"Do you think you're a clever boy?!"
SMACK!
"Come on, Jack." Another voice speaks up. "You can't blame him for trying, he looks like he's starving."
"Quit being soft, Maver." Jack snaps at his colleague. "If we let one rat win, then they'll all think they can win." He glares at the crowd of filthy people, elderly and young alike.
"I-I'm sorry." Rancid recognizes his brother's voice immediately. When he makes it to the front, he takes in the way Palik is on his knees before a team of demon hunters. "You just have. . . So much." The side of his face is bright red and swelling with a hand print.
Behind him a large beige tent is propped up with steel bars, a half built fire pit abandoned a few feet away. So, they really are camping in Sekacity for the night.
"So what?" The leader, who Rancid assumes is Jack, says. He has a silver hilted sword strapped to his back, his red and white uniform all spick and span. He and his entire team look out of place in the filthy Sekacity. "You think we'll share with you?" He turns his attention to the crowd, "With any of you?!"
"Please! I didn't even open it, just let me go!" Palik sniffles, his skinny form shivering.
"Jack, I think that's enough." Maver steps forward. His long green hair is pulled back, his uniform coat is also missing. The top buttons of his long-sleeved shirt are unbuttoned. It looks like he was ready to rest for the night.
POW!
Jack strikes him in the face. Maver doesn't stumble. He reaches a hand up to wipe the dribble of blood at the corner of his mouth.
"Jack!" A woman with red blood hair pushes forward. She's dressed a little differently, adorned in a white and gold robe and the symbol of a goddess stitched to her chest piece. A priestess. "Do you need to go so far?"
"Yes, he does!" Another hunter steps forward to defend his leader.
"Mercy is a luxury." Jack says. He glowers down at Palik, a nasty bug to a hunter like him. "I must set an example or more will come." He turns his glare to the crowd once more. He raises his hand to strike the brown haired boy before him.
SMACK!
"Rancid!" Palik gasps.
Rancid's cheek pulses and he hisses in pain. He lifts his hand to rub at the spot.
"Huh?"
Jack looks down to see that someone else jumped in time to take the hit, protecting the young boy who stole from him.
"You little rat!" Jack snarls. "Do you want to get punished too?!" He pauses when he sees Rancid's heterochromia eyes; one blue and one green.
Rancid doesn't say anything as he stands in front of Palik, his glare fierce.
"Hey, don't get involved, kid." The priestess steps towards him. "It'll just make it worse." She shoots a nervous glance to her team Captain.
"Yes." Rancid ignores her warning, his focus only on Jack. "I'll take his punishment, so please spare him."
"Ah, damn." Maver mutters.
"Jack. . ." Jari warns.
"Oh? Is he your younger brother?" Jack snickers.
"Yes. He didn't actually eat your rations." Rancid glances at the unopened MRE's that lay a few feet away from them. It's no surprise that no one else has tried taking them yet. Not when a kid is about to be punished for already doing so. "Just let him go, and punish me."
"Ha! Who knew rats could be so loyal?" Jack cackles. "I thought everyone was out for themselves in dumps like this."
"Jack, I think that's enough!" The priestess snaps. Her pale face is turning red with anger. It almost matches her hair.
"One more word out of you, Jari, and I'll punish you right next to him!" Jack snaps at her.
Jari, the priestess, clenches her jaw. Her guilty eyes swing to Palik and then to Rancid. When Maver puts a hand on her shoulder, she finally takes a step back.
"Cuff 'em both." Jack orders.
"What?" Palik scrambles up, his sweaty brown hair stuck to his forehead. "No-"
"Now!"
Rancid catches sight of Farron and his younger sister, Folly in the crowd. He steps forward, ready to intervene, but Rancid gives a slight shake of his head. If Farron gets involved, he'll just get punished along with them.
He needs to stay by Folly's side to protect her. Farron seems to understand this, and with a tick in his jaw, retreats back into the crowd.
"Chain them to the post." Jack says.
"You're going to do it out here?" Maver scoffs out.
"We're setting an example right?" Jack grins from ear to ear, "How can they see the example if we hide them away?" He gestures towards the crowd. "Now. Chain. Them."
The silver coins in Rancid's pocket jingle as he's shoved to his knees, his arms bent against his back.
"Hold on." Jack says. He bends down and digs in Rancid's pocket. "You steal these too, boy?" He counts the silver, "There's no way you just happened to get your hands on five silvers."
"No, I wor-" Rancid's head snaps to the side when Jack smacks him.
"Don't lie to me." He chuckles. He straightens and puts the coins in his coat's inner jacket. "These're mine now."
"R-Rancid-" Palik stutters from behind him. Rancid can't see him, but he can feel his brother's hands chained an inch above his.
"Quiet." Jack says, walking around to his side.
"I'm sorry." Palik whispers with a sniffle.
"I said quiet!"
Rancid wants to tell Palik that it's fine, he doesn't need to feel guilty, but he'd rather not piss Jack off anymore than he already is. He's the one with all the power here.
"Maver, Warner. Hit them." Jack orders two of his men.
"What?! No." Jari steps forward, but other members of the team block her. She glares at them.
"You wanted to drag it this far, and you're not even going to do it yourself?" Maver glares at his leader.