Setting Sun, coming Twilight

[JadeStorm]

(closed)

The Niema river stretched out below, a winding line of blue snuggled peacefully against the city of Radasanth. Bloody red sunlight glittered across its calm surface, reflecting like fire. Standing on a bridge spanning two of the larger buildings in the city, Sun Zu Shang had a clear, imperious view. The city docks seemed like wooden fingers grasping at the watery ribbon as it wound away into the distance. Nestled against the horizon, the Jagged Mountains were both a beautiful and forbidding sight. The Ranger knew firsthand how dangerous that range truly was. She'd once made the mistake of trying to cross it. Servant to nature as she was, she was hardly immune to it.

The day was winding down to an end and the river had taken on a hard appearance, as if diving into it from any height would be a fatal mistake. All sizes and manner of craft sailed down the ribbon of water. She could see the precise, square sails of Coronian vessels, the ribbed triangular sails of ships built in Scara Brae, as well as many others she couldn't identify. There had been a time once when she had considered sailing the oceans. Those days were long behind her, the interest gone like a puff of smoke in a high wind. Large merchant ships lumbered slowly along the river, small schooners lacing agilely between their massive bulks.

Fresh from a Citadel match against a fiery redheaded girl, Sun felt as if her body had been beaten by a group of angry drunks with clubs. Her ribs in particular felt like mush, the dull ache there a painful reminder of what an embarrassed teenage girl could do to you if you weren't focused. That kick had hurt like hell. Despite all of this, her mind was unconcerned, drifting.

Memories shifted lazily through the oriental girl's mind, her almond-shaped brown eyes distant and unfocused. Chief among those remembered glimpses the image of a young boy. His smiling face was framed by wild red hair, his gray eyes sparkling with happiness. She could remember his voice with crystal clarity, though she hadn't heard it in more than a decade. Aunt Sun! Tell me about the Desert again!

"You there?"

The voice snapped Sun out of her memories, breaking the spell like a hammer on glass. The ranger turned to Brielle Twylith and smiled. It was a thin, veiled smile. The kind given as a response to the question 'are you alright' when you really weren't. It was enough, however. The young redhead hadn't known Sun long enough to recognize her moods. It was easy for a stranger to mistake melancholy for calm happiness. The wind stired, lifting the ranger's jaw-length pink hair in a ripple. In the distance, the mountains had taken on a deep purple hue as the sun began to descend.

"I'm here. I was just remembering things." The ranger answered.

"What things?" Brielle asked.

Sun smiled. "Just the distant past. Nothing important."

"Well, we should get going while there's still light to see by." Brielle commented.

"Afraid to be alone in the dark with me?" Sun asked, her eyebrow lifted.

"Nope. Should I be?" Brielle's voice was defiant.

"Probably, yeah. I could probably have your pants off before you realized I'd moved." Sun smirked at the blush creeping through the girl's cheeks.

"No doubt." Brielle replied.

Taking one last look at the beautiful vista, Sun inhaled deeply. Even so far away, she could smell the salty water, and her imagination was sufficient to almost feel the sea-spray on her face. She turned away. "Let's go find somewhere to eat and rest. My ribs hurt like hell."

[Twylith]

Brielle led the way back towards the inn her and Lillian were currently staying at, hoping she could navigate the city without getting lost. Sun followed, a hand on her ribs. Shooting her an exasperated look, Brielle sighed.

"I'm sorry I kicked you so hard, but you really should have let the monks at the Citadel take care of that," she said. After their fight at the Citadel, the monks had done a wonderful job. Other than general sore muscles and tiredness, Brielle was free of any real injuries. She still had a gash in the shoulder of her t-shirt, with a dark maroon patch of drying blood, but the cut itself was gone.

"Don't apologize for kicking me. We were there to fight, Brielle," Sun replied. "And as for the pain, I'll be fine. I've suffered much worse than this." Sun dropped her hand to her side, and straightened slightly. A grimace touched her lips, but was gone in a flash.

