Summer Songs and Requiems

[Neki]

It was cool in the city, sun just starting to warm the air. There was little movement in the early morning, only a faint breeze stirring the limp grasses. A young woman stood inside a small shop, watering the herbs in her window. Her bloodred hair as dark and wet from the shower she had taken earlier that morning.

She was feeling comfortable at the moment, her mind stable and not thinking about anything. She was only just learning to over come her shyness, and it wasn't going as well as she would like. Her stint in Spargus had helped cure her of some fear, but it still remained. She was able to be around people without flinching at every word, but only just.

She smiled to herself and hummed a song, a warm welcoming song that was as light as the summer breeze. The water coming from the watering can made a soft pitter patter, and she closed her acid green eyes for a moment.

She pulled the scents in with her sensitive nose, sorting them out in her mind. It was like a game, one of the few things that she enjoyed. She could smell herbs, tomatoes and water. She could smell dirt, warm and cool at the same time. And under that a mettalic smell, warm and iron like. The smell of blood.

She jolted, adrenaline running through her veins. Her eyes were right with the momentary fear, until she realized it was her own blood. She had cut her finger on the watering can, and it was bleeding into the water. She wrapped it tightly with a piece of cloth as people passed outside. Thier thoughts drifted in like ghosts.

What a quaint shop. I wonder when it opens?

I've heard the owner is a freak of some kind.

Can't be! Tazira is the nicest girl, and I've talked to her many times. She was apprenticed to Kayse before the woman died

The thoughts drifted away and she heaved a sigh. Tazira moved towards the door, flicking the metal sign to open. Maybe today would be an okay day.

And maybe Yakkows will fly. Something always happens to make my day sour.

[dbkillerex]

"The sun"... "The bloody frickin sun". DB cursed, closing his eyes tightly. Than peeping through his eye lids he received a blurry gray image, moaning he lifted his body away from the floor into a sitting position. Looking down he saw he was covered with torn up newspapers and some sort of unknown yellow slime.

"Morning already?, and to think just yesterday I.... Hmmm What was I doing yesterday?" He knelt forward and looked around as comforting breeze ruffled his hair. He seemed to be in haven city, somewhere in the poor side of it considering the peeling paint and crumbling walls that greeted him as he fully opened his eyes. getting up he gave the area a final scan "Hmm a garbage can..." DB noticed behind him "Maybe i chopped off a body..."

Chuckling in his mind DB dragged himself slowly out of the ally and sat on a bench "Not my best day..." He told himself out loud

[Neki]

Tazira moved away, back to the counter. She had wanted to do something with her day, and the heat was rising by the minute. Itwould be cool in the shop for a few more hours, but then things would get toasty. And that meant flaring tempers. I hope I don't have to deal with anyone unpleasant today. That would really just ruin things. She sighed, and pulled a box from under the counter.

In it was wire and pliers, and a few precious stones. She was working on a bracelet, with a set of matching earrings. Tazira nodded to herself, and stopped. She gathered her red hair up and tied it. It fell in a long poofy tail on her back. She smiled, and started working. that was when she heard a thought, loud and clear.

Not my best day.............

[dbkillerex]

DB examined himself, noticing he was not in his usual clothes. His shirt was gray and torn up, smelling and looking to be nothing familiar, his shoes where gray with faded yellow striped and all tattered, his pants on the other matter were black and suiting to his style, comfortable for running but looking sufficiently good to any standard Seems like an improvised costume.

Noticing the streets near by are filling slowly with drug dealing hunch-backed cross-eyed low life he got up and took off his well-known blue bandanna, and tied it to the back of his neck so that it covers his mouth and downward in a triangular form like a gangster. After which he took off his shirt and threw it aside, revealing the Tattoo on his shoulder which recognized him to be a speed demon in order to ward off anyone considering him as a mark.

As he grew aware of his surroundings he started walking slowly, with a straight back and his head pointed slightly upward as a sight of superiority. His right hand whipped out his communicator and pressed the button "Say angel, whats our plans for today?". As he walked, the sun beamed away at his bare skin and his buddy builder like structure and muscles but in his body, the dark eco filled it's sage fully, and in his heart he knew this day was unlike others...

[Neki]

Tazira smiled as she hummed to herself, and the pice was finished. It was a small bracelet, red stones sparkling. Slowly she moved towards the storefront to the window where the bracelet would go on display. The young woman frowned as she looked out. The streets were already filling with the usual scum, and it made her shiver to think about it. Flashes moved in her mind of men, the men who had tortured her for so long.

No. You're doing good today. Just don't think about any of it and everything will turn out okay. Those times have passed now. She told herself this over and over, trying to shove the images from her mind.

Her small shop sparkled as the morning sun spilled in. It was small, the main room only about fifty square feet. There was a small side room for more delicate or rare items, and she kept it closed most of the time.

Two long table were in the middle, artfully decorated with odds and ends. It was like a mountain of strange things had sprung up in the middle of the room, and was carefully being nurtured into true beauty of some kind.

The Front window was a ledge with shelves, holding jewelry, toys, clothes and many other things. A small chalkboard was placed there, proudly proclaiming " The Trinket Box " in green letters. It was a strange name, but had worked out well so far. The shop was well like by the local people, and most came frequently.

Tazira looked out through the window as she placed the bracelet, clearing her thoughts. She just wanted to breath, and forget. That was when she saw him. He was tall and lean, black hair in his face. He was missing a shirt, and the tattoos on his body stood out on his white skin. The girl shuddered, and closed her eyes for a moment. Then something hit her. She couldn't feel him. No thoughts, no energy, nothing. She smiled, and let out her breath. It was comfortable, and she rarely found people she couldn't hear.

