Flashback Late night Prowl.

[Logan Storm]

1rst of Spring, 511 AV

The whole town was celebrating the new year. Sounds of music and cheering could be heard from every part of Sunberth. Today everyone dropped their weapons, gang signs, and suspicious looks to remember the Valterrian, the day when the world changed due to great war and heart aches.

Logan leaned against a wall in an alley way. His body shivering from the cold air brushing his skin. He had on only a white muscle shirt and black pants with black boots. His arms where not covered, his large muscles displaying for all to see. He kept his hands in his pocket to keep warmth, even still the rest of him shook under the cold.

His clothing was not his choice, if he could he would have more than a coat covering his body. But his father sold his clothing to feed an un-curable addiction, so Logan had to deal with what he had. The boy was just lucky that his father did not sell his pants or his undergarments and boots. Just his shirt and coat.

There was a full moon above him, with no clouds to cover its illumination. It was a beautiful sight, a giant white star giving light to both the darkness around him and the stars beyond it. Logan liked to stare at the moon, partially because it did not harm his eyes when ever he looked at it.

His eyes changed position when he heard noise near one end of the alley. He could hear the moans of both a male and a female, mostly the female. There were other sounds of something wet and sticky coming together with something else wet and sticky then parting. Logan knew those sounds to be what many called 'kissing.'

He shook his head and sighed. At least make out in your own home, he thought to the possible couple near him. He couldn't see them, which gave him enjoyment. If he could then he doubt he would have the stomach to continue through the night.

Logan turned to the other side of the alleyway expecting someone, his friend. He told his friend that he had a great idea for thieving today, then made this the perfect meeting spot. It was two chimes too many from the time which they agreed. Logan didn't like that, because it meant that his friend was late.

[Demitri Maebourne]

It was only the beginning of the year, and already Demitri had had no shortage of bad luck. Not only had her mother held her inside for the better part of the day, but just as she left her home she was hassled by a group of drunken adolescents. Thank goodness she didn't have anything worth taking, or she wouldn't have left alive with it. It seemed to her that people would find a reason to take from you no matter what day it was. Still, the celebration of the new year did help to lighten the mood. The street was alight with laughter; it was a sight that was all too rare in her city. Demitri couldn't help but smile herself. It was funny how friendly everybody became with a few pints of celebratory liquor. She needed to cherish this moment of peace while it lasted, before the people of Sunberth went back to exchanging distrustful glances and beating each other bloody. Pondering this uncommon lack of tension, Demitri finally found her way to the alleyway where she was meant to meet her friend. For five years they had stuck together, doing what was needed to stay alive, keeping out of the gangs and the streets. Often the young girl wondered why Logan was still around; surely she couldn't be doing much to help him, the muscle-clad man of honor. He would likely fare much better if he befriended someone stronger, and then couldn't they take whatever they wanted? Logan probably wouldn't like that. He was far too moral to work with thugs and gang members. Oh, well. Swinging around the old stone corner of a nearby apartment, Demitri saw who she had been looking for. Her eyes widened slightly at his appearance; winter had only just ended, and the moon already hung in the sky. What had he done with his coat? The only job Demitri had ever had was sneaking around, and she had still found the money for a light, albeit ruined, jacket. It took a moment for the girl to remember why Logan never had proper clothing; as this thought rushed to her brain she looked down and breathed a silent sigh. Wasn't she a thoughtful one? Shaking her head at her own forgetfullness, she approached the adolescent. "Fancy meetin' you here," she said with a wide grin, giving a pat on the shoulder. Her scraggly hair fell into her eyes, and she paused, taking her hand away to dig out a clip and then unceremoniously flipping it around until it had caught most of the mop. "Believe you mentioned having some great idea?" She looked down the length of the alley and caught the darkened figures of a man and a woman. "Awfully friendly, aren't they," she remarked quietly, as if they might hear from such a distance. "How much would you bet that she'll leave very soon to find more wealthy clientele?" Again she remembered a quickly forgotten fact. Wasn't she supposed to be here a great deal sooner? "Sorry I took so long," she continued, a rare look of shame darkening her features. "There were some persistent idiots, and they refused to believe that I didn't have anything worth taking." She laughed, nervously but (in her opinion) convincingly, unwilling to acknowledge the tendrils of fear that had crept into her earlier that night when the boozed-up boys had come after her. "I ought'a learn to fight though. Didn't mean to get held up like that." Demitri leaned back and looked up at the sky. The moon was in fine form today, and the clarity of the night served to heighten the feeling of peace that had struck her as she approached the alleyway. She looked back to smile cheerily at Logan; whatever he was planning, it was sure to be entertaining!

