It's One of Those Weeks

[therewerefifty]

Who: Makie and you
Broadcast: Nope
Action: Planetside / Iskaulit / Twin Roses
When: 16 April - early May, most likely.

A - Business as Usual

[Makie finds this new, skyless world daunting, but given it's not underwater like the last one, she'll take it. She can be found plying her shamisen music in the crowds and taverns, sometimes on her own but often with company, though she's more likely to move swiftly to avoid crowds afterward than stay and talk to them, so you might find her lurking just inside a small cafe or down an alleyway taking a breather. She makes a nominal search for saplings or seeds which might work well for a memorial tree, but she doesn't really have the gardening experience to know which of these will flourish on the Iskaulit. Their care system is entirely different, after all.

As the week wears on, she becomes more relaxed and lets herself enjoy this place a little more. Misty is popular, and that's partly Makie's teaching, and that means she's passed on something worthwhile... and it's a good feeling all round. Later in the week she forgoes wearing her kimono entirely, indulging in the peasant dresses she picked up so many planets ago, and spends more times just basking in the musical environment down here. Even being vaguely sociable.

Blink and you'll miss it.]

B - Another Perspective

[On 23 April, Makie takes a shortcut between two buildings and promptly disappears. But a small child shuffles out soon afterward, trying very hard not to trip over the hem of an overlong and unfamiliar dress, shamisen still wrapped carefully in both arms and hugged to her chest. It's the only familiar thing here and it looks expensive, so she clings to it like a lifeline and blinks owlishly around the strange world she finds herself in.



There's no sky.  The lights and the crowds are the conflicting sounds are overwhelming, and she soon retreats, clinging close to walls like a ghost until she finds a place to hide.  If the last year has taught her anything, it's how not to get noticed in a dirty street, but the shamisen and the tent of a dress she's wearing do kind of tend to stand out.

There's no sky.  And she remembers a field, and an angry old man, and what happened after, and she's not hurt now, but this place is a miserable cacophony of alien impressions... She shouldn't eat the food here, just in case it means she can't ever go home.  She remembers that part.  (Though honestly, would it really matter?  There's nothing really to go back to--)

If you run into her here, she will eventually leave again.]

C - And Then There Were Assholes

[By the time she's singled out as an easy pickup by a handful of drunken traffickers, Makie is too tired and hungry and miserable to put up a fight.  This is what happens to outcasts, anyway.  She just doesn't care, as long as they don't take the shamisen from her, and so she stumbles along behind one as he pulls her along by the wrist roughly, joking with his friends, heading for their ship.

"Gorgeous skin, right?  So pale--"
"And that hair--"
"She'll make a fortune, sell her to the right place--"

Oh.  The more things change... she's not stupid.  But she just follows, eyes dark.  Frankly at this point, she doesn't give a damn.  It's not like anything different would have happened at home.

...so intervention would be welcome.]

D - Catch-all

[For any time after the events of the 23rd.  One can assume she's exploring, and probably pretty taken with the fox park and all the sneaky quiet places she can poke her nose into on the Iskaulit.  She'll be very polite and try not to get in your way.  I can roll with whatever!]

Comments

C

[therewerefifty]

[Even at ten, Makie can recognise real threat when she sees it, even if Maglor's appearance is bizarre by her standards. The refined features remind her of the boy she'd just met, but the rest...? Superstition is a gnawing thing, and she's already mostly convinced she's dead. She averts her face after a moment, which is pointless because she clearly already attracted his attention.

It's fine, the traffickers are more than willing to step between them and block her from view entirely, though for distinctly unhelpful reasons of their own.

"If she doesn't want to, she can speak up." It's said pointedly. Makie hasn't uttered a word since they found her, and they're reasonably confident she won't now. If she did-- well, there's always plan B.]

[bythewaves]

[ Makie has good instincts, better than the careless slavers, and Maglor tips his head to observe them, a lazy smile curling his lips, predator playing with prey ]

She does not have to speak, when her very being screams it. What child would go willing with any who treat her so roughly?

[therewerefifty]

[They're not entirely blind to the quiet menace Maglor represents; but that they outnumber him by far, and that lets them believe he's a manageable menace. It's preferable they leave without causing a scene-- trafficking is hard to police, but it's still illegal, so the less attention drawn, the better-- so for now, the leader of this group resorts to feigning offence.

