Mue sat with her head to the sky, leaning back on the chimney of one of the many houses scattered throughout Vienda. It had taken her several days of exploration to find this particular rooftop; hidden from the streets below, tucked away in the least busy part of town, and was convinently a flat roof as opposed to the usual slippery-slanted rooftops that surrounded it.
It was a nice place to be on your own, and an even better place to be with that special someone.
.. Not that Mue had any particular plans for the boy when he arrived, of course.

She continued to stare blankly into the sky, almost as if in a trance. The boys recent words churning over and over in her mind.
She's kinda pretty
She's caring, I know that much
Did he really mean those words? Did he really.. have feelings for her? Or was she being foolish?
What was the real reason she wanted him to come here? Was it her own selfish desires? Was it to confess to him? Or was it regarding the resistance? Everything she had originally wanted to tell him had been mixed together in her mind, causing a horrible looking mess of fumbled words and awkward feelings, coupled with plenty of blushing and some butterflies in the mix for good measure.
Gods.. I need to clear my head.

She didn't have time to put that thought into effect, however, as she heard the near-silence of four well-placed paws hitting the rooftop.
She turned to find Furhloc creeping towards her, tail high in the air. The boy was out of her sight for now, presumably Furhloc had sailed ahead when it came to the clamber to the roof.
No surprises there. She thought with an amused smile.
"As expected from my mentor." She joked towards her feline companion, scratching him behind the ears. She was rewarded with a soft chirrup and a solid but shiny black gaze, the lights of a hundred of stars reflecting off the ostas gem-like eyes. She had always loved the way his eyes sparkled in the night.

She picked up the osta and set him on her lap, continuing to gaze at the sky whilst waiting for the straddler to catch up.

Tonan scrambled up the wall, occasionally slipping.
"Stupid climbing" he mumbled, amongst other words.
When the osta reached the top, he was still only halfway up. Obsidia jumped off his shoulder and charged her way up the wall. Tonan bit his lip. "I seem to be crap at this climbing lark."

Reaching the top, he scrabbled to make sure he was staying. He stood up and brushed himself off, his face slightly red from climbing.

"Fuhloc seems to be a smart little fellow, when'd you teach him to do that?" He was referring to the "Fetch" trick. That geninuely amazed him.

"So, what did you want me for?"

Furhloc's ear twitched and he looked towards the edge of the rooftop. Following his gaze, Mue recognized the incoming shadow as Tonan and a smile found its way to her features.

She stood with Furhloc still in her arms, and let out a small giggle.
"Teach him? You're kidding, right?" She looked at him with an amused smile, Furhloc did the same.
"He was the one who taught me, not the other way around. Everything I know about the flow of movements whilst running, I know thanks to him. As for the "fetch trick", he simply listens and understands. I didn't teach him anything." The osta chirruped in agreement.

To be alone with you. Her mind instantly thought, however, her lips spoke differently.
"We've been in Vienda now for around 10 days, and we're still no closer to finding out about the resistance." She frowned.
"We need to start being serious, no more idly wandering the streets. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to do some digging, to find out what I can. The more information we gather, the better. Our last stop, in a few days time, will be the Painted Ladies to see this Fion Smith."
The folded her arms in conclusion.
"Do you have any objections? Or anything to add?"

That isn't the only reason you brought him up here. Do it! Do it! Do it! Said the little voices in her head.

Tonan looked at the little osta, slightly amazed. "Smart.." He wished Obsidia could do stuff like that. But, he was quite happy to be able to have her as a companion and a kind of tracking device.


He thought it over and nodded his head. "Just one, Where are you going to start?" He had no clue where to start, and you can't exactly walk around galdor city asking about the resistance, you'd be captured and questioned on the spot. He didn't like the sounds of that.

"I'm sure there's more to it than this, you know? Calling me up here.. We could have easily discussed this in a busy tavern or something. Is something wrong?" He hoped she brought him up here for what he thought. He was always nervous at asking that question.

Mue stretched her limbs, aching from the day of exploring, climbing and running.
"Hm.. I've seen a few places dotted around here. The city seems to be split into several key points, one of which is apparently known as "The Dives". That sounds like a good place to start, and also sounds like it's relatively deserted when it comes to Gollys."
Mue frowned, remembering what Senite had told her about avoiding conflicts with galdor at all times.
"The less we meet with any galdor, the better. So that rules out anywhere flashy. Like uptown."
Mue pointed into the distance at a particularly large building - the Royal Palace.
"That place especially, is off limits. If I catch you going anywhere near there, I swear I will hurt you." The look on her face suggested she was serious.

Mue turned back to the boy and folded her arms again.
"So, I'm going to start in this "Dives" place. It's a big enough area, so just the two of us won't raise any suspicion."

