( job thread) To catch a thief [ana]

by **Ximal** on October 23rd, 2012, 9:08 pm

3rd fall 512AV

Sitting in the guard house Xi, dipped his head over a desk, the boredom of having no patrols today and being re-enforcements dragging on him. The senior guard Groth dealing with a few people at the front of the guard station, still Xi sat quietly just earwigging his way into the conversation until the words, "multiple thefts" hit his ears. Immediately his mind jumped to an old acquaintance of his. If she was the one uto these thefts then he owed it to the people of the spires to at least have a chat with her. Then again, if she wasn't the one behind it, then XI would in list her help in searching for the culprit.

Rising from the desk and heading out he told Groth he was going out for a short time. When in actuality he was going to look for this person. Heading down to the local tavern Xi opened the door, and took a seat. He knew she'd have to come in here eventually, if she did then he would grab her and pull her outside with him for a short chat. Otherwise the day was slow and waiting for her dragged out it's duration. still focusing on his meditation seemed to be helping his state of mind, his breathing slowed and his mind cleared. However his eye's didn't close as right now he wasn't trying to slip into his mind but keep the space around him in perfect contention and understanding. The whole tavern was now under his scrutiny as pitiful as it may be he was just trying to keep an eye out for that figure. Tiny as she may be she was if nothing else good at sneaking by unnoticed so right now he had to keep everything under his view to even stand a chance of spotting her.

by **Ana Sol Starris** on October 24th, 2012, 12:53 am

Ana entered the small bar, a calm, tired smile on her face as she held her cloak tightly around her. The dark circles were heavily growing around her eyelids day by day, but, she was not fazed by the predicament. If sleep did not want her, she would gladly do without it- do without anything lurking in the murkiness of her subconscience mind; and with that she seemed more relaxed than usual, not as edgy, even as she walked past many of the residents with hands occupyed with the cloak to prevent the stray stickiness of her small fingers. For having been in the Spires so long, it had felt like a third nature to her habits, there was no plotting, or planning, nor conspired doom against her person for being apart of a formerly known affiliation called the Crimson Edge.

It was... Such a freedom she had only ever felt now, as brief as it would be.

Though, her second nature was to walk swiftly, and with a crowd and use such advantages to remain unnoticed by any prying eyes. Such a habit was now unbreakable as she weaved through the sparse residents and visitors; the flutter of her black cloak masking most of her thin figure and most of the bob of her head from behind because of the overtly large hood, lightly stepping around occupants and choosing a retreatful far sided corner near the bar, contemplating on what to order as the aroma of luncheon foods were being made. Sitting down and sighing, Ana didn't have much free time and Jakobi didn't help in the long run either, being so over-protective of her, it was criminal.

This won't take long.. It's only lunch anyways, Ana thought to herself quietly as she looked over to Kashal and asked for the lunch special of the day, politely.

Watching as the Jamoura walked away, Ana began to observe the room and its occupants talking, another habit of hers. Always know the way out if a time ever required you to think of one, this habit, or rather another rule of her habits coexisted with always knowing who is in the room and if they will be detrimental or vital to an escape (she's never stopped coming up with grandeous escape plots.) What she saw made her pale quickly, making her look very gaunt with the dark circles under her eyes. Ximal. All she could do was stare, and eventually... Their eyes met, Ana's head shuttering downwards in direction as the chills crawled up her spine. Reminding her of so much, she had only gotten a brief glance of his face but it was enough to send her into a spiralling paranoid state.

Looking back up as Kashal had called a cheery greeting to her, setting the lunch on Anas table and then bursting into a low tone, deep, and beautiful song. It was... Calming to say the least, but reminded Ana as well to keep herself level headed as best as she could. Slowly, her limbs moved, and she was eating slowly, trying to focus on anything that wasn't Ximal, anything at all, and hope for the best he didn't recognize her or come over to her. Hopefully. Small, silent prayers went up from her head, to any god or goddess, anyone of them would do for Ana! Please don't let this turn out badly...

Expences :

by **Ximal** on October 24th, 2012, 10:27 am

Watching the room like a hawk for any trace of the person he was after a clear head with a focused goal helped a lot, the calm seeing eyes coupled with a much more mellow head offered a clearer viewing platform and then his eye's caught hers. one brief flash was all it took for him to notice her, but ll he did was turn and lean against the bar. Letting her get comfortable before he reached his hands together and cracked his knuckles. out of the corner of his eye he watched her eat as he leant his head into his hands.

