On the Street Where You Live

[Elysia Tondra]

Pirates. That was all she could say to explain it: pirates. Damn, bloody, smelly, dirty, thieving pirates. Perverted pirates, too.

Elysia glared at what was maybe the sixth wolf whistled that night, no loner even in the mood to zap them; what was the point when there were evem more around the corner? So instead she would just shoot imaginary sparks at them with her eyes and move on, taking small pleasure in the fact that their eyes would widen ever so slightly before moving on themselves. Aye, she was a pretty lady (prettiest some of them ahd seen in a long time), but she was just that: a lady. And you had to treat a lady with respect when they sent you looks of death as powerful as hers were.

Which was good, because that meant that they had a sense of self-preservation. Most men didn't.

Still, pirates weren't so bad beyond that: they helped keep the world turning and kept things interesting. She'd even known a few of the more famous ones since she stopped aging, and, being such a history buff, liked to inform historians that they were dead wrong. It was another way she amused herself, and she refused to stop.

Smiling faintly at the thought, Elysia continued on her way down the street and towards the local bars, her shoes KLAK KLAKING away. The smile lit up her face in a way that enchanted a few more of the local heathens, but they were wise enough to keep to themselves. A woman that pretty was deffinitely trouble.

[Amaji the Black Maji]

Amaji tended not to travel all the way to Bellevin. There never truly was a reason for him coming to this dirty pirate city. Pirates were people the Black Maji tended not to hang about. They were not in his taste. Most pirates tried to fight with him, and they were easily put in their place with either a few movements of his twin rapiers or a quick spell.

So, why what the wizard here in Bellevin now? Well, he was looking for more recruits for his army, of course. His recruiting seemed to take him all over the world. He had been given the suggestion of going to the pirate city by one of his many allies. So, here he was, wandering the streets.

The Black Maji made his way down the street and toward one of the many bars of the city. His black cape was wrapped tight around him like usual, hiding his weapons and any other possessions he wanted to keep from the pirates.

[Elysia Tondra]

The tavern was obviously a dive, but that was what gave it charm. That and the fact that it was full of thieving, bloodthirsty bucaneers who'd sooner slice their mother's throat (not that they actually would some would only admit under extreme torture) then part with a single gold coin. Elysia was a bit of an adrenaline junkie when there was no work to be had and tended to take up residence in seedy places such as this when not doing work for the Council. A public official she had become, sure, but she was no pencil pusher, and a good brawl in one of the most dangerous places a mortal could go would liven things up.

"If only it were that simple," she sighed, downing the mug of mead and ignored the sounds of drunken merriment behind her. Blast it all, why had she chosen the tavern's owner's birthday of all days to come mingle among the mortals? This was just as bad as being sent to Shempii in a boat, and really, nothing topped the dingy she'd ridden in (damn thing had almost tipped over on her). "Fucking pirates," she muttered when one of them went sailing over the bar only to get up with a loud laugh.

Nothing interesting ever happened anymore.

[Amaji the Black Maji]

Amaji entered the tavern and made his way up to the counter. He ignored the rowdy pirates around him. He was unconcerned with their activities. He ordered himself a mug of ale which was a rarity for the Black Maji. He never truly drank in public or in public bars. He kept his drinking to minimum behind closed doors.

The mixed elf let out a sigh as he took a drink from his mug. He kept his mind away from the pirates who were laughing and throwing themselves about. He was more concerned about his own affairs.

[Elysia Tondra]

"My lady!" the pirate who had been thrown over the counter slurred upon coming to his feet. He swayed violently to the left before leaning against the worn wood and winking at her. "My lady, why dost thou look so sullen?" he cackled, the beauty of his prose lost to the booze in his system. Elysia scowled when his rancid breath blew across her face, ignoring the loud din behind her in favor of getting rid of this latest annoyance. "You should be enjoying the party!"

Her jaw ticking in mild annoyance, Elysia pushed the man back (gently) so that he wasn't panting in her face. "I can assure you that I am. No need to worry for me," was her curt reply.

The drunk pirate frowned and hopped over the counter, an impressive feat for someone as imbibed as he was. He swung an arm about her shoulders and grinned widely, showing off his rotted and missing teeth. She glared at the wayward limb menacingly. "Yer jus' sayin' that," he whispered huskily in her ear. "A pretty lady like yerself shoudn't be sittin' here drinkin' while there's a party going on, but..." and he licked his lips suggestively as he looked her body up and down, "I can show yeh a good time if you like."

