In need of... Breakfast?

[minnow]

((Open! The more the merrier!))

With a yawn, a tall framed girl picked up an apple to smell it. Not that it really had a smell, but still. Just as quickly, she put it down in the basket it came from, and with a longing glance at the packets of seed, she wandered on to the next stall in the marketplace. At that time in the morning, with the sun not long over the horizon, the streets were relatively empty. Almost everyone was still asleep, and that suited Emery just fine. Other than maybe the lake, this was the only place she might encounter a human, so she made an effort anytime she needed to shop to arrive as soon as the traders had set out their wares.

She moved on to the next stall, wishing that more fruits were ripe. A loaf of bread caught her fancy, and after a quick barter and exchange of coins, the Sparen ambled over to a large rock, jutting from the ground in a curious way, and sat down, pulling small chunks of bread apart and eating as she watched the other, if few, shoppers.

[koya304]

Calsifur was itching in his skin as he walked the lines of stalls, one right after another open to the public to pick and choose what they wanted. Well, Cal liked to pick a lot more than he liked to choose, for choosing often meant paying, something he had previously been unable to do. The delicious red apples, the early bloomers whose juices held a bit of the bitterness of winter in them. Granted, those apples weren't as tasty, they were often less missed. Cal sighed to himself as he sat upon the roof of the house, he didn't know who's but it was positioned well enough so that he could see the people and caravans as they walked through. The more people the better, for then there were more to cover up his tracks, now though, with the sparse amount of people, Sparen or Human, he would surely be caught. With yet another sigh, he stood, deciding to jump to another roof, perhaps even get a better view of some of the, shall we say, ladies, that had found them selves at market that morning.

[minnow]

As she ate, Em's line of sight followed the movement of a red-headed boy as he traced his way carefully through the market, past the produce stand, where the apples were, swiping one of the brighter, yet smaller ones with a deft slight of hand, and then wandering on to a house. There, she lost sight of him.

The bread was then a third gone, and the girl had not the appetite to finish it. So, she slid forward to the edge of the rock, stretching her legs out for balance, and placed the loaf behind her, wondering about the boy's story. Was he human, or Sparen? She preffered to think human, though he did seem to have an air about him, that strange trigger that made her mark him as one of her own. What possessed him to steal? He ought to have coin of his own, if he was being schooled, at least. Maybe he'd needed to before, and it became a habit he couldn't break. Who was he? How was he raised? Who was his family? Why did she care? Emery shook her head breifly, dislodging her train of thought, and instead focused on how pleasant the morning was.

[koya304]

Calsifur slinked from roof to roof, wondering if we would in fact get a chance at a better game, apples were meager, and he knew the woman who grew them, thus, placed back the apple he had swiped. With a sigh, he slinked back from the edge of the roof, the sun now rising higher and higher, the warmth of the rays beckoning those late risers from their beds.

Now he thought would be his chance, though his sight was caught by something else entirely. Beautiful perhaps, though worth nothing in a pawn. With a smile, his slunk back further, then becoming the little weasel that he was, literally. Then the little furry beast descended the wall as if it was nothing.

Yes, then the little weasel, taking advantage of his now small frame and sneaking around to the shade, and the surroundings of the blond girl. Cal paused for a moment, hiding himself behind the rock as he took in her, appearance. She was slender, as was he, though her fair hair was pail, even more so in comparison to his own mop of fire red hair. Though her frame bid him to think her nothing, something made him continue to watch her, even ignoring the bread which she held behind her back, within such an easy reach of his little claws.

[minnow]

When the humans started coming, that meant it was time for Emery to get going, unless she was out with others of her kind. Even then, she'd usually make some excuse to return to human-free land. With a sigh, as she was quite comfortable, the Sparen girl tucked her legs back underneath of her body and stood up, turning slowly and stretching as she bent down to pick up her bread. A furry figure that hadn't been behind her when she sat down caught her attention, and she regarded the weasel with suspicion. She'd never known one to sit as calmly in the presence of a person, and doubted that this was simply a tame animal, begging for breakfast.

