Backstory: Sowing Justice

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

I was working at the inn during the week, 14 hours a day, trying to earn enough to get to the City of Elua. Saturday was my only day off, and I used it to get out, walking the streets of the city. The sun was setting, and the streets became shadowy and ominous.

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

Fishing. It's a poor substitue for an occupation if I've ever had gathered. Sure, I've learned to have patiences, but the rewards at the end just isn't quite the same. I can practically feel myself rotting away at this rate. I'd been contemplating getting back to my calling, and I hear the heart of this land is rich with indulgence.

A cloudy day ending, with wind at our backs as the small fishing vessel I was on pulled into harbor. An average catch, and average day, and all very...boring. To top it off, I'd eaten nothing but sea food for the past three months.

My part was done, and I walked down the planks to the docks, hands in empty pockets, and mouth watering for Cardiccian beef. It's times like this that I think Ashrat follows me, for at that moment I smelled smoked meats from a traveling stand. I didn't think, but started stalking immediatly toward the troupe.

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

I came to the docks, breathing in the salty air. For a moment I stood to watch the sunset. How lovely this land of Terre D'Ange was; I had yet to see something ugly in it.

I didn't have to wait much longer. A foreign man, not D'Angeline, was creeping towards a food stand. Maybe it was just his manner, but something told me he was up to no good, and I stepped closer to watch him.

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

Some things once you learn, you don't forget. Before I knew it, I was reconnoitering instinctively. Not pure D'angline, some polygot of nationality's. Three surrounding the carriage, all about middling years, medium build, and general casual demeanor.

The carriage itself was covered save for the airing meats. As was somewhat my luck, the dock was relativily crowded, and I slipped up close without drawing attention from them. Now, an amatuer might spend time looking around making sure no one is looking, but that would be impossible. The only way to pull off a stunt in a crowd is do move so you can't be seen.

With one motion I snagged one small rope of smoking meats, and strafed away tucking it under my cloak, and made my way to the nearest ally.

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

I saw him steal the meat and duck into an alley. Leaping into action, I followed him down the alley. He was some 70 feet away from me, and I chased him silently before running and grabbing his arm. "You shall not steal," I growled. "Go pay for that food."

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

What the hell, I felt a sharp tug on my arm. Turning around, I found myself held by a large man, not of this nations decent; dark, tall.

"I don't know what you think your doing," I said lowly, eyeing him carefully, and hopefully distracting him as I place my leg, "But I'm not about to get caught by some no name."

With that said, I gave a solid push, and shunted him off my arm as he fell to the ground. I wasted know time as a couple people were looking at us curiously, so I darted off in search of an exit.

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

He pushed me and I fell backwards onto my hands. Wincing a little with the pain, I pushed myself upright and gave chase again. There were some crates stacked along the walls of the alley and I clambered on top of them before leaping down just behind him and grabbing his shoulder. "Perhaps you did not hear what I said," I growled, holding him fast. "Go pay for that food."

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

This man was persistant. I felt to one knee, nearly buckling completely as I felt is weight land ontop of me. I found a corner not far off down the alley, hoping to make my escape. I yanked free the most of the meat, and flung it into his eye, leaving myself one piece as I released my grip.

I darted as fast as I could to the exit, or at least, that's what I thought it was. Turning the corner, I found myself at a dead end.

"Dammit." I muttered.

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

Flinging the meat away from me in revulsion, I gave further chase, turning the corner and spotting him at the dead end. At this point I slowed. He had nowhere to run, and I would not fight him further unless forced.

"Why have you done this thing?" I called to him.

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

Was this guy serious. "Because I thought this piece of meat didn't match his wagon." I started sarcastically. Turning around, I took a bite before I lost the chance myself. "Honestly man, why would anyone steal food, if but to FEED themselves."

At this point, my hand went instinctivly behind my back toward my sheathe.

Problem was, I didn't have it with me.

