| Logs |
2000-04-02a
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
Look Before You Leap
Evening arrives, the tropical sunset rapidly plunging the city into darkness, with torches, lamps, and the occasional magelight sparkling in the night. Horatio still has not arrived back at the ship.
Alex is still glowing about her new earring, and has been gleefully practicing acrobatics (read: bouncing ebulliently about the ship) when she notices it's starting to -- er, no, it IS dark! She swings back upright, then looks around a little puzzledly, wondering where Horatio is... for that matter, where's Dimitri too?
Like a quiet shadow, Dimitri sits on the pier, at the back of the gangplank. His knees are drawn up, his cloak wrapped all around, and his sword rests on the wooden pier next to him, beneath one black furred paw. He watches the dockside traffic, a quiet sentinel at the accessway to the Saucy Mare.
Alex swings down lightly onto the deck and patters over to peer at the pier, "Dimitri? You down there? Do you know where Horatio is? I haven't seen him come back?"
Dimitri looks up, brushing out his whiskers. "He went to the Alchemists' Hall, with Jessie to look after him. But you know Horatio when it comes to time..."
Alex nods quietly, staring down the street a little worriedly, "Well yes... but... would Jessie let him stay that long? I don't know her very well, I'm afraid?"
Dimitri smiles quietly, "No explosions or panicked summoning of the Guards, Alex."
Alex leans her chin on her small paws, crossed on the ship's railing, "True... but... foo. Am I worrying too much, Mitya, what with a Pravin ship in port?"
Dimitri considers, resting back a bit. "It's the Pravinchandra ship that should be worrying. If they realize who we are, I bet her captain will not be wanting to sail until after we leave port, lest he become our next victim. Indeed, we might nudge him off schedule a bit, by staying here a while."
Alex giggles softly, glancing down at her dark brother in the shadows, one ear tilting that way also... then she nods, "Okay... I guess I'm just overly worried. I'm sure he's fine." She leans on the railing quietly, watching the street.
Dimitri quietly shrugs. "Maybe he got lucky or went to dinner..." He lets his head fall back and looks up to the gunwales. "However if you, bratling, are bored and the ship is not big enough for your bouncings, we could meander up the street in that general direction."
Alex giggles delightedly as she straightens, and she bounds lightly, one-handed, over the railing, landing on the gangplank with a rattle, and bouncing off to the pier, "Okay!" She flicks her newly adorned left ear with self-conscious pride, then beams expectantly at Dimitri.
Laughing, Dimitri draws himself up, snapping out the wrinkles and dust from his cloak with a single dramatic snap!. He crosses his sword over both shoulders, and then loops his arms over the scabbard. "So. The hall is this way, correct?" He smiles at the subtle flicker of her ear. "Come on. Lets see what this place is like after dusk."
Alex grins happily up at Dimitri and falls in next to him, pattering along with bright-eyed interest, "Okay! Daddy never let me go out alone after dark without an escort, and we were always bound for some particular destination, not wandering for fun... I always wondered what it'd be like!" She sounds cheerfully excited.
The route to the Alchemist's Guildhall takes the pair down the same street they had been on earlier in the day, and they note that there are several wealthy furs headed for the Silver Talon. Their business is elsewhere at the moment, though.
Alex watches the traffic towards the Talon with interest, but is mostly visually sweeping the area for Horatio... well, and interesting things happening, of course...
Slowly walking down the street, Dimitri takes time to stop and be distracted. To let his gaze follow the path of a well dressed fur, to look into a shop window, to listen to a scrap of conversation, to see who the guards watch and who they don't... and to watch his sister, of course. Alex isn't aware Dimitri's watching her -- she knows her back is covered, and she knows she's got his covered too, so what else is there to worry about there? -- but the increasing nightlife fascinates her. This she's never really gotten to see.
Alex straightens suddenly, her ears pricking forward alertly, "There they are, Mitya!" She sounds pleased, "They look fine, whew!"
Horatio has something of a bulky package in his arms; it's not large, nor does it look particularly heavy, but he does carry it with both hands, and protectively. The streets around the Guildhall are dark, and only a few nocturnal folks are about. Jessie is grumbling about having it get so late, and what if they've missed dinner?
Horatio glances to Jessie guiltily. "Well, erm, I'm sure we can grab something between here and the ship if they've stopped serving... I'm glad you came out with me to the Hall, though. I kept forgetting about the Pravinchandra ship..."
