With a final leap across the gap the redheaded pickpocket grasped the ledge on the opposing building. She hung there, pale bare feet dangling over the street below, her ragged mud coloured skirt flaring about her as she readied herself.
"Come on," she muttered, "Ye can do this."
Arlanni wasn't much of a thief. She normally just put on a maid's outfit and walked in the backdoor of an establishment, batting her eyes at any guards and pretended to be a new hire. Climbing up the outside of a building was new to her but now that Radigan, one of the local thief guild leaders had been killed by adventurers, other leaders were desperate for someone to blame.
"Yer first chance is yer best chance," she added and heaved, putting everything she had into pulling herself up onto the ledge.
Once up she leaned against the wall, fingers splayed behind her and looked down. Just beyond her toes was a nothing but a sheer drop to the cobblestone below. Swallowing her fear she began to shimmy along the ledge until she came across the open window.
Maintaining her balance, she withdrew a small pouch from a pocket in her sash and emptied powdered silver, nearly a weeks pay from the brothel, into her palm. Boring the silver across the window sill it collected and traced itself across the hidden mage rune that was there. Now visible Arlanni Drew her fingers across the rune very carefully and cause the energy inside the magical drawing to cancel itself out.
"Good," she said to herself, "I'm in."
Carefully climbing through the upper window of Anakisuto's Emporium she gently lowered her bare feet to the floor within and took stock of her surroundings.
"Come on," she muttered, "Ye can do this."
Arlanni wasn't much of a thief. She normally just put on a maid's outfit and walked in the backdoor of an establishment, batting her eyes at any guards and pretended to be a new hire. Climbing up the outside of a building was new to her but now that Radigan, one of the local thief guild leaders had been killed by adventurers, other leaders were desperate for someone to blame.
"Yer first chance is yer best chance," she added and heaved, putting everything she had into pulling herself up onto the ledge.
Once up she leaned against the wall, fingers splayed behind her and looked down. Just beyond her toes was a nothing but a sheer drop to the cobblestone below. Swallowing her fear she began to shimmy along the ledge until she came across the open window.
Maintaining her balance, she withdrew a small pouch from a pocket in her sash and emptied powdered silver, nearly a weeks pay from the brothel, into her palm. Boring the silver across the window sill it collected and traced itself across the hidden mage rune that was there. Now visible Arlanni Drew her fingers across the rune very carefully and cause the energy inside the magical drawing to cancel itself out.
"Good," she said to herself, "I'm in."
Carefully climbing through the upper window of Anakisuto's Emporium she gently lowered her bare feet to the floor within and took stock of her surroundings.
Arlanni was unable to contain a small squeal of terror as the window slammed shut and then another when the voice spoke out of nowhere. She spun around, skirt flaring, eyes wide, and when she realized it was merely a magic message. With a hand in her bosom, breath heaving, the scarlet haired pickpocket tried to calm herself.
"Nothing to worry about," she said to herself as she patted herself, checking her hoop earrings and regaining her composure, "Just a voice meant to scare people off. Just a cute trick."
Pursing her red painted lips she reached out for the first closed door.
"There's got to be something here I can trade for passage out of this city," she whispered as reached out to press the latch.
"Nothing to worry about," she said to herself as she patted herself, checking her hoop earrings and regaining her composure, "Just a voice meant to scare people off. Just a cute trick."
Pursing her red painted lips she reached out for the first closed door.
"There's got to be something here I can trade for passage out of this city," she whispered as reached out to press the latch.
It was always a knee-jerk reaction for her to take a glance at the face behind the counter. And the store layout. And the cameras. Sue her. Poor Ana had her hands full with thieves tonight, didn't she? At least Onizuka wasn't particularly dedicated to the idea of shoplifting. It was just muscle memory taking over while she perused the inventory. Truth be told? She hadn't the foggiest idea what half this stuff was. Like, yeah, she had eyes, she could see the armor, and the (shudder) books, but she was also functionally illiterate, so the finer details were anyone's best guess.
Mostly she was here for those cards, though. She needed something to help her cheat at poker night, and her old cards were getting too beat up to blend in with the others. Ekiko wasn't into all this 'enchanted' 'magic' mumbo jumbo. Typically she stayed pretty far away from it, because she wasn't eager to catch any curses--or possessions. Or hauntings. Still, like Eve about to take a bite of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, she leaned down over the glass case before her, ponytail swinging over her shoulder. Except, she wasn't even over by the deck of cards anymore. She had gotten distracted by one of the necklaces. "Oi, nee-chan! How much is this?" the blonde asked, then jumped slightly at the slam of something from further back in the shop. Up the staircase with that Foreboding-looking sign.
