From Street Mouse to Striker

[Alatriel]

I ain't that kinda girl, no way no how.  So... why'd my knees get all wobbly like when I looked at that Rofie?  It don't make no sense.

[Alatriel]

I ain't never died afore now.  I don't think I like it all that much.  I don't feel good all over and my whole body aches and I'm shivering like I"m cold but it ain't that cold out here I don't think.  Ain't so bad as when I were in them frozen waters and my toes and fingers got so froze that I couldn't move them and I was really tired and shivery and when I woke up I was wrapped up in that Bird Man's wings, cept I thought it was a feather coat.  Found out after he really has wings.  He even flew me over water so's I didn't have to swim anymore.  He were right nice.  Didn't talk much though.  Don't know how he got them wings, but I was glad he had em.

Still... I don't wanna die again.

[Alatriel]

I feel like since I started dyin I can't never stop.  I feel like I been dyin right and left and up and down.  I met this lady who wears a skirt when she fights, but she fights good.  She's weird though.  She's always talkin bout perfectin yourself.  I ain't perfect I know that much, I do.  But maybe I'll take the little bits of what she want to tell me.  I ain't got no problems learnin from people what want to teach me.  Last time we went out fightin though I got poisoned by them spiders.  It made me awful sick and pukin my stomach inside out like.  But she done told me if it don't kill me it just make me stronger, so I should just puke it out and then rest.  So I did.  And I didn't die so I reckon I'm a little stronger then I were afore.

[Alatriel]

Mister Dan done kissed my hands.

I know I'm supposed to wash... but I ain't sure I wanna wash my hands just yet.

[Alatriel]

I ain't talked to Stalker in a while.  I seen her, but I'm still mad at her.  I don't like how she follows me round and how she laughs at me when I ask questions.  So, I been pretending she ain't there.  

Mister Dan, or, maybe I should call him just plain Dan?  I reckon I should ask him sometime.  Well he said to his cousin that we was together, but he never asked me if we was together.  He done gived me a smooshed flat rose and he been wanting to hold my hand even at his pa's funeral.  Oh yeah.  Mister Ben went and died.  He ain't coming back no more neither.  I ain't sure if I'm supposed to cry about it or what but I get a pain in my chest when I think how I ain't never gonna see him never again.  Dan seems to be doing alright even though he were his pa.  But then I didn't care none when I found out my pa were dead, so maybe that's just how it is.

Anyhow, I think if we was together it didn't last long.  He don't seem to like that I'd sell my skill with the blade for coins.  He said I should fight for a cause and not for money.  I told him that sometimes coins is a cause.  He didn't seem happy with me at all.  I don't like seeing that look on his face.  It were like I just wanted to crawl under a rock and stay there.  

Maybe he don't know being without coins is hard.  Maybe even though we was in the same town for a long time, maybe we really are just two different kinds of people.  I thought maybe for a little bit that I could...

well... he said he were fond of me.

I just hope he don't finally figure out I ain't nothing but a street mouse.  

Or maybe he just did.

[Alatriel]

Mel's been pushin me into Dan and sayin I gotta hug him. Cause, well he hugged me.  I weren't expectin it or nothin.  I heard rumblins down in a cave and they way fightin big ol rock things and they ways hittin Dan and he were tellin them to scatter but then I hit it down into pebbles and he hugged me and said I done saved his life.  

Mel's Dan's cousin.  Did I say that afore?

She said Dan wants to ask me on a picnic.  She said if he ask me I ain't supposed to say "yes" I'm supposed to say "I'd be delighted."  And then I'm supposed to let him stick my arm through his arm.  She didn't say what would happen after that.  But she said he were waitin his whole life to take me on a picnic.  I don't think she's right bout that cause he didn't know me his whole life.  I only known him for maybe two years? Maybe a little longer?  But we ain't been friends that whole long time.

