Speaking in general I hate the shapeshifters and all the people who don't need to steal the clothes from their victims ( just as example, Mystique in the Marvel Universe)
... but I am aware that sometimes this necessary Evil is required for the Greater Good of the Clothes Stealing Universe
please Mr Rufus next time...indulge in the description of the stolen sandals
You really did spoil us this week with all these new chapters.
Really good opening and one of the rare occasion's when someone actually see's through the disguise, nicely done.
Interesting little conversation there between Azeneth and Allessia about themn possibly meeting again ion the future, granted under different circumstances, does this mean Allessia, might have a more recurring role?
Pretty cool scene with the secondary villain Ce-Tochtli and Coulter, Coulter is still a character I can't help but like, I don't know what it is, but she just has something about her, that I like.
Hhhmmm I like the direction your going in with Yuka's characters, it has me thinking about her past and potentially her future as well, I'm looking froward to seeing her character progress.
I LOVE this new addition of Tsuki, a rival shapeshifter eh? Yep I'm definitely on board and I can't wait to witness the build up before their almost inevitable encounter one day.
Yes I know this chapter was heavily story driven but I think it was needed so you could establish some character depth, backstory and give us a taste of the future of your series. I certainly welcome it with open arms as more lore, history, world and character building is definitely always a good thing in my book and I believe you wrote this chapter spectacularly.
This has been an absolute joy to read through and it seems to only get better with each chapter that gets posted, thank you very much.
esercito sconfitto: I couldn't resist the idea of casting such a shapeshifter as an antagonist: Tsuki is supposed to be a villain, of course she'd do something so hateful. Conversations between Tsuki and Yuka will highlight the fact that, even in-universe, this is supposed to be against nature. Shapeshifters aren't supposed to be able to turn their body into non-living materials. Hence why the process is described to be both gross and painful, and Tsuki is only able to endure the pain because she's insane. I'll try to detail the stolen sandals next time, though due to my limited vocabulary, I can't promise that it will be very detailed.
trackman: I aim to please.
As for Alessia, let's just say that I'm leaving the door open just in case, though there are no plans for her return yet. I took a liking for this character, so I thought I'd show she still got something out of her situation.
I'm glad you appreciate Coulter's character. She's the the most difficult character to write, as she's meant to be a jerk, but also still supposed to be somewhat sympathetic. Yuka's past will be featured a lot once Tsuki truly enters the picture.
As for the exposition, I won't apologize for making a lot of it, though I truly was unsatisfied with the way it was balanced with uniform stealings at the end. I just couldn't find a way to add more scenes in this part. I understand that some people don't care about lore and world-building though, so I thought it'd be fair to post a warning.
Last edited by rufusluciusivan on Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
That's great and you should never apologise for it. Everyone knows you have great USB scenes in your stories so you genuinely need these story driven chapters to bring your ARCS to life. I for one really enjoy them.
Jinora's recovery was taking time. Way too much time according to Azeneth. Coulter explained that it was because of Ce-Tochtli's magic, that recovering from the spell he used was a long process. However, the metis couldn't think rationally.
She just wanted her friend to wake up...
Alone in the bedroom, seated on a chair next to the bed, Azeneth was holding the unconscious Jinora's hand.
She couldn't help but remember...
**************
Azeneth was running in the streets of her home city of Millhaco.
She wasn't able to forget the smell of roasting flesh. The smell when the Mages fried her father alive because he was spying the Empire...
The metis was barely able to escape with her life, and a battery of steel throwing knives. And only because her father managed to hide her in the secret annexe of the shop, that they used to smuggle merchandise, before the Mages entered. Azeneth was able to flee the building through its secret exit.
However, soldiers were now chasing her. The Mages couldn't bother to look after her themselves, but they sent their guards to search the town.
The young woman didn't know how she could escape them. She was barely eighteen years old. Sure, she could fight and throw the steel knives her father offered her years ago, but she wasn't strong enough to face an entire garrison.
She didn't even know if she would have the courage to use her knives again to kill someone, after what just happened...
Azeneth hid under the porch of a stone house to catch her breath. It was the early morning. Except she, and the guards, almost nobody was outside. Nervously, the metis opened and closed her palms.
Why didn't she surrender? Why did she have to try to fight me? The idiot... she pondered to herself, thinking of the brown-haired soldier.
The young woman was using the uniform of a guard as a disguise: a knee-long ample red tunic, with a matching cloth headband tied under the head, a leather belt tied around the waist, and leather protections strapped around her forearms and calves as well as leather sandals. Of course, the clothes weren't hers. They used to belong to another woman.
I killed her...
Azeneth came across this lone guard in an empty alleyway while she was trying to escape. The soldier was a woman with neck-long braided coarse dark brown hair, light brown eyes, and a tanned skin that was lighter than the skin of a subject of Pakal. Probably a metis, just like her.
Both were very surprised to come across each other, though due to the adrenaline flowing through her, Azeneth was the first to react. She actually managed to disarm the guard, sending her polearm on the ground. This didn't dissuade the soldier from trying to take her down, even if it was with her bare hands.
However, the woman didn't count on Azeneth having steel knives to protect herself...
I warned her. Gods, I told her to step back!
Azeneth thought that the sight of the steel weapons would be enough to intimidate the soldier and make her surrender. And had she been taller and more threatening-looking, maybe it would have worked. But Azeneth was a barely adult woman, and she was looking scared. The guard thought she could take her. She jumped her, pinning her to the ground, trying to disarm her. In the struggle, Azeneth reflexively stabbed her with her knife.
The guard didn't even scream. She just gasped and looked... confused.