G-g-ghost?
"Raccoon problem?" asked Onizuka hopefully.
Mostly she was here for those cards, though. She needed something to help her cheat at poker night, and her old cards were getting too beat up to blend in with the others. Ekiko wasn't into all this 'enchanted' 'magic' mumbo jumbo. Typically she stayed pretty far away from it, because she wasn't eager to catch any curses--or possessions. Or hauntings. Still, like Eve about to take a bite of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, she leaned down over the glass case before her, ponytail swinging over her shoulder. Except, she wasn't even over by the deck of cards anymore. She had gotten distracted by one of the necklaces. "Oi, nee-chan! How much is this?" the blonde asked, then jumped slightly at the slam of something from further back in the shop. Up the staircase with that Foreboding-looking sign.
G-g-ghost?
"Raccoon problem?" asked Onizuka hopefully.
The redhead pokes her head in the door, looking at the various supernatural knickknacks lining the walls. Asuka fully swings the door open and starts to take better, more in-depth looks at Ana's wares. A metal ball, seemingly useless. Armor, interesting but... too bulky for her, it'd just weigh her down. "Gosh, what a disappointme--" Then, she spots it. A small amulet placed on a black, velvet cushion. Her eye lights up, and she dashes towards the front counter, beaming at the piece of jewelry. She reaches into a pocket on the hoodie worn over her red plugsuit, and pulls out a wallet. Grey, with a red angel wing and the phrase 'πππ'π ππ πππ ππππππ, πππ'π πππππ ππππ πππ πππππ' embroidered onto the leather. She starts taking paper money out of the wallet, all she has on her at the time, and slams it down on the counter, causing it to shake. "I want it. Give it. Now." Asuka bluntly stated.
Right, no, that's-- That's not how you're supposed to act around people. Her face turns red, and she slowly steps back from the counter. An awkward laugh is forced out. "Heh... if you- If you wanna..." She turns to her left, only for things to get worse. Asuka knew Onizuka--
"Miss Oni! How are the kids?" Her voice lowers and she begins to speak under her breath. "... and your quiet husband..."
Right, no, that's-- That's not how you're supposed to act around people. Her face turns red, and she slowly steps back from the counter. An awkward laugh is forced out. "Heh... if you- If you wanna..." She turns to her left, only for things to get worse. Asuka knew Onizuka--
"Miss Oni! How are the kids?" Her voice lowers and she begins to speak under her breath. "... and your quiet husband..."
The thief twirled, skirt flaring, red hair whipping like a lane, as she sought the source of the sound, her right hand slipped into her left sleeve past the cheap brass bangles she had at her wrist and withdrew the small stiletto knife.
"What in the nine hells?" Arlanni whispered as she moved closer to the wall, wondering how there was light slipping out from the grooves.
Was it some form of magic? Maybe there was a rune nearby, some sort of glyph to deactivate this... whatever was happening?
"What in the nine hells?" Arlanni whispered as she moved closer to the wall, wondering how there was light slipping out from the grooves.
Was it some form of magic? Maybe there was a rune nearby, some sort of glyph to deactivate this... whatever was happening?
"Jeez, that's a fortune!" Onizuka griped, probably not as under her breath as she had hoped. Even though it really wasn't, she typically didn't have more than a few cents to rub together at a time, gambling addict and vice-ridden as she were. As she was digging into her back pocket for her wallet, Anakisuto's comment about people stealing her stuff made the blonde's hands rise up defensively--minus the thumb and fingers that held up her wallet.
"I wasn't--" she began, mistaking its direction and incorrectly assuming the chick was a mind-reader or something. Before she could get too much further and incriminate herself, Asuka' s commotion and her hand slamming down on the counter thankfully cut her off. Instead of jumping down the little punk's throat like she normally might've, or even making an ugly face, Ekiko quirked an eyebrow down at the girl and watched the whole situation play out while she thumbed through her mostly empty wallet.
Glancing up, when she was addressed, the dourness she was radiating softened slightly. "Oh, y'know..." Then, she snickered. "Quiet? I wish he was quiet," she joked, untrue as it was, but perked up when someone made the mistake of taking her side for once. "Yeah," Ekiko agreed with Ana. "I was attempting to buy that," she smugly finished. Then sighed. "Except I don't have enough, so I guess you can have it, if you don't like any of those," the young woman sighed.
"Are the cards the same price? Do you like, haggle, or whatever?" she asked Ana more directly, pouting a little.
