Streets of the Past

[tuo]

Adam gives a small smile. "I hope she'll be all right.."

Drake wrapped an arm around Dreamwarp to squeeze her close and whispers. "Heh..that's not likely to help her more then an hour or two is it?"

[Kender Bard]

"It's food, that's good for a day," Dreamwarp responded. "If she's really smart she'll give some to the rats to see if they die. Then she'll know it's good." Dreamwarp pecked Drake on the cheek and then turned to walk down a bit more, checking to see if old landmarks of her childhood still stood. Most didn't, which did not surprise her.

A male voice rumbled to the side of the group from a darkened doorway, "Ya three lookin' for some ladies?"

[tuo]

Drake glanced over at the voice and snorted. "Tch, we already got a woman."

Adam gave a grin and gave Dreamwarp a small nudge closer, pushing her bottom. "But of course we can't speak for our own lady here." He speaks in a teasing tone.

[Kender Bard]

Dreamwarp rolls her eyes and then looks at the man who was speaking.

He stood in shadow, but some defining characteristics could clearly be seen. He was older than Dreamwarp but not by too much, though all the wrinkles of stress and care in his face belied the fact. His hair was straggly and greasy, scars showed prominately on his face, and his nose was bulbous and crooked, as though he had badly been broken once and never set properly. Dreamwarp gasped, as did the man in the doorway.

"You!" Dreamwarp yelped. The man moved to dart back inside and slam the door shut but Dreamwarp rammed against it and the two strained to budge the door. Through gritted teeth, Dreamwarp snarled obscenities.

[tuo]

Adam blinked in surprise at Dreamwarp's reaction. "What are you doing?!"

Drake growled and rushed foward to help force the door open by pushing at it behind her. "Just shut up and help stupid!"

Adam starts before darting closer to help them push the door open.

[Kender Bard]

The three of them overpower the bulk of the man behind who goes stumbling back as the door slams open with a sharp crack. Inside, several woman shriek in terror and scramble about, mostly naked forms in almost complete darkness save for the faint glow of cheap lard candles. They press into the far corners, trembling like small animals as Dreamwarp roars into the room and starts to beat on the fallen man who does his best to defend.

"You should be dead!" she shouted at him as she rained blows on the man. "You nasty lech! I've never forgotten what you did! I should have killed you! I would have!"

"Help!" the man cried as loud as he could as he curled into a ball. "Help!!"

[tuo]

Adam's eyes widen and moves to Dreamwarp to try and pull her off the man. "Calm down dear! What's going on?"

As Adam tries to pull Dreamwarp off of him, Drake moves to help make sure to restrain the man if Adam succeeds since if Dreamwarp hates this guy she probably has reason for it and deserves some pay back.

[Kender Bard]

Dreamwarp strains against Adam but has grown fatigued from her fighting and is pulled off of the man who lay trembling and bleeding. A foul smell arose from him.

"This cur is Kaspin," Dreamwarp growled and spat the name. "We grew up together, though I use the term loosely. He was older and stronger than me and often stole my food or coins. But that's not why, when I'm done explaining, I'm going to kill the bastard." She tried to shake Adam off. "One time he beat me unconscious. When I woke up, I was in a room like this one, and there was some older man pawing at me. Kaspin had tried to sell me. He was a bawd then, and he's a bawd now, and he deserves to die!"

[tuo]

Drake gives a growl and tightens his grip across Kaspin's throat but not enough yet to threaten knocking him out. "This is why I prefer the streets of Flux to this kind of place..it's just a matter of survival. You want this piece of filth knocked out before ya kill him or you want to do that part yourself?"

Adam's eyes narrowed at the man. "I'm sorry for that joke I made a minute or so ago dear..."

[Kender Bard]

Dreamwarp drew a very small knife from her pocket and removed the leather cover from around the blade. It was mostly a ceremonial thing but was useful for other purposes. "Knock him out so he doesn't scream," she instructed.

"No!" one of the girls suddenly screamed and ram over to try and push Drake away from Kaspin, but she was terribly weak and the blow was feeble.

[tuo]

Drake was surprised and pushes the woman back almost gently. "What's the matter with you? He sells you all out and you protect him?!"

[Kender Bard]

"At least we get food!" the woman protested. " An' a roof! Ye're kickin' me out on da street!"

[tuo]

Drake looked pole axed and hesitated but maintained his grip. "Dammit..killing him would really throw them out into worse conditions?"

Adam put a hand on Dreamwarp's shoulder. "Will we be able to help these women..? They deserve better then this don't they?"

[Kender Bard]

Dreamwarp huffed and shrugged away Adam as she stared at the girl who had tried to protect the man. "For Soahc's sake, if you can't find a better way to care for yourself, you deserve to rot in the street as well! I'd rather steal, lie, and cheat for my daily bread than spread my legs for it! Step aside!"

The woman shook her head but Dreamwarp's angry punch snapped her back and caused her to fall away. Dreamwarp looked at the other three women who stayed where they remained. "Any one else want to save this worthless sack?"

The girls remained silent, save one, who bravely ventured, "K-kill him!"

[tuo]

Drake gives Dreamwarp a grin. "Well there you have it. Go for it babe."

Adam looks at the fallen woman sadly. "Anything we can do to help some of these women at least?"