girl, you're such a backstabber

[curtailment]

[ even on land, the port city of desini smells like salt and wet. levi has set his crew out to buy supplies, find information on new bounties, and make sure that they'll be ready to set out within the next few days. for the moment, levi is in the market, bargaining with one of the merchants for a box of quinine bark they'll need on their journey further south.

though 'bargaining' may be a bit of an exaggeration. he's very close to drawing a blade on the man. ten pieces of silver is fucking highway robbery. (ironic, maybe, that he'd say that. but it's true.) ]

Comments

[kommanding]

[ a recent tip had brought erwin here, and the rumors are that the infamous levi and his crew are making preparations and stocking up. erwin had set out as soon as his own crew were able in hopes of being hot on his trail. it was only last trade season that he had seen the pirate in action, but since then, erwin has thought of nothing other than personally bringing him to justice.

he leaves behind his fancy overcoat and hat to insure his success with tracking down the rebel. it would have only drawn unwanted attention to his social stature. the simple clothing he's wearing will allow him to blend into the market.

it doesn't take him long to find his target - he's an easy man to find, with his short build yet strong air of arrogance. erwin thinks he looks to be arguing, and erwin turns his back and tunes his ears. he knows it won't end well for the merchant if the pirate doesn't get what he wants. ]

[curtailment]

Six, and that's it. [ the merchant blusters. levi's eyes narrow and he leans in; small as he is, most people know better than to push him. finally, the merchant acquiesces to six and passes the box over. levi pays and turns to go.

he scans the crowd instinctively. it's the usual mess of travelers, merchants, and sailors, but there's one person who stands out. he's taller than nearly everyone else, first of all, and his posture doesn't quite match up with the ragtag nature of desini. levi watches his back for a moment before moving to his left, slipping inconspicuously through the crowd. ]

[kommanding]

[ he busies himself with a purchase of fruit but keeps his attention at levi. erwin knows when he's been spotted, but it was only to be expected. it's easy to lose such a short man within a crowd, and erwin has backup at both ends of the marketplace. he's purchased an apple, which he chews a large chunk out of to signal his crew that he's spotted the prize and heads toward the direction levi had ducked into. he'd like to avoid a fight in the middle of the marketplace and hopes to herd him out into the open where civilians won't be endangered.

erwin's heart rate speeds up as he reaches the end of the market, which narrows into an alley. his crew shake their heads; they hadn't spotted the target. erwin grunts and tosses his half eaten apple behind him, and turns on his heel. he knows he was spotted and he also knows that levi wouldn't just ignore the fact that he's been targeted.

cat and mouse has always been erwin's least favorite game, especially when the roles can be switched so easily. ]

Levi, show yourself.

[curtailment]

[ he's used to crowds, knows from experience how to use them to his advantage. it's easy to hide when you're shorter than the average man, and slight enough to slip between cracks and duck behind passerby. he heads straight in one direction before sliding into an alcove and waiting for the man he'd spotted walk by—if a man's hunting him, he wouldn't do it alone.

at least, if he weren't a half-wit. levi waits for that head of blonde hair to go by, visible above the throng, before trailing after his path. he doesn't follow closely, certainly not closely enough that the man will be able to see immediately him when he comes to a stop. instinctively, he moves to stand behind part of a stall.

he is close enough, however, to hear the man speak. god, just his fucking luck. he wasn't even planning on staying for more than the next day. they need the supplies, and... he can't leave now. but if this man wants to find him, he'll have to work harder at it. if this end of the alleyway is blocked off, he doesn't doubt that the same goes for the other end. so he can't go left or right. up, though...

levi goes back towards the middle of the alleyway until he returns to a vendor he's done business with before. decent enough, but more importantly, able to keep his mouth shut for the right amount of coin. he presses some into his hand, mutters a warning, and without further ado scales the side of his stall and vaults into the open window above it. not the subtlest escape, but it'll have to do. ]