"But you could have a broken rib!" Brielle exclaimed. "Those can be really dangerous!" Sun waved off her concern, but Brielle thought she saw a deep blush on the woman's coppery skin. She guessed her archer friend wasn't used to other people's concern.

"So where are we eating?" Sun asked. She was obviously trying to change the subject, and Brielle decided to let her.

"We're heading back to the inn Lillian, Taylor and I are staying at. They have these awesome cheeseburgers that I could swear are from McDonalds," she said. Sun cocked an eyebrow, but the question she asked wasn't the one Brielle suspected.

"Who's Taylor?" she asked. Laughing, Brielle shook her head.

"He's this little pervert we picked up while traveling. He lost his mother, and we've been taking care of him. He's only ten, and he's got a huge fascination with my body," Brielle said, a blush creeping over her pale cheeks. "Oddly, you kind of remind me of him," she finished.

[JadeStorm]

"Yeah, except that I like more than just your body." Sun said it in an offhand manner; it really wasn't that big a deal to her. She was what she was, after all, and it was only the truth. Brielle, however, colored at the comment. Recognizing the redhead's discomfort, she changed the topic. "Besides, I'm normally somewhat decent with children. I don't suppose this inn has any Chessboards?"

Brielle shook her head, sending her fiery hair into chaos. The movement was slightly exaggerated, and it took Sun a minute to realize she was still embarrassed by their last topic. A smirk twitched at the corner of her lips, and she dropped back behind the other girl. She didn't seem to notice, though she was definitely aware of it when Sun's hand slapped her rump with enough force to send her squealing ahead a couple of strides. She bounced, her hands covering her bottom. Sun knew it had to have stung, judging by the angry tingling in her palm.

"Well, before we go to eat, I want to grab something. It shouldn't take more than a minute." Before Brielle could respond, Sun strode off toward the market section of Radasanth.

The market was, as always, a bustling affair of noise and chaos. Stalls were erected haphazardly, wooden and rickety. The more respectable shops were housed in brick and stone buildings. There were more than a few weapon shops, though that wasn't what she had come here looking for. And to be honest, most of those weapons and armors were shittily crafted and likely to break during combat. Business in a city like Radasanth was just as much a matter of guile and trickery as it was an exchanging of goods for gold.

She found what she was after quickly enough, aided by a lacquered sign. Radasanth Toys & Games!, it exclaimed in large red letters. She ducked into the stone building. She felt the difference in temperature immediately. Though the sun had been setting, it was several measures colder in the shaded shop. She bypassed racks and shelves full of toy swords, dolls, carriages and castles, and made her way to the back of the shop. Several board games stood on display cases here. It took her a few minutes to choose what she was after; time that Brielle spent wandering about the store, examining the products.

The haggling was over quickly enough, and the two left without further ado. A gaggle of children ran into the shop as they were leaving, and a soft smile lit Sun's face.

"What did you get?" Brielle asked, looking pointedly at the cloth bag in Sun's hand. The ranger passed it to the redhead, and she opened it to peer inside. "What in the hell?"

"It's made to be easy to carry while traveling; it folds into a box." Sun replied.

"Oh. So... what is it?" Brielle passed the bag back to her. Sun took it gently, though she made a point of passing her fingers over Brielle's hand as she did so. She grinned at Brielle's obvious discomfort. "It's called Khet. Somewhat like Chess, but different. Players use strands of magical light and mirrors to attack each others pieces."

Brielle's eyebrows rose. "They use magic in games?"

Sun's eyebrows lifted to match hers. "Magic is more than just a means of death and disfigurement, you know."

"Well yeah, obviously. But putting it into games kind seems to... I don't know, trivialize it."

"True, but didn't you tell me not so long ago that in your world, children's toys were motorized and shit?"

"Yeah, but that's different." Brielle replied, making a face at the ranger.

"How so?"