Hajime laughed. "You're so energetic all of a sudden!" He rubbed Handlebars' head briefly and turned in the other direction. "I'll go and get you something. Stay here," he said over his shoulder and began walking away, back towards his storage room.

Once again, the room disturbed him, but he managed to ignore his surroundings and focus on his goal--a trunk of his old clothing. Pushing the door open wide and hoping that Handlebars hadn't followed him, he picked up one end of the trunk and dragged it out of the room.

Handlebars waited patiently for Hajime. Normally, he would've followed his friend. But something inside of him told him to stay put.

Sighing, the teen pulled his mp3 player out of his pocket and began to shuffle aimlessly through the songs.

((:c Short.))

((cx Heeh. *bad*))

Hajime pulled the wooden trunk down the hallway. Its unadorned yet not austere dark wood scraped along the lighter wood floor, leaving no trail but producing a low scraping sound. He paused outside his room, debating leaving the trunk in there.

After a moment, he shrugged slightly and continued down the hallway, instead dropping the trunk in the middle of his living room, in front of Handlebars. Hajime softly cleared his throat. "These were mine. They don't fit anymore... There are all sorts of clothes in here."

He stood awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck and looking out the window before finishing, "...You can have them if you like." He left the trunk where it was and walked over to sit on the couch next to Handlebars.

Handlebars looked at Hajime, his face turning red. "O-oh... Are you sure?"

He slowly got up and walked to the trunk and crouched, carefully opening it. "Wow..." he whispered, his eyes widening. To anyone else, this would have just been a trunk full of old clothes. But to Handlebars, who had never had the privelege of owning more than two or three outfits at once, this old trunk was a treasure chest.

"I can really have these?" he asked, looking back at Hajime. After digging through a few articles of clothing, Handlebars finally pulled out a dull brown coat and held it up. "This is perfect..." he said quietly, as he pulled it on. It fit. The teen stood up and faced Hajime.

"Thanks, Haju!" Handlebars exclaimed, grinning at his friend.

((:c That just made his day. ...They should run into The Jant while they're out.))

((xD So cute~ And you wanna? I dunno what he'd do. x3))

A barely perceptible blush came into Hajime's cheeks. "They're all yours," he said with an uncharacteristically happy smile. "You're welcome, Handle." Then he looked Handlebars over and laughed.

"You're going to need a bit more than your PJs, kid. It snowed last night, you know." He gestured at the trunk. "There should be some of everything in there; sweaters, boxers, socks, and so on. Sorry, I don't wear briefs, so none of those. If I remember, there are a couple pairs of shoes at the bottom."

Hajime stood. "Get dressed and we'll go. Want me to take that to the bedroom?" He gestured again at the trunk.

((;c You heard it here. Haji's a boxer man.))

((Handle wears briefs. ;c ...God, no. xD))

Handlebars blushed once more and laughed. "Oh yeah, I forgot I was wearing this stuff." He took the coat off and tossed it onto the couch. The teen crouched again and dug through the trunk of clothes. After a few moments, he pulled out a dark green sweater, a pair of faded jeans, and a pair of socks. "I can use the shoes I already have for now," Handlebars said, smiling up at Hajime.

He stood and pulled off his shirt. "If you wanna take that back, you can," he said, looking at the trunk. "I got what I need out of it, and... I probably shouldn't change in the living room all the time."

"Oh," Handlebars said, tugging the green sweater over his head. "I don't wear briefs, either. They give me the creeps."

((x3 Handle had a very bad experience with briefs. Yep.))

Hajime laughed and closed the trunk. Picking up one end as before, he dragged the trunk back to his bedroom and left it near his own closet. Hajime then paused.

...He was wearing his pajamas, too. With a small half-smile, he pulled his shirt over his head and put on a clean white one from his dresser. He also changed into a pair of dark-colored jeans and shrugged on a slightly weathered black leather jacket before returning to his living room, and Handlebars. Picking up his friend's new coat, he asked, "Ready to go?"

((c8 Better late than never.))

((>8c You hair. OH YEAH. I WENT THERE.))

Handlebars, who was tying his shoes, took his coat and nodded, smiling. "I hope the ice out there isn't too bad," he said, looking towards the door. "I can't tell you how many times I've fallen on my butt because of a sheet of ice on the sidewalk."

Handlebars put on his coat and looked at Hajime. "I'll lead the way, then," he said, walking over to the door and opening it.

