Buskin' and Beggin', iu: svaatsi; iso: lefty/hope

if a man has wings and he is surely meant for better things..
S V A A T S I

The hunt was still on. Svaatsi had thought that today was the day a few days ago -- but he was wrong. In fact, that day was definitely not the day, as he didn't even see the girl. But today? Today was definitely going to be the day that things at least got started. Svaatsi had even checked -- drinking his afternoon tea, he read the leaves. Then he convened with the western waters and they were golden -- yes, today was a good day to push towards an apology. You couldn't force something this delicate, especially when you were apologizing to a woman.

But of course, when you needed to apologize, you also needed to have a gift. But what did you give a girl like Corriander? She's insane, Svaatsi reminded himself, as if that would help him come up with the perfect gift for the sun-headed girl. It did not occur to him that reminding him of how crazy she was really just opened up that dark pit in his stomach, rehashing the feelings of anger he had towards her and their prior fight. He was sure as hell not useless, how could she've said something like that? Did she even say anything like that? Svaatsi couldn't remember. No matter, it wasn't a big deal, she was angry, and he was angry, and things were said. It was time to fix them. Svaatsi stopped, leaning outside of a storefront, trying to repair that hole in his stomach. He was also absent-mindedly checking the amount of gold he had in his pockets... not much.

"Well, shit," He muttered. Now what was he gonna do? He had to make a spot of cash, and fast.

then nothings worth coming down.

So this was the Hyssop District? He hadn't been to this part of the town yet but he hadn't really exploded the island any farther than the dock to his new home until now. There were shops everywhere around him, which was a welcomed relief to being stuck inside all day. He needed to get out more...

Spring was his favorite season despite the rain. It was a reminder to him on what he needed to do and to learn from from was around him. He began to snoop inside the buildings from their windows, wondering what exactly some of these items were. He was quite sheltered after all so seeing a tree with actual fruit on it was a first for him. He had began to wonder if the plates that his food came on just produced what he ate everyday. But even he had the common sense to know that wasn't true...right?

He stuck his hands into his jacket pocket to find a few loose coins he was hoping to use to buy some cherries and grapes but he was then quickly distracted by the man in the distance who seemed to be talking to himself. "What an odd fellow." Hope thought to himself, watching the man closely to see if he could find out what he was saying. He seemed a bit distressed and his hands were in his pocket. Maybe he's confused? Hope shrugged, he wasn't close enough to read this stranger's body gestures so he took a few steps forward.

if a man has wings and he is surely meant for better things..
S V A A T S I

"Well, shit," He muttered. Now what was he gonna do? He had to make a spot of cash, and fast. Svaatsi's eyes lifted just barely, to make out any feet passing by him -- nope, no one. This place wasn't a ghost town, he knew that... but no one was out.
"I guess that's what you get, when you have a job." The fellow muttered to himself again. Surely anyone who saw him thought he was crazy; which it was safe to say, he was, in the most charming of crazy ways. He sighed to himself, still thinking. Maybe he could get a job? "Hardly." Maybe he could start busking? "With what instrument Svaatsi, come on." Maybe he could start caring less? "That wouldn't go over well..." There was only one last choice, one that he wasn't fond of but had no problem stooping to, if the situation called: begging.. Svaatsi slipped a hand out of his pocket, pushed himself off the storefront, and put the plan in action.

"Spare a few coins?" To a couple of teenage girls. "Spare a few coins? Such beautiful women as yourself must be rich! Otherwise you wouldn't be able to afford such gorgeous threads," He muttered with a wink. One girl giggled, reaching out and dropping a few coins with a soft metallic clink. He nodded, smiled and slipped them into his pocket.
"Spare a few coins?" To an elderly gentleman, and the man's wife. Met with an unhappy sneer from the man -- the woman nudged her husband and passed him a note. Svaatsi smiled, nodded and slipped them into his pocket. So the behavior continued, with him charming and then slinking away and talking to himself, counting.

Svaatsi didn't know that he had attracted a watcher. From a few feet away, a raven-haired fellow stood, just watching him. It wasn't until a few minutes that Svaatsi noticed him, too, and watched. The man didn't seem to be a threat -- he was smaller than Svaatsi, with less of a build. Most importantly though, he was well dressed.

"Excuse me, spare a few coins?" Svaatsi said to him, waving. No answer. "Uhh, dude? Spare... a few coins?"

then nothings worth coming down.

Hope continued to watch the man as he sat down and started begging for change from people passing him by. "Was he really that desperate or was he just money-hungry?" Either way, this was a pathetic attempt. If this man needed money so badly then why didn't he just go to the church? It's their job to help those who are having hard times and to let them find the light. Well, that's what he was taught anyway...and he hoped it was still true.

When the man spoke, Hope almost jumped. He wasn't expecting him to ask him for anything. Nobody on this island so far has tried. His clothes weren't all that special either except for the fact that he made it all himself. His hands were still in his long black jacket, letting the coins slide through his fingers slowly. He wasn't about to give this stranger money JUST because he wanted some. If he wanted it then he was going to work for it.

Hope took one more step closer to the man but turned his gaze away from him, shaking his head slowly, his orange hat sliding back on his head, in slight pity. Hope didn't have much money himself, being new to the island, but at least he wasn't begging on the street. He pointed to one of the nearby shops as if to say in the nicest way possible: "Get a job you lazy bum."

if a man has wings and he is surely meant for better things..
S V A A T S I

The watcher didn't respond to him -- only stared. What was this about? Svaatsi didn't mind strange people; he felt at home with them usually, but this guy was on a whole different level. Svaatsi's life had taught him that when someone spoke to you, you responded. And if someone was in need, you sure as hell helped out, not held tight on your purse strings.

