Of Thieves and Tails - RPLOG
Participants
Date
30/6/478
Log
The market was bustling with travellers and locals alike this warm morning. Vendors had barely the time to finish seeing to one customer before turning to another, or calling out to a passing being to draw his or her attention to the wares for sale. When the market square is that busy it isn't just the merchants that profit, but with so many distractions and sounds, so many beings to call to your stall and sell trinkets to, the thieves and pickpockets also have a fertile field to sow from.
Zuri sighed as he moved to another stall, looking somewhat bored. Just a year ago he'd have relished this opportunity, but it has been a while since he got to stretch his thievin' legs. Between his now-decent income as a Freesword and being discovered as a thief by one of his friends, he has given up that life. The salamander looked at the next stall. Excitable merchant, check. Large crowd in front of him, check. Delicious raspberry braided pastry roll-up right in reach, check. The salamander licked his lips and moved up to the stall, offering his brightest smile to the merchant as he turned to greet him. Just this once, he thought to himself.. for old time's sake...
From afar, a lone feline is looking out over the market-stall, from her spot atop one of the roofs nearby. Hidden from sight, she's busy looking out over the area, watching everyone from above, especially the merchants. Her black furred tail swaying lightly, and her outfit equally dark, different from her usual public attire. She's even made sure to switch her mask to a different, if just as elegant black one.
And meanwhile, she's cleaning her wrist-mounted dartgun...
Zuri makes eye contact with the merchant, that disarmingly wide smile still gracing his features. "Excuse me sir, how much for that?" He points to a shelf behind the merchant with a row of glass jars filled with various flavours of fruit preserve. Not verbally identifying what he wants is intentional. The merchant begins to turn back to glance towards where the small-statured salamander being is pointing, and in that split second the salamander's tail is already moving into position. The nimble, prehensile limb wraps gently around the pastry and slides it off the table, while his free hand reaches into a pocket to fish out some spare change. By the time the merchant turns back to him all he sees is a salamander holding a few small coins, still pointing at the jam.
The merchant gives him the price, and his face droops. "That much? Oh..." He plays with his change for a moment before walking off, making sure the merchant is already distracted with another customer. The pastry is somewhat crumpled, tucked like that in the crook of his curled tail, but still edible. He reaches back to take it into his hand, certain that noone saw him.
A moment, a whizzing sound, and then, half the pastry is... gone. Just gone. Where that half used to be, the pastry is broken, some of the contents spilling out over the side... How curious.
The feline on the rooftops is gone now, having found her mark for the day... Now just to rope them in...
Zuri was about to bring the good up to his front, licking his lips again when it seemingly half-disintegrates in his hand. He blinks, watching as the raspberry filling oozes off the side and onto his hand. He looks left, then right and quickly disposes of the thing and walks off, licking his fingers clean of the decidedly delicious fruity preserve. He peers out behind him as he weaves hurriedly past the crowds towards the exit from the market plaza.
The nearest exit appears to be an alleyway, right past the building that, not a moment ago, had a feline high on the rooftops. A feline that is, undoubtedly, waiting to pounce right now. Winding, twisting, the alleyway might have a dead end, or it might not... The question is, will Zuri risk it to get out of the marketplace as quickly as possible?
Zuri tucks his jacket about himself and peers around - and up - before sliding into the alleyway. Hopefully it leads to the Maritime District, his old haunt. He knows that part of town so much better. The small salamander hurries forth until he's far enough away from the bustling market that he calms down enough to start pacing more slowly.
"Interesting choice, kiddo. 'Tis clear you don't know these alleyways very well. Your last exit was to the left over there," a voice calls out, before a shadow drops down into the alleyway, piercing eyes looking out from behind that mask, focused solely on the salamander-being. "You decided to run after your pastry was shattered. Why?"
Zuri turns to face the shadowed being, his tail curling protectively. His stance is low, guarded, ready to bolt if necessary. Still, he chuckles nervously and smiles. "Well you know, baked goods don't normally spontaneously explode. It could be a sign of trouble, so best skedaddle. By the closest possible exit." The salamander silently curses not having brought a weapon with him, this seems like trouble.
