The young goblin turned around in time to almost have his ear cut out with the knife tossed in his direction, and the woman made it clear that wasn't her only weapon. He started to lift his hands in defeat, when a third person appeared behind the threatening fairy. A person with an uniform.
"What do we have here? A couple of thieves." The tall fae asked. He had tanned skin, a big mustache and wore the symbol of the Leimor guard on his chest. His hand was raised, while the other rested on the hilt of his rapier.
She had him, arms raised and practically trembling, ready to return the small satchel. But then the voice behind her boomed, causing the fae to grumble unhappily to herself and slowly turn around, back pressed against the wall so that she could watch both the guard and goblin. A couple of thieves? For once, she was very innocent, a mere bystander to a crime. A good samaritan.
Deciding to ignore the accusation and play the part, Alys slowly raised her trembling hands. "Oh thank the gods that you're here officer. He stole my friends money. Can you help me?"
"Please don't arrest me! I'll give it back, I promise!" The scared goblin cried, eyes widened as he watched the guard wield his sword and point it at him.
"Go. Before I change my mind." He pointed it at the fairy, who also had her hands up in the air. "Turn around, hands on the wall." Expecting her to obey his command, the man walked over to the satchel to pick it up and allowed the goblin to escape, keeping his eyes at the pair of blue wings. He remembered those wings. "I know who you are."
An act of feigned gratitude nearly began, had it not been for the sword that was now pointed at her. To match the trembling in her hands, Alys' eyes widened, confusion taking over her facial features. "Officer, I think you're mistaken. The thief is getting away." Her body remained still, refusing to comply with his orders, shaking hand just itching to take hold of one of the weapons beneath her coat. For his sake, she hoped he'd move on, but a part of her also dared him to keep going.
She'd refused to turn around and was clearly trying to come up with a way to either escape or attack him. The guard put the satchel in a pocket inside his coat, walking carefully towards her. "Let him get away." The tip of his blade slowly brushed over her shoulder and his mustache began to shrink until it was gone. His skin turned lighter, hair longer and the jacket around his arms became a little bit tighter. The wings behind his back, gone. "You've grown, Alys." Sky said, looking the same way he did five years ago.
It was impossible to hide the initial shock; not of the transformation, but of the person who stood before her and willed it to happen. It hadn’t been long enough, in fact, she would’ve preferred to never see his face again. Fate was a wicked little thing, wasn’t she?
He was right, of course, she had grown. She no longer felt what she once did for him, nor the devastation that’d followed when he'd left. She remembered though, and that alone made her want to float away with the smog. Worse yet, he knew. About her past, about her favourite past time - once upon a time ago. Gods, she needed to find Caleb.
Once the initial shock passed, Alys forced herself to smile and sink a little more into the wall. The blade sat threateningly on her shoulder, yet the fae chose to appear to ignore it, instead daring to reach out and straighten the collar of his uniform with her hands. "Sky - you always looked good in a uniform." She let them trail slightly down his chest before casually falling at her sides. The knives strapped to her body and hidden within her coat practically burned against her flesh, reminding her that they were there. "But stealing from a pick-pocket? That's low, even for you."
Back into the Hard Nox, Caleb didn't bother knocking before entering the clinic.
"Hey, are you busy?" He asked, knowing he'd find Emer in there, likely sipping on a teacup. "I have a surprise for you!"
***
He was happy to see her. They hadn't parted ways amicably and that was completely his fault, but it was so long ago she must've forgotten it by now. A smug smirk filled Sky's lips as she fixed his collar and he took a step back, enough to put his blade back in its sheath.
"Whatever is in here, it's heavy." He said, tapping his jacket where he's put the loot. "Your friends' money, isn't it? That's unlike you, to have friends."
Her gaze lingered on the slight bulge in his breast pocket, where Ronan's share had been hidden. Sure, it was heavy, but compared to what they'd earned, to what she'd earned, it was nothing. As far as Alys was concerned, Ronan deserved the loss now - simply for the trouble she was going through. But she'd have no choice but to ask for it back, if only to keep Sky unassuming.
"What can I say? People change. Now are you going to give that back? Or are you still a fucking prick?"
