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Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:42 am
Jim had been pretty quiet through the taxi ride, watching out the window. He would glance occassionally to Kama, then the driver before returning his eyes out. Maybe Kama was gonna ditch him somewhere? Who knew at this point. He'd been awfully secretive about what he did for a living.
Kama had no intention of ditching Jim anywhere. The night was going to be a big one, and would prove utterly fruitless if the guest of honor wasn't there. However, they had a stop to make before continuing on to their final destination. When the taxi finally slowed and stopped, Kama paid and climbed out, waiting just outside for Jim to do the same. They were at a small, classy cafe, not at all the sort of place Kama could be expected to spend any time. "Looks like a good place for dinner, hm?"
Jim humphed, seemingly unimpressed. "We ate before we left...what's up with the p***k bar?" He jerked a thumb out the window to indicate the cafe as he slid himself out of the car. He was hardly dressed for such a place. True, he wasn't in rags anymore, but he was still underdressed.
"We had coffee before we left," Kama argued, leading the way too the door and inside. "We eat here or we don't eat tonight. The food where we're heading is horrible." Now, the drinks, that was another matter entirely. The cafe, despite it's appearance from outside, was not unbearably formal. Nice, certainly, but comfortably so, with the constant low chatter of various other patrons adding to the atmosphere. It was seat yourself and, after a glance around, Kama did, leading the way to a booth against one wall and reaching for a menu.
Jim plopped himself in the booth, stretching himself out as he saw fit as he looked over his menu, "So where are we going? i wanna know more about what you've got planned for fun and games tonight, Kama... I don't like being in the dark about this s**t."
Kama lifted his eyes from the menu for only a moment, giving Jim a hard stare before returning his attention to the menu. "Location is not important. It's a..party of sorts. You'll enjoy yourself. Trust me."
Jim frowned, slowly looking back down to his menu, "...you said it was buisness... not a party. Which one is it Kama? You hardly seem like the type to arrange weddings and the like."
"Parties can bring plenty of business." He cracked a grin, expression half-hidden behind the menu. "I expect you've assumed by now that I have little to no respect for the law. Black market dealings, among other things, are much more profitable than just about any other occupation if worked correctly. Hence keeping quiet about things in public places. Now drop the subject and pick something to eat." He frowned harder, his dark hazel eyes watching Kama suspiciously over the top of his menu. Black market... why was he bringing him along? "...whatever." He grumped, looking back down to the menu. "I'll get chicken strips."
"Classy," he drawled, rolling his eyes and ducking back to continue surveying the menu.
The waiter finally appeared, popping up alongside the booth with a notepad in hand. He seemed unusally young for the job, though his exact age was hard to place. Somewhere in the mid teens, perhaps. There was no uniform, but his clothing perfectly suited the atmosphere of the room--even if, for some reason, it hinted at much more subdued than he normally wore. Perhaps it was the purple hair. "Evening guys, I'll be helpin' your out tonight. My name's--" He froze, staring horrorstruck down at Kama as recognition dawned.
"Tayn," the Olplyn lazily finished for him, easily hiding a smirk. "Water with lemon. I'll need a few more minutes on the meal. Jim?"
He quirked a brow at the young boy, glancing between Kama and the waiter. Seemed they had some background there. "...uh yeah since he's buying I'll have a chocolate milkshake and a water on the side." He smirked, "Things got more salt in them than your fries you know. Makes a ******** thirsty.'
The boy seemed to awaken when Jim spoke, but he had paled a good deal, and he stuttered slightly as he replied. "Y-yeah... I m-mean, yes, good, I'll just..go get that." Immediately he shoved the notepad in one pocket and, turning, hurried towards the kitchen.
The moment he was out of earshot, Kama laughed, folding his menu with a triumphant grin and resting his elbows on the table. "Perfect."
He glanced over to Kama, slapping his menu on the table, "So what was that all about? Kid was whiter than a ghost. Looked about ready to puke."
"That," he waved a hand in a dismissively gesture after the boy. "Is the reason we came here in the first place. Kid's my property. Every so often he gets it in his head that he can sneak away. Managed pretty well last time, in fact. But he forgot something."
"-Property-?" Jim quirked a brow slowly, "...that s**t's not right, he your boyfriend or something? Your kid?" He didn't get it. He had an idea of what Kama could mean, but Jim really didn't want to think he meant what he thought he meant.
"Property," he repeated slowly, raising a brow. Chuckling softly, he sat back in his seat, explaining. "Gaia's got this thing about 'weird' creatures. Adoption centers open up in attempts to bring breeds back. Sort of like what Moo's running. Thing is, some of those centers are more shops than anything, and some of these 'pet stores' sell, well.." He gestures towards the kitchen. "Things like him."
Jim's eyes burned for a moment, "...so you're saying...that kid is to you like your sofa? Or a spoon? Just... a thing? Not like a person?" He winced, shaking his head, disgusted with the very thought.
"For the most part." He shrugged, flashing a toothy grin. "There's a whole nother side to Gaia, kid. Things aren't all flowers and rainbows."
It was then that the boy returned, still appearing rather shaken, but he'd managed to calm down a tad. Both glasses and the milkshake were balanced on a tray on one hand, and after setting all three on the table infront of their respective owners, he cleared his throat, attempting to summon a smile from somewhere. "You two decided on dinner?"
Jim glared sharply over to Kama. Life wasn't great... but people like that just made it worse. He wasn't a part of the solution. "....I'll have the chicken strips, kid." He scooted the menu away from him, still locked onto Kama with that horrid glare of his.
Kama quite clearly found the situation terribly amusing, smirking all the while as he ordered his own dinner (some sort of pasta). As the boy hurried away once more, Kama chuckled softly, reaching for his glass of water and taking a small sip.
"...you're sick... you know that?" He slammed a fist down on the table, "Is that all I am? Huh? Is that what this thing means?" He pointed to the band around his wrist, "You fattening me up to sell off like some pig at a fair?!"
"Of course not." Kama remained perfectly calm, not even bothering to look up from his glass. Instead, he took another sip. "You're not property. You're a Jivvin, and not even a bonded one. You're a future partner in crime. You don't have to approve of every aspect to enjoy the big picture."
"I won't go owning people." He growled, "I don't mind beating around adults, I don't mind stealing s**t, I don't mind breaking stuff or slipping stuff around... but kids." He shook his head, "Leave kids out of it."
"Exactly my point," he drawled, setting down his glass. "You don't have to own anyone. Truth be told, the main reason I'm even dragging Tayn back is so you don't have to keep house anymore." ..Well, partial truth, anyway. "There's no market for anything like that, what with all the shops up for the picking. He's just handy to have around."
"Man, just leave the kid alone." He leaned back in the booth, looking to the band on his wrist. It wasn't right. People weren't property, jivvin or not. It hardly mattered... he was aware that the world had darker aspects to it... he'd even suspected this kind of garbage.. but never thought Kama...
"Afraid I can't." He shrugged, reaching for his glass once more. "And, like I said, you'll be happy for it when he is around." Jim would have more important things to worry about than keeping the flat clean.
"...you won't treat him like 'property' then. No beating him around or any of that s**t. Sounds a lot like slavery to me and I'm not down with that idea. Not at all..." He looked hard to the table. it didn't at all give him any comfort for the man's plans with him.
"The fact of the matter is, boy," he began, voice hardening somewhat as he fixed Jim with a frown. "You have no say in how he's treated. You treat him as you see fit, I'll do the same. Be glad you don't share his fate."
"Remember what I said about not holding back from kicking an adult's a**?" He smiled pleasently though his eyes still held daggers in them, "I do what I want... you said yourself- you don't own me."
He chuckled darkly, frown melting into a grin. "That's what I like about you, kid. You think you're invincible even when the situation's hopeless." He shook his head, still grinning, though the expression softened somewhat. "But you're right. I don't own you. I control you." And he pointed to the band.
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Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:06 pm
"CONTROL ME!?" Jim roared, slamming both fists down on the table and rattling the silverwear and condiment bottles that had formally been stacked up so neatly beside the menu and salt shakers. "Look pal," He pointed a finger harshly into Kama's face, "I'm not your little b***h, alright?! I clean your house and do your chores, yes, but being controled wasn't part of the deal so bite me."
Kama laughed, lifting a hand to silence the boy rather than attract stares from other restaurant patrons. However, any response was cut short by Tayn's return.
The boy approached the table balancing a tray of food on one hand, slightly wary once more now that Jim's outburst had reached him. Avoiding the eyes of either man, he placed their dishes before them, clearing his throat and speaking while doing so. "Anything else I can get for y--"
"Sit, Tayn," Kama ordered with a smile, gesturing for the boy to seat himself beside Jim. Tayn hesitated, lowering the tray, and made as if to return to the kitchen.
"I'm supposed to be wor--"
"Sit," Kama repeated, expression darkening somewhat. The boy's ears fell back and, after setting the tray aside, he did so, sliding into the seat beside Jim and staring at the table top.
Jim glared over to Kama dangerously, his teeth bared and the boy showed no restraint in hiding the burning rage in his eyes. Ears drawn back, fists balled up on the table, "Leave him alone a*****e..."
Kama was beginning to grow impatient, and though he masked it quite well, their was a dangerous gleam in his eyes as he shot Jim a glare. "You will stay out of this." And regardless of what Jim might have wanted to say next on the subject...he would.
