Upon Silver Devil: Chapter Three

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[I can't say i've ever seen him drunk actually. I haven't seen him in nearly ten years.] Hmm that'd be interesting. [He got tall.] He smiled oddly, trying to make light of what was clearly pretty awkward and difficult.

Rigel placeda few bets himself, making a few credits before they had to leave because of the annoyed other men.

~~~
Dawn backed away then sighed and shook her head "Can't say I didn't warn you." She said then called on her powers, making knives out of air and swirling them at the two men to cut them.

James led his friends around, looking for anything interesting to occupy them until that meeting. "Hope nobody's tried to break into our ship. I don't wanna have to mop the floor when we get back," he remarked. "I'm sure Tala doesn't clean up her messes."

The smaller one was ahead of his friend and took most of the attack, crying out as invisible blades of air attacked him.

The bigger guy took cover, aiming his gun at her. "Little bitch, you're gonna pay for that!" He opened fire while his companion dropped to the ground and crawled in an attempt to get away from whatever the hell Dawn was doing.

The sound drew attention.

Nearby Esk rose from his seat, tucking his sketchbook away. What the hell? He took cover just in case.

Security personal checked their weapons and sidled slowly toward the alleyway, they didn't look like they were about to intervene so much as grab anyone who tried to get away.

Dawn dodged behind a dumpster to avoid getting hit by any bullets. "I told you to leave me alone" She told the big guy, sending her blades of air at him. She wasn't aiming to kill, just to drive them off.

The big guy ducked behind something, swearing loudly as her blades shot over his head.

The other guy however was well and truly spooked and as soon as he felt he could, he scrambled onto all fours and fled straight into the arms of the security officers loudly screaming about a "witch with invisible blades of air!"

The officers cuffed the guy and dragged him aside.
They weren't about to go storm that alley and risk getting shot or anything though. As long as this fight remained contained, they weren't about to intervene.

The big guy had given up the idea of mugging Dawn, now he was just pissed off and wanted to hurt her.
He kept low and out of sight, hoping that'd mean she couldn't hit him with her magic as he reloaded his gun.

Esk crept closer, air blades? Damnit, had Dawn managed to get herself into a fight? Maybe it was some other air elementalist. He could hope right?

A security officer stopped him getting too close, holding their arm out to block his approach. "I'd suggest you take cover sir." They told him. "It's under control."

"If it's under control then why are you telling me to take cover?" Esk countered.

The big guy started shooting again, his shots interspersed with swearing as he got within shot of those blades.
"Come out where I can see you you little freak!" He yelled.

James head gunshots in the distance. "Um, guys?" he muttered. "That doesn't sound good."

"You should learn better than to try to mug someone just because they look weak." Dawn countered, staying behind the dumpster. It was a dead end alley after all, so she had nowhere to go.

"Gunshots on a space station never sounds good"Rigel agreed, frowning towards the sound. "Should we had back and make sure our people are ok, or go investigate?"

"I think we should stay away, security will deal with it... right?" Luka reasoned. Besides, what were the chances it was one of their crew? Actually, with Esk...
still, if he'd started a fight it was his problem, they'd retrieve him from a jail cell later.

--

It seemed they were at a stalemate then. The big guy tried to stand up again so he could get a decent shot in. He was dimly aware that his companion had fled and he knew they'd attract a crowd but he didn't much care, he'd get locked up regardless of whether her hurt the girl or not, so he may as well hurt her. He really wanted to hurt her. "Come outta there you little bitch, you can't just hide forever."

---

Esk shot the security officer a 'you were saying?' sort of look at the gunshots.
"you gonna do anything or just let them keep taking pot shots?"

"Hey, we're not going down there. We'll get shot!" the guard protested.

"Cowards." Esk heard Dawn's voice, damnit Dawn. What had she gotten herself into?

"Hey, you wanna go get shot!?" The guard snapped.

Esk snorted. "So much for security huh?"

"I'm not paid enough for this." The guard complained.

Esk nodded. "I know that feeling." He drew his gun.

"You aren't really going in there?" The guard argued.

"Gonna stop me?" Esk countered.

Maybe it was something in the expression on Esk's face but the Guard hesitated, then shook his head. "Er.. no... go right on ahead.. just.. don't kill anyone okay? the paperwork is a bitch."

Esk would have found that amusing, were he not now focusing on Dawn's predicament. Sure she could probably get out of this on her own, but with how much collateral damage?

"We should at least find out what's going on, right?" James said uncertainly. "I mean, we should be aware about why people are shooting things, so we know whether we should get out of here or not." He frowned. Yeah, that did sound like a dumb idea actually. Might be better to head for the Silver Devil right now.

"This place is full of thugs and criminals right? " Luka rationalised. "Maybe Swarm knows..." She looked around for them, where the hell had they gotten to?

Dawn sighed then chuckled softly, sitting down. "Not a chance of that boy-o." She said, though she stopped the swords, they took too much energy. She left 'feelers' to make sure he didn't advance.

