The solemn silence that followed, as Gort's grin twisted wider and Lynda's eyes cast further down, was quickly shattered by a familiar voice.  

“Hey Lyn!” Clarky jogged up the street, heading towards the giant with one hand waving through the air like an over-excited five year old. His crisp and clean clothes still contrived to look as if he'd slept in them, as if he was ruination made manifest with a goofy grin. Lynda went to take a step towards her smaller brother, a somewhat forced smile being pressed upon her features. 

The blow took out Clarky's legs, causing him to spin as if he had attempted a back flip and just failed on every level, landing hard on his shoulder and knocking the wind from him. 

The black suited figure from under the tree had appeared behind Clarky, scything a kick behind the the scruffy youth's knee, encouraging him to leave the ground. The sleeping form had been a trap, which had just sprung. 

Clarky gave a groan. “Why have you become my enemy, ground? What did I do to you?” He wheezed and coughed as he rolled onto his back. 

The figure stepped closer and looked down at his prey, allowing Clarky to see them for more than a few seconds while the world moved; they seemed to be made of shadows, wearing something in close approximation to a shabby black suit, a riding cloak and a beaten tricorn. The shadow's hand turned upwards and a knife made itself manifest; cast from the same stuff as the being itself.

Clarky, still a little dazed, could do nothing but watch as the hand pulled the knife back and prepared to strike. The abyssal and expressionless face bore itself into the young man's mind as if to mar itself upon the young man's mind, never to be forgotten in this or any other life.

Lynda’s hand grabbed at the shoulder of the riding coat in a strong grip. As the shadowed being turned to address this problem, the giant simply threw him over her shoulder and away from Clarky,  as if they were but a little bit of litter on the wind.

“Clarky! Are you okay?” Lynda asked, kneeling down and taking Clarky’s grubby hand inside her own as her other hand slipped under his head to support him. She couldn’t hide the concern that was written across her features, and her adoptive brother couldn't help but offer her a smile.

“I’m doing okay Lyn; just took a trip that's all.” He groaned and used her arm to help himself to his feet.  

Gort simply looked on in quiet amazement at the scene while the shadow in the shabby black suit slowly approached him, the knife having faded from view once more into the folds of the riding cloak.

“I think it’s time.” Gort seemed to say, though his words were distorted slightly and left the previously impassioned but jovial man to turn towards the shadowy figure and shoot him a dark look. Gort gave a curt nod; though he turned back he seemed to offer something of a fixed smile to the giant and her friend. “Yes, you’re probably right; we’ve done all we can do here. Sorry about that; a minor misunderstanding I'm sure. Until tonight, my new friends, I bid you a good day.” He said, as if the previous few moments hadn’t happened. He slipped an arm up to his tamed thug, rolled him around and walked him away from the siblings as he began to whisper into where the shadows would have an ear, if such existed.

Lynda extended a hand out. 

"Hey, wait a second, what was that all about?" She asked, taking a few steps towards the leaving Gort and bodyguard, however her words seemed to disappear on the wind. Disbelief crossed her face as she turned back to Clarky, who shrugged. 

“Friendly bunch of fellows.” Clarky snorted, as he checked the back of his head with a hand to make sure he wasn't bleeding .

“Yeah....” Lynda said, slowly gathering back up the papers that she had discarded to rush to Clarky's side. “He didn’t seem so bad.”

“Well up to the end anyway.” Clarky said, rubbing his back in a shallow attempt to sooth the aches from the fall before turning to his taller companion. “You okay?”

“Me? Oh, yes, I’m fine. Thanks.” Lynda said, though her words conveyed little to convince her smaller brother. She waved it off though and gave her own smile that was even less convincing. “Just a long day, that’s all.”

“...Well in the mean time I have some good news, so hopefully that'll help.”

“Good news?” Lynda asked, her demeanour seeming to brighten for a moment or two.

“Yeah; I got a job!” Clarky beamed, pride radiating from his entire being.

“Oh, that’s...” Lynda’s face fell, before she reinforced it for Clarky’s sake. “...That’s Wonderful news; I'm so happy to hear it! where is it?”

“It’s with the peacekeepers; they think in a few years I’d make sergeant easy with my background.” He posed for her, pulling his hair back and then placing his hands on his hips in what he thought was a heroic air, though as his hair simply flopped back down into his face he looked less an avatar of heroism and more the before sketch in a barber’s window.

Even through the gloom, Lynda couldn’t help but snort a laugh. Clarky’s grin grew wider, and less smug, as she chortled at his antics. She took a few breaths and sighed.

“Did it take you long to find?” Lynda regretted the words as soon as they left her, but found if she held them in her chest would have exploded. Clarky shrugged.

“Actually it was one of the first places I’d come across, but in the Peacekeepers it seems they need people who don’t mind the rain and the walking; there’s a real shortage of candidates. Plus they said my experience with a bow would help immensely.” His elbow nudged out to Lynda in a playful way, catching the giant on the hip. “Maybe you should sign up with them?”

“No, if there’s one thing I learned from all this...” He eyes were cast back towards the stores. “...It’s that I’m going to have to work much harder than I thought.”

Clarky shrugged, not quite getting the mood or the conundrum Lynda found herself in. Still he reached up and patted her on the back.

“You’ll find something, and in the mean time we’ll get by on what I make. I’m not super bright but even I can stand in the rain and make sure no one steps through a door.” Lynda nodded to him doing her best to hold her tongue.

“When do you start?” Lynda asked.

“Tonight; apparently they need extra bodies for something.” Clarky shrugged as Lynda’s heart sank. “I wasn’t really paying attention, I was just happy I got a job.”

“Sure.” Lynda said, but any positive firmness had faded as she considered the unfortunate serendipity of the coming evening.

“Speaking of, I’d best get going; I need to pick up some food then head to the precinct house to gear up.” He turned and darted away, his feet carrying him some distance before he turned and threw his sister a wave. “Hey, see you at home later tonight?” He laughed again as Lynda forced a smile upon her lips and returned a pathetically weak wave to him.

Lynda watched him leave with his mad dash as frantic as much of a chaotic sprawl as ever; As soon as he was out of view the smile failed and she couldn't help but slump down upon the steps once more, head in her hands. 

Her mind raced, the ruined references being seen between her fingers. Fighting back a tear of frustration she cast a pitch black eye from the references up the street, to where King's street intersected with Merchant's way.

“I’ll see you tonight Clarky...” The giant said under her breath, before quickly rolling up the parchments and stuffing them into an inside pocket with little care. “...But not at home.”