((That's all you get. ;c))

Hajime slid his shoes on and followed Handlebars to the door. "...I just realized," he said. "You haven't been conscious either time you entered my house. I had to carry you here both times." He laughed, recalling the night they'd met. Handlebars had had one gla.ss of alcohol and pa.ssed out almost instantly. He obviously didn't hold liquor well.

And this time... "Are you sure you're all right?" asked Hajime, remembering the kid's state upon arriving at the flat above the chapel. He didn't want to risk anything before he was sure his friend was going to be okay.

But at the same time, he had experienced already the difficulty of getting Handlebars to drop a plan after becoming determined to undertake it.

Handlebars stiffened and stopped walking.

There's no way he's making me stay here until I get that necklace.

He turned his head slightly and smiled, staring at Hajime out of the corner of his eye. "I'm fine, Haju," he said, laughing a little. "We won't be out long, anyway."

The teen turned his head away from his friend and continued walking. He tried to ignore the churning in his stomach.

He's lying... though Hajime. It was simple enough to tell. The way he tensed, the tone of his voice... Hajime sighed and followed Handlebars closely. He wanted to be there when his friend needed help.

"What are we getting, again?" he asked.

((Ridiculously short.))

He knows I'm lying.

"Well... To be honest, I want to get that locket you gave me for my birthday," he said quietly, staring straight ahead. "You know, the one my mother had."

He quickened his pace a little as he turned and started down an alleyway. "Don't let your guard down," he said, his tone grim. "Not that I'm really worried. I know you can hold your own. But these alleys get a bit rough at night."

((LOL O HAI))

"I understand," said Hajime quietly. He hadn't realized his gift had meant so much to Handlebars... Of course, it made sense. The locket Hajime had given to Handlebars for his birthday had come from the kid's mother. Hajime had taken it from the woman's cold neck, intending to sell it, but had never been able to part with it.

Following swiftly behind his friend, Hajime tensed slightly. He heard people--two people, thin of frame, probably teenaged--nearby.

"All right, Jaguar," said Garrett in a low tone. "You got this?" Jant nodded, responding to the nickname used for him by everyone in the underground. The underground matches fought amongst a network of teenagers throughout Solfege City did not include things like this, but Garrett--Jailbreak, they called him--insisted that this was the way to train. And Jant believed him, of course. Anything to get stronger was nothing at all to Jant.

The night was Jant's element. With his dark skin and black clothing, he was nearly invisible against the dim sky, where he was faintly silhouetted atop an old building.

Invisible, that is, until he deftly climbed from his position to the ground without a sound and stood before the two men, contrasted against the white snow.

Hajime hardly flinched. Though he'd made no motions to indicate it, he'd heard this boy coming.  Unable to stop himself from emitting a low growl of annoyance, he looked the youth over. Clearly one of the underground's boys. They were known for their brashness, their adamancy, and their penchant for brawls... The last thing Hajime needed while trying to keep an eye on Handlebars' health. He glared at the boy from behind Handlebars, having not yet moved from his following position.

Jant did flinch. Dammit, of all the people in the city-! He knew at a glance that he had run into the supposed legendary a.ssa.ssin. With a slight glance back at the building where Garrett still lay in wait, he turned and made momentary eye contact with Hajime. Jant shivered slightly and held his ground.

((Long and largely irrelevant. xD))

((8c -scareded-))

Handlebars gasped under his breath and took a step back. He wasn't usually a jumpy person.

The teen took another step back and stopped, turning his head to look at Hajime. "He's shivering," he whispered to his friend. "He's either cold or afraid. Maybe both. Just stay quiet and don't do anything until you absolutely need to."

Doubting Hajime would actually obey his orders, Handlebars turned back to the figure in front of him. "I won't ask what you're doing out here at this hour. Now what do you want?" There was a slight hint of annoyance in his voice. Handlebars was fairly used to running into people like this.

Hajime opened his mouth, but stopped himself from replying at the last moment. Instead, crossing his arms, he tried to pick out any discerning features that he could use to describe the kid to Jace later on. No doubt, he would be able to recognize this guy.

Jant looked distastefully at the other guy in front of him with the venom of a viper. It was easy to see a fatal flaw in the teenager. Although his tone was cold, his words conveyed compas.sion. He had a heart. And hearts could be crushed. "I want you to kindly shut up," spat Jant. "And I want you to hand over anything you have that might be worth something. 'Course..." he said with a mocking smile, "You probably don't need to worry about that, do you?"

