Not So Formal Introductions

Ariana sighed a breath of relief, the three men didn't bother looking towards the end of the alley and inspect the area more closely. She counted her blessings and decided to keep moving forward rather then going back into the alley just in case the three men decide back track.

She shimmied herself between a brick wall and building. With a small "Umph" she popped out and found herself in another alleyway. 'Why is this place just a mess of alleyways?' she thought to herself.

She looked around and saw another gap but she wasn't going to attempt that again and she didn't want to go on the main street either. So her only option now wad to go up. She lifted her head and spotted an emergency ladder that was still hanging about halfway down an even taller building.

At first she tried jumping for it but realize it was way too high up for her. So she thought she would try her little trick that she had used on the three men previously. She did the math in her head and calculated the angle she needed to be at to be able to reach it, even if it was just a hairline of a fraction away from the bar.

She started rolling her shoulders and shaking out her legs getting herself ready. At full speed she ran towards the wall, she ran up the wall and jumped. As she flew into the air she's stretched out her arms and prayed that she would reach. The tips of your fingers had just barely touched the first bar before she fell down to the ground.

She picked herself up off the ground and dusted herself off before she gave herself some words of encouragement. "Okay next time you'll make it!" she said with a little fist pump in the air. She rolled her shoulders again and booked it across the alleyway, climbing the wall again. This time she put a little more power into your legs for the jump.

This time she was able to jump a little higher, with a giant smile she stretched out her hands and caught the first bar. She started to laugh in excitement but quickly shut up. She didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to herself. With all her might she tried pulling herself up but found it difficult. She then placed her feet onto the wall and tried to haul herself up that way.

Suddenly there was a 'click' sound and Ariana's eyes became wide as she looked up. Then there was another 'click', she quickly pulled herself up to the second bar and brought in her knees just as the ladder started to rush downwards. With a giant 'clank' the ladder hit the ground. Ariana slowly opened up her eyes and let her breath out.

She stretched out her leg slowly and tapped the ground. After a second she got up from the ladder using the third bar as support. She quickly looked around hoping no one had tried to investigate the noise. She unruffled her white dress and started to climb up the ladder.

She passed the first balcony, the second, the third and finally reached the forth. She jumped on to the balcony and tried sliding the glass doors open. She let out a small "tsk" when she realized the door was locked. She looked to her left and saw a black pipe.

It was a decent size and she could easily use it to shimmy up the last bit of the building to get to the roof. With an encouraging nod she placed a knee on the edge of the metal balcony and grabbed the clamp around the black pipe. She pulled herself up and wrapped her legs around the pipe before she started to climb.

Once she saw the ledge of the roof she placed a hand on it and lifted herself up. Once she was safely standing on the roof she gave herself a breather and sat on the ledge as she wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. The breeze was starting to get cooler and she shivered slightly.

She walked around the roof trying to look over the ledge to see what her options where and her location. Nothing looked familiar to her, there was a building to her right, a building behind her, left was where she came from and in front was the main street. She hugged herself tighter and looked for a way to get off the roof. She spotted and small looking building that could be no bigger than a closet with a door.

She ran up to the door and turned the knob. "It's locked." she said to herself as she let go of the knob. She looked around the small building and found boards of lumber. She tried picking one up and found it pretty heavy and sturdy. She used all her muscles to bring it to the opposite ledge she came from and laid the lumber across the gap.

She went back to get one more plunk of lumber just in case she needed it. With great difficulty she balance the lumber across her hands and used it as a balancing bar as she walked the plank. With a giant huff she dropped the plank the moment she made it onto the other roof. She bent over and tried to catch her breath, it was horrifying enough that she had to walk between two buildings but she was pretty sure she would fall right through the plank if she was any heavier.

She decided to inspect this roof just in case there was a door or ladder leading down. With bitter defeat she grabbed the other plank and drags across the roof again. She dragged the plank to the building behind her and once again she started walking. To her horror the plank started to crack as she reached the middle of it.

Sweat started to roll down her face, she had to act fast. She ran across the rest of the plank and made it to the other side just as it broke in half and fell in between the two buildings. She looked over the ledge and saw nothing. So she sighed a breath of relief and felt happy that no one got hurt. She got back up and looked around the roof, she spotted another door and ran over just to find out it was also locked. She inspected the roof and found a fire escape on the side that lead to a side street.

She unhinged the ladder and watched it rush downwards with a heavy 'clack', she winced the moment it hit the ground. She swung her legs over the ladder and started to descend. When she was only 2 bars away from the ground she decides to hop off, she kept her legs together, stood up tall and stretched out her arms and said a little "Ta da.".

