Innocence and Avarice [closed]

[Goodfellow]

Lolo stacked the two books before him and placed his hands across the top.  "You'll need to do both before too long.  Keep practicing Ruin until you feel comfortable with it, but only at the Gate or outside of the city!"  he admonished.  He cocked his head and gazed off thoughtfully for a moment.

 

"I don't have any...er...level-appropriate books here in the city, but I may have some that we can use at my room in Wineport," he mumbled to himself, and lower still, "There or in Ul'dah...no, better to simply buy them here."

 

His head snapped forward again and he addressed Joz directly, saying, "I'll need to return to Wineport for a few days.  I can have Styrmsthal bring a few primers by your home and we can begin in earnest when I return, or, well, you may join me in Wineport."

 

He waited expectantly.

[Zhavi]

Perfect.

 

"I'll wait," she said. "I'll practice hard, sir!" Her smile was hesitant, but she opened her eyes a little wider, leaned a little more forward, looked at him like he was her crowning savior.

 

She wanted that imprint to last with him.

 

She wanted him to remember her eagerness, the shy enthusiasm, the acceptance of him as her teacher.

 

Joz was worth saving.

[Goodfellow]

He nodded his assent.  "I'll send word when I've returned.  Do try to at least memorize some letters in between your casting practices.  Think of them like arcanima symbols, like Ruin.  They each have a meaning and a shape, but just as casting is easier with a personal touch, so too is reading and writing more natural once you've developed your own handwriting."  He nodded again and slipped the books back into his pockets.  He moved as though to stand and leave, but stopped himself and settled back down.

 

"Have you still got any food left at home, Miss Joz?"

[Zhavi]

"Yeah, okay," Zhi said to the first: the uneager response of someone forced to do something they weren't fond of. But she was looking at him with attentiveness and determination. Even if reading was anathema to her, she would do her best.

 

The second question brought out a whole other response. Her eyes dropped away, the smile faltered. "I'm doin' fine, Master Lolotaru. I'll see ye in a few suns, aye?"

 

She stood to go.

[Goodfellow]

Without moving from his seat, Lolo called after her, "Miss Joz!  Are you sure?"

[Zhavi]

"Sure as sure, sir." Zhi smiled, and it was a bright one. She nodded to him, and left.

[Goodfellow]

Lolotaru watched her go from his seat.  He considered ordering something to eat or drink, but decided against it.  He stood and made a move toward the Mizzenmast's concierge, halted, and exited in the direction of the Aftcastle.  He descended to the Octant and continued down still to the docks.  He ducked into a smallish inn and immediately saw the big man he sought.

 

Styrmsthal was seated precariously on a dirty old chair that looked fit to buckle at any moment.  Animated as always, he was shaking tiny dice in his giant fist.  His grin was colossal.  He rolled the dice, took one look, and through his head back in laughter.  Lolo gazed at the dice; the way the roegadyn was carrying on, you'd think he'd have won the roll.

 

"Hello, Styrm--" he was cut off as the chair, unsurprisingly, buckled and broke under the roegadyn's shifting, shaking weight.  Lolotaru stepped onto his supine friend's chest and cleared his throat.  "Hello Styrmsthal," he repeated.

 

"Heh, 'ey Taru!"  He looked at the lalafell's face for another moment before continuing, "Needin' a favor, then?"

 

Lolo nodded and stepped off of his chest back onto the floor before extending his hand as though to help the big man up.  Styrmsthal considered the gesture a moment before they both cracked and cackled.

[Zhavi]

Zhi didn't go back to the little temp-flat in the Reach. She went to one of her numerous hidey-holes instead -- after much doubling back and taking circuitous routes to ensure she wasn't being followed -- and shucked Joz's clothing in favor of tighter garments that suited climbing. Zhi was going to be doing a lot of climbing, that night.

 

First though, she made a stop in at the room Galleon had rented for her. Brindle wasn't in (which was good; she wasn't paying him to sit on his ass, assuming he was actually doing work), so she sat and waited for him.

 

She ate most of the food he'd stored in the room as the bells passed, and was playing dice when he arrived. He showed no surprise to see her sitting there, which was good.