"Alright, what's your story?" The girl asked impatiently, frowning at the black and white head below her. She was fairly sure she wouldn't get an answer, but it couldn't hurt to ask. As an after thought, Emery tossed a bit of bread onto the ground by the weasel's side. Charity would be on the creature's side that day.

[koya304]

(( I have indeed decided to change his picture. You may now look at it I think its a bit big, but it will do. Hyperlink in case you didn't see 'it'. ))

The furry beast was true, no beast at all but in fact a Sparen like herself simply in the form of the weasel she now saw. Though some would say he was a beast as it was, his character being more like the weasel than he himself cared to think. None could deny the fact that this boy, or shall we say rascal, was prone to random acts of thought. One such act he committed now as he watched this young girl stand from the rock, reaching so cleverly to grab her parcel of bread. She was tall, so much in fact that even he, who was tall himself, could not deny the fact. The features that graces her, seemed to be not drawn as many would have it, but carved from stone. This was proved when she spoke, her words falling upon him as he looked into her eyes, which though shone blue, seemed as much of stone as the rock she had been sitting on.

Like the weasel he was he couldn't help but eye the rest of her, she was indeed a girl wasn't she? The girl, not yet a woman in her own right, did seem a bit older than him only about a year or so it seemed. Something troubled the little beast though, it seemed that he had seen her somewhere, perhaps at the school? All the same charity was charity and the beast reached with his tiny claws to grab the piece of bread, only to rise onto his hind legs and chew on it for a moment as he looked at her again. Yes he was sure of it, he had seen her somewhere, but that where was the question wasn't it? No, indeed the question was already given, fallen from her own mouth. It was this question that the furry little thing now bid to answer.

The bread now gone the weasel stayed upon his rear legs while in what seemed a flash, the red-ish brown hair gave way to dark linen pants, part of his uniform, a white linen shirt and a leather vest which had also been borrowed, but on none such terms. These were only clothes though, the boy himself was a true Irish red head, with all the distinct features including light freckles across the bridge of his nose. None of this mattered though as the boy casually leaned against a tree which just as the rock did, sprang up from the ground in a curious way. He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head a bit to get the mop of hair away from his eyes as he looked at the girl. " I would gladly tell you my tale, but I'd like to know the name of you first. " he said in a cool yet inviting tone, as if his own tale was nothing but sunshine and daisies, when in fact it might be more of a blood red sunset and a black rose.

[minnow]

When the furry little beast before her rose up to his full, human formed stance, Emery was left bent over, staring at shoes for an extremely undignified split-second, before she shot up straight as well, and regained as much ground as she could by ignoring the red-head long enough to flick her hair behind her shoulders with a hand, then regarded the boy, for boy he was, with a sharp eye. He, ever so slightly familiar, and most likely a fellow student of the Sparen ways, held himself with a cocky attitude, leaning against his tree like he owned the marketplace. Em was very glad to notice, as her eyes flicked up and down his figure to see the contrast between the fiery mop cresting his head and the bark behind it, that she had a few inches on him, and at least half a year. If he decided to get nasty, she could very well inform him about how a lady deserved to be treated.

Defiantly lifting her chin so that she could even further look down, literally, upon the boy, Emery replied, "On a normal morning, I'd only grace someone deserving with my name, but since you asked, I guess I'll count you lucky. Emery, and don't you dare say a word else." Pretending to be leaving without so much as a reply, Em turned her right foot back toward the actual footing of the market, grinding her toe into a clump of grass that rose up a bit from the rest. She subtly turned her hip to be facing at a similar slant, but kept her torso facing the weasel still. "I guess it's only polite to ask what you're called as well, weasel, not that I give. Weasel's good enough for you, slinking around like you do."

