Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love..

[Pipkin]

With most of Myrken's residents sleeping softly in their beds, the town had grown quiet. The night was dark, yet stars twinkled above, winking down at those who were too tired to remain awake to see them.

There were others, of course, who remained awake. Unfortunately, they were too busy with other things to even take notice of the night's pleasant face.

A bon fire lit up the dark around it, where the edge of a farmer's field had become the sight of an odd event, indeed. It's flickering orange glow illuminated the backs and faces of a rather large group of figures..all arranged in a quite large circle.

From tall, to short, clean-shaven to haggard, and unscathed to bruised, these people all found one thing immensely interesting, and that was the two figures unlucky enough to reside within the circle. Most looked upon these men with glee, while a few unfortunates scowled as they offered up handfuls of lost shillings to others.

At the moment, one of those in the center was not standing. Battered, bleeding, and apparently unmoving..it was certainly clear who the loser of the previous battle had been.

The man standing over him, however bruised, seemed much less worse for wear. Hands on his hips, and a cocky grin upon his face, he looked on as the others around him passed currency amongst each other. A large man, with an unshaven face, and bulging muscles..he was either a formidable farm worker, or half ogre. An intimidating figure, indeed.

As the clearly upset friend of the fallen man stepped in to drag his companion out of the ring, a dull murmur of voices passed along the ring of hooligans and bravos. Not sated yet on this night's entertainment, a question went around as to who wished to challenge the remaining brute in the center.

Voices perked, no longer settling for the dull murmur. Names were called forward, only to be met with wide eyes and shaking heads. A fighting circle this was, yet apparently after witnessing such a beating as they had, those who wanted to participate this evening, were having second thoughts.

Moments went on, and as disappointment began to settle, and voices began to die off, a single question was spoken above the rest:

"What about Daisy?"

"Hey, yeah! Daisy!" Echoed another voice.

And then another.

And another.

Heads lifted, and eyes turned, collectively settling upon the short woman, content to stand off at the side. She glanced up, the frown upon her scarred face growing as more beckoning stares were shot her way.

In no way an intimidating figure, it was a wonder why so many wished to see the tiny asian thing broken in half by a man..who even now, was snorting with laughter. Her response, however, was less than pleasing to the masses.

Silence. Oh, her eyes spoke more than her lips, as they simply glared around, and returned to her hands as she went about tightening the bandages over her palms.

Unfortunately, some were less willing to accept no as an answer, as they had been for some of their peers: "Aw, c'mon, Daisy.. Don't tell me yer scared of him, are you?"

"Aye! Me gots ten shilling in it, iffin' yer up to it, lass!"

"I gots ten if you lose!"

"Daisy!" "Daisy!!" "Daisy!!!"

With the childish goading, it would be assumed they were a blood thirsty lot with the desire to watch the oriental broken in many ways. Of course, the fact that she stood there, with a small crowd chanting her name, spoke of other things.

Annoyed, and on the spot, Elil glowered and crossed her arms over her chest. Black eyes settled upon the ground before her, and a voice rumbled from between her scarred lips, delivered in a harsh tone:

"Okay, okay! You shut you mouth! I fight, but I want good share of winning this time. Anyone stiff me again, I break face!"

And that..is when a cheer rang out over the farmer's field.

[Jirai]

It was a motley group gathered around the bonfire. The hooded woman was just as content as Elil to remain off to one side, angled away from the light of the fire, watching the show silently. Silently, at least, until the little asian was called up. Her voice was much quieter than the rest, aimed for Daisy's ears only.

"Don't worry about them stiffing you, Daisy. I almost hope they try."

Any excuse to turn this fighting into an all-out brawl! Her own scarred lips twisted in a smirk, and the cloaked female would move closer to the circle.