The jivvin growled, slowly tucking his hands to his sides, his tail bristled quite visably from where it was curled up alon gthe back of the bench.
Pleased, Kama turned his attention back to the boy, who was still determinedly avoiding his eyes. Grinning, he rested his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers and peering over them at the boy. "You ran away again, Tayn~."
"...I won my freedom," he snapped, ears falling back somewhat, though he didn't look up. "And you released me. I didn't run away. I left."
"Ahh, but that wasn't our bargain." The boy's head snapped up, and Kama smirked. "You told me to remove the band... And so I did. You forgot one tiny detail." From the pocket of his jacket, he drew a single, folded, official looking piece of paper, cheerfully waving it at the boy. Tayn paled.
Jim glanced between the two, slowly putting a hand over the band around his wrist... it was like a dog's collar. Papers were all well and good but dogs still got out with or without them, "Bull..." He growled, "You can't let yourself get owned by a bunch of documents. Get outta here, kid."
"Unfortunately, he can," Kama interrupted calmly, pocketing the papers once more. "These papers are binding in ever sense of the word. I've only to take them to the authorities and he will be returned to me, whether by his own will or not. This said, I trust you understand your position," he added, eyes fixing on Tayn. "You have three days."
Jim ground his teeth hard. He never bothered to study up on the law, in his opinion rules were made to be broken or pushed to the limit. It was the only way he'd survived thus far though now he was bound by law... if word got out of what he had done, or nearly done, he'd be in deep s**t. "Not cool, Kama... I'll kill you in your sleep one of these days. Owning people.. just wrong.' He shook his head, his eyes never leaving those of Kama.
Kama chose not to grace Jim with a reply, instead watching the boy expectantly. Tayn, meanwhile, had returned his eyes to the table top, ears back against his skull. Finally, he sighed softly in resignation, hesitantly attempting a bargain. "Toki and I... We'd planned a get-together with the other Cortlins. It's a week away.. L-let me stay for that, then I'll come back..?"
Kama eyed him thoughtfully for a moment, then, nodding, waved him away with a dismissive gesture. Immediately Tayn took the excuse and climbed to his feet, retrieving the tray and hurrying for the kitchen, tail tucked up between his legs.
Jim was glaring dangerously from his side of the table, completely ignoring the meal in front of him. His gut turned in so many ways, anger, anxiety, frusteration, even fear. "You're disgusting." He growled, winding his tail around to smack the tray away from him and send it flying over towards Kama.
Kama's arm snapped up to block the plate, and it was a damn good thing Jim had ordered chicken nuggets, else he's have some lovely stains along his clothes. As it was, he had only acquired a few crumbs, but the outburst alone was enough to irritate him further. Snarling, he rose to his feet, hissing an 'Out' and starting for the door without bothering to eat or pay. His chore was done, and he knew Jim would follow. The boy had no choice.
Jim smirked, taking a discarded fry from the table to munch on casually before stepping from the booth and making his way smoohly to the door. He was in for it, he knew, but no doubt Kama was embarassed by his multiple outbursts and a bombard of fingerfood.
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Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 12:18 am
The Olplyn was, to say the least, well beyond irritated by this time. Try to do something nice, and the damned boy throws the food everywhere. Mind, his true purpose for going to the cafe was complete, but that was no excuse. He hadn't gotten to eat dinner. ..Surprisingly, he managed to restrain his temper once outside, leading the way down the darkening street and offering not a word to the boy.
Jim was all too familar with the dark corners of the streets and seemed completely at ease though he couldn't help but wonder what buisness Kama would conduct that would lead him down the slums... drug dealers, stoners, whores, thieves like himself, and other 'rats' of society lived and did their 'buisness' here.
The walk was long, but not unbearably so. Kama didn't seem to be at all in a hurry, sauntering along down the street as if he had completely forgotten Jim was there, though the constant tug at the boy's wrist suggested otherwise. Finally, after various twists and turns down one street or another, they arrived at a rather crowded nightclub. Kama led the way inside, waving away a bouncer who seemed about to question Jim, and soon veered away from the crowds and down a side hallway, from there heading downstairs .
Jim growled every time the band pulled at him, now and then yelling out a colorful string of profanities that would even cause a sailor to blush. He wasn't at all hesitant to allow Kama into the delightful knowlege of how 'pleased' he was that he was being dragged along to work.
Kama was quite skilled in the art of pretending people didn't exist, and Jim, at this point, was no acception. The boy wanted to play rough, Kama would play rough. Jim had lost his Jivvin advantages. He was reduced to the position of pawn, and that meant it was time for work. At the bottom of the stairs a second guard waited, but the man evidently recognized Kama for he stepped aside to allow them through. The blare of music interrupted the otherwise silence as the door swung open, and once both had entered the silence vanished altogether as the door closed behind them. For the first time since the cafe, Kama shot Jim a glance, waving him off into the crowd. "Have fun. I'll call you when it's time for work."
Jim growled, tucking his hands sharply into his pants as he took a slow look around. He hated these places. There was just too many people too close together... too drunk. "********." He snoted as he made his way back up the stairs and out of the club. Whatever, he coudl yell until the cows came home, he was gonna go check on Axel.
However, at the top of the stairs, the band kicked in and Jim could go no further. Indeed, it tugged him back down and into the room once more and, now that it knew his intention, would not let him beyond the door again. Kama was no where to be seen.
Jim growled, pulling hard against it but to no avail. His temper snapped and he began clawing, gnawling, pulling, screaming at, and alltogether throwing a fit in a futile attempt to free himself.
This party was undoubtably different from the nightclub settled above. It had a different feel to it from the usual club atmosphere, as if all of the patrons already knew each other and had gathered for some specific purpose. Alcohol was free, food was free (though, as Kama had said, wasn't very good), and hired entertainment was plentiful. However, in this party-like atmosphere, Jim's fit was even more of a spectacle, and it wasn't long before complaints of the boy reached Kama. Furious, the Olplyn left off what he was doing; it was the work of a moment to hunt down the boy. He snatched Jim's wrist, hand covering the band, and immediately a searing pain ran up the boy's arm, through his body, throbbing horribly and growing worse the longer Kama held his grip. With the boy distracted with such a tactic, Kama half-dragged him through the room and into another door.
This room was drastically different from the last. It was nearly silent save for the muffled sound of music from outside, and the occasional soft shuffle from one of its inhabitants. There was barely enough light to see by, and the scent of blood, of decay, lay heavy on the air. Cages of all sizes lined the walls, many of which were occupied, and it was into one of the open ones that Kama half tossed the boy, deftly locking the door behind him. The space was small, damp, and stunk horribly of urine, with a low enough top that Jim couldn't possibly stand properly. With only a scowl, Kama whirled and headed back out the door, slamming it behind him. Instantly the pain faded.
Jim cried out as the band seared his arm, pulling against Kama's grip and going so far as trying to bite or punch at him, blinded by fury and pain. The tug towards the room would even be a fight, it seemed the more pain he was in the more he struggled, tail whipping around knocking off of walls and eventually the cage's walls. He caught himself from falling over as he was tossed into the cage, turning sharply only to have the door shut in his face. "KAMA!?" He called out, slamming his fists against the door. He watched as the door slammed once more, leaving him in the horrid stench of the dark, humid room.
He crouched back, taking a few slow steps until the cage ended. Where was he?! "...hello?" He looked around, squinting through the darkness.
Something shifted in the darkness, and in the cell behind his a toothy grin appeared, glassy white in the dim lighting. "Looky 'ere, lads, gots'a newbie."
The voice was answered with a dry chuckle from another corner of the room, a wheezy cough from a third. Various other grunts, sighs and shuffles sounded over the next few minutes as hidden occupants stretched in their cages, apparently well used to the treatment. The first voice laughed, and the bulky form in its cage shifting to lean against the bars, cheshire grin locked on Jim. "Frezh blood, frezh blood... Whas'ya name, kid?"
Jim backed up against the door away from the thing beside him, his eyes widening but teeth bearing. The sounds around him only put him more on the edge, looking around towards the source of each sound in unison. At the question he turned back to the grinning face, hardly visable through the darkness. "...Ja-..er...J...Jim... wh...where is this?"
"'Oldin' penzh," the voice replied fondly, a thick arm rising to pat the grime encrusted bars. "Ye' late t'nigh', Jimmie...mie... Figh's soon, 'eh?" He chortled happily in anticipation, eerie grin turning now towards the doorway. "Soon, soon... 'Oo'll we figh' t'nigh', ehehe..."
"Fight?" He frowned, squinting against the darkness to make out the form. He was massive! Him fight that?! "Wait... fight!? What are you talking about, why would I fight anyone here?"
"Thassa point, innit?" The creature shouted, lunging to the bars nearest Jim's cage with a speed surprising given its size. Close as he was, he was finally distinguishable through the gloom, though exactly...what he was would never be clear. His thick form was peppered with bristle-like fur of various lengths; the build itself was vaguely human, but the face was twisted, mutated, one glassy green eye jutting out strangely from a face locked in a perpetul grin. He was scantily clad, scarred in countless places with recent scabs and stitches adding to the array. And, glowering madly as Jim from the other side of the bars, he laughed, tossing his head backand nearly hitting the top of his own cage. "S'why wez 'ere, innit? Anoth' 'round'a gamezh, anoth' figh' t'nigh', all curt'sy of th' gol'aired monstah. More figh's, more blood, an we'll all feast t'nigh'!"