"Well ana, it's nice to see you again. Your looking more malnourished and pale than usual. I want to have chat." Shuffling uneasily in his seat he never liked to blame people without clear proof. Speaking to her again he brought up what had brought him there. "I'm looking for a thief, and your the only thieving person i know around here. So if it isn't too much trouble i'd like you to just have a discussion with me. You've the choice to run, in which case i'll catch you and we start this again, i can either declare you guilty and have you stand in-front of the trial. Or there is the option of you helping me to clear your name in my mind, and there might even be a little money in it for you too. So please i'm asking a favour." Xi hunched over the counter and shot her a glance, but not of anything other than a want of help. "And before you ask why i want your help, and you start pleading your case. It takes a thief, to catch a thief. And who better to ask than the only thief i know, and who else would my head jump to in the same circumstance." With Xi's posture and his seating he asn't expecting a response from ana untill she'd finished her meal.

by **Ana Sol Starris** on October 24th, 2012, 9:05 pm

Eat, slowly, eat, slowly, savor it! Enjoy it! He'll leave, he..he.. I bet he's talking to someone else! There must be another old aqauintence of his that was a thief! Everything that shouldn't be happening, was; and it was sending Ana spiraling back to her old self. Paranoid, timid, unsure of what was going to happen, how was she suppose to react to what he had just said?

Of course he was going to try and blame it on her, she was the one always at fault for her own stupidity as well as conniving, thieving nature. He was threatening to disrupt what had come to her on its own voliation, a normal petching life! For what? Some sneaky thief most likely taking advantage of the fact there were others like her, the outsider? The small girls shoulders shook very lightly, a mere tremble of what she was actually feeling right now. Anger, hate, how could he..! She.. After choosing to forfeit the promise made to proove even Wrens innocence, it would seem she would have to proove her own as well now.

Taking a deep breath, meal finished, she had hardly tasted it in the process of keeping a level headed mind; and then speaking, not looking at him as the tone of her voice betrayed her demeanor "isn't giving up on my past, good enough for you Ximal?" Gripping the edge of the table, finger tips going white from the strain "thats exactly what this is, in your mind, and your mind alone will see that I'm only what I use to be. What of others? Would they think the same and side with you? You're an outsider as well, what makes your word better than mine?"

"If you think I'm going to help you after what you've said, you can forget it" Ana sent a glare his way, from the corner of her eyes "you're not a detective."

With that she got up, paid her expences and began walking for the door. Some lunch that was, Ana thought to herself, a little sad.

by **Ximal** on October 24th, 2012, 9:28 pm

Now having founder and told her his side of the story he followed her. She had yelled at him, and her words stung, and they were truthful but now he had to speak up and defend his position to her, using everything he had to get his point across he waited untill they were outside before speaking to her again, this time his voice was more tern but less accusing. "Look, i know you don't weant to help me and i know what i said was accusing but ask yourself, do you even WANT the possibility of others looking at you as the thief? I'm offering you a chance to help me and to help keep your name OUT of the suspects. Also i know i'm not a detective, which is why i've come to someone who could see things i cant, who can do things i can and who thinks like i don't. " He circled round infront of her useing every inch of his imposing size to stop he from moving as well as try and make her back up. He was starting to revert to the sunberth Xi not the new one. not the one he'd forged in the spires. "I know you've changed your ways your not the only one. But i came to you because i know your past, and it's because of that that i'm asking for your help. No i accused you back there and for that i'm sorry. Still i need your help. I'm, not good at looking as possible ways to steal things, i'm not good at looking at this type of development, so i came to someone who was.