Guess it don't matter none if he ain't asked me on a picnic yet.  I'll tell you what though since you're jest a book and don't care what I tell you.  I'm scareder of goin on a picnic then I am of fightin mummies or scarecrows what come to life.  Missus Ferrit said she thinks Mister Dan's gonna kiss me even if it ain't so's Miss Essa loses 10,000 trues.  Don't matter bout Miss Essa though.  She were gonna tell me I had to kiss Miss Jennara if I wanted them trues.  But she's a girl!  That ain't right.  It were painful to tell Miss Essa no when she told me she'd pay me even over 80,000 trues to kiss a dwarf.  But... I don't wanna kiss no dwarf.

And I don't wanna kiss Mister Dan fer money.  I ain't that kinda girl.  

I like havin Mel round though.  She fights good like she been taught how ta fight proper same as I were taught back afore I didn't get sucked up into the bindstone, know?  She says she reckons she could learn anything and wants to learn magic.  I ain't no magicker I know that for sure.  I can't get them scrolls not to blow up in my hands when I try to read them.  Maybe I ain't said the words right, but I got them wands to work alright.  Maybe I were just lucky though.

I been fightin a lotta trolls lately.  In caves and in swamps.  Trolls ain't bad trainin I reckon.  I wouldn't wanna do it all by my own self, but you gotta stick them harder and faster cause they just heal up real quick like and then you gotta stick them all over again.  Ain't too fond of swamps though.  Don't like all that mucky water what sticks your shoes.  I wouldn't wanna get sucked down in that muck.  I still got swamp much on me and I probably should go find somewhere to wash it out.  These Deliarites ain't bad for somewheres to stay in Hempstead.  Better then sleepin at the Harpy when I don't know if somebody's gonna pick my lock or not.  Still, I know where I come from.  Maybe I ain't a nobody no more, but I know I ain't a somebody neither.  

Mister Dan said Mister Ben used to say that bein a hero was when you go and get people killed.  Or... Was it he said Bein a hero's just a fancy way of sayin you were gonna get people killed... somethin like that.  Well, I don't try to be a hero, even if I were told I were a hero one time when I done saved someone's life cause the door in that crypt in the mountains slammed shut in their face and locked back up.  I ain't a hero.  I just picked the lock open.

Mel said we all ain't nobody till we find somebody that we're special to.  Maybe she's right, maybe she ain't.  I think I mighta been special to Stalker afore, but she jest wanned to tell me what to do.  Other then that I ain't never been special to nobody.

Mister Ben liked me though.  And Mel said I'm special to Dan.

So... if that's true, that make it so I really ain't a nobody no more?

[Alatriel]

I'm actually a little shocked.  I saw Stalker in Hempstead and she apologized.  She ain't never apologized and really meant it afore.  We talked some, I done told her why I were mad at her, and she just sat there and took it.  Maybe she actually is sorry.  Well, I told her I wouldn't mind havin her gimme a few pointers still cause like it or not she's better'n I am with her stickers, so iffn she don't try to rule my whole life no more I can still learn from her.  She gave me a new thing to work on.  Supposed to take a rope and let it swing from the cielin or a tree or somethin and then just practice gettin outta the way.  I can do that.  Don't even think they'd notice so much iffn I hang a rope from the rafters at the Harpy.  Probably ain' the first time somebody done that afore... but I ain't plannin on hangin myself from it.

Still... it'll be good to be really trainin some more again.  It's good for me.  Keeps my mind offa stuff I shouldn't be thinkin bout.

like kissin.

[ShiffDrgnhrt]

Tyra sends Bella a letter with instructions...

Work on this when you have time.  This will help for engaging an enemy that you are charging, which often leaves you open to attack.

[LIST=1]

• For starters, just use a rope and a weight to make a pendulum to practice moving around it.  Swing it hard and then just practice moving toward it, but avoid being hit by it.
• Next, do two.  you might need someone's help to get them going, but practice moving between them and passed them as they swing in opposite directions.
  
• More difficult.  Go back to one pendulum, but tie your swords, or some other thing you don't want to get hit with, to addition pieces of rope attached to the weight itself.  When you go to start the weight swinging, put a spin on the weight so the 'weapons' start to fling out.  Practice avoiding them.  Wear Armor!  If you hurt yerself, yer doing it wrong.  Do not try to block the weapons.  That is not the point.  Avoid being hit.  I will teach you better defensive techniques later.
• Finally, same thing, two pendulums with weapons.  Space them apart so they aren't hitting each other, and practice running between them without getting hit.

