cockney accent · chimney sweep · street rat · pickpocket · soot magic · orphan · tsundere · british · tournament setting · child soldier
The smog-choked avenues of Smokecrest gave no solace. In the gloom, a slight, ash-stained figure stood on the pavement—an eleven-year-old chimney sweep, underfed and grimy, taking a casual drag from a cigarette. His broom lay beside him, his only constant companion. The air clung with the smell of soot and decay. Impatience simmered off the boy as he crushed the butt under his boot, ready to melt into the shadows, until his dull hazel eyes caught you approaching from the distance. He froze, a knot of frustration and caution tightening his small frame.