[color=598527][u][center][h2]Gail // Eastern Slums // Caught Between Gangs[/h2][/center][/u][/color]
[h3]Elsewhere...[/h3]
"And you're absolutely sure this will be going on tonight?"

"yes sir; I've been observing them for weeks, like clockwork, every time a big shipment comes through."

"and why have you bothered to watch them, hm? another drug dealer trying to get in on their turf?" The guardsman laughs, lightheartedly.

"Sir, I would not have you insult my integrity like that! I am not but a concerned citizen, wishing for nothing more than to rid these slums of their drug problem."

"Watch your tongue, and don't think we won't be keeping our eyes on you, too. Regardless, your reward will be here tomorrow if this information leads to an arrest. The royal guard thanks you for your service to the community."

[hr]

Gail wandered home after his meeting, as it began to grow dark. It was a bit later than he expected it to be - he had gotten distracted earlier in the market - perhaps that's why Buddy took longer to meet him than usual. Where had the time even gone? Ah well, no real matter, he had no plans for the next day, and the night's plans could always be carried over to then. He rounded the corner to his place, and saw a shadow sitting by his door. He jumped and brought his hand to his hip before recognizing it as Y'Vanna. His heart dropped a little bit upon recognizing her, as it always did, sorrow for her situation overcoming his excitement at the money he'd make from the deal. He saw her as a woman brought to her personality by her lifestyle, hiding her kindness behind a veneer of stand-offishness, forever marred by some past event or present struggle. Whatever it was, it lead her to come to him for the Dust. 

It was a healing potion in some respect, that way. 

He approached her; "Y'Vanna? the usual, I suppose? come inside," he beckoned. Noticing the bread in her offering hands, he was flattered and blushed. "Oh, you really shouldn't! I haven't anything for..." he petered off, noticing an unusually brusque sound - something to worry about? A clattering - the sound had already been in the background, but the Guard wandering through the slums at this time of night was nothing entirely unusual - but never down his alley. It was quiet, full mostly of tired, honest dockworkers, a calculation of his father's when setting up here in the first place. Torches were already clearly noticeable from the direction he was looking, and a glance behind him confirmed what he had suspected. "Shit" he muttered, looking quickly to Y'Vanna: "take no offense from what I say in the name of bluffing" as the guards quickly approached, clubs out, definitely converging on his location. 

"hands where we can see them, you two," A guard demanded, helmet frills announcing him as the captain of a division. There were five guardsmen in the alleyway now - two flanking the captain, the other two now behind Gail as he turned to face the captain, his hands raised to his sides, right palm open, left still clutching the loaf he found on his way back, about a quarter eaten. The already cramped side-path was already heating up with the presence of bodies and torches, and Gail's hands were nervous and clammy, shaking enough for the loaf to fall out of his hand. "You, young man. We have reason to believe that you are a dealer in illicit substances. Explain."

"Ah, uh, Sir. Uhm - pardon, you've surprised me. This is not the first time I have had a run-in like this, as people often misinterpret the nature of my work. I do indeed deal in substances, but they are, in fact, home-made healing potions, created and sold within the boundaries of the city codes covering rare and unusual substances."

The captain raised an eyebrow. "and of your meeting with this young woman? Is this a customer for your potions?"

"She's... she's a friend..." he said, reddening a bit while wavering his voice (and hoping in this way to keep her from incrimination even if he was caught in his lie), "Unconnected from my work."

The captain raised his eyebrow further, and smirked, seeming to believe him - on that front, at least. "Heh, very well. Just let us search that bag of yours, and you can be on your way."

Gail's heart dropped even further, but he still kept up the facade. "Pardon? I will not be having the guard going through my possessions on a whim without proper evidence!"

Suddenly, the joy was gone from the captain's face. "We ain't in the upper district, kid, and you ain't from a royal family. It was cute to watch your little brain work, after having tracked you from that alley to here. We already sent a group to take down your supplier, and me and my friends here..." he said as he and the rest of the guard moved into a fighting stance "will happily beat you to a pulp if we don't get what we want. show us."

Keeping his movements slow and methodical, Gail took his bag off of his shoulder and handed it to the captain. No longer able to keep up his facade with nothing to hide, tears began to slowly move silently down his face as he watched the man dig through the bag, pulling out the Dust and Black Lotus. "Just keep her out of it," he stammered, the reality of his care for his friend blending over with the previous lie hinting at a relationship. Suddenly, Gail was realizing the consequences of his actions, cursing the fates for bringing him into this life. In a different family... If his mother had lived... if he could have just made enough money off of the deals to stop having to do them...