Azeneth had hit a vital spot. Before she could fully realize the weight of what she did, the woman was dead.
I didn't want to...
Still, she needed to escape the soldiers. They knew what she looked like, and she was wearing clothes from her home kingdom: a white long-sleeved blouse, black trousers, and boots. Therefore, clothes that clearly showed that she wasn't from Pakal. The metis would already have enough trouble to blend in with her appearance, as her tanned skin and brown eyes were both lighter than the average Pakal subject. Her eyes were also rounder and her hair, while thick and braided, were dark brown. She had an oval face with a sharp chin and a tall soft nose.
Therefore, to better blend in, Azeneth stole the woman's tunic, her protections, her belt, her headband and even her sandals to disguise herself as a soldier. Then, she dragged the body now only wearing a loincloth and a strap of cloth into a small alleyway.
The metis couldn't forget what she did. It was the first time she killed someone.
The practical part of her mind was also aware that the hole and the stain of blood on the right side of the tunic would give away the fact that she was an impostor...
Azeneth swallowed her guild and resumed her flight.
She ran across a few streets and avoided two patrols. Then, in order to not be noticed by a third, she climbed a wall and arrived in the backyard of a stone house.
There, townswoman was washing clothes in a small basin. She was alone. Next to her, there was a huge laundry basket.
The woman had the coarse black hair shared by all pure-blodded Pakal. They were waist-long and tightly braided with a light blue ribbon. One small braid was falling on each side of her face, each being adorned with orange stone beads. Her almond eyes were dark brown and her skin was tanned. She was tall, with an oval-shaped face and a large forehead, and had a lanky body. She was wearing colourful clothes: an orange ankle-long skirt with red-and-white edges, a bright red thigh-long huipil with blue edges and black spiral pattern on the shoulders. Around her neck, an orange neckscarf was tied. A white cloth headband adorned with small light pink seashells was tied around her forehead. As jewelries, she was wearing earrings made of white seashells. She was however not wearing bracelets, which was logical if she was doing her laundry.
The woman was wearing traditional Pakal clothes that Azeneth could use to disguise herself...
The metis didn't have a choice.
At least, the townswoman wasn't someone Azeneth personally knew... The metis drew a knife.
Just to scare her... she told herself. Just to scare her... Though she knew that if the woman resisted, she'd have to kill her before the soldiers heard them. However, Azeneth wasn't sure if she would be able to bare it this time... At least, with the guard, it was in self-defense...
The metis approached her prey. She forced herself to look confident and intimidating. The guard actually resisted because she was looking scared and unsure. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice!
The black-haired townswoman heard her and turned. She saw the steel knife in Azeneth's hand, and the blood on her tunic.
“Oh gods no...” she whispered. “I'll give you everything I have!”
Azeneth frowned. “What?”
“Please don't kill me! I... I have children!”
Maybe her intimidating look was a little too efficient... “I'm not going to...”
“Please!”
“I said I'm not going to...”
The townswoman was sobbing.
She's going to draw everyone here!
Out of option, Azeneth grabbed the woman's neckscarf, and shoved it into her mouth.
“Mfff?”
“I'm not going to kill you.” the metis said to the woman. “But only if you keep quiet. Understood?”
The townswoman whimpered but forced herself to remain quiet. She nodded.
“You will take off your outer clothes, so I can wear them. No need to strip naked. Give me just your outer clothes.” Azeneth ordered her. “Then, I will tie you up. Nothing more. Understood?”
Another nod.
“Then... Get to it! And I advise you to not try to spit your gag.”
The townswoman complied. Though she wasn't showing it, Azeneth was relieved. She didn't want to use force...
One by one, the black-haired townswoman removed her outer clothes (first the huipil, then the skirt that was actually tied around the waist with a black cloth sash). She dropped them on the ground. As undergarments, she was wearing a light grey knee-long underdress clipped under the armpits and tied around the waist with a small rope, leaving her shoulders bare.
“Keep the earrings.” Azeneth said when the woman grabbed them. “I'm not a thief. But give me your headband.”
The woman obeyed.
Azeneth noticed that one of her sandals was almost broken. “Your sandals too.” she ordered to her victim.
The townswoman was wearing the kind of sandals that most people in Pakal were wearing in their every day life. They had several straps which were used to securely fasten the shoe to the foot and around the ankle. The top of the sandals was of brown colored leather and the soles were made of cattle skin and had many layers. Azeneth's victim unstrapped her sandals and removed them. She put them next to the bundle of her discarded clothes.
She was avoiding the metis' eyes.
Azenet used the laundry in the woman's basket to bind her victim. She tied her wrists behind her back, wrapped a long piece of cloth around her shoulders and upper-arms before tightly knotting it, and bound her ankles as well as her knees. She finally tied a piece of cloth over the woman's mouth to prevent her from spitting the neckscarf shoved into her mouth. The metis then made her victim sit in her own large laundry basket; though it forced her to sit with her knees pressed against her chest. The basket was sturdy: it would restrict her movements. Azeneth grabbed a few remaining brown sheets that she didn't use as binding material.
“Just to make sure you're not found too soon... and that you don't peak.”
She covered the woman with the sheets and concealed her figure. Though from up close, anyone could see that a person was under them, maybe from afar it would look like a mere pile of laundry...
Azeneth ignored the muffled frightened whimpers of the townswoman. She threw her stolen uniform, weapons, and sandals into the basin, only keeping her underclothes, and slipped into the skirt, tying it around her waist with her victim's black cloth sash. Then, she put on the huipil and the headband as well as her new set of sandals. The metis hid her steel knives under the huipil.
