I don't know how I found them that
first night. I mean I know, but I don't know. I
got worked over pretty good by a Lalafell with pink hair. I know her
now to be Kikiru Kiru and involved with the Syndicate. I met her
first when her goons blindsided me in Pearl Lane. I'd just dropped
off a bag of bread as I often do. I never stay to watch them eat but
like to venture off and return later when their bellies don't quite
ache as much. I remember that pain from when. . . but I digress. I
sat down to log the time I first met the Stars. I was beat up pretty
bad when I couldn't tell Kikiru where her shipment was. I didn't even
know that last job we'd done was hired by Syndicate. Carolyne got a
little too brave or greedy with that one. It was awhile before I saw
Carolyne again. At that time I was sure they had killed her, just as
they were killing me. They left me for dead and I had a vision. It
was my first and the start of a thrilling and very confusing destiny
of which I now chronicle in my Star Logs. That's what I'm calling
these. Other adventures or life journeys might go in other logs.
After the beating which I can't
remember too fully, I had a vision of a group of people gathering at
an old run down building. I knew which one their leader was instantly
and knew she'd help me. I don't remember getting up or walking. I
almost remember heading into The Goblet but the vision filled my eyes
and I made my way toward those people knowing they would help me. I
know them now to be Stars. I could feel their presence, like a warm
fire on a cold night drawing me with warmth and light. I could barely
move. I don't know by what strength I made it to the Club House that
night.
I entered and I can only imagine I
looked pretty bad. It'd rained heavy on my way over there so some of
the blood was probably washed off, but I know my right arm and most
my fingers were broken on that hand and I had a pretty large stab
wound at least. Most of it is a blur. I think I remember Volcano
catching me, and Gwen demanding to know why I was there. Pretty sure
I told her I was lost. It's all a blur for a bit in my memory but
then I woke up downstairs.
Doc said something about cooperating,
but so had that Lalafell so the word put me on defense from the
beginning. Part of me still felt at ease. I know now that was the
pull of the Mark, but at the time I didn't trust the feeling as it
was out of place for me to feel that familiar with strangers. I knew
Doc had saved my life, but I also thought he drew the mark on me for
some reason. It's not my first time being marked and I do what I can
to try and forget the other one.
That is when I met Gwen and the first
time she threatened to kill me. She's not very good at street crime
if she can't tell a mugging victim when she sees one. She thought I
might be the one causing problems. Pretty sure I'd have been arrested
in my state if I had been the trouble maker. I wouldn't have been
able to outrun any Brass Blades or Immortal Flames. At first I
thought they were Syndicate and brought me there so I'd live long
enough to tell them where their 'shipment' was. I told the thugs it
sank with the ship. Gwen demanded to know who had roughed me up, but
I still wasn’t' sure at that point so I told her the only truth I
knew. I was mugged. She didn't like that answer. As dangerous as a
city ran by criminals is, she couldn't seem to believe people got
killed in muggings. She instead put a knife to my throat and
threatened to kill me a second time. I'm still not sure what her
reasoning was. I was already dying. Though honestly, none of us
realized it at the time. The poison that Kikiru had used on her blade
that kept me from being healed fully would continue to make it's way
through my systems and make life harder for me.
Gwen demanded again to know what
happened. I think she asked a couple of times. I told her again the
truth. I was mugged. Doc used magic to throw her off me and in the
process her knife cut my throat. Just a nick, but still annoying and
hurt. I understand her fears though. If someone came onto my ship
like that I'd have made Carolyne been careful around him. At the time
I had no idea that not everyone else felt the pull of the Star Mark
the same as I did back then.
Things got crazier from there and most
of it is still a blur. I remember Riz running down the stairs and
hiding under a bed for a long time. He called me Stranger and that
stuck as my name for awhile. Sometimes I still prefer it. It feels
safe. Volcano, also called Crim, came down and started jumping on the
bed. I remember being shocked that no one else was trying to keep the
Lalafell from being beaten. It took me awhile to learn that the group
was just like that. I made my way to a more private sofa to sleep. I
believe just before that Boss came down and introduced herself for
real and told me to stay. I was happy to have one, since the ship
sank. Ul'dah was was entering it's raining season and sometimes it
got too wet out in Pearl Lane and I had to find some nook to hide in
for a night. A roof with a sofa was much better and when I woke up
later the next day there as cold tea a bit too strong for sitting out
and stale sandwiches waiting for me. I've never told her leaving it
out like that ruins both tea and sandwiches.
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