Jim jumped back, pressing himself against the bars and curling his tail up around him. Fight? They were here to fight? "You're cracked in the head..." Almost literally.. he almost wanted to puke at the sight of the misformed face glowering at him, "The hell are you going on about!?"
The creature laughed and tumbled backwards, returning to the far corner of its cage. Towards the middle of the room a second voice cut in, much more human, but tired, slightly pained. "Ignore him, kid. The guy's raving mad. Been here longer than any of us and suffered one too many head wounds."
Jim looked over to the new voice, comforted to hear someone, or something, that sounded more sane, at least he could understand most of it. "What do you mean here? or us? What is this place?"
"Call us the equivalent of dog fights," the voice responded, tone suggesting he had given the speech before. "But with more brains and brawn. This is Holding. Every so often the lot out there gets together and holds these contests--these fights. The gamble over who'll win, toss 'em in the ring, and it's a fight to the death. Kill or be killed. We're all from different sources, 'owned', so to say, by the buggers out there. And we sit in this stink hole until it's time for the fights."
Jim looked to the band on his wrist, frowning hard, "....owned....controled you mean?" He looked up slowly, "But... to the death!? Are you serious?"
"'Course I'm serious, boy," he snapped, grimacing, though it couldn't be seen for the distance. "Look at that b*****d beside you and tell me he wouldn't kill you if given the chance. Control has nothing to do with it. Once you're in that ring, you fight or you die. It's that simple."
Jim put his hands up to his head, breathing hard as his eyes glared sharply to the ground under him. So this was Kama's secret buisness... the rat he smelled in their deal. A death sentance either way... "...That... filthy sack of s**t."
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Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:29 am
"There you go," he drawled, reclining back in the limited space of his own cage. As if on cue, the door opened to laughter from the main room. A small group of men entered joking amongst themselves, one of whom was pushing a long cart ahead of himself. It was the work of a moment for the group to lift an inhabited cage onto the cart and retreat from the room; a short while later a second group did the same and the door was closed, leaving silence once more.
Jim watched in silence as the men came into the room, glowering from his cage, crouched, and very careful not to lay his tail down on the ground... lord knew what he was standing in. Once they were gone again he piped up once more, "...what are they going to do with that?"
"With what?" the voice replied from his side of the room. "The cart? Those two? Bringing the out for a fight, I shouldn't wonder. They'll bring one back in a bit. We can probably look forward to another few fights tonight. They tend to average about three."
Jim slumped back, reaching up to scratch at his hair. Damnit if he had fleas or something... "So you all don't even try to get away? Don't try to fight back? They got bands on you too?"
"It's not that simple, kid. They've got us under lock and key from the moment we get here. And it's not like we stay here full time. Just whenever they have their little get-togethers." He shrugged to murmured agreements from the other prisoners. "Bands? Nah, those're unique to that b*****d who dragged you in here. You can always tell his for the bands."
"He had others?" He inched closer to the door of his cage, holding to the bars as he leaned forward to listen.
"Hell yeah." He laughed bitterly, glancing through the dim light for the source of Jim's voice. "Some damn good ones, too. He's fairly new to the rounds, but he's had some tough guys in here. You're the only one right now, though. Dokime here offed the last." The creature beside Jim giggled.
Jim leaned his head onto the bars, glaring hard at the darkness before him. So he was brought here to die... for Kama's amusement and profit. All the food and rest was just to recover him from his shabby state from the street... the only difference between this place and facing offical justice was that here he could fight to live. "s**t.... I got too much to live for."
"So don't die," came the simple reply before the door opened and the man fell silent once more. The cart returned bearing one of the previous cages, the form within bloodied and breathing heavily. It was lifted back into place, and the group proceeded on through the room until they reached Jim's cage. Utterly ignoring the boy, exchanging thoughts from the last fight, they lifted his cage to the cart and it was wheeled from the room into the crowded main hall.
Jim squinted to the form laying crumpled in the cage, paling considerably in the dark as the cage was simply stuffed back into place. No medical attention, no concern for the poor creature laying in his own blood, struggling to breethe. Blood ran cold as the men approached and lifted his own cage. Jim growled, throwing himself around but to no avail, "NO WAIT! I'm not a fighter! There's been a mistake, let me go!"
There was no sympathy from any of the men; indeed, a couple of them even laughed, hitting the bars to taunt the boy and so on. As he was wheeled through the room, he was 'inspected', so to speak, by many of the partygoers, people who knew of the fights but chose not to watch for one reason or another, instead betting on the outcome from the bar area. The cart was wheeled through a door into a somewhat smaller room; a small stadium, in fact, with two shutes on either end, into one of which they lifted Jim's cage. The area had a floor of bear stone, kept surprisingly clean, though the floor still showed the wear from the previous fight. The area itself had a concrete wall of about three feet, and from there it rose to the ceiling with bulletproof glass. There was a single door to one side, currently open while someone hosed the blood from the floor and down a drain.
The task complete, the men abandoned Jim and were off to retrieve the second cage--his opponent. Meanwhile, if the boy craned his head, he would find Kama seated comfortably about midway up the stands. And even if he didn't look, the Olplyn soon made his presence known, greeting Jim with a chuckle. "You ready?"
Jim growled, curling himself up in the corner of the cage, his tail wrapping defensively around himself as he glared up to Kama. "You filthy son of a child beating whore..."
He laughed and, rising from his feet, walked down the steps to a level nearer the cage. "Now now, you brought this upon yourself. Stop throwing temper tantrums and you won't have to fight. Maybe."
"Brought this on myself....." He growled throwing himself against the cage towards Kama, his arms reaching out in an attempt to grab the Jivvin. If he managed it he'd proceed to beat him against the bars, if not he'd simply swipe at the air, growling in vain.
The Jivvin jumped back out of reach, nearly doubling over laughing at the boy's attempts. He managed to restrain his laughter to soft chuckles at the sound of the men returning with the second cage, and returned his attention to Jim, grinning. "Mn. Where was I? You're new to the rounds, so they've given you an easy fight--some sort of wild animal, I don't doubt. You'll be fine. The sooner you win, the sooner we head home, right? Good luck."
Jim watched Kama in shock, slowly turning towards where the other cage was being set into place. He didn't have to fight right?! If he kept in the cage what could they do? He'd show them... bastards.
Still chuckling softly, Kama turned and headed back to his seat. The doors opened and the select from the crowd in the other room began to pour in, filling the seats and sneaking peeks at the two about to fight. The room filled quickly. And quite suddenly, one side of the cage slid open, allowing Jim access into the arena. There was no announcement that the fight had begun, no silence from the crowd, only a low snarl followed by a laugh from the spectators as a large wolf charged from the opposite cage after the man who was still washing the floor. The man barely avoided a bite by slamming the door closed, and the infuriated wolf set about exploring it's slightly larger prison, gleaming eyes soon turning to fix on Jim.
Jim sunk back in the cage, eyes widening as he watched the wolf charge the man cleaning the arena. His heart skipped a few beats as it turned to watch him hungerly. He glanced between Kama and the wolf, his expression saying nothing short of "you've GOT to be kidding me"
Kama caught the boys look and rolled his eyes, as if Jim was missing some obvious point. His tail gave a small twitch and, lifting a hand, he casually tapped his horn twice before giving a little flicker of the wrist towards the arena and relaxing back once more to enjoy the show.
The wolf seemed to know it had its prey cornered. His approached at an easy pace, shoulders hunched, gold eyes fixing hungrily on the boy. If Jim didn't move soon, she small space along would be is downfall if the wolf charged.
Jim looked pale-faced back to the wolf, falling forward as he shifted back into third. Curling up for a moment he made a bolt from the cage and around the wolf, looking more paniced than anything. He was kidding... stupid s**t was kidding!
The sudden change briefly confused the wolf, but after only a moment he was after the boy, snarling and spitting and hard on his heels in a terribly short amount of time given the small size of the arena. The tail, however... The tail was a distraction. It was in the way! At that, it was practically the size of completely different animal. The wolf took a snap at the tail, but the thick fur surrounding it and his own quick pace were enough to make him release it before he could do any real damage. Furious, he quickened his pace...
Jim ran to the side of the enclosure, skidding to a stop and turning just in time to see the wolf rushing him. Whirling himself about he bristled, growling dangerously as he planted himself on the ground. No where to run...
The wolf barely had a chance to slow his pace, and thus nearly overshot Jim. He slid nearly to a stop, then leapt, snapping in towards Jim's neck and darting back, in and back. The crowd was on its feet by now, jeering and calling encouragement to one side or the other, shouting last minute bets over the other voices. Surprisingly, Kama's voice carried fairly easily over the noise--or perhaps it was simply because of the band Jim wore that he could be heard. "Godammit boy, you're bigging than him! Ram the stupid b*****d!"
Jim growled, leaning back with each snap the wolf attempted. He jolted slightly at Kama's voice, turning his head to seek out the source of it, stupid, yes, but he wans't exactally thinking clearly.
The wolf saw it's chance. It lunged, jaws aiming to catch the back of Jim's beck, attempting to drive the Jivvint o the ground by the force of its charge.
