Anarchy 2
They broke across the night, scattering through the city like shadows sprung to life. The moon had not yet risen, providing them extra cover, along with their dark night-cloaks. In a sack at their side, they carried a stack of papers that would appear, as if by magic, on doorsteps, corner walls and even on the Manor door by that morning.
KiNa rushed across the stone pathways, dipping behind the vacant carts, dodging from building to building, his mind always searching for guards or anyone else that was out at that edge of night. He rarely encountered anyone on his runs, but that didn’t keep him from being careful.
Fingers flicking as he bounded, he dropped copy after copy of the Newsletters. Slipping them under doors. Sticking them in mail slots. Posting them along the glades and the walls.
He’d done the run enough that it was now like an art. Or a science.
Yes, a science.
A slight smile crept over his face at the thought. It always made him smile when he saw the bewildered looks of people on the day after. The idea that someone created so many copies of one document was amazing enough to them. But when they began appearing, spreading through the city, that really got attention. There was nothing like taking a walk through the city to hear debates about what people read in the Newsletter.
KiNa paused to catch his breath. Even magic needed a momentary rest from time to time. Glancing up, he saw a dark corner in the distance that still remained bare of his special touch. Pulling out one of the Newsletters, he stuck it neatly on the quiet stone and took a step back to view his handiwork.
That’s when something leapt on him from the darkness, carrying him down against the cobble of the street. Stunned, KiNa started to squirm only to find something cold and sharp pressed against his cheek.
“Don’t move,” a quiet order hissed in his ear. The words held power. Power he recognized as mind magery. “Give me everything you have.”
I’m being robbed?
KiNa froze, just boggling the irony of it. He couldn’t see his attacker, being held face down against the ground, but it all felt wrong to him, as if he should be the one doing the talking. That’s when he realized the cold and sharp was a weapon. A very real dagger pointing a very real danger at his face.
“Alright… alright… you can take it. Just don’t do anything to me.”
He felt the weight against his back lighten just a bit, but the dagger blade never left his face. “Turn over very slowly and keep your hands where I can see them.”
KiNa did as he was instructed, rolling over on his back. His eyes flicked up, trying to make out any features, but was only met with darkness. He could see where the eyes were supposed to be, though. And that was enough.
He gathered his will and with a silent command lashed out at his attacker, putting all of his mind-strength into the blow. Taken by surprise, the shadow reeled back with a gasp. A girl’s gasp.
She redoubled her focus on him, recovering quickly, trying desperately to steel her mind against his control. She did not realize that he was a mind mage, too, and opened herself for attack when she attempted to place her command on him.
You may be good, but you’re not skilled enough to attack and defend at the same time. Are you?
He could see the reflection of her eyes widen, a shaky voice echoing through his mind.
-Who are you?-
That’s none of your business.
Before she could gather her senses, KiNa’s hand shot up, grappling for control of the dagger.
“No!” she hissed, fighting back. He felt a sharp pain as she dug her nails into his arm, drawing blood.
“Drop it!” he snarled, accenting the commands with powerful lashes of mind power. “Drop it!”
“I… I.. won’t!” her legs were giving way, but she continued to try and fend him off, holding tight to the dagger’s grip.
Finally, as his strength won out, he twisted the weapon out of her hand and managed to back her against the wall, pinning her there under the length of his forearm. Breathing heavy, they both glared at each other in the darkness.
“Do you mind telling me what this is about?” he demanded.
“I don’t have to tell you nothing,” she spat and glared the other way.
Taken aback, KiNa blinked. He knew that voice. He had heard it before, in much a similar situation.
“Hey, you’re that bossy girl from the Darkman’s cellar,” he said slowly, connecting the two.
“What? Bossy girl?” she turned back towards him. “Darkman? How did you know about that?”
“I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m KiNa. From the cellar,” he told her.
“Oh. You. The spy,” she blinked at him.
“Spy? Wait, how did you know that?”
“It was so obvious,” she huffed. “So what are you going to do, Mr. Super Spotty Spy?”
“What? Spotty Spy?” he scowled at her.
“All those zits on your face.” He could hear the smile in her voice.
“These are freckles!” KiNa argued quickly, realizing what she was insinuating. “And I’m not going to do anything. Master SoYa wanted to try and find you after everything that happened. We looked but never saw any sign of you.”
“Of course not,” she flipped her hair and nudged his arm away from her all in one smooth motion. “I didn’t want you to.”
“Why not?” he blinked.
“I don’t need your help. Or anyone’s help,” she waved him away. “I’m fine on my own.”
“That’s why I just beat you, huh?” KiNa pointed out, gathering up some of the Newsletters that were scattered across the cobble.