"Okay," muttered Hajime, moving to action before the kid could react. He quickly grabbed his arm, twisted it behind him, and brought the other arm back next to it. Hajime gripped both of the boy's thin wrists in one hand and used his other arm to put the boy in a headlock. In a small demonstration of punishment, Hajime then kicked one of the boy's legs out from beneath him, making sure to use the sharpest part of his shoe to do it.

Garrett swore under his breath and hurried after Jant, shouldering a plain wooden quarterstaff and running up to the three. "Nice, Jag," he said, dripping sarcasm. "I think that went real well, don't you?" Jant remained silent, glaring at the ground from Hajime's grip.

"Well," said Garrett, "You can't hold two of us, anyway." He hefted his quarterstaff so that its butt end rested on the ground. "I want what you have, and I want it soon." He looked expectantly and Hajime and Handlebars.

Meanwhile, a presence too silent for even Hajime's ears hid in the shadows to the side of the scene.

((As The Jant absorbs everything into himself. :F Couple more intense vanity posts and then it'll be over. Meanwhile, bedtime.))

Handlebars' hand flew to his stomach.

"We don't have anything," he answered, his voice even more annoyed. "Why would anyone walk around in this city at night carrying riches in their pockets? Are you stupid?"

Shut UP, Handlebars.

"I mean, come on," Handlebars continued, ignoring every little voice in his head that was telling him to stop talking. "Really, what did you think you'd get out of us? Surely you've seen me around. Surely you know how little I own. And are you really prepared to take on my--" 

Handlebars put his hand over his mouth and swallowed rapidly.

Anger was beginning to get the better of him. He's going to make me go back if he sees me like this... I don't have time to deal with these people.

The ill teen stared at Hajime helplessly.

((Handle has a big mouth.))

OOC:

I decided now might be a good time to post bios for Jant and Garrett.

Jant "Jaguar" Avante
hair color :: dark
eye color :: dark
age :: 17
past :: After his mother left and he was left with only his drunkard father to care for him, Jant decided to make his own way in the world. He joined an underground teen fight ring and began to work his way up the ranks under the nickname "Jaguar".
present :: Slowly making his way to the top of his social hierarchy. His two greatest allies are Jace "Monstro" Rosett and Garrett "Jailbreak" Des Rache.
location :: Small house in the middle of Solfege city. Sometimes gets locked out of his own house by his father and has to find other sleeping arrangements. These are usually provided by one of his extensive network of allies and partners.
other :: Jant's black. Yep. Also, he's really rash and willing to go to pretty much any length to become the best. His name is pronounced "jant (short a) a-VAWNT-ay".

Garrett "Jailbreak" Des Rache
hair color :: jet black
eye color :: blue
age :: 20
past :: Unknown. Garrett is very secretive.
present ::  One of the older members of Solfege city's underground teen fight ring. Also one of the leaders. No one knows much besides that.
location :: The attic of an abandoned home. He pretty much has the place to himself and his liking.
other :: Garrett smokes on occasion, but it isn't an addiction thing. He's very concentrated and very manipulative, even though he doesn't go out of his way to make friends outside of the arena. Garrett's name is pronounced "GAIR-rhett dess-RAWSH".

________________________________________________

BIC:

Garrett raised one ridiculously sharp end of his quarterstaff slowly and emotionlessly. "I said," he repeated in a dangerously quiet voice that dared any to defy him. "I want what you have. I could care less about you or your friend." He snarled slightly with each stressed word, making it clear that he felt this whole situation was a tedious waste of time.

"Jailbreak..." muttered Jant. Garrett's sharp blue eyes snapped over to Jant and the man holding him. His ex
pression faltered slightly when he saw Hajime. Carefully studying the man's eyes, he knew that he had even less opportunity to back down now. With luck, the fact that the famous a.ssa.ssin hadn't had any new victims in years--if this even was the same man--meant something to this situation.

"Shut up, Jaguar," Garrett said softly.

Recognition sparked in Hajime's eyes, which were glowing red in the streetlight. "Jaguar..." he said, dropping the boy. Jant fell to the ground, just able to put out his hands to break his fall.

Taking advantage of Garrett's momentary distraction, Hajime yanked the wooden quarterstaff out of his weakened grip. Garrett spat a profanity and began to reach for the dagger strapped to his left arm. Before he could get a grip on that, however, another face emerged from the shadows.