Kama face-palmed. "FOCUS. YOUR HORN, BOY."
The jivvin shrieked out in pain as the wolf's teeth met with the back of his neck, dragging him down to the ground mercilessly. The pain seemed to snap him out of whatever fearful daze he had been in and into the attack. It costed him a chunk of his flesh but he rolled himself over onto the wolf's head, pinning it down for th emoment with his bulk, the wolf would have to let go to breathe.
The wolf grunted, holding on for as long as possible before releasing the boy and breaking away. He scrambled to his feet, trotting a quick circle to regain his bearings, and dove after the boy once more, again aiming for his neck.
Jim snarled, ducking himself down as the wolf came again once more, throwing his head back as the wolf surged at him so his downward-curved horn was now a rather pointy hook that his enemy would drive itself onto.
And the wolf unwittingly did, yelping as the curved horn was driven deep within the base of its neck. It jerked away, tearing a sizable gash in its neck in the process, and began pacing a short distance from the boy, watching him warily for a chance to attack once more.
The jivvin shook his head out, watching as blood ran from the horn down to the top of his maw, panting as he circled himself around, getting himself away from the wall of the arena, never once taking his eyes off the wolf. This time he made a charge, leaping out with his claws extended and his fangs bared.
The wolf crouched, charging to meet the boy's attack, fangs bared for Jim's neck even as the Jivvin did the same for his own. However, even young as Jim was, the Jivvin was a good deal larger than the wolf, and weight along knocked the creature to the ground, neck captured between Jim's jaws even as he continued to struggle. Kama's order was simple: "Finish it."
Jim's dangerous eyes slowly rose up to meet Kama's, bearing his teeth he simply tossed the wolf away from him. A show of defiance for the moment... controlled him...
Kama's look was one of surprise as he held the boy's eyes. However, finally shaking his head, he pulled his gaze back to the fight--or rather, to the wolf.
The wolf had stumbled away the moment its chance was given. Blood was pouring from its neck where the horn had torn, not to mention the small tooth marks from the hold Jim had on its neck. Tail tucked beneath its legs, it retreated from the fight, ears pricked warily in Jim's direction as it paced for the other end of the arena.
Jim tossed his head up, looking sharply over to Kama with a smirk, the back of his neck bleeding horribly but in his own mind he'd won something more valuable than the fight itself... a show of disobediance that, he hoped, would make him a bit of a joke around the others.
Kama's eyes were fixed on the wolf, an almost pitying expression on his face. The crowd was furious, some booing the lack of participation from both parties, some cursing the abrupt end to the show. On the opposite end of the arena from Jim, the wolf's legs buckled. It toppled to the floor, breathing heavily as blood continuing to spill from the wound in its neck.
Jim stood himself up, shifting back into fourth as he made his way over to the wolf, shuddering slightly at the blood running down the back of his neck. "...hey..." He said quietly, dropping to his knees cautiously beside the wolf.
The wolf whined at his approach, attempting to rise once before simply remaining where he lay. However, still wary, he bared his teeth as the boy neared, ready to snap should Jim come too close.
"Shh...." He said softly, reaching a hand out slowly, palm up. "Look... I won't hurt.... I just want to help. The worst thing you can do o these bastards is live.'
The wolf snarled, dilated eyes fixed on the boy's hand. He stretched away from Jim's touch for as long as possible, ears flat against his skull, but finally the short space was enough to thoroughly unnerve him and he snapped at the boy's wrist.
Jim just starred at it, wincing slightly as the teeth met with his wrist. His other hand reached up slowly to pet the wolf behind its ear, yeah stupid... but Kama wouldn't be happy to have his fighter hurt. Let him be embarassed. ******** it.
THe wolf was completely baffled by the boy's behavior. He kept a hold on the boy's wrist, growling a warning around it as Jim's hand rose behind his ears, occasionally biting down a bit harder, though eventually it started to ease off. The crowd was beginning to disperse, only a few curious onlookers remaining on the off chance that the fight began anew.
"We're in the same boat." He said softly, still stroking at the wolf's head gently, ignoring, for the moment, the blood running down from his now rather pained hand. "I don't want to fight you... you probibly didn't want to fight me either."
The wolf gradually relaxed, grip on Jim's arm slowly loosening, but the exact reason why was only apparent when the wolf's head lolled to the side, eyes glazed over. As if on cue, the door of the arena opened and Kama walked in and over to the pair, pausing a couple of feet behind Jim. "...It would have been kinder to kill him."
Jim bristled, rounding on Kama instantly to his feet, one fist balled up and shooting right for the man's head. "YOU WANT TO FIGHT?!" He roared, his eyes absolutely burning dangerously, "THEN DO IT YOUR GODDAMN SELF!"
It took but a thought. Kama quirked a brow, and instantly Jim's limbs were pinned to his sides; indeed, the motion was so quick that Jim might very easily have unbalanced and fallen over. "Don't start. You shall follow me to the bathroom, you shall get cleaned up, and we'll go home."
Jim grunted as he fell to his belly, breathing heavily as he looked slowly up to Kama, his eyes burning. He ground his teeth in silence for a moment then spat up at the man. "So I can be shoved in another goddamn cage?!"
"You'll have your room as before," he drawled, unbothered by Jim's temper. Turning, he started for the door, and Jim would find that he was able to rise and walk, though once he was standing his arms would be pinned to his sides as before.
He growled, shifting and snarling against the invisable bonds. That wasn't enough to stop him, the boy had a dangerous temper, anyone could give him that, and though he had no arms to use, he charged Kama once more, ducking his head to make use of that horn.
The Olplyn sidestepped, and Jim's run carried him straight into the wall, possibly with a little assistance from Kama. Still amazingly straight-faced, Kama waited until the boy was standing once more to continue away, just as they were bringing in the third set of cages for the night.
Jim growled, picking himself up off the ground once more and stormed himself after Kama, spitting off to the side once again, "I'm going to kill you one of these days... this had better have been the last time you bring me here.."
"That will depend on your temper," he replied honestly enough, deciding it would be better to not bother with the bathroom and just leave the club. Sticking to the edges of the room, and working things so that Jim had no choice but to do the same, he headed for the exit. "So be warned. Next time they might saddle you with Dokime."
"You'd ******** like that wouldn't you?! First you got some poor little kid coming back to do who knows what to him, then you got me off in some underground dog fighting place! This doesn't fall under cleaning your goddamn house, Kama!"
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 10:42 am
Jim winced as he dabbed the ointment over his wounds. The worst was on the back of his neck, having lost a good deal of flesh even wrapping a bandage around it didn't do much to hide the injury. The one on his wrist was just a dog bite as far as anyone was concerned... of course his other wrist was bruised and burnt from the damanable band which he still worked at now and then to remove. "...******** you..." He muttered to the silence of his room, slowly setting the ointment aside.
"I'm not so sure the band is capable of such a thing," Kama drawled from where he stood in the doorway. Tail flicking lazily, he stepped into the room, hands in his pockets. "It's not so bad if you don't fight it. But the more you struggle, the worse it hurts." Removingone hand from his pocket, he pulled out a sizable wad of bills, tossing them over to the boy. "Your share."
He paused in his wrapping of his wounds, half the bandage in his mouth, the other half pinned between his arm and his free hand. He glanced to the bills then up to Kama and back, his mouth occupied but his expression asked well enough. His share?
The Olplyn quirked a brow, folding his arms across his chest. "What? You didn't think you were doing this for nothing, did you? I've told you before: You're working for me. You're not my property." He paused briefly, then cracked a grin. "But if you don't want it, I'll gladly take it back."
Tim glared hard, curling his tail around the bills to get his point accross as he wrapped up the wound, pulling it as tight as possibe with only one hand and his mouth to use. Once his mouth was free he was right back to grumbling, "You said you controlled me... you got a godamn collar on me, you THREW ME IN A CAGE and into a ring witout telling me!"
"And you just made a five hundred dollars off of it," he finished, sweeping a hand towards the hidden wad of bills. "I doubt you've ever held a fraction of that amount before." He grimaced, waving dismissively at the boy and turning to leave the room. "You'll be fighting again before long. The better you do, the more you make."
He frowned, looking back down to the money. It was true... he'd never even had that much in his name, never stolen that much or dreamed of it... he could get Axel those boots he'd been wanting, or pants- both even. Maybe give him the lot of it to get some decent food.... "Wait Kama."
He paused in step, glancing back over his shoulder at the boy and quirking a brow. "Hmm?"
Jim frowned a bit, looking down to his feet as he leaned his elbows against his knees, "...I have a friend.. he's in a real bad place to live... came where I came from. Took me in as a kid you know... do you think..." He scratched the back of his head, "He could stay here? I'll fight anything you throw at me, I gotta make good with him."
"Hmm..." He made a show of considering the request, turning back to the boy and playing over the idea a few times in his head. "This friend.. I'm sure he already knows of what's going on here, hm? He would be under the same restrictions as you. And there would be the chance that I ask him to fight for me. But if he will accept these terms, he may stay here, yes."
"I'll... talk to him." He knew better than to say that he'd not let Axel fight... the man was already spoiling for a piece of Kama, he'd known him for years and there was nothing to get inbetween Axel and a good fight.