“You got lucky. I just didn’t expect you to be…” she faltered, not seeming to know the word for it.
“A mind mage?”
“Mind mage?” she echoed with distaste. “Who gave it such a lame name?”
“I dunno,” KiNa shrugged. “It’s just what Master SoYa told me it was.”
She eyed him closely, “Who is he?”
The boy opened his mouth to explain, then closed it quickly. He didn’t know if this girl could be trusted. After all, she did just attack him and had no real reason to be loyal to their cause.
“I can’t talk about it,” he frowned.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked. Then she reached over and pulled the Newsletter off of the stone wall. The girl furrowed her brow as she looked at it. There was barely enough light to make out the writing on the page. Not that she was probably capable of reading any of it.
“Nothing,” he shook his head. “Just that I can’t go spreading information when I don’t even know if you’re on our side.”
“On your side? Your side of what?” she glanced up at his face.
“Against the Manor,” KiNa heard himself say before he realized he was saying too much to someone he didn’t trust yet. He covered his mouth, peering up at the twinkle in her eyes. It was no mere slip of the tongue, he realized. Mind magic was at work. “You did that on purpose!”
“Yes, I did,” she told him. “You think you’re the only one who knows tricks?”
“Now I’m going to have to take you in,” he glared.
“Oh? Take me in where?”
“To our base…” he froze, realizing, again, she got more information out of him. “AUGH! Stop doing that!”
The girl giggled with a wry smile. She watched him in the way an Ingway might watch a mouse, “You’re kinda cute when you get flustered.”
“Huh?” KiNa blinked, taken off guard.
She waved the Newsletter in front of his face. “For being the Super Spotty Spy, you sure do give away a lot of secrets. Not that I didn’t know already.”
“What do you mean?” he grit his teeth.
“This is the Anarchy Newsletter,” she told him. “You’re carrying them, aren’t you?”
“No I’m not! I just found that there!” he took a slide-step away from her. Just on cue, ten more Newsletters fell out of his pack on to the cobble streets.
“Uh huh,” she looked down, unimpressed. That’s when he realized that in all of his confusion, she had recovered her dagger.
“Hey!” he exclaimed, backing up in alarm.
“Relax,” she told him, sticking the blade into a sheath at her hip. “You’ve got me interested. I’ll let you live for now.”
“Interested?” KiNa repeated.
“In your little Anarchy base. And your Master SoYa. Your mind mages and Newsletters,” she waved it in front of him again.
“Wait, how do I know you’re not a spy for the Manor?” he squinted one eye at her, planting his hands on his hips.
“Whatever,” she flipped her white hair again with a low scowl. “Why would I work for the place that was trying to buy me? Does that make much sense?”
“No, but maybe they did buy you. Maybe they’re paying to try and find us or something. You can never tell,” KiNa said with a worried look.
“I think you’re giving them way too much credit,” she paused and lifted an eyebrow. “KiNa? Is that what you said your name was?”
“Yes,” he frowned. It was certainly an improvement over Super Spotty Spy.
“My name is ShiKon,” she told him with a self-important air.
KiNa mouthed the name a few times after she said it, to stick it in his memory. Not that he’d ever forget. Or that she’d let him forget.
“Yeah, nice to meet you, too,” the girl frowned, obviously expecting him to do something else. “I see your Master SoYa hasn’t taught you any manners.”
“Like you have any?” KiNa frowned at her.
“I do,” she replied flippantly, picking up some of the Newsletters he dropped. “I just don’t waste them on you.”
He opened his mouth to retort, but she was already walking ahead of him, helping to distribute the Newsletters. Face flushed, he followed at her heels. He didn’t realize his mistake until she put him to good use as her bag boy. He carried the Newsletters. She got to do all the cool things like sticking them on walls and putting them under doors. But he had to admit, she was pretty good at it.
They didn’t talk too much during that run. ShiKon seemed to realize that they needed speed and silence. She also didn’t seem to like him enough to waste idle words on him. Whatever she was doing was strange though, helping to pass out the Newsletters, stopping to read a few things on the page now and then. Asking a few questions about how they were made and why.
Finally, once all the pages were gone, she turned on her heel and looked at him, “Where do I sign up?”
“Huh?” he asked, blinking.
“For Anarchy,” she sighed, clarifying. “How do I join this thing?”
“Well, for starters, I’ll have to blindfold you before I can take you back to the base. Then we can decide if you fit in or not,” the boy said, trying to sound all businesslike.
“Blindfold me?” ShiKon simply grinned, “Isn’t that a little kinky for the first time?”
KiNa boggled, realizing he was in for more trouble with this one than it was probably worth.