"I wasn't--" she began, mistaking its direction and incorrectly assuming the chick was a mind-reader or something. Before she could get too much further and incriminate herself, Asuka' s commotion and her hand slamming down on the counter thankfully cut her off. Instead of jumping down the little punk's throat like she normally might've, or even making an ugly face, Ekiko quirked an eyebrow down at the girl and watched the whole situation play out while she thumbed through her mostly empty wallet.
Glancing up, when she was addressed, the dourness she was radiating softened slightly. "Oh, y'know..." Then, she snickered. "Quiet? I wish he was quiet," she joked, untrue as it was, but perked up when someone made the mistake of taking her side for once. "Yeah," Ekiko agreed with Ana. "I was attempting to buy that," she smugly finished. Then sighed. "Except I don't have enough, so I guess you can have it, if you don't like any of those," the young woman sighed.
"Are the cards the same price? Do you like, haggle, or whatever?" she asked Ana more directly, pouting a little.
"... oh-" Asuka puffs up a cheek, tempted as all Hell to go complete diva mode about how she wanted this amulet Despite not seeing any of the others. But, since this was someone she actually knew, she exhales with a sigh, and slowly starts putting away her money, only to perk up with a sly grin to counter Oni's own smugness. Her cash is counted... and she's short quite a bit. Two hundred bucks, and that was meant to be for emergencies. Red lets out a huff, eye drifting towards the other items, coming to the harsh realization that this place was more overpriced than any jeweler she'd ever been to.
"Really? 1,200? This is robbery, complete robbery!" Asuka stomps down a foot with the force of an earthquake. Not really, of course, but that shrill voice might have been enough to deal comparable damage if the building worked off cartoon logic. "200! Take it or leave it!" She shouts, bearing sharp teeth at the girl. Despite whatever façade Asuka was putting up, it was pretty obvious just from the way she was built that she wasn't very physically strong. It was also obvious that she was a bipolarity-ridden mess of a person. "Lemme guess, that deck of cards this lovely lady is buying is gonna cost her her house?!" She crosses her arms and tilts her nose up.
Sure uh-- Sure showed her. Good.. good job, Asuka. Great job--
"Really? 1,200? This is robbery, complete robbery!" Asuka stomps down a foot with the force of an earthquake. Not really, of course, but that shrill voice might have been enough to deal comparable damage if the building worked off cartoon logic. "200! Take it or leave it!" She shouts, bearing sharp teeth at the girl. Despite whatever façade Asuka was putting up, it was pretty obvious just from the way she was built that she wasn't very physically strong. It was also obvious that she was a bipolarity-ridden mess of a person. "Lemme guess, that deck of cards this lovely lady is buying is gonna cost her her house?!" She crosses her arms and tilts her nose up.
Sure uh-- Sure showed her. Good.. good job, Asuka. Great job--
Now something was dripping? Unable to find anything on the walls or floor, no puzzle to solve, no sigils or runes to bypass, no mechanism to jam and no lock to pick, Arlanni was done. The red headed peasant girl was having no more of this. She'd expected a little risk, some danger to quicken the blood, and a quick score to help her start a new life in another town but this? She didn't even have an inkling what was going on. How did someone defend themselves against something they couldn't figure out. She wasn't a wizard. What was she thinking! She was a whore armed with nothing but high hopes and no real plan.
Turning away from the sealed doors and seeking out the red line from earlier she decided to cut her losses and run. Maybe she could plead with whoever was running this shop and pity alone might get her enough coin to start life somewhere else. That sort of thing happened, right?
Turning away from the sealed doors and seeking out the red line from earlier she decided to cut her losses and run. Maybe she could plead with whoever was running this shop and pity alone might get her enough coin to start life somewhere else. That sort of thing happened, right?
Asuka rolls her eye. "Magic? Gosh, lemme guess, it's got some crazy demon in it that'll come out if I break it? Does it shoot lasers?" Pause. Asuka tilts her head to the side, raising her brow at Ana's elaboration. "Animal? Like... a penguin, is a penguin an animal?" Her confusion when it comes to animals and seeing them was something she'd never get over-- "Saving grace, huh? Why in God's name would I need some dumb magic ball if I have an EVA, if I have weapons? Besides, that armor is ugly, so who cares how 'light' it is. It's a boring function with no form!"
"Besides, I'm not a thief like her. I'm just a customer, and I'm trying to give you some good advice~" She leans forward and pokes the girl's forehead.
"Besides, I'm not a thief like her. I'm just a customer, and I'm trying to give you some good advice~" She leans forward and pokes the girl's forehead.
