Martin Starling
((THERE we go. Fixed name. You still there?))
Kiana Knowles
(yup)
Martin Starling
*The site of rebuilding always catches his eye while he’s going through the markets, digging for fresh fruit and vegetables. This is really the furthest from home that he tends to wander, and it seems for good reason. He’s muttering to himself again, as he goes over the prices of the items there.*
Kiana Knowles
She runs.
She’s not running away from anyone, at least not at the moment. It seems she’s doing it for exercise instead. comfortable sweats are rolled down low on her hips, and she has exchanged her normal hoodie for a mostly unzipped lighter sweatshirt. She’s got headphones in her ears, the wire trailing to the ipod in her pocket, and she dodges through the crowds with the grace of a dancer… bob and weave… bob and weave…
Martin Starling
*He is debating the price of some of the fruit in one of the bins. He points to the side, and steps back… well, just at the wrong time, to get in the way of the running girl.*
Kiana Knowles
[just for kicks – does she dodge?]
Dice: 7 d10 TN6 (1, 3, 3, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10) ( success x 3 ) Re-rolls: 1
Kiana Knowles
She’s fast – she really is. He steps back and she catches it out of the corner of her eye, and weaves around him with a quick sidestep, doing little more then tossing her arms up in a gesture of the WHOA! type as she does so….
Martin Starling
*He groans, as he drops one of the pieces of fruit that he will now have to buy. He turns around slightly, although Kiana does catch his eye.* I KNOW you, *he offers, despite the headphones.*
Kiana Knowles
He says something, and her brow creases, slightly as she pauses… jogging in place and pulling an earbud from her ear, gaze questioning…
Martin Starling
We have met. *He juggles the fruit from hand to hand.* Before. I believed you did not speak.
Kiana Knowles
She smirks, slightly, at that, and shrugs, slightly. Seems she’s not going to speak now either. Her gaze drops to the fruit, and then back up again, a brow lifted in question again.
Martin Starling
*He shrugs.* I was looking for a decent peach, although it is getting into apple season. I apologize if I am interrupting your jog. I was about to go work out myself, but it would be a different sort. *He doesn’t sound boasting. Flat, just stating matter of factly, as if she cared about this exceedingly dull part of his life.* But… I did wish to speak to you, about the woman you were speaking to the night we met.
Kiana Knowles
She tips her head and studies him for a moment, before she finally stops moving in place, and plucks the other earbud from her ear, shoving it into the pocket of her sweatshirt. she keeps her hands there, and nods slightly that she remembers the woman. And waits.
Martin Starling
*He buys the small bit of fruit that he’d intended to, and he pulls the bag over one arm. And he starts to move. He’s… well, it’s hard to tell that he is strong with the looseness of his tee shirt, but he can keep up with her easily.* I ran into her at a social gathering place. The other night. She seems… rather the manipulative type.
Kiana Knowles
She’s walking now, easily paced, cooling down from her run. she’s been at it a while, if the sweat staining her clothing is any indication, and she doesn’t mind the reprieve.
He says Gwen is manipulative, and a huff of breath signifies amusement. IN her experience, oh so many people are… but she gestures for him to go on.
Martin Starling
*He nods. He’s just starting, after all, so he’s easily keeping pace with her.* A dangerous version of it. Political. I only speak of this, as you two seemed to have an association with one another.
Kiana Knowles
That brow arches again, slightly, and she gestures to herself and makes a face. She certainly doesn’t look like the political type. So she lifts her hands slightly, as if asking ‘so?’
Martin Starling
She knew the man I was speaking with as well. I was merely… pondering, if you’d heard anything she might have said, unthinking.
Kiana Knowles
She stops moving, and looks at him curiously, and then looks around where they’re at. She scratches at the back of her neck, for a moment, and then pulls out a battered notebook and pencil from her pocket, and jots down her question curiously.
~what’s it to you? and do you think that woman is EVER ‘unthinking’?~
Her writing is small, but neat and legible, and she flips the pad around to show him.
Martin Starling
*He looks back to it, and he actually lets out a soft, breathy laugh.* I do not, *he says, rather quietly.* Think she is ever in that mode. However. It is a predatory thinking. I fear. *He’s not showing it in his face if he does.* That the second time I saw her it was coincidence, and I do not know what will happen the third time. So many predators in this city.
Kiana Knowles
Too many predators, he says, and she lets loose that soundless breath that signifies her amusement once again. She gestures at him, and then makes a face as if frightened, and points to him again. The meaning is clear – does the woman scare him – and why/
Martin Starling
*He pauses, bnut not in the jog. He sighs.* I… do not know why. It is… perhaps, because she was friends with the Pale… *He frowns.* With Pascal. That is. The man is rather the enigma, and when one… when I do not… understand, someone. It makes them a little bit… frightening, is all.