[Logan Storm]

She finally showed.

Logan looked at her with disapproving eyes when his childhood friend stepped from the shadows of the alley. As he saw her grin and mess with her hair, he found his face more restricted than before.

"Fancy meetin' you here," she said. "Believe you mentioned having some great idea?"

He said nothing.

The young girl looked down the other opening of the alley, probably noting the two love birds showing no shame.

"Awfully friendly, aren't they," she said. "How much would you bet that she'll leave very soon to find more wealthy clientele?"

Logan shook his head left and right then sighed. "That's if he doesn't kill her first," he joked. Logan tried to stay mad at her, tried to give her as much of the silent treatment as he could, but he could never bring himself to be angry at her.

She continued, "Sorry I took so long. There were some persistent idiots, and they refused to believe that I didn't have anything worth taking." Logan frowned, this time hot furry stemmed from his head. "I ought'a learn to fight though," she joked. "Didn't mean to get held up like that."

Logan continued to frown at her as she stared at the moon. His gaze upon her seeming to never end. He sighed again. "I'll show you how to fight later, Demitri. But right now we have a job to do."

Logan motioned her to follow him as he began to walk down the alley and into the open streets. He stopped for a moment just to catch a glimpse of his surroundings. "So," he said. "You know what today is right? The valterrian celebration. A lot of people are going to hang out in bars and drink the night away."

He began to walk down the street, hopefully with Demitri entail. There was a tavern near where they were, full of drunk men and prostituting women. A celebration was happening after all, why not take advantage of the situation and grab a little change from their pockets?

Logan turned to Demitri to see if she was following him. If she was he would turn to her and smile. "Ready to get some cash?"

[Demitri Maebourne]

Demitri's childhood friend had always struck her as one who didn't mince words. Whether he was giving her the "silent treatment" or just didn't feel the need to comment, Logan spoke little and chose phrases ever-carefully. Perhaps he had gotten that from his childhood outside of Sunberth. Having been a considerably frail child in a city run by violence, there was nothing Demitri could do to get out of a bad situation other than talk her way free. Even so, she liked that he was a man of few words; it seemed to make him more honest. "That's if he doesn't kill her first." She hadn't given a great deal of thought to this, having been caught up in the shame of her lateness, but as she considered it she gave a grim chuckle. He joked, but in all honesty that was the only other direction the prostitute's night could go in. Sunberth provided girls in that line of profession with plenty of business- it just wasn't the kind anyone would want. "I'll show you how to fight later, Demitri," he began, and she looked at him inquisitively as he returned her to the current situation. "But right now we have a job to do." He motioned and she followed. They wound their way up the alley to the tavern; the couple had moved to another location by now, though the girl honestly hadn't payed enough attention to make note of where. She saw the pale glow of the nearby tavern, its light warm, its crowd almost annoyingly gay. "You know what today is, right?" Of course she did. "A lot of people are going to hang out in bars and drink the night away." That they were, and oh, how little attention they would be paying to their pockets! Logan turned to face the girl and smiled. She smiled back, this one not bright and cheerful as those before but innocently sneaky, sort of playful, as if she was playing a prank or listening to someone's secrets. In truth, it was all the same to her, and she reveled in making a game of it. "Ready to get some cash?" "Think you can keep up?" OOCI'm worried I'm already not helping much with the story, will you let me know if I'm not giving you enough to work with? ^^; Oh, and you can assume for the most part that Demitri's following your lead, I won't be offended~

[Logan Storm]

OOCDon't worry so much about it. Your job is to live in the moment as your character would. If you don't wanna add anything then don't, lol. But try not to make a habit of it!