The Magi of Lightening saw red two seconds before her fist connected with his face and sent him flying back into the crowd. Some of the other pirates noticed there fallen comrade as he hit the floor with a groan, drawing their swords to face whoever had knocked their friend on his ass and willing to slit the bastard's throat for it. They all blinked in surprise when they locked eyes with a tall and pretty amazon, who was slowly making her way toward the man to add insult to injury.

"What, not so eager to fight when your opponents a woman?" she sneered upon seeing their drawn blades. The blonde scoffed. "What a bunch of cowards."

Angry that she had just insulted them after laying out their friend, two of the pirates lept at her only to have her grab one by the throat and kick the other with her heeled shoes. "Don't test me boy," she purred to the one she still held, bloodlust clouding her eyes. This was a bit more like it.

[Amaji the Black Maji]

The wizard cared nothing for the fire that was about to erupt in the tavern. Bar fights meant nothing to someone as powerful as the Black Maji. The people in them only looked like children, fighting over nothing that was important. A few words could make a whole crowd of the damned pirates erupt in mindless brawling.

Amaji was one to fight when there was meaning behind him. He would start a war if there was a point behind it (and this was what he was working on). The ruckus around him was simply annoying him more than anything. If he so desired, with a few flashes of his blades, the whole lot of them would be dead and on the floor. Luckily, he did not desire to mess with such rats.

The mixed elf kept to himself, drinking from his mug of ale and just listening to those around him.

[Elysia Tondra]

Someone snuck up behind her and nailed her in the head with a club, and she crumpled to the ground with a gasp after releasing her captive. He watched rather fearfully as his comrades congratulated themselves and went to pick up her prone body, words of protest on the tip of his tongue that she was not at all what she seemed (the growing bruise on his throat clear evidence of that) when a hand shot out and grabbed one of themen's ankles. He convulsed for several seconds before crupling down next to her, still twitching and foaming at the mouth.

"You're lucky I didn't kill you," she hissed, getting to her feet slowly, her temple bleeding from where the club had struck her. Blue eyes were shooting imaginary lightning bolts at his prone body and she held up a hand to summon a small ball of lightning. It writhed and undulated in the air just abover her palm while tiny little volts appeared to shoot out and dance over her skin. "Anyone else got any bright ideas about trying to kill me?" she called out to the now mostly silent crowd. Many had noticed her fall to the floor and had been staring in open mouthed horror until she'd gotten back up after zapping one of the pirates. "Because I can give you one good reason why that would be stupid as fuck."

[Amaji the Black Maji]

“Perhaps the Lightning Maji should close her mouth before she does have a challenge,” came Amaji’s voice. Yes, he had been watching the commotion with disapproving eyes. Truly, a Maji had more important things to do them to cause fights in a tavern. If she wanted a challenge, the Black Maji would be a force she would have to deal with.

Taking a sip of his ale, he turned upon his stool to face the witch. “I had higher expectation of someone with such a ranking as yourself. Common pirates? Really? They are no challenge and everyone knows that. I can’t believe you even allowed them to strike you upon the head.”

[Elysia Tondra]

"Amaji," she seethed, closing her hand over the ball and it disappeared in a tiny flash of light. Ignoring the gawking pirates, she smoothed her dress and wiped the blood from her head, revealing that the wound had already long since healed. "You know better then anyone how chaotic my element is, so it is with good reason that I like to cause a ruckus myself."

The smile she gave the crowd was frightening as she made her way back to the bar, taking up her mug once more and swallowing a deep gulp of ale. The humans, while entirely fed up with situation, did not immediately return to their merriment but instead whispered among themselves. Soon the whispering turned into full on conversations and life moved on as it always did, though far more interesting as it already was. They all thanked their lucky stars that they hadn't been the ones to anger the witch.

Elysia took up the seat next to the other Maji, gazing at him with barely concealed annoyance that he had interrupted her fun. "I rather like bar brawls you know," she informed him after a brief silence in which she took in any changes in his appearance; there were none. "I've been around long enough to know that not everything is as serious as we make it out to be. So of course I'm going to go out and start one if I'm bored with my duties. You ought to do it sometime-maybe then you'll pull the stick out of your ass."