"Do so quickly," Kama ordered, not unkindly, and turned for the door once more. "Tayn will be returning soon, and I'm considering giving him a room this time. I'm sure your friend would rather have first pick."
His ears pinned back a bit, "Let the kid have a room, Axel and I've shared the same spot for a while, I can take the floor." He stood himself up, pocketing the bills, "You be nice to that kid you hear me? I won't have any part in beating someone around..." He knew what it was like... not cool at all
"There're plenty of rooms. Some are just better than others." Kama snorted, rolling his eyes. "We'll see how things play out. In all honesty, I haven't much need for Tayn anymore. This new business is picking up quite nicely. Tayn will be here to reduce your jobs, not go back to those he knew before." Not often, anyway.
Jim glared at him for a moment longer, slumped over as he stuffed his hands down into his pockets. "...how am I supposed to explain these wounds in public? I'm still stuck doing grocery shopping right?"
"Wear long sleeves?" he suggested, shrugging. "Bandage them up. Hide them with makeup. You've nothing so severe just yet. By the time things get worse, if they do, Tayn'll be back and can help you out. Boy's good about things like that."
"...what did you use him for before? He's no fighter... and kid doesn't look like he could keep something clean to save his life." He shook his head a bit, walking himself from his room.
Kama was silent for a long while, watching Jim thoughtfully as if debating how likely it was that Jim would kill him if he told the truth. Finally, he grinned once more, chuckling softly. "I'll leave that to him to tell you when he returns. A good ice breaker."
"...you were just like me growing up weren't you?" He smirked a bit, following after him, "Kick a dog around enough and he learns to bite... makes other dogs bite over time. Abused becomes the abuser thing, eh?
Kama frowned, good mood fading in an instant. Starting away, he left the room and retreated towards the living room and his couch, tail lashing angrily behind him.
Jim followed after him, taking a seat casually, "We're partners right? Means you gotta learn to trust me when I wanna talk. What happened?"
The Olplyn dropped onto his couch the moment he reached it, stretching out and reaching from the remote for the television. "That is none of your concern."
"No... but it's only fair." Jim leaned back, stretching himeslf out comfortably. "You know it's a bad thing to get started, I bet that kid's gonna wise up one of these days, and by the time he does you'll be old. I remember my mom telling me about it."
Kama's ears lay back against his skull, and he sent Jim a warning glare. The band at Jim's wrist suddenly seared, red hot pain running down the boy's arm. "I said it is none of your concern."
Jim growled, grabbing for the band and once again trying to claw it off. His wrist was quite wounded by then, burnt, clawed up, bruised, and red from rubbing, "GODDAMNIT!"
As quickly as it had begun, the pain ended, and, relaxing, Kama clicked on the television. "I don't age. Nor does Tayn, really. The boy knows better than to risk anything." "Depending on what you do to us... I might." He looked dangerously up to Kama, his hand shaking from the pain. still as he worked at it, trying to free himself of the blasted 'collar'.
The band merely tightened as Jim worked at it, though its grip wasn't painful, simply meant to guarantee that it would not be removed. "Tell you something, lad," Kama began, eyes leaving the TV to glance over at Jim. "That band on your wrist? It guarantees a few things. Such as, if I die, so do you. If I'm injured, you feel it too. If you have any sense, you'll keep that in mind, and you'll channel your anger into your fights instead. It's better for both of us."
Jim growled, "You said you'd take it off some day..." He fell back against the couch in defeat, allowing the blood to seep from the banded arm. Damn... he'd have to tell Axel about that little detail. As much as he wanted Kama gone, he had too much to live for himself.
Chuckling softly, he returned his eyes to the television, yawning and flipping through the channels. "By then you'll have a bit more sense."
"The abused becomes the abuser..." He grinned, flashing his teeth over towards his captor. "Never turn your back, Kama... that's all I can say."
Still chuckling softly, he shook his head, finally setting down the remote to watch the news. "If you say so, kid."
Jim leaned back slowly, holding his banded hand against himself defensively almost, finally taking his eyes from Kama to the news... "...they'll find out about your dirty business..."
"I don't doubt it," he replied dryly, steepling his finger on his chest. "But with care, not for a while. And once they do, I hope to have enough gold stored up that it doesn't matter. I can always send Tayn back to work while it gets back on its feet, too."
He didn't like the sound of that either... he hardly knew the kid but no little kid deserved treatment like he'd seen.. or suspected for that matter... the fear in that kid's eyes told volumes. "How are they explaining all the dead jivvins? Or the 'missing' ones."
"Jivvins?" Kama snickered, glancing towards Jim. "You honestly think I'd be stupid enough to use Jivvins? Lad, you're a one time thing, and only because you fell into my lap. I respect my own kind, thank you. But there are many out there in positions very much like Tayn's, and it's those who fight and are not missed when they're killed."
Jim bristled, grinding his teeth, "They're less valuable then? Other lives because they ain't like yours then? ABUSED SON OF A b***h going back around playing mister ethnic cleansing?!"
"Pretty much," he admitted with a slight shrug. "Everyone has their place. Some just have to be made to find it."
Jim's anger boiled over once more and he found himself lunging at Kama once more, throwing a fist out for the man's face, his eyes burning. So what if he felt it!? Goddamn ******** deserved it.
The boy lunged, and quite suddenly was violently tossed away, landing half way across the room. Kama was untouched and, indeed, had hardly moved from his position, save that his eyes were narrowed in a glare at the boy. "I'd advise you not to try that again."
Jim caught himself on his feet and was on the attack again, his ears pinned back and eyes wild with a wild rage seen only perhaps in the forests surrounding the center. "YOU PETTY SON OF A b***h!"
"Goddammit, boy," he snarled, climbing to his feet and sidestepping to avoid the attack. And, as if on cue, the pain began anew, spiking up Jim's arm and through his chest, spreading throughout his body as if he were on fire, all from the little band gleaming innocently on his wrist.
Jim fell crumpled to the floor, crying out as his body convulsed with the sensation running through him, tears pouring from his closed eyes as he eventually ground his teeth closed, gripping to the floor as if it would ebb he burning.
This time, however, the sensations did not lighten up. The searing pain continued, running through Jim in torrents, searing and burning and generally leaving him feeling as if he were caught in an oven. Kama, meanwhile, returned to his seat, mearly retrieving the remote and upping the volume on the television to drown out the boy's cries.
Jim eventually started screaming again, his claws finding the band once more to fight at the thing, tearing and gnasing in a vain attempt to free himself once more, his tail round around, likely getting in the way of the televsion as the thrashing continued. Soon Jim was outright blubbering, pleading for it to stop, cussing so badly inbetween that even hardened sailors would blush.
And finally it did stop, leaving Jim feeling drained and sore, as if he'd been running for hours. Calmly, Kama lowered the volume back to normal, not even bothering to look over at the boy.
Jim laid on the ground for a time, panting and holding his arm close to him, curled ino a small ball on the ground. Once he caught his bearings once more he was back on his feet, this time he began for the door, dragging his tail behind him groggily.
The band stopped him just inside the door. It wasn't a painful sensation, just a definite stop. He couldn't move another step forward. "Where are you going?"
Jim growled, willing himself to move foward, to turn or run... anything. "Out... I'm going out..."
"Specifically," he snapped, tone clearly indicating that an answer was ordered, not requested.
"You said yourself... I'm not your property... not your servant... let me go." He growled, forcing himself against the pull of the band.
"If you don't want that band to hurt again, you will answer me," he warned, snarling through his teeth.
He glared over to Kama, "If you want me to win any more matches you'll stop with the band..." He snapped back.
"If you don't win," he began, eyes narrowing. "You die, and I find another to fill your place."
"And you loose your precious investment.... let... me...go...." He narrowed his own eyes back on Kama's. "You abused... son.... of.... a ....WHORE."
And there it was again, pain spiking down Jim's arm and throughout his body. However, this time, Kama quickly rose to his feet and left the room, tail lashing behind him as he stormed for the kitchen, leaving the boy to his suffering.
Jim wanted to crumble onto the ground again, but unless the band permitted, he was stuck on his feet crying out once more. Why coudln't anyone hear him? This was a damn big house.. .meant there were others downstairs, "KAMAAA P-PLEASE MAN!"
A good few minutes passed before Kama returned, a cell phone in one hand and a large drink of some sort in the other. He returned to his seat on the couch, dialing a number on the phone, and, as before, the pain abruptly ended, as did the grip on Jim, allowing him movement once more.
Jim simply crumbled to the ground, his eyes wide from the shock, drooling from his mouth and still shaking involentarily. For the moment, he was glad to be on the ground.
The phone rang once, twice, a third time. Kama grew impatient, flipping the phone closed and shoving it into his pocket. Only seconds later there was a soft pop and the boy from the cafe appeared looking rather distraught, a band similar to the one on Jim tightly about his right wrist. "But you said I hav--"
"Shut up," Kama snapped, rising to his feet. The boy fell silent immediately, ears flat against his skull, and Kama waved him towards Jim. "See to him." This done, the Olplyn turned and stalked off for his own room, slamming the door behind himself.
Tayn watched him go from where he stood, staring sadly after the Jivvin, but once Kama vanished behind the door he obeyed as instructed, stepping somewhat warily over to the boy crumpled by the door and bending to give his shoulder a little shake. "Hey...you alright..?"
