[center]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/7GRzd6B.png[/img]
[h1][color=D2691E]Farim[/color] & [color=teal]Malik[/color][/h1]
[color=D2691E][b]Location:[/b] The Slums of Genesea[/color]
[color=D2691E][b]Time:[/b] 4th of Ventu 1729[/color]

[h2][color=red]Flashback! Part 1[/color][/h2]

[color=D2691E][center]__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/center][/color]

The sun across the arid desert beamed down onto the scene of a bustling city full of life. The streets teemed with peddlers of eccentric wares and lavish buildings built to cover every physical desire one could dream. Such was the front facing appearance of Genesea - city of splendors; where the Sultan himself resided with the royal family.

Yet further still down these bright lit streets, as one traveled further from the radiant palace, there were some less personable trades taking place. In the slums, it was just like any other underbelly across the globe. Cutthroat gangs roamed the streets, looking for trouble or pushing contraband underneath the crown’s nose. Deceptive shops and businesses swindled lost or wandering tourists for every ounce of coin they carried. The more daring and nefarious citizens of Genesea reside here - yet unfortunately so did the poor and squalid, left with no other place to go.

It was here that Farim spent some of his former years - clinging to a longtime friendship with a young boy named Malik. The pair stayed on the safer streets of the Slums, avoiding the Black Market and other dangerous alleys. Yet they still wore the same joyful smiles as any other child - playing games and exploring the city's lesser known nooks and crannies. In a place ripe with forbidden trinkets and secretive deals, it was hard for two curious boys to resist making their mark on the world.

Today, however, would prove to be something far different than what the boys had in store. They met in their usual place, grinning ear to ear as they ran across a crossroad that served as a small bazaar. The merchants even began to become familiar with the boys, cracking jokes and offering snacks and trinkets for them to stay out of trouble. They of course were most wary of Farim—given the fact that his father was the Grand Vizier and one of the scariest men any of them had ever encountered.

Side by side - some even mistook Malik for Farim and vice versa. The only real difference between the boys was the color of their eyes and how truly soiled their clothes were. Farim had access to all the luxuries of royalty, but still chose common clothes so Malik wouldn’t feel different - but the telltale sign of hand-me-downs that barely had the grace of water and soap was as clear as day. Malik didn’t let this bother him, and often gave Farim flak for being “fake poor”.

[color=teal]”You are definitely a Prince playing pretend!”[/color] He would mockingly shout. [color=D2691E]”Am not!”[/color] Farim would retort. And shortly after a barrage of [color=teal]”Are too!”[/color] and [color=D2691E]”Am not!”[/color] would echo throughout the streets as one boy would chase the other. That is until one of the peddlers grew weary of the noise and would shout at them to quiet down. Such protests were met with childish remarks and gestures from the pair before they scampered off. Sometimes, if the man scolding them was angry enough, they would even be chased up and down the roads.

It was during one of these chases that Malik happened to make a fateful discovery. His eyes glinted towards an interesting antique shop he had heard about, but could never work up the courage to enter. Using this adrenaline filled chase as a catalyst, he ducked into the shop before quickly yanking his friend Farim into the doorway. The two hushed themselves as the angry man ran down the street and passed their makeshift hiding spot - and once his shouts grew silent, the boys giggled victoriously.

[color=teal]”We dodged his wrinkly butt, didn’t we?”[/color] Malik chuckled. Farim nodded, and opened his mouth to let out another smart comment before another voice cut through the low lit darkness.

 “Careful boys - you’ll be ending up like us one day! And your butts will be the wrinkly ones!” A voice cackled in the darkness prompting the boys to jump and turn towards the sound.
[/center]