She couldn't helpt but look at the figure who was slightly stirring and moaning, probably sobbing, under the sheets concealing her.
"I'm sure someone will find you soon." she whispered to her. "I'm sorry."
Then, Azeneth quickly left the backyard.
**************
Disguised with her new clothes, Azeneth benefitted from a brief moment of respite. It allowed her to go through a good part of the town without being noticed. Her goal was to reach the eastern port area, in which she could try to contact a few of her father's friends.
However, her luck eventually ran out...
“I think she's over here!” a guard shouted from a nearby street.
"Get her! She's a murderer! She killed a guard!"
The metis had to run once again. Both to escape her pursuers and to forget about her guilt.
She arrived in a small square. Two patrols were approaching, and were about to block her from two directions. Luckily, they hadn't noticed her yet. but she only had a few seconds. Azeneth noticed the door leading to the backroom of a nearby shop. It didn't seem locked.
Azeneth had no choice. She had to enter the backroom of the shop, even though she didn't know if someone was inside.
The metis entered the back shop and closed the door just in time. The soldiers didn't notice her.
**************
After closing the door of the back shop, Azeneth realized that she was in trouble.
She wasn't alone!
At the other side of the room, there was a young woman doing the inventory of the goods stored in the back shop. She was probably a scribe, given her black clothes with white threads and her black-and-white headband. She had a tanned slightly copper-like skin, coarse black straight hair, an oval face, and almond-shaped brown eyes. Her collarbone-long hair were braided into three braids adorned with red, green and blue stone beads. The girl was around Azeneth's age.
The young woman jumped when she heard the door close and turned to face the newcomer. Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Who are you?" she asked.
Azeneth wouldn't be able to silence her non-lethally before she would scream for help: the scribe was too far. Her only chance would be to throw one of her knives... But would she be able to kill in cold blood a girl her age who had done nothing wrong?
The scribe reflexively took a step back. Azeneth realized that the young woman was even more terrified than she was.
She understood that she wouldn't be able to do it. She wouldn't be able to kill a frightened unarmed person.
The metis was out of options. She was scared and she was exhausted. Her father was dead and she was alone. She had killed someone and brutalized a townswoman who had done nothing wrong. Something snapped in her. She did something that she thought she would have never done in her life. She pleaded.
“Please help me!” she begged without trying to hide her distress. “They are after me! Please don't let them find me! They'll kill me! I... I beg you! Please...”
The black-haired young scribe blinked. She was expecting to be robbed or killed. Not to be begged by a terrified woman. “The... soldiers?” she understood.
Azeneth anticipated that the young woman was going to scream. She winced. She couldn't bring herself to kill an innocent unarmed person, so she chose to give up.
But the scribe didn't give her away, even though she was clearly looking scared and nervous.
“I...”
The woman hesitated, but then finally made up her mind.
“Follow me!”
The scribe quickly moved a tarp, revealing a hidden trap door, probably leading to a secret cellar in which the merchant for whom she was working was storing the goods he didn't want to show to the tax collectors.
“Hide here!” she said.
Azeneth knew that she was taking a gamble, as the scribe could very well call the soldiers once she was locked under that trap door. However, she had no other choice now. She entered the cellar. The scribe closed the trap door and hid it under the tarp.
A man suddenly knocked on the back door from the outside. “Somebody! Open this door! In the name of the Empire!”
“I... I'm coming!” the scribe exclaimed.
Azeneth heard her open the door.
“Ex... Excuse me! I was doing an inventory.”
Not good! She's sounding nervous!
“We are looking for a fugitive.” a male voice said. Probably an officer.
“I... I didn't see... anyone...”
“Girl, why are you so nervous? We're not going to harm you!”
“Hey you! Stop bothering my assistant!” someone suddenly intervened.
Another male voice. Probably the merchant, who had arrived from the other part of the shop.
“It's not my fault if she's as easy to frighten as a bird!” the officer retorted.
“Armed people make her nervous. What do you want?”
“We're looking for a fugitive. A woman with...”
“Well, you're not going to find her in my shop. Now, go away! Or I'll refer to the guild!”
**************
The guards left without making a fuss. Apparently, their search for Azeneth wasn't important enough to cause a scandal with the merchant's guild. The scribe didn't say anything about the metis hiding beneath the building to her employer. Azeneth heard her talk with the merchant. Then, the man also left the back shop.
Azeneth waited. She allowed herself to relax slightly. The young scribe didn't betray her. She... She saved me... The metis didn't even know why. One thing was certain though: Azeneth owed her an eternal debt.
Finally, the trap door was slightly opened.
“Psst! The coast is clear...” the scribe whispered.
Azeneth climbed outside.
The young scribe was alone. She was nervously rubbing her hands. The metis noticed that she was keeping her distance, as if she was afraid that her interlocutor would try to attack her.
Azeneth bowed her head. “Thank you... You can call me Azeneth by the way. What about you?”
“My name is Xi-Nora K'inich K'an B'alam.”
Azeneth tried to make her feel less tensed. “Can I assume that your friends call you Nora?” she lightly commented.
“My friends actually call me Jinora.”
“Well, Jinora, I owe you my life.”
The scribe avoided her eyes. “My... My master is a lawful man... But he doesn't like the Mages and their soldiers... I don't like them much either...” she explained. "And you looked so desperate... I couldn't bring myself to... So I chose to help you."
“Whatever you reason was, I thank you. I truly was desperate, and you were there to help me in my time of need. For that, I will always be grateful. For that, I consider you my friend.”
The scribe blushed slightly. "I simply wanted to do good..." she mumbled.
