Wharf Rats...

[Neko]

((No they are not real birds, Kiga))

::With the fluid grace of a dancer the woman in the hood grabbed Daisy's wrist in a vicelike grip and turned it to redirect the momenttum of the heavy blow as it was too strong to stop completly. As she held her wrist the ground beneath Daisy's feet began to shake and churn causing her to lose balance, accentuated by the fact that one arm was held and the other injured, she had no way to try and maintain balance. And thus she fell to her knees, the held arm twisting painfully with the sudden drop. Nothing was broken, but that didnt mean it didnt hurt.

The figure with the red hair began to try and struggle to his feet, his back to his pursuers, only to be hit by Kiga's blade square in the back and stopped. He was half risen whenthe ice grew out from the dagger to wrap him in a thick shell that held him in place.

The bird calls continued from multiple directions. One calling back to the other as they seemed to be getting closer.::

[Daisy]

Daisy screamed. Only the tiniest part of that sound was pain. Larger than that was frustration with the woman in blue who'd dare to try and stop the killing blow. Overwhelmingly though, the scream was still pure rage. She was not going to be denied; not when she was this close to Piper; so close she could literally reach out and smack him.

The hammer dropped from her hand, her good hand that was being held by the woman in blue. Its movement would be a distraction for the split second she needed. She noted it was odd that even this close she couldn't pierce the shadows hiding the woman's face. But that didn't matter.

Her feet levered underneath her again, taking her up from her knees, and her other hand pulled the Asp from where she'd tucked it in her waist band. The shoulder was lamed and bleeding, but her hand was fine, and her arm was still strong. It hurt like blazes, but she drove the knife for the back of Piper's head. There was no way she could miss, even with a bad arm, not at this range, not with her target utterly immobile.

They never expected this sort of thing. Of all the people she'd killed, not a one ever expected the death blow to come from the weakened limb. They never saw it coming until it was too late. To them the leg she limped on, or the bloodied arm was never the real threat. The moment of complete genuine surprise that occupied their eyes just before the horror of their death descended upon them was always a treat. For that she regretted not being able to see Piper's face.

Still, her mind's eye was already anticipating the slight jar in her wrist as the point of the knife hit thin bone at the base of his skull, then the almost liquid slide as it traveled home into grey matter and relieved Piper of his mortal coil.

[Kiga]

Kiga was quickly approaching as Daisy again made a move to kill Piper. The voice rung out in all three Vanguard's minds.

"Knife!"

It was impossible to miss. Ilithia still had her wrist locked and had forced her to her knees. Korin had moved in closer too, since he'd disturbed the ground beneath her. Yes, she was close, but with one hand holding her arm and three sets of eyes very intently on her, there was a reaction.

Kiga sped forward, closing the gap.

Ilithia's other arm moved to wind about Daisy's neck as the occupied hand yanked down on the wrist, harshly. Very harshly.

Korin shot his foot at the back of Daisy's knee, with little reservation of force.

Perhaps she was just quick enough. Perhaps she had that kind of speed, as injured and as incapacitated as she was. Perhaps Kiga's knife could pierce the ice that now encased Piper and held him captive.

And perhaps, Kiga wouldn't quite mind as much as you might think, should she succeed in killing him. But the bigger part of him did. He hated Piper, though he didn't know him. He hated what he did to these children and how they were treated and lied to. He hated Piper, because he was all too similar to those people that had stolen Kiga's own childhood.

But if Piper was simply snuffed out, these children would flee in the night and there would be no helping them. Kiga wanted to make a difference and to do that, he had to do things right.

Problem was, he wasn't entirely sure just yet; what right was.



Daisy, on the other hand; wasn't quite so difficult to pass judgement on. Right now, she was proving to be extreme. And the Vanguard disliked extremes. They sought them out and forced them into line. Ironed out the bumps, smoothed out the wrinkles. She was being one very obstinate wrinkle.

