♈ Shoehorns Rimmed With Fleece ♈ [Ebi]

Bam! Hits right on contact! Square on the cranium! Smack dab on the noggin. Get what I mean? I got him good! Airless laughter escape through my lips as the guy spits out a cigarette (Wow, did I not notice that before?) and takes a look at my smelly shoe. Priceless. Absolutely priceless. With how much stink was packed in that single shoe, bet he's both confused and horrified by such an odor hitting him. I stay up in the tree, giving off silent but open-mouth cackles in my head; and, hopefully, that gets his attention up here. Or, better yet, he is grateful for the prank that I pulled off. From my travels, some people can appreciate a joke even when depressed. Well, in any case. at least my action will get his eyes on me.

There he goes. He's taking a look around of his surroundings. I snicker at my thought: Here is the human mammal, surveying his surroundings. Here, he is judging the possible predator that has thrown such a curious object. My! It appears that the mammal was hit by a shoe. Size eight, to my calculations. A tattered, dirty shoe, at that. My! What kind of animal could have---

Oh, he's done taking a look at my shoe, which happened to land next to him. Hey! Eyes on me, dude! I'm about to wave my arms at him while the guy takes back to check out my shoe (seriously, is it that much of a wonder?), until I finally get the attention I deserve. Good grief. That took a while.

I blink as he asks me questions and basically gives a very short recap of what I did. (As if I don't know what I did). He should have just asked why I threw a shoe at him, but I digress. As many people know, an Avox equals not being able to talk or express one's self through verbal means; and, because I still can't get out of the tree like any normal person, I'm just going to keep up my squirrel-like antics.

Another acorn, another shoe. There's nothing different between the two items, is there? Haha. No. I'm totally going to win this war! And he's going to be cheered up! No matter what!

I shoot a smirk at the guy and slip off my other shoe. When I show him my last and just as filthy weapon of choice, my smile softens a little, casting off that friendliness I try to portray. I want to have fun; I want him to cheer up. This is the best I can do at the moment; and, well, it's about the boldest thing I can do without landing my butt in trouble - which I don't want to do without getting myself a new pair of shoes. Definitely top priority on my 'things-to-do' list while I'm here in District 4.

From my little base meant for squirrels, I fire the final round I've got - as far as filthy shoes go. Shoom! It flies out of my hand and...

Crap. I miss. Barely. My last weapon sails over his head. Uh oh...

Well, what's he going to do about it? I latch myself onto the tree branch, just digging my nails into the bark. My legs tighten around the limb. I've made it perfectly clear that I don't want down from my spot. And he can't do a thing about it, unless he can push over trees like it's no man's business. Now, I watch this guy, staring at what he might do to me. Looking closer, he actually isn't that happy about my course of action before. He's glaring at me. But... I did what I could! Guess I'll just have to follow it through with some sincerity. A man-to-man sincerity, yeah? I'm sure he can understand that I gave my time and spot out to try to fix his sadness.

Right? I'm concerned for him! That has to count for something! Still, I make absolutely sure that he shouldn't be able to easily knock me out of my tree. Dammit, this is my tree. I may be out of shoes; but, dammit, I'm now going to protect my tree! My fort! My base!

So I'm ready for the backfire. What's this guy going to do? I'll get to find out soon enough.

Silence. We see each other, enemies at war, just watching what the other is going to perform. I'm the aerial man; I'm the one that has the better advantage. He, he's just a foot soldier. It's just simple math and logic. He has an higher angle to deal with, and I got the lower. Well, climbing up is harder than hiking down, and that's the same principle here. So why did I fail at hitting my target the second time? Eh. That wouldn't be fair to have two shots on a guy, would it? No, I allowed him that miss.

"Dude, your aim sucks. You've got to focus more, like this."

Peh. My aim sucks? I let him have that miss! My aim sucks... Psh. Nuh uh. Cocky guy. I'll get him good next time. He can count on---

Oh crap! Backfire! And a cleaner one at that!

