Here the city smelled almost fresh, the stench of the lower wards far below, only the faintest scent trailing up the hill and even that pleasantly tinged with sea-brine, she could see the harbour, or one of the harbours far off. The street was broad and flanked by stately manors, all fenced and gated, white and brown roof-tops peaking above the stone. There was also very little traffic. It made Yabona nervous, like at any second a rough man with a club would come along and rush her out. There was a bustle down hill, and that seemed a likely place to garner a meal, to find a nook to tuck herself away in. On the other hand, further uphill looked to be a smattering of many storied temples, and those kinds of places held offering boxes ripe for pilfering. It was a tricky decision. Should she risk so much trouble after her most recent escapade?

She heard the gate creak open behind her. Felt eyes on her back.

Sai was standing there, looking more a bruise than a boy. She winced to look at him.

“He called you Sai, right?”

The boy stared, and after a moment, nodded.

“I'm sorry for your face,” she said.

He smirked, almost imperceptibly.

“Probably not the best way to say it, huh?”

She grinned.

He stared.

She began to fidget. Often she found herself this way, in front of others, stilted, feeling that there was a course of action to take, but not finding it anywhere. Things grew rapidly tense, and then he spoke.

“You're a cut-purse.”

It wasn't a question.

She frowned. It wasn't true, not technically.

“I steal.” She shrugged.

Sai nodded. “I need money,” he said, “20 mon by tommorow.”

“Ahh, me too. Me too.” She rocked on the balls of her feet, nervously grinning. The silence dragged out. He was pitiable. So bruised and wretched, would he even be able to walk come the morning? And those wounds because of her. Never mind her own bloodied lip. The balance was hardly made up. She sighed. Debts should always be settled.

“I take it you want my help to make that 20 mon?”

Sai nodded.

“Because I owe you for the,” and she pointed at her face.

Sai shook his head. “I do not know where to get it. I need help.”

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More silence. More staring, more fidgeting, at least on her part. His dark eyes puffed up, standing not quite as tall as he would like, no doubt.

“Fine,” she exclaimed. “Fine! I don't know if I can help you but I'll try. You have to do exactly what I say though, okay?”

Sai smiled, fractionally, and nodded.

**

The temples were further along than she had thought. When they stepped onto the street the sun was halfway done its daily arc, and now it was closer to three quarters. It would be getting dark soon. She stopped suddenly on the cobble-road, pursing her lips. Sai almost walked into her so abrupt was her halting. Would it be best to wait until night-fall? Did these kinds of places have night-watchmen? They would have to, or maybe the offering box would be locked up and brought inside. It seemed likely, that is what she would do if she were in charge of a temple. She wheeled on Sai.

“Okay, here's the plan. You go in there looking just like you do and the priest will probably help you, and then I'll go for the offering box.” She said this with a flourish, wearing a look of self-satisfaction. It was not the most sophisticated of plans, but there was an awful lot of flexibility, and her knack for these sorts of things would have a chance to shine. It would be easier even, what with having a ready distraction. She began to rethink her policy on gangs.

Sai shook his head.

“What?”

“This is not good.”

“What do you mean not good? Look at this place! It's rich.”

“We shouldn't steal from the Gods.”

“Look! Look how big and nice their building is, do you think they'll even notice if a bit of money goes missing?”

Sai frowned. “It is unwise,” he said.

Yabona sighed and flung up her hands. “So you won't do it?”

“I won't.”

“Then why did you follow me all this way!”

“I did not know where you were going.”

She groaned. Once more rethinking her policy on gangs, subordinates could be rather dull.

“You want to steal, you know, to take? You realize that were going to be doing that no matter where we go?”

There were a few more people here closer to the temples, and Yabona cast a nervous glance around. She had gotten a little too heated. There were some dirty looks by conservatively dressed passersby. One leaned into a free-standing guard station, the kind that provided shelter from the rain to a sole patrol-man on unpleasant days. Yabona grabbed Sai's wrist and dashed back the way they had come before anything could be made of it.

She didn't stop until they were well out of sight.

“So what's your plan then?”

Sai didn't snatch back his wrist once they had stopped. He thought a long while.

“We could take from someone bad.”

“Someone bad?”

“Someone who deserves it.”

Yabona shook her head and sighed. She sat down bracing her back against the outer wall of an estate, knees tucked into her chin looking for all the world a bramble atop a rag. The sky was growing a lush orange, and here the shadows were deep. “You really don't know a thing, do you.” She muttered.

Sai sat down too, brushing away some gravel before doing so. “I'm sorry.”

“Those kinds of people, the ones that deserve it? They're the exact kind of people you don't want to steal from.”

“Perhaps I will no longer train.” He sunk into himself. Despondent. She could not be sure, but he looked to be trembling.

“Boys shouldn't cry.”

“I'm not crying,” he mumbled.

She pat his back.

After a time Sai drew a deep breath and stood up.

“Are you hungry?” He said.

She grinned. She was always hungry. She could not remember a time when she was not.