Long Day.

[Burdle]

Ralin was ready to sleep. He'd spent a long day roaming the pits as he usually did trying to prevent conflict and crime as much as possible, though every time he went on a trip like this he couldnt seem to avoid bloodshed of some sort or another. He sighed heavily. There was also the fact that every time he found a desperate man trying to mug somebody he was reminded of his past. It took every ounce of his strength not to run at the criminal and cleave him straight in two, and instead as him politely to stop and return anything that had been stolen. Though nearly every time an encounter like this happened, the desperate would-be robber charged at him, and it always ended the same way. At least they didnt have to suffer any more. Ouroboros untangled itself from his wrist and slithered up towards his head wrapping around it. He felt it was almost a comforting gesture, though not a very good one. A metal sword/snake wrapped around your head is neither comfortable nor reassuring. He sighed yet again, he enjoyed upholding his oath and protecting someone always gave him a good feeling, but every good feeling he got from the pits two more bad ones came with it. At times like these darker thoughts began creeping into his head, such as just not going to the pits. It was a loophole in the oath he made when he asked for power, he had to help anybody he saw, but if he had never gone to the pits there'd be nobody to save. He shook his head and sat down quickly. He needed time to clear his thoughts.

[Lady]

Speaking of the pits, sometimes things crawled out of it.

There was a vagrant--it was hard to think of him as anything else with his bedraggled state of dress and air of misery--in the Residential District. Unlike Blue, this area wasn't enforced by private armies. There was only neighborly goodness and although plenty were staring out their window at him warily, so for nobody had made a move to evict him. He stood near Ralin, a lost and haunted look on his unshaven face. He seemed to be watching Ralin, but only from the corner of his eye.

[Burdle]

Ralin sat for a long time, he allowed the expirences of the pits to haunt him, if only for awhile. Soon he accepted his reality, this was his choice. He'd made his bed and now he was going to lay in it. Getting up and dusting himself off he prepared to head home, but saw the human out of the corner of his eye. He turned to him and took a moment to examine him. He was obviously from the pits, his appearance made that obvious. He began to step forward warily, Ouroboros slithering into his palm, his hand facing away from the man to keep from scaring him. People from the pits were desperate at the best of times, desperation made people unpredictable. He was troubled by what could be called another loophole though. This man didn't appear armed, and according to his oath he must protect the unarmed, but he had no clue if this man would do anything to threaten his own safety. His tail flicked in annoyance, this could get very difficult for him. Suppressing the constant ticking of Widdershins he took another step towards the man and called out the him. "Hello sir, do you need anything? I have a place to stay, running water, and food I'll share." He offered.

[Lady]

The young man shied away, obviously nervy. "I uh..." He trailed off, struggling to find his courage to speak. It wasn't until he pulled down his hood low enough to almost entirely obscure his face did he find his tongue again. "I followed you because it seemed kind of... Safe. You were helping that guy. Earlier. In the Pits."

[Burdle]

Ralin relaxed. The man hardly seemed a threat now and Ouroboros slithered back up his sleeve and around his wrist. He took took a moment to think, though he couldn't remeber the person he was talking about, not that 'that guy' was much to go off of. "I help many people out around the pits." He said. "Did you want help with something specific? If not my offer still stands." He offered the man his hand. "My name is Ralin Fargarrow." He said

[Lady]

"I... I just want to be safe," he said quietly. "I figured I would be if I followed you. ...I guess I didn't think this through, huh?" After all, he had no plans for once he'd gotten this far. "I'm Alastor."

[Burdle]

He still didn't know what exactly Alastor wanted to be kept safe from, but he doubted he'd get any more out of him right now. "My home isn't too far from here, how about we go get some good food into you and let you wash up. Then we'll start talking a little more about you." He said. "Sound good?"

[Lady]

"Y... Yes," Alastor decided. He could think of all the things that could go wrong, but at some point you had to punch your suspicion and paranoia right in the gut and take an opportunity when it comes up. "Thank you... A lot. You seem like a good person."

