Chapter One, Imbalance Realized

[Morathor]

"Tashi, are you hungry?"
"Nn."
"How about some apples? I have enough money left for a few..."
"Nnnn..."
"You have to eat, Tashi."
"Okaaaay..."
"Yeah, you with the apples, how much you sellin those for?"
"Three for a copper."
"Yeah, that's good." He paid the man and started juggling the apples. "Which one do you want, Tashi? One is yours, one is mine, one is for later."

[Meirou]

Someone bumped into Tashi at that moment. Well..it was more like 'knocked over' than 'bumped'. The bumper was a tall teenager who had an armful of..something.. and was holding onto a peach percariously with their teeth. Without pausing to see if Tashi was alright, or even to apologise the person was back on their feet and running full tilt. Seconds later a shout of 'Stop! Theif!' was clearly heard.

[Morathor]

"...are you okay Tashi?"
"Yu-huh..."
"...let's go after her."
"Mweh?"
He lifted the boy onto his shoulders and ran off.

[Meirou]

Normally the girl's long legs would be an asset to her running, but she was overburdened with the food she was holding and she was being overly careful of the peach in her mouth, and thus was slowed down a considerable amount. She skidded to a pause for a brief second and glanced about apparently debating whether she should loose herself in the crowd, or try and make it onto the rooftops.

[Morathor]

"Want some help carrying that, ma'am?"

[Meirou]

"Mfmfmf," was the reply. Hard to talk with a peach in your mouth after all, she stuffed several peices of fruit down the younger male's collar, then removed the peach from her mouth, flashed them both a grin and took off for the rooftops.

[Morathor]

"Nu-uh nu-uh I don't want any part of thiiiiis!"
"Shhh, it's okay, just shove them down my shirt okay?"
Sniffle. "Kay."
Kides followed her to the rooftops.

[Meirou]

She was about three rooftops away, leaning over the edge slightly and apparently looking for the fruit vender, when she caught side of Kides she put a finger to her lips and motioned him to get low.

[Morathor]

"...stealing is not the best way to get food, ma'am. Do you have a name?"

[Meirou]

"Shh. I'm Mischa, not ma'am. And it's not like I really need it. It's just fun."

[Morathor]

"Tch tch tch. And odd one, surely."
"I don't liike heer..."
"You don't have to like everyone, Tashi... as long as you're not mean to them."
"What if she's mean to meeee?"
"We'll see about that if she ever is."

[Meirou]

"Shhhh!" Mischa stuck a peice of fruit in each one of their mouthes, "It's not fun if you give away your location. Look see that fat one? He's gonna give himself a heart attack if he keeps running around in this weather."

[Morathor]

"Mmf." Kides nodded.
Tashi spat out the fruit and started to wail.
"Mmf! Mm mm Tmfi, mmhm-mm." Kides adjusted the boy and hugged him, rocking him back and forth gently.

[Meirou]

"O_o You two are bad at this game. Imma go away now," Mischa nodded and took off running again, skidding to a halt at the end of the roof then taking a few steps back and leaping across to the neighboring roof.

[Morathor]

Kides followed, still comforting Tashi.