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

I narrowed my eyes at him. "If you are too poor to eat, is there not..." I tried to find the D'Angeline word, but could not "...tzedakah* here?"




*charity

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

I took another bite, and swallowed heartily. I cocked my head slightly as he said something in no tongue I'd ever heard off.

"What?" I asked first in D'Angline, then again in Carrdiccian

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

He asked in D'Angeline, but then switched to no language I had ever heard. "Tzedakah," I said. "It is...what rich give to poor."

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

I spat on the ground, and took another bite. Strange, living among the sailors here seems to have made me more uncivilized than I would have liked.

"The only thing the rich give the poor is a slow death. Don't be so naive." I spatted at him.
Now, how do I get out of here?

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

"Naive?" I frowned. "Sir, there must be place for you to eat without stealing."

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

I smirked. "How old are you boy?" I asked, nibbling on another morsel.

I think I knew the answer already, but I figured I could stall a bit.

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

"Perhaps your wits as well as your principles are addled," I said. "I am a man of 27."

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

I suppose the dark shadows of the ally made that observation poor. "My apolgies," I started. "Sorry that you have lived that long, and haven't realized that the world isn't handed to you on a silver plater."

I may have been born to a well enough family, but I was not given a life of contentment, so I know the plights of the poor. If I gauged this man correctly, he seemed like someone of a lower caste who's good will served to chain him to his fate.

I chewed down the remainder of the meat, and waited for him to make the next move, though the sun was setting, and pretty soon, there would be no light for him to find me in.

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

The last thing he said went over my head, and anyways he was finished eating his stolen meal. "I am only a half...finished Rebbe," I said, "but the One God sees your trangression, and I am sure many others. It is His forgiveness you need, not mine."

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

"Forgiveness?!" He was little more than a silhouettes now, but he had a commanding demeanor. "I suppose your one of those religous types. No matter, I'll spell this out for you. People do what they need to survive. Plain and simple."

I walked closer. "If that involves taking the excess of others, than so be it."

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

"And how can you possibly know that it was excess?" I said. "Perhaps that vendor need money from every single ware that he sell. He need survive, too. If you have work, you have money to eat."

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

I merely scoffed at him, and started to walk by him. I did not feel like explaining myself if I could help it, and I needed to get up and do some 'work' tomorrow. However that works, I walked softly to his side, trying to get around.

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

He tried to walk away from me, and I moved in front of him. "You have two choice," I told him. "You go to seller and apologize and pay, or you run, and I report you to authority."

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

"Report me?!" I laughed a little bit. "And tell them what. That some nameless person stole some food from some nameless shop. If they don't outright dismiss you for being a foreigner yourself, it's likely that the only words you'll get from them are to mind your own business. " I smirked, though I don't think we could see facial expressions.

"Take it from me, chum, the guards and police will have a lot more to worry about than some random theft in a port city. Now, do me a favor, and step aside."

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

Hah! His tough front wasn't enough to hide that fact that he had real fear. "I think you are more than just a thief," I said. "I think you are hiding something."

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

I just shrugged, though the gesture may have been lost. "I think you have me confused with some misguided ideal of evil. I am but a theif, or better yet, a reclaimer and nothing more."

I looked around for any sort of avenue to get around him, for I didn't want to dirty myself in a fight.

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

It was no use, this man simply did not understand that what he had done was wrong. "What would you do, if someone stole from you?" I asked.

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

That was a stupid question. "if," and I said it coldly, "Someone could steal from me, it would be a simple task of taking back what they took. If they are....not well off, I won't do them the indecently of taking more than what's mine."

[Zahav ben Tzipor (D)]

"But what you took can't be taken back," I said. "And you would resent it. All people are equal in the Lord's eyes; you must treat others the way you want to be treated."

[Delarri Esponda (D)]

"A good theory, isn't it. To bad real people don't think like that." I'd been caught by a preacher, this day just keeps getting better.