~~~
Rigel frowned then shook hishe head. "Alright, Luka you go to the ship, see who's not there and send a report to my tablet. James, you and I will make our way closer and see what's going on, though if our people aren't involved, we won't be. "

James saluted. "Yes sir!"

The guy growled and thinking it safe, moved to stand "Tired yourself out have you bitch?"

There was a click as Esk walked up behind him and pressed his gun to the back of the guy's head before he could get up. "I suggest you shut up, drop your weapon and join your companion." He told him briskly.

"You're not gonna shoot me." The guy spat, but he remained perfectly still.

"Wanna bet?" Esk smirked. "Drop the gun."

The big guy considered his options, still angry and indeed stupid enough to push his luck.
He moved slightly, aiming his own weapon approximately toward where Dawn was hiding.

"Fuck you people are stupid." Esk complained, ramming the gun harder into the back of the guy's head. He wanted to shoot this guy, he really really did, but he knew it'd be a nightmare to get out of if he splattered this asshole's brains across the alley. Silently he hoped Dawn got the memo to take advantage of the distraction and either get out of here, or use her ability to disarm this guy. You know, without getting herself shot.

"Here's the thing, see, it's always the ones who look the most harmless who can kick your ass. In fact, the only reason she's not painting the walls in your blood right now is because she has a moral code and restraint." He paused for effect. "I'm not so good with either of those things. So, how about you drop the gun and we take a little walk back to your buddy and you two can spend the night in a nice little cell together hmm?"

"Fuck you." The big guy growled.

Esk sighed.

---

Luka nodded curtly. "Of course captain!" She saluted more genuinely perhaps than James and headed toward the ship. No point telling them to be careful was there? they never listened.

Dawn heard Esk and smiled a little. She did three things at once, made a shield of air in front of herself, stood and made a single blade to slash at the big guy's hands to force him to drop his weapons, at least that is what she tried. "Esk is right. I don't like to kill, but I will if forced to."

~~
Rigel smiled a little then turned to head for the gunshots.

James followed quickly, watching for any sign of the people who were fighting. He really hoped it wasn't anyone he knew.

The big guy howled in pain at the blade and his weapon went skittered across the floor as he crumpled, cradling his arm.

Esk rolled his eyes at the fuss and holstered his gun. "He's all yours!" He called back to the guards.
He didn't see the guy as a threat now and moved around him to go to Dawn's side. "you okay?" He asked flatly.

Two of the security team braved the alley at last, hesitant to get too close to Dawn. They guided the big guy, who was still making a racket about his hand back toward the exit, one stooping to pick up the gun as they left.

Dawn sighed when the guy dropped the gun, glad of that. She stepped out from behind the garbage can. "Hey Esk" She said and smiled at him then frowned and leaned against the dumpster, a hand going to her waist on her left side. He had clipped her before she had hid, but she hadn't felt it until now. She cursed softly and looked down at the wound.

"Damnit Dawn, what are you doing wandering around this shithole on your own anyway?" Esk noticed she seemed to be hurt. "How bad?" He asked.

"I can take care of myself." Dawn said then sighed and shook her head "I don't know, he shot me." She said and looked at the blood on her hand "I should get to a medic, I can't see it well myself."

James led Rigel toward the sound of gunfire, which eventually stopped, thankfully. James kept looking though, because now he wanted to know what had happened!
He spotted Dawn and Esk in the alley.
"Guys? What happened?!"

Dawn looked up at the familiar voice then sighed and dipped her ehad again. "A couple of guys wanted to jump me and we ended up in a fight. He shot me."

"Oh my God! You're shot?" James hurried over.

Esk sighed. "Yeah, you kinda showed that." He told Dawn. He knew she could handle herself, didn't mean she didn't attract attention though. "Come on, let's get you somewhere there's light." He looked over as James and Rigel appeared. Eugh, just what they needed. more questions.
"James, help her. We have to get her somewhere we can see how bad it is." Hey good thing he had a lot of experience with bullet wounds, rather too much actually.

One of the security officers tried to get their attention. "We need to take a statement." He told Dawn.

"Fuck off, she's hurt." Esk snapped.

Dawn looked to the officer then to James and Rigel as he came over to help her out of the alley. "Those two followed me and tried to mug me because they thought I was an easy target. There's your statement" She said with a touch of anger in her tone, though it was controlled. Yeah, she had heard them arrive and not help her and she wasn't happy with them. "Do you often leave people to defend themselves here?"

James came over to Dawn, trying to get a look at her wound. "If you're bleeding, we should put something on your wound to stop it until we get home," he said. He paused to gesture crudely at the security officer who had asked for a statement, before rooting around in his med kit.

Dawn looked to James then nodded "Yeah, I know you don't like blood, but can you see if it went all the way through?" She asked softly, leaning against Rigel on her other side now.