Next, I'll [strike]teach[/strike] give you tips on how to move around in a fight without fear of being hit.

[Alatriel]

I been practicin.  I been practicin since I got here.  Gotta be real quiet bout it so's the innkeeper here don't come knockin sayin I'm makin too much noise, but he got so many drunks out there tonight I don't think it matters none bout no swingin rope from the beam.  I were doin better too.  I ain't stickin weapons on these ropes, hell, I ain't even got to two ropes with them weights on it yet, but I been dodgin and movin in and out from this one.  Works better for me.  When I'm dodgin this here rope I ain't thinkin bout what I shouldn't be thinkin bout.  Or how I can't believe I done said what I did to Dan. I coulda slapped my own self for that one.  "I'd do anything so long's it's with you, Dan."  Ugh.  That were dumb.  That were real dumb.  I reckon I need to work more on this here rope.  I'm still thinkin bout it.  It ain't dawn yet.  I ken get inna few more hours a practicin afore I need sleep.  They ain't gonna throw me out.  Might make me pay nother day, but now that sorta thing don't matter none.  

*ink drips on the page as if the pen was held there for a few moments in thought*

alright I gotta get back ta work cause I can't sit here thinkin no more bout.... yeah.  that

[Alatriel]

Welp, I done talked to Mister Steal.  He done told me I needed to take up some contracts and then get back to him.  So I talked to that captain in Vehl and he said he needed some spirit essence up in the mountains near a cave.  So I found some people and we went up and got it.  Weren't really hard.  Next I'm headed to Dregar in the big desert.  There's someone out there what wants me to bring him the heads of ten giants.  Don't know why he wants em so bad, but I reckon maybe ta put up on pikes so's them giants won't attack his fort no more.  Don't matter really.  He said he'd pay me fer em.  I ken do it.

[Alatriel]

Welp I think it done paid off some.  All my practicin.  I been workin real hard and I think I'm gettin' better.  I know I got faster.  I been hittin faster and harder'n I were afore.  Stalker done sneaked up on me when we was out in them cold caves with giants.  It were all I could do ta stop afore I sliced her neck up.  I think I suprised her just a bit.  I reckon I mighta suprised my own self.  But I dunno.  I felt... stronger a bit.  Like, maybe it ain't needed for me to be scared so much.

I hugged Dan when I said bye to him, and when he held my hand I didn't feel like I shoulda been runnin away.  When it come right down to it, well, I like havin him near.  Ain't so bad to have a lawman on my side.  Even if he don't like my cussin.

Been workin on springin in fer a kill strike a bit more with them ropes.  I done sliced up my last one and had to go get a new one.  But... way I figure it, it's kinda like that dance I done seen that Big Blue Man Steal workin on.  Were like when I'm fightin, it's more'n fightin.  It's dancin, cept sorta dancin with death.  If I do my dance right, then only one dyin is what I'm fightin.  But if I miss a step, then I'm the one gonna be dyin.  So, parta what I been workin on when I ain't dodgin an movin round them ropes... I been practicin movin with my stickers.  I been tryin to do what that Big Blue Man Steal done said bout makin it so's my stickers is a parta me.  So it ain't like it's me holdin stickers and fightin with em.  But like my stickers is jest the resta my arm.  Least... that's what I think he done meant when he told me that.

[Alatriel]

Dan kissed me.

[Alatriel]

I shoulda just kept on practicin my bladework.  If I done that I never woulda kissed Dan.  I never woulda kissed him again.  Then I wouldn't know what it is I might be missin on.  He says he likes me a lot but he don't know what his Dragon wants and he ain't got no sure sign his Dragon thinks we's supposed to be together.  I don't rightly know what that means, but he said he thinks that Rofie's gotta pick for him.

I dunno Rofie's gonna think I'm good enough for him.