He rose a hand to his head and began to rubbed his temples he needed to get her to listen to him, she was the only one he could turn to for advice about this sort of thing. "I'm sorry i ruined your day I am, and i know you are trying to start again. I also don't think you did it, i just need you to try and help me. I'm not expecting much." He knew he'd upset her when all he'd meant to do was ask her for advice, it seemed his luck with women was as bad as it ever was. "If you hep me with this I'll treat you to dinner, you can order what ever you want and as much as you like. And yes i do know about relations with what's his name. This would be me treating a friend. "

by **Ana Sol Starris** on October 24th, 2012, 9:57 pm

Of all things to happen today, Ximal had to be in it and worse, the accusation for having of stolen something. Her sticky fingers were bad but she had kept them in check! Ana was pretty petching proud of herself for having of managed that accomplished feat of resistance and now it was being placed into question. How would anyone, anyone at all, would know she was a thief before coming to the Spires? How? It didn't make sense, not unless he had gone spreading rumors about her during his time here. Ximal even had the audacity to follow her outside, she didn't need to glance back to know, his voice was there behind her.

Suddenly she was being backed up, he had stepped in front of her and used size to his advantage to get her to stop, to listen. He was getting far too close, so naturally she did back up as he talked, looking around him and trying to find a way to escape. He had little spots she could use to get away lest falling off into the netting, her eyes scanned him from left shoulder to right hip, and vice versa. Maybe she could slide under and through his legs, the gap was wide enough it seemed to her for her own small stature. Perhaps she could even back track and make a run for it from the side, she recalled his arm having of been in a sling once, maybe that arm was weaker than the other and would proove to be a disadvantage in catching her.

Even if she could get past the blockade he had made, how would she solve avoiding any behind grabs? Gathering her cloaks tightly around her with one arm, showing her tom boyish frame through her clothes rather nicely as if getting ready to sprint away.

"And you expect me to believe you? You thinking I was not the one who was doing some supposed theft in the Spires is the equivalent to me being a tree with apples growing on it." Gratingly she replied to him, biting her breath and biding her time as he spoke once more- promises of dinner, a free one, oh how she had a hard time resisting free food... "you can forget about solely treating me, if I do help you that is, you'll treat Jakobi to dinner as well as me. Wouldn't want him getting jelous, now would I?"

by **Ximal** on October 24th, 2012, 10:21 pm

Rubbing his temples was becoming something of a natural habit for him,almost as natural as cracking his neck but it had become more natural since his headaches had started and this eased them immensely. tilting his head to the side she was almost there, almost willing to help him in this endeavour. " Alright i'll treat him too, i know how little you trust me and i deserve it. " Rubbing his temples he took a step back before starting to lead ana through the wooden spires streets. Though he did pay her a slight compliment. "Ana i don't want you to take this the wrong way but , being her, even with your dark circles you look healthier, you look more...developed, much brighter as well." He shot her a smile to show there was no ill will or malignant intent behind his words. He was genuinely happy to see her doing well. This place was something... Extraordinary, it as just washing away all the influence of the cesspool known as sunberth. Before Xi could stop walking he looked at his left. They'd come to the first site fo the first robbery.

"This is where the first robbery took place, i'd like you to go in with me i'll vouch for you, and i'd just like you to check around and make sure it's not just misplaced also to check for any signs of a thief. I trust you completely, just please don't make a fool out of me ? The tone in which he spoke was more relaxed than usual but some what shielded, he just wanted to get across that he wanted her help. She could dislike him all she wanted but all he wanted was to know that she was alright and that she was willing to help, even if he had needed to negotiate buying her and the other one dinner as a thanks. Still Knocking on the door to the tree house he opened it. Announcing himself to be one of the guards, and that the small blonde girl was going to help him find out anything he could about the robberies. Xi asked the jamoura lady to show ana where the item had gone missing from. Whislt Xi himself checked out the front of the house, just taking care to scan everything, Even with his meagre observatory skills he could still spot a few things, like a few black feathers which looked very out of place...

by **Ana Sol Starris** on October 27th, 2012, 2:13 am

"Pffft," Ana breathed out in exhasperation "first you insult me by calling me pale and malnourished, now you're calling me healthier and brighter..." she mumbled the last bit, an incoherent part of her speech that may have sounded like 'hypocryte' but that was only a possibility among a list of possibilities, arms crossing now as she walked with him in total silence to the area. I can't believe him.. Ana thought to herself, unimpressed over Ximals contradictions, she didn't see it as flattery or kindness.

Quietly listening to him as he mentioned the first robbery, Anas eyes swivelled to take in the house. Normal, over-sized home, fit for a Jamoura; made of natural matirials including logs, slug-suckle vines, rope, and alot of thatch roofing. Tilting her head a bit as she followed him to the door, watching as he knocked and then glancing back to the entryway to see a large Jamouran female. Stoic in expression, she raised an eyebrow slightly and wondered what could possibly be found in here that was of any value? Ana didn't say anything until the jamouran lady let them in, "would you happen to have anything of true value here?"