She followed. Her face was more than excited when he told her of his plans. it made him a little happy to see that glean of sneakiness on her face, like a fox smiling with anticipation of killing a sheep. It also made him more confident to act upon his plans. She often reminded him how fun everything seemed when they did bad things together.

"Think you can keep up?" Demitri asked.

"I know I can keep up. But we gotta go over the rules."

Logan paused to think while they walked, slowing his pace so that his mind could have more attention. The word 'rules,' made him think of games, which made him think of making this night a game. Would make things a little more interesting.

"First, don't get caught. If either one of us gets caught then we are making a run for it. But, no man left behind. If someone captures one of us then we start a brawl. You know how to crack a man's head with a glass cup right?"

Logan knew a lot about Demitri, one of those things being that she wasn't very good in a fight. She was a talker, which made her a little more clever than the brutish kid. If something where to happen, he knew that he would probably need to deal with both his and Demitri's enemies. And not because he thought her weak, but because he never wanted to see her get hurt. His actions would be more impulse than thought.

They were nearing closer to the taverns door, but Logan wasn't done talking to Demitri yet, so he stopped suddenly. His eyes moved to her and his voice became a little hushed as he continued to speak, but his voice was loud enough for Demitri to hear.

"Second, we are going to make a game out of this. Those that get the most change at the end will win and take home all the earnings. And that will most definitely be me." Logan smiled wickedly then continued into the bar.

Even before entering the building could he hear the sound of clanking glass and happy cheers. He thought he could also hear music as well, maybe a band was playing? As he moved inside all the noises he listened to before revealed themselves. There were beings in each table, on each stool, smiling with bright eyes. Some were red faced and wobbly, others drinking and eating their fill. A band played in the center stage while others danced in the closest thing to a wide opened floor. Logan adored the sight, too many drunks to steal from, too little time.

Logan did not have as much pockets to hold money as he would want, but he had enough for a good deal of money bags. The first on his list of unfortunate victims was an easy target. A man who could barely sit still in their sleep. His gear was heavy, with weapons on every part of him. Black dreads hung to the mans neck which matched his black clothing.

Logan sat on the stool next to him, then put up the best act he could ever have. The act of a cheerful, innocent boy. "Hey stranger, mind buying me a drink? I am a little low on the money and I want to join in the party too!"

The man stared at the kid a little, probably trying to register what he just said. His eyes where very lazy, and he looked like he was close to passing out from the pressure of his own weight. He wobbled a little more then grinned wickedly.

"Oh Cour oh cour. Harkee, one hore hottle hease. Hor he young lad."

Logan looked at the bartender who was staring at the man. Somehow, he understood what the man said and gave Logan a small glass of what Logan assumed to be whine.

Logan raised the glass and the man next to him raised his. They clinked their glasses together then Logan said, "Too the Valterrian!"

"too the halterrianne!"

The man drunk and Logan pretended to drink the glass. He kept his lips shut and the cup tilted down enough for the liquid content not to spill on him. He grab the mans waste and pulled in for a celebratory hug. His hands quickly went to the bag on the mans waste. He began untwisting the knot of the string while using his other hand to pretend to drink.

It wouldn't budge, it was too tight! Never before did he have to deal with a knot as stubborn as this one! He almost used the mans knife to cut this bag off. Logan continued, and when he finally got the bag untied, his new friend had realized what was going on.

"Heeeeey. Whaaaaa-" The man said before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he tumbled to the floor. Everyone was startled by the large thump the man made. But after understanding what was going on, it was back to partying!

Logan shook his head left and right then looked down at the coin bag in his lap. He had one down and only a few more to go. Wondering how Demitri was doing, he turned to watch her progress.

