Thread: An Unlikely Duo (DareToDream & RetroWitchcraft)

From the moment Marle had been strong enough to walk her parents had her working the streets. First it was mediocre, simple things like begging. With her floppy dark curls, dimples, and large violet eyes she was easily able to get scraps. As she became older she was taught how to be a pickpocket, which the youth excelled at. No one within that same section of skid row had the same aptitude at being a fingersmith. Even if she was caught it did not take much to get away. Batting her eyelashes and a promise never to do it again normally got her away scotch free when she was smaller. As she grew that had become much more difficult the world was becoming more cruel and desperate. The Final War had taken its toll on not only human civilization but the human disposition as well. Not that Marle could truly blame them. Everyone was fighting to survive. Even those who had developed magical abilities, like herself, were having issues. Especially those magicians known as Techno mages but they were so rare that she had thought all of the stories she had heard were simply fairytales. That night she had spent inside the confines of her small cubbyhole of a hideout. Inside was a dusty old carpet that lined the floor. On the walls hung various tapestries from a time long ago, made on a strange shiny paper. One depicted a man covered head to toe in strange green armor with reflective orange eyes. It was not as if she liked it but it had been the prized possession of a powerful lord and that had made it attractive to her at the time. A bed was off to the corner. She had been lucky enough to score one with the metal coils and springs though her blankets consisted of frayed pieces of fabric hastily sewn together poorly at that. Despite her dexterity as a thief she never managed to master the skill of sewing. There was a small basin that had water inside of it. Every day she would walk and fill it fresh so she could bathe regularly, though most would find it unappealing to clean themselves with icy cold anything. It was not much but it was home and, most importantly, hidden quite well within the city. So, it was with the upmost surprise that someone had crashed through her door. The young woman let out a growl and instantly grabbed for the knife that would have been at her thigh if she had been out. Instead her hand brushed against bare, pale flesh. There was a brief moment of light from the outside before he shut the door. It was then that she noticed the arrow sticking out from his shoulder. The sight of blood made her slightly queasy. In her line of work she preferred to avoid the physical contact that would cause blood to flow. Perhaps she was a coward but she liked to keep her body in one piece, even if she could heal the wounds that were given to her. Who the hell are you? She asked through clenched teeth. If her weaponry had been closer to her, she would have reached for it. Her nimble fingers balled into tight fists. And why the hell are you bleeding all over my floor? Still her eyes softened considerably. Clearly he had been in some sort of danger and she was all too familiar with the type of arrow that was sticking out of his back. She had never personally had one embedded into her flesh but they had fired at her once or twice by those blasted crossbows. The palms of her hand prickled, the nails glimmering the green of healing energy. In a few short strides she was beside him. Unceremoniously she tugged the arrow from his back with a sickening, wet sounding slide. Her face twisted at the sight of the stringy clotted blood that pulled in thick strands from it. The glowing from her fingernails had spread to the tips of her fingers and shimmered down to the palms. I just hope you do not lead whoever is chasing you here, Marle said in a soft sigh. The light from her hand spread over his shoulder. The wound there slowly began to knit together.