"You've gotta lot of nerve to make such claims. What have we done? She's not fighting, is she? She's just a little slow, that's all. You know." Tapping a finger to his head. "Needs encouragement. Go mind your own business."

The one holding Makie's wrist starts moving while the others hold Maglor's attention. This time, though, she drags her feet. Despite how intimidating he is, what he had to say was nicer than expected-- and she's worried.]

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor's eyes are sharp and piercing, for all his apparent langour, and they reach through the slavers to Makie when she drags her heels, his voice sharpening, just a little, although the eyes that meet hers are kind, before he turns the full weight of his glare on the slavers ]

She looks remarkably resistent to me. Child.

[ He lifts his voice and catches Makie's eyes ]

Tell me true - do you want to go?

[ Say the word, his eyes promise her, and you will be free.

But they are in public, and although Maglor cares little for his own reputation, killing them now without confirmation from Makie would bring trouble on Mikleo and Sorey as the captains of his ship. ]

[therewerefifty]

[She ducks down as she catches his gaze, an automatic attempt to be smaller in the face of intimidating men. But the question and the tone behind it are both clear, and after a split second's hesitation-- she shakes her head, very minutely.

The mood turns uglier at that. The pretense won't stand up, so the traffickers don't bother, and two draw their guns as the one holding Makie gives him an annoyed look, sweeping down to wrap an arm around her waist instead and haul her off her feet. "It's none of your damn business. Fuck off!"]

[bythewaves]

[ His eyes narrow as they manhandle her, a storm brewing in silver flame, although his voice maintains the light, easy lilt ]

It is my business when you would harm a child. And my captain dislikes violence, so... put her down, turn around and leave, and I will not pursue. This is your only warning.

[therewerefifty]

[The news of a captain does give them pause-- maybe he's military...? From around here? Makie wriggles a little in the man's hold and gives his hand a half-interested look like she's contemplating breaking his fingers, but her attention soon returns to Maglor as the men glance at each other, two whispering quietly. Weighing options.

...."Okay. Sure. Whatever." The response is friendly, and the leader gives a shrug. "Not like she'll be worth much for a couple more years. We'll cut our losses, hey?"

He motions to the man holding Makie and he moves forward. All of which is meant to distract Maglor from the solid-looking woman at the edge of his vision aiming a gun to fire.]

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor reaches for Makie, but one does not survive the First Age of the world without having a keen sense of danger, and the silver flame in his eyes kindles as he ducks, the instant the trigger is pulled, turning to fling the hunting knife in his belt with deadly accuracy, although he cannot avoid the shot entirely.

(There are advantages, to being one of the High Elves, born in Valinor and bathed in Treelight. One of them is the ability to tell the fact that gunshots hurt a lot to shelve it until he has time to deal with the injury. Because damn it that hurts a lot and he is going to have to collapse later and Maedhros is going to yell at him.)

He doesn't break stride, moving with a vicious speed to draw the longsword in the spin back to Makie, lunging forwards.

(That sword should be too heavy to wield one-handed, but Maglor does not appear to have any problems wielding it in his left)

Despite his injury Maglor is viper quick, and agile as a cat, his eyes a blazing silver as he dances between his enemies, no quarter offered or spared, and the blade shines with a cold fire ]

[therewerefifty]

[Makie flinches at the gun shot, so loud and unexpected to her, and she watches the ensuing battle with sharp, worried eyes. He got hurt. He's bleeding. But it isn't stopping him, and for long moments she just stares at the sheer display of skill here. The sword would usually be too heavy, she thinks, but it's not a surprise. Makie fights with a weapon deemed too unwieldy and heavy herself.

She would now, if she had a weapon. (Ironic, that she's clutching a weapon to her chest and doesn't realise it.) But the most she can contribute to Maglor's fight is removing herself from the fight-- therefore removing herself as a possible complication, and she turns and sinks her teeth right into the knuckles of the hand of the thug holding on to her. When he yelps and drops her by instinct, she scurries right out of the way and vanishes down the alley with remarkable speed, leaving him without his shield.

Maglor might take some other injury here, but people don't generally explode into violence like that after being shot and these men (and one woman) are skilled, but no match for a High Elf. Please don't die. In the meantime, she'll just.

Hide behind this trash can nearby and watch.]

[bythewaves]

[ Smart girl, Maglor approves.