And this wasn't begging just for the fun of it: this was begging for money, and begging for forgiveness. Sure, Svaatsi didn't need to show up with his arms full of chocolates and gifts, but he was going to. Because he found that girls were not as willing to slap you if they had their hands full of chocolate. Usually -- he faintly recalled the day Corriander actually whipped around and beat him savagely, all while holding a half of grilled cheese. Apparently his little girlfriend was not as willing to spare certain dairy products.

The guy didn't say anything, still. Svaatsi held fast, waiting eagerly and hopeful.
Still nothing.
"Uhhh... dude? Spare... a few coins?" He said, but the guy didn't even budge. He was more comatose than Sora at the crash site -- was this a normal thing for people in Saffron? To just be completely catatonic?
Finally, the stranger reacted. He didnt speak, but his expression changed to one of disdain. Svaatsi hated that look, that look that screamed I'm so much better than you. He pointed across the street to a nearby store -- a woman's apparel store.

"Uhm, no, I wouldn't look good in any of that," Svaatsi replied, "But some gold to help out a fellow villager would be nice. The man just continued to point.
"I... uhh... don't wear women's clothes."
Still pointing. It clicked in Svaatsi's head -- this guy was clearly too much of a coward to speak, so instead he just resorted to pointing, half-answering with the ever popular beggar-response: 'go get a job'.

Svaatsi's eyes narrowed. His mouth grew sour. Go get a job? No job was good enough for the high-faring sky captain of the S.S. Tesseract. Of course, that would lead to question why he was begging right now, but the details weren't important. The main thing was he was feeling insulted.
"Really pal? Really?" Svaatsi said, his voice raising. He was beginning to attract attention. "You're gonna shut down a veteran like that? Refuse to pass out pocket change because you're too good to help out your fellow man?" Svaatsi answered the man's look of disgust with one of his own.

"Shame on you sir, shame on you."

then nothings worth coming down.

What was this guy talking about? He wasn't trying to tell him to go buy woman's clothes, that would just be stupid. He's obviously a man and wearing woman's clothing would look absolutely horrid on him. Hope began to eye the man from head to toe. "Maybe a nice formal jacket with--no, not right now. Focus on what he's trying to tell you." he thought to himself, shaking his head to erase the thought process in his head. He had to at least give this man a chance.

The man kept asking for money but Hope wasn't going to give up what little he had with him. Now, the man was insulting him. What did he do to deserve this? It's not his fault that he can't actually TELL him what he's thinking. He stood there firmly, his arms now crossed over his chest. He glared at the "veteran" with pity and disappointment. If he is what he claims to be, then he should have more pride in himself, not resort to begging for loose change.

There is no cure for the ignorant though, a thought Hope placed in his mind long ago, as he pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and began to write, so to stop the gathering crowd this loud man was bringing around them. "Please calm down." it stated blankly on its faded texture. He walked over to the sitting man and handed him the paper, bending down in front of him and giving him a light smile. "It's not his fault he doesn't understand me but he didn't even try." It's not like Hope wasn't used to this additude towards him but he had that small feeling of disappointment slowly eating at him. Assuming someone is rude at first meeting is a shame to do but if you take the time to get to know someone you can build a relationship that will last. He remembered his father telling him this when he first became like this but he never thought those words would have much meaning until moments like this.

if a man has wings and he is surely meant for better things..
S V A A T S I

"Shame on you, sir. Shame on you." Svaatsi said, distaste in his voice. He glared at the man through slitted eyes, a sneer on his face. "More respect for your elders, really." Was he older than the fella in question? Probably not, or not by much. Was he even a veteran? Of course not, but who would question something like that when you were down on your luck. Due to the commotion he caused, a few villagers had sauntered over, muttering little quips and passing the loud man dollar bills.

"Thank you, kind people. Glad to see someone has compassion in their hearts," He said, all dripping with gratitude. It was all an act, and a good one. It wasn't what he had originally planned to do, of course, but it was just as good. Originally he had wanted to guilt trip the man out of the last little bit of cash he had, but he had managed to get more out of the sweet, giving villagers around. He quickly flipped the bills and shoved them into his pocket while the crowd dispersed, relapsing back to his seat at the shop's front. Perfect. Now he could stop harrassing the poor guy, who seemed too dumbstruck to speak.

A piece of paper was slipped to Svaatsi -- ah, he wasn't dumbstruck. Just couldn't speak at all. Please calm down, it said, and he only gave a hearty laugh.
"Aye mate, I'm calm as the river stream." he said, grinning. "Y'really helped me out there. Won't have t'worry for a while now." He said, with a little shrug. He didn't know what the note was about -- but he had a good guess. For some reason, note-writing seemed popular here, either the fella was too shy to speak, or he simply couldn't. At first he figured he was deaf, but the answer he gave was too clear that he heard all the words Svaatsi had muttered -- or at least could lipread well enough.

"So what's with the notes, pal?" He asked easily, stretching one leg out, and putting an arm light on his bent knee. "Y'deaf or you mute? Or just shy?" Svaatsi questioned heavily. There was really no reason to skirt around the subject. "`Cuz I ran into all those types here already. Crazy how the like gravitate to the same place, hmm?"

then nothings worth coming down.