Furhloc was busy playing with Obsidia on the roof, pawing at her tail as they jumped and flipped over each other, chirruping all the way. The sight was amusing to watch.
Cute..

An embarassed smile crossed Mue's face and she gripped her arms tighter. Partly to prevent her own hands from grabbing him right then and showing exactly what she wanted to do.
Instead, she looked away nervously, face turning a deep red colour.

"More to it? Just what are you suggesting? It's not like I.."
It's not like I wanted to be alone with you, so I could..
"I mean. I.. I like being here with you, but.."
But that isn't the reason I brought you here... Ok, maybe it is.
"I brought you here to discuss.. er."
To discuss my plans, then get to the real reason why I chose this roof to meet
"I just.."
I just want to ki-- GODDAMNIT VOICES. Shut. Up!

Mue sucked in a shaking deep breath, and blew it out slowly. She looked up at the boy with calmer eyes, and the little voices in her head actually gave her chance to speak.
"I brought you up here for another reason, yes." She gave the boy a cheeky grin, and took a few steps towards him.
"But I'm not going to tell you what it is. You'll just have to wait and see." She giggled and stopped, looking at the boy with a teasing smile.

I can't believe I'm actually going to do this.. She held her ground, not wanting to act just yet.

"The dives, eh? Only been there once or twice.."
Truth.
He rarely entered Vienda, he only ever came to Vienda to sell goods if he was nearby. He didn't like the place, too many galdori.


"You don't have to tell me twice. I hate fields.. Kinda freak me out"
Where could I start though? If Mue starts in the Dives.. Hollow Street.
"I could start out in hollow street? I know the area around there pretty well, I go there to sell stuff occasionally"


Well, At least they're not fighting..


Tonan cocked his eyebrow.
I knew there was something else to it.
What she was going to do, he had no clue. She seemed.. smitten to him. But this was his head talking, and his head was hardly trustworthy.
Girl sensors offline, godsdamnit.
"Listen, it's kinda clear with how you're acting. I want to know what's on your mind." It perked his curiosity.


Hoho! I was right! But.. She's teasing me! Gaah!
He made a serious face, but it cracked pretty quick into a slight smile.
"C'mon, you've got me all curious now, and I hate being curious."

Mue nodded her head in agreement.
"That'll be fine. Just.. try to stay out of trouble, alright?"
A genuinely concerned frown appeared on her face.


Mue giggled again and continued her advance, steps light and graceful. Her feet making not so much as a whisper as she glided towards the boy, and as she drew nearer, she brought a single finger up to meet his lips, ushering him into silence.
"So you really want to know the reason I called you up here? You truly have no idea why I picked such a.. quiet place?" She moved the finger from his lips and sidled past him, brushing her hand against his arm as she did. She continued walking another few steps with her back to him.
"If you wanted to say something to someone, that you've wanted to say for a long time. Wouldn't you agree that a place like this is perfect?" She turned back around to the boy, still blushing but full of confidence.

This place.. is perfect. I've come this far, I can press on. Tonight, is the night I tell him.

Yeah. I was right. She beat me to it.
"Well, I guess I do." The area around his cheeks getting warm
It's a good job it's bloody dark, Although it probably doesn't matter, I'm glowing like a lantern anyway
He rubbed his neck, he was itching to do something. Nerves, excitement, awkwardness. he had to itch it, and quickly or else he was going to bite something. His finger was looking tasty. No. Bad head.


"Gotta say, this is a perfect place for that kind of thing you know?"
You idiot, think about what you just said!
Tonan blinked. "For the telling. Yes."
Now I sound like a pervert! Godsdamnit.

Mue stood grinning in the dark, turning several shades brighter due to his words.
Dirty boy. Her mind observed, though it held those thoughts without objection.

An amused smile crossed the girls face, and she stepped back up to the boy as she had done a hundred times. Close enough that she had to crane her neck to look him in the eye. The only difference this time, was that she was full of confidence, and willing to speak her mind.

She raised both hands to the boys shoulders and inched closer, still staring into his eyes. Stepping up on her toes for the extra height, her face now mere inches from his, she could feel his warm breath on her lips, which sent tingles running down her spine and fueled the nagging voices in her head. Barely managing to resist completing the move, she forced her voice to work and said, in nothing more than a whisper.

"You'll protect me.. won't you?"

Tonan's head began speaking gibberish. His hands had a mind of their own and grabbed her forearm. His knees shook a little. His ankles turned a bit, and his mouth opened ever so slightly. "Crap, I bet it smells like a chrove's ass"

"Yes, Yes I will.."