She peaked around the corner of the building and checked out the street, when the coast was clear she walked out and started to stroll around. She had no idea where she was and thought she would try her luck by asking someone who was working in the area for directions.

After a few minutes of walking down the street she noticed a pub by the name of the Four Goose. She thought she was would try to ask someone in there, she opened the door and walked in. Inside was an old tavern looking pub, everything was wooden from the chairs to the tables and to the stairs. The walls were done with half wainscotting and half lumber, there was a shaggy looking bartender who wore a white, long sleeved shirt, a red and grey vest and a black thin bow tie.

The place was packed with a variety of beings. There were different kinds of lizardman, different kinds of cat peoples, different kinds of bird people, dwarfs, mages, enchantresses and humans. She was in awe as she looked over everyone in the pub.

She walked up to the bartender who is busy cleaning a mug with a white rag. "Excuse me." she said in a loud voice trying not to get drowned out by the other voices in the pub. The bartender didn't pay her any attention as he kept on cleaning the mug. Ariana shrugged and thought she might as well just keep talking to him just in case he was actually listening to her.

"Excuse me, my name is Ariana. I'm trying to locate Lady Zula's brothel." The shaggy looking bartender immediately stopped cleaning his mug, he slammed the rag onto the counter and turned to face her. The only problem was Ariana couldn't meet his eyes as his bangs were too long and in the way.

"You're too young to go there." he shouted over top of the voices. "No I'm not, she's my mom and that's my home." Ariana said brightly as she raised her hand and moved his bangs to the side. "You know it isn't polite to speak to someone without meeting their eyes and... oh wow! I have to say you have the prettiest shade of red eyes I've ever seen in my life!" the bartender smack her hand away and moved back. "So Lady Zula is your mother and you can't even find your way back home?" he said in a snarky response.

"I know I'm sorry... I will also have to apologize to mother. See she's in the middle of adopting and I've only been in her care for about 5 days." she said apologetically as she rubbed her hand gingerly.

The bartender gave her a wicked smiling as he started straightening out his bow tie. "Yeah I know where she is... how much are you going to pay for me to tell you?" Ariana pondered on the idea of having to pay for information. She tilted her head and gave him a long stare. "No thank you, if you're willing to sell me information then I believe I'm close by. So if I just walk around just a little bit more I will probably find it." She said bluntly, turned around and started to move away from the bartender.

"Suit yourself kid!" the bartender shouted as he picked up his rag again and started cleaning the mug. As she started to approach the exit, tall man stepped in front of her, to her surprise it was Wendell who was blocking her way. "I'll escort you back little lady." he said in a melodious voice. Ariana's eyes opened wide but she tried her best to keep her cool. She took a step back and curtsied to him. "I wouldn't want to be a bother to you, so I'll have to say no to your kind gesture."

Wendell stepped forward and grabbed her small wrist. "It's no trouble at all little lady. I'll be more than happy to take you back home." he said as he raised his rice hat revealing his black eyes and crooked smile. Ariana gave him the biggest smile back and placed her hand over his wrist.

In second she turned her back to him, widened her stance, flipped him over her shoulder in one giant swoop that it caused him to become dazed as he laid on his back. looking up to the ceiling. She bent over, meeting his eyes and keeping her smiling in place. "I said no thank you."

She yanked her wrist free and saw that all the people the pub had gone silent and was watching her intently. She met everyone's eyes and then turn to the bartender. "I am so sorry that I made a ruckus in your pub! Please accept my humblest apologies as I leave." she said in a remorseful voice.

As she turned to walk away she felt a cold hand grasp her ankle causing her to fall down. The moment she landed on the floor another hand had wrapped itself around her other ankle. She was then flipped over and forced to look at the ceiling. She sat up and tried to pull her ankles free as Wendell watched her struggle, malice entered his eyes causing them to blaze with contempt. "No princess you're going to be coming with me." he said in a menacing voice.

Suddenly a black, cloaked person came out of nowhere and landed on top of Wendell's back. The pain stricken face he made completely complemented the horrifying crack his back made. The cloaked person then jumped off his back and landed right on his wrist with swift precision causing an even louder cracking sound making Wendell release Ariana's ankles.

The cloaked person scooped up Ariana by the waist and ran towards the exit. Ariana took a look back just in time to see Wendell being surrounded by the customers and bartender. "Where did you think you were going to take that little lady." ask the bartender in a deadly tone.

The cloaked person had leapt through the crowd of people with ease as he carried Ariana towards the park. He bent down slightly so that Ariana's feet could touch the ground. The moment they did, the person grabbed one of her hands and let go of her waist. Helping her find her balance.

The moment Ariana was holding the person's hand she felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her body. "Cayden?" she asked as she squeezed his hand.