Jim curled his tail around his face, curling himself up into a ball again. He was ashamed to have anyone see him like this. Not him, not Jim the uncatchable... the little b*****d that eluded the police and fought on the street for his every meal. "...fine..." He squeeked.
Tayn was tempted to accuse the boy of lying, but decided that wouldn't help matters. Forcing a smile, he tucked an arm under Jim's, pulling him so that he was sitting up, at least. "Let's get you to bed. Which room's yours?"
"I was going to bed... MY bed..." He growled, clumsily getting to his feet again and leaning against the wall. This wans't home... it was termite and racoon free but it was a prision. "I'm fine... just... go... back to your friends."
The boy obligingly released him and watched as he stood, after a moment rising to his feet himself. At Jim's words, he began to reply, but hesitated, glancing down to the newly returned band around his wrist. What smile there was faltered and faded, and Tayn turned, heading for one a small doorway on one wall of the living room. "I can't."
Jim looked down to his own wrist, red, bleeding, completely agonizing. He wanted to go back... eating moldy bread and fighting racoons off of the dumpsters in hopes of finding something mostly intact was better than this... he would tell Axel, if only to have company as selfish as that was- but the Jivvin was stronger than him, had more sense, and needed a decent place to live.... just as long as Kama didn't put a band on him too. "...your name's Tayn right?"
"Yes." He paused in step, one ear swiveling towards the young Olplyn. After a moment he turned to face Jim, folding his arms defensively across his chest. "That's me. Who're you? You're a Jivvin, like Kama, so he can't have bought you too."
Jim looked over his shoulder, wiping at his red eyes. "....it's Jim." He said simply, "And no he didn't buy me... I..." he looked back out the door, reaching his banded arm out to test it once more, "...I got myeslf into deep s**t." About three inches from the door, Jim's hand stopped. It could go no further, no closer towards the exit, but he would be free to turn and walk the other direction, or whatever he so chose. It was clear he would not be leaving, however. This didn't seem particularly strange to Tayn. "Mn. Funny. You don't seem the type for Kama's usuals. What's he keeping you here for?"
Jim threw a fist against the wall in frusteration, his bloody bandage now visable from under his old coat. Giving a snort he stormed back to the couch, plunking himself down and digging his claws into the fabric, slowly ripping holes in the arm rest. Take that b*****d. "...I'm his fighting dog..."
Tayn remained quietly where he stood, simply watching Jim for the time. He knew better than to approach anyone while they were venting. Said venting was usually turned on him if he did. In the mean time, he retreated to the kitchen and returned with a wet rag, as well as some bandages and ointment. "Let me clean you up. You're bleeding pretty bad."
"Get used to it." He snorted, but slowly reached his arm out anyway... he did a shitty job of patching himself up. "We're gonna be seeing a lot more of eachother, kid... "
"No offense, but I hope not." He sunk down to sit on the coffee table, setting the bandages and ointment at his side and reaching out to gently clean the blood off Jim's arm with the rag. "I'm going to be out of here again pretty soon if I have my way. Kama kept me from Toki once. I won't let him do it again."
Jim winced slightly, slowly reaching into his pocket to pull out one of the bills and slide it forward. "... if you get out... get yourself something to celebrate for me."
The boy froze at the sight of the bills, tensing visably, though he relaxed with Jim's words, breathing a sigh of relief. He shook his head, returning his attention to the wounds on the other boy's wrist. "I have money. More than I need, really, 'cause I live with Toki. I'm not taking yours."
Jim shrugged and pocketed it once more. Fine.. he was trying to be nice. "Toki person your friend?" He had Axel... his big brother almost. He didn't know what he had until he was trapped here..
"...You could say that," he replied quietly, ears falling back slightly. Toki? Toki was the love of his life. But somehow he doubted Jim wanted to hear that. The boy's general demeanor suggested that such things wouldn't be accepted.
Jim shrugged, "I live with Axel... he picked me up off the street when I first came here. I didn't have a friend in the world. He's probibly worried sick knowing him, out on the street right now looking... of course if I found him he'd make up an excuse like he was just getting air."
"Yeah... Toki's like that." He smiled fondly at the thought of the feline, meanwhile setting the cloth aside in favor of the ointment, which he carefully began spreading over the wounds. "He was my first friend... Back before Kama purchased me. And he took care of me through all Kama's s**t."
Jim jolted slightly at the ointment but otherwise seemed pretty calm. He guessed that Tayn was... that way. The kid didn't exactally dress like the straightest straw in the box, but whatever. That was his thing... "Sounds like a good guy.... I don't know how to break this to Axe-man... He'll be mad." exclaim
"Sorry," Tayn muttered in regards to the ointment, shooting Jim an apologetic look before returning his attention to the wounds. "You just have to tell him... It's easiest that way. And if he's as good a guy as you say, he'll do what he can to help you out. I'm sure he'd rather knowing what was going on then have you pretending everything's great."
"I mean... Kama offered him a home here. He and I live in the slums in an old carpenter's place. Fight off termites to sleep and racoons to eat... he deserves better but if he came here Kama might..." He glanced to the band on his wrist, "But he'll learn about it anyway..."
"...I don't know exactly what Kama has you going through," Tayn began, choosing his words carefully. "But I know I would never wish the life he's given me on Toki... Even if it meant leaving Toki to live on the streets. Just the thought of something like, well..." He paused, clearing his through. "But you're fighting. That can't be too bad, as long as you're careful. Can Axel fight?"
"Can't be too bad?" He growled, looking up sharply, almost daring Tayn to say that again, "To the death matches isn't too bad? Having to kill other people because they're put in a ring with the same motive, the same threat isn't that bad?!" He pulled the bandage off his neck, pointing to it, "having my neck torn out isn't too bad?!"
Tayn flinched, ducking his head as if expecting a blow, and replied only once Jim paused. "You hadn't said to the death," he murmured meekly, ears flat against his skull. "I thought you were just sparring or something.. First blood..."
"To the death..." He frowned, "Get killed.. or live knowing you took life." He pulled his arm away and tucked it back under the sleeve stubbornly. "Look whatever... I'm fine. I'll sort it out myself. You're just a kid.' Frowning, he lifted his head, gesturing for Jim to hold out his arm once more. "I'm probably older than you, if you want to get technical. I just look young. That's why I'm useful. Let me bandage that."
He rolled his eyes, slowly reaching his arm out again. "...I need you to do me a favor though..." It hadn't sunk in just yet, not until he'd blurted everything out to Tayn... to the death. if something happened to him, Axel...
"...Sure," he replied, somewhat hesitantly. Reaching for the bandages, he began wrapping Jim's arm--covering the gold band completely, in fact. "What's that?"
"If I go in that ring... and I don't come out. Take the money I got to the furnature store, alright? I'll hide it under my dresser, just pull out the drawer all the way... and tell him Thank you..."
He nodded slowly, glancing up for only a moment before returning his eyes to Jim's arm. "I'll do that..."
Jim went silent after that, looking down to his feet as Tayn worked on the bandages, he seemed out of it though by his eyes working back and forth it was obvious something was going on in his head.
Finally, Tayn tied off the bandages and sat back, gathering up the unused ones and the blood stained towel. He rose to his feet and silently started for the kitchen, speaking only when he neared the door. "You should get some rest."
Jim's ears lowered, his only gesture of aknowleging the boy's words for a time. When Tayn was back in the kitchen he moved out of the living room back to his room, falling onto the bed without bothering to close the door. Tears ran quietly from his face as he glared towards the window. He'd get out... somehow.
Tayn returned to find that Jim had actually listened, and was found he was slightly upset for this. However, he quickly brushed it aside, and, after a glance around the room, retreated towards the closet that had once been his bedroom. It came as only a slight surprise when his blankets were still in place. Tayn didn't even take the time to neaten them before pulling the string to turn off the light, dropping onto the pile and curling up. But he didn't sleep.
Jim didn't bother reporting in the next morning, He remained laying on his side, glaring at the window long past when Kama normally expected him up to go to the market or make him breakfast. His tail draiped over the side of his bed almost lifeless save for the faint twitch at the tip.
That was perfectly fine. Kama hadn't expected him to. It was Tayn, not Jim, who was awakened by a loud knock on the door, and it was Tayn who was sent to perform the various chores that would normally be expected of the other boy. That was why he was back, after all. He fell back into the old routine with surprising ease.
Jim eventually emerged from his room, droopy-eyed, hair tossed everywhere, and tail dragging. He didn't bother with a shower, didn't bother doing his clothing. He simply slondered in, plopping himeslf down on the couch again, his claws digging into the fabric once more.
Kama was already sprawled across one end of the couch, lazily reading through anther pile of papers. He gave no sign that he had even noticed Jim, save that, after a pause, a field much like the one that had blocked the door the previous day appeared between Jim's hands and the sofa wherever he tried to touch. Tayn was no where to be seen.
"What did you do to the kid?" He looked over harsly, slowly pulling his hand back from the sofa... damn he wans't even allowed to be an a** with this thing on. Maybe he'd just take a leek on it when Kama wasn't looking.
Briefly Kama looked up, but almost immediately he returned his eyes to the manuscripts. "Do to him? Not a thing. Tayn's at the market. He should be back shortly."
