Facing The Sun

Things We Aren't Proud Of

"Now Ivis, what do you say?" Her mother leaned over with a smile.

"Thank you, sir." Ivis told the shopkeeper. "You have a really nice shop." She added.

The merchant laughed, tapping the counter with his claws. "Well, aren't you a little ball of respect? Lovely to see. Them city people may look down on that, but out here that'll get ya far, girl." He grinned, flashing yellow fangs, and reached for a trinket hanging over head. "Here. Ain't worth much, but I always like ta repay kindness."

Ivis took the trinket with tender hands, her eyes sparkling. She thanked the shopkeeper again, and left with her mother. "See, Ivy?" Said her mother, "Kindness will get you far out here. And if someone is kind to you, you repay that in double. Do you understand?"

Ivis smiled, and nodded.

~ * ~

Ivis was not a good person.

She was brackish, blunt, and rude. She knew herself well. When hands had been offered to her, she repeatedly burnt them. Hell, Ivis had killed Ainwir—and Ainwir was the reason she was alive.

Ivis was not a good person. But that didn't mean that she didn't want to be. Or that she had never tried to be.

You can act all you want, Ryoko, but in the end it's just a mask. Said Ainwir's voice in her head. The real you will always be lurking.

Ivis shook her head, trying to chase the thought away. By the sun, if she could just—forget—then things would be so much easier.

Ainwir was right, though. Ivis had killed her. And now, she had tried to kill Vedrith. Twice. Well, when she had shot her shoulder it wasn't an attempt—but she almost aimed for the head.

Vedrith remained faithful to her mission, though, and helped Ivis anyway. She didn't have to be kind to Ivis either—but she had been, too. Now, Vedrith was still an asshole, and she could definitely learn to navigate situations in a better way... but Ivis couldn't blame her for it. She thought herself to be one too.

Vedrith was currently speaking to one of the yellow people, a nervous tone in her voice. The yellow person rolled her eyes, and looked over to Ivis. Then, to Ivis's alarm (and Vedrith's panic), she began to walk towards her.

Immediately, Ivis felt the need to defend herself, but this person felt strangely unintimidating as she approached Ivis.

"Hi, I'm Yael." She held out a hand non-threateningly. Her eyes and hair were pure white, and had no pupils. Her hair was tied back into a messy ponytail atop her head, done up either in haste, or without care. She chewed on a thin piece of wood, and took it out of her mouth to speak. "Pleasure to meet you."

Ivis bit at the inside of her cheek, feeling on-edge. With tentative fingers, she reached out slowly, and shook Yael's hand. "Ivis." She forced out.

"Yeah, I know. That jackass over there told me." She gestured to Vedrith, who was currently walking towards the both of them. "Sorry that she's been giving you issues. She ain't good with people, like, at all. Can't read a room to save her life."

This forced a smile out of Ivis. While she did share similar sentiments, Ivis felt as if credit wasn't being given where it was due. "She saved me, though." She felt the need to add.

Yael scoffed. "Saved you? Please. Vedrith did her job. Given your circumstances, I strongly believe she could be at least a wee bit nicer to ya." She glared at Vedrith as she joined the two of them. "Because it's clear to me that she has been quite inconsiderate." Said Yael, making direct eye contact with Vedrith as she spoke.