A Dark Errand {Lyra}

[Stern]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,padding:0; margin: 0; background-image:url(http://i42.tinypic.com/25q6pkz.png);background-repeat:repeat-y;width: 550px;height:700px;] "Talking~!" 'Thinking~!' "Listenin'~!" Acting~! Nymah strode along the filthy dark streets of Veherna City, her nose twitching contemptuously as she lifted her cloak clear of a puddle of toxic looking sewer water. She continued on her path, her tawny eyes fixed on the sidewalk that stretched, grey and gloomy, ahead of her. The Houndoom at her side rumbled, low in his throat, and Nymah slipped out a pale hand from her cloak and placed it on the Pokemon's head, "Still." The single word echoed around the nearly empty street, along with the woman's footsteps and the lighter tread of the canine. The Houndoom quieted, but its contempt was palpable. Nymah wouldn't have been out in the streets if she could have helped it, but the grunts were all on assignments in other parts of the world, so she had had to go out on an errand herself. Then again, it was better that this errand was accomplished by her in particular. The little glass vial in her pocket hit against her leg in that moment, as if it had sensed her thoughts. The tiny vial, enough to hold only a few drops, had been enough to see this particular enemy of Nymah's into the next life. Long before she got an intersection between the lane and a narrow alley, her eyes scanned the street for anyone that might be watching. As she saw someone, she walked straight past, appearing not even to notice the alley. Her cloak swished behind her as she stalked forward along the street, her faithful Pokemon at her side, her eyes everywhere and nowhere at once.

[♫~Leap~♫]

If there was ever a wrong time to be in the wrong place, it was then. That very moment. The vile streets of Veherna was the place, and the dead of night was the time. To be honest, the place didn't look much different depending on the time of day. So much smog filled the air that the streets were just as barren and the light from the sun was turned down quite a few notches. The only noticable difference was how dangerous the city could get at night. Sure, it wasn't a playground during the day, but the likelyhood of a homicide was much higher during the hours between eight in the night and six in the morning. So, naturally, this would always be a bad place to be.

But, at that particular time, the prospect of wandering those streets were much worse.

"And then there'll be gum drops and rainbows and sugar and unicorns..." Oh, yes. Did I mention that it wasn't just anyone that was wondering those streets, but the rookie trainer Lyra? What was so wrong with the girl, one might wonder. Well, to put it simply, she... wasn't very bright. After all, you'd have to be a moron to literally skip down the rotten streets of a place like Veherna City, singing about the wonders of ocean just beyond the city limits. She couldn't be more open to an attack if she had a giant sign pointing at her head that read "Come at me, Bro". So, there she skipped. There she sang. There, she was really beginning to annoy her Marill companion.

The girl stopped singing, if only for a moment, and stopped in her tracks. Eyes made of milk chocolate scanned over the area, taking in the seemingly toxic sewer water that gathered in puddles here and there and the dark shadows that stretched across the grimy ground around every corner. Her smile slowly faded into yet another spacey expression as she said somewhat quietly, "I think, Harmony..." A deep breath was taken, oxygen flooding the pig-tailed girl's lungs as she dramatically paused. "I think we're gonna have us an awesome time at the beach! Yeah, yeah! It's gonna be so fun! With gum drops and rainbows and sugar and unicorns..."

If Harmony could knaw her own ears off, she would.

The girl continued to blabber on and on about the wonders the beautiful greenish blue ocean not all that far away. Sure, the water-type was excited, too. Well, she was a water-type Pokemon - why wouldn't she be? But, if her master kept on singing and talking like this, the idea of a swim at the beach wouldn't be nearly as appealing as it was when first concieved. Plus, if they kept going at the rate they were, it wouldn't be long until some crazy murderer jumped out and slit their throats, leaving them for dead in the streets. If there was ever a time the Marill wished she could have been caught by a different trainer, it would have been then, at that very moment in time.

Then, a voice hit their ears.

"Still."

One word was all it was, spoken in an authoritive tone of voice. And it was to this voice that two very different reactions were given. The more cautious of the two, Harmony, instantly stiffened, clinging to her master's leg like her life depended on it. For all they knew, her life did depend on it. Of course, the more moronic of the dynamic duo acted very differently. A tiny squeal escaped her mouth, her feet lifting off the ground as she jumped up and down multiple times in utter and complete joy. Picking the Pokemon off her leg, blue eyes met brown as she looked down on her very worried partner. The displeased, nervous glint in the short of the two's eyes never even registered in her trainer's mind.

The girl began joyfully, "Harmony! Harmony, didja hear that? Someone's here, too! Maybe they'll wanna play with us! We gots time ta' play with 'em before we go to the beach, right? This is gonna be really, really fun, don't ya' think? Harmony?" Without waiting for a reply, the girl took her partner's hand, lifted the blue sphere into the air and into her arm and sloppily speed walked in the direction of the voice they had just heard. Oh, no. This was a bad idea. A very, very bad idea. But did the girl know? The thought would never have even entered her mind. Unless someone came out and said she was in danger, she'd never know. And, even then, she'd probably just be stupid like she always was and insist it was just a new person who wanted to play with her.

As if.

Then, she saw them. A lone figure in the streets with long, flowing blonde hair and a cloak that covered much of their tall frame. This was no teenager like herself - it was an adult, no doubt - but adults could play, too, couldn't they? Well, even if they couldn't, that had never stopped her before. The woman looked around, almost as though making sure the area was clear. It most certainly wasn't. Without thinking, the brunette ran forward with all the speed she could muster with a Pokemon in her arms, making a bee line towards the mysterious person across the street.