Jim got up again and made his way to the door. Maybe he could go now, not likely, but he wanted to try. His hands stuffed themselves down into his pockets as he walked, hiding the bandaged 'collar'.
And again he was stopped. "Where are you going?" Kama spoke, without looking up. It was clear the results would be the same as the night before if Jim didn't reply honestly.
"Home. I want to go home." He said simply, eyes forward and tail slowly bristling behind him. Damn right they'd be the same as the night before, save for that he had more of a drive to kick Kama's a**.
"Mn. Going to be gone long? I don't want Tayn making you lunch if you won't be here to eat it." He didn't seem at all bothered by Jim's words. Simply wanted to know where the boy would be should be have to find him for any reason.
"That's none of your business..." He snapped. And it wasn't. He didn't know how long he'd be gone. He might have to -find- Axel before he could talk to him, he might just want to stay the night, feel like everything was cool again. Plus... termites and racoons.
Kama grunted, faced briefly darkening, but he let it slide. He waved Jim for the door, then stretched out to fill his couch, flipping to the next paper. "Have fun."
Jim flicked his tail then simply bolted out of the door, rushing down the stairs and out of the manner. Nearly tripping over a smaller jivvin curled up by the steps on the bottom level. Rillian, he'd never met, nor did he care to stop and make introductions. He was going home, like he'd come back... b*****d.
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Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:18 pm
Jim made his way back up the stairs groggily. He'd been out all night after Kama had let him. He'd bought himself some new clothing though it wasn'from his usal style. Axel had been given the rest of the money... he needed it more than Jim did. Good food for him for once, warm clothing, blankets... maybe even something to detour the termites. He didn't care if Kama was mad, he had every right to be out all night.
Kama, in fact, was not mad. He knew Jim would return eventually, and if he didn't, Kama would simply bring him back. He was already awake and seated cheerfully on his couch, sipping at a mug of coffee. Tayn could be heard working in the kitchen, washing dishes after breakfast. As Jim entered, Kama briefly glanced up, quirking a brow before returning his eyes to a newspaper he was reading. "There's a plate for you in the kitchen if you're hungry."
Jim walked by Kama, completely ignoring him as he walked by to thie kitchen. ******** him... ******** his couch. ******** the lot of it. He was still horribly sore from the abuse Kama had dealt on him from the band, his walking suggested as much. He nodded a bit to Tayn as he pulled a chair up for himself and plunked down. "Hey kid."
Kama expected as much, and thus said nothing, ignoring the boy until he left the room.
Tayn glanced back over his shoulder when he heard Jim's greeting, flashing a weak smile in return. Returning his eyes to the sink, he returned to washing dishes, nodding sideways towards a plate a short distance away on the counter. "Left you some food, if you want it. It might be kinda cold... I can heat it up in the microwave, though."
"I can do that if you want you know." He nodded towards the sink, "You look like hell... maybe you'd like to get some rest?" He shifted himself a bit on his seat, whirling his tail around.
"Nah, it's okay," he assured Jim, chuckling softly. "I've been worse. Just kinda tired. I'm not used to sleeping in my room again yet..." Pausing in his work, he turned off the water and reached for a dish towel, drying off his hands then stepping over to retrieve Jim's plate. He popped it into the microwave, hit the timer, and immediately walked to a different cabinet to retrieve a glass, then heading to the fridge. "What do you want to drink?"
"I'm fine, kid." He frowned, remembering what the kid called his 'room'. The old dirty blankets curled up on the floor of a...well closet. "Look... how about you trade me rooms?"
Tayn wasn't about to take no for an answer. Pulling open the fridge, he decided on milk and pulled out the jug, pouring Jim a glass before replacing it and reclosing the fridge. The microwave beeped, and he bustled over, pulling out the plate and fetching Jim a fork, then carrying the meal and drink over to set on the table before the Jivvin. "I'm fine. Besides, Kama wouldn't let me."
"When you gonna fight back kid?" He glanced to the band on the boy's wrist, "You can't let that thing hold you forever... you're still a person you know. I not taking crap from him. He can bar-b-que my guts till they're black but I'm still going to let him know he's not broken me down."
"I did fight back," he replied quietly. After a moment he turned, leaving the table and returning to the sink to resume his work. "I fought back for a long time.. And I finally got free.. But he found me again. He'll keep finding me again. And, legally, as long as he's got those papers, I can't get away from him."
"...where does he keep them?" He lowered his voice a bit, watching Tayn sharply. His eyes were working with something, he had a strange look to him almost all the time. An edge one might say. When his eyes twitched there was something else going on behind the wheel.
He tensed, falling silent for a long moment. Only one he had finished with the dishes and turned off the water, reaching for the towel to begin drying, did he speak again, and then only softly. "...I don't know." And paused, and his ears fell back slightly. "I tried stealing them once... H-he was really... really m-mad... I don't think he keeps them there anymore, though."
"You don't steal them... you doing it's too suspicious. You've go something to gain from it." He stabbed at his breakfast, ifddling around with it on his plate, seeming to have no actual interest in eating it.
"I'm not going to try stealing them again," he snapped without looking over, placing a dried dish on the counter. "I'm smarter than that, thank you. Just sayin'. I did it before 'cause I had no other choice. I hate it here."
"I'm going to." He said simply, scooting the plate away from him with his tail, "So you keep your mouth shut." He stood up again and stuffed his hands into his pockets, making his way away from the kitchen table back to the living room.
"But--" He set down another plate and turned, but Jim was already half way out the room. Silently, ears pinned back against his head, he turned back to his work, picking up another dish.
In the living room, Kama was still sprawled out on his couch, reading the newspaper and finishing off his mug of coffee. Jim looked down at the man, his eyes narrowing down on him. "Give the kid a room." He said sharply, snapping his tail back and forth. "You got room... might as well use the closet for something better. Like vaccumes."
"No." He didn't even bother to look up, merely turning the page and taking another long sip before replying. "I've got rooms. I've got closets. I need the rooms. Tayn knows his place."
"He's a person... I'm a person..." He growled, "You're a person too Kama... what happened to you?" He circled the couch, almost prowling, "You were abused... just like me you lost someone didn't you? Or you were like him... someone took it all away."
"He is an object," Kama hissed through his teeth, only then gracing Jim with a glance. "And that is irrelevant. Get out of my sight."
"...." Jim growled and whirled around again, a balled fist being thrown right for Kama's face, "YOU'RE the object!"
Without a second thought Kama dropped the coffee mug on the floor, hand snapping up to block Jim's punch and catch hold of his fist. The mug shattered as it hit the floor, coffee spilling and splashing all over the area, along with hundreds of glass shards. Immediately afterward, Kama shoved the boy away, and the firey pain began anew in Jim's arm, swiftly spreading through his body as before.
He grunted but remained on his feet, his eyes locking with Kama's as sweat poured over his quivering and jolting body. "...you...won't....b...beat...me....." He growled through the whimpering, balling his fists as tears burned in the corners of his eyes.
He sighed, folding up his newspaper and setting it on the side table. "Kid, the sooner you learn to stop giving a s**t about people you hardly know, the sooner you'll realize what a great opportunity you have here. I'm not trying to beat you. We just have...conflicting interests. You learn that my word's law, you start respecting that and shut your bitching, and maybe you'll see some of these 'requests' fulfilled." A pause, and he waved Jim towards the kitchen. "Tell Tayn to come clean up this mess."
Jim's nose wrinled as he crowled over towards Kama.... his word might have been law but law had never bound him before... never detoured or weakened him. Never been caught, never arrested. He cared, yes... he acted otherwise but somewhere under the rags and scars there was a heart, one that valued life. Tayn wasn't an object, he was indeed a life... a heart himself. "No." He said simply and spit down towards Kama's feet, still working with the pain coursing through his body.
Kama's face darkened, and the firey pain suddenly increased ten fold, leaving Jim feeling as if he was enveloped in flames. Calmly, Kama lifted his foot, wiping the saliva off of his shoe and on to Jim's cheek, then placing the same foot atop the boy's head and forcing it against the floor, agains the tiny shards of glass from the broken mug.
Jim ground his teeth, tears pouring from his eyes though they remained open, glaring up at Kama, his own death promised in those eyes, all the pain he was enduring he'd return some day.... or so Jim told himself and so his glare told. His body jolted and jerked though he somehow still managed to contain any cries. He'd not give Kam the pleasure. "..On......e....d...d.d...aaa...ah...day....Kama...."
He chuckled, shaking his head at the boy's foolishness. "I know, I know. One day, eh?" Lifting a hand, he glanced at his watch, then, moving his foot, rose to his feet and stepped over Jim to head for the door. He paused just inside, yelling back towards the kitchen. "Tayn? Coffee spill in the living room." Then, opening the door, stepped outside and was gone. Instantly the attack on Jim lifted.
Jim slowly picked himself up, pulling himself on his hands and knees to the couch, dragging himself up onto it with great effort. Muscles burning, head swimming and swirling. He felt sick. "...hold in there Jimbo..." He whispered under his breath as he laid himself out on the couch, curling up into himself to hide his face. Bleeding from the shards sticking out of his cheek. "..one day.."
Shortly after he heard the door slam, Tayn slipped into the room with a wet rag in one hand, a broom and dust pan in the other. However, as soon as he saw the Jivvin boy curled up on the couch, he leaned the broom against the wall and hurried over, dropping the rag on the main splash of coffee and placing a hand lightly on the boy's shoulder. "...Jim?"