I just hope he goes away. It doesn't matter what happens, I can always hear them when I touch them. And its always so awful. She opened her blue eyes once more and looked out to see him talk into some kind of communicator. She wasn't sure what was happening, but she knew she didn't want to have any part in it.

She moved away from the window, and sat on the stool behind the counter. Tazira slowly pulled one of her sleeves up, examining the arm as she always did. No change. It was the same arm, crisscrossed with fine white scars, hundreds of them. She sighed, and wondered who would be first inside.

[dbkillerex]

"Actualy DB... Theres nothing to do. You finished all of yesterdays and todays asighnments last night. Dont you remember?"

"Oh... Yeah it was a whack night" DB pretended to remember, his eyes scanned his surroundings, knowing that whene a person is speaking through a communicator or phone he's less focused, making him an easier pray.

"What happned back there?, you went berzerk than whene we were done, you kept on going... than some more"

"You know me, the heat of battle. Sometime that happens" An evil grin apeared upon his face

"Yeah, it does. But one thing was very strange..." angel sayed than DB cut him off

"Sorry, gotta go. Think someone is folowing me" A shadow vanished from the asphalt behind DB. Cant stay out in the open DB flipped the communicatorinto his pocket and began searching for an enclosed structure. A strange store named "Evens and Odds" popped up in his vision, Never noticed this place before He kept suspicious Well, theres always a first time.

Walking quikly toward the shop his eyes fixed into the window to observe whether the place is crowded and what kind of people visit it. The sun had risen to full hight and the weather was still cold, making some people wonder why this lad has no shirt on.

He stopped by the door, his feet side by side than he reached his right hand to the knob. Retracting it quikly he looked behind him. Nothing there. Than searching his pockets he discovered he only carried a dagger. Its good enough He ensured himself with confidence and the door opened widely.

It was a reletively small shop, nothing too exiting. filled with many interesting things including jewelry and other such items. In the most parts the shop was made of wood, and although it was not top class the shop seemed to be cared for every day, almost as if someone lived there.

"Excuse me" He approached the merchant "Would you be so kind to show me the items for sale here?" He spoke in a normal and somewhat soft voice unlike his distorted crude voice. Than hic communicator began beeping "Excuse me" He walked in the opposite direction of the counter as he answeared "Yeah?"

"Its me, did you find out whose on your trail?"

"No, but i gotta go"

"Wait, wait!" Angel stopped him

"What?"

"The strange thing about last night is that during the entire night... You didnt morph back from dark form... "

[Neki]

Tazira looked up, and smiled. The person she saw was the man who had been outside. She got up, and saw she was much much shorter.

" We have all kinds of different jewlery and medallions. There are also some weapons, and some small precursor artifacts." She pointed to the middle table.

" Clothes are in the side." She looked at him.

" Is there anything specific you're looking for? I'm sure I could help you find it." She tried to be nice, but she was shaking inside. She wished it would be easier, but she had the comfort of not being able to hear the man.

[dbkillerex]

DB shoved the communicator back into his pockets and took a better look of the merchant. Her eyes were deep crystal blue as they faced toward his with the sun breaching the window. Her hair was blazing red and windswept, its color resembling the blood of a fresh kill. And although she seemed significantly shorter he could tell she is only about two years younger. "Well..." DB turned and gave a charming smile "I don't believe we've met, I'm dean" Weapons and precursor artifacts... Guess i can stay here for an hour and so, gives my stalker plenty of time to make a mistake Than his eyes narrowed slightly, trying to look closer into Tazira's eyes. There was something unsettled in her, it kept him at bay.
"yo have any necklace in the colors of blue, red or black?."

[Neki]

Tazira smiled and nodded. She moved to a case in the back of the room, a thick glass case. I wonder what he's doing out now. Its early, even for customers. Oh well, I'm not complaing. Much. Its still creepy that I can't hear him. Maybe the only person in this whole city.

She inserted a key into the lock, and pulled out a box. It was small, and rattled with jewlery inside.

" I have a few, but they're old. My master made them when I was an apprentice, but she died a while ago." Theere was sadness in hr voice as she brough them out. Two of the necklaces were red, with fire symbols on the,. One was blue, with elctricity, and the last was a chain with a medallion of black.

" Are any of these to your liking?" She asked.

[dbkillerex]

"That blue one, I think it would look nice". Feeling the sadness in her voice he took a step closer "I'm sure your master looks down at you proud, as she rests in peace with all the heroes up in the sky. And I'm sure she would give anything to jump down from whatever soft cloud she lies on to be here with you..." Staring into the empty void of tazirah's eyes a small surge of dark eco surged through DB's left hand, turning it purple for a second. He remembered his own master, who taught him of eco. Where did that crazy old man go anyway. Snapping out of it DB changed the subject "... Are you an eco user?"

Benjamin Lay there close, aiming his sniper rifle through the window and reporting any action through his communicator. "Good work team, we finally got the slippery bastard. He's in a shop named "Evens and odds" with the teenager who's running the shop. Hold your fire until she's out of danger". Keeping a close eye on them Benjamin noticed a rise in temperature "Keep sharp lads, and don't forget to drink lots of water" He chuckled softly "Oh and one last thing, when and if you decide to take the shot wait till he's distracted cause if he notices you've fired the shot he could, and i repeat could be out of there faster than a leaper lizard with a turbo engine up its rear"