[Neko]

::Daisy's arm trust out with blade in hand, intent on driving the blade through the ice and delivering the killing blow. However, she was not alone and forces were working against her. Just as the tip chipped at the very edges of the shell encasing her target she felt an arm wrap about her throat and pull back hard to create a larger gap between Daisy and the frozen figure. At the same time her bound wrist was twisted and pulled in a painful angle in an attempt to keep her under control. Daisy's senses were alive with excitment over the thought of the kill and it was not hard for her to sense the presence of another figure coming up behind her and delivering a powerful kick to the back of her knee that sent her further buckling to the ground. The strike was jarring and would no doubt the joint would be pained and swollen come the morning, should she live through this.

Kiga reached the woman his fellows were trying to subdue with ease, but as he began to act in whatever way he chose to go the night went silent. The bird calls ended abruptly and left nothing to fill the void but any yelps of pain or frustration Daisy might give.

It was then the first stones flew...

The first hit Korin in the temple and set the big man reeling as blood trickled down in the shadows of his hood. The second hit the dirt with little fanfare. A few pelted at the icy barrier, sending chips flying off in all directions. And another hit Ilithia in the knee and she let out a yelp as her grip loosened a fraction. The last whizzed past Kiga's head...::

[Daisy]

Daisy's rage was suddenly met by equal parts frustration and confusion. She couldn't fathom why she was being stopped from dropping the killing blow on Piper. It had certainly appeared as though these others wanted the cathian dead as badly as she did. The one in the mask had gone to great lengths to pursue and end Piper. He'd tried stabbing him, impaling him, and even had whirlwind buzzsaws ready to eviscerate him.

Unless it was personal. _That_ made sense. But if that was the case all he had to do was claim the kill as his own, not have his minions take her down. She might argue the point out of sheer desire to end the cathian's life; but in the end it was obvious the two had some sort of history. She wouldn't get in the way of that.

The woman could have broken her neck by now. The man could have shattered her knee. They had chosen not to. Instead she was in no position to argue anything with the owner of the mismatched eyes just about on top of them. She wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of showing any of the new pain though.

Then the hail of rocks fell.

Just when she might have calmed down a bit.

She yelled at the man with the odd eyes. "Make an example of him! It's the only thing they're going to understand!"

[Kiga]

"Korin, lock him down. Ilithia, protect the woman. Prepare yourselves."

The words were quick once more, unheard but crystal clear. Kiga stood apart from the other four, as though all rocks might come from his direction, as though he could draw them all to him. He looked into the darkness, hoping his belt would reveal where their opponents were, feeling agitated and quickly wanting to calm the conflict before it escalated. Rock throwers were not equipped to fight him and the others.

Korin's hands fanned out and then tugged up, before slapping together. The earth about Piper partly swallowed him up and then rose to encase him, leaving all but his nose and top of his head clear. It was a technique Korin had utilized before to quell mages abilities. Immobilize their hands and silence their words and remove the threat.

Ilithia released Daisy and thought no more of restraining her, she would have a tought time harming Piper now. Her hands uncorked to waterskins at her sides and her fingers waggled, to draw the liquid forth like twin pythons.

"Take up your hammer. But hand over the knife. You're simply going to have to cooperate."

The words were stern, but not cold. Daisy couldn't see her face, but her tone didn't convey uncaring, or a want to harm her any further. The situation was too complex and too tense for any of them to act rashly.

In the meantime, Kiga had kept his eyes on the dark and was talking aloud for all to hear. His first words had been to Daisy, not so loud but not hushed, as a secret might be.

"They are children. That cannot be the solution."

He'd turned back once more to the dark then and raised his voice.

"Listen up! We have him trapped. If you try to harm us again, we will hurt him. I can assure you, it will be much worse than a rock. MUCH WORSE."

He didn't pause then. Instead, he'd used the power of his hood once more to tell Ilithia to hold a knife to Piper. Perhaps that would convey his sincerity to the newcomers.

"I'm going to give you all a choice. It's very simple and it's up to you. I could ask you when you last ate properly, when you last slept in a bed, or if anyone remembers your birthday. I could ask how many friends you have seen killed, or sick, or have disappeared. I could ask you, if you think Piper loves you. Like a parent. Like so many people that can, and do, and will; because those people do exist. I might even suggest you'd be much happier joining the Sentinels, or living in the House of Galena, or getting a proper job in the markets or even going to school.

