It was a dark and miserable night. The rain fell thin and sparse, so cold that the bare marrows of your bones would shiver. The dim, teardrop streetlights hung like frozen fireflies amidst the gloom; their lights filtered by the gathered mist, flickering stilly. A flit of a shadow shifts an alleyway away from me, and I freeze in caution. My eyes trace through the darkness but no other movement is visible. The nerves must be getting to me. Perchance it was but a stray. Whatever the case, I didn't have time to stop moving. I stumbled through the slick, cobbled streets, my coat wrapped tightly against my lean figure. My fingertips trace across the coarse brick outlay that makes up the vast majority of the buildings that line the narrow streets. Even they are icy from the rain, ay. I shiver noticeably.

A distance away from me, I hear the faint sounds of deep shouting to my back. By the multitude of voices, that blasted man must've gotten his henchmen involved. I curse under my breath, then deftly yank my hood over my eyes. My fingers grip the strap of my satchel tighter, and I quickly slip into one of back alleys. The shadows enveloped me like a slip of silk.

Throaty bays erupt, close. Merde, he's even brought the dogs! I am... royally screwed. The darkness keeps me hidden alright, but it also makes it harder for me to see. And I've got to distance myself. My nails dig crescent moons into the palms of hands; focus, focus. I turn a corner, scowling visibly, and my mind falls back to how exactly I'd gotten myself involved in such a mess.

It'd been a night like any other, humid but chilled. The streetlights had unsteadily flared to life as the sun disappeared beyond the borders of our city. A silent rain had begun to fall sparingly, and the joint situated at the border of the Inner Ring and Border Provinces-- two divisions of the city-- had just turned on its lights. The atmosphere was warm-- amidst the darkness, it was a single glowing ember. I slipped inside, as I always did when I had nowhere else to turn in.

The streets were harsh and cruel. Didn't filch enough to stave off the hunger? Tough. There was little a place that I could turn to. But here, in the single-storied Victorian building, everything disappeared. It was a safe haven in a distorted type of way. At night, the lights would be lit and anyone of any status could show up for a chat or bite to eat. But mostly, they all came for the games. There were chess boards for those who brought their own pieces, decks of cards piled on the far most table. Of course, the policy was playing for bragging rights... But the competition and the betting was still high. Although, now that I think back... even this haven had turned on me…

On this night, I'd had my chess pieces stashed inside of satchel, and I'd been leaning against the back wall. The crowd was growing steadily, filling up the room quicker than a dealer's shuffle. Most of the playing tables were already full. The telltale scent of grit and sweat was immediately evident.

A flash of dandelion-colored hair bumps into me. The boy's eyes flash my way long enough for me to see his cerulean irises before he averts his gaze to the ground. I furrow my brow, but before I can say anything, he's disappeared in the crowd. An array of figures quickly cloud my field of vision, and I sink back to my post on the wall.

"Not playing tonight, Jac?" a passerby had grinned at me; I'd bet my bishop that he'd drunk more than his fill.

"We'll see," I had responded, shaking my head slightly. My hood comes off, revealing hair the color of gnarled bark that falls artlessly around a narrow face. My eyes-- bronze or coal colored, depending on the lighting-- scanned the thick blockade of people. Finally, they fell on a chess table, where a man with a c***y sneer sits, brimming with overconfidence. He's wearing a dark colored suit with silver buttons and gold threads that embroidered the hems of either sleeve. My eyes flash black, gaze hardening. Here was a man that definitely had a fair deal of money and wasn't afraid to flaunt it. Here was a man used to being on top. In hindsight, perhaps giving him a taste of loss was not the smartest move.

"Play a round with me, Sir?" I ask, stealing a poor soul's chair to sit across from him. His venomous eyes gleam as he looks me up and down, then, deeming it an easy win for himself, laughs boisterously and agrees. He slides a squadron of marble playing pieces on to the board, and I unlatch my satchel to free my own wooden pawns. At the sight of my worn battalion, the man laughs a loud bark of a laugh.

"What do you say to a gold piece on the outcome," he asks wryly, chuckling. I could tell he felt he could scrape some easy money. The feeling of superiority radiated off of him. Well, two could play this game.
I smiled as naively as possible, "I've got twenty pieces on me."

The cur raises an eyebrow in bemusement, "Bet it all then, I'll match, you could make some quick cash."
Ha, it was evident he didn't believe that. But he's got another thing coming for him.

"Okay," I agree, smirking darkly, "let's play."

Four moves later, his king was trapped. I can see his eyes wide and stark, staring at the board. Disbelief riddles his countenance, I fight the desire to laugh or grin.

"Well, that's that, ain't it?" I say smoothly, sweeping my playing pieces into my satchel. I snake my hands forward again to collect my winnings. His fist suddenly pounds on to the table, almost catching my fingers. I snap my hand back in the nick of time.

"What...?" My frosty eyes rise to his face. He looks furious. Veins tighten across his neck, and his eyes are livid. I can see it in his every movement, he's never been humiliated like this before. Of course he hasn't, he's a Noble. And…

"You blasted streetdog," he growls, canines sharp and evident behind his pulled back lips. I gulp. Forget the money, I didn't need that anyways. Cue my exit.

I bolt.

And now here I am, running through the darkened streets, wet and shivering from the cruel drizzle. The shouts and guttural bays have grown closer. My feet pound against the cobblestones. Puddles splash with my every step, their tears arcing through the air parabolically before falling back to ground and merging with other droplets. My breathing has grown ragged.

A shaft of light, like a knife's blade, slices through the blackness from an alley in front of me. I shield my eyes as it momentarily blinds me.