Alex giggles to Dimitri, "Look how he's carrying that package -- I bet he has more books!"
Dimitri chuckles softly, "Or those small crockeries of his. Remember when the last one broke? We didn't get the stink out of his fur for weeks. Hoi, Horatio, Jessie, over here!"
Alex bounds happily up the street towards them, waving, "Hi, guys!"
Horatio blinks at the sound of his name. He remembers at the last moment to not wave back. "Oh! Hoi, Alex, Dimitri!"
Alex says, "Whatcha got, Horry?" Dimitri quietly follows, a slow and measure pace behind Alexandra.
Horatio says, "Er, oh, just some reagents, to replace what I've used so far. I think I may be on to something, if I get essence of iron and aquae vitae, I think..." He manages to catch himself before he starts babbling on all the way back to the ship. "Well, something useful, maybe, or not. I'll need to do tests. Ah..." He glances to Jessie. "Er, we didn't miss dinner, did we?"
Alex giggles at Horatio, then grins at Jessie, "You need to nudge him sometimes, or he'll just forget to eat or sleep. Well... he does sleep, but he falls asleep on his books, you know?" She grins back at Dimitri, "Hey, is there someplace to eat near here, so Horatio and Jessie can get a bite to eat?"
Nodding back down the street, Dimitri suggests, "There's always the Silver Talon. A bit expensive, especially since I spent my allowance this morning."
Horatio blinks. "I do no such thing," he insists, but not petulantly, merely stating a fact.
Alex snorts amusedly at Horatio, "Uh-huh... ask Dimitri how many times he's taken nightwatch at about four bells for me, so I can spend the 15 minutes to walk you back to your room and tuck you in, silly." Horatio blinks, and opens his mouth, then closes his mouth, rather stunned by that epiphany. Alexandra hmms at Dimitri's comment, then suggests, "Well, is there anyplace um... a tad less pricey nearby? I wouldn't mind a bite to eat myself, actually...?"
Dimitri softly growls, "The Horn and Hart, Alex?"
Alex says, "Ooh, yeah! That'd be good! Let's go there!" She giggles delightedly at Horatio's stunned look, then falls in next to her brothers and Jessie, heading towards the Horn & Hart.
Dimitri pokes through the streets, taking the direct route to dinner. Horatio blinks, looking around as he trails along with Dimitri, Alexandra, and Jessie, trying hard to keep the package upright and unbroken. Most of the reagents are in sealed packages, though he still wouldn't want to risk the aqueous sulfur spilling onto the lignem vitae. Alex patters along, cheerfully chatting with Jessie about the earrings and how everyone in the attack will be getting one, Jessie included... and happily showing hers off.
Jessie grins. "My own campaign ring? Great! And Dennis will just about explode when he sees Mikhail with one."
Alex giggles delightedly at that, then looks mock-mournful, "The poor fellow!"
Jessie grins wickedly. "He needs to be taken down a peg or three, I think. I'm looking forward to it."
Alex laughs! "Aw, is he so bad? He's just... big on himself?"
Alex is still smiling, but her laughter quiets as she looks forward thoughtfully... she's just noticed two strangers following them. Anyone more up there? She lays a hand on Jessie's arm, letting Horatio's walking take him slightly forward so he's centered in the triangle made by the three fighters. Her tone is still lightly conversational as she softly adds, "We have two followers... I think we're being boxed?" Dimitri's ears flicker, as he follows Alex's gaze.
Horatio doesn't notice the neat triangle he's been put in, so concentrating he is on his package and where he's stepping. Alex's chatting with Jessie is barely registering in his mind as he steps gingerly over various pitfalls that seem designed to catch unwary student alchemists carrying bundles of reagents through the street. So he misses Alex's change of tone. Jessie restrings her bow, trying not to look obvious about it, just as six rough-looking furrs step out onto the quiet section of street, three in front and three behind the group. "Just hand over the money, Foxy, and no one has to get hurt."
Alex laughs in spite of herself! -then draws her sword with a grin, "Which foxy?"
Horatio stops short at the sudden appearance of the six hoodlums. He glances behind, and then again in front, and sighs softly. "What a time to be caught without diluted vitriol..."
Alex barks out a startled, quickly suppressed laugh again at Horatio's comment -- how very him! She gently nudges Horatio to put his back to the wall... Jessie behind with a clear field of fire, Dimitri was leading... okay. She'll stand so she can cover whomever needs backup... no, wait, he'll want the in-between spot. She slides neatly behind him, one small paw touching his back so he knows where she is and can move to the point of the triangle they're forming.