But I won't.

I'm asking you one thing.

Are any of you willing to die for this man? Because that's your choice, right here and now. If you're tough enough and not afraid to die, step forward. I'll set him free and Piper and whoever amongst you want to help him will face myself and my friends in a fair fight.

The suggestion was also silent, but Korin slammed his hands closed once more and ground his palms together. His earth magic seemed to use simple gestures mixed with some force, like the grinding of rock on rock. Earth rattled and clacked it's way up his legs, over his shoulders, about his head and down his arms like so many stones, leaving him large, bulky and raw. His hand dusted off then and much of the earth fell away, leaving him encased in a much more refined armor, that covered him like a thin plate and hugged his form. This was Korin's greatest skill and made him largely immune to conventional weaponry. His fists were as hard as the stone, his body as tough as granite.

Ilithia on the other hand had her claws, clutched simply between her fingers. She was a dancer by trade and wore little armor, her weapons so very simple. But her claws hung at her side for a time and her wands wound and wove, her whispering strange words, the 's' always lingering on the air as she did so. He motion was so very fluid and the water was called to it - until it took shape as two long, winding serpents, their heads and mouths fierce, their scales sharp and shimmering even in the low light. They both snapped at Piper's face in turn but did not harm him, then kept winding about her body always, looking for any all all threats. She was their mother and they obeyed her every whim, quick to strike and ensnare anyone foolish enough to threaten her. She smiled too, as she pulled her claws into her hands once more, then rested them on Piper's encased shoulders.

Kiga did nothing. He only kept looking into the dark and waited on an answer.

"If you're not willing to throw your life away, then leave. Go home. Piper is going to prison, where he will be held accountable for his crimes. The rest of you can walk away."

Here he did pause.

"And if you'd like to start over tomorrow, you'll know how to find me. I'm watching."

[Daisy]

(Posting out of order, I know. But Kiga's speech there just took up a significantly longer span of time than a handful of seconds, and by the end of it Daisy's physical and mental demeanors will have completely changed gear. I figure that's important and needs to be known, especially for Neko's sake so the NPC's can react properly.)

Daisy got up; didn't bother to dust herself off, didn't wince when the lance of pain shot up the leg that was just kicked. She wasn't going to give the man the satisfaction, nor show the weakness when they were obviously surrounded.

Daisy stared at where she felt the woman's eyes should be in the shadows of the hood she wore. The look on the redhead's face was venomous. Orders delivered like that by someone she didn't know? Yes, that was a near perfect way to become a target of her considerable ire. She gave serious consideration to driving the knife into the other woman's guts.

Except, there was Piper's exposed head. Oh, there wasn't a lot of it on display. But then the crow's beak on her hammers didn't need anything but the tiniest chink to find their way through even the heaviest armor. And she'd been told to take up her hammer.

The knife wasn't handed over, so much as it was unceremoniously dropped while she picked up her favored weapon.

She was about to wind up, take another swing, when the Blue Gang's Ringleader started speaking. Every sentence out of his mouth left her in a greater state of utter disbelief.

Did he really believe that anything less than Piper's death was a suitable answer? Prison couldn't hold someone like Piper, not for longer than a fortnight. Either he or his followers would find a way to grant him his freedom again. Such an act would only add to his legend both in his own mind and in the children that followed him. She knew it for as solid a fact as she knew the sun would rise in the morning. The longer he lived the more powerful his influence would be. That's how child gangs were. The old ones were revered like gods for the simple fact they had survived that long. She'd seen it too many times before.

Of course they would be willing to die for him. They were willing to rob and kill and extort for him as well. They'd do it all for whatever paltry reward he offered. They'd dance around him like puppies looking for a pat on the head. And when he acknowledged them it would be the sun, moon, stars, and the world. Their devotion would make fanatical religious zealots blush.

But they weren't stupid. They wouldn't get themselves captured or killed (not that she thought for a moment Blue Gang's Leader had it in him to kill children) in a 'fair fight'. No, street life made them smart or dead. It also meant they never fought 'fair'. They'd wait until they had the advantage or until they could simply free Piper from whatever prison he was thrown into.