[Demitri Maebourne]

OOCGotcha. Also do you ever spend a ton of time on a post and then get logged out just as you're about to send it? I am sad. >_> "I know I can keep up," he said. "But we gotta go over the rules." At this her face brightened and she slowed to match his pace, her step lighter and more enthused. So this would be a competition, would it? Demitri nodded as he explained the "rules." They weren't very different from those of any other expedition they'd made, and they had made a great number of expeditions. At the mention of glass cups she laughed. "Don't I always?" Sure, she was more of a talker than a brawler, but that didn't mean she'd never been in a fight. Smashing things over the aggressor's head always seemed the best way to make a hasty retreat. What's more, it was oddly therapeutic! Honestly it was the least she could do to get out of danger fast. Logan had come to save her from angry drunks more times than she'd care to admit. Just as they came to the tavern, Logan stopped and looked at her. She grinned at the thought of a game; nodded eagerly at the wager. At his confidence she chuckled, matching his wicked glance. "Will it now? Let's find out." Merrily she bounced after him into the tavern. The night was nearing its climax, and it showed in the friendly, boozed-up faces of the patrons. Music could be faintly heard lying under the din of merry drunks, and Demitri noted a band in the back of the room. They seemed well supplied with liquor as well, and they had no shortage of tips. They weren't quite drunk enough to exploit, though; she might use that later. Logan picked his target immediately, a burly, weapon-clad gentleman with thick black dreads and the face of a sucker. The girl raised her eyebrows, the smile lightening; not the type she might have picked. He was fool enough to get drunk, but probably cared enough to secure his mizas. Still, it wasn't impossible; Logan had fast hands and a strong will. Demitri would need to start with an easier target, though. Sure enough, she managed to sight the perfect target. He stumbled toward a nearby table in a drunken stupor, face red and jovial. He had just come from the second floor, suggesting that he'd spent some time with one of the less reputable ladies. Surely he didn't need the mizas he'd brought tonight, did he? She walked to him quickly, catching his arm as he wobbled to the left. "Steady there, friend!" He looked up at her with a blank but vaguely confused expression, then smiled a sickening smile. Doing her best to keep composed, she smiled amicably. "Mind if I have a seat?" She turned her head as she heard a sudden bang- sighted the weapon-clad gentleman on the floor and Logan sitting with a coin bag in hand. He looked at her and she stifled a laugh. Not bad. She sat at the table next to the drunkard and began chatting, not paying a great deal of attention to what she said and knowing that the man probably wouldn't know the difference. "Such a great night, and a great tavern and great ale and great friends..." She kept her eyes on his face, leaning ever closer and moving her hand toward the purse at his waist. He could barely focus enough to keep his eyes on her, let alone pay attention to the weight on his belt. "Gread... frnns..." As he mumbled her words back at her she nodded, smile tightening as she attempted to reassure him. Her hand reached the purse, and she quickly made to untie it. After a moment of fumbling, it came loose and she pulled. She faked a sudden keeled-over laugh as she stuffed it in her jacket, and the man looked around in a slightly more "awake" sort of confusion. Not that it mattered; Demitri had what she needed and the man was close to passing out anyway. Still laughing she stood, giving the drunkard a few heavy pats on the shoulder, not being able to resist giving a small push to see if he wobbled. Yep. "Lovely meeting you," she said as she turned. She walked towards the bar and shot Logan a look of triumph before deciding to site her next target.

[Logan Storm]

OOCIf pressing backspace doesn't help you, then I will cry with you.

Logan watched with interest as he saw Demitri at work. She sat next to a drunkard and fumbled for his coin bag. In all honesty, he felt a little jealous when he saw how close Demitri was to the guy, but he didn't try to show it. When she got the purse, she ended her sequence with what Logan could assume was her making fun of her victim. He chuckled at what she had done, then kept up his smile as she triumphantly walked to the bar.

She is definitely enjoying this, he thought to himself.

Logan turned towards the man laying down then rose from his stool. He knelt before the unconscious fool and helped him sit back on his seat. It was a difficult task because Logan was lifting an unconscious man, but he managed to get the job done.

As soon as he sat the man down, the man planted his face onto the bar table.

Well, he's out for good. Guess he won't be needing this. The boy pulled a dagger from the man then patted him on his back. Logan thought this sight to be very poor. He didn't know whether to feel sorry or to be happy to rob from such a foolish guy.

He looked around the room again and notice some eyes staring at him. These where the eyes of the wise who didn't drink to their belly's fill. Of course, these people did nothing. It was the Sunberth way to mind their own business unless something big was going on, like a group of people trying to oppress the city or the presence of a mage.