Azeneth decided that she liked this young woman. She smiled to put her at ease. Perhaps it was because she was the first friendly face she encountered after her father's death, but the metis felt good while talking with Jinora. She was able to push aside her fear and her guilt when she was talking with her.
“What are you going to do now?” Jinora then asked her. “I... I can't hide you here forever...”
Azeneth thought for a moment. “I... I need to leave the town. My father was in contact with some people that could help me. People that don't like the Mages either. Though I have to find a way to cross the merchant district without being noticed...”
Jinora hesitated. “Maybe... Maybe I can help you...”
Yes indeed, I really like you! Azeneth thought to herself.
**************
Azeneth's father's contact was a merchant called Yax-Tzu. Jinora actually knew the places where he was the most likely to be.
However, Azeneth couldn't just walk in plain sight. By now, the woman she mugged for her clothes had probably been found. The guards knew what clothes the fugitive stole.
Jinora's plan was simple: take advantage of the fact that it was still the early morning, and steal some clothes on a clothesline to disguise Azeneth with the outfit of a merchant apprentice or a scribe, in order to help her blend in the port area – which was also the merchant district.
However, finding the right clothes proved to be more difficult than they anticipated, especially since they had to avoid the patrols. They were less numerous in the merchant district of the town, because they didn't want to upset the guilds, but they were still numerous enough to be a threat. They didn't find any suitable clothes.
And Azeneth was categorically refusing to use Jinora's clothes, even when the practical part of her mind whispered that stealing the young scribe's clothes was the easiest solution. She certainly wasn't going to mug her friend and saviour!
While it was still early, some merchants and their assistants were already working. Maybe she could find an opportunity? The more time passed, the more likely they were to be found by the guards. They didn't have much time left!
When Azeneth noticed the two women entering an alleyway, she decided that it was time for a change of plan.
The first young woman was around Azeneth's or Jinora's age. She had shoulder-long black hair, tied into eight small braids adorned with obsidian beads, almond brown eyes, a tanned skin, and an angular face with sharp cheekbones. She was of average size and build. She was a scribe. Indeed, she was wearing a black calf-long sleeveless robe with white stylized threads and, over the robe, a matching huipil and a matching quechquemitl. A black-and-white headband was tied over her forehead. The same clothes as Jinora. Over her clothes, she was wearing a metallic plaque as a necklace on which the name of her employer was written. She was also wearing obsidian earrings and bracelets.
The second young woman was slightly older, probably in her mid-twenties. She had light brown hair and dark green eyes, as well as a slightly tanned skin and round-shaped eyes. She was tall, with pulpous lips, a curvy body, a diamond-shaped face and two beauty spots on the right cheek. She had an axtlacuilli coiffure: two hornlike tufts created by dividing long hair in the middle; the hair was bound with a cord, and folded up so as to leave the bulk of the hair resting on the nape of the neck, with the two ends secured at the top of the head. While she wasn't from the Empire, the traditional Pakal hairstyle was looking good on her. She was clad in clothes made of fine textile. She was wearing leather sandals painted in black, a deep-blue short-sleeved calf-long dress, with four lines of yellow square patterns and a deep green cloth sash tied around the waist. The dress was rather form-fitting, something that was quite rare in the empire. The auburn-haired woman apparently knew that her body could be an asset during transactions... She wasn't wearing a huipil, just a red, blue, green and yellow quechquemitl with a diamond-pattern covering her shoulders and upper-arms that wasn't hiding her curves. A deep blue headband with golden threads was tied over her forehead. According to her jewels, she was the apprentice of a merchant. She was indeed wearing a necklace on which there was a metallic plaque with the engraved symbol of the town's merchant guild and the name of her master in Pakal. Her other jewels (earrings and bracelets) were made of jade.
“I have found a faster way.” the metis commented.
“But...”
“Don't worry. I will not harm them. Just... Make them take a nap.”
She followed the two women and disappared into the maze of narrow alleyways of Millhaco. Jinora followed her.
**************
Jinora's master was an apothecary. Therefore, while the metis couldn't find clothes among his merchandises, she got her hand on a terracota bottle filled with a sleeping drug. With Jinora's permission, she took it, just in case, along with several coils of ropes. Just in case...
The metis soaked a rag with half of the content of the bottle.
Now, the question is... How do I neutralize both women by myself? she asked herself.
Azeneth's thoughts were interrupted when someone grabbed the terracota bottle in her hands.
“Uh?”
Jinora soaked another rag with the remaining sleeping drug.
“Jinora?” Azeneth whispered.
The scribe was looking scared and nervous, but she nevertheless said: “You have to flee town as soon as possible. I will help you. Besides, I'm pretty sure that these two are conducting an illegal transaction...”
“You are more courageous than you think, you know?” the metis complimented her.
“I don't think so. I'm actually terrified.”
“That's why you're courageous.”
**************
Indeed, the scribe and the merchant apprentice were conducting a shady transaction, of stolen jewels according to what Azeneth could hear from their whispered conversation while she was silently approaching them.
That would explain why they were conducting their business in an empty alleyway...
“They are of good quality. Your master will be satisfied.” the scribe was saying while showing fine jewels made of jade and gold - the two most precious materials in the Empire.
“Indeed. So, you want the usual price?” the light brown-haired merchant asked.
“Yes. I'm glad we could...” The scribe suddenly raised her head. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what? I don't hear anyph-mmMMFF?!”
“Hey-pmmmHHH!”
Both women were jumped from behind: the brown-haired merchant apprentice by Azeneth, the black-haired scribe by Jinora.
Each assailant clamped the rag soaked with sleeping drug over the mouth and nose of her victim. With her free arm, she immobilized her.
