Spring had brought with it wind from the ocean, and its usual bursts of rain. It was the only time Limsa Lominsa was ever cleaned, her excesses leaked back down to the ocean in muddy fits and spurts. The ocean was a tireless receptacle for the city's waste. That was a fact. It was common to see bloated bodies nudging their way down city canals and between the various islands, bumping into docks until the Yellowjackets fished them out or the tide swept them away. Spring was a good time to shed the smell of death and rot that hung over the lower tiers of the city even at the best of times.
Zhavi hardly noticed it any more. It'd never been about noticing death. Rather, avoiding it was the real ticket. Any scrag worth a day's worth of labor knew that. Best to let the poor lifeless sods seek their worth with Nald'thal, and spare them the shame of acknowledging their ultimate ends. So, Zhavi nudged the chewed off finger aside with her foot, over to the gutter where the rain would sweep it away. She didn't even bother to wonder what had gotten to the poor blighter, or if by some chance the finger belonged to someone yet living. It was pale and nasty, half-heartedly chewed up and left alone as if even the vermin couldn't stomach it.
Her attention, so quickly distracted, was misplaced. She caught the clothes thrown at her by her erstwhile companion -- if she could be called that -- out of reflex. Bad luck to look away during dealings, but godsspit it was so sunny out. Sunny and sprinkling, as if Azeyma had seen fit to lift her skirts and daintily piss all over all of them. Poxy harlot. Seemed like something she'd a mind to do, make no mistake. Zhi looked back up to said companion, the only other occupant in the alley, and didn't bother to hide her smirk.
"Y'hirin' me t'play maids'n'bedchambers with ye, Mink? Di'n't think it in ya." Zhi's smirk transformed itself into a leer.
The rejection was swift and expected. Mink had always been inscrutable, the sort of Hyur woman who had any number of lovesick paramours chasing after her whilst pretending disinterest. She was confident, and capable, and that made her an attractive catch. "Our arrangement," Mink said.
Zhi pouted. "'Ere I was thinkin' you 'n' me'd gotten 'round to launching, sweeting."
Mink's stare said it all.
"Right then, I'll shove off since yer less wobsy'n a empty chamberpot."
"Sennight."
"Keep yer gil warm for me, honey-pot, cuz I'll be back t'keep it company like we promised. In a sennight."
Zhi's pockets already weighed heavier for her run-in with Mink. The woman paid well, for all she was only someone's grunt. Whose, Zhi wasn't asking. She'd tracked back to two other grunts, and then been ever-so-politely discouraged by three pairs of fists and a few boots besides. She'd taken it on the chin, as it went, and kept to her place. No matter that, she'd new bridges to cross. She parted ways with Mink, heading for an inn for a wash and a quick change into her new clothes. She had gil to earn.
_________________
Several days later
Dusk was a relief. Zhavi didn't even pretend to understand Miqo'te of the Keepers who strove -- or pretended -- to be legitimate businessmen. Far as she was concerned all the real dealings went down soon as Azeyma started to bugger off. Daytime was an insult, and a pain besides, so after a few days trailing a daytripping businessman she was starting to wonder how she'd been so cockered as to think it was a good idea in the first place. Had she been told the mark was a daytripper? She squinted, considering. No. Probably not. She should make it a point to start asking. Not that she'd the luxury of refusing good-paying tickets, but it was the point of the matter, and that was that she was night's creature through and through. Not some churl like Naoh'to Mujuuk, fresh heir of Reid Trading Company. Well, not so fresh. That piece of business was old news.
Zhi had kept up with him, even before he'd become one of her problems. One of many. He was just a sidejob, really, not even the best paying -- but gil was gil. Asides, his little spat with Ruarc Ferigen was enough to set the lower city alight with gossip, and she'd made it a point to keep fresh enough to lure in a job or two. Yeah, so she'd known the sod was a daytripper. So what. Wasn't no reason not to blame her employer as was proper. It was always the employer's fault, and that was fact.