They wouldn't do anything as long as Logan didn't mess with them, and he had no plans on stealing from someone who will be able to remember the next day.

Logan saw another wobbly man walking towards him. This time he was tubby, but still had his coin bag near his waste like the other man. The boy grinned, then walked towards the man in a fake wobbly motion. He crashed into the new victim, and in one swift motion, used the dagger to cut the string from the mans waste. The two collided but then parted when the drunkard lost his footing. Logan continued to move, new bag at hand, and hid himself among a new crowd before the man could recover, stand up, and call Logan out.

He was now sitting in a booth, two coins on his lap. The second weighed a little more than the first, and was more bulkier as well.

No point in carrying two. Logan placed the money from the first bag in the second, then restarted locking onto new potential targets. Soon, he came upon a certain person who made him second think entering this bar.

It was his dad, his petching dad! His father was on the dance floor with the nearest prostitute, shaking both their ash's to the rhythm of the music. The boy narrowed his eyes and appeared extremely pissed. As he stared at the man who could seem to afford a whores attention but not the rent for their living, which was the excuse his dad gave Logan when he asked for Logan's coat and shirt, Logan honed in on the large money bag near his fathers waste.

Seething with silent rage, Logan cracked his neck then thought of the best way to steal from his dad.

[Demitri Maebourne]

OOCSuch a tragedy. ;P Her next target was another easy one. Asleep at the bar- scrawny, as though he'd spent all his food money on ale. She knew he wouldn't have much left after tonight's revels, but it couldn't hurt to show him his mistakes. This one went much quicker than the one before; she shook him a bit, patted him on the back. Even took care to wipe some drool from his face with a napkin as she pulled the meager coin bag from the pocket of his coat. Then, with another soft pat on the back and a quiet "thank you," she slid away. She noticed the glance of another patron at the bar, tipsy but far more aware than the other two schmucks. He raised an eyebrow, and she did so back, doing her best to match his level of confidence. "Did you do something you shouldn't have?" "What if I did?" She quickly walked past him, less worried about being called out for her crime, more disappointed that someone had noticed. She supposed the citizens of Sunberth were a sharp bunch- still, she'd have to hone her skill quite a bit more if she was ever to make a career of it somewhere new. Honestly, the only true concern here was the knowledge that she'd likely be robbed herself upon leaving. She'd have to keep an eye out for the more "interested" people here... but she could leave that for later. Demitri turned just in time to see Logan pull out the small dagger and cut away a coin bag. She couldn't help but smirk knowingly. Cheater. Still cheerful, she followed him to the booth where he sat, pausing only to help up the fool Logan had knocked over and give him a reassuring chuckle. She sat and did the same as him, taking out the first purse and shaking its contents into the new coin bag. "You've been quite resourceful so far," she complimented lightly. "But don't think that means I'll give up any time soon." It wasn't until she'd already spoken that she looked up and saw his obvious rage. Face suddenly filled with concern, she turned to see what he'd been looking at. Wasn't that his father? In five years, she'd never seen much of the man; Logan usually told her he was at some tavern, and they always avoided whichever one he picked that night. Still, she couldn't mistake that face, even in its stupor. She turned back to her childhood friend with knotted brow and wide eyes. "Why's he here," she asked, somewhat quieter despite the din of the place. "And what's he been doing to get that girl's attention?" She sighed, brows still low with concern. "What do you want to do?"

[Logan Storm]

"You've been quite resourceful so far."

Logan looked towards Demitri as a surge of electricity traveled through the back of his eyes. When did she appear in the seat adjacent to him?

"But don't think that means I'll give up any time soon," she teased.

He looked at her with a query eye, but turned back to his father after a moment. He couldn't get over what his dad was doing, shaking his ass to match the same motion of the hookers tata's. The lady who was with him definitely dressed to impress the fella's, and oh how did she impress the fella's. If they weren't drunk and passed out then they where staring at her dance, or other women doing other things.

He turned his vexed eyes back to Demitri when she noticed his father. All this time he had avoided running into his dad with Demitri so that she wouldn't see this side of his life, this demented side that would no sooner make him split every single hair from his head. But, he didn't know where his dad would be this time, the old man didn't give him much information to go by, so now he was exposing his best friend to the psychotic side of Logan's life. He didn't want that, but he didn't know how to stop her from looking. So he froze.