In a slight show of her skill at mockery, Emery managed to not change her disinterested facial expression in the slightest, not even smirking like the bullies she so despised would. Instead, she remained aloof, seemingly ready to turn and leave without a second's glance back. Truth be told, she thought that the boy had potential, if she could bang some manners into him. A precious few boys had tagged behind her like puppies for a month after she got the name Marks, deciding that her figure and spunk was to their taste. Unfortunately for them, Em never had liked to forgive and forget. But, this boy might just learn a proper respect for her, and she might for him, should he earn it. But first, he'd have to take lessons in the behavior of gentry. And the first thing she'd teach him, given the opportunity, was that it was impolite to stare.

[koya304]

The way she stood, or more the way that she placed her body with precision that was known to few, the slightly arrogant way she spoke to him, though it seemed only as fiery as the hair on his head. It all intrigued him. Oh he could hear the sarcasm in her voice almost drip to the ground but he didn't let this affect him at all. These actions where, as he had thought, known to few, even fewer who might be a Sparen, yes he was almost sure of it now, with was Marks.

What more could the boy do but smirk at her? Ah, but clever as he was he found a plan within his mind before she had even muttered her second statement. With only a slight push of his arm his body was away from the tree which had grown so close to the rock. His full hight now showing, though even then, he seemed to be a good inch and a half shorter than her. She knew it too, by the way she glared down at him so.

All this was taken in quickly as he stepped closer to her, now standing in front of the rock, where she had been before she had dared to move a foot back to the market's path. " Touchy are we? I would have expected better from you Marks, theft isn't nearly as bad as assault. You would know all about that now wouldn't you? " he said, not even bothering to remove the arrogant tone which he had found kindled her so. Oh this was indeed a game now, a test to see if he could make those stone eyes of hers light up with the fire he heard in her voice, saw in her body. Oh and the gears in his head kept on turning as he spoke again, now leaning back against the rock slightly, arms gently pressed against it, supporting but ready to move. " But, if you do want my name so that you may call on me again, it is Calsifur. " he said cooly almost as if he knew that she would want it, like he didn't care but that was the arrogance speaking. Inside he was on his toes waiting for an answer, wanting to see the fire spark inside of her even if she did seem a bit older, fair game was fair game wasn't it? The challenge only made it more enticing.

[minnow]

((Pardon the PP, but it wouldn't be the same if I gave him the chance to dodge. But then, realistically, how many guys in RL can actually save themselves from a burn of this sort?))

"Touchy are we? I would have expected better from you Marks, theft isn't nearly as bad as assault. You would know all about that now wouldn't you?"

That was all the provocation Em needed. In no more than the blink of an eye, the girl shot out her hand and slapped him. Hard. The sting in her palm from the impact didn't hurt, no, instead it felt like victory over this rotten boy. He deserved whatever humiliation he got from it, and she hoped his cheeks would flush as red as that carrot-top he called hair. Of course, she was too furious to stay and she if he would actually be embarrassed or not.

Emery whirled around on the spot, fuming, then paced away briskly into the gathering crowd, so irked that she'd even left the better portion of her bread. Calsifur, as she'd only just heard, could follow her if he wanted, or he could learn to stay out of her way. Next time he wanted to insult her, he could get the bloodied nose he very much needed, to match the rest of his coloration, human and weasel.

Really, the only reason the girl had fled was confusion. No one had given her any form of dis-respect since the fight so long ago, (certainly not that noxious little brat) and she'd grown used to not having to be confrontational to be treated as an equal. Being antagonized, especially by this Calsifur, who knew who she was, just didn't make sense. The boy's comment especially stung since he wanted it to. Everyone knew how the fight had started, and it was a fair fight. Only, the teachers and school staff rather disapproved of intolerance between students. Regardless, the boy just didn't make sense to Emery.

[koya304]

No matter how many times it happens, no matter if you are expecting it, a slap is a slap, and slaps hurt. It hadn't taken the blonde bombshell more than a single blink of an eye to cover the distance between them and raise her hand to meet his smooth cheek. He hadn't had the time to feel her hand before the stinging sensation crept onto his skin.