 

"Ye'll need t'leave here in six -- ah, nah, four suns. Four suns from now, go t'ground."

 

He sat into the chair opposite her own, slinging a sack down under the table. He smelled like blood. Faint. Two days old. at least.

 

"Got news on Galleon," he said.

 

Her head came up, ears pricked forward. That was unexpected. "What, that he's plannin' on killin' me?"

 

Brindle was distracted away from his news. He met her eyes. "Fer true?"

 

"Gut feelin'."

 

He rolled his eyes and looked away. "I think he's got ties t'the Edge."

 

"How?"

"He ain't in town but someone wi' his description meets up wi' one o' th' Edge's smugglin' vessels every moon'r so, goes an' meets wi' a marked member. Y'know, actin' like a boss. Don't know if he's in it, but th'way I heard it, there's a link."

 

"From who?"

Brindle went quiet for a long moment. Zhi glared at him. "Skinner," he said, finally. Then, "An' ol' One-Eye."

"Shit," Zhi muttered.

"Yeah."

"Shit."

 

Brindle's mouth twisted. He was staring at her, anxiously awaiting the answers to the posed difficulty. That was going to hurt him later, she knew. He was going to have to learn the hard way that he'd have to start figuring out what to do on his own.

 

Not until after this job.

 

"Go t'ground in four suns. Don't try t'find me. Go dark. An' check about afore y'hit any o'yer regulars. After that ye can keep up wi' yer gig as a doxy --"

 

"I ain't a doxy."

 

She smiled, humorless. "Hit th'green hole in a fortnight. If I'm still kickin', it'll be standard. If not. . ."

 

He shrugged, one-shouldered and sullen.

 

She stood. Her dice were pocketed in a single clean motion. "If I ain't, go t'Thatcher. Do what ye can t'finish th'job. Clove'll know th'score. He'll see y'take over th'contract. Take over wi' Jager, too. He'll bitch, but he'll settle. Got anythin' else fer me?"

 

Brindle ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face. He was staring at some spot along the bed. "Should I give it t'ye, or. . ."

 

She frowned, "Tell me."

 

He did. Once they'd talked it over, discussed what he was to do in the next four days, she moved to the door.

 

"Fair winds, kid," she said.

 

"Gods save ye," he muttered, long after she was gone.

[Goodfellow]

The day was beginning to wane as Styrmsthal swung himself in through the window of Joz's room.  It was much darker inside than out.  "'Ey, Jozzie, ye 'ere?" he called out into the shadows as he removed the shoulder bag he was wearing and sat it on the floor.  Inside was a thick, but straightforward, copy of Ahldklind's Old & New Tales. 

 

Taru had found it at the market and told Styrm to deliver it.  It was a child's copy the first pages of which featured beautiful and simple renditions of the Eorzean alphabet.  He had been visibly excited when he found it and gave Styrm strict instructions to give it to the girl and see to it that she had made progress in learning her letters before he returned from Wineport.

 

And so he lit a greasy tallow candle and sat down on the dirty floor.  Several minutes passed before he pulled out the book and began to flip through its crisp, wide pages with his thick fingers.  He enjoyed the stories and waited.

[Zhavi]

Styrmsthal was not supposed to be visiting Joz. It was something she'd be able to use, in the days to come, but it was a dangerous game.

 

She was glad she'd gotten the lad to keep watch over the flat for her, gladder still he was clever enough to find her to let her know. Too bad he sucked at dice, but not everyone could be perfect. She hurried back to her flat, pacing herself so she wouldn't be out of breath.

 

When she came in the window, she arranged her reaction to show surprise, fear, and then recognition -- it wasn't great, but she hoped it would be passable. "Chocobo!" She blurted as she hopped through, grinning. "Didn't 'spect t'see ye! How's yer sails?"

[Goodfellow]

Styrmsthal looked up from the book and raised an eyebrow, then slammed the volume shut and guffawed.

 

"'Chocobo?'  C'mon, Jozzie, ye ain't so mousy as that, are ye?"

[Zhavi]

The opportunity to fence words openly with the big roegadyn was one Zhi dearly wanted to take. But she wouldn't be able to, and the disappointment from that knowledge was more than she would've expected.