Mues' eyes flashed distractedly to the edge of the roof, before quickly flicking back to meet Tonans'. She edged even closer to the boy, her lips practically brushing across his. She was mere moments from recieving her first ever kiss, from her first ever crush. Her lip twitched in anticipation, whilst her grip on his shoulders tightened. She could hear her heartbeat and feel the blood rushing to her face, pulsing through her head, and feeding every nerve ending in her body, causing them to tingle pleasently. She closed her eyes ready for the final move, and was just about to make it, but instead turned away and hugged him tightly, causing his form to press embarasingly close against hers with her head resting on his shoulder.
In a voice that was somehow less audible than a whisper, Mue almost breathed the words into the boys ear;
"Then will you start right now?"



((Cut off a lot of the assumptions, really sorry about that. ))

"He'd better," snarled a voice directly behind them.

There were three men; Mue's keen senses told her this almost immediately, and she would know them anywhere by now. The smell of their leather clothes, the stink of their unwashed hair, their acrid breath on her neck. Her pursuers had apparently followed her to Vienda. While Mue and Tonan were focusing on each other, they had snuck up behind them.

Roth's knife was gently piercing through Mue's clothing between her shoulderblades.

"Game's up, sweetheart," he said softy. He smiled, his one eye flashing in the moonlight, his face flush with victory. "We've got two knives aimed at your boyfriend's throat. If you like the way he talks to you, you'd better hand us what you've got."

Though aware that something was not quite right, Mue wasn't quite expecting this. The cold kiss of steel on her back, and the sight of two more men baring blades aimed at Tonan was more than enough to strike fear deep into her heart.
Had she been alone, she would have had considerably more options available to her. She'd managed to slip out of situations just as dangerous as this before now, it could be considered one of her specialities; Being as slippery and hard to catch as a fish that actually values it's pitiful life.
Her talents were not refined for saving the lives of others, however, especially those who were currently being held at bladepoint.

Mue could feel the unwelcome sensation of panic creeping into her body, bringing along with it the feeling of helplessness and a healthy dose of anger. Angry at herself for getting Tonan mixed up in her own troubles, and angry at the cowards who were using him as a bargaining chip.

"It took you long enough to catch me, are you really so incompetent?"
The words had left Mues' lips before she had a chance to catch them, and she mentally kicked herself for letting her tongue get ahead of her mind.

Releasing Tonan from her embrace, Mue raised her hands slowly, to show she had no drawn weapons and was not a threat. Though her hands were desperately seeking the comfort of the leather grip on her sheathed dagger.
For a split second, Mue considered quickly drawing her dagger and attempting to parry then flee, but after acknowledging Tonan's predicament with a worried glance, she thought better of it and stayed her hand.

"You're just unusually slippery," hissed Roth, and his two men grinned, showing off rows of broken teeth - Mue had been responsible for a few of those missing molars. "Hands where I can see them. Bind her."

One of the men advanced on Mue, dagger drawn, with a length of twine in his other hand. The other circled around to place his blade at the back of Tonan's neck.

Tonan snarled a little.
"Listen, I don't know what you want from her, but leave her alone."
He assessed the situation and looked around him slowly. Just the one man behind him, the other two in his sight..

He was tempted to draw his pistol, but remembering that they had Mue at knife point put him off immediately.
"Grrgh.." he growled. "Wait, where's Obsidia? Furloc? They were playing over there a second ago.."

"Whatever you want off her, I can get it. Money, food, shelter. I have it." he said.
Well, he lied about the money part.
"I can hunt you some deer, give you my tent, give you my supplies. Anything. Just.. let her go."
He forbade the tear forming in his eye to fall.

Mue would have noticed a flickering shape on the edge of her vision, a black lump that rose and was joined quietly by others. Had she turned her head the blobs would have resolved into the shapes of people, one of them a girl about her own age.

Deb glared.

"This displeases me, you know!" She shouted, drawing a shortsword.

A man behind her gave her a tired look and sighed visibly, the blades in his hands lowering with his chargrin. A witch to her right just bit her lip and smiled wickedly.

"You heard the lady, none of your business should be going on in Vienda and you know it." She smiled, causing the tattoos on her cheeks to crinkle up. "I took somebody's ear last time, I may have to take something else today."

The human man, a tall and burly creature, flinched visibly and covered his groin with one hand. He looked as though he'd rather jump off the roof than spend another minute with his two compatriots.

"She's got what's mine, and once I've got it, I'll be on my way," said Roth, sizing up the new arrivals. Resistance people, he thought briefly. Well, it's fitting...

"Hand it over, girly," said one of Roth's less cerebral partners in crime, grabbing Mue by the neck. Without being told, he punched the unfortunate girl in the gut, winding her; in the split second that followed he attempted to knock Tonan to the ground with Mue's body.

"No, idiot!" cried Roth, reaching forward to push the other man away.

The sight of another person gave him breathing room. A Distraction, now's my-
His forming plan was quickly cut short.