The thugs look a bit disconcerted at Alex's laughter, but their leader obviously thinks the odds are still in their favor. "C'mon. We don't have all night."
Alex beams happily at the lead thug, obviously completely unafraid... looking, in fact, as if she's cheerfully anticipating the impending fight! She glances at Dimitri, waiting for him to lead off. Dimitri slips his paw to the pommel of his greatsword, snapping its peace strap. He stops, his balance shifting, a mite feral. His ears slowly rise as his lips pull back. "I spent my money today. And I'm going home. Even with six of you, at least one of you won't. Which one of you will it be?" His dark gaze snares the closest, singling him out. "You?"
Alex brightens even more (if that's possible) at Dimitri's words, and her heavy rapier twirls lightly once, gleaming in the flickering torchlight, then settles en guarde towards the closest thug that Dimitri's focused on.
The lead thug shakes his head. "Awright... you want it the hard way, you got it." He's barely gotten the words out of his mouth when an arrow flies from Jessie's bow. Dimitri is immediately in motion, the long blade drawn from his scabbard in a single fluid motion. The scabbard is discarded as sharp eyes watch the rush. One of the rear group yells and folds over on himself, the mink's arrow pinning his right arm to the wall. She grins and sets another arrow. "Who's next?"
Alex's voice is admiring, "Nice shooting, Jessie!" She grins happily at the closest thug, her voice teasing, "Shall we dance?!"
Taking a sharp step forward, Dimitri's eyes are coldly professional, ears flat out, cool. Six against three are never good odds, the only good plan is to even them out. Quick, sure, harsh. The greatsword slashes out, practiced and smooth. Steel shears flesh, driving deep across the first bandit's belly, tearing through cloth and muscles, shattering rib bones and sternum, leaving an arc of blood and viscera in its wake. Dimitri doesn't even pause, spinning, to shift his attack to his next... victim.
The leader growls, trying to engage Dimitri before he can recover from the strike that disabled his second. Unfortunately the thug's strike, though accurate, primarily damages the warrior-fox's armor and only a minor scratch gets through. He hisses in frustration and belated fear as his remaining people rush up to attack.
Alex grins happily and darts forward one, two light steps after her favorite brother -- then pauses, looking back at the other two attackers in the rear. She looks torn, her ears swiveling back and forth... then she looks slightly disappointed, but turns to cover the rear, at the apex of the triangle, a bit in advance of Jessie but not in her line of fire. She whips her heavy rapier around lightly and attacks the closest thug as he rushes in. Her target almost manages to deflect the rapier thrust, but not quite... instead of his gut, the point goes through his off-shoulder and he staggers back. His partner gets tangled with him and makes a miserable clumsy attempt at an attack.
The last thug's desperate strike is easily deflected by a wickedly swift Dimitri. Jessie calmly nocks another arrow and sends it into the leader's forearm, disabling his weapon hand. "I think we're running out of playmates, sir."
Alex laughs as the two thugs tangle each other up, then twirls the heavy rapier around lightly and darts it in, quick as a striking snake, to pierce the injured thug's unprotected gut. The thug howls in pain and backs up, one arm holding the wounded section of his stomach. The remaining uninjured footpad looks extremely worried to be facing Dimitri alone, and starts backing up.
Alex grins cheerfully at the leader, with his hand speared by an arrow, and twirls the rapier tip around to him. She stares down the length of the blade, her ears alertly up and her eyes bright with wicked delight, "You're next!"
Dimitri curls back his lip, his dark eyes colder than the steel of his blade. Silent. The last brigand can see, he can watch, the big blade drawing back, like a snake about to strike... and if the brigand is still there, the blade will strike.
The little group of muggers evaporates like morning dew, leaving behind only two of their number -- the one curled up around himself on the ground and the one with an arrow pinning his arm to the wall. The leader is muttering something about getting back at the clown who misled them about this group as he disappears around the corner, supporting the one Alex gut-stabbed.
Horatio gulps, and realizes it's all over even before he took a handful of breaths. Alex grins at those muttered comments, then turns and beams at Jessie, "Yeah!" She glances at Horatio cheerfully, "You okay, Horry?"
Dimitri quietly picks up his scabbard and then walks to the pinioned one. He looks at him, eyes narrowed. "Tell your folks to leave us alone."