 

Joz ducked her head and took a seat opposite him. "Ye always jes enter peoples' places what ain't in?"

[Goodfellow]

He harrumphed loudly through his nose in response.

 

"Jus' me pals," he said with a wink, "an' them I got gifts fer."  He extended the copy of Ahldklind's Tales before him.

[Zhavi]

Her grin was surprised and full of delight. She accepted the book, and opened it. The letters looked. . .pretty.

 

She looked up at Styrm, eyebrow raised. "From Master Lolotaru, aye? Tch, this ain't yer present t'go gaffin' on about!" She lifted the book and waggled it at him.

[Goodfellow]

Styrm pantomimed indignation, waving his outstretched hands in front of himself.

 

"'Ey!  Said I 'ad it, not a whisper 'bout buyin' it meself," he said with a smirk.  "Aye, 'at's all Taru, 'at is.  Yer learnin' yer letters 'as 'im all jumpy.  'E's wantin' fer ye t'get started, an' quicklike, wha's more."

[Zhavi]

Zhi winked at him, then looked down quick. She bit her lip. Licked her lips.

 

"So," she said, voice artificially bright, "How's me learnin' gonna go, then?"

 

She held the book as if it was some strange, foreign artifact.

[Goodfellow]

His big, dumb grin became bigger and dumber and he replied, "It's a book, girlie.  Ye open it."

[Zhavi]

She rolled her eyes. "Aie, if that's all yer gonna be good fer, ye can sod off." She made a shooing motion at him, laughter in her voice.

[Goodfellow]

Styrm put his hand over his heart and feigned indignation.  "Good fer loads, I am.  So," he continued as he reached his hand out to the book and flipped it open to the alphabet primer, "which o' these 'ave ye already got knocking around up there?"  He indicated Joz's head as he spoke.

[Zhavi]

There would be utterly no sense in faking anything. Zhi relaxed some, more at ease in her own skin then playing as someone else. She wasn't sure if she'd do it again, given a choice. She put the book down between them, opened it up, and pointed. Twenty letters. "I know some few words," she admitted, keeping her eyes pinned to the book.

[Goodfellow]

Styrm's eyebrows shot up.  Taru'll be tickled, he mused, already knows more 'an 'e thought!  Heavily, he settled back onto his elbows and crossed his feet.

 

"Well, well, Jozzie, sure we ain't had some bit o' schoolin' some time?  Knowin' so many, we can finish the last ones right up and be off fer a pint 'fore twelve bells!"

[Zhavi]

Zhi looked down, mouth twisting. "I know 'em," she said, some stubbornness clouding up her tone, "I seen 'em often enough. But I don't know alla 'em. I know th'names o' nine, see some words an' know what they mean. But I don't know how t' read, an' that's truth."

[Goodfellow]

Styrm's face fell in response, but only slightly.  "Ah, there's the rub then, eh?"  He pulled himself out of his reclined position and twisted around to seat himself at Joz's side.  "If ye don' know their names, firs' thing's t'introduce ye t'each other."

[Zhavi]

Discomfort sidled up Zhi's spine. She'd never been a particularly good student, pretending with Lalataru aside, and letters were especially her bane. As a streetrunner, she'd more cause than most gutterborn to be able to read, even if just a little. It'd caused her hardship in the past. It made her feel stupid. She'd preserved herself by insisting to any who questioned her that she didn't need to read to be good at her job; on the contrary, she'd felt the need to prove a point by not learning.

 

And there they were.

 

"A'right," she said after a long pause. She tried to scour the conflicting emotion from her voice, was mostly successful. "Introduce me."

[Goodfellow]

"Aye, right, uh..." he droned off as he thought for a moment.  How had he begun to learn.  It had been Ahldbyrm, strangely enough, who had set about teaching him his letters.  He smiled as he recalled the largely illiterate crew of the Eyriberk struggling to help Ahldbyrm teach the huge child.

 

He looked down at Joz and examined her closely briefly.  Keeper.  Hm...that won't work.

 

"Joz.  A name's good a place as any t'cast off.  Joz wha's'it, then?" he asked.