This whole thing was really making her ache for a cigarette. Then again, so did most things, stressful or pleasant. Even though Ekiko was pretty lacking in the social awareness department, she had enough empathy to remember being on the other side of the counter where Ana was standing and couldn't help but scrunch her nose up.
She maintained enough of a grip on herself to stay silent, staring off with those lidded eyes until she was brought back into the conversation with Asuka's snappy question. "Oi, come on now, you're making me look all poor and cheap by association! Go set up a lemonade stand or something, you freeloader!" Onizuka hip-checked the smaller German girl, peering over the amulet with some interest.
"Hmm..." the blonde hummed, what few gears that were operational turning behind her amber hues. "Actually, do you wanna go in on this thingy? I'll drop my two hundred on it until I can get the rest of the money to make half, and then we can share it," she offered, quite reasonably for her short-tempered self. Y'know. Minus all the crap talking she just got done with. "Hang on. She? The thief is a girl?" Potential White Knight moment incoming. "Do you think she's a pretty girl?" She truly had no reason to think why Ana should know something so specific, but as far as she knew the kid was omnipotent.
ooc: im so sorry this took so long please forgive me
She maintained enough of a grip on herself to stay silent, staring off with those lidded eyes until she was brought back into the conversation with Asuka's snappy question. "Oi, come on now, you're making me look all poor and cheap by association! Go set up a lemonade stand or something, you freeloader!" Onizuka hip-checked the smaller German girl, peering over the amulet with some interest.
"Hmm..." the blonde hummed, what few gears that were operational turning behind her amber hues. "Actually, do you wanna go in on this thingy? I'll drop my two hundred on it until I can get the rest of the money to make half, and then we can share it," she offered, quite reasonably for her short-tempered self. Y'know. Minus all the crap talking she just got done with. "Hang on. She? The thief is a girl?" Potential White Knight moment incoming. "Do you think she's a pretty girl?" She truly had no reason to think why Ana should know something so specific, but as far as she knew the kid was omnipotent.
ooc: im so sorry this took so long please forgive me
That was a low bar to clear-- Asuka had never been one to actually give a sh** about other peoples' feelings, and tended to fall back on her whole 'woe is me' shtick.
"Oh, I'm the poor one! I may be cheap, but compared to you I'm definitely not--" The German's snarky aura distracted herself Her only target audience, really long enough for her to be unable to fight back when Ekiko bumped her, causing her to fall to the ground. Whether that was from Asuka being dramatic, the teacher being shockingly strong, or Asuka being made out of paper, the world may never know.
Clammering to grab her eyepatch off of the ground, she finds that the strap has broken. Cheap piece of trash, that would be all they provided for a missing eye.
"I'm not so sure about that, Miss Oni..." She looks up at the woman, that smug, toothy grin returning just as soon as it had left. "It's gonna be pretty expensive to set up that lemonade stand, ya know~" She delayed just tying the strap on her patch in order to subject Oni to something gnarly-looking to gross her out. Asuka does tie the strap where it was torn when she gets up, though, and she does give Oni the money. "I get it Friday through Monday, capeesh?"
"I bet I'm prettier than some two-bit thief..."
"Oh, I'm the poor one! I may be cheap, but compared to you I'm definitely not--" The German's snarky aura distracted herself Her only target audience, really long enough for her to be unable to fight back when Ekiko bumped her, causing her to fall to the ground. Whether that was from Asuka being dramatic, the teacher being shockingly strong, or Asuka being made out of paper, the world may never know.
Clammering to grab her eyepatch off of the ground, she finds that the strap has broken. Cheap piece of trash, that would be all they provided for a missing eye.
"I'm not so sure about that, Miss Oni..." She looks up at the woman, that smug, toothy grin returning just as soon as it had left. "It's gonna be pretty expensive to set up that lemonade stand, ya know~" She delayed just tying the strap on her patch in order to subject Oni to something gnarly-looking to gross her out. Asuka does tie the strap where it was torn when she gets up, though, and she does give Oni the money. "I get it Friday through Monday, capeesh?"
"I bet I'm prettier than some two-bit thief..."
Arlanni heaved a sigh of relief and simply stood for several my moments, palm on the nearby wall and settled herself. Her bosom heaved, her fingers tingled. Her mind was buzzing every bit as hard as her heart was beating. She felt light headed. Damn that was terrifying.
Sorting out what had happened she finally realized what had happened. Illusion! Illusion so strong you couldn't help but believe it. Illusion so strong that if you believed it killed you then-
That was fiendish!
Unfortunately, this presented her with the same dilemma as she already been in. She still needed to get out of town. Should she abandon this endeavor? Should she look for another way to run?
