[ WP ] You feel a slight tug on your pants , and turn to see a terrified pickpocket , trying desperately to return what he just stole .

# # warning: some swearing and bad language included. # # 
 
 Aiden Kell had just finished a most profitable series of bouts in the local fight pits. Somewhat exhausted from his work, he took a shortcut through the Merchant ’ s Quarter on the way back to his room by the docks. Even as the sun went down, it was business as usual. Crowded, filled with foot traffic, merchants and customers squawking back and forth at each other. Aiden stuck to the less impressive side of the Quarter, stalls filled with poorly painted trinkets, foodstuffs of questionable quality and fortune tellers. 
 
 It was a little quieter over here, which was nice. Aiden had made it about halfway to his destination when he passed by the opening of a particularly dark alley on the left. He watched with some care as he went by, and as he did so, he felt something tug on his pants from his right. Aiden spun and saw a dirty street kid holding Aiden ’ s bountiful coinpurse in both hands, quivering with fear. “ I ’ m sorry sorry Mr. Kell, I didn ’ t realize it was you, p-please take this back. And… shit. We should probably run. Behind you. ” 
 
 From the dark alley emerged three men, all looking a bit older and bulkier than the boy who ’ d returned Aiden ’ s coinpurse. What they had in mind was obvious from the way they walked purposefully forward. One of them had a length of rusty metal pipe. I ’ m in no mood for this, Aiden thought, best be over with it quick. “ Stay put kid, we ’ re talking after this. ”, Aiden said. 
 
 Aiden was tired, but he was taller than them, bulkier, and more experienced in these things. He straightened up to his full height and strode forward with confidence. Ten steps away. “ Turn tail and run kids, you don ’ t want this. ” 
 
 “ Looks like ah ’ little friend here has failed us, big guy. Give us that moneybag, and you be on ya way without hurt, eh? ”, the one with the metal pipe said. The other two spread out, trying to surround Aiden and ensure he wouldn ’ t get away. Except he had no intention of escape. 
 
 Five steps. Aiden broke stride and bounded forward, tried to catch his opponent ’ s wrist as the pipe swung toward him. He missed and was rewarded by the pipe smashing down on his forearm. He felt a crunch and lost feeling in that arm, but didn ’ t stop. He wrapped his other hand around his opponent ’ s throat, and heaved up into the air. Shit, my arm ’ s probably broken, Aiden thought. The other two toughs shuffled forward cautiously. The one in Aiden ’ s hand struggled futilely as Aiden tightened his grip. Tried to swing the pipe for a blow to Aiden ’ s head, but Aiden slammed him down to the ground. Something in the thug cracked, and he lay still. 
 
 Aiden picked up the pipe with his good hand. Other arm dangling uselessly at his side, forearm flopping about, clearly broken. He put his foot on the chest of the downed thug and let the pipe hang limp in his hand. “ Who ’ s next you little shits! Get gone or you ’ ll end up worse ’ n your friend here! ”, he shouted. 
 
 “ You ain ’ t worth it big guy, you ’ re fucking crazy... ”, one of them said, then they ran off into the chaos that was the center of the market. 
 
 He let his weight come down on the street tough under his foot. Felt him wheeze. He was still breathing. The last thing Aiden needed to complete his day was a murder charge. He threw the pipe back into the alley then dragged the tough over into the darkness with his good hand, then turned back to continue his walk home. Surprisingly the little thief from earlier hadn ’ t ran off. He was still mostly in the same spot where Aiden had left him. The boy had a very confused expression, like he wasn ’ t sure what to feel about all this. “ What boy, you never seen violence before? You coulda run away you know. No way I ’ m going to bother chasing you with this arm. ”, Aiden said. 
 
 “ Yeah… nah, I mean, I ’ ve seen stuff go down. Just not like that. My boss… he ain ’ t getting back up is he? ” 
 
 All the adrenaline was starting to wear off, and Aiden ’ s arm hurt like hell. “ No. He ain ’ t. But I got other things to do. Got ta get this arm set so it heals. ” 
 
 “ Well, I guess I owe you huh? I mean. Got no boss now, rest of the toughs around here will eat him up, an all. I know a guy who fixes that kinda stuff. You want I show ya the way? ” 
 
 “ Sure. I ’ m still new in town and I ’ d rather not go back to the fight pit to see a doc. They ain ’ t so good with their hands, from what I saw today. You take me into an ambush, you ’ re going down first. ”, Aiden said, as he grabbed hold of the boy ’ s arm. “ What ’ s your name kid? ” 
 
 The boy didn ’ t struggle. Just froze. He knew there wasn ’ t a chance of him getting out of that. Not unless he wanted to pull a knife, and that didn ’ t seem like so good an idea at this point. “ Name ’ s Trit. Doc Melly is about three blocks down into there. I know the safe way, you should loosen up man, ‘ fore you break my arm too. ”, Trit said. 
 
 They walked into the dark mouth of the alley, an unlikely duo, each looking for when one would betray the other. Aiden made sure that his money was on his belt on one side, and kept Trit carefully at arms length on the other side. After all, in these parts, friends are just people you know who haven ’ t betrayed you yet.