"Hey!" she cried happily, skidding to a halt before the older trainer and dropping Harmony to the ground with a thud. "Were ya' the one I heard talkin' before? I'm Lyra! Nice ta' meetcha! You wanna play with me? I'm real bored right now, and I want someone who'll play a game with me! I've gotta wait 'til tomorrow before Harmony and I can go swimming, so I've gots time ta hang out with ya'!"

[Stern]

[atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,padding:0; margin: 0; background-image:url(http://i42.tinypic.com/25q6pkz.png);background-repeat:repeat-y;width: 550px;height:700px;] "Talking~!" 'Thinking~!' "Listenin'~!" Acting~! Ny heard some idiot up ahead, yelling to the night at large, and all of the folks that were still up and about. Whoever was dumb enough to start broadcasting like that here deserved to get killed, as she probably would. Just as a precaution, she slipped her hand into her cloak again and fingered the handle of a knife. It was one of a pair, both sheathed in a double scabbard at her left hip. They were by far not the only weapons on her person, nor the deadliest. She pulled the larger of the matched set out of its sheath and held it easily in her right hand, hidden under the black cloak, but ready to emerge at any moment. In her left hand, a little tiny blade seemed to appear, too small to be used as any sort of stabbing weapon. It was, in fact, just meant to scratch the skin. It had been in a small, plastic enforced pocket of the cloak, and was small enough to be concealed within Nymah’s palm, should she wish to do so. Of course, no street person even slightly sane would come towards her. Dressed in her black cloak and wearing a sneering disdain on her face without a trace of fear, she radiated waves of ‘Stay away’. It was something that she had perfected long ago. She heard footsteps running towards her and looked up to see a brunette running towards her, a Marill held up in her arms. Orpheus growled at her as Nymah stepped smartly aside, out of the girl’s direct route. This time, she didn't bother quieting the Houndoom. She slipped the tiny poisoned dagger back into its protected pocket. This girl got one chance to leave, and live, despite the fact that she was the epitome of human ignorance. Nymah looked at the girl, her tawny eyes cold with hatred. She ignored the first question, remembered the girl’s name for the second, then resisted the urge to roll her eyes and sigh. Her voice as cold as ice and as sharp as steel, she leveled her gaze at the girl, “No, I do not want to play with you. I would prefer never having seen you, and if you don’t leave in about two and a half seconds, you might wish for that as well.” Her voice stayed flat, leaving absolutely no doubt that she would make good on the threat. She fingered the handle of the knife she still held, and then slipped it back into the double scabbard. The only outward visible motion was a rustling of the black silk, a quick shift in the slight gleam coming from the fabric as it resettled.

[♫~Leap~♫]

Running up to strangers is never a good idea, especially for someone as oblivious to danger as Lyra. Of course, Lyra was oblivious to danger - that was the very reason why she was there, talking to the likes of this stranger. Did she know that her very life could have been as stake? No. Far from it, in fact. In her own little world, the perfect universe she'd created in her mind to combat the cruelty of the real world after her traumatic experiences, there was no wrong to be done. Everyone got along and every person was a friend waiting to be made. She could have been talking to the leader of the wicked Team Rocket, for all she cared, and still ask if he wanted to play games with her.

It was stupid, actually.

The way she ran up to everyone with a smile on her face. The way she took threats as jokes or sarcasm seriously. The way she would never shut up, even if her life depended on it. All of it. Every single bit of it was stupid. Maybe, one day, she'd learn that she couldn't act like this and get away with it whithout trouble. Until that day, she'd keep running into danger with a cheery face and with entirely good intentions.

It was stupid.

Oh, we're gonna have so much fun, her and me, the brunette thought cheerily, doing all she could to not jump up and down in joy like she had done just before runnning across the street to meet with the dark-clothed, eerie figure. While the blonde was silence, taking in everything she had just said, thoughts continued to run wild throughout her mind. Maybe she'll wanna to go the beach with me and Harmony, too! That'd be so fun! But that wasn't the thing to be forcusing on at that particular moment. No, it wasn't. Because words were now flowing from the taller of the two's mouth, cold as the snow in mid winter, harsh as a father who'd just found one of his prized possessions broken by one of his children. Her peppy attitude did not waver in the slightest at these cold words, however.

"No, I do not want to play with you," the adult said. That voice... It sounded odd to hear someone that reeked of such authority to say such a word as "play". As the woman continued, her voice remaining flat and cruel, the smile on Lyra's face finally began to fade as the teen listened to what was coming from the other's lips. "I would prefer never having seen you and, if you don't leave in about two and a half seconds, you might wish for that as well." For a moment, the pig-tailed trainer looked at her elder with a look that made her seem as though she were thinking, contemplating whether to actually leave the cloaked adult in peace or remain to possibly regret doing so. But this lasted only a second, as she swiftly made up her mind.

"Oh, I get it..." she chirped, the spacey look resuming it's station on her delicate face and a smile gracing her features. "Oh, you're real funny, lady! Yep~! I'm gonna regret seein' ya'!" A giggle escaped her mouth once more as movement rippled the fabric of the woman's cloak, which she easily brushed off without a second thought. "Ya' know, I was actually kinda scared there, for a second. But you wouldn't wanna hurt me, would ya'? I'm to cute~!"