"Found him!" a deep voice barks. I squint towards the light, backing up slowly. It takes a moment for my vision to clear. In front of me is a man with a lamp in one hand, dressed so dark he blended in with the shadows. No doubt, he was a guard. I curse, then turn around and run.

"I've got this side!" I hear someone yell as I break for the end of the path. Another beam of light abruptly appears from around the corner. I blink rapidly, trying to extinguish the sudden flash from my eyes. Disoriented, I look forwards, then back. Shoot, I was just trying to teach that stuck up Noble a lesson. He needed a little humbling. But could that really have been worth it?

My eyes flicker from one guard to the other, then my gaze falls to my remaining options. To my left, there was a building with a side ladder running from the ground to the roof. To my right, there was a small crevice between the walls of two brick, three-tier houses. My feet step around, jittery with fear. Glancing at the ladder one more time, I deem that even with my lithe build, I'd slip or get caught well before I reached the top. So... To the right it is.

I make a break for the slim opening.

"The brat's trying to escape!" one of the guards growls as he runs for me. His fingers skim my jacket, nearly catching hold, before I slip into the narrow passageway. It is clear that he and his companion would not be able to fit in. In fact, the passageway is so crouched I can barely fit myself. The rock scrapes at my back and arms as I inch forward. I suck in my stomach and attempt to move faster.

"Stay here," one guard orders the other, I turn my head to see one of the lights disappearing, "I'm going around."

I groan audibly. The sound harmonizes with the somber drip of the rain. If he got to the other side before I did, which seemed all the more likely, I'd be stuck here til' my death. Considering my lack of sustenance, that wouldn't be far off…

"Pst," a voice whispers. Or perhaps it is the rain. I'm going delirious.

"Look up," the voice says softly. I turn my head upwards as far as I can manage from my cramped position. The rain blurs my vision slightly, but then it clears, and I see a small vent about three heads taller than me. It's big enough that I can fit in just barely. Two pale hands appear, unclasping the grating, and then beckoning me to hurry up.

Easier said than done. I sigh, take a long deep breath, then extend my arms and hoist myself up. It was no easy feat, mind you. I had no maneuvering room, and I swear I slashed my pant leg on a cut of unsmoothed stucco as I pulled myself up. But somehow, I managed. My savior doesn't bother replacing the grate, instead he crawls forward, through the ventilation. As we make a turn, I can hear the faint, disbelieving echoes of one of the guards yelling, "That rat's gone! How...?!"

I can't help but smirk.

Finally, we reach a destination. The boy in front of me removes another set of grating and then jumps down from the vent-- which is a good six feet up on the wall-- and lands on all fours in a darkened room. I hesitate, but eventually follow suit. As I land, the boy turns on a light, and the whole room is illuminated in a damp yellow. My eyes scan the room once before finally taking a good look at my benefactor. Shock must definitely have appeared on my face.

"You," I say, brow furrowed in recognition , "you're that boy from the gaming joint. The one that bumped into me."

The boy sits down on a faded sofa, slender legs crossed. He has a slim, small build. His face is sharp and framed by a tousle of light blond hair. He looks young, mayhap no older than twelve.

"Yeah," he nods. When he offers no further explanation, I move closer and fold myself up on the opposite end of the sofa.

"Who are you? How did you know where I was? How did you know I needed help?" I ask, tense. Then I pause. After a second, I ask, "...and, why did you help me...?"

The boy looks me over. His large, clear-blue eyes reflect my image back at me. It throws me off. Behind him, a window is situated on the wall. The blinds are sloppily shielding it, but I can still see raindrops running down the windowpane through cracks in the shutters. The sound of steady rain drums in my ears like the beat of a frantic heart.

"My name is Robert," the boy replies quietly, "I've seen what you do. Sorry, I followed you from the joint... But, you're someone I admire."

I grimace, "Your admiration is misplaced. I'm just an outcast."

Robert looks at me steadily, "You've beaten so many Nobles at their own game. I know other people don't think much of it, but it has effects! They feel loss, just like we commonfolk do every day in our life. You teach them lessons."

I stare back at him with equal intensity, "I'm a thief, a pickpocket. I've palmed more gold than even a Noble could make in a decade."

"And you give them back to the poor," he replies, "I've seen you give them kids gold pieces for them to bring back to their families."

"You shouldn't look up to me," I sigh, knowing what I am about to say is irrevocably true, "however you fancy, I'm still just a black mark on society."

Robert grinds his teeth together. I can see the gears in his head turning. He's mulling over something.

"It's not just that. It's not just what you do. It's... that confidence you have. What you do is dangerous. Don't even deny it. You could've been killed back there just now. How do you have that type of confidence? Where does it come from...?"

A thing, sad smile plays on my lips. I laugh harshly, "I've no confidence. It's not confidence that pulls me through. It's just... Some things are worth it. Some things are worth risking your life for. I know that whatever I do will only scratch the surface of this screwed-up society of ours. But I still have to try."
I look towards him wanly. Maybe one day he would find something of his own that he would risk his life for. Maybe one day he would believe in something just as much as I did.

"I know that I'm putting a lot on the line," I finish quietly, eyes closed, "but... This is bigger than me. I've devoted my life to this. This is something I feel is definitely worth it."

With that, I gave him my thanks. Then, despite his protests I left his room and went outside. The guards had left the area, presumably to search elsewhere for their prey. All was silent. Something was missing.
It was then that I realized, the rain had finally stopped. The moon hung in the sky, uncovered and bold. The entire city was bathed in an ethereal light. I smile thinly. Even with the risks, even with the consequences, even with everything that happened tonight, this was my decision. I had no regrets.