So I'm just gonna keep on practicin my stickers.  Dan said I were beautiful when I danced with my blades.

[Alatriel]

Seems like I can't go nowhere without seein Trolls and fightin em these days.  Went out to this big old forest I never seen afore.  Was some druid elf what turned into a big cat what I thought were gonna eat me.  But she didn't.  Still, was trolls in there.  And big mean trees.  And snakes.  I hate snakes.

I got movin round in battle pretty good now.  Ain't been usin ropes so much, been practicin moves without nothin mosta the time cept for my stickers and me, been goin through the motions, then applyin em in a fight.  

Nope.  I ain't gonna talk bout what you think I'm gonna talk bout book.  Ain't none of your business today.

[Alatriel]

Dan said he loved me.  Scared me somethin fierce when he done it too.  Ain't nobody loved me afore.  He said it means I belong somewhere, cause I belong with him.






I reckon I'm alright with that.

[Alatriel]

Welp, Dan wants me to be a lady.  I told him I ain't no lady, but I think he thinks he'll like me more if I acted more like a lady.  I done seen what ladies do and I don't want none of it.  But, I reckon I could try it some.  Problem is, if he like me better if I'm being what I ain't, do that mean he don't like me the way I am?

[Alatriel]

Um...  So... what had happened was, I done went into them crypts in Krandor with Dan and Mel and Leisa.  Welp, I died, but Leisa brung me back.  Dan got hauled off by deaders and Leisa said she didn't know where they done took him.  So we left, and then Stalker showed up.  I didn't wanna leave Dan down there with Deaders, but Mel said that his Dragon'll protect him.  So... we got out and this really big storm done come up and so we went down the road to the inn.  We were talkin there fer a long time but then this kid came in and said his ma were in the crypts and hurt and we gotta go get her, so Stalker and Mel done run out after him inta the storm and back down to them crypts.  Well this kid were bein a rat fer some gang what were tryin ta rob us he says, but they were tryin ta kill us.  So well... we kilt them.  And I were so mad at this kid I woulda hauled off and smacked him... well I done it one time but I were so tired an hurt from fightin with them thugs I didn't hurt him none.  

But then he done said he didn't have nowhere to go, and that his ma were dead, and that he were just tryin ta find a place to tag along.  Mebbe I shoulda listened to Leisa, but I just couldn't leave the kid there.  I been there afore.  Sides.  This kid's got some cussin that even I think are pretty darn good.  So I told him I'd take him with me outta that *cuss* town as he called it.  Takin him to the *cuss* town I growed up in of course, but I'm takin him to the Rofies.  Ain't gonna leave him there alone though.  I don't know what I'm gonna do with him just yet, but I figure I'll ask Dan what he thinks.  We been travelin fer a couple days now.  He gets all quiet when he sleeps except for when he starts screamin bout waves.  Kid's darn terrified of water.  I asked him bout it.  He said his ma and pa were killed when the storm hit Krandor.  

I told him if he tries to cut my purse and run from me I'll hunt him down, or worse, I'll turn him over to Stalker and she'll make him wash.  Reckon that worked.

I dunno what I'm gonna do with this kid.  He's still workin on pickin out his name.  He done said it were Sebastian, but he don't like it none.  Then folks were callin him Weasel, but don't know if he like that one neither.  I told him he can pick out his own name.   He's been through four so far in just two days.

Mel said that Dan only wanted me to stop cussin so much, and that he didn't mean for me to start wearin dresses even though that one Sister gave me her dress I could wear... and I done it, and he done liked it, but I felt all... weird, like I were gonna be a mark for someone.  But... I reckon, if I bring this here kid with me, I'll look like a lady cause this kid cusses more'n I do.

I dunno.  Maybe this kid ain't gotta turn out like me.

[ShiffDrgnhrt]

Tyra sends Bella a short note...
 

 Axiom 7: A child is never your enemy.
 
 Good job, Mouse. I hope you teach that kid well. You may soon understand what I went through with you. If you need anything for him, don't be afraid to ask me.
 