While latched onto the tree with all my might, I attempt to dodge the oncoming missile (a better-smelling shoe) sailing straight at my face. Maybe my head, to be exact, but the thing was getting really close to my eyes. I don't have much time to reaction and inspect the shoe, but I have to say that they are nicer than my pair (the pair that are not a pair anymore). At least they are fully formed and functional to their business, from what I'm seeing. And what I'm seeing is a blur being thrown at my face.

Keep digressing. Well, I tried to dodge the weapon. You could say I slipped a little. Since I was so tight around the limb and sincerely wanted to not allow the projectile to hit my face, my hands and legs had to get loose for me to be able to move. Having loose hands and legs aren't the best combination, as I am learning right now. Dodged the shoe just fine, in fact; however, my grip is not sufficient enough to secure my place in the base. This isn't good at all. Heck, everyone's going to see me now.

I struggle to balance myself; I'm desperately trying! My hands claw for the branch, my body is slipping off the tree, and then I plummet down like my shoe did onto the blond guy. (Yeah, he's blond). Can't even muster the energy to scream or yelp because the descent is going so fast. I can't even tell the colors of the sky, the kind of buildings I'm looking at, or anything - because everything is a meshed array of colors and formless shapes. Blobs. All of them. That's how fast I am going.

Crash right onto the ground with my side. Pain shoots throughout my body, and I hold in the want to yelp. Really, it's godforsaken painful! But I have my own image to maintain and I'm going to do it right. Doesn't mean that I can't break ever, but I'm not going to show my adversary the harm I'm going through. So, instead, I push myself off the earth and throw a stare at the guy.

Too bad I can't stick out my tongue like the Capitol kids would do to me. My little stub of a thing can't do squat.

I'm strutting to a reusable, smelly weapon. (Yes, strutting, though one bare foot is dragging on the gritty floor, I strut). From my inspection, he still hasn't cheered up one bit. Guess this isn't his type of game, so I got to improvise. With two fingers, I pick up my tattered shoe off the floor and stare at it. Dirt got on it, but that's to be expected. Can't be saved. Can't be worn again after this.

I did say his shoe was nice before, didn't I?

Another plan formulates in my head. For now, I won't show it on my face. Just continue staring. Wait for it... Wait for it...

Now! Attack!

Again, I toss the shoe at the guy - this time, aiming for his face. Don't even care if the attack connects or the people are wondering what in the ocean's name (whatever it's name is) is some tan guy doing with a blond dude, and I make a run for his shoe. Aha! Bet he didn't think of that, did he? Bet he didn't think I would improvise and take his shoe for keepers. (If it fits my foot, of course!)

Well, I do a snatching run for his shoe - which was caught in a nearby bush - and I make off with it. Mine! All mine! Okay, maybe not, but it's better than my shoes that he can have now. There's a second function to this tactic.

I want him to chase my ass down. Why? Well, hey, running is fun! And if he wants his shoe back, he needs to go beat some Avox ass down for it. Simple, indeed. To make certain that my plan works (like they always do), I give a little taunt at him. Yeah. A pat on the butt. Nothing too harmful. Just enough of an incentive for him to get me.

Dashing with a shoe as people watch me. Wow. I never thought I would be able to put 'dashing' and 'shoe' in the same sentence without a 'in my' between the words. Hey, though, life's spontaneous and fun like that! Hey, guy! Want your shoe back? Come get me! Hah!

Pushing through crowds of District 4 citizens, on the run from a formerly-depressed but now angry guy, stealing his shoes. I can honestly say that this is a highlight of my day, besides climbing up that tree at a time that no one was able to spot me. Or climbing the District fence. I should have broken something there when I leaped over the fence from a tree. Dang.

But other than that, how many Avoxes do you know go around stealing people's shoes? To even think about stealing in Panem is a crime already, but an Avox doing it? Think that'd be a serious offense! And I'm doing it! Out in the open! And guess what? That guy is chasing after me!