He's Singing, by now, throwing confusion and distraction and illusion in their eyes, Songs to take minds and twist them.

(he probably shouldn't be using those out here in public, but it may not be a battlefield, yet there is a child at stake)

In concession to Mikleo and Sorey, if any of them break and run he does not chase, but those who stand he cuts down without mercy. Absently, he catalogues his injuries - one to the shoulder, another to his side, one that nicked his face, nothing fatal - and dismisses them to be worried about later. He won't stop until the last slaver is dead or fled, standing panting in the center of the carnage ]

[therewerefifty]

[Some cut and run early on; they're the smart ones. Injury isn't worth it for just one child, and Maglor is deemed too much trouble from the start. The rest... guaranteed those that can flee do once they notice that his singing has some kind of odd effect, wanting nothing more than to be out of the rage of whatever strange weapon he's using.

Some die anyway, of course. But eventually, Maglor is left to his own devices, bleeding and alone at the end of the alleyway.

Makie watches him from her hiding place, and he probably knows exactly where she is, and she knows it. But she doesn't make any move to come out. Just in case.]

[bythewaves]

[ As the adrenaline and battle rage wears off Maglor trembles and sinks to his knees, gasping as the pain of his injuries hits.

Not yet ]

Child, are you well?

[therewerefifty]

[...oh. Maybe-- maybe he's hurt more than he can manage. There is the briefest thought that maybe she should still leave him be, let him keel over so she can leave without complication, but...

...that's not very honourable at all.

She doesn't answer the question. But after another long moment of worried deliberation, she edges out of her hiding place, padding back up to him to see how bad it is, though she'll stop just out of arm's reach. She knows how to treat injuries. Maybe she can help.]

...

...thank you.

[bythewaves]

[ He looks up and smiles at her, and it is gentle and the madness is gone from his eyes, back to their more normal grey ]

There you are. You are welcome, youngling. I am glad you took no ill. Give me but a moment, and I will see about getting us both back to more hospitable climes, eh? I just need a moment to gather my strength again.

[therewerefifty]

You need a doctor. [She says it authoritatively enough, but then hesitates, looking unsure. She has no idea if such things exist in this place. So instead she rests the shamisen against her leg for a moment, gathering the overlong brown peasant dress by the hem and tearing a long strip.

If he'll let her, she'll bandage the gunshot wound, at least. She's skilled enough at doing so for a child.]

[bythewaves]

Probably.

[ He agrees with her wryly ]

But we need to get you to safety too, eh?

[ He lets her work though, reaching to help her pull the makeshift bandage tight, wondering at the familiar shamisen and eyes ]

You have good hands. [ he approves, but there is something sad about that knowledge ]

[therewerefifty]

[She nods at the observation, but doesn't explain. No point bogging someone down with unnecessary details. She's a little worried, because those guns were also wholly unfamiliar, so she doesn't really know how much medical treatment he really needs.

She steps back when she's done, though, collecting the shamisen again, looking a little unsure.] Is there anywhere safe?

[bythewaves]

Nowhere is entirely safe. [ He acknowledges ]

But if we can get to the ships, I think there will not be any danger there, and there are healers there, also.

[therewerefifty]

[Ships with healers...? Her brow furrows.]

Do I have to go on the ship to get home? To... [He's got some similar fine featuring, but he's not one of her own countrymen. Definitely not with those odd ears.] To Japan...?

[Can she even get home from here? Honestly, she'd mostly thought she'd died.]

[bythewaves]

[ His eyes are sad and he shakes his head ]

I do not think the ships go there, little one. They ply the void between the stars, and venture not to our homelands.

[therewerefifty]

[Ah. So she's dead after all. It's the only explanation that can make any of this make sense. Ply the void...

It... really doesn't bother her. Maybe that means Fuki can go home. She looks at the ground.]

Where do they take us?

[bythewaves]

[ .................close enough ]

Our final destination I do not know, but to date it has seemed more like wandering from place to place. Perhaps it is all about the journey.

[therewerefifty]

What do I have to do on the ships?

[She's rolling with it. Obviously there's a place for everyone, even if that place is stay out of the way.]

[bythewaves]

Anything you like. [ He says wryly ]

Most of us simply go about our lives as best we can.

[therewerefifty]

[Blink. Nobody just does what they please. That can't be right, there has to be an order. She frowns.]

Even girls?