"Don't even think about it. If I wanted you dead, trust me, you wouldn't have heard a word," the voice continues, and a lone, black-furred tail sways behind the being that currently has Zuri cornered. Again, those eyes focus upon the salamander, watching with curiousity. "Your method... Needs some work. A wrong glance, and someone will notice," the conclusion finally comes. "You a kitsune? Trust me, it comes in handy in... Your line of work."
Zuri peers side to side once again, then smiles. "Well, as long as neither of us wants trouble.." He straightens slightly, and rubs his head. "It was just a bit of play is all, you know, a free snack never hurt any being. I don't see how that's at all related to the kitsune." He smiles. "And 'sides, being spotted by someone who knows where to look isn't the same as being spotted by a mark. He never knew what hit him."
"'course -he- didn't. But did the guard? After all, the guard know what to look for, hmm?" the voice continues, soft, rumbling, rolling, and watching the salamander. "It's simple... A beggar begs. An urchin swipes, and passes the pastry along to their comrades, staying ahead of the merchant and the guard... You stole. You even referred to him as a 'mark'," the black-clothed being continues, watching Zuri for a reaction. "I can tell that you have... Aspirations."
Zuri huffs. "Market was too busy, I'd never get spotted like that..." He smiles. "But point made." He shrugs. "This isn't my first swipe, miss. I uh.. I just had to give things up for a bit is all.. lay low.. try not to get in trouble." His tone turns a bit more serious. "I guess this is your turf or something? If that's the case you have naught to fear from me. I'm not a thief. Not any more."
"-Anywhere- in this city is my turf, kiddo. And for the record, there were four guards. Two on patrol, one getting a pebble out of his shoe, and one dozing on the job. As for you... Proper use of your own personal charms, dextrous tail used properly..." the cat trails off, watching Zuri over from head to bottom with a curious expression hidden behind her mask.
"Tell me then, kiddo... What's the deal? One last steal before you retire? I'm sure you could do better than some pastry," the cat purrs softly, almost as if offering.
Zuri takes a deep breath at that last statement. The look is plainly obvious in his face, he's considering his answer. He huffs. "I am retired, I have no chance of going back to the life." He crosses his arms, looking disappointed with his own words. He pauses, then looks up at the feline being. "Then again.. my last job being a bakery heist isn't exactly the best story, is it?" He sighs, then wiggles his nose, in a way that's rather cutely out-of-place for the tone of conversation. "What's it to you, anyway?"
"There is... Always a way back," the cat notes, a smile on her lips. "A final heist, a big steal," the she-cat rumbles with a grin on her lips, a flick of her ears as she watches for Zuri's reaction to the statements she's giving, watching for an eager nod, a tell, anything.
Zuri lets the silence linger for a moment longer, peering back at the way towards the market. He considers the feline's words, and then that signal comes in the form of a wistful sigh. "Yea.. " He looks back at her. "A final one." He smiles. "Something better than petty thievery. Something flashy."
Another smile, another rumble, and another tailflick. "You will, of course, need a disguise. We can't have you be visible as yourself... It would simply attract too much attention," the she-cat rumbles. "Hence, my earlier question.""
Zuri blinks. "Y-you mean the Kitsune thing?" He frowns slightly. "I.. I don't know. I've never needed that sort of thing." Best keep a lid on the fact that he's a dedicant himself, of a different kind. "An honest thief doesn't need a Sacred Family to do his job tho, right? Trick's not to be seen at all, after all!" He smiles. He also doesn't trust Kitsune, not after everything he's heard about them.
"You'll need it for your final job, trust me," the she-cat rumbles, her tail swaying behind her, her ears flicking as she watches Zuri over. "And it merely helps. Able to slip away, to change, and to rejoin, with no-one the wiser for it bit ypi... Come, we will talk out the details...
The small salamander's nose twitches again. In a different setting that might have been prefaced by the adverb 'cutely', but this conversation has completely flipped over to business. The salamander's old business, in fact. He nods, reservedly. "Alright.. we can talk I suppose..." He straightens his jacket and takes a step forward, looking up at the feline being, ready to follow her out and see where this leads.
"Very well. Lets talk buisiness," the cat notes, her ears flicking, and her tail swaying. "You will, of course, understand that this is necessary," the cat notes, before everything goes black...