The apprentice and the scribe thrashed and struggled, but to no avail. They weren't fighters. The thick rag was muffling their attempts to be heard. They could only moan, groan, and grunt. Soon, they were overtaken by the fumes. Their eyelids flickered. Their struggles weakened.
“Stay strong!” Azeneth encouraged Jinora. “We've almost got them!”
“Mmmmhhh... mmm... mmm... ff... ... ... ...”
“Mblblblbl... mfff... mmm... m... m... ... ...”
Both women moaned one final time and went limp almost at the same time. They were deeply, and blissfully, asleep. Azeneth and Jinora grabbed each woman under the shoulders. They dragged them further in the alleyway, out of sight, and laid them on the ground.
**************
Even though she was older, the light brown-haired merchant apprentice had a height roughly similar to Azeneth. She had more curvy, so the dress would be a loose fit around the chest and the butt, but she didn't have much choice. The metis quickly stripped her. She stole all the outer garments, which was quick since this woman was wearing less layers of clothes than the average subject of the Empire, and also took her jewels, as they were a proof of the apprentice's social status. However, the metis didn't touch the tincted dark blue cotton sleeveless chemise and matching knee-long underpants that the woman was using as underwear, even though they were worth a lot.
Jinora looked at the unconscious black-haired scribe's face.
“It's Xi-Akna! I recognize her... We studied together.” Jinora lowered her head. “She used to always bully me...”
“Then it's time for you to enact some revenge.” Azeneth encouraged her.
“What?”
“Take her clothes and leave her half-naked with her friend!”
“But I... I don't need the clothes... I have the same!”
“It's about giving her a lesson. You should assert yourself more.”
“I don't know if I can...”
The metis took her hand. “Let me help you.”
Azeneth led the way by removing the quechquemitl. Hesitantly, Jinora joined her and pulled off the huipil. She untied the black cloth sash tying Xi-Akna's dress around her waist, then Azeneth removed said dress. Jinora finally unstrapped her former bully's sandals and took them off.
They stripped Xi-Akna down to her brown loincloth and light red tincted sleeveless knee-long underdress.
“Now, for the last step, we will bind and gag them. And you will truss up Xi-Akna with me, of course.” Azeneth announced.
Azeneth used the ropes she took in Jinora's master's shop. She tightly bound the two women's limbs: both the legs and the arms, as well as their shoulders and their upper-arms. Jinora helped her truss up Xi-Akna.
Jinora and Azeneth stuffed each bound woman's mouth with a few strips of cloth cut from the orange dress and red huipil that Azeneth was going to pull off. Then, she cut four longer strips to be used as cleave-gags and blindfolds. Of course, she asked Jinora to gag and blindfold her former bully.
Then, as the last touch, Azeneth took the time to roll Xi-Akna until she was in front of the curvy light brown-haired apprentice, with their noses almost touching as if they were about to kiss each other. She tied a rope around their waists to press each woman's body against the other's.
Finally, the metis and her new friend changed clothes, putting out the outfit of their victims – although, for Jinora, it didn't change much. As she said, she was already wearing the same set of clothes. Azeneth still insisted that she slipped into Xi-Akna's outfit.
The metis herself tightly tied the cloth sash to hold the apprentice's dress in place. While it was indeed too ample around the chest and the butt, from afar the illusion should be enough to fool people.
“So, how do you feel?” Azeneth asked while tying the deep blue headband and putting on the jade jewels.
“Strangely powerful, I guess.” Jinora answered while looking unsure. She then nervously rubbed her hands. “Can we go? I don't want to be here when they wake up!”
Azeneth smiled patiently. “Of course.”
Jinora grabbed her own discarded scribe outfit. "Thank you." she said to Azeneth while they were leaving. "For trying to help me."
The metis smiled and grabbed her shoulder. "Any place, any time. As I said, you saved my life. That makes you my friend."
"Friend... I like that." Jinora whispered.
**************
Leaving their two trussed up victims concealed in the small alleyway, Azeneth and Jinora approached a specific shop. Thanks to the metis' new disguise, they were able to blend in the merchant district. Especially now that more and more people were going outside.
“So... You tell me that Yax-Tzu is here?” Azeneth asked.
“He often visits this merchant woman called Eztli. She used to be a travelling merchant, but she recently settled here. I think he and she...” Jinora blushed and didn't finish her sentence.
“Careful! Someone's coming out!” Azeneth whispered, urging her to not stay in front of the workshop.
Luckily, it wasn't a threat who exited the building. It was a young woman (or perhaps an old teenager) with tightly braided armpit-long red hair, amber eyes, and a bronzed skin. She was wearing the clothes and the necklace of a merchant apprentice.
“A Charioteer? What's she doing here?” Azeneth asked while keeping a low voice.
“She's Eztli's apprentice.” Jinora explained. “People say that she bought her during one of her travels.”
The red-haired apprentice looked at the shop with a sulky expression, kicked on the ground, and walked away, which gave credence to the theory that Eztli's and Yax-Tzu's meeting wasn't about business...
“Let's just wait until he leaves. Hopefully with his pants back on.” Azeneth joked.
Jinora blushed and looked away. The metis couldn't help but chuckle.
Yes indeed, when she was with her new friend, she was able to push away her fear and her guilt...
**************
They managed to meet Yax-Tzu while he was leaving the shop.
With his help, Azeneth went underground. Determined to never relive the experience she was forced to live during her flight, the metis trained every day until she became an expert in knife fighting, knife throwing, and hand-to-hand fight. She also trained to overcome her fear of killing, as she knew she wouldn't have a second chance during a real fight. Through her hard work and sheer determination, she became one of the best fighters of the Empire.