She contemplated this even as she caught sight of the ring on the bedside table. She contemplated it, more wary than she'd been before.
"Oh no," she whispered quietly, smirking with amusement, "I'll not fall for your tricks again."
Stepping carefully into the room she took full stock of the area.
"That ring," she whispered, speaking half to herself and half to the house itself, "It's a trap isn't it, some sort of trigger?"
Feeling more confident she stepped fully within the room and looked atv every piece of furnishing, looked at the ring from every angle looking for runes, dart launchers, gas dispensers and more.
Sorting out what had happened she finally realized what had happened. Illusion! Illusion so strong you couldn't help but believe it. Illusion so strong that if you believed it killed you then-
That was fiendish!
Unfortunately, this presented her with the same dilemma as she already been in. She still needed to get out of town. Should she abandon this endeavor? Should she look for another way to run?
She contemplated this even as she caught sight of the ring on the bedside table. She contemplated it, more wary than she'd been before.
"Oh no," she whispered quietly, smirking with amusement, "I'll not fall for your tricks again."
Stepping carefully into the room she took full stock of the area.
"That ring," she whispered, speaking half to herself and half to the house itself, "It's a trap isn't it, some sort of trigger?"
Feeling more confident she stepped fully within the room and looked atv every piece of furnishing, looked at the ring from every angle looking for runes, dart launchers, gas dispensers and more.
Arlanni couldn't stop herself. Curiosity puked her inside the room to cuddle with the stage items on the desktop. She'd never seen anything remotely like the glass box and keyboard.
"Oh... It's a water clock- I think," she said to herself, congratulating herself on figuring out what the computer was, "I've never seen one so small. It's a shame it's so heavy. I can imagine a few wizards would be interested in this."
"Let's check the doors first shall we and then try to sneak that ring out somehow," she continued talking to herself.
Padding quietly across the room, bare feet making not a whisper over the floor she approached the two doors.
"Oh... It's a water clock- I think," she said to herself, congratulating herself on figuring out what the computer was, "I've never seen one so small. It's a shame it's so heavy. I can imagine a few wizards would be interested in this."
"Let's check the doors first shall we and then try to sneak that ring out somehow," she continued talking to herself.
Padding quietly across the room, bare feet making not a whisper over the floor she approached the two doors.
"Oops," Ekiko blinked and nibbled on her fingernail in concern, genuinely not expecting the outcome of spilling the girl onto the floor. "Are you okay?" she asked, offering a hand out to help her get back on her feet. Then she saw the snapped eyepatch and winced, not really knowing what to do now. I mean, it should have been obvious. Help the kid up, duh. But the social blunder of assaulting a disabled person had her a little shaken up. "I'm... Are you okay?" she repeated in shock.
Apparently Asuka was, because she was right back on her feet and handing her the money not too long afterward. Run, said the little demon that so often controlled her pea brain. Free money! Run!!! Thankfully, she did not run. "Oh, alright." Pause. "What, what?? How is that fair?! I'm only paying the two hundred then, scammer," Onizuka muttered to the redhead under her breath but smiled at the prospect of a payment plan.
"Oh yeah, no problem. I can get the money," she reassured. There were so many things she could do with that necklace. Her beloved bodypillow could finally be her real girlfriend. Or she could make one of her Sailor Moon statues come to live like that one movie with Lindsay Lohan. How could she share something so valuable? "So does that mean you can read my mind?"
She looked at the cigarette in her hand, wondering how long it had been there. "Did I do that?" she asked, evoking the words of the great Steve Urkle as she marveled at her cigarette. "Ladies, ladies. You're both twelve," the blonde chirped, still preoccupied with the magic cigarette.
Apparently Asuka was, because she was right back on her feet and handing her the money not too long afterward. Run, said the little demon that so often controlled her pea brain. Free money! Run!!! Thankfully, she did not run. "Oh, alright." Pause. "What, what?? How is that fair?! I'm only paying the two hundred then, scammer," Onizuka muttered to the redhead under her breath but smiled at the prospect of a payment plan.
"Oh yeah, no problem. I can get the money," she reassured. There were so many things she could do with that necklace. Her beloved bodypillow could finally be her real girlfriend. Or she could make one of her Sailor Moon statues come to live like that one movie with Lindsay Lohan. How could she share something so valuable? "So does that mean you can read my mind?"
She looked at the cigarette in her hand, wondering how long it had been there. "Did I do that?" she asked, evoking the words of the great Steve Urkle as she marveled at her cigarette. "Ladies, ladies. You're both twelve," the blonde chirped, still preoccupied with the magic cigarette.
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