Jim shuddered slightly at the touch, slowly turning to face Tayn. His eyes still burning through they ran with crimson tears, the strain in his body having ruptured the tear ducts in them. "...don't look at me kid." He turned away, pulling one of the shards from his face and tossing it on the ground.
Tayn paled at the sight, bile rising in his throat and forcing him to look away. After a moment he managed to clear his throat and looked back up, though his hands shook slightly as he gently shoved Jim to make him at least roll over, if not sit up. "Let me see your face.. I'm gonna get some tweezers to get that glass out, okay? My lord, Jim... what'd he do to you...?"
He shook his head, slowly sitting himself up and wiping at his eyes. The band around his wrist was burned deeper into his wrist, fresh burns blistering up around it, "Don't let anyone break you, kid.. you've given up. You can't let 'em."
He returned shortly with an armful of supplies, many of which he probably wouldn't need but had brought just on the off chance. Carefully skirting the broken glass, he took a seat on the couch beside Jim and dumped the supplies between them. Picking up the tweezers and a plastic cup from the mix, he set the cup up correctly then glanced to Jim, ears still back slightly. "Turn towards me. Let me get the glass out."
"Why did you give up?" He watched Tayn, his ears rotating back though with irritation rather than anything else. The kid had some heart to him... but not the backbone to make it worth anything really.
"Because he brought me back," he replied quietly, avoiding Jim's eyes in favor of focusing on the shards of glass in his face. With his free hand, he cupped the unharmed side of Jim's jaw to make him hold still, then carefully plucked a piece of glass from his cheek with the tweezers, dropping it into the cup. "He proved that I couldn't get away."
"You get caught once, means you didn't try hard enough. Better reason to get out. He's done that to me before, kid... he's not breaking me. Tha'ts what he wants." He wincd as the glass was pulled off, "...you want him to have what he wants?"
"I've been caught plenty of times," he replied, chuckling bitterly. "You think I've never tried to get away before? Tch, I've run.. I've tried a lot of ways. The last... The last he took the band off." He paused, glancing to his wrist briefly, then lifted his eyes once more and plucked out a second shard. "But for me, unlike you, all he has to do is will that band back, apparently... I was free for a good few months, and then he found me, and... At least he's treating me better this time."
"Kid...", he looked over to Tayn, narrowing his eyes, "He did this to me...because I fought for you. You gonna make this for nothing because you give up?" He hated using that card but he'd learned over time that people in Tayn's situation cared little for themselves when it came down to it- but someone else...perhaps that would be different.
He opened his mouth to reply, closed it, distracted himself with removing a few more slivers of glass. However, at one point his hand began to shake, and rather than risk hurting Jim further, he let it fall to his lap until such time as he calmed down. He stared down at the cup of bloody glass shards, finally closing his eyes, ears flat against his skull. "I g-guess... I could t-try..."
"All that stands between you and a life are papers... PAPERS." He growled, holding up the band that clung to his wrist, "I've already taken one chain off of you, I can't do everything myself. If you get free you can help me. Don't think I did it all for a kid I just met. It's part of the reason, but you're not the only one that wants to be free again."
He nodded slightly in agreement, but said nothing, simply waiting a bit longer for his hands to stop shaking and returning to his work. Finally, again without really looking at Jim, attention focused on the glass slivered, her murmured, "...What should I do, then? How should I fight back?"
"Use your head. Keep it down for now but listen. Always listen. Even good theives will slip a word or two. Anything can be a clue as to where another b*****d's hiding his loot. You be the ears and brains, I'll be the one to get you free.. then it'll be your turn to return the favor.'
He nodded once more, looking slightly relieved. "I can do that... I'm good at that." He didn't bother to elaborate, instead pulling another few slivers from Jim's face. He carefully checked over the boy, pulling out one more he had missed, then set the cup and tweezers aside, reaching for some cotton balls and a small bottle. "...This might sting a bit. Word of warning."
"Not as much as what the bracelet does." He muttered, averting his eyes back to the mess on the ground. His tail dabbed at the rag that was set to absorb the coffee, it was something. He could at least try. "Kama... I think he was abused as a kid.
"True," he agreed, pouring a bit of the contents of the bottle onto the cotton balls and uncerimoniously swabbing down Jim's face. It would sting, but it was tolerable. "He was," Tayn admitted after a pause, dropping the used cotton balls in the cup after the glass shards. "He told me once."
"What happened to him?" He rose an eyebrow at this. He told Tayn? What could have possibly gotten that out of him? He'd tried the nice approach and the voilent approach. "Knowlege is power kid."
"Mind, he was pretty drunk when he told me," Tayn admitted, adding a mumbled, "Among other things." Pausing uncertainly, he shot a nervous glance towards the door as if expecting Kama to come barging in, then reached for a second dish towel he had brought along and doused it with the liquid from the same bottle. "His bond treated him like an animal. Worse. He lived outside chained to a tree, only got fed every so often. Owner would dump him into dog fights and such. Sorta what he's doing to you, only he was malnourished and received nothing for winning... I dunno, it was kinda sad. Moo took him away from the owner when she learned what had happened, brought him here and took care of him and stuff. I think she, Jack and I are probably the only ones who know. And you now, but yeah." While he spoke, he quickly placed the towel around Jim's maimed wrist, tightening his grip over the injured area to insure it was cleaned and that Jim couldn't pull away from the sting.
Jim frowned hard at the story, glancing back to where Kama had come from. Maybe...it was unlikely, but maybe the man was able to be redeemed... to see what he was doing here to people, people like he'd been. It was a long shot and Jim still wanted to gut him alive, but one option was more likely than the other. That and he was quite fond of being alive himself. "I was right then. Son of a b***h."
"If you look at it that way," he began quietly, loosening the towel to instead dab at Jim's wrist. "It could be worse... He's treating us better than he was treated. Kama's not bad sometimes... It just scares him to not have control of things after all he's been through, I think."
"No one forgets what's right and wrong kid, no one can. You lie to hide it or ignore it but you know it's there and you have to live with it. I live with knowing I steal, but I live in knowing I'm doing it to live at all. I can't make up for what I did if I don't live." He stood himself up, pulling his wrist away, "Don't bother. It's gonna get worse."
He was silent for a long moment, reacting only when Jim pulled away, and even then quieting before he'd uttered more than a word. Out of nerves, he began gathering up the supplies he had brought to return to the kitchen, leaving the cup of glass shards on the table for when he returned to clean the mess on the floor. "...He needs a friend more than anything. If you think defiance is going to improve your situation at all, you're wrong. You'll end up just like him."
Tayn would return to the mess having been picked up and Jim sucking on one of his fingers, flicking his tail sharply. "...A friend... maybe I'd be nicer if he'd stop trying to play bar-b-que with my body."
He left the room and returned a short while later, blinking in surprise at finding the mess cleaned and cracking a smile for the first time, even chuckling softly. "He wouldn't fry you if you weren't so whiney. I've seen him. He tries being nice and you get all huffy. You've got it pretty good here, you know."
"...I lived in a furnature store that'd been closed down. I slept in a wardrobe with no doors that I secured a hammock in. The blankets were shreads I picked out of the back of fabric stores... I fought termites off me every night. I dug around in dumpsters, scraped for cash, and occassionally...stole things like clothing toothpaste, food..." He sighed, draiping an arm over his eyes, "...but... I was free."
"Tch." Tayn frowned, wrinkling his nose. "Free? You're pretty damn free right now, bud. You've fought, what, once since you came here? Kama lets you go and come as you please? He feeds you, he gave you a room, he pays you? He just asks that you respect his orders, but you're too busy playing the pissy rebel to realize how much freedom you do have! I envy you," he snapped bitterly, eyes falling on his own band.
Jim reached out suddenly, catching Tayn's shirt sharply in a fist, his eyes burning as he pulled the boy within hairs of his own face, "...I fight to the death boy... I kill. I take life away so I can live. You... whatever you do, you're not ending someone's life. You're not killing someone's friend, someone's brother, sister, father, son... Dont' EVER tell me I'm free when I'm forced to do that." He shoved Tayn away roughly.
Tayn yelped as he was tugged closer, both hands immediately rising to hold Jim's wrist, ears flat against his skull as he stared fearfully up at the older boy. He was silent until such time as Jim pushed him away, stumbling back and falling to the floor as he lost his balance. And still he was silent, gathering his courage for a reply and finally speaking out, "...See, there's the difference, Jim... Even then, you're free. Myself? I'd let them come." He climbed to his feet, eyes on the floor, absently straightening his shirt. "You still have the choice, and you choose to kill... Now I understand what Kama sees in you."
His expression darkened. "You can't possibly see who I am." He hissed dangerously, though by the slight choke in his voice something had struck a nerve. He wanted to live... killing to live was no way to live at all. He wanted to be free so he didn't have to kill. Termites and moldy bread didn't involve kiling anyone. "You're ******** welcome." He turned sharply, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he stormed off to his room, slamming the door sharply behind him.
Tayn flinched at the slam of the door, staring sadly after Jim. "...Nor can you see who I am," he mumbled, more to himself than the Jivvin, then gathered up the rag and broom and returned them to the kitchen before retreating to his closet.
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