Jinora went back to work at her master's shop. She kept in touch with Azeneth though.
At that time, Rashid and his intelligence network didn't exist yet. Clandestine groups fighting the Mages' influence were uncoordinated. Azeneth wasn't doing much outside of training, and secretly meeting Jinora, but she was hoping that one day, she would find a good leader for whom she could fight.
Years passed. Jinora was noticed and recruited by the Empire's administration. During this period, she had access to many documents linked to the Mages. She and Azeneth still kept in touch.
Then, Rashid and his agents entered the picture. A lot of the Mages' enemies rallied him. Azeneth was among them. She had found her leader!
When Rashid started to talk about infiltrating the palaces of the Mages themselves and recruited Yuka, the metis convinced Jinora to join them. Her friend accepted.
And now...
**************
Azeneth stopped remembering the past and returned to the present.
It was because of her that Jinora had been hurt. Not because of Rashid, Coulter or Yuka. It was her who convinced the scribe to renounce her comfortable lifestyle. Her who...
Suddenly, she felt the black-haired woman stir.
The hand that Azeneth was holding tightened.
Could it be?
Her friend opened her eyes.
Finally.
Jinora frowned. “Wh... What happened? I don't remember anything... After Ce-Tochtli...” She stopped talking. "Am I alive?"
Azeneth felt tears flowing down her cheeks. “Jinora! You're finally awake!”
“Az'... You're crying...?”
“I was worried for you. I was worried sick...” The metis held her close. “I'm sorry... You're taking all these risks because of me... It's my fault... I...”
“You don't have to be sorry...” Jinora whispered while embracing her. "Never say that you are sorry for that."
“But...”
“You don't.” the black-haired woman insisted.
Azeneth wasn't used to see Jinora interrupt other people. Usually, she was way too polite and meek. It made her stop talking.
Time passed.
The two friends didn't need words to communicate their joy at seeing each other.
Azeneth finally spoke again: “I wanted to ask you, Jinora. Why did you help me? Why did you come with me to take part in Rashid's missions?”
The former scribe smiled, which was a very rare sight, as she was often too nervous or too serious to do it. “Your question reminds me of a legend I've read. The legend of Yl-Gamesh. Did you read it?”
“What? Uh... no.”
“Yl-Gamesh was a famed adventurer. He travelled the world in the period that followed the death of the gods, when it was lawless and violent, simply because he wanted to do good. He fought monsters, quelled wars, and helped build kingdoms. To face each trial, each opponent, he could always count on his best friend El-Kidu to be by his side. Then, one day, Yl-Gamesh turned to El-Kidu and asked him: 'Why did you come?'”
Azeneth was hung onto her friend's every words. “And what did El-Kidu answer?”
“Because you asked me.”
Jinora looked at her in the eyes.
“You asked me for help, and I wanted to help you. This hasn't changed. I won't deny that I'm often scared and nervous, but I still want to help you.”
Azeneth couldn't find the words. She simply hugged her.
**************
From afar, Yuka was watching Azeneth and Jinora embrace each other. While she was delighted to see that her friend got better, she couldn't share their happiness. Not now. Her latest confrontation with Coulter, the idea that Tsuki could be on the loose... She had too much on her mind. She didn't want to spoil their joy. The shapeshifter left the room before they could notice her.
Azeneth's and Jinora's friendship was reminding her of another friendship. A friendship she ruined...
An hour ago, Rashid told her that he was going to take a ship and sail to Ghazan, his home kingdom. He would bring the book in Ce-Tochtli's palace to have it translated by his father's scholars. He was going to take she, Azeneth, Jinora and Yisüi with him. The prince didn't explain her why, but the shapeshifter suspected that it was because he wanted to keep them away from danger... at least for a while.
Yuka entered her bedroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She resisted the urge to shapeshift in order to avoid looking at her normal appearance. She had to stop being a coward if she wanted to confront her past. Reflexively, she opened a drawer. Inside, there were two jade bracelets.
It was a custom of her people. As a token of friendship, two shapeshifters would often exchange jade jewels.
Memories flooded back.
“We weren't doing anything wrong! We were only trying to live our lives! We can't accept that forever... We have to do something!”
“But what...?”
“Don't you see? Our people have always had the tool we need to fight back! They are simply too afraid to use it!”
“You mean...”
“The Black Star was so powerful, it even killed the gods! Our people are tasked with keeping it hidden... But what if we harness its power? We could use it to protect our people...”
“It's forbidden and dangerous! We can't use that power!”
“Because letting our people be persecuted is better? Trust me, this is the best solution!”
Yuka hadn't put her jade bracelets for years. She felt she didn't deserve to wear them.
The shapeshifter closed her eyes. I was stupid. I shouldn't have... I should have stopped her in time.
The Black Star could indeed grant a huge power... but it also poisoned the mind and corrupted the body.
For years, Yuka had been running away from her past mistakes like a coward. But they were now catching up to her, and she would soon have no other choice but to confront them...
**************
“First travellers, now sailors... They truly want us to see the world, eh?” Tsuki commented.
“Weren't you paying attention to the message detailing our mission?”
“Why should I?” the shapeshifter teasingly retorted while fidgeting with one of her jade earrings. “That's what I have you for!”
The green-eyed spy rolled her eyes. What were the Mages thinking, teaming her up with this lunatic?
“We're going to the kingdom of Ghazan. So we need a ship. These two were supposed to board a vessel officially sailing to Bommare, and which is in truth smuggling goods to Ghazan. We're going to take their place. You will pretend to be the real woman you mugged, that the other got cold feet, and that you brought me to replace her. By the time someone notices, we'll already be out at sea.”
