Agony Wanders the City Streets

The streets were flooded with rushing traveller's, drunken men, desperate traders and scuttling peasants, pushing and shoving against eachother as they fought their way to different parts of the city. Shouts rose into the air, some louder and harsher than others, and along with it rose smoke from various buildings. In the darkness of a barren alley, a cloaked figure cringed away from the thick stench, pressing her back against the cool stone walls. Stepping further away from the crowds, she pulled her cloak tighter around her and peered out from beneath her hood, turning away from the main street and wandering into the quieter back streets, were few traveller's dared to walk. She glanced around, avoiding the eyes of slumped and mysterious figures, too concerned about drawing attention to herself to watch were she was going. A man seemed to come out of nowhere, smashing his shoulder against hers and sending her backwards a few steps. As she scrambled to regain her balance, her hood slipped and fell from over her head, revealing two furry, black wolf ears and the girl's shining violet eyes. The man that had bumped her gasped, shocked at what he was seeing, scrambling backwards. Fumbling to put her hood back on, Agony shoved past the startled man and continued up the streets, walking much faster than before and watching the street ahead of her intently.

(anyone who wants to reply, feel free to do so, though one reply is preferred)

Watching as this stranger, who had called herself Trivei, shifted into a number of forms, Agony merely grunted to herself, careful to keep her face hidden. The girl was indeed different, like herself, and finding people like her around this city wasn't exactly usual. "Hm, at least it's easy for you to hide." she muttered, thinking of her own bulky tail and wings. It had taken weeks for her to find a way to position them so she wouldn't look like a hunch-back. This was the reason she wore the long, thick cloak, taking it with her wherever she want. "It's a little harder when you look like I do." Agony continued, pulling her hood and once again revealing her ears and bright eyes. After flicking her ears she pulled the hood back up and moved a hand to the hilt of her sword, which was also hidden beneath her cloak. She was unsure if this stranger was working for someone else, but Agony was taking no chances.

Hoping no one was around to see a giant eagle waltzing through the city, Agony glanced around at their surroundings, checking each dark corner or doorway for nosy citizens. Finding none, she turned her attention back to Trivei and took her hand away from her sword. For a moment, Agony simply admired Trivei's gorgeous eagle form, reminded again of the sheer thrill of flying. It had been so long since Agony had flown anywhere, as she had spent weeks within the walls of this cramped city. Somehow, she could tell she was going to get along with this shape-shifting rogue. "Agony." she replied with a smile, "Like you, I go where I please and fight only for my own reasons, not those of some higher authority." The clap of boots against stone rang in Agony's keen wolf ears, warning her of someone approaching, and quickly. Not bothering to explain, Agony half lead and half shoved Trivei into a darker alley, stopping to listen as the sound became louder.

Sniffing at the cool air, Agony growled deep in her throat as she caught the bitter scent of a hunter, the unmistakable smells of worn, filthy leather, various poisons and weapons once covered with the blood of rare animals still lingering on him. Silently, she drew her dark sword and held it close to her, pushing herself further into the shadows. Hunters had been after her for months now, desperate to capture and sell her for a hefty price. After all, Agony was like no other. Sure enough, the hunter stopped at the ally's entrance, lifting his head as though he were a hound searching for a scent on the breeze. Raising her hand, Agony flicked her wrist at the hunter just as he turned to peer into the shadows where she hid. Instantly, the hunter collapsed onto the ground and lay their still and silent.

Sheathing her sword once again, Agony followed Trivei back onto the street, glancing with disinterest at the hunter's limp body. Stopping beside eagle-Trivei, she saw the somewhat bewildered look in her eyes and shrugged. "A little trick I picked up... he'll get up in an hour or so..." she muttered, not really wanting to explain about her magic. Firstly, she didn't want to hang around the city any longer. It was time to get out of this dump and head somewhere else. Seconds away from mentioning this to Trivei, an angry shout caught her attention. Turning her head to face the sound, Agony groaned aloud as she saw a large group pour out from one of the side streets, pointing at her and Trivei and yelling to eachother. So far, there were at least a dozen of them, all armed, and more still coming. Glancing at Trivei, the look in Agony's eyes seemed to ask 'quick getaway?' She could fight the group, but the energy needed to do so could be better spent elsewhere.

Whipping the cloak from around her shoulders and flinging it to the ground, Agony spread her broad, purple streaked, black wings to their full length and snarled menacingly at the group, revealing her sharp teeth. They stopped dead in their tracks, eyes wide and expressions of terror on their faces, as she leapt from the ground and shot high into the air, beating her wings furiously to gain altitude. In seconds she had reached Trivei, glancing down at the stunned faces far below. Others had also noticed their ascent, shouting to eachother or staring with astonishment. Ignoring them, Agony looked over at Trivei and shrugged at the question. "Whever m-" she was cut off mid sentence as an arrow zipped past her cheek, barely missing her pale skin. More arrows followed, some more accurate than others. One struck Agony's wing and she cursed loudly in pain, faltering in the air and dropping for a split second. Another struck her shoulder, provoking yet another loud curse. Feeling her wing starting to numb, she struggled to stay airbourne.