His eyes opened and turned to her just as quickly as the sting had set fire to his skin. He had looked eagerly at her eyes as she turned her body and fled in one smooth motion. In those eyes he had seen it all.

In her once stone eyes he had seen the flame of her anger die, only to be rekindled again with confusion. Confusion as to why he had acted in such a way? Perhaps. In all likely hood more of how could someone else treat her in such a way. But, not matter what he had left to float through her mind he had done just what he had wanted. The stone had fallen and he had lit the flame within her.

Now, as a hand rose to his cheek, which now, just as her hand did, stung not with pain but with victory. Calsifur trained his eyes through the crowds, he could still see her, in fact if he listened close enough he could hear her angered and hurt footsteps pounding against the soft dirt in contrast of the lazy ones of the humans which now surrounded her. Standing there he thought more and more about what he had said, slightly regretting using such harsh words in order to get the result he wanted. Granted it had worked, but it had left his new challenge a bit more hurt than he had wanted. Why one earth did he care anyway?

With a deep sigh he shook his head, returning to his weasel form in order to both hide the growing red mark on his cheek and successfully weave through the market with her forgotten bread in his mouth. For he had sent her off with thoughts, she had simply left him another reason to see her.

[minnow]

One 'blonde bombshell' couldn't dredge up the will to flee any farther than the other edge of the marketplace from her previous location. Rather downcast, the haste dropped from her with each step she took away from her nuisance, that terrible little Calsifur boy. When she didn't have to watch him taunt her, Emery really couldn't find any reason to hate him. Which made her hate her mind, playing on that weasel's side when all she wanted was to smack him again. Her logic was telling her, He wasn't all that bad, was he? And the more she thought it, the more the girl had to believe it.

Since she had nothing else to do, Em trotted back into the main stream a little bit, mixing into the crowd of humans, much though she'd rather not, and began cruising the carts again, her eyes taking in the beauty of the morning and the wares laid out in neat little rows, her ears finding interest in the banter of the shoppers, as well as the sometimes heated bartering at the busier stalls. The lanky sparen girl did her best to immerse her wary mind in the livelyhood that was a daily occurence, finding peace in stability, and realized as she passed the first table she had visited earlier that morning that she had forgotten her breakfast with the abomination of a red-head. With a sigh, Emery considered her options, then decided that she'd rather lose her coin's value than brave another encounter with the weasel.

But no matter how much mind she paid to her surroundings, a part of Em didn't want to drop the thought of him from her mind. That troublesome section kept dredging up annoying thoughts. A frequent trouble, for example, was 'You can't say he's not attractive!' Which was true, she supposed, but no amount of physical splendor could outweigh his apparently negative personality. To which she would find the response, 'At least he has a sense of humor, in a way.' The battle raged on, no matter how convincing the Sparen though her counter was.

[koya304]

The encounter was interesting, no interesting wasn't the right word. Interesting was used to describe something that was noticed to be just beyond ordinary, the events that had just unfolded were far beyond ordinary. In fact, they were intriguing. Yes that was far a better word to describe the actions which had driven so many thoughts into Cal's head, oh so many thoughts.

The two Sparen were far more alike than either of them realized for while Emery had tried to rush off, only to be brought back into the splendor of the market, Clasifur had run after her, only to be driven up to the roofs by stomping feet. The bickering and retorting people didn't have much patients for a weasel who looked to already have stolen something. Now the furry red animal sat upon the same roof he had been sitting on before, he was breathing heavily, in and out constantly after evading one of the merchants. It helped that he had dropped the bread next to him but his body was already weary as it was.

If his body was weary then his mind was tangled. Now that girl, who he had considered his new challenge was proving more of a challenge then he had thought. He had wanted to follow her and return the bread in another show of ego to drive her flame into a full fire but she had cleverly evaded him. Now his mind was filled with just as many thoughts as he had driven into her mind. He wondered which route she might have taken out of the city, running through his mind all the ones he knew of, there were only a few that could be accessed by the way she had went.

((Finish later))