When one of Roth's partners punched Mue in the gut, Tonan was sure he had a knife in his hand. He let out a pained yell, and when she fell towards him, he tried to quickly dart out of the way.
He felt crap for not grabbing her, but he needed to sort these three jackasses out first.

Mue did not resist. She stood still and complied with his demands, whilst her mind frantically searched for a way out of this situation. Things were looking grim.
At this rate..
And then she noticed it. A tiny flicker of movement towards the edge of the rooftop. Her heart didn't know whether to jump for joy or shrink with fear, and maintained a neutral, albeit fast, rhythm as Mue assessed the situation.

Hearing the shadow speak, Mue could tell it was a woman. Still, they were at the edge of her vision, Mue dared not to turn and look lest the man behind her accidently slipped with his knife. Instead, she stood still with hard eyes boring into the man approaching with the rope. She had never been caught before, not like this. The sense of powerlessness continued to fuel Mue's desire to escape, and she wondered if she could use this distraction to grab Tonan and get the hell out of here..


The mans lunge at her throat caught her completely by surprise, and instincts kicked in causing her to claw at the mans arm in an effort to free herself. Her efforts soon ceased when she received the punch to the gut. She let out an involuntary yelp and was thrown to the ground gasping for breath.

Still clutching at her stomach and breathing heavily, Mue managed to prop herself up on one elbow and glared at her attackers with venemous eyes.
She noticed that the extra bodies on the roof hadn't moved since their arrival, but Tonan had placed himself between her and the attackers.
What is he thinking?!

"Tona-" She started, but her laboured breathing cut off the rest. She coughed a few times and forced air into her lungs, watching over the new scene with glaring eyes.



((Not interfering yet, since Mue's just been winded.))

Deb glared and huffed.

"No. You'll leave now!" She shouted, full of ire and petulance.

She threw herself forward, slicing at any man who was foolish enough to get in her way. She ignored Mue and Tonan as she took a chunk out of one of Roth's goons.

The witch started to advance upon Roth, the man behind her looking more and more uncomfortable.

"I am getting more than an ear today!" She cackled, sounding mildly insane.

"Dear... I mean Seria, must you do this?" The man asked fearfully.

"Yes, yes I must." She replied.

Tonan quickly drew his sword and held it in front of him, around waist height, allowing him enough reaction time to block a high blow, or a low blow for a weapon.



Tonan quickly blinked and looked at Deb. Clocking hell, she's quick.
Before his became passive enough to lower his blade, he quickly snapped to attention and looked at the remaining uninjured goon and held his sword tightly. He wasn't letting himself get caught off guard again.
He raised his spare hand to near his chest, where his gun was holstered, incase he tried to pull a "fast one"

But the goons had set their sights on Deb now, and the injured one screamed in pain, lunging at her and pushing Mue out of the way.

It became clear in the next few seconds that Roth had not informed his friends the importance of whatever it was that Mue carried. As the winded girl was pushed to the edge of the roof, and the thickheaded thugs began barreling forward towards the newcomer, Roth leaped forward like a tiger, pushing past the now-armed Tonan and grabbing Mue's waist as she began falling off the side. With one hand he reached into his holster and cocked his gun, pointing it in a no-nonsense way at the side of Mue's head.

The goons hadn't noticed the "ultimatum position"; one of them went for Tonan and one of them for Deb, seemingly convinced of their advantage despite the odds. Roth watched them with a glare that could have frozen water, not moving to help them.

When the goon barrelled past Mue and sent her flying to the edge of the building, he was about to dash and grab her, but the sight of the same goon barrelling towards him was a sight to behold and quickly aimed his swinging leg at the goon's groin.

Keeping his pistol in hand. He made sure he could keep an eye on Roth. If he had Mue killed, Tonan would kill him, and anyone related to him. He was in no mood for death today, but it seemed unavoidable.

Seria continued to advance on Roth as Deb tried to carve adult men into pieces behind her. The man behind her gasped as Roth pointed his gun at Mue's head.

"Don't do it!" He cried, looking appalled.

Seria blinked and shook herself. She turned to look at him. "Why the clock do you care?"

"He's threatening a little girl, Seria, that's not nice." He replied, voice rising and brow lowering.

Seria turned to Roth.

"I don't give a shit what you to do her, shoot her and then I can just throw your ass out of town." She smiled evilly. "Less a few extraneous body parts."

His men were dead, slashed to ribbons, and Roth was beginning to panic.

"Step back, both of you, or she dies," he snapped, a crazed look in his eye as he pressed the barrel of the gun against Mue's temple. "Any of you takes one single bloody step this way, you die too."

He shook Mue viciously, still holding the gun to her head. He growled in her ear "Hand it over. I'm done playing tag with you."