In a way, I'm used to my dirty, bare feet pounding against awful terrain like streets and rocks on pavements, but hardly by much. Just because I charge on through without showing any sign of pain doesn't mean I can't feel it. Like, ow! Inside, I just keep the pain in, like an Avox back in the Capitol is supposed to. Oh, those were the days. It's been a while since I ever thought about the Capitol. Now's not the time to think on past stuff, though, because all these fat women and children are in my way! Move! I'm getting chased by a blond dude that wants his shoe back! Move!

He calls after me, but I just throw a smirk at the guy. Doesn't he know that hardly anybody follows those kind of things? Oh, but, what can I blame? It is a part of human nature. Except me. Because I'm an Avox. If there was some way to do it telepathically, I would, but that's too cool for this system. Darn. That's one option out.

Just to check on how the depressed guy, I take a look behind my back. Instantly, I drop my mouth a little. (Definitely not enough to expose my Avox status, yeah). W-What is he doing?! Using my shoe as a people deflector?! Well that's not fair at all! How dare he use my shoe as a weapon to others. That's not a part of the game at all! That should be illegal! I'm confounded about this! My shoe! Used for cheating! The nerve1

At this rate, he's going to get the upperhand on me. Well, that can't happen! I was already trying to run at my best potential from this guy despite all this crowd being in my way. Guess I have to be just a little smarter. I stat to twist my body, using reflexes acquired from years of street stunts. I even duck under tall people that allow me enough space between them and the ground below them. Gritty, yeah, but faster! Might even have to use children as... Oh, what are they called? Something from gymnastics that--- Oh! A buck horse or pommel horse! Yeah! I might have to use children (strong enough to hold my weight) as buck horses. Just want to get farther from the blond guy, because he's getting really fast!

I've got another choice, don't I? With all these women, look at all their purses. Hmm... Hehe...

From a couple of them, I snatch their bags and toss them at my chaser. The ladies are, undeniably, pissed at me, but it's not like I really stole them, didn't I? Not only would this draw attention to our play, but hopefully slow down the guy just a little. If there's a tree here I can scamper up, that would be wonderful. Another base for me to protect! At this moment, there is just trying to impede the guy a little so I can concentrate better. Trees! Trees! Need a dang tree!

While I'm running, I never would have guessed this is what people would be concentrating on from a stranger: "Look, look, he doesn't have a shirt." Well, I'm a guy, aren't I? Should I be able to walk around in public without a shirt if I want to? Don't the fishermen around here do that too? Oh, whatever!

I get another idea when I see women carrying shoes boxes. I wonder if there is a sale going on, but not before I steal some of these boxes. Get some fits back, but perhaps the guy will catch them for these lovely ladies. I'm just having my fun! Empty the compartments, take out the merchandise, and fling! Now hopefully I won't get in trouble for throwing new shoes at a guy. Oh well. What's done is done. I'll just scamper on out of here soon - and maybe come back at a later time.

Yay.

Never would I have dreamed or thought of throwing women's merchandise at some dude. And for him to return fire, as someone who just bounced back from getting hit from my own missiles. Oh my---!

I see boxes and shoes (flying out of the boxes) sail over my head or miss me by the sides. Already I'm going at the fastest speed I can go, so it's up to luck and mathematics to really say if I can dodge the projectiles clearly by just running. However, at the last part, I must have turned too quickly for Lady Luck to like. Right after I turn my head just to pinpoint the guy's location, I feel like I got slapped right across the face--- No, more like I got punched in the nose. Ack!

My vision blacks out, pain circulating through my face. Jeez, that hurt. JEEZ. Perhaps I'm probably on the floor right now, the head trauma causing my sight to be faulty. Since I can't see and people are moving through like a stampede, I lose balance quite a few times, that kind of feeling of when one stands up too fast. That sort of dizziness. Oh. Ow. That's not good.

That sucker got me good! Crap! What if I'm left blind by a box to the face? No, man! I need these eyes! More than those guy's shoes! I try to rub them, get anything to see, but I'm only now getting my vision back - and rather slowly at that. It's not that I feel lightheaded or can't move my limbs, but I'm getting brushed off by multiple shoulders and can't see a darn thing real well. Constantly, I'm rubbing my babies (and drop the shoe), because that guy is going to win this.

And I don't want that!