[Amaji the Black Maji]

“Do you know why we are given our powers?” Amaji asked the Lightning Maji as he took another drink from his mug. His eyes looked forward away from the witch. “It is because the elementals favor us. They do not just throw out their power to whoever seeks it. We fight for it through the years. We train with some of the best of our art. We even destroy some of the best. In this struggle, the elementals see that we are fit to represent their powers.”

Amaji took another drink from his mug until he finally looked back over to the witch. “You should have the power to contain your feelings of recklessness. Lightning is not as chaotic as you make it sound. It is like every other element; it can be tamed and used effectively.”

Truly, the mixed elf was not insulted by her words. Why should he be? There was nothing wrong with him, no “stick up his ass”. He did not act in haste nor recklessly. Patience was something that he had gained through his training with the drow.

“I do not use my magic in vain,” Amaji added as well.

[Elysia Tondra]

"Bah," she scoffed. "You speak like an old man for someone younger then I," she added in a teasing tone. "I never use my magic in vain. Method to the madness, all that. And I didn't ask to be a human lightning rod." Elysia gazed out at the wall behind the bar, almost thoughtfully, and rested her chin in her hands. She had been lucky that her Master had found her when he did, because alot more people would have died otherwise. "Besides, I'm old enough to not care what my fellows think seeing as they're all great big windbags anyways. Of course, seeing as how you're lecturing me about it, I should probably lump you in with them."

The lightnig witch turned her electric blue eyes back to regard him carefully. "And I in no way shirk my duties. I perform them first and THEn go out to play."

[Amaji the Black Maji]

“Someone my age lecturing you should tell you something,” Amaji said, glancing over at the Lightning Maji. “I am wiser than my years and much stronger as well. Using your powers against a horde of pirates is a waste. I am sorry to say that what you consider fun is rather childish and useless. I would expect more out of someone like a Maji.”

Again, her insults did nothing to the Black Maji. Why should they? She talked like a child. There was no wisdom behind her words and that was what truly disgusted the wizard. With so many years that she had lived, her language should have held an ancient sort of feel, but they did not. If he would gain anything out of this meeting, it would be true disappointment.

[Elysia Tondra]

Any playfulness that had been apparent on her face dropped in half a second, leaving the Maji with her usual bad-natured scowl. This was all completely normal, except now it was clear from the look in her eyes that she was far more ancient then looks and behavior let on. "You would expect that because you expect it of yourself. None of us are bound by some golden rule that states we must all behave a certain way, and even if there was, I would refuse to obey it." She took the time to look at her nails, expression bored and aloof now that she had gotten her annoyance off her chest; it was the same expression she wore when dealing with her duties and when dealing with her fellows, so Amaji would know it well. "And what would I use them for? Your little rebellion? I've seen more ambitious things fail before they've even begun and your's will be no different."

The witch dug a long nail into the worn wood of the bar and started scratching a line down the grain. "Expectations like your's are the whole reason I never 'play nice' with anyone Amaji. You would best learn that before you insult me next," she said with a gleam in her eye.

[Amaji the Black Maji]

Amaji gave a laugh and a shake of his head. He was use to words such as hers. He had been told by many that he would fail. He had taken their words into consideration, but now he was more likely to throw away such comments. He had heard it all before. No one knew his true power, not only within himself, but the forces behind him.

“I will succeed,” he told the Lightning Maji confidently. “I cannot tell you how long my reign will last, but that I will reign over this world. I am confident in this, and if you think I will not, I shall eagerly prove you wrong, Elysia.”

[Elysia Tondra]

The Lightning Maji hummed thoughtfully, digging a long nail into the wood between them. "Sounds terribly interesting," she giggled with delight. "Your whole 'reign of terror and thousand years of darkness', I mean. If I didn't know that Boliko and Menelaus would have my head, I might be tempted to join. But you'd have to have alot more an incentive then world domination to convince me I think. You know how bored I get no matter who's ruling."

Of course, Elysia had been around to see many of the old rulers and their orders go down and was far from impressed with this latest attempt at suicide. If he ever got it off the ground, she would deffinitely have to grab a seat and watch the show.

"You probably won't have any interference from me anyway," she waved in dismissal.