 On another note: I'm not telling you what to do, but try to pay attention to the way that Leisa person conducts herself. I may not be the best person in the world, but that woman just seems heartless. I don't want to see you become that way.
 
 I don't know if I've ever told you but I'm proud of what you've become since I first met you. You are not the timid girl you were once, cowering from thunder under my bed. You have a bite to you now, and I don't just mean the stickers. You've earned my respect.
 
 Take care of yourself, and that kid.
 Your friend and mentor,
 Tyra
 

[Alatriel]

Met a really horrible man what called hisself Horace.  Name suits him cause it's right close to Horses arse.  He done called Dan a dummy, and then he wouldn't quit once he got started.  If he ever insults Dan like that again I'm gonna stick him good, whether Dan tells me no or not.  I already done punched him in the face, but that didn't seem to do nothin cause I didn't punch him too hard.  More like I didn't punch him hard enough.

I spent the last week here at the Rofie temple with Charlie.  He like it alright here I reckon.  He done said he ain't gonna run cause I done told him what's out there on the streets and he know from what he done in Krandor.  Here he got a bed.  But I seen him hordin food like I used to.  I'm just gonna let him for a while.  Maybe he needs to.  He don't like havin to sweep up floors or do dishes and chores what Dan make him do sometimes, but he still does it even though he complains the whole time.  Dan's hard on him but I ain't seen him try to beat him none.  Sides, Charlie ain't so worried bout Dan so much's he worries bout his teacher what whacked him with a stick on the hand for cussin in his class.  I just told Charlie he gotta stop cussin when Rofies can hear him.  Seems I gotta do the same thing.

[Alatriel]

Bella stands listening once again as a Rofireinite Priestess tells her the list of marks against young Charlie in his short time as a Novice.  

"Miss Bella, I'm not quite sure you understand the seriousness of this issue.  It's not like we haven't seen this sort of thing before with other orphans, but you, miss, have decided that you are to be his guardian, along with Protector Daniel as his sponsor.  You, miss, are the one who must set an example for him.  Are you even prepared for what that might entail?"

"I'm doin' what I ken..."

The priestess cuts her off "Well you'll have to do better.  Charlie's language is horrific!  I've heard similar phrases out of your own mouth, even inside this temple, the Gold forbid!  How can you expect him to learn the proper way of behavior if you cannot even manage yourself?"

"I'm tryin'..."

She interrupts again, "I'm at least pleased to see that you've managed to at least show the proper respect to our atmosphere by adopting a more appropriate attire for our halls, but if you intend to be a mother to the child you're going to have to be an example for him.  And not the sort of example that you've set thus far.  Really, the things that child says are scandalous.  He caused Sister Patricia to nearly faint with what he said last week.  In addition, he gathered three frogs and put them in the soup pot two days ago.  The entire meal had to be thrown out.  That food was wasted because of that child's antics.  And then when he was told to sweep the chapel floors, I found other novices covering for his work!  You think the strappings across the knuckles he's gotten so far have been bad, he is only facing sterner punishments.  If he refuses to face justice for his misdoings he will not do well here.  Do I make myself clear, Miss Bella?"

"Yes'm," quitely.  Bella's shoulders slump visably and her face is pained and flushed.

"See that you understand, and I expect to see a marked improvement in young Charlie's behavior in the next couple weeks.  I know that you travel, but you must do what you can in your time here."  Her tone softens a bit "He trusts you, Miss Bella.  No one else.  You truly are the one that can help him.  I know you are relying on Protector Daniel to straighten him out, but I've seen the way the child looks at him.  Daniel can only do so much without your support."  She lifts Bella's chin gently and looks her in the eyes.  "We really do what what is best for the both of you."

Bella sighs and nods.  "Yes Sister Amelia, I understand."

The priestess quickly turns on her heels and walks down the corridor again.  "See that you do Miss Bella!  I'll be watching!" she calls, her words echoing off the stone walls.

Bella's shoulders slump and she slowly sits down on a bench against the wall.
She places her face in her hands and quietly mutters.  "I'm in deep *cuss*."