Kiana Knowles
She tips her head, slightly, and stops and leans up against a wall, watching him. She shakes her head. She doesn’t understand why.
Martin Starling
*He sighs, and he grumbles.* It is because I do not understand her or him. I was praying for some insight. *There is a bit more, but it seems he is not quite ready to share that bit.*
Kiana Knowles
She smirks a little, and then points to herself, then to him – the question clear. does he understand *her*?
Martin Starling
You make a bit more sense than she does, *he says with a small nod.* Your behaviour is not controlling, although I am fairly certain you can speak, you just choose not to.
Kiana Knowles
It’s the last that gets a surprised look, then a furrow of her brows. She shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head, slightly. It is not a choice.
Martin Starling
Ahh. Well, that does clarify that bit. *He blinks at that.* Although, you carry yourself proudly. You hold your head up. You are in essence fearless, at least, externally, and that I understand.
Kiana Knowles
Lips curve into a slight smirk as she shrugs. She pantomimes boxing, a quick right left right, and then lifts her chin proudly. Apparently, her fighting is what keeps her head up.
Or something.
Martin Starling
Ahh. A boxer. *He smiles faintly.* I can admire a warrior. Our styles are different, else I should suggest a spar sometime. But… she… was speaking to you. To control that fight within you?
Kiana Knowles
She gestures, waving her hand no and making a face. She won’t be controlled. She goes to the notepad again, to explain this time.
~need backer to get into some fights. she is willing to front the money for part of the profits when I win.~
she doesn’t seem to doubt that she will win, either.
Martin Starling
*He frowns at that, and now it’s his turn to stop jogging.* The place. With Khan, and the young woman.
Kiana Knowles
Her brows REALLY lift now.. and she gestures for him to explain what he means…
Martin Starling
The place where the fought to the death. *His nostrils flare.* The place that collapsed. Ruby Skies.
Martin Starling
(The place where THEY)
Kiana Knowles
She shakes her head, slightly. ~I’ll fight in The Pits. What are you talking about??~
Martin Starling
The building itself. I have been in there a couple of times. There were deaths in that ring. There is so much blood scattered about the place stinks. *His nostrils flare. And it seems some clarity enters his eyes as well.*
Kiana Knowles
She nods, slightly, then shrugs. She chews on her lower lip, and then straightens her shoulders. She’s good. She doesn’t believe she will die in the ring – but if she were to die, with her fists up is the only way to go.
Martin Starling
*He pauses, and he looks back to her.* Can… I ask you a favour, then? It is a small one. And I can give you my contact information if that is the case.
Kiana Knowles
She shrugs, slightly, and gestures that he ask. It doesn’t mean she’ll actually comply, but she’ll at least hear him out.
Martin Starling
There was a man. A tattoed man, with a shaved head, who only comes out at night. I have been attempting to find him. I have been told he is dangerous. I am not asking you to kill him… merely, call me, if he comes to the ring. I owe him something, a task I feel I must carry out to get it out of my soul. You do not have to agree, of course. But I would be eternally grateful.
Kiana Knowles
She narrows her gaze, slightly, and then shrugs slightly, and gestures to herself. What’s in it for her?
Martin Starling
*He pauses, and then he spreads his hands out.* What would you have of me, then? *It seems a serious question.*
Kiana Knowles
She gives it thought, and then writes on her notebook page, before handing it – and the pen to him. The first to read, the second for his contact information.
~A favor begets a favor. I’ll reserve mine for a later date. Deal?~
Martin Starling
Only limits I would put on it would be the death of the innocent or undeserving. I will not provide that. But within my powers, outside of that, you have a bargain. I swear it upon all that I am. *He writes down his phone number and his name in small letters, and block script. MARTIN.*
Kiana Knowles
She nods, slightly. She makes a face at the thought of asking for one of those anyway. Then she checks the number, the name, and nods. ~you text?~ because for obvious reasons, she won’t be saying anything.
Martin Starling
*He pauses. And he grumbles.* Right. I did not even think of this. I do not have a mobile phone. Although I do have an answering service. They leave me messages when it texts in a rather computerized voice. very odd, all things considered, but I do attempt to give more recent times some understanding. *In MY day, we walked uphill in the snow. Both ways.*
Kiana Knowles
She nods, slightly. Tattoo’d bald man, in the ring, text. All for an unnamed favor. all in all, a rather fruitful outing for the streetrat.
She arches a brow as she tucks the notebook away and digs out her headphones again, as if to ask if there’s anything else…?
Martin Starling
*He shakes his head.* I shall let you get on with your jog. I do apologize for interrupting.
Kiana Knowles
She nods, and offers him a lopsided little grin, as she tucks her earbuds back into her ears, and then with a little wave, takes off into her run again…
Martin Starling
*And he runs in the opposite direction, full well that he got scammed just a little bit. Well. At least he had another pair of eyes out in the city.*
Martin Starling
((And I am owwwwwt!))