Jace was unaccompanied by his younger sister at this hour of the night, but he still seemed rather embarra.ssed as he said, "Piss off. They're with me." Jace's hair fell naturally over his face and his hands, though empty, were clenched into tight, hard fists. Although he doubted the younger one--Handlebars--even recognized him, the words should ensure them a pa.ss through the town, at least for tonight. And Hajime was his friend. His mentor, even, on occasion.

Jant, having stood up by now, glared at Jace. Garrett just shot him an icy look. "Piss off," Jace said a bit louder. "City's full of people. Easier targets. Get lost." He raised his chin slightly, at the same time shaking hair out of his face. His face could have killed insects. "Now." One thing that the underground boys did not do was start feuds that went beyond the arena. If one set a boundary, the others respected it.

"Monstro..." Garrett said in a warning tone, addressing Jace by the nickname he used in the underground. Jace cleared his throat. He knew that Garrett would almost definitely win if they were to fight. However, this was about politics. After a few more seconds of stalemate, Garrett turned and began to walk away, Jant following close behind.

Hajime tossed the quarterstaff to the ground behind Garrett. The youth ignored it and continued walking back into the night. Hajime paused for a moment before turning to his young friend. "Jaguar, huh? I still don't understand what makes you a.ssociate yourself with them. You're far better than they are."

Jace shrugged. "'S'your opinion." He knelt and picked up Garrett's quarterstaff. The boy then turned and approached Handlebars. "I don't know if you remember me," he said in a simple manner. "But it's Jace." He stuck out his right hand, switching Garrett's weapon to his left.

((And then The Jant was all like "LET'S EAT CHEESE! "))

Also OOC:

I'm gonna post some bios as well. x3

Mrs. Matthews (you ain't getting her first name yet)

Hair: Black with some hints of gray. Short and curly.

Eye Color: Dark

Age: Somewhere around 55-60

Past: Her parents homeschooled her and her siblings for as many years as they could. Mrs. Matthews' family wasn't poor, but they didn't have a lot of money to spare. She eventually helped found the local soup kitchen.

Present: Has worked at the soup kitchen for most of her adult life. (more information will come soon)

Location: An old, yet tidy house in Solfege city.

Other: She attempted to look after Handlebars when he arrived in Solfege city several years ago. However, the boy refused to stay in one place and was constantly running off. She made him promise to return to the kitchen for meals. Mrs. Matthews also taught Handlebars many of the things he knows today.

Tasukete (last name not available)

Hair: Long and black. He usually keeps it in a short ponytail.

Eye Color: Dark brown

Age: 28

Past: Left his comfortable home at the age of 17 to explore the world and pursue his training.

Present: Now an experienced warrior, he has returned to catch up with his younger brother, Handlebars. He often gets called away while in the middle of conversations. Not much is known about his job.

Location: Unknown (travels)

Other: Tasukete must remain calm at all times. If his temper snaps, he loses all rational thought. (think of a frenzy of sharks or a charging bull) A rumor says that he is constantly resisting the pull of darkness. Nobody really knows much about his past, or what happened during the course of his travels, and nobody ever asks. He also likes 'cute' things like flowers and stuffed animals. They help him keep his temper in line. Because of his success at keeping his calm nature, Tasukete has been fairly stable for years.

Ugh. D8 Sorry for the crappy bios. But at least there's some information in there.

____________________________________________________

BIC:

Handlebars reached out and took Jace's hand. "I remember you," he said quietly, his stomach settling down again. "I don't forget people." He shook his head and stared after the two retreating figures. "I don't get it."

Handlebars pushed his bangs out of his face and looked at Hajime. "We should keep going. We don't want to stay out too late. It's cold."

He shoved his hands into his pockets and began walking. "Thanks for the save, Jace. Take care," he said simply, not bothering to look back to see if Hajime was following him.

_____________________________________________________

EDIT:

OOC: More bios for upcoming characters.

Jazix 'Jazz-ihx' (last name not available. -needs to get last names for these poor people-)

Nickname: Jaz, Jazzy (from his brother)

Hair: Dark, dark brown with light brown highlights. He also has a little bit of red in there. It's like... this http://www.kudzu.com/uploadImages/16000000/16151871/photo1gjsjolvxge87.jpg mixed with a tiny bit of this http://www.hji.co.uk/hjimages/images/qhs2184/hji/medium/2005-straight-red.jpg

He has more light brown highlights than what the pictures show. xD I think.