Mujuuk was moving again. She pulled herself out of her reverie and waited a few beats, tailing him with a subtlety that was her pride and joy. Mebbe he'd do something entertaining and stave off her boredom, for once.
Yeah, and chocobos would push out gil turds.
Zhavi hardly noticed it any more. It'd never been about noticing death. Rather, avoiding it was the real ticket. Any scrag worth a day's worth of labor knew that. Best to let the poor lifeless sods seek their worth with Nald'thal, and spare them the shame of acknowledging their ultimate ends. So, Zhavi nudged the chewed off finger aside with her foot, over to the gutter where the rain would sweep it away. She didn't even bother to wonder what had gotten to the poor blighter, or if by some chance the finger belonged to someone yet living. It was pale and nasty, half-heartedly chewed up and left alone as if even the vermin couldn't stomach it.
Her attention, so quickly distracted, was misplaced. She caught the clothes thrown at her by her erstwhile companion -- if she could be called that -- out of reflex. Bad luck to look away during dealings, but godsspit it was so sunny out. Sunny and sprinkling, as if Azeyma had seen fit to lift her skirts and daintily piss all over all of them. Poxy harlot. Seemed like something she'd a mind to do, make no mistake. Zhi looked back up to said companion, the only other occupant in the alley, and didn't bother to hide her smirk.
"Y'hirin' me t'play maids'n'bedchambers with ye, Mink? Di'n't think it in ya." Zhi's smirk transformed itself into a leer.
The rejection was swift and expected. Mink had always been inscrutable, the sort of Hyur woman who had any number of lovesick paramours chasing after her whilst pretending disinterest. She was confident, and capable, and that made her an attractive catch. "Our arrangement," Mink said.
Zhi pouted. "'Ere I was thinkin' you 'n' me'd gotten 'round to launching, sweeting."
Mink's stare said it all.
"Right then, I'll shove off since yer less wobsy'n a empty chamberpot."
"Sennight."
"Keep yer gil warm for me, honey-pot, cuz I'll be back t'keep it company like we promised. In a sennight."
Zhi's pockets already weighed heavier for her run-in with Mink. The woman paid well, for all she was only someone's grunt. Whose, Zhi wasn't asking. She'd tracked back to two other grunts, and then been ever-so-politely discouraged by three pairs of fists and a few boots besides. She'd taken it on the chin, as it went, and kept to her place. No matter that, she'd new bridges to cross. She parted ways with Mink, heading for an inn for a wash and a quick change into her new clothes. She had gil to earn.
_________________
Several days later
Dusk was a relief. Zhavi didn't even pretend to understand Miqo'te of the Keepers who strove -- or pretended -- to be legitimate businessmen. Far as she was concerned all the real dealings went down soon as Azeyma started to bugger off. Daytime was an insult, and a pain besides, so after a few days trailing a daytripping businessman she was starting to wonder how she'd been so cockered as to think it was a good idea in the first place. Had she been told the mark was a daytripper? She squinted, considering. No. Probably not. She should make it a point to start asking. Not that she'd the luxury of refusing good-paying tickets, but it was the point of the matter, and that was that she was night's creature through and through. Not some churl like Naoh'to Mujuuk, fresh heir of Reid Trading Company. Well, not so fresh. That piece of business was old news.
Zhi had kept up with him, even before he'd become one of her problems. One of many. He was just a sidejob, really, not even the best paying -- but gil was gil. Asides, his little spat with Ruarc Ferigen was enough to set the lower city alight with gossip, and she'd made it a point to keep fresh enough to lure in a job or two. Yeah, so she'd known the sod was a daytripper. So what. Wasn't no reason not to blame her employer as was proper. It was always the employer's fault, and that was fact.
Mujuuk was moving again. She pulled herself out of her reverie and waited a few beats, tailing him with a subtlety that was her pride and joy. Mebbe he'd do something entertaining and stave off her boredom, for once.
Yeah, and chocobos would push out gil turds.