Ana made a money, finger snapping expression without the click to help signal she was meaning Mizas or something worth alot in mizas.

The Jamouran took a moment to think, before nodding her head yes "a small pocket watch, it was a gift from.. an old friend. Just a little memory, but now it's gone" She looked worried, "it doesn't work anymore of course, but it means alot to me."

Hmm.. Ana pondered mentally as the Jamoura led her to the dresser that once had the pocket watch sitting on it, "I hope you don't mind," she said a little too cheerfully, a little too excitedly for anyones comfort as she opened some of the drawers and began looking in them "was anything else taken?" Ana said as she inspected some of the junk filled drawers, filled to the brim with useless items as far as Ana could tell. They must have been all small memoirs of the past, what a strange way to remain sentimental..

She could feel that itch coming back, a very strong one as Ana kept her own hands within her line of sight. An urge to just.. take something was coming to her in full force, to steal, to pilfer, to perform crimes! She bit her breath and shut the drawer.

Note :

by **Ximal** on October 27th, 2012, 1:59 pm

Standing in that same hallway X felt a little uneasy, still focusing on ana. Would she try to steal again or would she stay true to her words? Xi cracked his knuckles and crouched down to the feathers. Picking one up he slid it between his finger and thumb. Bird feather. Black and...Spots of white ? Hrrm, interesting... Xi stood up with one of the feathers then examined the bottom. It hadn't fallen out normally...No the edge looks like it was cut or at least torn. Xi pocketed the feather before looking around the house. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, even teh overly large chairs didn't seem out of place.

Well this is a conundrum, how could feathers turn up within a house? That and we dont know what was stolen yet, perhaps this jamoura wouldn't miss another thing going walkies. Don't you even dare. Right now i'm trying to do my job. Which is boring as anything. C'moooooooon i wanna have some fuuuuuuuuuuuun. Scooch over i'm taking control of the driver's seat. Right now you cant petch off i'm holding on i've got a job to do so you can stay out. Xi was now WILLING ana to return quickly, when nobody was around the flipping from Xi to liro was intense and painful, but it was fast, if there were others around it was a slow digging pain that took a long while just to try and break his concentration.

by **Ana Sol Starris** on October 28th, 2012, 12:04 am

From behind the Jamoura answered lightly with a no.

Standing up, Ana took a deep breath and exhaled, the jitters coming to her as she checked her hands quickly. Freezing as she saw the small doll in her hand, had she grabbed that? She didn't remember if she had, so she set it down on top of the dresser lightly, looking up at the Jamouran woman "thats alot of stuff in there, you sure nothing else was taken or that it was misplaced? If they were just targetting that area.." Her sentence drifted off as she thought for a moment, if she were in this thiefs position and had been lucky enough to find a home empty for a bit- the dresser was what she would have chosen first, people put stuff in there all the time, thats what dressers were for- but it was usually for just clothes, not trinkets or junk.

Given the fact something priceless was taken, and most likely very old as well as previously expencive before it was broken, would she have taken the pocket-watch at first glance? The voice was light within her mind, but it was a small resonating 'yes' to answer her own question; anything that seemed to look important, or stood out from everything else was a definite item you could pilfer for mizas. The Jamoura said she was certain with her splendid memory, Ana flashed her confusion on her face before nodding her head. What else could have been attributed to this theft.. Maybe Ximal had found something as well?

Ana looked over to the front door where he might be, then glancing back at the Jamoura, thanking her for her time and walking over to Ximal, crossing her arms to shroud her body with the cloak once more "did you find anything? I'm not exactly sure how to go about investigating.. But if I were a thief, I would have scanned the room, filtered every crack and space for items, and then hit some of the more obvious spots besides a dresser.. Dressers are usually for clothes, so people may not have thought to place important things inside them.. But since this is a Jamoura, I guess it makes sense to have a dresser filled with junk.."

Ana explained a bit, tilting her head upwards to look him in the face. She wasn't really making much sense, but her posture was shifting back to the one she use to have in Sunberth. Hidden. Underneath the cloak, everything remained secret.