[Burdle]

"Alright well just come right this way." Ralin said as he lead Alastor through the residential district to his house. Soon it became clear which house they were heading to. His was a simple white one story house with a few stray windows. It looked older and a little worse for wear with window and door frames being lose and the gutters rusty and beginning to fall, but otherwise was a sound structure. Leading Alastor up to the door he unlocked it and showed him inside, flicking on the old electric lights. Inside revealed a largish room that was set to be a book room on the right and a small dining area to the left, the left also leading to a small kitchen. In the center was a hall with a few doors in it, one being a bathroom and two being bedrooms. The book room was nothing special, a small beat up couch with a bookshelf near it, though the only "book" on it was a small binder. There was however a small hand drawn picture pinned above the couch, it was obviously drawn by a child and looked older and delicate. "Well how about you wash yourself up, and your clothes as well. The bathroom is the door on the left." He informed him. "I'll make dinner while you do that." He said stepping into the kitchen, where he could be heard listing off what he had. "Meat, potatoes, a few vegetables....." He then called out to Alastor. "Does soup sound good?"

[Lady]

"Hell yes!" Alastor agreed eagerly. ANY food sounded good, especially if it was hot. And a shower. Did he finally die and wind up in heaven? Well, that doesn't sound right, but everything else about this situation did so far. Hell if Ralin turned out to be a crazy axe murderer who chopped him up afterwards, he'd still be pretty happy with the trade off. He wasn't sure how clean he'd be getting his clothes considering he didn't have any spares but Alastor was resourceful; he'd figure it out. "Thank you so much!"

Before Ralin could rethink and recant the offer, Alastor took off for the bathroom and a few moments later had the water going.

[Burdle]

Well, at least he was acting less paranoid. Ralin thought as hew heard Alastor reply. He added all his ingredients to a old metal pot and watched it carefully as he cooked. Soon he finished the soup, and brought the pot to the table, ad well as two bowls, spoons, some bread, and his two knives. He set the table and then sat, feeding Ouroboros chunks of meat he fished out of the pot, and waited for Alastor to finish.

[Lady]

Once Alastor was clean (and had cleaned his clothes as best as he could) he emerged, very damp but far less grime coated. Following his nose, he found his way to the kitchen and started to sit but paused, watching Ouroboros with equal parts fascination and fear. "Is that thing alive?" he whispered, suddenly afraid to make any sudden moves.

[Burdle]

As Alastor walked out Ralin began to motion for him to sit, but paused as he saw Alastor look at Ouroboros with what he assumed was fear. When he spoke Ralin smiled and replied. "Thats a good question isnt it. This is Ouroboros, while it is animate, it also has no flesh. Whether or not it is truly alive is a question much better suited for a philosopher in the Scholar district, but as long as its animate I will treat it as such." He said. "You dont have to worry for your safety. It wont bite." Now he motioned to the chair opposite to him. "Feel free to eat as much as you want." He offered, spooning some into his own bowl and beginning to eat.


After a few moments of allowing Alastor to eat in peace he began his questioning. "So you were obviously very frightened when we first met in the streets." He began. "Are you in some sort of trouble or are you just having a rough time in the pits?"

[Lady]

Alastor slid into his chair and, after one more glance at Ouroboros, tucked into his dinner with a ravenous appetite, and answered Ralin between bites. "Doesn't everyone in the Pits have a hard time?" Alastor counter-questioned. "I manage to stay out of the worst of it by hiding and running but I don't want to have to do that..."

[Burdle]

Ralin smiled grimly at Alastor's response, he understood him perfectly, having been a resident of the pits for several years himself, before murdering a gang and taking all their money of course......but he felt that wasnt exactly wise to share with Alastor unnecessarily. "I know what the pits are like Alastor." He replied firmly. "If you dont like running or hiding, then dont. I know it sounds harsh but there are many things one can do to further themselves in Rune, and there are people who will help, if there are relatively few." He said firmly. Standing up, he pushed the pot towards Alastor. "You can have the rest, though you should slow down some. I doubt you've eaten much and eating quickly with an empty stomach isnt good for you." He walked into the kitchen setting his silverware in the sink. "Alastor." He said more gently this time. "If you need help, with anything, you can feel free to ask me."