The evidence for all of it was there to be plainly seen by anyone with open eyes. Yet, it seemed the man with the mismatched eyes was too blind or naive to act on it.

It left Daisy in the difficult position of trying to suppress the only reaction her mind could produce : hysterically derisive and unbelieving laughter. She couldn't believe the monumental idiocy on the part of everyone involved, herself now included.

And like that, the rage dropped away. The need to kill faded. The adrenaline stopped. All that was left was a macabre desire to watch the rest of this dark comedy unfold.

[Kiko]

Sweet Daisy I am tempted to jump in here for no other reason than to see what you might write next.

"All that was left was a macabre desire to watch the rest of this dark comedy unfold."

Outstanding.

[Neko]

::Kiga's speech was met with silence. His belt allowed him the clarity of sight to see many small forms peeking out over roof peaks or around chimneys or corners of buildings. Some held slings, others crude handmade weapons. Their eyes looked stunned as they darted from the trapped figure of the man most had come to call leader, some father, and a few even higher than that, to those that had captured him. Lingering on Kiga even after he was done speaking. No "bird" called. No stones fell. It was so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Or the drip drip drip of water. Like that of melting icicles dripping in the sun...

It was then that the ice encasing the trapped figures head broke free with a crack and came tumbling down the side of the stony prison, raining shards of half melted ice in its wake. As the body shank down into the tiny bit of room afforded it in the gap now present because of the melted ice, the prisoner's face disappeared, leaving only a wet mat of red hair atop the mound.

The wind shifted then and carried with it what sounded like a child sobbing. Though whether this was in reaction to Kiga's words, or the lifeless reaction of their leader was hard to say. Flarb, it could just be some random child in one of the nearby houses, but that was unlikely...::

[Daisy]

Laughter erupted from Daisy's throat. It bubbled up to fill the silent night and overbear the weeping child. It was hot, irrational, and derisive; and it cut off just as quickly as it began leaving no trace of its existence except in the echos of its passing in the listener's ears.

Her words were directed at the leader of Blue Gang, though she didn't bother to even look in his direction. Her voice carried a weariness that had nothing to do with physical fatigue and a derision that was palpable. "You're a bloody fool. There are no 'good guys' here. No winners. Only casualties."

With the rage gone she didn't have enough motivation left to care, not even to watch. She turned then and began to walk into the Wistvale night, towards her little rented room. She didn't let the limp show, but she did again shelter her arm against her side. To no one in particular, or maybe just to herself she spoke again, and this time there was only the weariness.

"I'm done with this."

[Kiga]

Kiga only turned his head to watch Daisy take her leave. Her words explained a great deal and to Kiga, she was a lost cause. He didn't have time to fathom why she was so... narrow minded, but she wasn't his problem. Oh, he was sure that anyone that reckless and bloodthirsty would become his problem some time, but not now.

He didn't think in terms of 'good guys' and 'winners'. He thought in terms of what was just and what needed to be done. Sometimes that was a very unclear thing, sometimes he couldn't be certain. But he was resolute in his convictions, knew his duties and no one was going to convince him that avoiding a battle with ill armed children and adolescents was a bad thing. He could kill Piper. But that would simply reinforce the lies this lot had been fed, it would feed their distrust and malice.

They were lost boys. Lost to society. Lost to themselves. And there was a better choice for each any every one of them.

Rut was ultimately the very example of the problem. He was one act away from being a rapist, someone that Kiga would kill quickly. But even at that precipice, on the very edge of that reckless, stupid choice; was the incoherent mess of a poor ubringing and misguided youth, of being taught that wrong was right and that people should take what they want. That stealing was ok. That simply snatching what you wanted from the world and to hell with the consequences, was ok. Kiga himself was a thief, perhaps the best. And necessity could be an ugly thing. But Piper wasn't going to all this trouble out of necessity, to survive; or out of the 'goodness' of his heart. He was profiting and at terrible expense.

Kiga approached the Cathian and nodded to Korin.

"Shackles."