"What do you want to do?" Demitri asked, probably already knowing the answer from the look in his eyes. He had gotten angry before while around her. When ever someone tried to take advantage of Demitri or abuse him or her, he had gotten so angry to the point of dislocating appendages. But right now he was beyond angry, he was petching furious.

"I want to- I want to- I WANT TO-"

He calmed himself. He rubbed his head vigorously as though if he did so he would rub away all the pain. Why was he so mad? Was it because his father had lied to him and said that he needed the money for more important things? It wasn't the first time it happened, he thought that he would be use to it by now. But when he saw that man, he couldn't help but feel rage.

"I think... I think we should go."

Logan was tired of having this man give him stress. He had come out this night to escape the life he lived, but it seemed to follow him wherever he went, like a bone racking ghost that would never leave his side. "C'mon, we'll pick another bar to rob."

Logan slid from his seat then walked to the door. His noticed how his anger would fade the further he was from his father. It was refreshing to be away from him, even more to not be around him.

Logan placed his hand on the door with full expectation of feeling relieved of all stress, but paused when someone called his name. "Loooooooooooooogaaaaaaaaaaaan!"

He did not need to turn around to know who was calling him. The sound and condescending tone of the voice told Logan enough.

His father repeated, "Looooooooooooooooogaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!"

Logan flinched, as he would do whenever his father would call to him like that, stayed where he stood, and clenched his fists solidly. If he had long nails, Logan's palm would be bloody by now.

[Demitri Maebourne]

In response to her question the boy seemed to get even angrier. He stumbled over his words; got louder with every breath. Demitri's face contorted into a look of even greater concern. She'd never seen him like this- if she hadn't known him so long, understood his anger, she might have been afraid. Suddenly the storm subsided. Hand on his head, massaging his headache endlessly, Logan looked like a man with decades' worth of worries. She frowned, face relaxing only slightly. He didn't deserve this. He was too young for it, too. Sometimes Demitri forgot how much luckier she was than many of those in Sunberth. A home, a coat, a mother who didn't steal from her... What's more, she always had someone there to look out for her. Where was Logan's "protector?" Running around some tavern, using the clothes on his son's back to indulge his vices. She looked down, sullen and despairing. If there was something she could do... "I think..." he started. "I think we should go." Demitri looked up, watching for some shred of hope in her friend's face. "I think that's a wise choice," she responded, nodding quietly at his mention of another bar. She got up with him, trailing close behind as she always seemed to do. As Logan reached the door, she was already thinking of ways to cheer him up, make him forget about the unpleasant reminder the night had brought. "Looooooogaaaaaaaaaan!" She froze in place. Widened her eyes. Then gritted her teeth, exhaling heavily. Again: "Loooooooooogaaaaaaaaaaaan!" The reaction of her childhood friend was very clear- fists clenched, muscles locked in place, and frowning solemnly. She watched him for a moment, unable to put on her usually cheerful facade in the strife of someone who had done so much for her. Then she closed her eyes. It wasn't right, it couldn't be allowed... Demitri whipped around, dark eyes filled with contempt. Sighted the drunken petcher, started towards him with more purpose than she'd had the entire night. She hadn't hated her father for leaving. How could she when she didn't even remember knowing him? And she hadn't hated the thugs from earlier, because she'd probably be the same if she didn't have people to care for her. But she hated this man. This man, who had a duty to his son and every reason to be content in life. The man who for five years had been drinking and gambling and paying whores as if he didn't have a shred of shame, as if he didn't have anyone in his life for whom he could show concern or even interest. She didn't care what might have happened before they came to Sunberth. She didn't care if he had started out as a good man, nor did she care what had brought him to this state. She hated him, and she would by no means leave this place without making that known. As gently as she could in her rage, Demitri pushed back the dancing girl. She looked up at the dumbfounded gentleman, no less confident despite the drastic height difference. In a flash she'd grabbed him by the color, ineffective in its typical purpose due to her weakness, almost more intimidating due to the bite of her black stare. "What do you want."