(Don't mind the power-playing at all XD Nicely done =3)

The world around Agony returned at an excruciatingly slow pace, starting with her sense of touch. Whatever she lay on was cold and hard, not at all comfortable, and seemed to drain the warmth from her body. Shivering, she opened her violet eyes and for a moment saw nothing, just an endless expanse of wait, before colours began to appear, terribly pale at first and slowly becoming more defined. Though her sight was still blurred, Agony could tell that she was staring at a stone wall, and that the floor beneath her was also stone. Taking a deep breath, she caught a filthy stench in the air and grimaced, blinking. Finally, her ears flicked as her hearing returned, picking up the faint sounds of voices in the distance. Still too groggy to move, she wondered if Trivei was ok and where they were. The room was small, and she had a bad feeling that it was some sort of prison. A wisp of hair fell across her eyes, but when Agony moved her hand to brush it away she discovered a set of chains binding her hands together. She cursed to herself, unable to use Influence to escape with her hands bound.

Grateful to have the chains removed, Agony rubbed her wrists and smiled up at Trivei. The look in her was eyes unmissable, reminding Agony of repaying the favour. Leaning forward, she tapped the chains around Trivei's feet and they broke apart, rattling onto the floor. Wincing at the sound, she stood up slowly, gripping the walls as a dizzy spell washed over her, numbing her senses all over again. Once she could stand without tipping over, Agony walked over to the cell door and tapped it, catching the door as it fell forward to prevent anymore noise. Propping it against the opposite wall, she looked over at Trivei and smiled. "Right... if we can't sneak out we can try fighting our way out." she suggested. Before Trivei could respond, a door at the end of the dungeon corridor swung open, crashing against the wall as a few soldiers burst through, crossbows drawn and aiming straight at them. They shuffled through the doorway towards them but stopped, as though they were waiting for a command. Another figure appeared in the doorway, dressed in a fancy cloak that hinted at the man's wealth. He strided confidently towards Agony and Trivei, paying no attention to the soldiers and stopping only when he was directly in front of the two escapees. Glaring at him through narrowed eyes, a growl rose in Agony's throat as she caught the arrogant look in the man's eyes, a gaze that seemed to radiate authority. Authority that begged Agony to be defied. "What the hell do you want?" she snapped at the man, tensing for a fight. He seemed amused by the outburst, his eyes carefully keep his emotions concealed. "Steady now, Agony. Losing you're temper could get you and Trivei killed very quickly." he scolded in a deep, silky voice. Agony paused, surprised. How had he known her name? And Trivei's? He smiled greedily at her falter, pleased that he had been the cause of it. "I have something very important to ask of you both." he continued, waiting for their reaction.

The man glanced at Trivei for no more than a second, before looking once again at the two together. Feeling her blood starting to pump harder with anger, Agony clenched her hands into fists and growled again. Whoever this guy was, he was going down soon, crossbows or not. And yet, she couldn't deny that she felt curious about what he had to say. "You see, I need a rather difficult job done for me, one I am unable to do myself. Some time ago, I had a very important item stolen from me, and not even my best soldiers have been able to get it back." he told them, pausing for a moment to sigh deeply. Frowning, Agony wondered what he had meant by 'my best soldiers'. Was he a commander? No, too fancily dressed. A noble of some sort, or even royalty perhaps. Shaking away the thought, she waited impatiently for the man to continue. "It ocurred to me just yesterday that beings of the... magic sort would be more helpful. Which is why you are here. I need you to travel to a far off city in order to reclaim this stolen itme of mine. Do this, and the rewards will be great." the man explained, pulling out a large pouch as he finished. Upon shaking the pouch, a loud jingling of coins crashing against eachother ensued, quickly gaining Agony's interest. Having spent many years as a thief, money was always a topic of interest for her. Looking over at Trivei, she gave her a questioning look. "Um... can we talk it over for minute or two?" Agony asked the man, averting her gaze from Trivei. "5 minutes." he said with a nod before turning and leaving the corridor. The soldiers stayed, their crossbows still ready.

Shrugging at Trivei's minor outburst, Agony was trying to order the thoughts rushing through her head. Money was always handy, especially for a rogue like herself, but she didn't at all trust the man, whatever his name was. "I do. I go where I like and do what I want, and I'm always happy to pick up an adventure or two on my way to wherever I'm going. I won't turn down the opportunity for a bit of fun." Agony explained with a smile, hoping Trivei would understand. She didn't dare think about what she would do if Trivei refused. "I'm all for it, cash or no cash. Though cash would be nice... anyway, I want to do this because, at the moment, I don't really have any other plans." she finished, smiling again. One of the soldiers shifted, his armour clinking, provoking a menacing glare from Agony.

Flicking an ear as she picked up Trivei's change of tone, Agony allowed a tiny smirk to spread across her face. Turning away so Trivei wouldn't see, she leant against the wall and waited for the man to return. Silently, she was thrilled about Trivei agreeing to go. Excitement pulsed through her in time with her heart beat and she was eager to get going, racing across the sky on some crazed mission for the hell of it. Smiling, her ears pricked as the sounds of footsteps rang through the corrider. Turning back to Trivei, her violet eyes gleaming, she smiled again. "Thanks Trivei." Agony told her, hoping she would know that saying such things was rare for Agony. The man reappeared in the doorway, walking steadily towards them with a calm expression on his aged face. Like before, he stopped directly in front of them, tall enough to look down on them with the slightest trace of contempt. "You've made your decision?" he asked them, still holding the pouch. It jingled every now and again with each slight movement. Looking over at Trivei, Agony nodded at her, giving her silent permission to respond.