A fucking prick. Perhaps she was still mad at him for disappearing under a different name and a new face. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever done, and seeing her reminded him of why that was. "Have a drink with me. For old times' sake." Sky asked, hands loosely resting on his hips. Perhaps he'd give it back if Alys said yes.
Rielle, once more, changed course at the drop of a hat. Everything with her was so sudden, it nearly felt like whiplash- it certainly would have been worse had Juniper not been so accustomed to changing so often theirself. They smiled, and leaned back in the chair a bit. "Good. I hope you can handle yourself, I'd feel awful if you died. Especially since things just recently got better for newcomers," they said, eyes moving to Caleb as he stood from his own chair, another of Emer's people left behind. That was something they'd never seen before, and it seemed Caleb was at least making an effort to introduce the two.
It was good he was making an effort. They understood what it was like, being the only one of your kind. It was maybe easier for them, on account of blending in, or maybe that made it harder. They still weren't quite sure. "Oh, we haven't decided where yet. We just made it back from the Ice Lands, and... need a break."
A slip of paper was dropped in front of them, and they looked to the new captain of the Hard Nox once more. "Oooh, tempting. I... a date? I don't even know who I'd bring, but I'd love to go." Already their mind was wandering to what they would wear, whether they would even need a mask, who they could be for that night... "Oh! Right, apologies. Rielle, this is-" they motioned towards the vacated space that was once held by Caleb "- er, was, the captain of our vessel. His name is Caleb. I... don't suppose we'll be getting service. Unless you want to hold out and wait, I can show you where we're docked? Just so you don't get left behind."
"Can't," Alys responded, almost immediately. Pushing herself off the wall, she strolled past Sky to pluck the knife she'd thrown from the wooden barrel. It felt all too familiar in her hand - and looked it too. Sliding it back into the sheath, she once more met his gaze. "I'm busy and don't know how long I'm staying in this shithole."
And as if she wanted to have a fucking drink with him.
Mimicking his stance, Alys placed her hands on her hips and turned to face him. "Are you going to give it back or not?"
"Oh, I'm quite good at not dying," Rielle assured the person across the table from her, "Haven't done it even once!" Why, she was an expert at not dying! If that was their only requirement, this would be the easiest trip of all time.
It seemed their ship was due to stay in port for a bit - and, ship? That ship? Rielle hadn't missed it when the man with the eyepatch had dropped the name, even if he'd been talking to someone else. She listened in to other people's conversations all the time! Well, if they hadn't meant for people to be listening in, they shouldn't have been talking!
He stopped by to drop off one of the advertisements about that fancy party half the town was all atitter about, then vanished into the streets to go do whatever it was he was up to - probably find something to wear, no doubt. He looked like he could use some suggestions! Juniper attempted to make an introduction, though it was rather spoiled by the quick exodus.
"Oh, I say, I've heard of that one. You're pirates!" Rielle did not seem disappointed by this fact: rather, she seemed to think it was just another adventure. "Thought the captain was a- er." She didn't finish the sentence aloud, but made a gesture with her hands that rather implied... well, it was on the wanted posters, wasn't it?
"Love to see where it is. Can't be late for your own adventure! Bad form, you know. Shall we?"
With a sigh, Sky reached inside his jacket for the satchel. Whatever content it had, it was unlikely it had any real importance. "Like you and I were friends?" He smiled at Alys, the same smile that had won her over back then. The changeling held the satchel up. "Take it from me and I'll let you have it."
Her patience was dwindling, and his charming smile only made it worse. Hanging by a thread, Alys shrugged and gave him a coy smile. "Maybe."
Certainly not; she didn't even consider Ronan a regular friend, but for the sake of Sky's perception of her, she continued to play along.
The smile didn't remain for long though; daring to take a step towards him, shoulders squared, she spoke again. "You haven't changed at all - still playing games. Why don't you save yourself the embarrassment and just give it to me."
“I can change, if that's what you want.” as the words left his mouth his voice rose in pitch, his cheeks grew wider and the dark brown hair turned orange. It was Ronan’s face Alys was looking at, over a shorter and ripped body.
“This guy? I don’t believe you.” Sky laughed, turning his face back to normal. “C’mon Alys, that was years ago. Stop being so bitter.”