
Sympathy didn’t go very far with Sariza. The kid was obviously well cared for and sweet, if his actions were anything to go off, but Sariza didn’t get paid to trust the word of teenagers. She was here for the facts and if it incremented him then so be it.
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:53 am
“I found the empty satchel in the street. You can ask; people saw me!” There had been so many others around him that surely someone had noticed! He’d been on his way to the flower vendor when Sekani saw it and he’d thought it was prettier than the one he already had. “I didn’t know it was his! And I didn’t hurt him just to take it!”
Sensing his master’s upset, the little averin moved up to his shoulder and curled up near Sekani’s collarbone.
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:58 am
It wasn’t lining up. Yaris had been very specific with his description of the assailant and appearance wise it matched up with the boy in front of her. “The thief was described as an Oban skinned youth with blue speckling and gold eyes. Those are very descriptive attributes for someone to just make up, don’t you think? Especially if you’ve never seen Mr. Yaris.”
Looking over the file in her hand, skimmed the notes one more time before dropping it to tap against her thigh. “How old are you, Sekani?”
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:19 pm
“Twelve.” He sniffled. “My mama just let me go out on my own this year…she said I was big enough to do it…I just wanted to look at flowers...” And it was true! He was just going to have a nice, simple day like all the other big boys did and now he was in a cell! If he’d gone with Visha his big brother could have talked his way through it or Korin would have made this lady cry but now…Sekani couldn’t stop from tearing up. “C-can I please go home?”
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:21 pm
“Not yet.” Sariza sighed. This kid was utterly gutting her. She hated keeping someone this young behind bars, even more so when he was so traumatized that he was crying openly and begging for his family. Every maternal instinct in her was screaming to just scoop him up and carry him home, but she couldn’t. If he’s lying you need to know. And if he wasn’t she’d have to deal with some pissed off parents. “Sekani, I just need evidence to prove your innocence and once that’s verified you can go home. Until then you have to stay with me, got it?”
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:22 pm
[5/10]
“What does evidence mean?” He’d heard it before in passing, but big words made his brain hurt and Sekani had never really been good at keeping information in his head. The boy was a simpler sort who just liked spending time with others and smelling flowers; you know, happy things. Books weren’t happy and neither was studying. If it was something she needed then he wished he’d paid attention a little bit more, but that still didn’t mean he’d know how to get it.
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:23 pm
Oh boy. “Evidence is proof. Something to give me reason to believe you didn’t do it.” Which was, admittedly, looking less and less likely as time passed by. Yaris had painted a clear picture of who stole from him which matched this kid perfectly. “You said you wanted to look at flowers. Did you stop by a shop or a vendor? Is there anyone you talked to that might be able to say you were there during the crime?”
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:26 pm
“Someone that I talked- Oh! The women at the teahouse! There were two of them sweeping outside this morning when I passed. They said my curls were cute.” And they were. He worked hard to keep his curls as soft as possible because as simple as Sekani was he was also a touch vain. There wasn’t a moment that passed that he didn’t like being called cute. “I stayed with them a little bit talking about flower bulbs and wasn’t that when he was attacked? You could talk to them!”
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:31 pm
Now that was something to go on! Sariza made note of the teahouse – which one, she hadn’t the foggiest idea of – in her notes. He likely didn’t remember the name of it anyway so she would just have to ask around, but still, at least that was something. A knock at the door drew her attention and when Sariza turned the guard who led her there had stuck his head in.
“Yaris is here for his statement. I thought if he caught a look at the kid he could help identify him.”
“So long as they’re separated, sure.” If he still claimed that Sekani did it then she would have to further investigate, but this might very well save the kid. “Are you alright with that?” If he wasn’t then she would have more reason to be suspicious.
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:36 pm
[7/10]
“So long as he won’t yell at me.” If this was the man who wanted to keep him in here then Sekani really didn’t want to see him! Still, it wasn’t like they were going to give him a choice; adults rarely did! He lifted Meeki and held the averin close, despite the little creature’s protests. If they kept him in here did that mean he wouldn’t ever go home? Wouldn’t his mother be worried if he didn’t? He’d get in trouble, she would cry and then he would cry more and- well, now he was on the verge of a panic attack.
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2022 6:42 pm
There was no way that she could promise that, but Sariza could make sure that the man didn’t take physical action against the child. Even if he was a thief it wouldn’t do to hurt him anymore than this experience already had. At twelve Sekani could turn his life around with the proper intervention if he was even guilty to begin with.
Motioning the other man forward, the guard led a portly vendor into the room. At first his wounded visage seemed downright grumpy until he saw Sekani.
“Whose this kid? You said you caught the thief.” He turned back to the other guard who shrugged his shoulders.
“This is the one who matched your description.”
“Yeah, well, this ain’t it.”
Ah, well, now this…this was bad.
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2022 7:00 pm
[8/10]
He’d been ready for the man to be angry at him, but Sekani hadn’t been ready for the vendor to immediately turn his ire on those around them! He was ranting and raving about the incompetence of the task force – whatever that meant – and Sekani was struggling to keep up with some of the words he said. Some of them were so bad his father told him never to say them in public, let alone with a lady in the room, but she seemed mostly embarrassed to be there.
In fact, now that it was obvious he was telling the truth – obviously! – she came over to offer him a hand.
One that he hesitantly took. After all, she hadn’t been the one to bring him in but she was still with them. “…Can I go home now?”
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