Korin acted to shift the earth and clasp Piper's wrists together in a solid manacle of rock. Kiga reached to grasp Piper's head and utilize the mute ability granted by his armor. He didn't want any further complications and had no doubt that the Sentinel's cells, purpose built to supress magic use; would hold him long enough. If that is what he chose to do with Piper. Ilitihia still stood guard, eyes ever watchful.

"Don't give me a reason to hurt you, Piper. If you want any of these kids to have any shred of faith in you, you won't give them a reason; either.

If you even care a little, you'll cooperate."

[Neko]

::Daisy stalked away into the night and as she neared where some of the children were huddled in the darkness, none raised a finger to stop her. In fact most avoided eye contact at all costs. A few dropped their weapons to the dirt. Most faded into the night, but a few came out into the light of the streetlamps. They were thin wirey things with dirty hands a faces. All of varying age, some clung to rag dolls in one hand while the other was tentativly holding weapons that fell from limp fingers.

Their eyes moved still from Kiga to the prisoner and back, and looked like a frightened animal ready to bolt at the slightest provocation.

As the stoney cage imprisoning the figure dropped and remolded to become bonds holding the figure's wrists, the limp form slid to the ground in a heep. This only brought more children from the darkness to witness this and approach the people that had feld a god in their eyes, searching for what to do next. A gasp came up from those assembled as they looked at the fallen figure.

He lay face down in the dirt, hands bound behind him. His left arm was stiff at his side with fingers twisted in pain as his body seemed to convulse involuntarily. A mat of wet red hair lay a few feet to the side of a head that was mostly balding grey stubble. When Korin stepped forward to lift the man from the dirt by the bonds, still rubbing at his temple, he paused and looked questioningly at Kiga as if unsure what to think...::

-Was I hit that hard in the head, or...?-

[Daisy]

(Unless anyone objects I'm making the assumption that Daisy is going to make it back to her room without incident. Thus her participation in this thread is over with. You guys can wrap it up.)

(And to avoid any misunderstanding, I as a player am not trying to bail early. I have very much enjoyed this thread and writing the character with you folks. As always, this is just what she would do.)

[Kiga]

The man didn't look well at all and had Kiga's attention now. (Is he even Cathian? I need more info, please. Does he look like Piper? I'll do my best regardless.) Kiga didn't have training in the field of medicine, but Ilithia was no slouch.

"Kiga, it could be his heart."

Kiga looked from 'Piper', to the pair of Vanguard agents and decided quickly. It was no easy task. He wanted whoever it was locked up tight in a Sentinel cage. The Sentinels had a great medicus, though whether he was available at this time of night was questionable.

The House of Galena was a security risk. There was most certainly more chance for someone to escape from the temple that the Sentinel compound - but there was most assuredly a healer on hand. More than one healer, most certainly.

Regardless of his feelings on the matter, Kiga had to do what he felt was the right thing. And he was not convinced this was Piper, or at least; could not be certain. Even if it were, he would not want so many children see him suffer such a terrible, twisted end. Kiga spoke aloud.

"Take him to Galena, and quickly. It is but four blocks from here. You'll pass a pair of Sentinels on the corner of East Eldritch, tell them you need security immediately for a high profile suspect. They won't question you and will bring reinforcements. Go. Watch him at all times."

Kiga picked up his knife as the pair fled, Koring carrying the man with ease and Ilithia taking the lead to alert the Sentinels of the importance of the matter. Kiga could do little else to help now, other than to watch over the man; though his fate was up to the gods and the healers of Galena now.

As they shot into the night, Kiga didn't leave. Instead, he looked about at whichever of the wastrels were left and placed his hands on his hips.

"It's been a long night for all of us. Now, if any of you are hungry, you can follow me. I'm starving. I've also a warm place for you to spend the night. And anytime, you're free to go as you please."

[Neko]

::Aside from a similar height and build, now that you look at his face he looks nothing like Piper did. Especially with the wig removed. He looks to be an older human male who has now suffered a horrible shock and near death experiance in his eyes and his heart is suffering for it.

The few children that have stepped out fo the shadows approach Kiga slowly and not without some fear. One brave soul steps forward and kneels.::

"Are we yours now?"