Eye Color: Light brown

Age: 24

Past: CLA.SSIFIED

Present: CLA.SSIFIED

Location: CLA.SSIFIED

Other: Jaz is serious and calm. He dedicates himself to his work, and wishes his younger brother didn't goof around so much. Despite his angry behavior, he has a kind heart, and would walk a thousand miles to please Jak. Unfortunately, he has a hard time showing his affection, and often comes off as harsh when interacting with his little brother.

Jakix 'Jack-ihx' (last name not available)

Nickname: Jak

Hair: Blonde with brown lowlights. Kind of like this. http://media.merchantcircle.com/29956104/blonde%20highlights%20pic%201_full.jpeg

Eye Color: Blue

Age: 21

Past: CLA.SSIFIED

Present: CLA.SSIFIED

Location: CLA.SSIFIED

Other: Jak is a typically cheerful and enthusastic young man with a love for making a joke out of every possible situation. Like his brother, he's quick to anger and will make it known, loud and clear, just how upset he is. Jak has a confident, almost dangerously stubborn air about him. He takes his work seriously, but won't ob
ject to messing around while on the job. He holds a buried resentment for his older brother, Jaz, which was brought on by Jaz's rude mistreatment of him.

EDIT: Jak has Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP).  (Thanks go to mommaland Kafrin for helping me out with that. xD) The disorder is usually caused by genetics. However, Jaz shows no signs of having it.

Symptoms (taken from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001029.htm):

Jak has very poor vision during the night and while in dimly-lit areas. Since he's a young adult, he's just beginning to experience the loss of his peripheral vision. So far, his central vision is still in tact. Because of his disorder, Jaz tends to be highly overprotective of him.

OOC: Ohai. o3o

Jacen (Jace) "Monstro" Rosett
hair color :: blonde/light brown
eye color :: muted green
age :: 16
past :: After Jace's father left when he was ten, his mother basically lost most of her will to live. She mostly stays at home, leaving the house only to do occasional shopping for things they don't really need or to work odd shifts at her part-time job.
present ::  Jace essentially spends his days following his younger sister Lacey (Lace) around the city, keeping her out of trouble. Lace is extremely friendly and will often approach total strangers and say whatever's on her mind. Jace is there in case what's on her mind makes someone angry. At night, when Lace is asleep, Jace goes to the underground fight ring. There, he is known as 'Monstro' and is one of the more elite, though he generally keeps to himself.
location :: A small house in downtown Solfege City.
other :: Jace is determined to be the best fighter around. He is skilled with all manner of weapons, and also very innovative. His life may revolve around his younger sister, but he uses every chance he can get throughout the day to practice his abilities.

Kyouri (no last name) [link] [KYOH-ree]
hair color :: dark dark brown/black (Asian o_o)
eye color :: grey-green
age :: 18
past :: Unknown.
present ::  Roams Solfege City with his brother, Jang. Doesn't do much for the team, but what he does do is vital. He would be underestimated by others were it not for his slightly eerie manner.
location :: Unknown. (Solfege City)
other :: Kyouri has a "sixth sense" of sorts. It's just barely enough to give him the edge in fights and to help him feel out his surroundings. He loves colorful or happy things, but doesn't often show his feelings. His manner of speech is rather strange. He is very good at fighting and carries a long thin metal staff as a weapon. Kyouri has the Japanese symbol for 'love' (愛) tattooed in black ink on the shoulder of his dominant left hand.

Jang (no last name) [link] [JZHAWNG] <--My attempt at phoneticizing a soft Chinese J sound.
hair color :: dark dark brown/black (Asian o_o)
eye color :: black
age :: 19
past :: Unknown.
present ::  Roams Solfege City with his brother, Kyouri. Jang is the one who forms the plans, chooses the targets, and does much of the fighting. He's always on his guard, as opposed to his seemingly laid-back brother.
location :: Unknown. (Solfege City)
other :: Jang mistrusts everyone except his brother. This includes himself. He has a bit of a temper, but tries to conceal it to avoid hurting Kyouri. Jang believes that he shields his brother quite well, but Kyouri is not as naive as he appears on the surface. Those who know and fear Jang call him "Darkside" or "Shadow", names bestowed upon him by the Underground boys.  Jang has the Japanese symbol for 'nothing' (無) tattooed in black ink on the shoulder of his dominant right hand.