“Ingenious.”
Safiye then looked at the unconscious woman lying on the sand at her feet. Once again, the green-eyed spy used her trusty technique to choke a woman until she passed out. The sailor was in her thirties. She had loose neck-long auburn hair and round-shaped green-blue eyes. Given her only lightly-tanned skin, she was probably from one of the countries from across the Ocean. She was of average size and height, with a round face and a fit thin body. She looked very agile though; probably the kind of sailor that was sent to crow's nest. She was wearing an ample white blouse with ample sleeves rolled up to the elbows, brown ample trousers tied around the waist with a red cloth sash, striped red-and-white hoses under the trousers, a brown sailor cap, and brown boots. Like most sailors, she was however probably going barefoot and without hoses when she was on a ship.
Safiye methodically stripped the auburn-haired sailor. She grabbed the blouse by the waist and pulled it off, an easy task since it the article of clothes was ample. Underneath, the sailor was wearing a white slightly dirty sleeveless linen undershirt as undergarment. Safiye decided that the sailor could keep it. She then removed the boots, untied the cloth sash and pulled off the trousers by its legs, before pulling off the hoses as well. She was surprised to see that the aurburn-haired woman was still wearing another article of clothes under the hoses: thin white linen thigh-long underpants. Well, at least she wouldn't be buck naked...
Safiye used coils of ropes to truss up the auburn-haired woman. And since her victim was a sailor, therefore an expert in knots, the green-eyed spy used all her know-how. She tied the hands, the wrists, and the forearms. The shoulders and the upper-arms, below and above the breasts. The thighs, the knees, the calves, and the ankles. She stuffed the sailor's mouth with a rag, then tied a scarf over her mouth to gag her.
Then Safiye dropped her traveler clothes on the sand, and slipped into the sailor's clothes. She ignored the slight smell of sweat.
Tsuki witnessed Safiye efforts and smiled. Next to her, there was an unconscious black-haired brown-eyed tall muscular woman with a dark skin, a pointy nose and an angular face. She looked strong, but one mere touch of the shapeshifter's palm was enough to knock her out. The woman was already bound and gagged. Her mugger didn't bother to steal her clothes.
Tsuki's face suddenly contorted and changed shape to look like the sailor's. Her body grew up and her muscle mass increased. Her skin darkened.
Safiye looked away to not see the next part. To not see the shapeshifter's skin tear itself and melt to become clothes. She winced when she heard the noise though.
“These powers are just cheating...” Safiye commented. “Infiltration should rely on skills, not magic.”
“You're just jealous!” Tsuki happily exclaimed with a huge smile. “I was born with shapeshifting powers, why should I restrain myself from using them to please mediocre humans?” Her smile widened. “They'd hate and slaughter me even if I did! Just like they burnt Hinata alive by setting fire to her house, or like they skewered Shin with arrows, or like they...”
“I think I understand, thank you very much.” Safiye didn't know which one was scarier: the fact that Tsuki was listing her dead friends while counting on her fingers with a huge unhinged smile, or the spark of pure insanity dancing in her eyes.
The green-eyed spy was really wondering what the Mages were thinking, teaming her up with this lunatic...
Though in hindsight, this was probably the only reason why she chose to work for them.
They dragged the two sailors behind some rocks to conceal them, then left.
“You should remove the earrings.” Safiye said to her partner.
“Are you kidding? They are the gifts of a friend!”
“Your sailor wasn't wearing any jewel. It will give you away.”
The other woman shrugged. “I suppose I can temporarily hide them.” she admitted.
Tsuki grabbed the jade earrings and took them off. She kept one in each palm.
Safiye grimaced when she saw the shapeshifter's skin melt and absorb the earrings inside her palms. The jewels disappeared under her flesh.
“No matter how hard they try, true friends can never truly be split apart.” Tsuki said with a smile. "I hope that I will see her in Ghazan..."
Last edited by rufusluciusivan on Sun Nov 29, 2020 8:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
A nice character spotlight for Azeneth. It's good to learn her backstory, really helps deepen her and make her more sympathetic.
I like how the flashback is essentially a guide to how Azeneth first became acquainted with the prospect of clothes stealing and disguise - first reluctantly (the poor guard), then assertively (the townswoman), and finally embracing it (the two women in the alley).
The scene with the townswoman was the highlight of the chapter. I like the humorous visual of Azeneth shoving the woman's neckscarf into her mouth to calm her down, as well as the idea of stowing her in her own laundry basket. It's a bit like a chauffeur being stowed in the trunk of her car, or a musician in her own instrument's large case. So humiliating when the victim unwittingly provides the mugger with a convenient hiding place.
I'm enjoying Azeneth and Jinora more than Yuka and Coulter (though they are interesting characters as well), probably in part because I prefer scenes centering on non-supernatural characters. This was a charming interlude that highlighted the birth of their friendship. I would have liked to learn more, honestly, since we return to the present day rather quickly.
Similarly, I liked the scene with Safiye and Tsuki, but I would have preferred if it had more setup. This is the second time we're seeing them in the aftermath of having mugged their victims; perhaps it would be interesting to see more buildup. Their banter was good, though - I liked Safiye's comment about skills vs. magic.
The scene with the townswoman is indeed the scene I like the most in this new post. In good part because of the details you mentioned.