BIC:

After a short pause, Jace looked up at his older friend. But Hajime only looked after Handlebars, his ex
pression unreadable. Jace fleetingly wondered what he could be thinking, but gave it up as fanciful to try and find out. Hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke up, breaking the silence of the snow in the air. "...Happy New Year, Hajime," he said. This won him a pair of red eyes looking down on him.

"What's the date?" Hajime asked. Jace faltered slightly.

"The... seventh," he responded. "January seventh." Hajime blinked. He had forgotten all about New Year's. He hadn't remembered Christmas, either. After looking for a moment at Jace's awkward smile, he couldn't help smiling himself.

"Thanks for the save back there, Jace," he said warmly. "Happy New Year. And..." Hajime looked back up at Handlebars, still walking along the lit street. "...I've got to be going." With no other form of farewell, Hajime jogged after Handlebars, finally catching up with him about fifteen yards away.

Jace looked after the two, watching the slow snowfall mask their tracks. "Hm," he hummed thoughtfully, and ducked into an alleyway, taking off at a sprint for unknown destinations.

"Brother," sighed a thin voice, "Kyouri does not like this place. Something is here, I think..." Perched on top of a mesh wire fence, nestled into a warped hole in the barbed wire at the top of it and leaning against the building with which it was connected, was a tall, thin Asian male. At least, he would have been tall and thin had he been standing. Instead, Kyouri was curled up, right hand in the pocket of his pale pink zip-up hoodie and his dominant left hand trailing a long thin metal rod in the snow.

"This is where we are tonight, Kyouri," replied Jang, his brother. "If there's someone else here, he can fight us for our spot." Jang was leaning against the side of a building near the wire fence, and was distinctively sturdier-looking than his brother. If Kyouri had been a heron resting tranquilly on the water's surface, Jang would have been a small black crane hawk, roosting solemnly in a tree while waiting for his next meal.

Kyouri smiled from beneath his long, shaggy hair. "I hope so, brother," he said pleasantly. The brightly colored boy turned his head and looked down at his dark-clothed brother from the corner of his eye. Kyouri shivered slightly. "That just might warm Kyouri up a bit."

OOC: GOOD GOD, FINALLY.

BIC:

Handlebars briefly glanced at Hajime without breaking his stride. "I've been living here practically my whole life and I couldn't even scare off a bunch of jerks," he muttered angrily, his breath coming out in thin white clouds. "The car's up ahead." Handlebars turned and stopped in front of an abandoned lot. "Y'know, I wonder if there used to be something here, a long time ago. Now it's just a place for people to dump their old scraps of junk where no one'll see them." The teen walked forward, carefully stepping over pieces of broken and rusted metal. "Watch out, Haju. It's hard to see the small sharp stuff under this snow. Maybe you should just wait there."

Handlebars slowly made his way the beat up old car that had been a home to him for the past two years or so. "This thing's about ready to join the rest of the scraps," he murmered quietly, opening the front pa.ssenger door and popping open the glove box. Shoving a few napkins aside, he pulled out a golden locket and held it up. "Found it," Handlebars said quietly. He unhooked the chain and put it around his neck, his fingers fumbling with the clasp. Finally, he hooked it again and closed the glove box. Handlebars tucked the locket under his shirt and took one last look around the inside of the car before shutting the door. "Thanks for keeping me alive for so long," he said under his breath, resting his hand on the hood of the car and turning away. He gingerly began walking back to Hajime.

"Geez, Jaz. It's freezing out here. Couldn't this have waited until spring or something?"

"You know our orders, Jak," Jazix sighed, stopping to wait for his brother.

Jakix quickened his pace until he was at Jazix's side. They both continued walking.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Jakix said, frowning. He took off his black sungla.sses and peered down an alleyway. "Do we even know what we're looking for?"

"I think we may have found it," Jazix replied, coming to a stop again.

Jakix pushed his sungla.sses back on and followed Jazix's gaze until his eyes rested on a man curled up on top of a mesh wire fence. He nodded once, his gentle face turning serious. "Jaz," Jakix simply said as he began walking toward the fence.

Jazix shivered once and fell into step behind his younger sibling. "Be careful," he whispered. "He's not alone."

OOC: Beware of being confused by the whole Jaz/Jak thing. 8(