Yep, after Coulter, it's now Azeneth's time to get a character spotlight, introducing her acquaintance with clothes stealing and disguise, and with Jinora. It also explains why she's so insistent on seeing the good of life in present time: this moment was her lowest point ever. I didn't anticipate she would grow on me that much. Though I confess that the ones I like writing the most are Yuka and Coulter. Jinora and Azeneth are in essence more static characters: by the time the story kicks in, they have reached a good life balance. They have already mostly overcome their traumas and their biggest flaws; something that Yuka and Coulter haven't. If I had to select a favorite character, it'd either be Azeneth or Coulter though.
Honestly, Azeneth and Safiye weren't originally supposed to be featured as much as they are. They owe it to readers' feedbacks, such as yours . I don't regret it at all though. While the point of this story is to try different scenarios than in most other stories (hence the supernatural powers), ultimately I think it's a good thing to have non-supernatural uniform stealers to balance out things and provide more 'classic' scenarios.
After re-reading it, I agree with you that, in hindsight, the ending was probably too quick. I didn't want to take too much time, and the part of Azeneth's life between her encounter with Jinora and Rashid's and Yuka's arrival featured a lot of training and discussions but no uniform stealing, so I skipped over it. While I enjoy writing them, I don't want the interludes to break the pace of the story. As flashbacks, they in essence put the plot to a halt. The idea is more to show a key part of a character's backstory (that also involves clothes stealings), but to keep it short and precise, and let imagination do the rest. There's a balance to be found there. Honestly, perhaps I should have assumed more this fact and end the flashback right after they've aquired their disguise and are waiting in front of she workshop? There wouldn't have been this rushed part quickly mentioning what they did during a few years...
As for Safiye's and Tsuki's scene, I added it more to be some king of preview/teaser for the next chapter (same with Yuka's scene), hence why it's only an aftermath. Though your comment is duly noted. The next chapter should feature them as antagonists (I don't think it's a spoiler at this point.), so they will defintively get at least one more detailed takedown - buildup included. The banter about skills vs magic was inspired by your feedbacks though. It would only be logical for non-superpowered people to dislike how some infiltrators can do with little effort what takes them a lot of efforts simply because they were lucky to be born with a power. Though what I really like in this banter is that they're both justified: Safiye is right to point out that it's unfair; but Tsuki, as insane as she is, is also right to point out that thse doesn't have to apologize for being born with her powers and that she doesn't have to refrain from using them for the sake of people who'd persecute her anyway.
Wow, talk about tugging on the ol' heart strings here at the beginning with Azeneth, her recollection about that fatal encounter was great and the way it comes across as her talking while those events are happening as if she's really fighting with her inner demons, was just superbly written and of course your topped it all of with a USB which is the cherry on this wonderful cake, and I'm not even past the beginning, I'm paying very close attention to Azeneth now, she could possibly become my undisputed favourite character in this whole arc.
The following scene had on tender hooks as well, seeing Azeneth hurtling through the streets and begging the scribe for help instead of just outright taking her down or worse, really showed the seriousness of the situation and her vulnerability, this is shaping up to be one of your best chapters yet, you've deviated from a predictable path and I believe it's paying off greatly as this great and now I'm uncertain as to what will happen next.
Ah that little constant whisper in the back of any and all good infiltrator or disguise artist mind saying, steal her clothes, steal her clothes, even when it's from a person who just saved her life and could become a friend, truly the life of a USB lady can become consuming, but all in a good way.
Jinora is certainly stepping up to the plate in helping someone who she just hid from the authorities, I like her it shows that she has a kind heart, I just hope that she doesn't get punished for trying to do a little good.
Although I see when Jinora got bit by the USB bug herself and I see that taking the clothing of one of her childhood bullies has really made her feel invigorated, I imagine she'll be keen on testing this experience again to see if stealing another woman's clothing will make her feel the same rush as before, which I think we all know the answer to that.
It was nice seeing how the years were to both women after they temporarily went there separate ways only to meet again as this did in the future, this was great and it really made your character three dimensional.
Jinora's ability to help Azeneth even when she puts her own life at pure risk is a rare trait for the sort of world which they live in, there friendship is a highlight for this arc as seeing these two look out for each other the way they do, really makes you want to smile.
I love the sailors outfit description, got to love that old timey feel and look to them, outstanding work and I do agree with Tsuki, if you've got the powers, then why not use them.
This was another gripping and all round perfect chapter, naturally the spotlight was all Azeneth and it was an absolute joy and delight to go through her past like that, this was fantastic and as usual you've left me wanting more, this is definitely going to go down as one of your greatest ARC's, your putting so much passion and love into the series and it really show's, it's just incredible, thank you very much for another addition.
The first part of this interlude is indeed bleaker than average when it comes to the tone of my stories, a good way to highlight Jinora's intervention. It also explains why Azeneth cares so much about Jinora: she was the first friendly face she met when she was at her lowest point. I indeed liked displaying the friendship between the two. I confess that, on her own, Jinora isn't the most interesting character to write: her demure personality doesn't allow for funny one-liners and she's a rather static characters. However, she shines in her interactions with Azeneth and Yuka. Both for sweet moments and for funny moments - after all, a colourful personality such as Azeneth's or Yuka's allows for funnier banters when it's contrasted with a more grounded personality such as hers.
Jinora isn't a uniform stealing enthusiast though. Getting even with her childhood bully was more of an exception, and even then only because Azeneth convinced her. To answer your question, no, she doesn't feel a rush while stealing another woman's clothing. This is more Yuka's thing (and Tsuki's).
Glad you liked the description of the sailors outfit. This is the advantage of the medieval fantasy setting: its gives the opportunity to use different clothes.
I found the flashback about the guard really interesting. As I have said before, I am generally not a fan of guards being taken out lethally. However, the part about Azeneth being left with no choice is a very interesting and realistic touch.
